Each year, around Easter, the Jewish people celebrate the passover. This story goes back to when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt.
God had taken Abraham out of his country and promised him the land of Canaan. Four generations later, his descendants went to live in Egypt to escape a famine.
After some time had passed, the Assyrians had taken control of Egypt and were reigning as Pharaoh.
Isaiah 52:4- For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
The Assyrians enslaved the Jewish people, and even went so far as to kill all their baby boys.
Exodus 1:11, 14, 22- Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
Through Moses, a child saved from the death decree, God sent plagues to judge the Egyptians. Each plague was to prove to both the Egyptians and the Israelites that the Lord God Almighty was more powerful than those Egyptian false gods, which was impressive since Egypt had a complex pantheon of deities and they were all rendered powerless by the God of the Hebrews through just 10 plagues.
Exodus 12:12- 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.
- Plague 1- the Nile is turned to blood
- Plague 2- Frogs came up and covered the land
- Plague 3- the dust of the ground became lice- This was also the first plague that the demonic magicians couldn't replicate, and this proved that the Lord God Almighty is the God of the creation of life.
- Plague 4- swarms of flies swept across the land- This plague was the first that didn't affect the Israelites. God was showing that not only was He able to send these wonders, but He was also able to control where they manifested and on whom they preyed.
- Plague 5- the infectious disease of cattle
- Plague 6- the outbreak of boils on both human and animal
- Plague 7- the tempest of hail and fire
- Plague 8- the swarm of locusts which devoured the crops
- Plague 9- the darkness which could be felt
- Plague 10- the death of the firstborn
Here are some of the most prominent Egyptian gods and their descriptions:
- Sobek, the lord of the crocodiles and the creator of the Nile
- Khnum, the god of fertility, water, and procreation (Egyptians also believed that he could prevent famine)
- Nun and Naunet, the Egyptian creation gods of water and chaos
- Heh and Hauhet, gods of infinity or eternity
- Amun and Amaunet, the Egyptian creation gods of unseen forces
- Thoth and Seshat, the gods of writing and books, wisdom, knowledge of magic, and secrets
- Ptah, the Egyptian god who created all other gods in some stories; the god of craftsmen
- Sekmet, the goddess of war and healing
- Kheper,i the god of flies and beetles and the renewing of life
- Horus, the god of healing and protection, kingship, the sun and sky
- Hathor, the goddess of love, fertility, beauty, dancing, music, maternity,
- and protection
- Bastet (also known as Nefertum), the goddess warding against evil and misfortune, home, fertility, and childbirth
- Heka, the god of health and medicine, creator of magic
- Set, the Egyptian god of chaos, violence, storms, disorder, warfare, and the desert
- Shu and Tefnut, the Egyptian gods of the air and moisture
- Min, the god of harvest and fertility
- Khonsu, the moon god that protected travelers
- Geb and Nut, the Egyptian gods of earth and sky
- Horus, the sky god, protection, kingship, and healing
- Mut, the mother goddess known to the Egyptians as the Queen of heaven
- Amun-Re, the Egyptian creation god of the sun and air (combination of Amun and Ra)
- Kek and Kauket, the Egyptian creation gods of darkness
- Atum, the Egyptian creator god of the creation of the universe
- Osiris, the lord of the underworld and judge of the dead, also god of fertility, agriculture, and vegetation
- Isis, the goddess of resurrection, healing, protection, and magic
- Anubis, the principle god of the dead, mummification, funerary rites, guardian of tombs, and guide to the afterlife
As you can see, some of these false gods could be judged by many of these plagues.
Psalm 82:1- God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
Psalm 86:8- Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
Psalm 96:5- For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
The judgment of the Egyptian gods was the first purpose of the plagues. The second was to show the Jewish people that He was the God of their father and that He could do what He promised to do.
The Passover, however, is something very special that points to a future event. It's one of the reasons Jesus had to rebuke the religious leaders of His day. He told them, "Moses wrote of me", but they stopped reading the Scriptures long ago and instead read commentaries and traditions written by rabbis of the past.
The tenth plague, the death of the first-born, was against all who wouldn't obey the Lord God Almighty. Just being of Jewish descent was not a guaranteed protection from this judgment. It was setting a precedent for the ages.
Exodus 12:3,5-8,12-13- Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:And ye 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. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post 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. 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 upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
The only way to escape this was to obey God's command to sacrifice an innocent lamb and put the blood on the doorposts, then get inside the house and stay there. Whoever had the blood on the door was safe from the death angels.
Psalm 78:49-51- He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them. He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
When the plague started, those angels didn't look inside the house to see whether those therein were worthy. They only looked for the blood. Once they saw that blood had already been spilled at that house, they passed over that home and went to the next.
What does that mean for us? Let's look at the instructions.
The people were to take a perfect lamb, one with no blemish whatsoever.
Hebrews 4:15- For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus was the sinless lamb of God, and because He was sinless, He was the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
Next, the whole congregation was to kill it.
Matthew 27:1-2, 22- When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
After the lamb was killed, they were to take the blood and strike it on the top and on each side of the door of their house.
Mark 15:27- And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
Then they went inside the house and were protected by the blood.
Romans 5:8-9- But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Colossians 1:14- In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Blood has to be spilled. The price has to be paid. God promised the Jews long ago that He would pay that price!
Leviticus 17:11- For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
God manifest in the flesh gave His blood to make atonement for our sin and pay the wages required for your soul by death.
Hebrews 9:12- Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
This Passover sacrifice was only performed once. It never had to be repeated. That’s the same with Jesus Christ’s sacrifice- once was enough to pay the sin debt for everyone for all eternity!
The only thing you have to do is choose. Do you pay the debt with your blood? OR, do you accept His payment for your sin?
If you want to accept Christ's payment, then you must believe that He was God manifest in the flesh and that He died for your sins, was buried, and then rose from the dead to live forever more. Then you confess that you believe these things and ask Him to apply His payment to your sin debt and save your soul from the wrath that will fall on your soul when you die.
I Corinthians 15:1-4- Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Romans 10:9- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Will the death angel pass over your soul? OR will he collect it at the end of your life to pay your debt?
