Exodus 12
Start of history with Passoververses 1-6
And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt
saying
This MONTH shall be to you the BEGINNING of MONTHS
it shall be the FIRST MONTH of the YEAR to you
Speak you to all the congregation of Israel
saying
IN the TENTH DAY of this MONTH they shall take of them
every man a LAMB – according to the house of their fathers
a LAMB for an house
IF the household be too little for the LAMB
let him and his neighbor next to his house take it
according to the number of the souls
every man according to his eating shall make
your count for the LAMB
Your LAMB shall be WITHOUT blemish
a MALE of the first year
You shall take it out from the sheep – or from the goats
you shall keep it up until the FOURTEENTH
day of the same MONTH
And the whole assembly of the congregation of
Israel shall kill it in the evening
Blood of the lamb on the doorpostsverses 7-10
They shall take of the BLOOD – and strike it on the two side posts
and on the upper doorpost of the houses
wherein they shall eat it
And they shall eat the flesh in that night – roast with fire
and unleavened bread
and with bitter herbs they shall eat it
Eat not of it RAW – nor SODDEN at all with water
BUT roast with fire
His head with his legs
and with the inwards thereof
And you shall let nothing of it remain until the morning
and that which remains of it until the morning
you shall burn with fire
Dress and eating instruction of Passoververses 11-13
Thus shall you eat it – with your LOINS girded
SHOES on your feet
STAFF in your hand – and ye shall eat it in haste
IT IS THE LORD’S PASSOVER
FOR I will pass through the land of Egypt THIS night
and will smite 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
And the BLOOD shall be to you for a TOKEN on the houses where you are
and when I see the BLOOD – I will PASS OVER you
and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you
when I smite the land of Egypt
Feast of Unleavened Bread – seven daysverses 14-17
THIS day shall be to you for a MEMORIAL
and you shall keep it a FEAST to the LORD
throughout your generations
you shall keep it a FEAST by an ORDINANCE for ever
SEVEN days shall you eat UNLEAVENED bread
even the FIRST day you shall put away leaven
out of your houses
FOR whosoever eats leavened bread from the FIRST day
until the seventh day
that soul shall be CUT OFF from ISRAEL
And in the FIRST day there shall be an HOLY CONVOCATION
and in the SEVENTH day there shall be an
HOLY CONVOCATION to you
no manner of WORK shall be done in them
save that which every man must eat
that only may be done of you
You shall observe the FEAST of UNLEAVENED BREAD
for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the
land of Egypt – THEREFORE shall you observe
THIS day in your generations by an ORDINANCE for ever
Annual Feast of Unleavened Breadverses 18-20
In the FIRST MONTH – on the fourteenth day of the month at even
you shall eat UNLEAVENED BREAD
until the one and twentieth day of the month at even
SEVEN days shall there be no leaven found in your houses
FOR whosoever eats that which is leavened
even that soul shall be cut off from the
CONGREGATION of Israel
whether he be a stranger or born in the land
You shall eat nothing LEAVENED
in all your habitations shall you eat UNLEAVENED BREAD
Moses instructs people regarding bloodverses 21-27
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel
and said to them
Draw out and take you a LAMB according to your families
and kill the PASSOVER
You shall take a bunch of HYSSOP
and dip it in the BLOOD that is in the basin
and strike the lintel and the two side posts
with the BLOOD that is in the basin
and NONE of you shall go out at the door of his house
until the morning
FOR the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians
and when HE sees the blood on the lintel
and on the two side posts
the LORD will pass over the door
and will not SUFFER the DESTROYER to
come in to your houses to smite you
And you shall observe this thing for an ORDINANCE to you
and to your sons for ever
And it shall come to pass
when you be come to the land which the LORD will give you
according as HE has promised
that you shall keep this service
And it shall come to pass – when your children shall say to you
What mean ye by this service?
That you shall say
It is the sacrifice of the LORD’S PASSOVER
WHO passed over the houses of the
children of Israel in Egypt
When HE smote the Egyptians and delivered
our houses
And the people bowed the head and WORSHIPED
Firstborn killed throughout Egypt at midnightverses 28-30
And the children of Israel went away
and did as the LORD had commanded
Moses and Aaron so they did
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
And Pharaoh rose up in the night
he – and 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
Pharaoh orders Moses to leave Egyptverses 31-36
And he called for Moses and Aaron by night
and said
Rise up – and get you forth from among my people
both you and the children of Israel
Go and 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 were urgent on the people
that they might send them out of the land in HASTE
FOR they said – We be all dead men
And the people took their dough before it was LEAVENED
their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes
on their shoulders
And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses
and they BORROWED of the Egyptians JEWELS of
silver – gold- and raiment
and the LORD gave the people FAVOR in the
sight of the Egyptians – so that they LENT to
them such things as they required
And they SPOILED the Egyptians
Six hundred thousand menverses 37-39
And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth
about SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND on foot that were men
besides children
And a mixed multitude went up also with them
and flocks – and herds – even very much cattle
And they baked UNLEAVENED cakes of the dough which they
brought forth out of Egypt – FOR it was not LEAVENED
BECAUSE they were thrust out of Egypt
and could not tarry – neither had they prepared
for themselves any victual
Israel lived in Egypt 430 years to the dayverses 40-42
NOW the sojourning of the children of Israel – who dwelt in Egypt
was FOUR HUNDRED and THIRTY years
And it came to pass at the end of the FOUR HUNDRED and THIRTY years
even the selfsame day it came to pass
that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt
It is a NIGHT to be much observed to the LORD for bringing them out
from the land of Egypt
This is that NIGHT of the LORD to be observed of all the
children of Israel in their generations
LORD instructs Moses that only circumcisedverses 43-51
And the LORD
said to Moses and Aaron
This is the ORDINANCE of the PASSOVER
There shall no STRANGER eat thereof
BUT every man’s servant that is bought for money
when you have CIRCUMCISED him
THEN shall he eat thereof
A foreigner and an hired servant
shall NOT eat thereof
In one house shall it be eaten
you shall not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad
out of the house
neither shall you BREAK a BONE thereof
All the CONGREGATION of Israel shall keep it
and when a stranger shall sojourn with you
and will 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 one that is born in the land
FOR no UNCIRCUMCISED person
shall eat thereof
One law shall be to him that is home born
and to the stranger that sojourns among you
THUS did all the children of Israel
as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron – so they did
And it came to pass the self-same day
that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the l
and of Egypt by their armies
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses, for whosoever eats that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. (3772 “cut off” [karath] means to cut down, to fell, to exterminate, to be separated from someone or something socially or relationally, to kill, or root out)
DEVOTION: Consequences for not obeying the LORD in regards to eating the feast properly are stated in this verse. God gives specific instruction regarding the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover to the children of Israel. HE leaves nothing to their interpretation. HE states it and if anyone does it differently, they are to be put out of the camp of Israel.
So God requires absolute obedience to anyone who is going to participate in this Feast. Remember as we look at the feasts of Israel we see pictures of what the LORD has done for Israel throughout its history. HE wants them to remember the blessings they have received from HIM. HE wants them to train their children to understand the blessings of the past as well as the blessings in the future.
If parents are not listening to the LORD and HIS instructions then the children will do the same. The LORD knows this and so do we. Parents and grandparents are the ones that children look up to and question regarding their actions. Obedient parents will train their children correctly, so that, they can train their children correctly. Each generation is trained by the previous generation for good or for bad.
Those who weren’t obedient were put out of the camp. That way people knew who were truly following the LORD and those who were not. The children of Israel wanted everyone to stay in community.
CHALLENGE: Blessing only comes with obedience. Even their eating habits during celebrations were regulated.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 27 That you shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’S Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. (7812 “worshipped” [shachah] means to depress, prostrate, bow self down, fall down flat, humbly beseech, do obeisance, or do reverence)
DEVOTION: Special occasions receive special instructions. Moses and Aaron were given instructions regarding the first Passover. God is a God of details. As we continue to read the Word of God, we will see that HE is a God of details.
Some people are detail people. Others are individuals who like to look at the big picture and leave the details to others. God wants us all to be detail people when it comes to an understanding of HIS Word. The Bible gives us details that concern every aspect of our lives. God wants us to have a Biblical Worldview. That means that every decision we make will be decisions that will bring glory to HIM.
The children of Israel had complained to the LORD that the Egyptians were mistreating them. Moses wondered what the LORD was doing with them. He had watched nine plagues come into the land of Egypt without results regarding their leaving Egypt.
Now the LORD instructed Moses and Aaron about a new beginning for the children of Israel. They were to start their year with this event. It was to be in the first month of their year. Their calendar still records this beginning.
Part of the new beginning was a new feast that they were to celebrate. In fact, there were really two feasts celebrated in this same first month. There was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. These were to last for seven days. Anyone with leaven in the house was to be cut off from Israel.
The LORD gave special instructions regarding these feasts. HE told Moses and Aaron that the firstborn were going to be killed in all the houses that didn’t have the blood of a lamb on their doorposts. Moses called the elders together to repeat the LORD’S instructions. Moses was instructing the elders on how to celebrate the LORD’S Passover.
Their response to the instruction was to fall down and reverence the LORD. They knew that great things were going to happen. They obeyed the LORD’S instructions and great things did happen. They spoiled the Egyptians on their way out of the country.
We need to obey the LORD’S instructions to us and expect great things to happen. HE is still in control. HE sent HIS son to the cross to shed HIS blood for our sins, so that, when judgment day comes the LORD can pass over us because of the BLOOD OF THE LAMB.
We can spend eternity in heaven with HIM. Those who are not covered by the BLOOD will spend eternity in the lake of fire. We can praise HIS name if we are covered by the BLOOD of the LAMB. Remember to bow down daily and reverence HIM. Are we enjoying a feast with the LORD each day? HE will meet us while we are seeking HIS presence.
CHALLENGE: Get to know the details of the Word of God. They will spare each of us from many bad days. Our service is in the details.
: 36 And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians. (7592 “lent” [sha’al] means ask, enquire, desire, require, borrow, demand, to be given on request, or to grant)
DEVOTION: The Israelites stripped the land of all the wealth they could carry with them. God gave the order to bring this spoil with them. They asked and received because the people didn’t want any more plagues.
The children of Israel spent 430 years in Egypt. The end of their stay there was not good because they were treated as slaves. Slaved didn’t receive any money or very little money. This was them getting their wages for the years that they served as slaves.
This money was used to set up their stay in the Promised Land. However, we will see that they used some of this spoil to make their own false gods in the wilderness.
Money or precious metals can be used for good or evil. We need to make sure that our money is used for the glory of God. It isn’t money that is the problem but the love of money.
The Israelites didn’t have much money before they asked their neighbors for help. Under God’s instructions we are to be available to help those in need. It is not supposed to be a loan but a gift. If we give it as a gift with no expectation of repayment the LORD will bless us.
Too often Christians are asked to help others and expect to be paid back and if they are not they hold a grudge against the person or family they helped. This is wrong.
All of our money comes from the LORD and should be available to HIM. If during a time when we have plenty we give to help those who have less we should do it willingly. If this is our attitude the LORD can bless us in other ways.
If HE puts a burden on your heart to help someone, do it. HE will always provide for those who are obedient to HIS leading.
Warning: HE will never tell us to take advantage of those who don’t know Christ in our dealings with them. It is also not good to take advantage of other believers. Genuine needs will be met by the LORD through HIS means.
CHALLENGE: Obedience to the LORD might sometimes seem strange but HE knows what is necessary to work HIS plan for everyone. Trust HIM when HE gives you instructions in HIS Word.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. (6213 “keep “ [‘asah] means to make, manufacture, to do, to carry out or perform an action or course of action, to labor, commit, or execute)
DEVOTION: How many of the children of Israel are to celebrate the Passover? Every one that was circumcised was to be a part of the Passover. No one was excluded. It was a command of the LORD. Moses was to be sure to give the proper instructions to all of the children of Israel.
Once they were out of Egypt they were to celebrate the Passover every year. It was to be a memorial of their leaving Egypt but also a teaching tool to instruct the children about how the LORD had delivered them from Egypt.
Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ each week by attending a service that honors HIM. Each Sunday we are commanded to gather together to encourage and help one another. We are to show love for one another that the world is not showing.
Egypt didn’t show love to the children of Israel. Egypt represents the rest of the world. Christians are not loved by the rest of the world. They are only loved by the LORD and other believers or at least that is the way it is supposed to be every Sunday.
If someone skips church who is a believer they are being disobedient. If any of the children of Israel didn’t circumcise one of their male children and celebrate the Passover they were being disobedient to the LORD and HE would have to chasten them.
Every believer needs the encouragement a church can give if the church is in tune with the LORD. Too many churches are not places of encouragement for one another. If a church wants to honor the LORD and obey HIS command to go into the world and spread the message of salvation when they gather it should be a celebration of what Jesus Christ has done for us.
CHALLENGE: Is your church celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ or having a funeral service?
: 49 One law shall be to him that is home born, and to the stranger that sojourns among you. (1616 “stranger” [geyr] means 1 sojourner. 1a a temporary inhabitant, a newcomer lacking inherited rights. 1b of foreigners in Israel, though conceded rights. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])
DEVOTION: Have you ever traveled abroad? There is a sense of being uncomfortable when you are in a new culture and location and hearing a new language for the first time. You suddenly realize that you are out of your normal comfort zone and with people who are unlike yourself.
The idea of being a foreigner is pervasive throughout the Bible. It starts with Abraham, who was a stranger in the Promised Land as he lived a nomadic existence. Then it described the children of Israel as they lived in Egypt as sojourners. Later on, it became an idea which as applied to God’s children particularly in 1 Peter. Even though God allowed the children of Israel to inherit the land, they subsequently forfeited it through their disobedience and their subjugation to foreign powers.
God’s desire is that we not allow ourselves to get too comfortable in our own space because this world is characterized as the sphere occupied by Satan and his enemy agents. That is why God tells us to treat ourselves as though we are foreigners here and now, not at all familiar with the culture that this world offers. He wants us to see ourselves as on the way to a better land, a land where we will spend eternity with the LORD and which is to be our true home (Hebrews 11).
Each day we are faced with the choice of whether or not we are going to be more or less like our old way of life. We need to adopt the culture of the kingdom, and that involves putting Him first in everything.
CHALLENGE: Whose kingdom are you loyal subjects of? Is it the Lord Jesus Christ, or is it the counterfeit kingdom of Satan?
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Feast for an ordinance foreververse 14
Holy convocationverse 16
Feast of unleavened breadverses 17, 18
Children of Israel worshipedverse 27
Serve the LORDverse 31
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Ordinanceverses 14, 17, 24, 43
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD (Jehovah)verses 1, 11, 14, 23, 25, 27-29, 31, 36, 41-43, 48, 50, 51
LORD’S Passoververses 11, 27, 48
LORD will execute judgmentverse 12
I am the LORDverse 12
I see the blood on doorpostverse 13
I will pass oververse 13
Feast to the LORDverse 14
LORD give a land to Israelverse 25
Promise of the LORDverse 25
Passover = sacrifice to the LORDverse 27
Hosts of the LORDverse 41
Night of the LORDverse 42
LORD commanded Moses and Aaronverse 50
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Lamb without blemish (type of Christ)verse 5
Blood of the lambverses 7, 13
No broken boneverse 46
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Destroyerverse 23
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Land of Egyptverses 1, 12, 13, 17, 27, 29-41
Firstborn of Egyptian’s slainverse 12
Against gods of Egypt
Judgment
Strangerverses 19, 48, 49
LORD smite the Egyptiansverses 23, 29
At midnight – firstborn
Pharaoh verses 29-32
Firstborn of Pharaoh killed
Great cry in Egypt
Told Moses and Aaron to leave
Serve the LORD
Take flocks and herds
Bless me
Mixed multitude verse 38
Foreigner verse 45
Hired servantverse 45
No uncircumcised person can eat Passoververse 48
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
gods of Egyptverse 12
Eating leavened bread: cut off from Israelverses 15, 19
None go out of houseverse 22
No stranger eat Passover verses 43, 45
Foreigner or hired servant eat Passoververse 45
Uncircumcised eat the Passoververse 48
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Promise of the LORDverse 25
Worshipverse 27
Serve the LORDverse 31
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Mosesverses 1, 21, 28, 31, 35, 41, 49
Word of Moses
Aaronverses 1, 28, 31, 41, 49
Beginning of monthsverse 2
First month of yearverse 2
Congregation of Israelverses 3, 6, 19
Passover 1/10 pick a lamb without blemishverses 3, 5, 15, 16, 46
Without blemish
Male of the first year
Sheep or goat
Seven days eat unleavened bread
No manner of work for seven days
Not break a bone
Small number houses go with neighborverse 4
Passover 1/14 kill the lambverses 6, 21
Blood of lamb on two sides and upper postsverses 7, 22, 23
LORD pass over the door
Destroyer will not kill
Eat lamb with unleavened bread
and bitter herb – not rawverses 8, 9
Nothing is to remainverse 10
Eat it ready to leave – fully dressedverse 11
Loins girded
Shoes on feet
Staff in your hand
Eat in haste
LORD’S Passover
Blood of lamb on door postverse 13
Passover is memorial (ordinance forever)verses 14, 17, 27, 43
Israelverse 15
First & Seventh day: holy convocationverse 16
no work
Feast of unleavened bread (ordinance forever)verses 17-20
1/14 thru 1/21
No leaven in the house
Elders of Israelverse 21
Passover ordinance foreververses 24, 43
Passover a serve to the LORDverse 25
Question of children: What mean by this serviceverse 26
Children of Israelverses 27, 28, 35-42, 50, 51
took silver, gold & raiment
favor in sight of Egyptians
spoiled the Egyptians
traveled to Rameses to Succoth
number of men leaving Egypt: 600,000
baked unleavened cakes
430 years in Egypt
Did as the LORD commandedverse 28
Israel in Egypt: 430 yearsverse 40
Servant brought with money that are circumcised may eat Passoververse 42
Congregation of Israelverse 47
Only circumcised eat the Passoververse 48
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Lord will kill the firstborn of Egyptverses 12, 23, 29, 30
Ordinance for eververses 14, 17, 24
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org Also if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
QUOTES regarding passage
12–13 On that same night, the fifteenth of Abib, the Lord would pass through Egypt and strike down the firstborn of all men and animals whose household had not been believingly placed under the blood of the sacrificial substitute (v.12). This blood was to be a “sign” (ʾôṯ, v.13). Like the other “signs” or “miracles” Pharaoh had seen, this one also was to be a pledge of God’s mercy. The Lord would “pass over” (the verb pāsaḥ is the same as the noun pesaḥ, “Passover” in v.11) these homes, and no destructive “plague” (neg̱ep̱) would affect or touch them. Indeed, even “all the gods of Egypt” (v.12) would be judged by this final plague of God. Obviously, those deities whose representatives were linked with beasts were dealt direct blows—the bulls, cows, goats, jackals, lions, baboons, rams, etc. With the sudden death of these sacred representatives, there could be little doubt that it would be interpreted as a direct blow to the gods of Egypt themselves. (Kaiser, W. C., Jr. (1990). Exodus. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (Vol. 2, p. 372). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
12:12–14. God said that on the very night (at midnight, 11:4; 12:29), after the Israelites had eaten the Passover lambs with herbs and bread, He would kill the firstborn son and animal in every Egyptian family (cf. 11:5; 12:29–30). The purpose of this final plague was like the others: to bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt (cf. Num. 33:4), thus showing that God is the Lord. Pharaoh’s eldest son and successor supposedly had divine properties. Min, the Egyptian god of reproduction, and Isis, the goddess of love who attended women at childbirth, were judged as impotent by this climactic plague and catastrophe. (Hannah, J. D. (1985). Exodus. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 128). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
12:12 against all the gods. The tenth plague was a judgment against all Egyptian deities. The loss of the firstborn of men and beasts had far-reaching theological implications, namely, the impotence of the pagan deities, many of whom were represented by animals, to protect their devotees from such nationwide tragedies. The great cry of grief (11:6; 12:30) may also have bemoaned the incapability of the nation’s gods. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ex 12:12). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 12. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, &c.] Which must be understood consistent with his omnipresence, and of the manifestation of his powerful presence, or of the exertion of his mighty power in the following event: and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; as had been declared to Pharaoh, ch. 11:5 and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment; meaning either figuratively, the nobles, princes, judges and civil magistrates, who are sometimes called Elohim, gods; but since the first-born of these, as of others, and so the judgment on them, are comprehended in the preceding clause, this is rather to be understood literally of the idols of the Egyptians, their images of gold and silver, or of whatever they were made of: the Targum of Jonathan is, “on all the idols of the Egyptians I will exercise four judgments; the molten idols shall be melted, the idols of stone shall be cut asunder, the idols of earth shall be broke to pieces, and the idols of wood shall become ashes;” see Numb. 33:4; Isa. 19:1 and there are some traces of this in Heathen writers; Artapanus says, that by an earth-quake most of the temples in Egypt fell; and Justinf reports, that Moses, being the leader of the exile Israelites, stole away the sacred things of the Egyptians, i.e. their gods, which they endeavoured to regain by force of arms: I am the Lord; God Almighty, faithful and true, and therefore what was threatened should certainly be performed, and thereby the Egyptians and all others might know that he was Jehovah alone, and that there is no God beside him. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 371–372). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
12. For I will pass through the land. This refers to the first passover, the night in which they were to be delivered from Egypt; and God expressly declares that He will be the judge against the false gods, because it then especially appeared how utterly unable they were to help, and how vain and fallacious was their service. The absurd commentary of some of the Rabbins is tame and far-fetched, that the idols should be cast down, because by the single miracle of their redemption, all superstitions were magnificently overturned, and whatsoever men believed about idols was condemned as folly and delusion. God therefore affirms, that he would not only conquer the nation itself, but its very gods. Perhaps Isaiah alludes to this passage when he says, “Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence,” (Is. 19:1;) for wherever He has appeared as the Saviour of His people, He has asserted His glory in opposition to all impious and corrupt religions. (Calvin, J., & Bingham, C. W. (2010). Commentaries on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony (Vol. 1, p. 463). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
Exodus 12 is one of the most remarkable and important chapters in all of the Bible. In it we learn many things:
1. Only God can deliver us from sin.
2. Sin’s penalty is death.
3. God is willing to allow a substitute death, so that we don’t have to die.
4. Faith is the basis of our salvation. Our belief results in our obedience.
5. The Old Testament Passover lamb is a foreshadowing of the New Testament Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ.
6. We are saved the same way the Israelites were saved: by faith in the substitutionary atonement of the Lamb which God provided.
7. Not to accept this avenue of escape is to suffer the wrath of God. (Walk thru the Bible)
Isaiah 6
Isaiah is commissioned to become a prophet to Israel.
INSIGHT
Isaiah sees the Lord in a terrifying vision which makes him acutely aware of his sinfulness and God’s holiness. The Lord takes away his sin–seeing the repentance of his heart–and then commissions Isaiah to serve Him as a prophet. This event illustrates how the Lord calls His servants. First, He reveals Himself through His Word. When the hearer receives the Scriptures, he becomes aware of his sin and asks God for forgiveness and salvation. God then sends him into the world to take the message of salvation to others.
(Quiet Walk)
THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE
If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scriptures cannot be broken…. John 10:35
Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms–Christ accepted it all and asked the disciples to consider its teaching concerning Himself. And He expounded it to them. I refer to John 10:35, where He tells us, “If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scriptures cannot be broken….” So in the last analysis our authority for our understanding of inspiration is to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. That was His view of the Scriptures.
Now I know there are many who want to ask a question at this point. What about the various differences, what about certain discrepancies, and so on? Well, there is a very comforting answer to all that. There are, as we have them in our versions, certain things that we simply cannot explain, and it is our business to say that quite readily and frankly. But let me hasten to add that most of these so-called difficulties and discrepancies that the critics bring forward can be explained; indeed, most of them have been explained. Many of them have been explained in the last few years as a result of archaeology and further linguistic understanding of the Scriptures.
Still, there are a certain few differences that remain, but it is significant that they are never with respect to doctrine or historical facts. It is a matter of figures or something that is comparatively unimportant and can be explained quite readily–the mistake, perhaps, of a copyist or of some translator. There is nothing that in any way interferes with vital, essential doctrine. So what we affirm and state is this: The original documents, as first given, are inerrant and infallible.
Finally, you cannot prove to anybody that the Bible is uniquely and divinely inspired. Ultimately people have to be enlightened by the Holy Spirit.
A Thought to Ponder
The original documents, as first given, are inerrant and infallible.
(From God the Father, God the Son, p. 32, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Magnificent Obsession
“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” (1 Corinthians 9:19)
In his letter to the Ephesians (4:11-16), Paul noted that Christ had given specific gifts to the church—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Paul himself was all of these, however, and he wanted to win as many people as he could from all walks of life. He therefore sought to be “made all things to all men, that [he] might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22).
This, indeed, was a magnificent obsession, and every Christian should seek to emulate it as the Lord enables. Paul was not saying, however, that a man should become as a woman to win women to the Lord, or that a woman should become as a man to win men; neither should he become a humanist to win humanists. One should never dilute the doctrines of the faith or Christian standards of conduct in order to win commitments to the church.
Paul was not laying down guidelines for witnessing, either for the church or for individual Christians; he was giving his own personal testimony. Nevertheless, we should seek to be understanding and sympathetic to people of every background. “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God” (1 Corinthians 10:32). We should try to “be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:24-25). Remembering it is “God that giveth the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:7), we should never compromise truth in order to gain converts, but “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) beseech others to “be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
Visit our Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.