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Exodus chapter 12. We went to verse 28 last week, so 
we're gonna focus on verses 29 to 51 this week, but I wanna 
begin reading in 21. So essentially in this chapter, 
what you have is the instructions for the Passover, the blood ritual, 
in verses 1 to 13, then the instructions for the Feast of Unleavened Bread 
in verses 14 to 20. So those instructions are given 
by God to Moses and to Aaron. And then in verses 21 to 28, 
Moses speaks to the elders of Israel and gives them those instructions 
with reference to the Passover. So I'll read that section beginning 
in verse 21. Then Moses called for all the 
elders of Israel and said to them, pick out and take lambs 
for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover 
lamb. And you shall take a bunch of 
hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the 
lintel in the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. 
And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until 
morning, for the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians. 
And when he sees the blood on the lentil and on the two doorposts, 
the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to 
come into your houses to strike you. And you shall observe this 
thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever. It will 
come to pass when you come to the land, which the Lord will 
give you, just as He promised that you shall keep this service. 
And it shall be when your children say to you, what do you mean 
by this service? That you shall say, it is the 
Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of 
the children of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians 
and delivered our households. So the people bowed their heads 
in worship. Then the children of Israel went away and did so, 
just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. 
And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck 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 livestock. So Pharaoh 
rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians. 
And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house 
where there was not one dead. Then he called for Moses and 
Aaron by night and said, Rise, go out from among my people, 
both you and the children of Israel, and go, serve the Lord 
as you have said. Also take your flocks and your 
herds as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also. And the Egyptians urged the people 
that they might 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, having their kneading bowls bound up 
in their clothes on their shoulders. Now the children of Israel had 
done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from 
the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. 
And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, 
so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered 
the Egyptians. Then the children of Israel journeyed 
from Ramesses to Sukkoth, about 600,000 men on foot, besides 
children. A mixed multitude went up with 
them also, and flocks and herds, a great deal of livestock. And 
they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought 
out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were driven 
out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions 
for themselves. Now the sojourn of the children 
of Israel who lived in Egypt was 430 years. And it came to 
pass at the end of the 430 years, on that very same day, it came 
to pass that all the armies of the Lord went out from the land 
of Egypt. It is a night of solemn observance 
to the Lord for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This 
is that night of the Lord, a solemn observance for all the children 
of Israel throughout their generations. And the Lord said to Moses and 
Aaron, this is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner 
shall eat it, but every man's servant who is bought for money, 
when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it. A sojourner 
and a hired servant shall not eat it. In one house it shall 
be eaten. You shall not carry any of the 
flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones. 
All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. And when a stranger 
dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, 
let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and 
keep it, and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised 
person shall eat it. One law shall be for the native 
born and for the stranger who dwells among you. Thus all the 
children of Israel did, as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, 
so they did. And it came to pass on that very 
same day that the Lord brought the children of Israel out of 
the land of Egypt, according to their armies. Amen. Well, 
this is obviously the 10th plague. We see that specifically in verses 
29 and 30. The 10th plague ultimately broke 
the back of Egyptian bondage. So basically, the book starts 
off with Israel under oppression in Egypt. And then in chapter 
two, you see the birth of Moses, who functions as the deliverer. And then there's a couple of 
chapters in terms of his preparation for that particular task that 
God had given to him. And then beginning in chapter 
seven, we see the beginning of the 10 plagues. So the 10 plagues 
run from chapter seven to the end of chapter 11 properly, and 
then after a lengthy statement concerning Passover and unleavened 
bread, we have, just in a brief explanation, the actual 10th 
plague in verses 29 to 30. So I want to look first at the 
10th plague in verses 29 and 30, secondly the Exodus proper 
in verses 31 to 42, and then finally the Passover and its 
connection to the Exodus in verses 43 to 51. So notice the 10th 
plague. You have the execution of judgment 
and then the extent of the destruction. So the execution of the judgment. We have previous announcements. 
I think it's good for us to reflect upon this so that we can see 
what's in view here in chapter 12. If you go back to Exodus 
chapter 4, the first announcement concerning the death of the firstborn 
is made. Prior to the actual cycle of 
the plague narrative, you have this announcement concerning 
God's judgment upon Egypt all the way back in chapter four. 
So at verse 21, the Lord said to Moses, when you go back to 
Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which 
I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart so that 
he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 
thus says the Lord, Israel is my son, my firstborn. So I say 
to you, let my son go that he may serve me. But if you refuse 
to let him go, indeed, I will kill your son, your firstborn. So this is an application of 
the law of retribution. It is the just judgment of God. It is an expression of his righteousness. Remember that Egypt was not a 
bunch of innocent people that were just in the way of this 
avenging God. Rather, the nation of Egypt under 
Pharaoh were great oppressors of the children of Israel. Remember 
the death of their firstborn and then their slavery to the 
Egyptian cause. Well, you have another announcement 
of this in chapter 11 at verses 4 and 5. This is the long sort 
of explanation concerning the 10th plague. And then again in 
chapter 12 at verse 12, for I will pass through the land of Egypt 
on that night and will strike all the firstborn in the land 
of Egypt, both man and beast, and against all the gods of Egypt, 
I will execute judgment. I am the Lord. One man made the 
observation, this was not a case of returning evil for evil. It 
was a case of divine retribution. Justice meted out to those who 
deserved it. A judgment against an entire 
society and their absurd religious beliefs that led them to practice 
the horrible treatment they had given to the Israelites in the 
past, thinking it appropriate. So there are persons out there 
that do not like these things concerning our God. They say, 
well, that doesn't seem right or it doesn't seem fair. Again, 
they forget the reality that Egypt oppressed the nation of 
Israel and engaged in full scale extermination of their firstborn 
sons. And so it was right with God 
to execute his judgment. And back in 1229, again, we see 
the immediacy of this particular judgment. It came to pass at 
midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land 
of Egypt. Subsequent revelation indicates 
this same idea. It was God himself who executed 
the wrath. In Numbers 33 at verses 3 and 
4, Moses is rehearsing where they had been and where they 
are going, And he says, they departed from Ramesses in the 
first month on the 15th day of the first month. On the day after 
the Passover, the children of Israel went out with boldness 
in the sight of all the Egyptians. Well, having read chapter 12, 
we now know why they went out with all boldness. Well, this 
is what Moses goes on to say in verse 4. For the Egyptians 
were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had killed among 
them. Also on their gods the Lord had executed judgment. The 
same emphasis is found in the Psalms. Psalm 135 underscores 
the justice and the judgment of God against Israel. Psalm 
135 at verse 5. For I know that the Lord is great, 
and our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, He 
does in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places. 
He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He 
makes lightning for the rain. He brings the wind out of His 
treasuries. He destroyed the firstborn of Egypt, both of man 
and beast. He sent signs and wonders into 
the midst of you, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and all his servants. 
He defeated many nations and slew mighty kings, Sihon king 
of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan, 
and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel his people. So you see that the biblical 
authors were not ashamed of the justice or the judgment or the 
righteousness of God, but rather it formed the stuff of their 
praise and worship. We see that same motif in the 
book of Revelation. We see the saints or the souls 
under the altar in Revelation 6 crying out to God, how long 
until you avenge our blood on the earth? And then in Revelation 
19, after the judgment of the great whore and the false prophet, 
you have this fourfold hallelujah in heaven over the justice of 
God, meted out to his enemies. Psalm 136, verses 10 to 12. To him who struck Egypt in their 
firstborn, for his mercy endures forever, and brought out Israel 
from among them, for his mercy endures forever, with a strong 
hand and with an outstretched arm, for his mercy endures forever. Sure you've all heard of pacifism. 
There are those who believe that Christians, persons, should never 
take up arms to defend themselves or others from violence. I would suggest that pacifists 
prosper because someone somewhere does take up guns to actually 
engage in violence against enemies. With reference to the Psalms 
of David and the imprecations that we find in the scripture, 
I have tried to argue from the pulpit and in this place many 
times that we should be praying these things. Now I suspect there's 
a class of people out there that would say, oh, we could never 
take David's Psalms and pray them back to God in the manner 
that he does. Well, praise God, somebody in 
Zion is doing that. in the same manner that someone 
somewhere is taking up arms to fight off the forces of evil. 
The apostle in Romans 12 says, give place to wrath. He tells 
us not to avenge ourselves. That is strictly prohibited, 
but he says to give place to wrath. Have you ever questioned 
how do we do that? Well, the Psalms of David are 
a wonderful expression of that very sentiment. We call upon 
God Most High to vindicate His name and His people throughout 
the earth. So when we go back to Exodus 
chapter 12, this was not an embarrassment to Moses, It was not an embarrassment 
to the children of Israel, but rather it was the means by which 
the children of Israel marched boldly out of that place of oppression 
loaded with lots of riches and lots of changes of clothing. 
So back to the passage, we notice the extent of the destruction 
in verses 29B to 30. It says, "...from the firstborn 
of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the captive 
who was in the dungeon." So from the throne to the lowest place 
in society, there was not one place left untouched by the judgment 
and the wrath and the fury of God. It even included the livestock, 
the firstborn of the livestock. Now that means that some livestock 
survived the fifth plague, which was the diseased livestock, and 
then the seventh plague, which was the plague of hail. So some 
had survived. Now at this particular time, 
it was the death of the firstborn of the livestock. Now, when people 
say, well, did the animals sin? No, it wasn't that the animals 
sinned, but rather it was total judgment upon the nation of Egypt 
for what they had done to the people of God Almighty. And then 
you see the response to this in verse 30. So Pharaoh rose 
in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians, and there 
was a great cry in Egypt. For there was not a house where 
there was not one dead. So people probably rose at various 
times. There's nothing to indicate that 
they heard the sound of the angel passing by and actually killing 
their loved ones. It doesn't say that when the 
loved ones died, they gasped out their last. It could have 
been a very silent sort of a thing. But whenever persons in Egypt 
got up that particular night, they would look upon their children. 
Remember, they had some clue of this because it had been announced 
to them that this was the sort of thing they were dealing with. 
Remember as well, they had witnessed nine previous plagues. So perhaps some in Egypt didn't 
even sleep well that night for fear that God would indeed exact 
His justice upon them that night. But when they did discover their 
dead, there was a great cry in Egypt. And the reason is, for 
there was not a house where there was not one done." So we see 
the execution of God's judgment. It underscores His righteousness 
and His justice and the reality that this is in fact a moral 
universe. that when you do bad, when you 
engage in sin, when you engage in criminal activity, when you 
don't repent, when you don't seek the blood of Jesus Christ, 
when you're not forgiven, there is wrath and justice that is 
awaiting you. And so what we have at least 
in this is illustrative of what's going to be in the day of the 
wicked when they come to die and usher into the eternal state. Now notice the Exodus proper. 
You have first the words of Pharaoh and the Egyptians in verses 31 
to 33. Notice in verse 31, then he called 
for Moses and Aaron. He summoned Moses and Aaron. The word could also be translated, 
he proclaimed to Moses and Aaron. If you go back to chapter 10, 
we have that sort of interaction with Moses and Pharaoh that they 
would not see each other again. And in 1027, the Lord hardened 
Pharaoh's heart and he would not let them go. Then Pharaoh 
said to him, get away from me, take heed to yourself and see 
my face no more. For in the day you see my face, 
you shall die. So Moses said, you have spoken 
well, I will never see your face again. So verse 31 in chapter 
12 does not demand a personal meeting between the two. It could 
have been messengers sent to Moses and Aaron from Pharaoh 
specifically that the Israelites depart. Notice the nature of 
his statement. He called for Moses and Aaron 
by night and said, rise, go out from among my people, both you 
and the children of Israel, and go serve the Lord as you have 
said. Also take your flocks and your 
herds as you have said, and be gone. I bet it pained him to 
say, as you have said, you should have listened the first time 
Pharaoh, especially when you witnessed the other nine plagues. This was not a pipe dream from 
the mouth of Moses. This was factually based. There was empirical evidence 
that the God of Israel was more than capable of executing this 
level of wrath and judgment upon your people. But as well, notice 
that he doesn't barter. Go back to chapter 10 for just 
a moment. During the eighth plague, Pharaoh 
tried to barter with Moses. In chapter 10 at verse 7, 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 know that Egypt 
is destroyed? So Moses and Aaron were brought 
again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, Go, serve the Lord your 
God. Who are the ones that are going? 
And Moses said, We will go with our young and our old, with our 
sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds. We 
will go, for we must hold a feast of the Lord. "'Then he said to 
them, "'The Lord had better be with you "'when I let you and 
your little ones go. "'Beware, for evil is ahead of 
you. "'Not so. "'Go now, you who are 
men, and serve the Lord, "'for that is what you desired.' "'And 
they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.'" See, it was an attempt 
to barter. You go ahead, the men of Israel, 
you can go out and do your worship in the wilderness thing, but 
we're gonna go ahead and keep your kids and your flocks here 
so that you'll have a vested interest in returning. And then 
notice in the ninth plague with reference to darkness in chapter 
10 at verse 25, you must also give us sacrifices. We'll back 
to verse 24. Then Pharaoh called to Moses 
and said, go serve the Lord. Only let your flocks and your 
herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go 
with you. So now he's being a little bit 
more gracious. He's going to let the children 
go, but no flocks or herds. Well, by the time we come to 
this 10th plague, he's throwing them out of Egypt. He has seen 
and is convinced that the God of Israel is in fact able to 
execute judgment at the level that he has engaged. So also 
take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone. 
And then notice the chutzpah of Pharaoh at the end of verse 
32. And bless me also. Do you think Moses was all into 
that? Oh sure, that'll be my first request at the throne of 
grace when we get out into the wilderness. Oh God, please be 
merciful to Pharaoh. Robert Alter gives this note. 
He says, the desperate Pharaoh appears to feel in need of intercession. "'When you propitiate your God 
in the wilderness,' he is saying, "'remember to put in a good word 
for me.'" Remember, these are polytheists. These are persons 
that have a plethora of gods. And as far as Pharaoh is concerned, 
he has witnessed a testimony of the true and living God. So 
he asked the Gaul to say to Moses, when you get out there with your 
God, go ahead and ask a blessing for me. So Pharaoh wants them 
to leave, and as well, so do the Egyptians themselves. Notice 
in verse 33, and the Egyptians urged the people. They urged 
them. This wasn't a pleasant request. 
This wasn't, well, gang, you can head out now if you want. 
No, they wanted them gone. The Egyptians urged the people 
that they might send them out of the land in haste. Now notice 
their rationale. For they said, we shall all be 
dead. In other words, if you do not 
depart, the God of Israel won't stop at the death of the firstborn. The God of Israel will continue 
to execute judgment on the nation and upon her gods. So they want 
the children of Israel out of there. And then notice the response 
of the Israelites in verses 34 to 36. We now understand the 
rationale for unleavened bread. If you go back to chapter 12, 
verse 11. And thus you shall eat it with 
a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff 
in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. 
It is the Lord's Passover. That emphasis on unleavened bread 
was not because leaven is necessarily evil. Leaven is a pervasive agent. It's used that way in the New 
Testament. There are times it's used in context dealing with 
evil, but I don't think it's because leaven in and of itself 
is an evil thing. You didn't sin tonight if you 
had a French loaf. The idea is that when it When 
you let the leaven do its work, when you wait for the bread to 
rise, you have to spend time. Well, this was a quick exodus. This is the rationale as to why 
they were all ready, they had their sandals on their feet, 
staff in hand, and they had unleavened bread, because they would need 
to make a quick exodus. And then notice the plunder of 
the Egyptians in verses 35 to 36. This had been announced previously 
as well. You can go back to chapter 3. Chapter three, God gives a program, 
a statement to Moses concerning what it is he's going to do. 
Verse 19, he says, I am sure that the king of Egypt will not 
let you go. No, not even by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my 
hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders, which I will do in 
its midst. And after that, he will let you go. And I will give 
this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. And it shall 
be when you go that you shall not go empty handed. But every 
woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely of her who dwells near 
her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing, 
and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters, so 
you shall plunder the Egyptians." This is repeated in chapter 11. 
Chapter 11, they're not only promised liberty from Egyptian 
oppression, but they're also promised prosperity. Chapter 
11 at verse 1, the Lord said to Moses, I will bring one more 
plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward, he will let you go 
from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out 
of here altogether. "'Speak now in the hearing of 
the people "'and let every man ask from his neighbor "'and every 
woman from her neighbor articles of silver "'and articles of gold.'" 
If you're using the old King James, it says borrow. That's 
not what's in view. They were not borrowing in order 
to return it eventually. They were taking, they were plundering, 
they were receiving from the hands of these oppressors monies 
that they had. And then notice, verse 35, now 
the children of Israel, or verse 34, we see that they had their 
dough, so they take dough, physical dough, verse 34, and then they 
take dough, as in do-re-mi, in verse 35. I thought of that today 
and chuckled, so I... Thought I'd work that in here. 
So they had the dough and the do-re-mi. Ha, that was supposed 
to be funnier than it was. So the people took their dough 
before it was leavened, verse 34, having their kneading bowls 
bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. Now, the children 
of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they 
had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles 
of gold, and clothing. Now notice, and the Lord had 
given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that 
they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. They were going to need money, 
weren't they? They were going to be 40 years 
in the wilderness. Now, certainly they would have 
to have trades, you know, traders passing by. They would have to 
have money to purchase things. When it comes time to build the 
tabernacle, we remember that the children of Israel had some 
resources that they were willing to donate to that particular 
cause. So they as well understood the 
blessing and the grace of God. So in the space of just a few 
verses, you see the justice and the judgment of God executed 
upon the oppressor. And then conversely, you see 
the grace, the mercy and the kindness of God poured out upon 
his people. And in terms of this whole sort 
of a situation, some might be inclined to say, well, that wasn't 
fair to those Egyptians, right? I mean, they had worked hard. 
You know, done what they had done. They had bought the clothing. 
They had, you know, the silver and the gold and that sort of 
thing. Doesn't seem right that these Israelites should just 
sort of take it from them. John Gill made this observation. 
He said, strip them of their substance and riches of their 
most valuable things, in doing which they were in no wise criminal, 
since they did it by the direction and authority of God, who has 
a right to dispose of all the things in the world. and to take 
of them from one and give to another as he pleases. And that's 
the connection. Verse 36, and the Lord had given 
people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. And then back 
to Gil, he goes on to say, nor was any injustice done to the 
Egyptians. who owed all this and perhaps 
abundantly more to the Israelites for the labor and service they 
had served them in for many years. Besides, they were the avowed 
enemies of Israel, and the Lord had now put Himself at the head 
of the armies of Israel and was contending with them. and they 
with him who should overcome. And this was doing no other than 
what according to the law of nations is lawful to be done 
in time of war, to spoil, plunder, and distress an enemy in whatsoever 
way it can be done. And thus the promise made to 
Abraham that his posterity should come out with great substance 
was fulfilled." That goes back to Genesis 15. Genesis 15 is 
that covenant ratification ceremony that God undertakes for the benefit 
of Abraham. Remember, Abraham's a bit shaky 
on the promises that God has communicated to him. And then 
Abraham asks for a sign. And so God says, I want to engage 
in a covenant. Get animals, cut them in half. 
put the pieces on one side and on the other, and then the parties 
to the covenant march between those pieces, and the idea being 
is that whoever reneges on that covenant, may what happened to 
those animals happen to them. It's a wonderful display of God's 
faithfulness and God's goodness to Abraham, especially when we 
understand that it's only God who walks between the pieces. 
It's all up to God in terms of carrying out and executing his 
plan. But in Genesis 15, at verse 14, 
well, verse 13, then he said to Abram, Know certainly that 
your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, 
and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred 
years. And also the nation whom they serve, I will judge, afterward 
they shall come out with great possessions. So it had been promised 
by God as far back as Abram and now it comes to pass in terms 
of their plundering of the Egyptians. A modern commentator says, previously 
weak little Israel came away from slavery to the greatest 
power of the day instantly enriched. People suddenly held in their 
pockets and bags more precious gems and metals than they would 
have ever had a chance to accumulate in a lifetime, and all the clothes 
they would need for many years of living in the wilderness." 
See, we read this and we don't really feel it, I don't think. 
Not just articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. 
There weren't Walmarts out in that wilderness. They would need 
some changes of clothing for their time out in the wilderness. Now notice the Exodus proper 
in verses 37 to 42. Highlights the location. Then 
the children of Israel journeyed from Ramesses to Sukkoth. And 
then notice the people engaged in Exodus. Verse 37a indicates 
the number of Israelite men, 600,000 men on foot besides children, 
we might add, and women additionally. Now in Psalm 105, 37, it tells 
us that he also brought them out with silver and gold and 
there was none feeble among his tribe. So 600,000 strong men. We saw last week how even prior 
to the giving of this tenth plague, or even prior to this particular 
section, the children of Israel were referred to in a couple 
of places as armies. Now remember, when they go out 
into that wilderness, it's not going to be a cakewalk. They're 
going to have to fight. They're going to have to defend 
themselves. They're going to have to engage 
in war. And so we have 600,000 able-bodied 
men among the Israelites. But then notice curiously in 
verse 38, a mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks 
and herds, a great deal of livestock. So this mixed multitude means 
they were not ethnic Israelites. They were not ethnic Israelites. 
In fact, turn over to Numbers 11. They, along with the ethnic 
Israelites, are whining when they're in the wilderness. But 
if you look at Numbers chapter 11, specifically at verse 4, 
Now the mixed multitude who were among them, this is the ones 
of Israel whining to Moses, now the mixed multitude who were 
among them yielded to intense craving, so the children of Israel 
also wept again and said. So going back to Exodus 12, 38, 
who is this mixed multitude? Well, it would have probably 
been Egyptians, and it would have probably been other foreigners 
who found themselves in Egypt at that particular time. Now, 
if we ask the question, why in the world would this mixed multitude 
want to go out with Israel? I think the text is pretty obvious. In the first place, they lived 
in a country that was ravaged by the judgment of God. If you 
go back to chapter 10, the servants exclaimed to Pharaoh in verse 
7, 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 know that Egypt 
is destroyed? Pharaoh was a typical politician. He had no clue what was going 
on in the country that he governed. He had no connection whatsoever 
with the people on the street. He didn't realize that the nation 
was being destroyed. His pride, his hubris kept him 
from seeing this. As far as he was concerned, he 
was going toe-to-toe with Yahweh of Israel and really couldn't 
care less about what happened in the country that he governed. 
So they lived in a country ravaged by the judgment of God. As well, 
they lived in a country that I think we can surmise was devoid 
of an emphasis on personal liberty. If Pharaoh was all too willing 
to enslave Israel, I'm sure a few Egyptians would have got caught 
up in the mix as well, especially if they weren't the kinds of 
guys or the kinds of gals that were pro-Pharaoh. What do you 
think Pharaoh would have done with them? Well, you can join 
those Jews and you can, you know, build my pyramids or build my 
huts or build whatever it is you're gonna do. And then as 
well, they witnessed the favor of Israel's God toward his people. Wouldn't that be a great invitation 
to this mixed multitude when they saw Yahweh of Israel vindicate 
His people in such a wonderful way? Gil says, In such wonders 
being wrought for the children of Israel, they saw they were 
a people that were the favorites of heaven, and judged it safest 
and best and most for their interest to keep with them. In other words, 
they appear to be the winning team. We're going to go ahead 
and throw in our lot with them and see where life takes us. 
Similar to Rahab the harlot in Joshua chapter 2. She had heard 
about the victories of Yahweh of Israel. That caused her, or 
was the means by which she lied and engaged in treason to the 
civil state of Jericho by lying to those particular guards that 
came looking for the spies, and she gave them safe haven for 
this particular purpose. Remember me when you guys come 
back to destroy the city of Jericho, which in fact they did, and Joshua 
6, 25 tells us that Rahab was included in the covenant people 
of God. Ruth the Moabitess is another 
example. Ruth 1.16. She sides with Naomi. She sides with the God of Israel. 
So this mixed multitude were the persons in the land that 
were either, A, renegade Egyptians that didn't go along with the 
policy of oppression and persecution, or other foreigners that found 
themselves living in Egypt at that time. Verse 39 reiterates 
the need for unleavened bread. And then you have this summary 
statement in verses 40 to 42. Now in Genesis 15, it refers 
to 400 years. Other places it refers to 430 
years. Paul refers to it as 430 years 
in Galatians 3.17. That's caused no shortage of 
commentary on that particular issue. I commend you to the John 
Gills and the John Calvins and the Matthew Pools in the church 
to try and get some sort of consent in terms of what's going 
on with reference to those numbers. And then the time itself, most 
likely, the actual oppression under Pharaoh was not the entire 
430 years. The Geneva Bible, for instance, 
dates it from Abraham's departing from Ur in Chaldea unto the departing 
of the children of Israel from Egypt are 430 years. I think 
Matthew Poole or John Gill puts it from the Genesis 15 account 
up to the departure of the children of Israel at the time of the 
Exodus. So we have the number of years, 
you have the Exodus rehearsed in verse 41, And then verse 42 
underscores that it's a night of solemn observance to the Lord 
for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night 
of the Lord, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel 
throughout their generations. So that ties back into the giving 
of the instructions for Passover, and then that's where the chapter 
now goes to end. So Passover was most important 
in Israel's life and history. It was most important in terms 
of their calendar. So those instructions are rehearsed 
or repeated with some new additional information. Notice in the first 
place, the prohibition of foreigners from eating the Passover. Verse 
43, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, this is the ordinance 
of the Passover. No foreigner shall eat of it. 
One man, Stewart, says, here the original uses a term for 
persons who are simply not part of the covenant community. Outsiders 
might be a suitable translation. This does not constitute racial 
or ethnic discrimination. It represents proper religious 
discrimination. And the context bears that out. When you have a sojourner or 
when you have a servant, as long as they take the covenant sign 
of circumcision, then they may indeed participate in the Passover 
festival. Notice verse 44, but every man's 
servant who is bought for money, when you have him circumcised, 
then he may eat it. So the circumcised servant may 
participate, and we learn in that Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 
chapter 17, that servants would have been circumcised and thus 
introduced into the covenant community. Verse 45 continues, 
that a sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it. Again, the idea is that they 
are uncircumcised. They're not a part of the covenant 
community. Verse 47 is intriguing. Notice, 
the emphasis, I'm sorry, back to verse 46. The end of verse 
46 is intriguing. So, in one house it shall be 
eaten, you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house. 
The original giving of the instructions, I think in 12.5, indicated that. And then this is probably reminiscent 
of chapter 12 at verse 23, when Moses tells the elders of Israel 
to communicate to the people that you are not, you are not, 
excuse me, back to verse 23. For the Lord will pass through, 
verse 22, and none of you shall go out of the door of his house 
until morning. So the Passover was to be kept 
within the house. But then notice the latter part 
of verse 46. Nor shall you break one of its 
bones. Why would you break one of its 
bones? To suck the marrow out. That would be the practical reason 
why you would break the bones. Perhaps the whole idea of haste 
and immediacy didn't allow for time to break bones and suck 
marrow out, so the idea was just dispose of the bones as you would 
with the rest of the animal. But the typology here, I think, 
is what is conspicuous because this fares in John's gospel. Remember, according to Paul, 
Christ is our Passover who was sacrificed for us. Well, in John 
19, there's this intriguing passage concerning the breaking of the 
legs of the crucified. And the reason why they would 
have broken the legs of the crucified is in order to hasten their death. 
because there was a little block of wood that you'd put your feet 
on, and it would give you purchase so that you could keep on fighting 
in terms of gasping for air. If a man had gone too long, and 
it was Friday night at that particular time, they had things to do, 
so they needed to hasten the death of the crucified. So they'd 
break their legs so they could no longer push off that little 
block, and then they would asphyxiate. But if you notice in John 19, 
specifically at verse 31, Therefore, because it was the preparation 
that the body should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, 
for that Sabbath was a high day, the Jews asked Pilate that their 
legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then 
the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the 
other who was crucified with them. But when they came to Jesus 
and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 
But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately 
blood and water came out. And he was seen as testified, 
and his testimony is true. And he knows that he is telling 
the truth so that you may believe. For these things were done that 
the scripture should be fulfilled, not one of his bones shall be 
broken. And again, another scripture 
says, they shall look on him whom they pierced. So it's not 
just Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 5-7 that legitimizes the typology 
between Jesus and the Passover, but it's the actual crucifixion 
of the Lord Jesus in John's gospel that underscores that as well. 
And then of course in 47 you have the admonition for all the 
congregation of Israel shall keep it. And then the specific 
reference again to the inclusion of others. The stranger who wants 
to participate must be circumcised. So verse 48. When a stranger 
dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, 
let all his males be circumcised and then let him come near and 
keep it. And he shall be as a native of 
the land, for no uncircumcised person shall eat it. And then 
notice, one law shall be for the native born and for the stranger 
who dwells among you. equity, equality under the law 
with reference to the administration of justice in Israel. The same 
is repeated in Numbers 9 at verse 14. And if a stranger dwells 
among you and would keep the Lord's Passover, he must do so 
according to the rite of the Passover and according to its 
ceremony. You shall have one ordinance 
both for the stranger and the native of the land. And then 
the chapter ends with the obedience of Israel, verse 50, and the 
power of God, verse 51. Thus all the children of Israel 
did as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. And it 
came to pass on that very same day that the Lord brought the 
children of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their 
armies. Now, in terms of just a couple 
of practical lessons that the 10th plague demonstrates. In 
the first place, it explains the suddenness of the exodus, 
right? The suddenness of the exodus. 
Why the emphasis on making haste? Well, we see now very vividly, 
so that in future generations, subsequent generations, when 
persons participated in the Passover, that would be a part of it. It 
would be to rehearse or recall the immediacy of the occasion 
and the reality that you didn't just sort of, you know, kind 
of hang out. No, you were ready and prepared 
to go. That was something that the forefathers had done when 
they had left Egypt. As well, the plague explains 
why the change of heart in Pharaoh and the Egyptians. When you're 
busy burying your firstborn whom Yahweh has killed, I think it 
explains why Pharaoh and Egypt had this change of heart in order 
to get rid of this large, massive slave force. And then as well, 
The plague explains the presence of money in Israelite pockets. God had promised them that they 
would be given much. They plundered the Egyptians 
such that now when they go out into the wilderness, they're 
going to have money in order to purchase the various things 
that they will need. And then in terms of the theological 
lessons, we see obviously the perfections of God, vis-a-vis 
his righteousness and justice in the execution of his judgment, 
and then as well his mercy and his kindness toward Israel. And 
then in terms of the Passover, the Passover is significant in 
Old Covenant religion in order to rehearse this great redemptive 
feat that God the Lord had worked on their behalf. but then it 
functions typologically to point to a greater redemptive feat 
that the Lord God would engage in terms of his son, Jesus Christ, 
who was, or who is, rather, our Passover and was sacrificed for 
us. Well, let me close in a word 
of prayer. Father, thank You for Your Word, and thank You 
for this display of power and glory. We thank You that You 
are the true and the living God, and thank You that You vindicate 
Your people, that You demonstrate Your majesty. And God in heaven, 
we know and look forward to that day when You will right every 
wrong, when You will take Your saints into the at New Jerusalem, 
and when you will deal with your enemies in a most terrible way. 
We ask that you would encourage and strengthen each of our hearts, 
build us up in our most holy faith, and as we reflect upon 
Passover, the splashing of the blood upon the doorposts, help 
us to see that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission. 
And thank you that we live in the days of the Lamb of God who 
takes away the sin of the world. for that precious blood that 
does cleanse us from all of our sin. We ask that you would go 
with us now and bless this local church and give your grace to 
each and every one of us. And we pray through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. Any questions or comments on 
any of that? Yeah, you're welcome. Yeah, that's good. We kind of 
dealt with Again, I think the idea being 
haste. Oh, the two particular things I got out of Matthew Poole. One was to keep persons from 
superstition. Remember when they had the brazen 
serpent, they ended up putting it on a pole and using it as 
an idol. Well, if they would have had some of that sacred 
meat, who knows what would have happened in terms of that particular 
emphasis. And then the other I thought 
was practical. It's been a whole week, brother. Let me just go 
back to my notes here. Yeah, it was verse 10. Yeah, 
to avoid superstition, oh, and to avoid profane or non-consecrated 
use. And there seems to be an indication 
in Exodus 29 and 34 as well. So you bring something into a 
consecrated state, using it for a particular religious right, 
you're not supposed to use it in a profane sense. But yeah, 
I like the idea of limited atonement too. I think that the reality 
in terms of Passover as a whole does reflect that. the fact that 
no one uncircumcised, no one, the Hittites or the Hivites, 
unless they are proselytes to the religion of Israel's God, 
then this is not for them. This is not a sacrifice that 
avails for those outside. Rather, it is particular and 
definite in terms of who it's calculated to benefit. I'll defer. OK. Have you heard, I was just 
thinking when you were talking about the Egyptians giving the 
money to the Israelites and how essentially they might have even 
owed it to them in essence. Have you ever heard it mentioned, 
the idea of like, obviously couldn't it be said that the money given 
to the Israelites upon their exit was, you know Egyptians 
only had it because of the grace of God to Joseph because they 
would have been All day start with have not the God Joseph 
acknowledges in the Pharaoh says like I thought you were going to say, 
is this like the reparation? Yeah, I mean, I think y'all sufficiently 
deals with that. The earth is the Lord's and all 
of fullness. So God is perfectly just and 
right. He gave it to them. He can take 
it away from them. Yeah, the Egyptians didn't have 
prosperity because of their sweat on their brow. I mean, obviously 
sweat on their brow. But God put them in a decent 
land, gave them the ingenuity to do that. So whatever they 
had was wrought by God. Hang on, that is a doctrine of, 
if anybody wanted reparations, they could go there. Don't let 
leftist politicians hear that. Oh, there's reparations. Go ahead. But no, the idea of being in 
versa, I was going to make a comment that I think it fits within the 
theme that you were emphasizing in terms of pace and efficiency 
and thrift, that you're in such a hurry to go, you don't even 
want to have rotting food ganging around, that you're supposed 
to eat everything, but eat quickly. So I think it's more of a practical 
thing. But if someone wants to stretch that into some sort of 
parabolic reference to the efficiency of the opponent, as we would 
say in the analogy of scripture, there are clear texts. Sure. Yeah, but I mean there's sermonizing 
that happens once in a while, you know, illustrative purposes. Yes, sir. Just a note of interest, 
based on the 600,000 men put on this website, it could have 
been as many as between 3 and 4 million people total. Most 
modern commentators don't like those big numbers. The old boys 
don't have a problem with it. But the moderns typically tend 
to, like Robert Alter, he says, there's no way it could have 
been. And he's using a more conservative 
number. He'd say 2 million. Typically that's, it could have 
been. But yeah, no, it was a massive 
undertaking, which when we get to the sort of frustration of 
Moses later, I've always thought we need to be very patient with 
Moses. That brother did more or had 
more to do than anybody I've ever met. So yeah, it was a great 
number of people. They weren't supposed to, but 
yeah, I'm sure they did. So believers are part of a variety 
of Christ, and we're the Catholic Church, those sorts of things. 
So as a spiritual Israel, then we're also part of God's army. 
Is that the connection? Is that a metaphor? Hang on, 
hang on. Are we part of God's army? It 
says that the children of Israel weren't just, yeah, there was 
the army of God, right? He was their, as you said, Well, there's martial language 
applied to the people of God in the New Testament Good soldier 
of Jesus Christ, put on the whole armor of God. I think it's more 
literal. I doubt every single human in 
Israel was part of the army. I mean, there was organization 
and divisions, probably not so much at this stage, but certainly 
as they moved out into the wilderness and started having to engage 
in warfare. It just meant that the word army 
was here, right? I never picked up on it. It's 
in chapter six already, too. It's six and six. I think it has divisions. King 
James tends to use the word host a lot more. Yeah, probably host, 
yeah. And I think that speaks to the 
size of the congregation that was leaving more so than how 
they were specifically organized, a la, say, the Roman army with 
their cohorts and such. Yeah, there's a couple other 
places. Let me see here. What verse is that in? When? 
51. No, but a little before. Oh yeah, it's in 626 and 7-4.