July 2000
Exodus Chapters 12-13
The Lord gave Moses very specific instructions regarding the passover, including the details of the feast and the marking of the doorways. Following these instructions, Moses relayed this information to the people of Israel. Seeing the red blood on the door posts, the Lord would "pass over" the home as the final, and deadly, tenth plague was placed on the people of Egypt to force the Pharaoh to let the Israelites be free from forced servitude.
After the evening of the observance of the passover, the Lord instructed Moses in the details of the passover observance and celebration on its anniversary each year. Exodus 12:43-50 and 13:1-16.
With the passover observed in the day and evening, the Lord directed the 10th plague on Egypt at the hour of midnight.
"And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle." Exodus 12:29.
When the disaster hit, "there was a great cry in Egypt". Exodus 12:30. "There was no a house where there was not one dead (save the homes of the Israelites whom had the mark of the passover blood on their doorposts.
Seeing the disaster, even to his own firstborn, the Pharaoh rose in the night and summoned Moses and Aaron and announced that he would free the Egyptian people, and for Moses and Aaron to immediately lead all Israelites out of Egypt. Exodus 12:31-32.
The Egyptians urged the Israelites to leave quickly in hopes of avoiding any additional plagues from the Israelites’ Lord.
The Israelites quickly assembled for the world’s greatest escape and "exodus" from a country. The Israelites gathered so quickly they did not have time to make food supplies for their trip. Exodus 12:39. As the Lord had promised them, the Egyptians gave them jewelry and precious metals to entice their quick departure. Exodus 12:35-36.
The great Exodus came 430 years after Jacob moved the Israelite family to Egypt to live with Joseph. Exodus 12:42.
The Exodus was massive in size.
It involved 600,000 Israelite men on foot, not including the families and the livestock. It also included a large number of mixed masses from Egypt who joined the Israelites. Exodus 12:37-38.
The Exodus involved a hasty departure from Egypt with little preparation of food for travel planning. The Israelites did not head out on a direct route back to Canaan, but headed southeast toward the wilderness and the sea. The events of the next few days in protecting the Israelites from an advancing Egyptian army And in feeding the Israelites, add to the great story of the Exodus.