Lesson 4: A Night Not To Be Forgotten
Exodus 11:1-12:32
In our last session we studied the meetings with Pharaoh by Moses and Aaron and about the signs God had sent to affirm his superiority over the Egyptian gods. We saw that the signs caused Pharaoh to weaken at times and make concessions to Moses but then he would quickly relent refusing to let the children go. So God sent one more sign. The death angel passed over Egypt, claiming the lives of the first-born of every family and the first-born of cattle as well. Because of the instructions God gave Moses for the Hebrews, the death angel passed over them. Not one child among the Hebrews was taken. Because of the great significance of that night in Hebrew history, it became a commemoration reminding future generations of the mercy and grace of God toward them. Today we study about that great event.
Read 11:1-8
1. What was the final warning Moses gave Pharaoh? ________________________________
2. Who and what in Egypt would die according to Moses if Pharaoh would not let the people go? _________________________________________________________________________
3. What did God tell Moses that Pharaoh’s response would be? ________________________
4. What did Moses tell Pharaoh about the response of his own officials to the coming event?
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5. What was the significance of God telling Moses once again that the people were to ask their Egyptian neighbors for gifts of silver and gold? _______________________________________
6. What did God mean when he told Moses that this “month was to be your first month of your year?” ________________________________________________________________________
7. What does it mean to make a new start? _________________________________________
8. What was to be the instrument of the Passover sacrifice? ___________________________
9. What was the significance of a “lamb without defect?” ______________________________
10. What day of the new month was the lamb to be slaughtered? _______________________
11. What was to be done with the blood of the lamb? ________________________________
12. How were they to eat the meal? _______________________________________________
13. What was the significance of eating the meal “in haste?” ____________________________
14. God declared they were to commemorate the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for all time. Why was the Feast of Unleavened Bread important? ________________________
15. What was the result felt by the Egyptians after the Passover had occurred? (12:29,30)
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16. What was odd about Pharaoh’s response to the Passover to Moses and Aaron? (12:31-32)
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17. What does this odd response by Pharaoh tell you about the power of God? ______________
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18. The suffering of the Egyptian people came as a direct result of actions by the Pharaoh and his leaders. Why is it important for all leaders, religious and political, to be morally responsible for their actions? _______________________________________________________________
The events depicted in this lesson show us how important it is to remember. Repeating the rituals of the Passover meal each year would stimulate the memory of the Hebrews and remind them of God’s grace and mercy to them in their hour of need. When Jesus transformed the Passover meal into the Lord’s Supper he suggested the same note of remembrance – “Do this in remembrance of me.” Just as the Hebrews remember the day of their salvation through the Passover, so should we each time we partake of the Lord’s Supper. We should make it a living memory of our “first month” as a Christian and celebrate it in light of the freedom God granted us through our faith in his son Jesus Christ.
Further, we are reminded of the need for obedience. Recognizing the importance of the instructions God had given them for this meal, the people did just as they were instructed to do. Remembering what God did for us through Jesus gives us good cause for obedience. Obedience must come from a heart of gratitude and an attitude of love, not one of simply taking part in a ritual but remembering what love and grace stands behind it.