A notification about the last plague. A short study in Exodus 11

It's almost time. Anticipation is great. The news about the plagues that befell the Egyptians was huge. Every week another mode of desolation hit the communities of the oppressors of the Jewish people. Darkness was so thick yesterday they couldn't see the ground or one another. No one moved. The people of Israel lived in Goshen, their detention centre, for decades, perhaps centuries, and had plenty of light. They knew that they were special. Now in the tenth plague, God was going to ensure that they understood the separation, the distinction, so that they would live differently when they left into the wilderness.

Remember, the rabbis teach that it took one whole year and nine plagues to do two things. 1) To convince the Egyptians to let my people go and 2) to convince the Hebrews that Moses was our leader. (See Ex. 2.14, 16.2, 17.3, Num. 14.2, 16.41, Acts 7.27) I know this is hard to imagine, but Moses probably didn't look like Charlton Heston or Chris Hemsworth. Imagine, if you can, Moses looking more like Woody Allen or Adam Sandler. Then this makes sense. It's no miracle for 3 million Jews to follow Hemsworth into the wilderness. It is a miracle indeed if even 30 Jews follow Woody anywhere. God used the plague to convince both camps. 

One more plague is coming, then a comprehensive exodus. No Jewish person will remain. Think about this. Almost as soon as they left, there was significant grumbling among the people. Why did you bring us out here to die? Where's the water? Where's the beef? Where's the garlic and leeks and onions? But the prediction of the final plague after 400 years of slavery and sadness, will cause everyone to depart. At midnight!

Whatever prevention God caused in the full escape of all the Jewish people previously, now, God says, he would ensure a final exodus by saying, "I will bring on Egypt." (.1)

Moses is told to ramp up the notification to all the Jewish people. First he says, tell the women to go and spoil the neighbours of silver and gold. (.2) And they might have wondered what this would accomplish. Was it only retribution for the troubles of the past? Was it only an "Oh yeah? We're going to take things from you like you took things from us?" No, as we find out later (Ex. 25.3), those items were needful for the construction of the furniture and other goods in the Holy Tabernacle. They also took textiles (Ex. 12.35) which would be employed in the Tabernacle as well. 

Was the spoiling deceptive as some aver? I need to borrow some things for our weekend retreat... could I borrow from you? I don't think so.  According to the Word Biblical Commentary, "Each of the four occurrences of the “despoiling” narrative in the OT (Exod.3:19–22; 11:2–3; 12:35–36; Ps. 105:36–38) makes plain that the Egyptians give their precious possessions to the Israelites gladly, because of Yahweh’s intervention. There is no hint of any deception, any “borrowing” with even an implied promise of a return of the borrowed items."

The problem, of course, in having goods like these is that they could be used for wrong things, like an idol of gold (Ex. 32.2) which brought 3,000 people to their deaths that day.  Having goods is not wrong; misusing them is what is wrong. Or another way of thinking that is, having goods is not wrong; when the goods have you, that's wrong. 

So God gave favour to the Hebrews. (.3) Each person who went to her neighbour received what they needed. The Egyptians were done with us. They wanted us gone, because they wanted the plagues to be gone. If we left, they thought, there would be no more blight, no more locusts, no more hail to ruin the crops, no more blood in the Nile, etc. They wanted the 'good old days.'

Even Moses was greatly esteemed in the people. Whatever had been the reports about him previously... now he is very great in their eyes. Why? He did what their magicians could not do. And he brought AND ended plagues on their houses. And in their lives. Anyone who can do all that?... they are significant.

Prediction of the comprehensive destruction of the first borns. That would end family lines as they understood them. Primogeniture is the norm, genealogically, but that would be decimated as a result of this plague. (.5)

There will be a great cry throughout Egypt. (.6) but against Israel, not even a dog would bark. (.7) The people of Egypt knew the story. They knew they were not responsible. They knew Moses was not responsible. They knew that there was a power encounter between the God of the Hebrews and the gods of Egypt and that their team lost. They didn't blame the umpires. They didn't blame the Jews. They blamed Pharaoh. 

GREAT favour, but not in the government. That may be something we should ponder in our days. With whom do we seek favour? From whom? Sometimes, our God will have us live in such a way that the kingdoms of this world are not on board with who we are. We don't need to run governments; we need to live in God's kingdom. We don't need to make his kingdom here on earth; that's his job, not ours. No matter who misquotes a Bible text about "if my people.. shall humble themselves and pray...." and applies it to a democracy (which was never in view in Bible days), seek first God's Kingdom and His righteousness. It's not about our power; it's about God's power. (John 18.36, Matthew 6.33)

When Yeshua returns, then the kingdom of this world will become His kingdom (Rev. 11.15). Until then, we have our work cut out for us. To live in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14.17). To speak peace one with another and to love one another as He loved us. (John 13.34)

Back in Egypt, Moses is speaking to Pharaoh, (although we don't see when he went there) and said that all his servants would bow down to Moses.  That's an 'in-your-face' proclamation. It's not new, but it's dramatic. But don't miss this. The purpose of the final plague is listed. "So that you understand God made a distinction between Egypt and Israel." (.7) Distinction or separation is a key lesson from the beginning of the Bible and throughout Torah. Even throughout the entire Bible. 

God separated light from darkness. He separated clean from unclean animals. He separates us from the nations. At its root, the word KDSH (holy) includes this notion as well. You shall be holy, or separate, so that the nations of the world will know that I am the Lord. The whole purpose of holiness was not for Israel to be smug or proud of their goodness, but rather that the peoples of the earth would know who He is and get to know Him. Come out from among them and be separate. (2 Cor. 6.17)

Conclusion: What do I learn today as a result of reading this lesson?

1) Be holy so that others are DRAWN to Yeshua

2) Seek God's kingdom in my life and in the lives of my family

3) God can and will use ordinary people empowered by the Lord to bring about His purposes on earth

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ACTUAL TEXT

Ex. 11:1   Now the LORD said to Moses, “One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; ^aafter that he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely. ² “Speak now in the ¹hearing of the people that ^aeach man ask from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor for articles of silver and articles of gold.” ^{3 a}The LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. ^bFurthermore, the man Moses himself was ¹greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.

Ex. 11:4   Moses said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘About ^amidnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt, ⁵ and ^aall the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well. ⁶ ‘Moreover, there shall be ^aa great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again. ⁷ ‘^aBut against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even ¹bark, whether against man or beast, that you may ²understand how the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ ⁸ “^aAll these your servants will come down to me and bow themselves ¹before me, saying, ‘Go out, you and all the people who ²follow you,’ and after that I will go out.” ^bAnd he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.

Ex. 11:9   Then the LORD said to Moses, “^aPharaoh will not listen to you, so ^bthat My wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” ^{10 a}Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh; yet ^bthe LORD ¹hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land.