Exodus 12 - 15

The Children of Israel 

The First Passover

Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron about the first Passover. You can read the instructions in Exodus 12:2-20.

Then Moses called all the elders of Israel together and said to them, “Go, pick out a lamb for each of your families, and kill the Passover. Drain the blood into a basin. Then take a bundle of hyssop branches and dip it into the blood. Brush the hyssop across the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. And no one may go out through the door until morning. For the LORD will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But the LORD will pass over your door, and will not permit the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.”

“And you shall observe this Passover for an ordinance to you and your generations forever.”

“When you enter the land the LORD has promised to give you, you will continue to observe this ceremony. Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’ And you will reply, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD’S Passover, for He passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.”’ When Moses finished speaking, all the people bowed their heads and worshiped (see also Hebrews 11:28).

Hebrews 11:28, “Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.”

And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded. And that night at midnight, the LORD struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon. Even the firstborn of their livestock were killed.

Pharaoh and all his servants, and all the people of Egypt, woke up during the night, and loud wailing was heard throughout the land of Egypt. There was not a single house where someone had not died.

Lesson here: Obey God. Follow His Process in order to receive His Promise:

God said that the Egyptians would lose their first-born sons in the last plague. God gave the children of Israel a promise – that He would save their first-born sons, if they followed God’s specific process – they were to put blood from a lamb on the doorpost of their homes. Putting blood on the doorpost may have seemed quite useless in protecting their first-born sons, but the children of Israel had to learn to trust God completely for the lives of their children, even though the “process” may have seemed strange. God gives a “promise” – but He also gives the “process.”

In order to have the “promise” fulfilled by God, we must follow His “process” and NOT our own.

Same goes for people today, in order to receive the “promise” of salvation, we must follow the “process.” (See Plan of Salvation Pamphlet)

Israel’s Exodus from Egypt

Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron during the night. “Get out!” he ordered. “Leave my people! Both you and the children of Israel go and serve the LORD as you have requested. Also take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and be gone. Go, but bless me as you leave.”

All the Egyptians urged the people to get out of the land as quickly as possible, for they said, “We will all die!”

And the people took their bread dough before yeast was added. They wrapped their kneading boards in their cloaks and carried them on their shoulders. And the children of Israel did as Moses had instructed; they asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold.

The LORD caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave them whatever they asked for. And they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth!

That night the children of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children. A mixed multitude of people went with them, along with great flocks and herds of livestock. 

For bread they baked flat cakes from the dough without yeast they had brought from Egypt. It was made without yeast because the people were driven out of Egypt in such a hurry that they had no time to prepare bread or any other food.

The children of Israel had lived in Egypt for 430 years. In fact, it was on the last day of the 430th year that all the host of the LORD left the land of Egypt. 

On this night the LORD kept his promise to bring his people out of the land of Egypt. So this night is to be observed by all the children of Israel, from generation to generation.

And it came to pass that very day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt like an army.

See at the end of page – The Plagues of the Endtime

Exodus 13

Israel’s Wilderness Detour

God did not lead them along the main road that runs through the land of the Philistines, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. For God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the children of Israel left Egypt like an army ready for battle.

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear to do this. He said, “God will certainly come to visit you. When He does, you must take my bones with you from this place.”

The children of Israel left Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness. The LORD went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and He provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. And the LORD did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place before the people.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses and said, “Order the children of Israel to turn back and camp by Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon.

Then Pharaoh will think, ‘The children of Israel are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness!’ And once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD!” So the children of Israel camped there as they were told.

Exodus 14

The Egyptians Pursue Israel

When word reached the king of Egypt that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants changed their minds. “Why have we done this? Why have we let Israel go and no longer serve us?” they asked.

So Pharaoh harnessed his chariot and took his people with him. He took with him 600 of Egypt’s best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with a captain over them.

The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, so he chased after the children of Israel, who had left with fists raised in defiance. The Egyptians chased after them with all the forces in Pharaoh’s army, all his horses and chariots, his horsemen and army. The Egyptians caught up with the children of Israel as they were camped beside the shore near Pi-hahiroth, across from Baal-zephon.

As Pharaoh approached, the children of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They were afraid and cried out to the LORD, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than to die in the wilderness!’”

But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the salvation of the LORD, which He will show you this day. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again.”

“The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace!”

Escape through the Red Sea

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the children of Israel can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground.”

“Behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his armies, his chariots, and his horsemen. When My glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see My glory and know that I am the LORD!”

Then the angel of God, who had been leading the children of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. The cloud settled between the Egyptians and Israel. The cloud was darkness to the Egyptians, but gave light to Israel, so that they came not near one another all night.

Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the LORD opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. So the children of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!

Then the Egyptians, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen chased them into the middle of the sea. But just before dawn the LORD looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and He threw their armies into total confusion. He caused their chariot wheels to fall off, making their chariots difficult to drive. “Let’s get out of here away from Israel!” the Egyptians shouted. “The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt!”

When all of Israel had reached the other side, the LORD said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians, their chariots, and their horsemen.”

So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the LORD swept them into the sea. And the waters returned and covered all the chariots and horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the children of Israel into the sea, not a single one survived.

But the children of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides.

That is how the LORD saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians that day. And Israel saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the seashore.

When Israel saw the mighty power the LORD unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before Him. They feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and His servant Moses.

“And they were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea”

See 1 Corinthians 10:1-2, “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; ² And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;”

Exodus 15

A Song of Deliverance

Then Moses and the children of Israel sang a song to the LORD, and said, “I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously!”

During the song Miriam, Aaron’s sister, the prophetess, took a tambourine in her hand, began singing and dancing, and all the women went out after her with dancing and tambourines.

(To read more of the song see Exodus 15:1-19.)

Bitter Water at Marah

The first complaint

Then Moses led the children of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the wilderness of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water.

When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink. So they called the place Marah (which means “bitter”).

Then the people murmured (complained) and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded.

So Moses cried out to the LORD for help, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink.

It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them a statute and an ordinance, to test their faithfulness to him.

He said, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, and will listen to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you.”

After leaving Marah, the children of Israel traveled on to the oasis of Elim, where hey found twelve springs and seventy palm trees. They camped there beside the water.

How soon we forget God is working in our life:

The children of Israel were constantly murmuring and complaining. God had brought them miraculously through the Red Sea, but soon after, when they had no water to drink, they complained again that Moses had brought them into the wilderness to die. Even after they witnessed one miracle after another, they still refused to trust God.

God performs miracles in our lives, but how soon we forget. We, too, tend to complain that, or at least behave, as though, our problems are too large for the LORD.

The Seven Plagues of the Endtime

In Revelation John describes the last seven plagues that will fall upon the world at the end of time. The end will come when the mark of the Beast is enforced depriving God’s people of their freedom to worship Him. When Egypt’s pharaoh refused to let God’s people go and worship Him, God struck Egypt with plagues (Exodus 5). The events in Exodus symbolize what will happen in Earth’s final days. The circumstances will be similar, and the application will be universal.

Revelation 16:1-2

And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, go your ways and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went and poured out his vial upon the earth, and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

Revelation 16:2

(1) Land – ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had took the mark of the beast and worshipped his image.

Revelation 16:3

(2) Sea – it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died.

Revelation 16:4

(3) Rivers and Springs – they became blood.

Revelation 16:8

(4) Sun – power was given to the fourth angel to scorch people with fire from the sun. They were scorched by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify Him.

Revelation 16:10

(5) Throne of the beast – his kingdom was thrown into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony, and cursed the God of heaven because of their pain and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.

Revelation 16:12

(6) Great River Euphrates – its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east.

Revelation 16:17

(7) Air – the great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

And just as God’s people were protected from these plagues in Egypt so will God’s people be protected by the plagues of the endtime.

Revelation 7:2-3

And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Revelation 9:4

And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

Ezekiel 9:4-6

And the Lord said unto him, go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof… Slay utterly both old and young, both maids and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark…

2 Timothy 2:19

Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are His, and let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Ephesians 1:13-14

In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory. (You were marked in Him with a seal, the promised holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession.)

Ephesians 4:30

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Scriptures pertaining to God’s protection

Nahum 1:7

The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knows them that trust in Him.

Isaiah 26:20-21

Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut the doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out to His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.

Psalm 91:7, 9-10

A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. … Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.

Psalm 27:5

For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

Psalm 32:7

You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble.

Psalms 57:1

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusts in you: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

Proverbs 18:10

The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is safe.

Psalms 57:2

I will cry unto God most high, unto God that performs all things for me. He shall ascend from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up.

Psalm 18:2

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

John 14:18

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.