God Calls the People out of Egypt
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Key Verse: “Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.” Selected Scripture: |
EXODUS IS A BOOK OF redemption, and teaches us that redemption is wholly of God. (John 3:16) It teaches us that redemption is provided through a person or servant. (Exod. 2:2) It shows to us that a requirement for redemption is by blood. (I Peter 1:18) It also reveals the important aspect that redemption is an evidence of God’s power. (Rom. 8:2) A great example of all of these wonderful aspects of redemption is shown in the events that took place concerning the deliverance of the nation of Israel from Egyptian bondage. God’s purpose was to lead them to the land of Canaan, the promised land.
As a result of Pharaoh’s defiance and his bitterness of heart, his people would have to endure many hardships. God inflicted his displeasure upon them in the form of plagues. The first three of the ten plagues were common to all in Egypt. They consisted of the smiting of the rivers and waters in the ponds and all of the vessels being turned to blood, frogs coming out of the water and spreading over the land, and lice coming out of the dust and spreading over all of Egypt. (Exod. 7:15-25; 8:1-19) As the Scriptures reveal to us, and as an assurance that God was controlling the events, the next plagues affected only the Egyptians. They included for example: swarms of flies, the death of all of the cattle, boils breaking out on man and beast, hail and fire from the sky, swarms of locusts that devoured everything, and darkness over the land. (Exod. 8:16-32; 9,10) The plagues were doubtless a full compensation of justice upon the Egyptians. It again was God’s goodness that hardened Pharaoh. When the Lord relieved the land and the people from one plague, Pharaoh seemed to conclude that it was past and that perhaps no more would come. In actuality, step by step, God’s mercy led him further and further into his hostility against the Israelites and their God.
Even after these severe judgments that had come upon the land, his people, and even his own household, Pharaoh continued to defy God. This is shown by his words to Moses, “Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.” (chap. 10:28) It was at this time that the Lord would bring one last plague upon Pharaoh. “All the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.”—chap. 11:5
The children of Israel would be saved or ‘passed over’ from this last plague by following the instructions from God concerning eating of the lamb, and spreading its blood on their doorposts. (chap. 12:1-30) Pharaoh would now let the people go, and they journeyed out of Egypt taking the spoils of the land with them. However, Pharaoh would soon pursue them and, coming to the Red Sea, all was seemingly lost. But, through God’s power, the people were saved, and all the hosts of Pharaoh were destroyed.
Sometimes when we come to the end of all human possibilities, our trust in God causes us to listen to his voice and go forward.—Ps. 116