Life or Death...At Midnight

Now I know you have heard about the Passover. If you been in Sunday school.

You got the thing down pat, you know exactly what happened when we come to a chapter like this is one of those steppers. The pastors fear because everybody goes home. I been through this one. Half a dozen times, but I want you to picture for just a moment being there. It's midnight get out here for job you don't get your kids dressed, eat with your shoes on in your clothes on.

Take that step in your hand and then eat this roasted lamb, you're ready to go when we go 10 plagues that God brought to Egypt each devastating as God brought the 10th and final plague upon Pharaoh in Egypt.

He also had a plan to spare his own people from the catastrophe, but in order to be saved as God's wrath was poured out the people needed to obey precisely what God commanded them to do if they wanted their children to live. They had to obey. This is wisdom for the heart. Today were going back to our vintage wisdom series from 1989 through the book of Exodus. Our lesson today is called life or death at midnight were studying for the Bible book at a time. We are in the book of Exodus.

Most of you know your study notes may be helpful as you follow along and we are this morning in Chapter 11 where the plot thickens. In fact, it climaxes with the final plague. Well Moses will go back one more time and he will get what we all know is the 10th play. The wordplay could be translated stroke. This is the final stroke leveled at Egypt in order that the people of Israel might go free. Let's take it up a Chapter 11 verse one God is speaking with Moses one more plague. I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt.

After that he will let you go from here when he lets you go he will surely drive you out from here completely speak now in the hearing of the people that each man asked from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor for articles of silver and and gold. Now this is a little misunderstanding here for your text may say borrow.

This is actually and asking that they give them these articles of silver and gold. These will be used. One day, to construct the tabernacle as they cover items with gold and silver anything. Is this really fair that they go and manipulate the Egyptians, who are now. Perhaps in terror of them. Well, if you understand that this is nothing more than back wages for 430 years of slavery you can understand that this is justifiable they are in a sense, asking for wages that have been withheld for centuries and they receive their wages and the Egyptians given to them because God is motivating their hearts to give first three. The Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Furthermore, the man Moses himself. This is interesting was greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.

I think a reference to the Israelite well if you've been studying with IQ not it was a time when they hated Moses they despise them.

They felt like it was Moses would draw all of these plagues and made their bondage even more difficult. You are the first three plagues that affected Egypt affected Goshen or the Israelite as well and they weren't too thrilled with Moses as plan and yet Moses was willing enough to stand alone and to do what he knew God wanted him to do and ultimately we see what we rarely see on planet Earth. And that is vindication that is these people who once hate and and people who may reject you family members or coworkers that may not love you very much. Because of your position because of your personality. Let's not make a mistake, but because of your stand. If you continue standing alone.

Maybe there will also come vindication here on earth we know vindication will come and have what I find great about this is that God moves in such a way that Moses was stood alone for all these years, and perhaps for the year that it took the plagues to affect the people he now is revered and respected by not only the Egyptian but the Israelite. It is worth the times, standing alone, verse four Moses said, thus says the Lord. Now he speaking to Pharaoh about midnight. I am going out into the midst of Egypt and all the firstborn of the land of Egypt shall die from the firstborn of the Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who was behind the millstones is grinding the meal all the firstborn of the cattle as well and I want to I want to explain to you, at least briefly why this was such a horrendous plague. Not just because there was death to the firstborn that is the hideous nature of it, but Yahweh is still taking on the Egyptian polytheistic perversions and do you know in Egypt, the protector of the firstborn was supposedly the Pharaoh himself. Pharaoh was the embodiment of the sun God Ray and what he declared to the people was that he was the protector of the firstborn not only the people but the cattle. Moreover, verse six. There shall be a great cry in the land of Egypt shut such as there is not been before in such a, shall never be again. But against any of the sons of Israel, a dog shall not even bark, whether against man or beast that you may understand how the Lord makes distinction between Egypt and Israel and all these your servants will come down to me and bow themselves before me saying go out you and all the people who follow you, and after that I will go out and he went out from Pharaoh and hauntingly review there are four ingredients to this final plague.

The first, it will happen around midnight.

The second, there will be national death that is death to all firstborn and I would take it from the text that there will be death to the firstborn in the Israelite home who does not smear blood on the door posts and lintel of their homes as will see them all. Third, there will be great sorrow and forth, there will be an exodus. So after he explains all of that to Pharaoh. Moses in hot anger with righteous indignation leaves the courtroom and now in chapter 12.

He will address the people of Israel and prepare them for this Exodus.

Look at verse one now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt this month shall be the beginning of months for you. It is to be the first month of the year to you which is interesting. There's a change in calendar is like telling someone in April that now you can act like this in January. Why was that because they are now redeemed as a nation.

This is a special day and from there calendar. They view this event as when Israel was in a sense, born again, made a nation. He says I want to go and speak to the congregation of Israel, saying, verse three on the 10th of this month. They are each one to take a lamb for themselves according to their father's household a lamb for each household and this is the ingredient I believe of substitution. Now if the household is too small for a lamb, and he and his neighbor nearest myself to take one. According to the number of persons in them according to what each man should eat.

You are to divide the land. Your lamb shall be an unblemished mail a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats and you shall keep it until the 14th day of the same month and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is the killing that twilight or between the two evenings that is midnight a picture for a moment, you being there. You are in effect told that you want to take a lamb and I'm sure there was other revelation given to the Israelites so that they understood that this lamb would be the substitutionary one. This would be the death one. This would be the one who was slain, that they might on the other hand, live as one individual said it rather crassly, but truthfully, in every home in Egypt that night. There was either a dead lamb or a dead firstborn. This was the substitutionary act that they didn't understand like you and I understand today.

They didn't have the rest of the picture. They didn't know what would come later, but we now know that this is a beautiful picture of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ and there will come a day when we will either experience death, or we will stand before God with our hearts bathed in the blood of the Lamb.

There's another element to the Passover. Not only substitution but there is symbolism. I think I've made reference to that was look at verse seven as well. Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two door posts and on the lintel coming out of the door of that of that home there would be this wall over here in this wall to your right to your left and there would be beams and they would smear blood on that beam in on this theme in the lintel was the crossbeam directly over the door and they were to put blood there is very explicit in how he gives instructions but then you are to eat the flesh verse eight that same night roasted with fire and you'll eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs do not eat any of it raw or boiled it all with water, but rather roasted with fire. Fire is a picture by the way the Old Testament of judgment that is this lamb went through the judgment so that you wouldn't have to experience another picture of Christ. Obviously you are to eat its legs along with a 10,000 your son and you shall not leave any of it over until morning, and whatever is left of it until morning you shall burn with fire. That is, this lamb is entirely going through the judgment of fire. Note verse 21 then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families and slay the Passover or the Paschal Lamb and you shall take a bunch of his self and dip it in the blood, which is in the basin that is catch some of the blood, the drains from this dead animal and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two door posts and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning. For the Lord shall pass through, to smite the Egyptian and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two door posts. The Lord will pass over the door there's another ingredient and that is protection, but in case you have missed it. Let me just briefly remind you of some of the symbolic things and let me just read them for you. Just listen, you couldn't take the step quick enough.

Number one, the sacrifice must be a lamb Christ in the New Testament was the Lamb of God.

You remember John chapter 1 verse 29 John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching and his first declarative word to the nation as it were, is what luck, behold, the wife, the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world. Jesus Christ was clearly seen as the Paschal Lamb. The pace saw the Passover lamb that would shed his blood so that Israel would be redeemed and the Gentile be redeemed. Number two, the Lamb must be without spot or blemish. A perfect picture of Jesus Christ in first Peter chapter 1, who was without spot or blemish number three, the Lamb must be in the prime of their life. Interestingly enough, Jesus Christ died in the prime of his life as a man of 33 years of age before the lamb's blood is shed that they might have life in the New Testament. First Peter chapter 2 in John chapter 3, as you well know Christ blood was shed that you and I might have life there is incredible significance and symbolism. To this pace saw this Passover lamb that we see fulfilled in Jesus Christ. But there is also protection. Note verse 23, again, for the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two door post, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you. The words pass over in your New Testament translation RR an interesting Hebrew word which literally means to cover with wings. He is in a sense spreading with wings over the home where there is blood and as he protects the home. The death Angel perhaps Jesus Christ was through the land. What a beautiful picture of security for the believer who is behind the blood. It is of God to spread his wings over your life. You will never fear judgment. So imagine if you can. That night at midnight Yahweh, as it were, enveloping the homes with his wings as it were, where there was bloodshed on the door posts and as the death Angel came there was protection and I want you to note the significance you have parted.

Perhaps you know it well, but what the person was like on the inside was not the issue. The issue was. Is there blood because Yahweh said when I see the blood, I will as it is pass over you. We know the him do we recognize the significance if an Israelite would poke his head out the window. That night is the death Angel came through in and explained to him what a good man. He was, he would die. It wasn't that they were part of Abraham's seed. It was when God saw blood.

It wasn't that they had been circumcised was that God saw side but I honestly believe ladies and gentlemen, our hands are fall of things works Dean's. There are many who believe that when the death Angel comes they will show them what they have done. God is interested in the lamb's blood. In fact he says in Revelation chapter 20 it talks about those who were not written in the Lamb's book of life were cast into eternal fire.

What is got interested in what you can do no. Is there blood on the heart. Have you gone to the Lamb and acknowledged him. There is also submission. Fourthly, and I love this verse 24 you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever underline for your children. It's interesting, this was not just for them.

It was for the next generation and it will come about when you enter the land which the Lord will give you as he has promised that you shall observe this this right this Passover and it will come about when your children will say to you, what does this right mean you shall say is the Passover don't swap that off. That is the same responsibility for for those who have children today when your children ask you, what is this mean you are to reveal to them the significance and raise up that's our responsibility as a church body to raise up another generation that understands the Scriptures so when your child asks you why do we go to church and I don't don't say because I said so get ready to explain why some of your looking at me like you want me to tell you why you're here.

I'm not going to win your child asks you why do we pray before we eat and I don't say because were different from the dogs and the cats explained the significance why you do these things. Are they are they rituals or do they have meaning, they were to explain to their children look son or daughter.

This has tremendous meaning. When we smeared the blood on the door posts on the lintel that was protection that was God's plan for our salvation. We are to express the same to our children.

This is God's plan.

Now I know you have heard about the Passover.

If you been in Sunday school and got the thing down pat.

You know exactly what happened and when we come to a chapter like this. It's one of those chapters that the pastors fear because everybody kind goes so I I've been through this one.

Half a dozen times, but I want you to picture for just a moment being there they submitted to this. Imagine hearing for the first time.

This plan, I want you to kill a lamb. I want you to tax blood in the basin and smeared on the door posts and on the lintel and that I want to roasted but not only that the text tells us here to eat with your close on its midnight, but get out of your pajamas and get your kids dressed, take your shoes and put them on, which was a very and ordinary thing because they took their shoes off when they entered the home, eat with your shoes on in your close on take that step hold that man in your hand and then eat this roasted lamb, you're ready to go where we going what you can leave Egypt as it could happen immediately. What we don't know there's no map why do I all of these questions racing through their minds, and the significant thing men and women is verse 28 then the sons of Israel went and did so just as the Lord commanded. You want a smear blot on the door because although it you only put on the lintel I'll do it. You will need roasted lamb at midnight. Although it hold mice that eat with one hand all obey.

While so all the kids mom and dad and if there's another home without children or single parent or a single person that got together and they formed a group no larger than 10 and they ate with anticipation picture of the believer staff in hand ready to obey. That's the significant part of this ready to follow so the plague arrives on schedule. Look at verse 29 now it came about at midnight, but the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne, and by the way historians tell us.

The archaeologists have revealed. Interestingly enough, they don't know the significance of it.

We do, but Ramses the second oldest son never rained the younger son rained we know why it struck not only that boy, but it struck the firstborn of the captives who was in the dungeon and all the firstborn of cattle and Pharaoh arose in the night he and all his servants, and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead the call for Moses and Aaron at night and said, rise up, there are five imperatives in these two verses. The first is rise up and get out from among my people both you and the sons of Israel go worship the Lord as you have said take both your flocks and your herds as you have said and go and bless me also. It's as if Pharaoh says go tell just how the whaling could be heard through Egypt. Why because they had they had been given warning.

They had been told if you would smear blot, you will be saved. So the death Angel comes they said we have our God and Pharaoh, the embodiment of the sun God is the protector of the firstborn, and so they did not surrender. And there was great in light of the tragedy. It's hard to rejoice, but the last part of the chapter gives us the second result and that is liberty. Verse 33 in the Egyptians urge the people send them out of the land in haste. They said we shall all be dead so the people took their dough before it was leavened with her netting bowls bound up in the close on their shoulders or just packing the stuff together as quick as they can do it.

Now the sons of Israel are done according to the word of Moses. They'd requested from the Egyptians. Articles of silver and articles of golden clothing.

Verse 37 of the sons of Israel journeyed from Ramses to suck about 600,000 men on foot plus children and women in the mixed multitude also went with in verse 41 and it came about at the end of 430 years to the very day that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.

It is a mind to be observed for the Lord for having brought them out from the land of Egypt this night is for the Lord to be observed by all the sons of Israel. What can you go back in your thinking to a night or a day or an afternoon. You may not remember the day I don't but I can remember the night when I knelt beside my bed all alone upstairs in that little room and I said or Jesus as an 18-year-old I surrender my life to you.

Unsure of my salvation.

Unsure if I was part of the family.

I said it's time to stop the battle. Perhaps you can go back in your own thinking and remember a time. Maybe on a college campus or in the cafeteria of some corporation or in your home with your parents wherever budget can you go back to sometime when you have been redeemed by the time when you turned over a new lady for you started becoming a moral person but a time when you applied the blood of the Lamb on the doorpost of your heart. I fear I fear for people who may stand before God one day with hands full of good thing, good deeds, morality, integrity, charge. The problem is my friend the heavenly home is reserved for people whose names are in the Lamb's book of life. How do you get into the Lamb's book of life by applying the blood of the Lamb. First John chapter 1 verse seven says the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from everything. It is acknowledging him as your Savior. There are a lot of things to be learned from this. Let me draw the strings two ways. First of all, for the believer obedience marks the lifestyle of faith. Can you imagine more than 2 million people in the in the dusk or or skews me in the in the early morning hours, the women they run and they they take the dull from bread. They plan to make and they just wrap it in clothing they clear over their shoulder and they had out of Egypt to hire one individual comment this rather earthly but how do you handle the sanitation problems for 2 million people where's the next mail coming from what we wear. God says Java where were just going is the lifestyle of faith willing to change to move to follow whatever it may be I see dust being kicked up by 2 million people dancing all their way out of Egypt. Although in their hearts there probably wondering why nothing. Moses was probably the one who is weighed down with the thoughts Lord. Where's breakfast but obedience is seen in them marks the lifestyle of faith for the unbeliever. If you've never trusted Jesus Christ surrender marks the beginning of life by accepting that sacrifices our way into heaven, and we can also say I read this past week again the story of John Wilkes Booth who you know assassinated Abraham Lincoln. Not many people know what happened after that and I love history and in my readings came across that story but John Wilkes Booth joined up with his co-conspirator and they headed out of Washington well 2000 soldiers galloped out of Washington after them.

They knew basically where they were headed. Finally a detachment of 25 soldiers along with two detectives track them down. They were hiding out in a plantation in a tobacco barn was filled with tobacco leaves and pay the Stanton had ordered that these men be kept alive so they were hoping that they would surrender. Booth was fairly determined to fight his way out, but his companion by the name of Harold decided to surrender and so there through the slats of the barn door he held out his hands and the soldiers who would now surrounded the barn manacled him and drawing him out and tied him to a tree story is recorded, he begin to babble his innocence delirious knowing that he would be hanged until they finally said be quiet or will gag you and then they centered their thoughts on Booth, who was still in that barn and all the soldiers surrounding it. Finally one of the lieutenants, Lieut. Dockerty decided the best way to do would be to smoke the quarry out with fire, and so he had one of the soldiers make a strong rope and he lit it through it into the barn and it looked fire on the hay there in the tobacco leaves instantly came ablaze a fire and booth it said lean toward the slats of the barn door to get away from the flames. But one soldier noticed he was struggling with the crotch with one hand trying to raise his carbine with the other as if the fire in the soldier impulsively against orders raised his and fired the bullet struck booth in the back of the head and he slumped forward and they drove him out to escape the flames.

It seemed he was dead but they dashed water on his face and his lips begin to move. They all leaned forward to hear what this dying man would say and he said tell my mother I thought I was doing the best that I could do and then he asked the soldiers to raise his paralyzed arms so that he can view his hands in history records.

His last words as he looked at his hand were the words useless, useless. Two hours after Corbett shot and struck booth in the head. The sun was rising. John Booth died, my friend salvation.

For you will begin when you view your hand and say the word. Everything that I do to gain salvation. All of the works. All of the acts are useless. Surrender to the plan of God, who in his divine council had a lamb we know is Jesus Christ dying go through the fire of judgment so that our acceptance of him and his shed blood would give us eternal life as a believer. Do you have that obedient mark where you are willing to move if God if you don't know Christ accepted you listening to wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi, Stephen pastors, the shepherd's church in Cary, North Carolina. If you'd like to access more of Stephen's teaching ministry. It's available on our website@wisdomonline.org all of Stephen's full-length sermons are posted there and you can listen to Stephen teach or read the written manuscript for each one of access all of that wisdom online.org then make plans to join us back here for our next broadcast of wisdom