Slices
Prepare
Take time to be still. Sit in a chair or kneel on the floor. Ask God to speak to you through his Word. May he open your eyes by the Holy Spirit.
Bible passage
37 The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. 39 With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.
40 Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lord’s divisions left Egypt. 42 Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honour the Lord for the generations to come.
Passover restrictions
43 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘These are the regulations for the Passover meal:
‘No foreigner may eat it. 44 Any slave you have bought may eat it after you have circumcised him, 45 but a temporary resident or a hired worker may not eat it.
46 ‘It must be eaten inside the house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones. 47 The whole community of Israel must celebrate it.
48 ‘A foreigner residing among you who wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat it. 49 The same law applies both to the native-born and to the foreigner residing among you.’
50 All the Israelites did just what the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 And on that very day the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.
Explore
As a child in Sunday school, Bible stories like this one were illustrated with ‘fuzzy felts’. Then, my image of the Israelites escaping from Egypt was a crowd of a few hundred people. But Exodus 12 tells us there were over 600,000 people ready to depart. This is the number of people living in a city like Edinburgh, Scotland.
God had been faithfully watching over his suffering people and, on this night, fulfils his promise of rescue given to Abraham centuries before (vs 40–42; see Genesis 15:13,14).
Before the Israelites leave, they are given further instructions on eating the Passover meal (vs 43–49). No foreign or native-born person is to eat the meal unless all the males have been circumcised. The community of God’s people is to be as one, set apart for God.
As Christians we are set apart too. We are united in Christ through ‘circumcision of the heart’ (Romans 2:29; Colossians 2:9–12). We are called to live for Jesus and to follow him. This is not about earning God’s favour by obeying rules. It is about being identified with him by being in union with Christ.
Respond
Reflect on how the Law doesn’t save us. Now give thanks that Jesus fulfilled the Law and that he is with you, keeping ‘vigil’ over you, today.
Deeper Bible study
‘Drop thy still dews of quietness, / till all our strivings cease; / take from our souls the strain and stress, / and let our ordered lives confess / the beauty of thy peace.’1
Starting with the pronouncement of the fourth plague, right up to the slaying of the firstborn, God makes a ‘distinction’ between the Egyptians and the Israelites.2 Nevertheless, God’s choice of this one nation is so that ‘all peoples on earth will be blessed’.3 When the Israelites left Egypt, ‘Many other people went up with them’ (v 38). We are not told who these people were but, clearly, there is diversity.
‘… about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children’ (v 37) is a massive movement of people! Yet, amid the confusion that undoubtedly reigns in Egypt (v 30), the Israelites are brought out ‘by their divisions’ (v 51) . In his instructions about corporate worship, Paul insists that ‘everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way’4 – the Passover regulations (vs 43–49) help to order community worship.
Underscoring the importance of unity, the Passover meal was to be eaten inside the house (the ESV reads, ‘one house’), the lamb consumed whole (v 46) and the feast celebrated by the ‘whole community’ (v 47). This brand of unity does not, however, insist on uniformity but embraces diversity. At first glance, it may appear that the ‘foreigner,’ ‘temporary resident’ and ‘hired worker’ are debarred (vs 43,45); but in fact, no one who ‘wants’ to be part of this community is excluded. ‘Foreigners’ seeking membership weren’t simply tolerated but accepted on the same terms as ‘one born in the land’; just as for the native-born, circumcision served as the outward sign of belonging within this covenant community (vs 48,49). A vibrant faith-community must strive for unity woven out of diversity and seek to imitate their God, who is ‘not a God of disorder but of peace’.5
How strong or frail is the unity of your local church? How rich is its diversity? Does order prevail over confusion?
1 John G Whittier, 1872, ‘Dear Lord and Father of mankind’ 2 Exod 8:23; 11:7 3 Gen 12:3 4 1 Cor 14:40 5 1 Cor 14:33
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Exodus 35,36; Psalm 19
Pray for Scripture Union
Mission Enabler Chris Eales is working with Local Mission Partner Bodmin Youth Project. There are a number of opportunities for mission activity; please pray that they may know God’s guidance and see his provision.
