The Dark, Bright Night Series

Moses 7 THE DARK BRIGHT NIGHT

Exodus 11:1-13:16

3. Conquering of Pharaoh

3) The Passover Plague (11:1-13:16)

A. The Promised Plague 11:4-10

B. The Promised Possessions 11:1-3; 12:35-36

C. The Promised Protection 11:7; 12:1-42

a. The Promise Delivered 11:7

b. The Passover Described 12:1-28;12:43- 13:16

c. The Plague Delivered 12:29-30

D. The People’s Procession 12:31-42

INTRODUCTION

This past Thursday night (the Thursday before Easter), I looked up and saw the full moon shining beautifully and lazily above Anderson. And then it hit me. This is the same night (the 14th of Nisan or Abib), around 3,230 years ago when that same moon shone down upon Egypt - upon the Nile, the pyramids, the desert sand and thousands of sleeping homes up and down the Nile - when God went through Egypt at midnight and every firstborn male - men and animals - died.

And this is the same moon that shined down on Jesus and His disciples about 1970 years ago as they observed the last supper - the Passover meal. And this same moon, Egypt saw, Jesus saw and we saw last night thar will be shining down beautifully and lazily the night (or day) we die and the night (or day) when Jesus comes again to rescue His people and judge the unsaved.

Can you picture the scene in Egypt? All is quiet. It is midnight. Suddenly, a baby in its mothers arms grows stiff. It is dead. A young boy sitting on the porch falls over - dead. Animals drop in their tracks. There is a scream in one home, then another, then another - until all up and down the Nile, people are awake and weeping and screaming.

Why? The death angel of God has come just like Moses and God warned that it would. Even Pharaoh’s son died that awful night (12:29). The Bible says, “Pharaoh and all his officials and all Egypt got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead” (12:30).

But over in Goshen, where the Hebrews lived, there wasn’t a sound. The Bible says not even one dog barked (11:7). Why? Well, it wasn’t because the death angel didn’t come through there. He did. But God had made a way for His people to avoid death. Every light was on. They were doing what God said.

They had taken a lamb (or goat), four days before (the 10th of Nisan). It was a male, one year old, with no defect. It was killed the evening of the 14th, the death night. A sprig of common hyssop was dipped in the basin of its blood and placed on the two sides and on the top and bottom of the door frame.

That night in their homes, including neighbors who had no lamb, the Hebrews huddled, no doubt in great fear. The lamb was roasted over fire and eaten with bitter herbs and bread with no yeast (leaven). They ate, dressed and ready to leave Egypt - their cloaks were tucked in, their sandals were on their feet and their walking sticks (rods) were in their hands.

God gave them the great promise, “I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn - both men and animals. . .and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt” (12:12,13).

Out of the dark, bright night - dark for the Egyptians and bright for the Hebrews, the beautiful Jewish ordinance of PASSOVER and the seven day festival of unleavened bread, following it, was born (12:11-14).

Practiced to this very day, by devout Jews, it is then the oldest continually observed religious festival known to man. It was the night they were born as a nation under God. It was, says Page Kelley, the Jewish Easter and Independence Day all rolled up into one.

More than that, it is the forerunner, the foundation, the picture in type of the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper for the Christian church. It was at the Passover meal, 1970 years ago, under the full moon that Jesus, during the Passover meal (Mt. 26:17,26), instituted the Lord’s Supper (Mt. 27:26) and told the church to observe it and thus proclaim His death until He returns (1 Cor. 11:23-26).

He said the wine pictured His blood and the bread pictured his bruised, beaten and blood body – and it was for our forgiveness. That is why Paul calls Jesus “our Passover Lamb” (1 Cor. 5:7) that has been sacrificed.

One day the death angels will come to our door either when we die or when, as Paul says, “Jesus is revealed from heaven, in blazing fire with his powerful angels to punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel. . .” (2 Th. 1:7,8) and at that moment, what God said 3,230 years ago, is what He will say then - “WHEN I SEE THE BLOOD, I WILL PASS OVER YOU.