Exodus 12 Countdown Continues

Moses and Aaron will pass the word to the people as the final countdown continues. The people learn of the requirements for safety from the final plague.

When reading our text I had a BIG question. I’m wondering if the format that God gives Moses is for the FIRST time, which results in their boot out of Egypt, or if it is for the following year forward. I can easily go along with altering the calendar with this plague, but did the prescribed preparation also occur this first time?

I went searching for this answer through Google. I came across a site I put a lot of stock in and they proposed that it happened as prescribed the first time also. Pharaoh wasn’t given a schedule for the whole process, but the children of Israel were. I’m still having trouble reconciling some of the comments later on with that position. I honestly don’t know where to fall on this issue.

Does one possibility over the other matter in the long run? I don’t know that either. My latest reading leads me to the first Passover requiring the four days period too. “Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did” (Exodus 12:28). Reading further, we see that the people didn’t have time to prepare provisions, “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.” (Exodus 12:39b) So, they must have received their instructions on the SAME day they were to execute them. As for the leaven and getting it out of the house, that is most certainly for later, once they are settled in the Promised Land. Let’s get to our story and see where the Spirit takes us.

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Moses has left his place of proclamation. The place where he KNEW Pharaoh would hear, but didn’t have to have a face to face meeting. Word would spread through Egypt about this latest plague Moses predicted.

On his way back to Goshen he made several stops along the way. He left word for the elders of each tribe to gather after work. He had news from the Lord that he had to share with everyone. Moses knew that there was NO WAY that everyone could hear the words of the Lord directly from his lips. He would rely on the elders of each tribe to accurately relay the message to all the people. He would trust the Lord in this matter, above ANYONE else.

Moses and Aaron had to be careful passing the message of the assembly, because it was unlawful for such meetings to take place. The Egyptians feared the Hebrews meeting together as it could indicate a plot to revolt. Egypt really wasn’t strong enough to subdue such a revolt it one were organized well. Messages were passed between workers at each site and Moses and Aaron sent runners or went themselves to each site where the Hebrews labored under the Egyptian whips.

While Moses and Aaron were passing the word of a meeting, the women of Israel were visiting their ‘neighbors’. They were asking from their neighbors, gold and silver jewelry, and clothing. God had His hand in this too. He had commanded it, and He prospered it, as the women gathered untold wealth from the Egyptians.

After all the sites had been notified, Moses went to his favorite tree in the yard behind Aaron’s home, to spend time with the Lord. He felt certain the Lord had more to share with the Hebrews than had been shared with the Egyptians. He needed to wait on the Lord to get ALL the details right.

It was the eighth hour of the day when Moses slipped beneath his tree. “Lord, God of my fathers, I need Your words to give to Your people. This last plague You had me share with Pharaoh is enormous. We need YOU to share with us what to do. We need to know how to prepare for this plague. My heart burns within me telling me that there are requirements for Your people that will be important for the division between the two peoples.”

“Yes Moses. There are a great many things that My people need to do before I send this final plague. Be certain they understand My instructions well. You are to share my words with Aaron and the two of you will present My words to the people.”

“I understand Lord. I thank You once again for giving me Aaron to share Your words with Your people. I do not believe I could do this on my own.”

“Aaron has done well to follow the commands you have given him. And you have done well to follow and relay all that I have given you.”

There is a pause for a few moments as if the Lord were gathering His thoughts or preparing His presentation. Moses simply rested in His presence until He was ready to go on.

“Moses”

“Speak Lord, Your servant is listening.”

“There are several things that I need to address with you. I am going to lay them out in order. EACH portion is important and is meant to be a lasting standard for My people. This is NOT only for those in Egypt with you today but for My people from this day forward. This is a historic event that will forever be a part of our history together. What I am setting forth will be a reminder for them as well as for Me.”

“I will make certain they understand the importance of what You share Lord.”

“The first thing I am instituting this day is to set a new order of marking time for my people. No longer will you follow along with the Egyptian’s standard of marking the passage of the year. THIS month will be the FIRST month of the year for my people. The marking of the month with the beginning of the moon’s cycle will remain the same as well as the length and times of day. The major change will be the new beginning of marking time with Me.”

“That sounds wonderful! The start of our new life will be the start of our new year also.”

“The second thing I am instituting is a special and specific sacrifice. This sacrifice will be performed EVERY year in the SAME manner on the SAME day of the year. This is a lasting statute.”

“What kind of sacrifice are You calling for Lord?”

The Lord would lay it out carefully for Moses, so there would be no misunderstanding. “Here are my directions:

• On the 10^th day of this first month each year, every man is to take a lamb for his household. If the household is too small to use ALL the meat of the lamb he is to share one with his neighbor.
  1. The lamb is to be a one year old male.
  2. There is to be NO blemish on it whatsoever
  3. It may be either a goat or sheep
  4. You shall keep it separate and watch over it carefully until the 14^th day of the month.
• On the 14^th day, the WHOLE congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. They are to be prepared thus:
  1. Remove the blood and pour it into a bowl
  2. Roast the lamb on the fire. DO NOT eat any of it raw! DO NOT boil it in water.
  3. Roast it with it head, legs and inner parts in place

The next sets of instructions are for My people in Egypt today. This is how I want you to partake of this sacrifice:

• Here are the perpetrations for eating the lamb:
  1. You are to take a hyssop brush and dip it in the blood you collected earlier and apply it on the doorposts and top of the door in the house where you will be eating the lamb
  2. You are to be dressed for travel; including having your shoes on, your belt fastened and your staff in your hand. This is for ALL the members of the house.
  3. You are to eat FAST! No lingering over the meal.
• You are to eat ALL the flesh THAT NIGHT. NOTHING is to remain until morning. Anything that is left must be burned.
• You are also to eat this meal with UNLEAVENED bread and bitter herbs.

Be CERTAIN that the doorposts and door frames are marked!”

“Why Lord?”

“I am going to send my angel of death throughout all the land of Egypt. ANYONE without this mark on their doorframe will suffer the fate you shared with Pharaoh. The first born in every home will die. When I see the blood on your doorframe I will pass over you and no plague will strike you.”

“I will make CERTAIN to stress that point Lord!”

“You will hold a feast to Me each year to commemorate this day. You will perform the sacrifice I set forth but you will not need to be prepared for travel. You will celebrate My deliverance in another way.”

“What way is that Lord?”

“You will celebrate My deliverance for a full seven days. You will hold a Holy feast on the first day, which includes the Passover sacrifice, and another Holy feast on the seventh day. You will demonstrate your dedication to remaining a true people unto me by observing a different statute. This statute has to do with leaven. This is what I require:

• On the first day of the feast you shall remove ALL leaven from your homes
• You will not eat ANYTHING made with leaven for the full seven days
• ANYONE who eats leaven in any form during this time will be cut off from Israel! No matter if that person is a native or a visitor!
• From the 14^th day of the first month until the 21^st day of that same month you will have NO leaven in your homes and eat unleavened bread.

There is also no work to be done on either of the days of the Holy feasts. The preparation of the meal is the ONLY work allowed.

These are the statutes I have set down for My people to follow. These are lasting statutes and they have lasting consequences if not followed.”

“I will be certain to share everything You have commanded with Your people Lord. Nothing will be left untold.”

Two hours have passed since Moses first sat under his tree. His time with the Lord has been exciting but also heavy. He is determined that NOTHING be left out in delivering the Lord’s word to Aaron and then to the people.

Moses quickly finds Aaron waiting in the house. Aaron has learned to stay near whenever Moses meets with the Lord. He feels honored to be a part of Moses’ work for the Lord. He eagerly waits each time Moses meets with the Lord for any messages he will need to attend to. This night Aaron is even more eager to hear what the Lord has to share. After witnessing Moses’ proclamation in the square he KNOWS something special is about to happen!

Aaron quickly writes down everything Moses shares with him. He doesn’t want to miss even the smallest detail. This is an historic moment for the Hebrew people. After this they WILL be FREE!

Moses and Aaron don’t take time to stop for the evening meal, instead they nibble on whatever Miriam has available. They need to be prepared for the meeting tonight.

The hour has come. ALL the elders of each tribe have assembled in the field closest to Aaron’s home. It is a well sheltered field so there is little chance of them being observed by any Egyptians.

Aaron stood before the people and told them in exacting detail the words Moses had received from the Lord. He allowed time for everyone who had questions on procedures to ask them. He did NOT allow any discussion raising doubts about the Lord’s words. ANY comments moving in that direction were shut down immediately with stern reminders of what the Lord had already done and promises of being treated just as the Egyptians will be for ANY who refuse to follow the Lord’s instructions TO THE LETTER.

Once Aaron had completed sharing the Lord’s words, Moses ended the gathering with this command: “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 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” (Exodus 12:21-23).

As the elders were rising to do as Moses commanded he made one more comment. “Make CERTAIN to tell your children of this statute of the Lord and what it means. Make CERTAIN that they pass this on too. This story is to live on forever. The Lord’s Passover is to be celebrated in Israel for all time!”

At these final words the elders stopped, bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord. Twilight this night was the beginning of the last day in Egypt. They would see one last sunrise as slaves. As Israel counted the beginning of the day at twilight, this would be their LAST full day in Egypt. The sacrifice of the Passover lamb would happen at the first moments of their new day. It would be the BEGINNING of a new life and a new nation! Glory to God!!!

After giving the Lord the praise He so rightly deserved they all rushed off to begin the preparations for this historic beginning. There was MUCH to do before they shut their doors that final evening.

(to be continued)

Father God, I can just feel the excitement of the people. Finally! After all this time as slaves, they were going to be free! They had seen You hand so clearly during all the plagues. It was ALMOST impossible NOT to believe. Were there any who still held onto Egypt? Were there some who didn’t do as they were instructed? In today’s world I bet there would be more than a few!

You told the Hebrews exactly what the cost would be if they “opted out” of Your plan. Those who did that night got an IMMEDIATE response to their disobedience. Today, because disobedience and punishment are often times separated by long time spans, people are not as quick to recognize and repent of their actions. Justice moves very slowly in this country. Also, because of Your grace and mercy, we don’t see our “final destination” right away. We are given opportunities to repent. And I for one am TOTALLY GRATEFUL for Your forgiveness!

Something I am wondering about though God is the unleavened bread observation statute. I recognize from Jesus’ teaching that leaven represents sin, but why for a full week is it restricted? Did it have anything to do with how long it took for the initial crossing of the Red Sea? I know Pharaoh had to have waited a little while to go after the Israelites. Was it nearly a full week before he caught up with them? Did their crossing and the Egyptians drowning conclude that week? I can’t find that in any research but it sure seems possible to me. I guess that’s another bench question to add to my list. Thank You for creating me with a curious mind.