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EXODUS 12 HYSSOP & BLOOD IN THE LORD’S PASSOVER

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May 26

EXODUS 12

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. 22 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. 23 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. 24 You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. 25 And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. 26 And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 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.28 Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. – Exodus 12:21-28

EXODUS 12 HYSSOP & BLOOD IN THE LORD’S PASSOVER

In this detailed instruction of God to the Israelites, we hear of hyssop and blood mentioned. According to some commentary, “hyssop” is a small bushy plant with minty leaves which can be used in cooking. The plant has also been used for medicinal purposes. In Scripture, hyssop is a wild shrub used for purification as mentioned in Leviticus 14:6, Numbers 19:6 & 18. Scripture says how hyssop was used as a sign of spiritual cleansing especially when David mentioned it in Psalm 51:7 when he said “Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Enduring.com also said that in John 19:29 that the wine on the sponge that they gave to Jesus while he was on the cross was on a hyssop branch when they held it to his mouth.

Leviticus 17:11 and 14 tells us the importance of blood to God. The life of a creature is in the blood and God gave it to us so we can atone for your sins. To shed blood, a victim must be killed in place of the sinner. Blood is also used for covenant between two persons resulting in union or relationship. So, we can understand why God required lambs that were unblemished, a year old and male.

REFLECTION

  • What is the significance of spiritual cleansing in our Christian lives?

EXODUS 12 PASSOVER INSTRUCTIONS

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May 24

EXODUS 12

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. 3 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. 4 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. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6 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. 7 “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. 8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. 10 And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11 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. 12 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. 13 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. – Exodus 12:1-13

EXODUS 12 PASSOVER INSTRUCTIONS

In this account, we witness a God of details. He laid out clear instructions for the Israelites to follow so that they will be protected when God destroys Egypt. He knows their limitations, so he adjusts accordingly. We serve a wise God who knows all our needs. Notice how he required a lamb without blemish. He wants purity in all his people. He is also required to share the lamb with their neighbor if the household is smaller. Charles Spurgeon comments that “The paschal lamb was not killed in order to be looked at only, but to be eaten; and our Lord Jesus Christ has not been slain merely that we may hear about him and talk about him, and think about him, but that we may feed upon him.”

REFLECTION

  • What does the Passover mean for us Christians today?

EXODUS 11 WARNING ON THE DEATH OF FIRSTBORN

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May 22

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. 2 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.” 3 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.4 So Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, 5 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 11:1-5

EXODUS 11 WARNING ON THE DEATH OF FIRSTBORN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After many times Pharaoh was given a warning to release God’s people

His heart continued to harden because it was all in God’s plan and timing

This last warning was to give Pharaoh notice of all the death of firstborn

After this, the king will eventually yield to release the Israelites.

We witness here God’s sovereignty to execute his plan on how his people will exit Egypt. They will not be empty-handed when they leave. Even though Pharaoh’s heart was hard, his servants knew that the Lord of Moses is much more powerful than any of their other gods. They wanted to be free from the worst punishment that God was going to inflict, but it was too late because their king was foolish not to see the power of the God of the Israelites. The Egyptians gave all their silver and gold to the Israelites to send them off so they can be spared of death, but it was too late. They had no idea that it was already the last plague announced with the killing of the firstborn. This was how God avenged his people from their abuses and over working and mistreating the Israelites.

REFLECTION

  • How did God avenge his people from the cruelty and wickedness of the Egyptians as narrated in these verses?

EXODUS 10 THE PLAGUE OF DARKNESS

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May 21

EXODUS 10

21 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.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23 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. 24 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.” 25 But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. 26 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.” 27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. 28 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.” 29 Moses said, “As you say! I will not see your face again.”

                                                                   – Exodus 10:21-29

EXODUS 10 THE PLAGUE OF DARKNESS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After the plague of locusts, the Lord God brought about the plague of darkness

Three days of pitch black surrounded the whole land of Egypt

No one can see each other and no one can move from where they were

The Israelites have light where they lived, but Egypt was in total darkness.

Can you imagine how debilitating this plague was? It is like being blind for three days and everyone else around you cannot see as well. You can’t eat, work, play or do anything. In this plague the Lord God gives the Egyptians a glimpse of how life is without God who is the source of light and light himself as 1 John 1:5 says.

Unbelievers live literally and figuratively in darkness. The absence of God in their lives makes them have no ability to see the spiritual or unseen forces around them. They fall into traps because there is no one truly guiding them. Unlike unbelievers, those who have faith in God are given the light which comes from his word. It is the lamp that lights their path and makes them follow the only way that leads to everlasting life.

REFLECTION

  • Can a Christian live in spiritual darkness? Why or why not?

EXODUS 10 PHARAOH PLEADS TO REMOVE THE LOCUSTS

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May 20

EXODUS 10

14 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. 15 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. 16 Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the Lord your God only to remove this death from me.” 18 So he went out from Pharaoh and pleaded with the Lord. 19 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. 20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go. – Exodus 10:14-20

EXODUS 10 PHARAOH PLEADS TO REMOVE THE LOCUSTS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When a dense swarm of locusts occupied the land of Egypt

The land was darkened by their presence; not a green thing remained

Pharaoh pleaded Moses to ask God to forgive him for he had sinned

And the Lord brought a strong wind to drive the locusts out into the Red Sea.

According to the Israeli Times, locust swarms can decimate crops and cause famines. In the past. There was a study indicating the significant implications for “countless people, animals, and plants all over the globe” still threatened by locust outbreaks, In the past three years, swathes of Africa, Indian and Pakistan have been hard-hit by locust swarms.

A swarm has “the capacity to consume the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people,” the group says.

This threat from the swarms of locusts has made Pharaoh admit his sin against the Lord. Notice in verse 16, that he admitted sinning against Moses’ God. It doesn’t mean that he repented of what he did wrong, but that he has displeased someone else’s God. He asks Moses to ask forgiveness to his God, but not truly acknowledging the One true God.

REFLECTION

  • What is true repentance and how is it different from just recognizing one’s sin?

EXODUS 10 PHARAOH BARGAINS WITH MOSES

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May 19

EXODUS 10

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 understand that Egypt is ruined?” 8 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?” 9 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.” 10 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. 11 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. 12 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.” 13 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. 

                                                                   – Exodus 10:7-13

EXODUS 10 PHARAOH BARGAINS WITH MOSES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When the warning for the locusts came, even Pharaoh’s household convince him

They have the sensibility to see the coming judgment as they’ve been suffering

But Pharaoh bargains with Moses that only the men should go and worship God

He didn’t want the women and children to go to with them out of Egypt.

I have not encountered any other man in the bible as hard-hearted and stubborn as this man. Of course, we know from the account that it was also God’s doing that he was that stubborn. Even his servants were beginning to convince him of the further consequences of him not releasing them.

Here, we see that part of Pharaoh wants to relent but with certain conditions. He wanted to leave the women and children as hostage in case there was something evil that was going to happen. What a fool! No matter how much signs and punishment he is receiving, he won’t give up the Israelites.

REFLECTION

  • What drives Pharaoh to bargain who would go to worship their God?

EXODUS 10 WARNING ON THE PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS

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May 18

EXODUS 10

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, 2 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.”3 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. 4 For if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, 5 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, 6 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. – Exodus 10:1-6

EXODUS 10 WARNING ON THE PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

God continued to bring plagues until Pharaoh released his people

No matter how much warnings Pharaoh got, his heart is hardened

God was patient enough to give him preparation for this plague

But if he continues with his hard-heartedness, they will all perish.

This eighth plague shows us how God is faithful to deliver his people and how he will bring judgment upon those who oppress them. You would think that by now, Pharaoh would have already been convinced of the powerful God that the Israelites serve. During the previous plague, we see a glimpse of light when he admits that he was wrong and God was right, but once again, as soon as the plague was lifted, he goes back to that darkness.

According to a commentary, the spiritual meaning of locusts is often interpreted as a symbol of transformation, regeneration and spiritual growth. Locusts are known for their swarming behavior and ability to transform landscapes, which could be a symbol for spiritual awakening and growth.

REFLECTION

  • What was God’s reason for bringing about these plagues according to verses 1-2?

EXODUS 9 PHARAOH ADMITS HIS SIN

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May 17

EXODUS 9

27 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. 28 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.” 29 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. 30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.” 31 (The flax and the barley were struck down, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud. 32 But the wheat and the emmerwere not struck down, for they are late in coming up.) 33 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. 34 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. 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.

                                                                   – Exodus 9:27-35

EXODUS 9 PHARAOH ADMITS HIS SIN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

It must have hailed and thunder so much that Pharaoh got convicted

He admitted to Moses that he had sinned and though Moses wasn’t convinced

He went out of the city to intercede for Pharaoh and the Egyptians

And the thunder and lightning stopped pouring upon the earth.

This is the first time we hear Pharaoh admitted his sin after so much plagues before the hail and thunder. The plagues are getting worse each time. Here, we see the aftermath of the hail and thunder. The flax and barley were all destroyed and the Egyptians won’t be able to have them. Here, we hear of Pharaoh himself hardening his heart. In previous plagues, it was God who hardened his heart. What drove Pharaoh to acknowledge his sin? It must have been the result of God’s Spirit working in his heart. But this king was very stubborn and is a habitual sinner. He is an unbeliever who doesn’t know God and his power.

REFLECTION

·       Why do you think Pharaoh got convicted and then went back to sin again?

EXODUS 9 HAIL AND FIRE PLAGUE

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May 16

EXODUS 9

22 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.” 23 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. 24 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. 25 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. 26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel were, was there no hail.

                                                                   – Exodus 9:22-26

EXODUS 9 HAIL AND FIRE PLAGUE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord is just and merciful, he wants mankind to repent and turn to him

He wanted the Egyptians to acknowledge him and turn away from sin

He gives them a chance to take his word and believe and serve him

But they continued with their ways so, he sent thunder, hail and fire

He made sure that Goshen was spared from this plague

So, there was hail everywhere in Egypt except in the land of Goshen.

According to some commentary, other enemies of Israel were also threatened with hail. The Canaanites were struck with hailstones so big and numerous that more died from them than the children of Israel slew with the sword in Joshua 10:11. In Isaiah 30:30-31, hailstones were predicted against the invading Assyrians and the future invader Gog in Ezekiel 30:18,22. So, this must be God’s way of punishing those who inflict harm on his children.

I can’t imagine how this would look and feel like. It is interesting that the hail didn’t put off the fire and the fire didn’t stop the hail. It just goes to show that only God can do these wonders. He punishes anyone who makes his children’s lives miserable.

REFLECTION

  • What lesson can we learn from this plague of hail and fire?

EXODUS 9 WARNING ON THE PLAGUE OF HEAVY HAIL

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May 15

EXODUS 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. 14 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. 15 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. 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. 17 You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go. 18 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. 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.”’” 20 Then whoever feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses, 21 but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the Lord left his slaves and his livestock in the field.

                                                                   – Exodus 9:13-21

EXODUS 9 WARNING ON THE PLAGUE OF HEAVY HAIL

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When the plague of boils didn’t change Pharaoh’s heart

The Lord God gave him a warning on the heavy hail he will send them

God gave anyone a chance to pay attention to the warning of God

Whoever heeded and protected their livestock will be spared.

Once again, we witness God’s grace and mercy to the Egyptians. He even gave them warning and advised them what to do and how to prepare for this plague. He wanted them to acknowledge his word and pay attention to the word of the Lord.

We serve a very patient and steadfast loving God. He is slow to anger and abounding in love. He understands our natural tendencies to rebel. He gives us many chances to choose him and listen to his law and his word. Oftentimes, we get so consumed with our selfishness that we don’t heed the warning signs.

REFLECTION

  • What evidence are we shown in this account of God’s righteous judgment?