New Testament Reading: Galatians 3:15–22

“To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ. This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” (Galatians 3:15–22, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 12:29-51

“At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead. Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, ‘Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as you have said. Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!’ The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, ‘We shall all be dead.’ So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders. The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves. The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. It was a night of watching by the LORD, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the LORD by all the people of Israel throughout their generations. And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it, but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. No foreigner or hired worker may eat of it. It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.’ All the people of Israel did just as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron. And on that very day the LORD brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.” (Exodus 12:29–51, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

There are four parts to our text for today. In verse 29 we find a very brief description of the outpouring of the tenth and final plague upon the Egyptians. In verses 30-32 we find a description of the initial reaction of the Egyptians. Verses 33-42 describe the beginning of the Hebrews’ exodus from Egypt. And finally, in verses 43-51 we find even more instructions concerning the ongoing observance of the Passover feast. I say “even more”, because we considered instructions for the observance of the passover in 12:1-28; in verses 43-51 even more instructions are given.  

By now you are probably getting the impression that this event was a very big deal in Israel’s history. This event — the outpouring of the tenth plague, which resulted in the death of the firstborns in Egypt of man and of cattle, along with the simultaneous shielding of the Hebrews — was a very big moment in Israel’s history, and understandably so.

It was this plague that finally broke Pharoah and the Egyptians leading to the release of the Hebrews. And at the same time, it was the greatest demonstration of the favor that God had shown to the Hebrews. Yes, the LORD had distinguished between the Hebrews and the Egyptians in the outpouring of previous plagues. For example, in the fourth plague there were flies throughout the land of Egypt, but God “set apart the land of Goshen, where [his] people [dwelt], so that no swarms of flies [were] be there, that [all would] know that [he is] the LORD in the midst of the earth” (Exodus 8:22, ESV). But here a distinction was made between Israel and Egypt in a particularly significant way. The firstborns of Egypt were put to death, but the Hebrews were shielded by the LORD. All of the other plagues were very awesome, but this one was exponentially more so. 

This event was a very big deal, for through it the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt to make them into a nation, just as he had promised. It is no wonder, then, that so much space is devoted in the exodus narrative to instructions for the ongoing observance of the Passover. You will notice that the actual description of the outpouring of the tenth and final plague is very, very brief — only one verse — verse 29. But instructions for the perpetual observance of the Passover memorial surround this text. The Hebrews were to celebrate the Passover year after year from this day forward to remember how the LORD had delivered them. The firstborn of Egypt were put to death, but the Hebrews were shielded by the LORD — he passed over their homes and they were spared. The Passover feast was a yearly holiday that prompted the Hebrews to remember this great act of deliverance. 

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What Happened When The Tenth Plague Was Poured Out?

So what happened when the tenth plague was poured out?

In verse 29 we read, “At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock.” (Exodus 12:29, ESV). 

We know that it was the LORD himself who executed this judgment, for in chapter 11 verse 4 Moses issued this warning, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle” (Exodus 11:4–5, ESV).

I do believe that this last plague must be viewed in light of the murder of the male Hebrew children that we learned about in Exodus chapter 1. You’ll remember that story, I’m sure. The Egyptians were concerned that the Hebrews were growing too strong, and so the Pharaoh commanded that the midwives put the male newborns to death. They would not, and so Pharaoh commanded that they be cast into the Nile. Moses’ own life was threatened by this decree, but he was spared by the LORD and through the actions of his faithful mother who, when she could hide him no longer, made a basket of reeds and sent him down the river. Pharaoh’s daughter found him, had compassion on him, and raised him in the palace. And here I am saying that this tenth plague — the death of the firstborns of Egypt — must be viewed against the backdrop of that history, not to mention the many, many years of brutal oppression endured by the Hebrew slaves at the hands of the Egyptians. 

So then, if anyone would dare to complain against God, saying, this is unjust!, they should be reminded of this history. The Egyptians were brutal to the Hebrews, and the LORD judged them for it. Or to state it in another way, the Egyptians were brutal to God’s son, Israel, and so the LORD did righteously judge the Egyptians by striking at their firstborns.   

Furthermore, attention should be drawn to the fact that it was the LORD who did this, and the Hebrews themselves. The LORD judged the Egyptians, and it is right to do so. He is the judge of all the earth. If it were the Hebrew people who rose up to kill the firstborns of Egypt, they themselves would be guilty of genocide. They would be no better than the Egyptians who committed genocide against them some 40 years earlier. It was the LORD who did this, and he has the right. 

This reminds me of what Paul says in Romans 12:19, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19, ESV). You and I are not to take vengeance on our enemies. We are to leave that to the Lord. And here we have a prime example of the LORD taking vengeance on the enemies of his people. 

You know, this principle has application for us today. There are many in our culture who are obsessed with the idea that the evils committed by past generations must be made right in the present. Those whose ancestors were unjustly enslaved are to be compensated somehow, and those whose ancestors benefited in some way from that arrangement are to be punished. How you would go about sorting all of that out, I don’t know. It’s a mess. But I would assume that some might point to this Exodus story as an illustration in support of the principle of restitution. Look, the Hebrews were treated unjustly for generations, but they plundered the Egyptians as they left. And look, the Egyptians committed heinous acts against the Hebrew children, and now, forty years later, they are made to pay. 

Well, yes. But you overlook the very significant fact that this was the LORD’s doing. It was the LORD himself who passed through Egypt to execute this judgment upon the Egyptians. It was the LORD who poured out these plagues, moving the Egyptians to freely and willingly give silver, gold, and clothing to their Hebrew neighbors as they left. This was the LORD’s doing. In other words, this was not human vengeance. This was not man-made restitution. The Hebrews did not steal from the Egyptians, saying, now you must pay for the sins of your ancestors, nor did they rise up against the Egyptians in revolt, saying, do you remember when you put our children to death? Now we will do the same to yours! No, this was the LORD’s doing. He took vengeance upon the Egyptians in a way that only he can, for he has the right. He poured out his just judgment upon these wicked and oppressive people. 

The point I am trying to make is this: human beings can only go so far with justice. If we try to go too far with justice, it becomes unjust. How far can we take it? Well, at best our courts of law are able to hold men accountable for crimes that they themselves have committed. If one man has personally harmed another man, then restitution should be paid. Friends, we have a difficult time getting that right! Our ability to execute justice is very limited. Why? Because our knowledge is limited. Some things must simply be left to the LORD to sort out. He may sort things out a little bit in this life (as he did at the time of the Exodus), but he will sort everything out thoroughly and with perfect exactness on the last day. 

And you had better be found in Christ, friends, for none are innocent. Not even you, the “oppressed”. Here is another cultural trend that we see today. Men and women — especially young men and women — love to think of themselves as oppressed. In fact, many young people will identify themselves with as many “oppressed” groups as possible, so as to be most oppressed, and thus, most deserving of respect and privilege. Those who have bought into this lie, who view themselves as the self-righteous oppressed,  will have a rude awakening on the last when they stand before God and see that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23, ESV), and that “None is righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10, ESV). It would be far better for them to learn this lesson now and to know that “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, ESV), so they might turn to him for the forgiveness of sins. 

So, back to our text. What happened when the tenth plague was poured out? The LORD put the firstborn of Egypt to death, of man and cattle. 

When did this happen? The text says, “at midnight”, which in the Hebrew simply means, in the middle of the night. We know from the previous passage that this happened on the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, which is called Abib, or Nisan. It was Springtime. It was that time of year that you and I call April. And in what year? We would say, in approximately 1,450 B.C. So all of this happened nearly 1,500 years before Jesus Christ was born, or approximately 3,500 years ago from today. 

Children, I would like to quiz you to see if you are listening. 

What happened when the tenth plague was poured out? The firstborn of Egypt died. 

What happened to the Hebrews? The LORD shielded them.

What was the sign that those in a household had faith in the LORD so that they were protected on that night? The blood of the lamb around the door frame. 

How long ago did this happen? About 3,500 years ago, 1,500 years before Christ was born. 

What festival or holiday were the people of Israel to observe to remember this moment? The Passover.

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How Did The Egyptians Respond?

So we have asked, what happened? Now let us consider how the Egyptians responded. 

First, the Egyptians mourned. Verse 30 says, “And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead” (Exodus 12:30, ESV). This was a truly awful judgment. And to acknowledge that it was awful does not mean that it was unjust. God does not do wrong, but right when he judges sinners.  

Secondly, the Egyptians demanded that the Hebrews leave, and how they are permitted to take their livestock too, which was a point of disagreement before. In verse 31 we read, “Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, ‘Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as you have said’” (Exodus 12:31, ESV). This does not contradict what was said before about Moses never seeing Pharaoh’s face again. It is likely that this command to leave was issued, not by Pharaoh himself, but by his servants. 

Thirdly, Pharaoh requested that Moses bless him also. I find this very interesting. No, I do not think this means that Pharoah came to have true saving faith. In fact, we will see that Pharoah will change his mind yet again and will pursue the Hebrews to destroy them. But he was convinced by these great acts of judgment that the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, was to be feared. 

Also, this little request from Pharoah — “and bless me also” — is meant to remind us of Israel’s purpose from the beginning. Do you remember what God said to Abraham when he called him? “Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed’” (Genesis 12:1–3, ESV). This little request from Pharoah is meant to remind us of the fact that Israel was made into a nation in the days of Moses to bless the nations. Pharaoh would not get this blessing, for he persisted in unbelief. But there is something prophetic about this request. As Israel leaves to become a nation, Pharaoh, the King of Egypt said, “bless me also”. Indeed, Egypt would be blessed by Israel, not right away, but in the fullness of time when the Messiah would come to die, not for the Hebrews only, but also for the nations. 

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The Exodus

Now, verses 33 through 41 describe the beginning of the Hebrew’s exodus from Egypt. 

The Egyptians sent them away very quickly, reasoning that if they did not they would all soon be dead! Never did the LORD threaten such a thing. In his mercy, his judgments against the Egyptians were restrained to the firstborns. But you could understand why the Egyptians felt this way! So Israel was sent away with haste. “So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders” (Exodus 12:34, ESV). They were going on a long journey and they would need food to eat at the beginning, and so they took unleavened bread, just as the LORD had commanded. 

In verses 34 through 36 we hear that the Hebrews were sent away with silver, gold, and clothing from the Egyptians. They did not steal it, but asked for it, as Moses had commanded. The LORD gave the Hebrews “favor” in the sight of the Egyptians, and so they went out with great possessions. 

In verses 37 through 40 we read, “And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks, and herds. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves. The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years” (Exodus 12:37–40, ESV).

I need to make a few remarks about these verses. 

One, you should know that there are differences of opinion regarding the number of people who went out from Egypt. The ESV says 600,000 men, which would put the total number at well over a million, perhaps close to 2,000,000 including women and children. But some scholars note that the Hebrew word translated as “thousand”, can also be used to refer to a clan, or to a military unit. And so they argue that the text does not say, 600,000 men, but rather 600 clans or units of men, as in military units. This would put the total number of men in the tens of thousands, rather than hundreds of thousands. May I confess that I’m not entirely sure what to think about this? I need to study this issue further. But I still lean rather strongly in the direction of understanding the text to mean 600,000 men, for that seems to best fit with the number that is given in Exodus 38:26, and Numbers 1:46, 2:32, 11:21, and 26:51. I mention this to you so that you might know this is a point of debate. 

Two, whatever the number, the people of Israel are spoken of in military terms. In verse 51 we read, “And on that very day the LORD brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts” (Exodus 12:51, ESV). This echos what was said in 12:17. “Hosts” is probably a military term, and so Israel is to be viewed as an army. This will become significant as the Exodus story progresses. Israel will be called to fight and to conquer nations, as you know. 

Three, here in verse 38 we learn that Israel was not a homogeneous group at the beginning, but that a “mixed multitude” went out from Egypt. The majority were no doubt Hebrews, that is to say, descendants of Abraham. But other ethnicities also joined themselves to the Hebrews. How many were Egyptians, we do not know. Perhaps some witnessed the plagues, came to fear the LORD, and even believed in him, forsaking their homeland to sojourn with Moses and the Hebrews. Certainly, there were other ethnic groups enslaved by the Egyptians, and they took the opportunity to leave as well. This was a mixed multitude. This will help to explain the trouble that Israel would have with idolatry in the wilderness. The Hebrews were not probably not pure in their beliefs and practices,  but there were others influencing the nation in a bad way too. It quickly became a challenge for Moses and for Aaron. That a “mixed multitude” went up out of Egypt does help us to see that this whole thing was not ultimately about race, but faith, from the beginning. Though God would deal with the Hebrews in a special way for a time, foreigners could join themselves to Israel by faith. This principle would of course explode when the Messiah came and the New Covenant was inaugurated, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV).

Four, unleavened bread is mentioned here yet again. I think this is to further emphasize the feast of unleavened bread that the Israelites were to observe in connection with the Passover. 

Five, the text says that Israel lived in Egypt for 430 years. The question we must ask is, when did the clock start? Did the clock start when Jacob left Canaan with his family to settle in Egypt in the days when his son Joseph ruled there? Or did the clock start at an earlier time? In fact, there is very good reason to believe that the clock started at an earlier time. 

Consider a few things:

One, when Paul the Apostle speaks of this 430 year period of time he marks the beginning of it with the call of Abram and the promise that was made to him as recorded in Genesis 12. This is found in that Galatian 3 passage which we have already read. There Paul says, “To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ. This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.” (Galatians 3:15–17, ESV). Please follow me. The promise that Paul here refers to is the promise that was made to Abraham as recorded in Genesis 12. That marks the beginning of the 430 years according to Paul. And what marks the end of the 430 years except the giving of the law of Moses. Paul’s argument in Galatians is that the law of Moses was added to the promises previously made to Abraham, and that the added law does not do away with the promises previously given. Paul argues in this way to demonstrate that salvation was never found in the keeping of the law of Moses, but always through faith in the promise concerning the Messiah. I tried to convince you in the previous sermon that the civil and ceremonial laws revealed in the days of Moses were positive laws, or laws that were added. This is exactly what Paul argues, and it is a very important concept if we are to rightly interpret the law of Moses. But here is what I’m trying to show you now. Paul, under the inspiration of the Spirit, says that the 430 years began, not with Jacob’s entry into Egypt, but when Abraham was called. 

Two, in Acts 7 we hear Stephen say this regarding the affliction of Abraham’s descendants: “And God spoke to this effect—that [Abraham’s] offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years” (Acts 7:6, ESV). So Paul says 430 years, and Steven says 400 years. Why the different numbers? Some assume that Steven was simply rounding down, but that is not the case. In fact, Steven in his sermon was referring to that passage in Genesis 15 where God cut the covenant with Abraham. Do you remember that text? Abraham saw a vision of divided animals and the LORD walked between them symbolized by a smoking firepot. It was there in that episode that the LORD said to Abraham, among other things, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions” (Genesis 15:13–14, ESV).

So it is clear from these texts that Israel left Egypt 430 years after God first called Abraham and promised to bless him and to bless the nations in him, and 400 years after he walked through the divided animals before Abraham to affirm his promise regarding many descendants. 

Three, it is interesting that the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament renders Exodus 12:40 this way: “The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt and in Canaan was 430 years.” Canaan was the land where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived. And the Septuagint clarifies what is meant by the Hebrew, saying, “The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt and in Canaan was 430 years.” This agrees perfectly with what Paul and Steven say in Galatians 3 and Acts 7.

So what’s going on here? I think it is this. The Hebrew word translated in the ESV as “lived” in Exodus 12:40 can mean other things. For example, it can mean “endured”. And indeed the descendants of Abraham did live, or endure, “Egypt” for 430 from the time that Abraham was called, and 400 years from when he saw that vision. The patriarchs endured affliction as sojourners in a land not their own knowing that bondage was in the future for their descendants — bondage in a foreign nation stood in between the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the promised land. In this sense even they lived in or endured Egypt. 

The Septuagint, Paul, and Steven all agree. The clock started in the days of Abraham. This means that the Hebrews actually lived in Egypt for much less than 430, and they suffered as slaves only after the Pharoah who knew Joseph has died. All of that fits quite nicely with what the LORD said to Abraham in Genesis 15: “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete” (Genesis 15:13–16, ESV). Israel lived in Egypt and was afflicted as slaves for only four generations, a generation typically being counted as about 30 or 40 years.

Why have I taken the time to work through the question of when the clock started on the 430 years? In part, it is to show you that the scriptures are reliable. What appears to be contradictions are not contradictions, but matters of translation or interpretation. There is no contradiction between the 430 years of Exodus 12, the 430 years of Galatians 3, the 400 years of Acts 7, or the remark about the fourth generation in Genesis 15. They all agree so long as we consider each text carefully.

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The Statute Of The Passover 

I will move very quickly through the last portion of our text for today. In verses 43 through 49 more instructions are given concerning the observance of the Passover festival. 

Consider how much emphasis is placed on the observance of the Passover. Verses 1 through 28 of chapter 12 provide instructions for the observance of the yearly Passover. A very small portion of the text describes the tenth plague, the preservation of the Hebrews, and the beginning of the exodus. And then in verses 43 through 49 we find more instructions for the observance of the Passover. In fact, these instructions continue all the way through 13:16 as the LORD gives instructions for the consecration of the firstborns of the Hebrews and the observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 

You know, as you read all of this you kind of start to get the impression that God rescued these people from Egyptian bondage for religious purposes… And that is the point. They were redeemed… to worship and serve the Lord. They were redeemed… to be a holy people. They were redeemed… to bring the Messiah into the world and to bless the nations in him. This point will come to the forefront as we progress through Exodus, and especially as we consider the rest of the Pentetuch. And here it begins… keep the Passover, keep the Passover, keep the Passover.

If there is anything unique about these instructions for keeping the Passover found in 12:43-49 it is that the Passover is to be kept by Israel, and not by the nations. This festival would mark Israel off as holy. And so it is with baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These are all sacraments which signify that those who partake are the Lord’s special possession. But did you notice that it was not just ethic Hebrews who were invited to keep the Passover? No, foreigners could observe it too, provided that they join themselves to Israel by faith. Verse 48: “If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.” (Exodus 12:48, ESV)

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Suggestions For Application

Please allow me to bring this to a conclusion with three very brief suggestions for application. 

The first has to do with knowledge and Bible reading. When you read the Scriptures you need to be aware of where you are at in the history of redemption with respect to God’s covenantal dealings lest you get lost and disoriented. To state things succinctly, things were different for Adam before the fall than they were for him afterwards. And things were different from the call of Abraham than they were for Moses and the Israelites from the exodus onward. And things are different for those of us who live after the resurrection of Christ. And what makes the difference? Covenants. The covenants that God has entered into with man make the difference. Covenants establish the terms of man’s relationship with God. When you read the scriptures you need to know where you are in relation to the history of redemption and the covenants. Many errors have been made theologically because of confusion on this point. Kids (and adults), learn your history. Memorize some dates, even if you only do so roughly. Learn about these individuals that we find in this scriptures, and consider the covenants that God transacted with them. It will be a great help to you in understanding our faith. 

Secondly, learn to see Christ as the fulfillment of these Old Testament events and institutions. This is what Christ taught his disciples to do. After his resurrection he met with them and said, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44, ESV). All of Paul’s teaching was centered around the principle that Christ was mysteriously revealed in the Old Testaments through prophecies, promises, types and shadows. We must learn to read the Old Testament in the same way, for it is the way that it was meant to read. And as we see Christ in the Old Testament Scriptures, may we come to love, appreciate, and cherish him all the more. 

Thirdly, let us not forget that just as Israel was redeemed to worship, so too were we. Israel was to faithfully keep the Passover from the exodus onward. They often failed. But may we be found faithful to keep the festival that the Messiah has given to us free from evil in sincerity and truth, for Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed for sins and for our eternal redemption. 

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Exodus 12:29-51
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Baptist Catechism 108

Q. 108. What do we pray for in the first petition?

A. In the first petition, which is “Hallowed be thy name,” we pray that God would enable us and others to glorify Him in all that whereby He makes Himself known, and that He would dispose all things to His own glory. (Matt. 6:9; Ps. 67:1-3; Rom. 11:36; Rev. 4:11)

Scripture Reading: Psalm 67

“TO THE CHOIRMASTER: WITH STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. A PSALM. A SONG. May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!” (Psalm 67, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

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Last Sunday afternoon we considered the preface or the introduction to the Lord’s Prayer. I stammered over my words a bit at the beginning of that sermon, saying, these words, “our Father in heaven”, are not a part of the Lord’s Prayer, and then I quickly corrected myself. Here is what I had in mind, but failed to clearly communicate: the words, “our Father in heaven” are introductory. With these words, we address God in prayer. But the first petition or request is this: “Hallowed be thy name…”

So then, we are to address God Almighty as Father, for he has set his love upon us in Christ Jesus. And the very first thing that we should pray for is that God’s name is “hallowed”. 

The first thing that we should notice is that this request is to be our first request, and that itself is very significant. First words are important in any conversation, for they reveal what is most important to you. If you meet with someone and immediately begin talking about business, whatever the business may be, that is very rude. And why is it rude? Because it reveals that you care nothing about the person, but only about the business or the issue at hand. This is why we typically begin conversation with statements like this: hello, how are you? How was your day? How’s the family?, etc. before getting on to business. This communicates that you care about the person. And hopefully you really do! 

Similarly, the way in which we begin our prayers reveals a lot about the condition of our hearts. Now, don’t get me wrong. There are times when we may get straight to business with God in prayer, just as there are times when we get straight to business in our conversations with others. It is not wrong to cry out to God in a moment of fear, frustration, or desperation and to immediately bring your concerns or needs to him. But typically, when bowing before the Lord in prayer we ought to begin, not with requests concerning our own needs, but a request that God’s name be hallowed. This should be our first request, not only because Christ said that it should be, but because it is the highest concern of our hearts. 

When we pray that God’s name be hallowed, we are praying that God would be honored, revered, exalted, glorified. Notice, that is what our catechism teaches, saying, “In the first petition, which is ‘Hallowed be thy name,’ we pray that God would enable us and others to glorify Him in all that whereby He makes Himself known, and that He would dispose all things to His own glory.” That God be glorified should be the leading concern of our hearts, and it should be the first thing we pray for. 

Notice that our catechism helps us to think about the various ways that God may be glorified. 

In the first petition, which is “Hallowed be thy name,” we pray that God would enable us… to glorify Him…” So then, when we pray to God our leading prayer should go something like this: Father in heaven, use me to bring glory to your name today. Be exalted in my thoughts. Be exulted through my words. Be exulted through my deeds. We pray that God’s name be hallowed, we are praying that God would enable (empower) us to live for his glory. 

And because we are to pray, not only for ourselves but also for others, we should pray that “God would enable [empower]… others to glorify Him” too. Lord, we exulted through my spouse and my children. Be exulted through my brothers and sisters in Christ as they live for you in this world. Be exalted through your church as she gathers to worship and serve you Lord’s Day by Lord’s Day. 

The phrase “in all that whereby He makes Himself known”, reminds us that God is to be glorified in all things. As Paul says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV). I’m afraid that Christians sometimes assume that God is to be glorified in the chapel and through praise while forgetting that God is to be glorified in every place and through all things. He is to be honored in our eating and drinking, in our thinking and speaking, in our working, and in our recreation. The Christian should do all things to the glory of God, and that is what we are to pray for in this first petition. Lord, empower us to do all things to the glory of your name. 

The phrase, “and that He would dispose all things to His own glory” should remind us to pray that God be glorified, not only through us but in all places through all circumstances. You know, one thing we have witnessed in our study of the book of Exodus is that the Lord will be glorified both in his gracious dealings with man and also through his judgments. When we pray, our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name, we should pray that God would be glorified in all the earth and in all things. He will get the glory at the end of time, this we know. But we are to pray for that. And we are to pray that God would get the glory even now.

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Conclusion

Perhaps you are beginning to see that each one of these petitions of the Lord’s Prayer can be greatly expanded and elaborated on if we are thoughtful…

Q. 108. What do we pray for in the first petition?

A. In the first petition, which is “Hallowed be thy name,” we pray that God would enable us and others to glorify Him in all that whereby He makes Himself known, and that He would dispose all things to His own glory. (Matt. 6:9; Ps. 67:1-3; Rom. 11:36; Rev. 4:11)

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New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23–34

“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.” (1 Corinthians 11:23–34, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 12:1-28

“The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, ‘This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you. And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever. In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread.’ Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, ‘Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. And when you come to the land that the LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’’ And the people bowed their heads and worshiped. Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.” (Exodus 12:1–28, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

The text that is before us today consists of two parts. In verses 1 through 20 we find a record of the instructions that God gave to Moses and Aaron regarding Israel’s perpetual observance of the Passover memorial under the Mosaic Covenant. And although verses 21 through 28 are certainly related to this, they differ in that they are a record of the instructions that Moses gave to the elders of Israel regarding the observance of the first Passover with some mention made of its future observance. You can clearly see the division in the text by reading verse 1, “The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, ‘This month shall be for you the beginning of months…”, etc., and comparing it to verse 21, “Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, ‘Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb…”, etc. From this it should be clear to us that Moses and Aaron were priests, and that Moses was also a prophet. That Moses and Aaron were priests is clear because God gave them instructions regarding the religious observance of the Passover under the Old Mosaic Covenant. They, and the priests that would descend from them, were to see to it that the worship of God was maintained. But it was Moses the prophet who then delivered the word of God to the people of God through their elders.  

By the way, did you notice that the Hebrew people are back on board in this passage? We haven’t heard anything about them since chapter 6. Pharaoh had responded to Moses’ original request for the release of the Hebrews by withholding the straw necessary for brick making and thus he greatly increased the already heavy burden of the Hebrews. This caused the Hebrews to turn away from Moses and Aaron. The foremen of the Hebrews spoke to them saying, “The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us” (Exodus 5:21, ESV). And in 6:9 we read, “Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery” (Exodus 6:9, ESV). That was the last we heard about the spiritual condition of the Hebrews. They were broken, greatly discouraged, and unwilling to listen to Moses. But now they are back! I think it is safe to say that although they maintained a low profile to avoid even harsher treatment from Pharaoh while Moses and Arron did their thing, they were watching. They witnessed the judgments that God poured out on Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and the gods of Egypt, and they saw how the LORD made a distinction between them and the Egyptians. In other words, the LORD proved himself faithful through the outpouring of the first 9 plagues, and now we see that the Hebrews are back on board. In verse 21 Moses calls for the elders of Israel, and they come to listen. And after Moses gives his instructions we read of the reaction of the Hebrews in verses 27-28: “…the people bowed their heads and worshiped. Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did” (Exodus 12:27–28, ESV). This is quite the turnaround, isn’t it? Clearly, the Lord had proven himself faithful and trustworthy.   

I wonder if you can relate? Perhaps you have gone through a season of pronounced difficulty which left you feeling greatly discouraged and doubting. But God showed himself faithful in his judgments and in his grace, leading to your restoration. It seems to me that the Hebrews went through something like this as a people. They were so beaten down that they began to doubt Moses and the LORD in whose name he came. But now they are back. “The people bowed their heads and worshiped”, and they went and did as Moses commanded. 

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Three Observations

With all of that as an introduction, I have three general observations to make concerning the instructions that the LORD gave to Moses and Aaron, and through them to the Hebrew people, concerning the observance of the Passover.

First of all, it is very important for us to recognize that these Passover laws that were revealed to Israel in the days of Moses were positive laws.

Positive laws are laws that are added by the Lord, often in connection with the establishment of a covenant. Positive laws are not inherently moral. Before this time, no one was obliged to keep the Passover. In fact, no one would have thought to, for the Passover had not occurred. This obligation to keep the Passover was imposed upon Israel at the time of the Exodus, and not before. Natural laws are binding on everyone, everywhere, and always, for they are those moral laws which were written on Adam’s heart at creation. They do not change. Murder, for example, was sinful in the beginning, it is sinful to this present day, and will always be sinful. But positive laws are laws are morally neutral. And they are imposed by God, as I have said, often in connection with the making of a Covenant between God and man. Positive laws are often filled with symbolism.

Adam had the moral law written on his heart at the time of his creation, but the law concerning abstinence from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was added later. The law to abstain from that tree was a positive law added by God in connection with the Covenant of Works that God transacted with him. The forbidden tree was made by God to signify rebellion against God, whereas the tree of life was made to signify Adam’s perfect, exact, and perpetual obedience. Eating fruit from trees is not inherently sinful. But for Adam, it was a sin to eat of the forbidden tree after the Lord commanded him not to eat of it. The law concerning the forbidden tree was a positive law, for it was added to the moral law and imposed upon Adam. 

Abraham was also given a positive law, the law of circumcision. This law was added to signify the covenant that God had made with Abraham. By this sign, the Hebrew people were marked off from the other nations. Before this law of circumcision was added, it was not a sin for anyone to remain uncircumcised. After this law was added, it was a sin for a male descendant of Abraham to remain uncircumcised. And that remained true up until Christ came into the world through the Hebrew people to accomplish the work of redemption. Ever since then, circumcision is to be regarded as nothing, for circumcision, or uncircumcision is a morally neutral thing. It was only a moral issue for a particular time and for a particular people while they lived under a particular covenantal arrangement according to the command of God. 

Positive laws were also added by Christ upon the inauguration of the New Covenant. Those who have faith in Christ are to be baptized and they are to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Before Christ said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”, and before he said, “do this in remembrance of me”, in regards to the observance of the Lord’s Supper, God’s people were not obliged to keep these commands. But now that Christ has added these positive laws, those who have faith in Christ are bound to obey them, for they do signify our union with Christ under the New Covenant, and our separation from the world. This will be so until the Lord returns. In the new heavens and earth, we will not observe baptism and the Lord’s supper, for then the Covenant of Grace will be brought to a consummation. Those in Christ will pass from grace to glory.

And here I am saying that such was the case with the observance of the Passover. These Passover laws were positive laws added by God and imposed upon the people of Israel in the days of Moses. No one was obliged to keep the Passover before this time. Only the Hebrews were obliged to keep the Passover after this. And these Passover laws would remain binding upon them until their purpose was fulfilled. These Passover laws were for Israel under the Old Mosaic covenant; they passed away with the arrival of the Christ, the accomplishment of our redemption through his shed blood, and the inauguration of the New and better Covenant. Neither ethnic Jews nor ethnic Gentiles today are obliged to observe the Passover (religiously), for the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world has come. To observe the Old Covenant Passover today (as if it is a religious obligation) is to deny that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah.

If what I have just said regarding the Passover feast binding the Hebrews only, and only under the Old Mosaic covenant, is true, then what are we to make of verse 14 of our text, which says “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.”? And verse 17? “And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever.” And verse 24? “You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever.” (Exodus 12:24, ESV)

 If the Hebrew word translated as “forever” means, “from this day forward and for eternity”, then what I have just said regarding the Passover laws being no longer binding must be wrong. In fact, if this is so – if “forever” means, “from this day forward and for eternity” – then we must confess that the New Testament scriptures are wrong, for they do clearly teach that all of the feast days that were imposed upon Israel under the Old Mosaic Covenant have passed away. In fact, a word study on this Hebrew word translated as “forever” will show that it is used in relation to all kinds of Old Covenant ceremonial laws. To give just one example, Leviticus 23:21 speaks of the observance of the Day of Atonement, when it says, “You shall hold a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a statute forever in all your dwelling places throughout your generations” (Leviticus 23:21, ESV). If “forever” means for all eternity, then we are still obliged to observe the Passover, the Day of Atonement, and many of the other ceremonial laws given to Israel in the days of Moses. But again, this contradicts the clear teaching of the New Testament which teaches that these ceremonial laws that were given to Israel under the Old Mosaic Covenant have passed away. Why have they passed? Because they have served their purpose and have been fulfilled by Christ. 

In fact, the Hebrew word does not necessarily mean “forever”, as in, “for all eternity”, but rather “forever”, as in, “for a very long time”, that is to say, “perpetually, for as long as this Covenantal arrangement lasts.” This positive law, along with the other positive laws given to Israel under the Old Mosaic Covenant, governed Israel’s worship for a time. They governed Israel’s worship under the Old Mosaic Covenant. They governed Israel’s worship until the Christ who was promised to them was born into this world to accomplish our eternal redemption. 

This is how all positive laws work, by the way. Because they are not inherently moral, and because they are filled with symbolism, and because they are given in connection with the making of covenants, they remain in place until their symbolic function is fulfilled, and the covenant to which they belong is either broken or fulfilled. Think of the trees in the garden. Adam was to eat of the one and abstain from the other, but those laws do not pertain to us, for Adam broke the Covenant of Works. Think of circumcision. Circumcision was an issue for all the male descendants of Abraham, but not for us. Why? Because the promises made to Abraham have all been fulfilled, the Old Covenant has passed away, and the New has come, having been inaugurated by Christ, Abraham’s true Son. And as I have said, we will not observe the Lord’s Supper in the new heavens and earth, for then we will not be under the Covenant of Grace, but will be translated to glory. There we will eat the marriage supper of the Lamb, of which the Lord’s Supper is but a type. The observance of the Lord’s Supper will thus pass away.

Brothers and sisters, all of this is very important to understand now, and here is why: In Exodus 12 we are beginning to consider that period of redemptive history where the LORD makes the Hebrew people into a nation, the nation of Israel. Think of it. Prior to this — prior to the Passover and the Exodus that follows — the Hebrews were set apart as a people. We may trace this back to Abraham (Genesis 12), and even to Noah’s son, Shem (Genesis 11). But now in Exodus, the Hebrew people begin to emerge as a nation as they are led out of Egypt to journey towards the promised land. And soon we will see that the LORD imposed a whole bunch of laws upon them to govern them as a nation. The moral law that was given to them on two tablets of stone was a summary of the one written on Adam’s heart at creation — it was not new. But in the days of Moses, the Lord added many civil laws (laws pertaining to government) and ceremonial laws (laws pertaining to the worship of God under the Old Mosaic Covenant). And I am saying that the laws regarding the keeping of the Passover are the first of these positive ceremonial laws. We must learn how to interpret these laws, brothers and sisters. They were positive laws — laws added by God to a particular people, for a particular time, under a particular covenant, and for a particular purpose, namely to preserve these people physically and spiritually, until the Christ who was promised to them was brought into the world to accomplish our redemption.  We will need to keep all of this in mind as we continue in our study of Exodus and, Lord willing, come to study Leviticus someday. These civil and ceremonial laws imposed upon Israel are all to be regarded in this way. We may learn a great deal from these positive laws. We may learn something about God’s moral law by considering the civil laws imposed upon Israel. and we may learn a great deal about Christ and the work that he came to accomplish by considering the ceremonial laws imposed upon Israel (for he was in these laws prefigured). But we are not bound to keep them today, for they were given to Israel for a particular time and purpose. 

My second observation is this: the Passover was instituted by God through Moses to serve as a memorial to the act of redemption accomplished by the LORD to deliver the Hebrews from Egyptian bondage. 

The Passover feast is called a memorial in verse 14, where the LORD speaks to Moses, saying, “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast” (Exodus 12:14, ESV). The Hebrew people, from this day forward, were to keep the Passover to remember what the LORD had done for them. 

Notice that the Passover was instituted before the historical event of which it was a memorial occurred. This should remind us of the institution of the Lord’s Supper. Our Lord, on the night that he was betrayed, the night before his crucifixion, said, this is my body which is broken for you, and this is my blood of the covenant which is shed for you, do this in remembrance of me.  So then, there was something prophetic about the words of Christ when he instituted the Supper. He predicted that his body would be broken and his bloodshed when he told his disciples to do this in remembrance of him. And the same is true of the institution of the Passover. The event of which the Passover was to serve as a perpetual memorial would happen in the future. 

But the main point is this — the Passover was to be observed as a memorial. The people of Israel were to look back and remember what the LORD had done for them to deliver them from Egyptian bondage. They were to remember the plagues, and in particular, they were to remember the 10th plague, the death of the firstborns of Egypt. And they were to remember how the LORD spared them through the blood of the lamb.   

Consider these three elements to the observance of the Passover.  

One, sacred time was set apart. The Passover itself was to be celebrated on the 14th day of the first month of the year (according to the Hebrew lunar calendar). That month — the month of Abib, which was later called Nisan — was to be regarded at the first month, and the Hebrews were to celebrate the Passover on the 14th day of that month. In fact, we do not only find instructions for the celebration of Passover in our text, but also instructions for the Feast of unleavened bread. This feast follows Passover. It was to be observed for seven days, the 14th day through the 21st. No leaven was to be found in the houses of the Hebrews, They were to eat only unleavened bread. 

Sacred time… God has always set aside sacred time for man to rest and to worship. Adam was to keep the weekly Sabbath. Work was to be done for 6 days and the seventh day was to be regarded as holy, a day for rest and for worship. That has never changed, brothers and sisters. The weekly Sabbath is command four of the ten commandments. Of course, the day of observance has changed now that the Christ has accomplished his work, has entered into his rest, and we find our rest in him by faith. The day has appropriately changed from the seventh to the first, but the weekly Sabbath remains. That is what Hebrews 4:9 explicitly says! The weekly Sabbath remains, and it will remain until the thing of which the weekly Sabbath is a sign arrives, namely, eternal rest in the new heavens and earth. But here I want you to see that in the days of Moses sacred days were added and imposed upon the Hebrews. These added days are what Paul refers to in Colossians 2:16, saying, “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:16–17, ESV).

These holy days were important for Israel, for they gave Israel an opportunity to pause and to remember what the Lord had done for them to redeem them, how he had set them apart as his people, and how he had entrusted them with his precious and very great promises. Did Israel keep these holy days? In fact, the scriptures suggest that they were very unfaithful in this. Nevertheless, this was their purpose. 

Dear brothers and sisters, under the New Covenant these holy days that were given to Israel no longer apply to us. They have passed away,  for as Paul says, they were “a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:16–17, ESV). But the Lord has not left us without sacred time. A Sabbath rest remains for the people of God. The weekly Sabbath — the one day in seven Sabbath — which was first given, not to Israel in the days of Moses, but to Adam at the time of creation, remains. “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God…” (Hebrews 4:9, ESV). It is a day for resting. It is a day for worshipping. It is a day for remembering what the Lord has done for us. It is a day to be reminded that we belong to the Lord and that we are living, not for this world, but the world to come. 

Notice secondly that the Passover was a ceremonial meal. The Hebrews were to slaughter a lamb or goat without blemish. The blood was to be caught in a basin and some was to be spread upon the doorposts of the house. This application of the blood signified that all in the house believed in YHWH. When the tenth plague was poured out the LORD would pass over all of the homes with the blood applied to the doorpost. And when the Passover was celebrated in the years to come, the people were to reenact this so as to remember the mercy that the LORD had shown to them. And then the people were to roast the lamb quickly and simply over fire. They were to eat it all. If the lamb was too big for one household to consume, they were to join with others. The bread they ate was to be unleavened. They were to eat the meal fully clothed and with sandals on their feet as if ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Everything about the meal communicated preparedness and haste. This was not the kind of meal that families who were well established in their land and in their homes would eat. Rather, it was the kind of meal that those on the go would eat. And that of course is the point. The Hebrews were to prepare the meal in this way by faith, knowing that the Lord would deliver them at the break of dawn. And every Passover feast from that day forward was to be celebrated in the same way as a memorial to the great salvation the LORD worked for the Hebrews to deliver them from Egyptian bondage. 

Sacred meal… why a meal? Well, meals do signify communion. And these Hebrews were redeemed from Egypt to commune with their God and with one another. The theme runs throughout scripture, brothers and sisters. Abraham ate with the angel of the Lord, remember. The Passover was a meal. The people ate before God at Sinai. Many of the sacrifices offered at the tabernacle, and later the temple, were to be consumed by the priests and by the people. Do not forget the Lord’s Supper, brothers and sisters. And lastly, think of the marriage supper of the Lamb which we will enjoy in the New Heavens and earth. That will be the culmination of this biblical theme, won’t it. All of these sacred meals in Holy Scripture signify communion with God through Christ, the Lamb of God whose blood was shed for us.   

The third element of the Passover is teaching. The Hebrews were to observe the Passover, not in a ritualistic way, but mindfully, with faith in their hearts, and they were to teach the significance of the meal to their children. Verse 24: “You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. And when you come to the land that the LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses’”(Exodus 12:24–27, ESV).

Surely you can see that the Passover memorial and the Lord’s Supper share a lot in common. They are not the same thing, mind you. The Lord’s Supper, which you and I are bound to observe today, is its own thing. Like many others elements of New Covenant worship, the Lord’s Supper is much more simple than the Passover. There is a reason for that, by the way. Old Covenant worship was complex, in part, because Christ was portrayed ahead of time in all of the ceremonies and holy days. He was “sketched out” ahead of time so that the faithful might perceive him. But now that he has come — now that “we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14, ESV), these complex “sketches” of Christ are no longer needed.  Remember, they were “a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:16–17, ESV). We have the substance now. And so a small portion of bread and a small sip of wine are sufficient to remind the people of God of the Christ who has come — his body was broken and his blood shed for the forgiveness of the sins of many. 

The Lord’s Supper is not the Passover. It is its own thing. But it is related. Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper as he celebrated the last Passover with his disciples. The Lord’s Supper is to be observed by the church when she assembles for worship on the Lord’s Day. So there we find the principle of Sacred Time. It is a sacred meal. Yes, it is a small meal — a symbolic meal — but it is a meal nonetheless, for her our communion with God and with one another through faith in Christ is signified. And it is a time for teaching. 

Have you noticed that we observe the Lord’s Supper after the ministry of the Word? Why do you think that is? Answer: Because it is the Word of God that gives the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper its meaning or significance. Without the Word of God, we would not know (or we soon forget) the significance of these elements. And have you noticed the position of the Table in relation to the pulpit? It is placed below the pulpit, signifying the submission of the sacrament to the Word of God. And it is positioned in the midst of the congregation, for here our communion with God and one another through Christ is symbolized. But the point is this: in order for us to approach the Lord’s Supper correctly, teaching from scripture is needed. Just as the Word of God informed the Hebrews that the Passover meal was to be a remembrance of the redemption that God accomplished for them, so too it is the Word of God which informs us that the bread and wine signify Christ crucified for sin, raised in victory, ascended in power, who will one day return to judge the wicked and to bring those washed in his blood safely into their eternal inheritance.    

The third point of the sermon today will be very brief, and it is this: The Passover was more than a memorial. It would also function as a test of faithfulness for Israel and as a picture of the greater act of deliverance that would be accomplished in the future by the Messiah. 

When I say that the Passover (and the Feast of Unleavened Bread which accompanied it) was more than a memorial I mean that it was not just a time for remembering the past, it was also an assessment on the present and a reminder of God’s promises for the future. 

Concerning the assessment on the present, verse 15 of our text says, “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel” (Exodus 12:15, ESV). In verse 19 we find the same. Israelites who refused to keep the feast were to be cut off from the people. I take this to mean that they were to be put out of the nations, and if the people would not do it, God would, for this would indicate that the individual was faithless. 

And concerning the reminder of God’s promises for the future that were embedded within the Passover, I have already said that Christ was prefigured in this feast. The New Testament makes this so very clear. Perhaps the clearest evidence for this is the one that has already been cited. Christ, on the night that he was betrayed, took bread. After he had given thanks he blessed it and broke it and said this is my body which is broken for you. The bread that he held in his hand was the unleavened bread of the Passover, and he said, this is my body. And the cup that he took after supper was one of the cups of the Passover meal. He said this is my blood of the covenant. Just think about that. Christ in that moment revealed what was signified in the Passover all along — the broken body of the Messiah and his shed blood. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:7, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7, ESV).

The Passover festival was more than a memorial. It was more than a time for remembering the past. It did also test the faith of the Hebrews in the present — those who did not honor it were to be cut off. And it prefigured the Messiah too. It is anticipated the greater act of redemption that would be accomplished in the future by him. The blood of the lamb spread on the doorposts would shield the Hebrews from physical death. But the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, shields those to whom is applied by faith from the just wrath of God and his eternal punishment. More than this, it grants us life eternal in the new heavens and earth, which is our inheritance in Christ. 

As you can probably see, the Lord’s Supper is more than a memorial too. Those who are faithless are to be cut off. And in the bread and cup, we are reminded, not only of what Christ has done but of what he will do. For he said, “I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29, ESV).

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Conclusion

So what shall I say by way of conclusion? 

One, I do want you to understand what happened historically. I want for you to know what God did for the Hebrews to free them from Egyptian bondage. He put the firstborns of Egypt to death, but he shielded his people who had applied the blood of a lamb to the doorposts of their home.

Two, I want you to understand the Passover feast, along with the Feast of Unleavened  Bread to know what it means to the Hebrews. It reminded them of the past, it tested them in the present, and it contained promises for the future. 

Three, I want you to see that we celebrate something far greater. When we come before the Lord’s Table Lord’s Day after Lord’s Day, we remember a work of redemption that was far greater than the one accomplished in the days of Moses. The deliverance was greater, and the reward was greater. The calling is greater too, brothers and sisters. I close with the words of Paul: “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:7–8, ESV). This he wrote to Christians. “The festival” that he refers to here is not the Passover, but the Lord’s Supper. And his exhortation to the church is that we celebrate the festival in “sincerity and truth”. May it be so. Lord help us. Let us pray. 

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Exodus 12:1-28
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Baptist Catechism 107

Q. 107. What doth the preface of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?

A. The preface of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, ‘Our Father, which art in heaven,’ teacheth us to draw near to God, with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us, and that we should pray with and for others. (Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:13; Rom. 8:15; Acts 12:5; 1 Tim. 2:1-3)

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:12-17

“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:12–17, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

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I was looking over our Confession of Faith the other day when chapter 12 caught my eye. If you are reading the confession in a full-page format it really stands out because it is so brief. It is by far the shortest chapter in our confession being only one paragraph long. And what is chapter 12 about? The title is, “Of Adoption”. It is situated right in the middle of those chapters which speak of those things which God alone does for his elect. In chapter 10 we learn that God effectually calls his elect to himself, in chapter 11 we learn that justified his elect the moment they believe, and in chapter 13 we learn that God sanctifies his elect, making them more and more into the likeness of Christ. Chapter 12 is situated right in the middle of all of that. There we learn that God adopts the elect as his own. There is something so tender and warm about this teaching. The doctrines of effectual calling, justification, and sanctification are vitally important, of course. But so too is the doctrine of adoption, and I have found that it is often neglected. It is a shame because the doctrine of adoption really gets to the heart benefit of our redemption in Christ Jesus, namely reconciliation with God the Father through faith in the Son by the working of the Holy Spirit. Because of sin, we are by nature children of wrath. But through faith in Christ, we are made to be beloved children of God. Think of that. Is this not the highest blessing of our salvation? Not only have we been cleansed. Not only have we been pardoned and declared not guilty. We have been brought near to God so that we might call him Abba, Father. 

May I read chapter 12 of our confession to you? 

“All those that are justified, God vouchsafed, in and for the sake of his only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption, by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God, have his name put on them, receive the spirit of adoption, have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry Abba, Father, are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by him as by a Father, yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption, and inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation.” 

Oh, what a blessing! How comforting and warm! 

So what does this have to do with the preface to the Lord prayer and Baptist Catechism 107? Well, I think you can see. “The preface of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, ‘Our Father, which art in heaven,’ teacheth us…”, my words now, to pray to God according to the reality of our adoption in Christ Jesus. Those who have faith in Christ do not pray to God merely as Creator, nor as Lord, nor Savior, nor Provider — he is all of those things to us, and these truths should be considered in prayer too — no, Christians are invited to pray to God Almighty as Father, and this is true only because they have been effectually called, justified, and adopted.  

This brings up an important observation. Not everyone may regard God as Father. Liberal theologians like to talk about the universal Fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man. By this they mean to say, all have God as Father, and all are therefore brothers. There is a bit of truth to this. If by “Father” we mean “Creator” or “source”, then it is true. God is the Father of all, and we are all brothers and sisters. But that is not how the term is used in the scriptures. 

When Christ taught his disciples to pray, “our Father in heaven”, he invited them to pray to God as the one who had redeemed from sin, Satan, and death unto adoption. The scriptures are so very clear that we do not have God as beloved Father by birth, but we are “by nature children of wrath” (see Ephesians 2:3). Jesus himself spoke to those who persisted in unbelief, saying, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here… You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires…” (John 8:42–44, ESV). This is our natural condition ever since Adam, our Federal head, fell into sin and broke the Covenant of Works that God made with him. So no, we are not natural children of God. By nature, we are his enemies! But by his grace, he has washed us in Christ’s blood and adopted us as his own through Spirit-wrought union with his beloved Son received by faith.  

The words, “our Father in heaven”, are to remind us of all of that. And being reminded of all of that, we are then enabled to “draw near to God” — that is what our catechism says next. In prayer, we are to draw near to God. We are invited to pray to God, not as God Almighty, or LORD (he is God Almighty and LORD to us!), but as Father. Think of that for a moment. We are invited to come near to him and to know for certain that he loves us and cares for us as his beloved children.  

This catechism question is so very helpful in teaching us how we are to draw near to the Father. We are to draw near:

“[W]ith all holy reverence…” To revere God is to fear and respect him. Yes, God is our Father, but he is no ordinary Father. He is our Heavenly Father. He is God Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, YHWH, the self-existent, eternal and unchanging one. He is our Father, but this doe not mean that we we should approach him carelessly, and certainly not irreverently. We are to draw near with holy reverence.

Next, notice the words “with… confidence.” We may come boldly before the throne of grace because we approach the Father not by our own merits, but according to the merits of Christ. By the way, this is what it means to pray in Jesus’ name. It is not that we must add Jesus’ name to the end of our prayers, but rather, we must approach the Father through the Son, being found in him by faith.     

We are to come to God “as children to a father…” Those who had evil fathers, or absent fathers in this world may find it a little more difficult to know what this means, but it is not impossible, is it? I think that all know what a father should be. And we understand that even the best of earthly fathers fall far short of the perfection that is our heavenly Father. Clearly, this is analogical language being used here. When we think of God as Father we must strip away everything creaturely and imperfect associated with earthly father and know that in Christ God is our Father perfectly so. 

In Christ we are to come to God “as children to a father”, knowing that he is “able and ready to help us…” He is able to help us, for he is God Almighty. Nothing is to hard for him. And he is ready because he is willing. He has set his love upon us, has promised to finish the work that he has begun in us, and to keep us faithful to the end. To come to the Father knowing that he is “able and ready to help us”, requires faith. We must pray believing that what the Word of God says is true.  

Lastly, our catechism adds these words: “and that we should pray with and for others.” Where does this insight come from? It comes from the plural pronoun “our” found at the beginning of the Lord’s prayer. We are to pray “our Father in heaven”, not my Father in heaven. This will not only help us in corporate prayer, but in private prayer too, for even when we pray in private we are to pray being mindful of others. 

“Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:9–13)

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Conclusion

Q. 107. What doth the preface of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?

A. The preface of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, ‘Our Father, which art in heaven,’ teacheth us to draw near to God, with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us, and that we should pray with and for others. (Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:13; Rom. 8:15; Acts 12:5; 1 Tim. 2:1-3)

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady
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QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AT HOME OR IN GOSPEL COMMUNITY GROUPS

Sermon manuscript available at emmausrbc.org

• When the LORD went out into Egypt to strike the Egyptians with this tenth plague, he did two things. What were they? (Hint: one was an act of grace, the other an act of justice). 
• How were these two things, grace and justice, displayed at the cross of Christ?  Why did it have to be this way for our sins to be forgiven and for God to be just?  (See Romans 3:26)
• What are the two errors that men make when they are offended by a story like this regarding the LORD himself putting men to death? In other words, what are the main two things they get wrong?
• What does it mean to fear the LORD? Why is it imperative that we fear him? Should this fear of the LORD cause us to run from him or to him? How is it possible for us to run to a God so holy and awesome given our sin?

Tags: Gospel Community Groups

Posted in Study Guides Gospel Community Groups Gospel Community Groups Joe Anady
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New Testament Reading: John 3:22–36

“After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison). Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’ John answered, ‘A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.’ He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:22–36, ESV)

Sermon Text: Exodus 11

“The LORD said to Moses, ‘Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.’ And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people. So Moses said, ‘Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.’ And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.’ Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.” (Exodus 11, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

We’ve considered nine of the ten plagues. They have been presented to us in three sets of three. The Lord plagued Egypt with water turned to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, the death of livestock, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness. In each of these plagues, God demonstrated with unmistakable clarity that he is supreme over all things (including Pharaoh and the so-called gods of Egypt). He also displayed his justice, his mercy, and his particular care for the people of Israel. To understand this last point we must remember the covenant that God made with Abraham. He promised to give Abraham many descendants, to make a nation of them, to bring the Messiah into the world through them, and this Messiah would bless all nations. Here in the outpouring of these plagues upon the Egyptians, God demonstrated his love and faithfulness towards Israel. 

We come now to the tenth of the ten plagues. We will see that It is by far the most severe of the ten, but the message is the same.  The LORD the God of Israel is supreme over all things. He is just. He is merciful. And under the Old Covenant, he had particular care and concern for the people of Israel, for through them the Messiah would be brought into the world to bless the nations.

In chapters seven through ten we observed a very consistent literary pattern as Moses described the outpouring of the first nine plagues to us in three groups of three. Here in chapter 11 that literary pattern is broken. Here in this chapter, the tenth plague is threatened. In chapter 12 verses 1-28 instructions for the observance of the Passover are given. It is not until 12:29 and following that we find a description of the outpouring of the tenth plague, the death of the firstborns of Egypt. This break in the pattern heightens our sense of the severity of this plague. The tenth plague is set apart from the other nine as most significant, for it surely is. 

Now, please allow me to set the stage for our passage. When we read 10:28-29 we may have gotten the impression that Moses had walked out on Pharaoh. Do you remember how Moses’ interaction with Pharoah regarding the ninth plague concluded? “Then Pharaoh said to him, ‘Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.’ Moses said, ‘As you say! I will not see your face again’” (Exodus 10:28–29, ESV). This sounds like the end of their interaction, but in fact Moses had more to say. It is not until the end of 12:8 that we hear of Moses’ departure. There we read, “And [Moses] went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.” So then, we are to think of Moses as still standing before Pharaoh as we begin to consider chapter 11. 

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The Hebrews Would Plunder The Egyptians

Verses 1-3 are parenthetical, meaning, they break the flow of the narrative a bit to help us understand what is going on. 

In verse 1 we read, “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely” (Exodus 11:1, ESV). The NIV translates verse 1 in this way: “Now the LORD had said to Moses, ‘I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt…” (emphasis added). I think this is a better translation. It is not that the LORD revealed this to Moses in that moment, but that he revealed it to him previously. 

Moses knew that there was one more plague to come. This would be the final plague. After this plague, Pharaoh would let Israel go. In fact, he would not only let Israel go. He would drive them out of Egypt. In other words, the Egyptians would insist that the Hebrews depart given the severity of the plagues, and particularly this last one.

Here in verse 2, we learn that Moses was also to speak to the Hebrews instructing them to request silver and gold from their Egyptian neighbors. This was not new information given to Moses. In fact, the LORD spoke of these things when he revealed himself to Moses in the bush that was burning yet not consumed. It was way back in 3:20 that God said, ​​“So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians” (Exodus 3:20–22, ESV). So this plundering of the Egyptians was revealed ahead of time. Now we learn that Moses was told by God to instruct the Hebrews to ask this of their Egyptian neighbors. 

So then, the Israelites would not merely be released from Egyptian bondage. They would be driven out! And they would not go out empty-handed, but with great wealth. The Egyptians would freely give unto them silver, gold, and clothing. The Hebrews would go out well supplied and wealthy. 

I do believe this illustrates our redemption in Christ. We have been set free from bondage. “[God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son…” (Colossians 1:13, ESV). But we also have been well supplied. To quote Peter, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence…” (2 Peter 1:3, ESV). Or, to help us think in terms of our inheritance, consider Paul in Ephesians 1:7: “In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will…” (Ephesians 1:7–11, ESV). The Hebrews were not freed from Egyptian bondage to wander in the wilderness as poor beggars. No, they were set free and they were also well supplied. And so it is for all who are in Christ.   

Commentators have wondered what to make of this plundering of the Egyptians. Was this theft? Certainly not, for the Egyptians gave these gifts willingly. In fact, I think we are to view this plundering of the Egyptians as a kind of payment for the years of harsh bondage imposed upon the Hebrews by the Egyptians. Here we see the justice of God displayed. God has a way of making things that are wrong, right. We do not always see it with such clarity in this life, but by faith we know that God will right every wrong at the end of time when he judges with perfect equity.  

This parenthetical portion of the text concludes with these words, “Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.” It is not hard to understand why Moses’ fame had spread amongst the Egyptians. God’s power was put on display through him. So here we have one of many examples in scripture of God using the weak and foolish to shame the wise and powerful. Moses was a nobody, worldly speaking. And yet God, by his grace, used him to show forth his power and glory, and to put Pharoah, the Egyptians, and their so-called gods to open shame.

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God Would Put The Firstborn Of The Egyptians To Death

In verses 4-8 we find the words of Moses to Pharaoh and the Egyptians concerning the tenth plague that was about to befall them. This tenth plague would be by far the worst. 

“So Moses said, ‘Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.” (Exodus 11:4–8, ESV)

Here we learn that at about midnight the LORD himself would go out in the midst of Egypt. The LORD is omnipresent, this we know. He is at all places at all times. When the LORD says “I will go out in the midst of Egypt” he uses the language that is proper to man and applies it to himself to describe what he will do. The LORD, who is everywhere present, eternal, and unchanging would himself “go out in the midst of Egypt”. 

And what would the LORD do? Two things: He would put the firstborns of the Egyptians to death of both man and cattle, and he would shield the Hebrews from destruction. This would produce a great cry in Egypt such as had never been heard, nor ever would be again, as men and women grieved the deaths of their relatives. 12:30 describes the event and says, “And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead.” 

The words, “But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast”, are very interesting. On the surface they clearly communicate that the LORD would protect the Hebrews from this plague. The Egyptians would be struck, but the Hebrews would be shielded. Not even a dog would growl at the Hebrews threateningly. But it is worth noting that the Egyptians worshiped a god named Anubis who was to them the god of the dead. Anubis was depicted as a human with the head of a dog, or jackal. 

Here we have yet another demonstration of the LORD’s supremacy over the so-called gods of Egypt. The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, is God Most High, the one and only. He is creator, sustainer, and redeemer. He is the one who has authority over life and death, not Anubis or Osiris. The LORD would put the firstborns of the Egyptians to death and shield his covenant people from harm. “Not a dog [would] growl against any of the people of Israel…]

Our lives are in the LORD’s hands, brothers and sisters. He is the one with the power to give life, and to take it away. This power does not belong to us. This power does not belong to any created thing, but to the LORD only, and he demonstrated that to the Egyptians — indeed, to the whole world — in the outpouring of this tenth plague.   

The last announcement that Moses made to Pharaoh was this: “And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.’” With this Pharaoh would be left utterly devastated and thoroughly shamed. In the plagues, the LORD struck at the land of Egypt, the people of Egypt, the wealth of Egypt, and even at Pharaoh himself. And at the end, Pharoah’s own servants would pay homage to the LORD as they bowed before Moses, the LORD’s servant. You can picture Pharoah standing there utterly defeated, humiliated, and dismayed, can’t you? 

And then we read that Moses “went out from Pharaoh in hot anger”, and rightly so. Pharaoh was a very wicked man. He treated the Hebrews brutally. And he stubbornly refused to turn from his sin and to submit himself to the word of God. 

*****

This Time Of Restraint Will One Day Come To An End And All Who Are Not In Christ By Faith Will Be Judged For Their Own Sin.

Now, in the third and final portion of this passage, we hear the Lord speaking once again to Moses: “​Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.’ Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.” (Exodus 11, ESV)

This should sound very familiar to you by now, for something like this was said at the end of the account of each of the plagues. 

Notice once again that it was Pharaoh who sinned by not listening to the word of the LORD delivered through Moses. “Pharaoh will not listen to you”, the Lord said. 

But God had a purpose even for this: “that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” Isn’t it interesting how God can use even the sins and stubborn rebellion of wicked men for his own glory? It was because of Pharaoh’s stubbornness that the Lord multiplied his wonders in Egypt. 

And we know that it was the Lord who hardened Pharaoh’s heart. This does not take away from the fact that Pharaoh’s sin was Pharaoh’s sin, for we know that Pharaoh hardened his own heart as he willingly and stubbornly refused to heed the word of the Lord. But God was sovereign even over this. He gave Pharoah over to his own sin and even hardened him further as an act of judgment against him. And we must confess that the Lord was right to do so.  

*****

Reflections

This story that we have considered today is rather straightforward on the surface. I’d like to spend some time now reflecting upon its significance.

As I thought about this announcement that the LORD himself would “go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt [world] die…”, I remembered how offensive this is to many in the world, and even to many within the church today. 

You can hear their complaints, can’t you? This is unjust!, they say. How could God be in the right to put these innocent ones to death? Or, the God of the Bible is a God of love and grace! I cannot believe that he himself would go out into Egypt to put these to death! Etc., etc. 

So where do we begin with objections like these?

First of all, we must insist that this is in fact what the Holy Scriptures teach regarding God. This certainly is the God of the Bible. If you have been taught that the God of the Bible is only about love and grace, then you have been terribly misled. For clearly, he is also about justice and judgement. 

God is love; perfectly so. He is merciful, gracious, and kind. This we know. And this truth is also demonstrated powerfully throughout this Exodus story in many different ways. But we must not forget that the LORD is perfectly holy and just. He is not only the God who saves; is also the God who judges. The Exodus event is a demonstration of both things. Here we see the extension of God’s mercy and grace on the one hand, and God’s justice on the other. Both truths must be proclaimed. The God of Holy Scripture is not only merciful, he is also just. He is not only our redeemer, he is also the judge of all who have ever lived. In fact, these truths fit together hand in hand, don’t they? When we speak of God’s justice we declare what our sins deserve. When we speak of God’s mercy we declare that God does not always give us what we deserve. And when we speak of his grace we declare the good gifts that he has bestowed upon unworthy sinners instead. God’s mercy and grace cannot be comprehended apart from his just judgments. 

We get a little taste of God’s judgement in the Exodus, don’t we? Here we are reminded that God is judge of all the earth. It is his right to punish the wicked for their sins. He does not do wrong, but right when he strikes against sinners. This he has done in a partial way throughout the history of the world, and this he will do in full at the end of time. This is the God of Holy Scripture, brothers and sisters. 

I’ve said this before, but I think it is worth saying again: in the book of Exodus, God is revealed to us. His proper name, YHWH, is revealed to us. Here in this book we learn what his name means. It signifies many things. He is God Almighty, the covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. He is self-existent, eternal, and unchanging. But his name does also say something about his right to show mercy to whomever he wills, and right to judge. 

This will become increasingly clear as the story of the Exodus continues. Here we see it demonstrated in action. God poured out his wrath on the Egyptians but shielded the Hebrews. But later in Exodus, the LORD will say it explicitly. 

In that episode where God showed himself to Moses on the mountain the LORD said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Exodus 33:19, ESV). And a little later in that same episode we read, “The LORD passed before [Moses] and proclaimed, ]The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation’” (Exodus 34:6–7, ESV). Do you see the connection? When God reveals himself as the LORD he emphasizes his right to show mercy to whomever he will, and also his right to judge. 

To the professing Christian who says, the God of the Bible is love and not wrath, I say, friend, you are terribly mistaken. In fact, I’m afraid you have slipped into idolatry. You have made for yourself a god in your own image and rejected God’s self revelation.

The God of scripture is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but [he] will by no means clear the guilty…” This reality was demonstrated at the time of the flood, at the time of the Exodus, and at the cross. There at the cross of Christ, the mercy of God was displayed as Jesus died to atone for the sins of God’s elect. And there at the cross of Christ the justice of God was also displayed as he poured out his wrath upon Christ as he stood in the place of sinners.     

To all of those professing Chritsians who are troubled by these instances in the Old Testament wherein the just judgments of God are poured out on sinners, I ask, what do you think about what the scriptures have to say about the final judgment? You know, at the end of time God will judge the wicked through Christ. The scriptures teach that all who are not in Christ — all who are in their sins — will be judged fully, finally, and for all eternity. 

The same Jesus who brought us salvation will also judge. Jesus himself said so. In Matthew 25:31 we hear Christ saying, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world… Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:31–41, ESV).

At the end of time Christ himself will distinguish between the sheep and goats. The sheep will receive mercy and grace; the goats will receive just condemnation. Jesus himself taught this. And I am saying to you that the plagues of the Exodus, and particularly the tenth plague, were but a foretaste of this. 

Brothers and sisters, this is the God of the Bible. From beginning to end the LORD reveals himself to us as the God who is merciful, gracious and kind, and also just. He will by no means clear the guilty. 

The second thing that needs to be said in response to this idea that God is somehow wrong or unjust to judge as he did at the time of the Exodus, is that none are innocent, but all are deserving of God’s condemnation.

 So you can see, then, that men make two errors. 

One, they misunderstand God. They bring him low in their minds and transform him into nothing more than a god of kindness and love. He is, in their minds, nothing more than a benevolent old man in the sky. It is no wonder they do not fear him. They have managed to form and fashion him into a little idol that they can contain and control. Their god is for them, and never against them, even as they go on living in rebellion against him. This is not the god of the Bible, friends. The God of scripture is love, and perfectly so. And because he is love, he does also hate with perfect hatred all that is evil and all that is opposed to him.

The second mistake that men make is to misunderstand mankind. To put the matter most succinctly, sinful men do error in bringing God low, and in exulting man in their hearts and mind. They immagine that human beings are by nature innocent and deserving of good from God. But the scriptures say otherwise. “As it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’ ‘Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.’ ‘The venom of asps is under their lips.’ ‘Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.’ ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.’ ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes’” (Romans 3:10–18, ESV).

Friends, the scriptures are very clear. God is holy and just, and we are born in sin deserving of his judgments.

The Egyptians that the LORD put to death were deserving of this. “[F]or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, ESV), and “the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23, ESV). And let us not forget the particularly heinous atrocities that these people committed against the Hebrews by commanding that their male children be thrown into the Nile while subjecting them to a lifetime of brutal slavery. Egypt assaulted God’s son, Israel, and now the God of Israel would enact justice. 

Here in the outpouring of the tenth plague we will see a type of the judgment that is to come at the end of time. It was not the final judgment (clearly), for it was restrained. Only the firstborn of Egypt would die.  And they would die a physical death — the final judgment will bring eternal death. This is why I say that this tenth plague was a type of the final judgment. But we will also find a type of Christ here, for as God passes through Egypt to put these Egyptians to death, he would also pass through Egypt to shield his people from the destroyer. All who had the blood of the sacrificial lamb on their doorposts would be spared.  

The message for us is this: fear the LORD, friends, and run to Christ for refuge. Be washed in his blood by faith. Be found in him and thus be shielded by him from the wrath of God, for he has paid for sins and endured the wrath of God for our sake.

God is holy and just. Fear him! 

But do not run from him. Run to him for “God [is]merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” This he does through Christ, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, whom God has provided as a substitute for sinners. Be found in him by faith.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady
Comments Off on Morning Sermon: Exodus 11, Fear The Lord Posted by Joe

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AT HOME OR IN GOSPEL COMMUNITY GROUPS

Sermon manuscript available at emmausrbc.org

• What evidence for restraint do we find in all of the plagues, and particularly this third plague cycle? Discuss the restraint of God’s judgments presently. 
• What is the purpose of the restraint? In other words, why has God delayed the final judgments? What should we be busy doing, therefore?
• The Exodus reveals that our God saves. It also reveals that our God judges. Why is it important for us to know, believe, and teach both things? Discuss possible points of application.

Posted in Study Guides Joe Anady
Comments Off on Discussion Questions: Exodus 9:13-10:29 Posted by Joe

Sermon Text: Exodus 9:13-10:29

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘Let my people go, that they may serve me. For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go. Behold, about this time tomorrow I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them.’’’ Then whoever feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses, but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the LORD left his slaves and his livestock in the field. Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man and beast and every plant of the field, in the land of Egypt.’ Then Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel were, was there no hail. Then Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and said to them, ‘This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Plead with the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.’ Moses said to him, ‘As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the LORD. The thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s. But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the LORD God.’ (The flax and the barley were struck down, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud. But the wheat and the emmer were not struck down, for they are late in coming up.) So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and stretched out his hands to the LORD, and the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured upon the earth. But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses. 

Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.’ So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, and they shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land. And they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree of yours that grows in the field, and they shall fill your houses and the houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day.’’ Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, ‘How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?’ So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. And he said to them, ‘Go, serve the LORD your God. But which ones are to go?’ Moses said, ‘We will go with our young and our old. We will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.’ But he said to them, ‘The LORD be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind. No! Go, the men among you, and serve the LORD, for that is what you are asking.’ And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence. Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.’ So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts. The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever will be again. They covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, ‘I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the LORD your God only to remove this death from me.’ So he went out from Pharaoh and pleaded with the LORD. And the LORD turned the wind into a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea. Not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go. 

Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.’ So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived. Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, ‘Go, serve the LORD; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.’ But Moses said, ‘You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the LORD our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.’ But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, ‘Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.’ Moses said, ‘As you say! I will not see your face again.’” (Exodus 9:13–10:29, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

You know, the observations that I made regarding the first two plague cycles (plagues 1 through 6) in the last two sermons could also be made concerning this third and final plague cycle. The cycle begins with an early morning outdoor confrontation with Pharaoh. Moses’ demand is the same: “‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘Let my people go, that they may serve me.’” Clearly, there is intensification with these plagues. Things get really serious here. Human life is lost. The crops of Egypt are greatly damaged. Flocks are killed. The situation grows very dark and ominous for the Egyptians with the outpouring of the ninth plague. Again, in this cycle, we see that the LORD distinguishes between the Hebrews and the Egyptians as he pours out these plagues, which are an assault against the so-called god’s of Egypt. And though it is clear that Pharoah is greatly disturbed and clearly convinced that this is the work of the God of the Hebrews, his heart was hardened even still. Mention is made of this at the end of the account of each plague. 9:35: “So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.”  10:20: “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.” 10:27: “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.” Each of these statements places emphasis upon the Lord hardening Pharaoh’s heart. 

In other words, what I have said in the previous two sermons about plagues 1 through 6 may be said here as well concerning plagues 7 through 9. I’d like to take a bit of a different approach in this sermon, therefore, by drawing your attention to three major themes. 

I want for you to see that at the time of the Exodus the judgments of the LORD were restrained. Two, notice that the judgments of the LORD were restrained so that salvation could be accomplished for the Hebrews and offered to the Egyptians. Three, know that time of restraint will one day come to an end and all who are not in Christ by faith will be judged for their own sin. 

*****

At The Time Of The Exodus, The Judgments Of The LORD Were Restrained

First of all, let us consider the theme of restraint. The judgments of the Lord were restrained in the outpouring of these plagues upon the Egyptians. 

That might sound like a strange thing to emphasize as we consider this third plague cycle. I’ve already mentioned the theme of intensification. Indeed, these three plagues were very severe and ominous. 

Hail like never before. Man and beast killed in the field. There are modern-day accounts of this. Crops destroyed. Fire from heaven, wind, etc. Have you ever been trapped in a severe storm? My brother-in-law and sister were this past summer… something like this led to Luther’s conversion… this was far worse. Heavy hailstones fell from heaven and destroyed everything that was left exposed. 

Locust. When we see locusts we think, oh, a cute grasshopper! That’s not what farmers think. These things devour crops. And God brought massive swarms of them to Egypt by a strong wind. They devoured the vegetation left by the hail. This was devastating. We get bent out of shape when our modern supply chains are disrupted leading to shortages. For us, it has only been inconvenient. This eighth plague meant that people would starve to death in the coming year. 

Darkness. The translation “a darkness to be felt” should probably be understood to mean a darkness that causes people to feel their way around. What caused this darkness? We are not told. But it must have been incredibly disorienting and depressing especially given everything that had been happening in the previous weeks. The Egyptians must have felt like the world was coming to an end.  

The three plagues are the most severe of the nine. In fact, the way the narrative is structured it is as if the first six are to be considered as preparatory for these. They are an awesome display of the glory of God, of his sovereignty over all things in heaven and on earth, of his power and right to judge. 

Why then do I draw your attention to the restrain of God. Answer: because the texts draws our attention to it. Look again at 9:13: “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘Let my people go, that they may serve me. For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth’” (Exodus 9:13–15, ESV).

Here the Lord repeats things that have been said before, but special emphasis is placed upon his restraint. Again, “ by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth.” In other words, I could have taken you out, but I have not.  

So then, you can see that the plagues that poured out upon the Egyptians reveal that God is a God of judgment, and he is also a God of mercy. When we speak of God’s mercy we refer to the kindness of God to not give us what we deserve.  And though it may sound strange to you, God’s mercy were indeed put on display in the outpouring of these plagues on the Egyptians. 

Notice that each plague was limited in some way. The water was turned to blood, but the Egyptians were able to dig new wells. All of the plagues were temporary. Most were only a nuisance to the people and did not lead to death. And even where death was the result, warnings were given, and protection was offered.  

Or to put it another way, God judged the Egyptians in the days of Moses, but he did not judge them fully and finally. This was an act of judgment, but this was not the final judgment. This act of judgment is to be viewed as prototypical, therefore. Just as the deliverance of the Hebrews was only earthly, temporary, and prototypical of the deliverance that Christ has accomplished for his people (a deliverance that is spiritual, heavenly, and eternal), so too the judgments poured out on the Egyptians were earthly, temporary, and prototypical of the judgment that Christ will meet out on the last day. And that judgment will be full, final, and eternal. 

Our God saves, brothers and sisters. And God judges too. God has accomplished our salvation through Jesus Christ. And did you know he will judge the world through Christ on the last day? So Christ is Savior, and he is the judge. 

When you see the earthly, temporary, partial, and restrained judgment of God poured out in the world they are to remind you that a full and final judgment is coming. And they are also to remind you that in the meantime, God is patient, merciful, and kind. 

*****

The Judgments Of The LORD Are Presently Restrained So That Salvation May Be Offered To The Nations 

Secondly, please recognize that the judgments of the Lord are presently restrained so that salvation may be offered to the nations. Now, where do we see that in this text? In a couple of places, actually. 

Look at 9:14: God speaks to Pharaoh, saying, “For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:14, ESV)

Look at 9:16: “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:16, ESV)

And consider the advanced warning that was given to the Egyptians regarding the deadly hail. Verse 19: “‘Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them.’  Then whoever feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses, but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the LORD left his slaves and his livestock in the field” (Exodus 9:19–21, ESV).

Here is the observation. When these partial and restrained judgments were poured out upon the Egyptians, the Hebrews, the Egyptians, and indeed, all nations, were at the same time being called by God to turn from their sinful idolatry, to fear him, and to trust him. When Christ returns to judge fully and finally, there will no longer be room for repentance and faith. But until then, room is left for repentance and faith amongst those living on earth. 

Nothing is said in this narrative regarding the perspective of the Hebrews, but surely many of them were being drawn to faith and strengthened in the faith as these partial and restrained judgments were poured out. In 14:30 we find these words following the passing through Red Sea: “Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses” (Exodus 14:30–31, ESV).

And we know that God was getting the attention of Egyptians too. Again we are told that  “whoever feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses, but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the LORD left his slaves and his livestock in the field.” Some from among the Egyptians feared the word of the Lord. Now, I think it would be a stretch to assume that all of these had saving faith in the promises of God concerning the Messiah. Maybe some did. But I doubt there were many. Notice the text does not say they feared the Lord, but they feared the word of the Lord. I think that is significant. They were convinced that the God of the Hebrews was pouring out these plagues, and so they took action to avert disaster. Did they have saving faith? We do not know. 

I will say, however, that when Israel left Egypt the scriptures tell us they went out as a mixed multitude. We are to understand that there were other ethnicities among them, and possibly Egyptians. Does this mean that these Egyptians who went out with the Hebrews have saving faith? I don’t know. But we must acknowledge that they identified themselves with the Lord and with his people in a big way as they left Egypt to sojourn in the wilderness toward the land promised to Abraham. It’s significant. 

And we should not forget the impact that these plagues had upon the nations. The nations took notice of what God had done to the Egyptians and fro Israel. Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, heard and rejoiced. In the days of Joshua, as the conquest of Cannan began, Rahab said to the Hebrew spies, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction” (Joshua 2:9–10, ESV). 

The point is this: the restrained judgments that the LORD poured out upon the Egyptians left room for repentance amongst the Hebrews, the Egyptians, and the nations. And of course, this is true of the entire course of human history from the fall of Adam into sin to the return of Christ. God’s judgments are restrained. The are restrained so that God’s people will come to faith and repentence. 

Paul teaches this. “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:4–5, ESV)

Peter teaches this too. “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (2 Peter 3:8–10, ESV).

This is a very important doctrine. It helps us to view life in this fallen, sin-sick world which is so filled with suffering, trials and tribulations, wickedness, and injustice from a different vantage point. Why does God put up with it? In part, it is because he is bringing people from every tongue, tribe, and nation to salvation through faith in the Messiah. 

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This Time Of Restraint Will One Day Come To An End And All Who Are Not In Christ By Faith Will Be Judged For Their Own Sin.

The third and final observation is that one day this restrain will come to an end and all who are not in Christ by faith will be judged for their own sin. 

Obviously, I have to go beyond the Exodus story to make this point. But you can see it typified at the end of the ninth plage when, Pharoah, persisting in his sin, says to Moses, “‘Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.’ Moses said, ‘As you say! I will not see your face again.’”  Pharoah had been called to repentance over and over again, but his time was up. There would be no more room for repentance for Pharoah. And the same is true for every human soul. At some point, there will be no more opportunity for repentance. Surely this happens at the moment of death, or when the Lord returns. 

A question that some might ask is, how could Pharoah be held accountable given the repeated emphasis upon God hardening his heart. You should remember that Paul addresses that question directly in Romans 9. But I want you to notice something very insightful in this passage. In 10:3 we read, “So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.’” Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Yes, he did. The scriptures are clear. But the scriptures are also clear that Pharoah hardened his own heart and refuse to humble himself self before God. The two truths are not contradictory. God is sovereign over all things, even the hearts of sinful man. He has the right to harden men’s hearts as a form of judgment against them. This he did to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh remained free to act from the heart and to stubbornly and arrogantly resist the word of the Lord. This is true for all who die in their sins. They will be judged on the last day for their own sin and rebellion, which is rebellion from the heart. 

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady
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