What role does obedience play in the events of Exodus 12:23? “When the LORD passes through to strike down the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and He will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.” Setting the Scene • The tenth plague looms; every household in Egypt faces judgment. • God provides a way of escape: sacrifice a flawless lamb, paint its blood on the doorposts and lintel, remain indoors until morning (Exodus 12:3–13). • The verse zeroes in on what happens when the LORD “passes through.” What Obedience Looks Like in the Verse • Sacrifice completed exactly as prescribed (v. 6). • Blood applied publicly and visibly on “the top and sides of the doorframe.” • Families remain sheltered inside, trusting the sign is enough (v. 22). Why Obedience Matters • Protection—The LORD “will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses.” Disobedience would leave the doorway unmarked and the firstborn exposed. • Differentiation—Blood distinguishes covenant people from Egyptians (v. 13). • Participation—Each household acts; obedience is personal, not delegated. • Faith in action—Hebrews 11:28: “By faith Moses kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer…would not touch their firstborn.” Layers of Obedience in Exodus 12 1. Hearing the command (v. 1). 2. Believing the warning (v. 12). 3. Doing the work—selecting, killing, applying (vv. 3–7). 4. Staying under the blood’s cover all night (v. 22). Immediate Outcomes • Firstborn sons and livestock of Israel survive (v. 29). • Pharaoh finally releases the people (vv. 31–32). • A perpetual memorial feast is instituted (vv. 24–27). Broader Biblical Echoes • 1 Samuel 15:22—“To obey is better than sacrifice.” The Israelites offer both; obedience makes the sacrifice effective. • John 14:21—“Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me.” Love and obedience remain inseparable. • Revelation 12:11—Victory “by the blood of the Lamb” parallels deliverance by Passover blood. Personal Takeaways • God’s deliverance is freely provided yet must be personally appropriated. • Genuine faith expresses itself through precise, heartfelt obedience. • The safest place is always under the covering God Himself provides. |
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