Slices
Prepare
Take a moment to focus on the cross. Be thankful that you can approach God today because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for you.
Bible passage
The plague on the firstborn
11 Now the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely. 2 Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbours for articles of silver and gold.’ 3 (The Lord made the Egyptians favourably disposed towards the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.)
4 So Moses said, ‘This is what the Lord says: “About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. 5 Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. 6 There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt – worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. 7 But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.” Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. 8 All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, “Go, you and all the people who follow you!” After that I will leave.’ Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.
9 The Lord had said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you – so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.’ 10 Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.
Explore
We have already seen that Pharaoh is not going to let God’s people go. Moses prepares the people to face the terrible, final plague where all the firstborn of Egypt will die (vs 4–6). The Egyptians will be judged for not letting God’s people go, and God will provide for and deliver Israel (vs 1–3).
There is protection afforded to God’s people under the covenant. Just as he has protected them previously, he will protect them again now in the face of this horrendous plague which brings death to all except the Israelites (v 7). God is Israel’s rescuer who will eventually make a way of escape through their suffering.
Sin separates us from God, and it is only by his grace that we are rescued through the new covenant (1 Corinthians 11:25). We must not take sin lightly as we see its destructive powers in our lives and in creation. We all need justice and we all need deliverance. Jesus is the ‘firstborn’ son who pays the price for our sin today, that we might go free.
Respond
‘Father God, I thank you that despite my sin you are willing to forgive me because of Jesus’ death – through the shedding of his blood. Thank you that because of Jesus I am free. Amen.’
Deeper Bible study
'God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up … How great your faithfulness!’1
This short chapter functions like a hinge – swinging back to God’s promises in earlier chapters and forward to the fulfilment that will follow.
Seven times, God (through Moses) had told Pharaoh: ‘Let my people go’. Finally, even his own officials echo this command: ‘Let the people go’.2 Nine plagues later, Pharaoh remains unmoved. God, however, is not taken by surprise. Swing back to God’s promise: ‘I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will … strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.’3 The impasse will not last for ever. There will be ‘one more plague’ (v 1) and then Pharaoh – who began with blunt refusals and then moved to bullying, bargaining and lies – will bend to God’s will. Not only will he ‘let’ the people go, he will ‘drive [them] out completely’ (v 1). Swing forward to the next chapter and this prediction is fulfilled.4 But at what a painful price. Because Pharaoh had refused to release God’s ‘firstborn son’ Israel, now, in a terrible turning of tables, every firstborn son of Egypt would die (v 5). This, too, had been told to Moses.5
God not only engineered the Exodus, he made sure his people did not leave empty-handed. They were ‘to ask their neighbours for articles of silver and gold’ (v 2) and were guaranteed a favourable response (v 3). This, too, swings back to an earlier promise and anticipates yet another fulfilment.6 This silver and gold will later be used in the tabernacle, the portable sanctuary where Israel would worship God in the wilderness,7 for God had made it clear that the reason underlying his command to ‘Let my people go’ was so that ‘they may worship me in the wilderness.’8
Meditate on a promise of God that has helped you in navigating a difficult present or an uncertain future.
1 Lam 3:22,23, The Message 2 Exod 10:7 3 Exod 3:19,20 4 Exod 12:31,32 5 Exod 4:22,23
6 Exod 3:21,22; 12:35,36 7 Exod 25:1–3; 35:20–24 8 Exod 7:16
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Exodus 29,30; Psalm 18
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray that churches and other organisations who are making plans to use the new Easter story booklet to share the good news of Easter will be able to get it into the right places and that they may be able to build relationships which will in time lead to faith.
