Exodus 12

Exodus 12

In Genesis 12, God chooses Abraham and promises he will have many descendants in the new covenant he is making with him. That led to his grandson, Jacob who had 12 sons. These sons would eventually become the 12 tribes of Israel. 

These tribes have become quite a populous people living in the region of Egypt by the time we get to Exodus. 400 years have passed and they are now slaves of Pharaoh. God now chooses Moses to lead his people out of Egypt. This leads to plagues being sent in judgment of Pharaoh and the Egyptian gods. The last plague was coming, the plague of death. Unless blood was smeared on the doorposts of houses, the angel of death would strike the firstborn dead in that house. So Israel obeyed the instructions and put blood on the doorposts, not a wail was heard. Egypt, however, had someone dead in every house. This catastrophic event brought Pharaoh to let Israel leave Egypt. This event would later be remembered by a festival called Passover. This is because the angel had “passed over” their homes and were safe. 

The reason this chapter is so significant is not just because it led to Israel being able to leave and led to the crossing of the Red Sea and let Israel become a nation. That alone is significant. The bigger picture here is that it all points to Jesus. Jesus would later give up his own blood, his own life, to save us from death-the death that results from sin. We wouldn’t have to slaughter an animal to put blood on our doors, Jesus would die on a cross (wood frame) and he took on the curse of death. What’s more is that Jesus died during the Passover festival. He would now be the lamb of God that was slain and gave new meaning to an ancient festival. 

Because of this, God’s people can now be free from sin just as Israel was free from Egypt. This chapter points to a bigger picture that would be fulfilled later in the New Testament. Jesus is coming, and with him a plan of redemption. We would no longer be under the curse of sin, as he took on the curse. We are now free and Spirit-led, thanks to Jesus.