The events of the last two and a half centuries had been incredible! It all began about 1704bc when Joseph, the 17-year-old son of Jacob and Rachel, was sold into slavery by his older brothers. Motivated by resentment and jealousy, his brothers sold Joseph to Midianite slave traders who transported him to Egypt. Over the course of the next 20 years, events took an astounding turn. Young Joseph rose from being a slave to being the number two ruler of Egypt, right under Pharaoh himself.
The Pharaoh under whom Joseph achieved such prominence was from the newly arrived Hyksos dynasty. The Hyksos were Semites, a similar people to the family of Jacob. When a famine gripped all of the surrounding countries, Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt to buy grain and came face to face with the brother whom they believed was probably dead. By 1682bc, Jacob and his entire 70-member family came into Egypt (Genesis 46:26–27). The Hyksos rulers, also known as the Shepherd Kings, showed Jacob’s family of Hebrew shepherds great favor and provided them with land in Goshen, near the delta, to live and to raise their flocks.
For the next century or so things went very well for the family of Jacob. Their numbers multiplied and they were treated well. Just over 40 years after Joseph’s death in 1611bc, the Hyksos were overthrown and expelled from Egypt by Dynasty XVIII of Thebes. The incoming ruler, Amose, is described as a Pharaoh “who knew not Joseph.” He began systematically to oppress the burgeoning Israelite nation. By the time of Moses’ birth, 44 years after the Hyksos expulsion, Israel had been reduced to the status of slaves. In fact, for a period of time, Pharaoh even ordered all of the Israelite boy babies killed at birth in order to slow down their rapid population growth.
It was in this context that his parents, to protect him from death, hid the baby Moses. Pharaoh’s daughter, Hatshepsut, discovered him in a basket in the edge of the Nile. Reared as a prince of Egypt in the court of Thutmose I and Thutmose II, Moses achieved prominence. All the while, the condition of the people of Israel worsened further.
By age 40, Moses had made a decision to reject his Egyptian identity and to acknowledge his kinship with the people of God (Hebrews 11:24–26). Forced to flee Egypt, he remained in the Sinai desert for the next 40 years, most of that time watching the sheep of his father-in-law, Jethro. Then, when Moses was 80 years old, the Lord manifested Himself through a burning bush, and sent Moses back to Egypt to begin his real life’s work (Exodus 3:1–10).
When Moses arrived back in Egypt, Thutmose III, who had sought to kill him, was dead—and his successor Amenhotep II was on the throne. The people of Israel had been ground down through several generations of slavery and had lost all hope. It was in this context, with a people who were in despair on the one hand, and an Egyptian ruler filled with pride on the other, that Moses was expected to accomplish a great work.
The subsequent events, which marked the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery and their journey toward Sinai to enter into a special covenant relationship with God, are the events of the first Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread. These festivals, introduced when Israel was still in Egypt, mark the introduction of God’s great plan of redemption and salvation. Contained in the circumstances surrounding the first Passover observance by Israel are many lessons for the people of God today. We will examine seven of those lessons.
We Cannot Save Ourselves
Life was overwhelming and it appeared that nothing could be done. Egypt was at its height as a major power and Israel was a disarmed, dispirited slave people. These were the circumstances in which God sent Moses to Pharaoh with the message of “Let My people go!” Pharaoh saw no reason why he should do such a thing—so God began to show him why he should! Plague after plague was visited upon the land of Egypt, striking at everything in which they felt pride and confidence.
The tenth and final plague promised to be the most devastating of all. The Lord decreed that in one night He would pass through the entire land of Egypt and every firstborn male in the land, both of people a nd animals, would be struck dead (Exodus 11:4–5). Death was coming surely and inexorably. There was only one way of escape. That way was for the people of Israel to take yearling lambs and at dusk, when the fourteenth day of the first month began, each household was to slay its lamb. The father in each home was to put the blood on the doorposts and the lamb was to be roasted and eaten during the evening (Exodus 12:1–8).
Only those who were dwelling under the blood of the lamb would be “passed over” by the Lord and spared from death. The people could not protect themselves. Only the blood of the lamb, shed in their stead, could save them.
Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 5:7 that Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). The first lesson we learn from the Passover is the impossibility of protecting ourselves from death, which is the consequence of sin. God took the initiative by providing the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Only by His blood can we be justified—made innocent—before God.
Resist Compromise
God did not spare His people from death so they could remain in Egypt as slaves. He wanted them to leave Egypt behind and come to serve Him. When Moses first went to Pharaoh with the request to let the Israelites go, he flatly refused. However, after several plagues, Pharaoh tried to strike a compromise.
First, Pharaoh suggested that the Israelites simply sacrifice to their God in their present surroundings, instead of leaving Egypt (Exodus 8:25). This would never do, Moses replied, because God’s commands were contrary to the customs and practices of the Egyptians. God’s people would need to come all the way out of Egypt, in order to serve God properly. Here is a vital lesson for all of God’s people: the realization that God has called us to leave this world, with its ways and customs, behind us.
After still more plagues, Pharaoh finally agreed to let the Israelites leave Egypt. However, at first he insisted that only the adults could go. The children would have to stay behind. But Moses flatly refused to compromise; Israel was not prepared to sacrifice its children to Pharaoh. As with Moses, God’s people today must not abandon their children to the world around them.
Finally, after three days of darkness throughout the land, Pharaoh once again called for Moses. All of your people can go, he told them, but leave the herds behind. “Not a hoof shall be left behind,” Moses declared (Exodus 10:26). There is never room to compromise regarding our response to God’s calling. We simply cannot serve God on the devil’s terms (Matthew 4:10)!
Have a Sense of Urgency
When the time finally came for God to deliver Israel, the people were told to eat of the Passover in a sense of readiness. They were to have their “loins girded” and their shoes on their feet. The Passover was to be eaten with unleavened bread, the bread of haste. God’s people were to have a sense of urgency about their calling.
What about us? Do we take our calling for granted? Do we respond to God in a slow or casual manner? As the Lord passed through Egypt on the night of the first Passover, the people realized that it was a matter of life and death. They were eager and they were urgent (Exodus 12:11).
When we come to grips with sin in our lives and truly see our need for a Savior, we also will have a sense of urgency. David likened his intense desire for God to a deep thirst (Psalm 42:1–2). Do we have an intense longing for a deeper relationship with the Father, and with our Savior Jesus Christ? That intense desire will be accompanied by an earnest eagerness on our part. We need that sense of urgency in our own lives.
Resist Discouragement
During the daylight portion of Abib 14, the people gathered quickly together for their journey. Many of the treasures of Egypt were thrust upon them (Exodus 12:35–36). Finally, about sunset at the beginning of the fifteenth (Numbers 33:3; cf. Deuteronomy 16:1), the Israelites began their long march. They could scarcely contain their excitement as they came out “with an high hand” (Numbers 33:3, KJV).
However, their excitement was short-lived. Within a matter of days, Israel was encamped next to the Red Sea, partly hemmed in by mountains. Suddenly, the dust of Pharaoh’s chariots appeared on the horizon. When the Israelites saw evidence of the advancing Egyptian army, they were frightened and deeply discouraged. “We would be better off to go back and be slaves than to die in the wilderness,” they cried (cf. Exodus 14:10–12).
After we surrender our lives to God, one of the great battles we must fight is that of discouragement. Overwhelming obstacles can loom before us, along with frightening adversaries who rise against us. God allows us to find ourselves in situations that remind us of our utter powerlessness. He wants us to be operating under no illusions of self-sufficiency. As Christians, we must learn to trust God—and to depend upon Him in everything—if we are to complete our spiritual journey successfully. When we find ourselves at our “Red Sea,” rather than being ready to give up and quit, we need to remember Moses’ admonition to the people, “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14:13).
Be Thankful
Ingratitude is perhaps the most prevalent of sins. It is very easy to take blessings for granted and wonder why we do not have more. As the Israelites progressed in their journey out of Egyptian slavery, one might have expected them to be overwhelmed with thankfulness and appreciation for God’s deliverance. That, however, is not what happened.
Shortly after crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites found themselves in a desolate wilderness area. Food and water were not available in the area to sustain them (Exodus 15:22–25). Yet, clearly, God was working out a purpose in their lives. He had worked miracles to cause Pharaoh to let them leave Egypt. He had delivered their firstborn on the night of the Passover. Additionally, God had performed a tremendous miracle at the Red Sea to protect Israel from the Egyptian army and to ensure their freedom. In spite of all of this evidence of God’s watchful providence, they began to grumble and complain when they found themselves in the desert. They accused Moses of bringing them out there to kill them with hunger and thirst. They complained about how much better the living conditions had been in Egypt and how they always had plenty of food there (Exodus 16:3).
God met the needs of His people again and again throughout their journey, yet they remained unthankful and ungrateful most of the time. What about us? God has called us out of this world to enter into a special relationship with Him. Yet, there are obstacles along the way—problems and difficulties that we must face in trying to live a life of obedience to the Creator. What, then, is our attitude? Do we grumble and complain about problems, or are we thankful and appreciative for God’s calling and mercy? One of the best ways to resist discouragement and to walk with God in faith is to focus on counting our blessings. Continually thank and praise God for what He does (Ephesians 5:19–20).
Do Not Look Back
In Hebrews 11 we are told that Moses, when he reached maturity, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. We are told, in fact, that he forsook Egypt. While the whole Israelite nation left the land of Egypt, very few really forsook Egypt. To forsake means to turn away from and to reject.
When we look at the story of Israel’s journey, we see that the people looked back longingly, time after time. When confronted by trials and difficulties along the pathway God had chosen for them, they often talked about “the good old days.” In truth, of course, those days had not been very good—but memory can sometimes be very selective.
Israel’s greatest problem, after leaving Egypt, was expressed by Stephen in Acts 7:39. Even though the Israelites’ feet left the land behind, in their hearts they turned back again! The Israelites had not ever truly forsaken Egypt in their hearts—and this was reflected in a variety of incidents.
What about Christians today? The essence of the meaning of the Festival of Unleavened Bread is that God has called us to forsake the ways and values of this ungodly world. We are supposed to be engaged in a journey. Do we look back at the world that we have ostensibly forsaken and desire to hold on to it? The true answer to this question is reflected in the way we live. As men, does materialism govern your lives, or are you centered on the Work of God and on building godly lives and families? As women, do you reflect the modesty and true femininity that God values, or the decadent ways of a sensual and God-rejecting society? In order to fulfill our calling and reach our destination, we must forsake Egypt in our hearts—and not look back!
The Author and Finisher of Our Faith
Why does the Feast of Unleavened Bread include two Holy Days—one at the beginning and one at the end? We know that the seven-day Feast of Tabernacles includes only one Holy Day, which is at the beginning. The eighth day—the Last Great Day—is a completely separate festival.
The answer is perhaps most clearly stated in Hebrews 12, where we are told that Jesus Christ is both the Author and the Finisher of our faith. It took a miracle of God to start the Israelites on their journey out of Egypt, and it took another miracle, that of the Red Sea, to bring them completely out of Egypt.
Similarly, our successful completion of the journey out of sin—spiritual Egypt—will be accomplished only through the power of our Savior. We need His help not only to start our journey, but also to sustain and finish it. The Passover season reminds us of our need for salvation and deliverance. It also reminds us that these are not objectives that we can accomplish by our own strength or might. We have One who goes before us in order to guarantee our success. (Hebrews 2:9–11).
Redemption and deliverance are themes of the Passover season. God takes the initiative, and we must respond. However, our human efforts will never be enough, which God knows before we even start. From ancient Israel’s example, we should learn lessons in how to respond properly to God’s incredible love and mercy. The most important of these lessons is that we must not ever forget to look to the Author and Finisher of our faith. We must put our total confidence in Him, if we are to succeed in leaving Egypt behind and coming to the mountain of God.