Costly Deliverance

OPENING PRAYER:

Loving Lord, Your love never lets me down and never lets me go. I praise You for the assurance and confidence that gives me.

READ: Exodus 11:1–10

The Plague on the Firstborn

Now the Lord had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely. Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” (The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.)

So Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will leave.” Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.

The Lord had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you—so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.” Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country. Exodus 11:1–10

REFLECT:

Take a moment to focus on the cross. Be thankful that you can approach God today because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for you.

We have already seen that Pharaoh is not going to let God’s people go. Moses prepares the people to face the terrible, final plague where all the firstborn of Egypt will die (vs 4–6). The Egyptians will be judged for not letting God’s people go, and God will provide for and deliver Israel (vs 1–3).

There is protection afforded to God’s people under the covenant. Just as he has protected them previously, he will protect them again now in the face of this horrendous plague which brings death to all except the Israelites (v 7). God is Israel’s rescuer who will eventually make a way of escape through their suffering. Sin separates us from God, and it is only by his grace that we are rescued through the new covenant (1 Corinthians 11:25). We must not take sin lightly as we see its destructive powers in our lives and in creation. We all need justice and we all need deliverance. Jesus is the ‘firstborn’ son who pays the price for our sin today, that we might go free.

APPLY:

‘Father God, I thank you that despite my sin you are willing to forgive me because of Jesus’ death – through the shedding of his blood. Thank you that, because of Jesus, I am free. Amen.’

CLOSING PRAYER:

Loving King of my life, forgive me of my sins. Forgive me for being a traitor to Your goodness.

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