Author: Beth Duncan

Exodus 12:33 The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!” 

Verse 36 has my attention this morning, specifically the word plundered. Google’s dictionary says plunder (v) means to “steal goods from (a place or person), typically using force and in a time of war or civil disorder.” The connotations and synonyms for plunder are all quite negative.

Exodus 12:34 So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. 

Interestingly, the Google AI overview says, “In the Bible, ‘plunder’ generally refers to goods taken by force, especially during war or conquest, often seen as a manifestation of God’s judgment or provision.” Honestly, I’m not sure what to do with that, just as I’m unsure what to do with verse 36’s “favorable disposed” Egyptians and that the Israelites “plundered” them.

Exodus 12:35 The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 

Precious Savior, Today I am having a difficult time reconciling “the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the” Israelites while the Israelites “plunder the Egyptians.” It doesn’t feel right, yet I know that You are sovereign, just, and good. Help me to reconcile these discrepancies, and thank You for the curiosity to see and ponder them. Amen.

Exodus 12:36 The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 12:25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 

Today’s scripture puts me in mind of stories and traditions. I love the story of how I met my husband. The second thing I ever said to him was, “I’ve been looking for you!” I love the stories behind our Christmas decorations, our family traditions. I love telling those stories to my children. It helps me remember and it informs them, too.

Exodus 12:26-27a And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’ ” 

I love the idea of our faith being tied up in our stories and traditions. The story of how I met my husband is absolutely Providential. You cannot tell me that God didn’t lead us to each other. And I think we make God happy when we delight in telling our “God Stories” to each other, those stories of how we have seen Him again and again in our lives.

Exodus 12:27b Then the people bowed down and worshiped. 

Precious Savior, Thank You that You are so present with us. Thank You for the tradition of sharing stories of You as a way to share our faith. Thank You for the traditions that preserve those stories so we can share them with each other and remember them fondly ourselves, again and again. Thank You. Amen.

Exodus 12:28 The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 12:21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 

I am a little perplexed by this section of scripture. Verse 24 tells the Israelites to “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for” them and their descendants, yet a quick Google search says that this instance was the only time blood was put on the lintels and doorposts.

Exodus 12:22 Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 

This confusion, I think, epitomizes that issue when the Bible is reduced to just following the rules. Instead of focusing on the event, the why of what was occurring, the focus becomes How can I follow the letter of the law of this scripture. The focus isn’t God, His actions, His meaning. The focus is on the rules, on ourselves, on how to “do it right,” a distinction a true rule-follower can get behind, but one that totally misses God’s point.

Exodus 12:23 When the Lord goes through the land 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 permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.

Precious Savior, I want a heart that chases after You, reading, studying, learning about You, understanding You more and more so that I can live a life that is pleasing to You. Help me not to get caught up in the “how do I do religion right” but instead strive to know Your heart and remake mine accordingly. Amen.

Exodus 12:24 “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants.

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 12:12 “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 

Again today I am struggling with the academic remove, the strict rule-following of today’s verses. If anyone (Israelite or Egyptian, saint or sinner) followed these rules/instructions and put the blood on the lintels and doorposts, that house would be spared. So if you were faithful your entire life and for some reason missed this one thing, you were out.

Exodus 12:13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

That sort of rule-following religion is hard for me. I’m not saying I don’t want to follow the rules. I’ve already admitted to being a rule-follower, but I mess up DAILY. If messing up one time means being out of God’s favor forever, the nature of humanity means Heaven is going to be pretty lonely.

Exodus 12:14 “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance. 

Precious Savior, I struggle with some of the Old Testament, with the anger, and vengefulness, with the absolutes and rules. I struggle because I know that I mess up daily, multiple times a day. I  know that Your grace, Your fierce, deep, complete love are the only things that save me. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 12:15 For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel.

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 12:9 Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. 

As I reread verses 1 and 2 of Exodus 12, I am reminded of Isaiah 43:19’s “Behold, I am doing a new thing….” and I am reminded of the excitement and fear of change. (Full disclosure, change really does cause me some fear. I like to know what to expect, what’s coming. However, I do know that change can be a beautiful and necessary thing. I’m trying to get better at rolling with change.)

Exodus 12:10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 

And verse 11 of today’s reading puts me in mind of all the verses that talk about being ready, being prepared, being watchful and alert, which brings to mind the idea that we have a finite amount of time on this earth to do good, and we don’t know exactly how long that is, so we have to be mindful of the opportunities presented to us to act as the hands and feet of Jesus.

Exodus 12:11a This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. 

Precious Savior, Today’s reflection feels like a bit of a jumble, but my mind feels a bit jumbled, too. Thank You that even when things feel jumbled, I can see You, I can hear Your still small voice whispering to my heart. Help me to draw closer to You always. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 12:11b Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover.

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 12:1-2 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.   

There is so much in the Bible that I don’t understand. One of the things that I like about scriptures like today’s is that it is crystal clear. There’s no ambiguity. The Israelites know exactly what is being asked of them, and they can do what is being asked.

Exodus 12:3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.

But as we will see in the Sadducees and Pharisees, this “letter of the law” philosophy, this following everything exactly as it’s written, leads to “Let’s make more laws, more rules, more regulations because they are easy to follow,” which leads to “What’s of utmost importance is following these rules and laws, not the spirit of God’s word.” A slippery slope, indeed.

Exodus 12:4a If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are.

Precious Savior, Thank You for my love of rules. You gave me that trait for a reason, and it served me well in my career. Thank You also that You gave me a deep love for You and a desire to understand Your word beyond just following Your laws. Help me, even when I don’t understand Your word, to draw closer to Your heart. Amen.

Exodus 12:4b You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat.

Have a blessed day.