What can we learn about obedience to God from the Israelites' experience? Setting the Scene Exodus 12 opens with God’s detailed instructions for the first Passover. Israel responds by following every directive—selecting the lamb, applying the blood, staying indoors, eating in haste. Verse 30 then captures the stark contrast between obedient Israel and devastated Egypt: “During the night Pharaoh got up—he and all his officials and all the Egyptians—and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was no house without someone dead.” (Exodus 12:30) Key Lessons on Obedience • Obedience distinguishes God’s people – Israel’s homes, marked by blood, are untouched (Exodus 12:13). – Egypt, which rejects God’s word, experiences universal sorrow (Exodus 12:30). – 2 Timothy 2:19 reminds us, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” Obedience marks out those who belong to Him. • Obedience provides protection – Hebrews 11:28 says Moses “kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the Israelites.” – God’s commands are not burdens; they are shelters (Psalm 91:1). • Obedience must be exact, not approximate – Israel “did just as the LORD had commanded” (Exodus 12:28). – Saul’s partial obedience cost him the kingdom (1 Samuel 15:22-23). – God desires wholehearted compliance, not selective agreement. • Obedience sometimes feels risky – Slaves painting doorframes with blood in hostile Egypt looked foolish, yet faith acted (James 2:17). – Noah built an ark with no storm in sight (Genesis 6:22). – True faith steps out before results are visible. • Obedience is urgent – Israel eats the meal “with your cloak tucked into your belt… in haste” (Exodus 12:11). – Delayed obedience is practical disobedience. – “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15). Consequences of Disobedience Seen in Egypt 1. Sudden loss—“no house without someone dead” (Exodus 12:30). 2. National upheaval—Pharaoh finally drives Israel out (Exodus 12:31-33). 3. Recognition of God’s supremacy—Egypt’s gods proved powerless (Exodus 12:12). Echoes in the New Testament • Christ, our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), offers a greater deliverance. Applying His blood by faith rescues from eternal judgment (John 3:36). • Jesus connects love and obedience: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). • Future deliverance mirrors the Exodus: believers watching, ready, lamps lit (Matthew 25:1-13). Putting It into Practice – Evaluate areas of delayed or partial obedience. – Trust God’s instructions even when culture mocks or circumstances threaten. – Remember that obedience today prepares you for tomorrow’s deliverance. Israel’s escape began with a simple act of obedience—brushing blood on a door. Our own faith journey advances the same way: hearing God’s word, believing it, and acting without hesitation. |
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