Scripture

Moses had announced to Pharaoh: “This is what the Lord says, ‘At midnight tonight, I will pass through the heart of Egypt’”

Observation

The Lord tells Moses that He will strike Egypt once more and then Pharaoh will order the Israelites to leave.

The Israelite men and women are to ask their Egyptian neighbours for gold and silver. The Lord has given them so much favour amongst the Egyptians that they will be happy to do this.

The last plague will be the death of the first born son of every Egyptian, including the first born of their livestock.

Application

The Egyptians worshipped life above all things- not too dissimilar to our own culture which denies the reality of death. The Lord alone is the giver of life and the one who can take it away. Every person needs to be ready to meet the Lord on His terms.

Moses announced that the Lord would pass through the heart of Egypt. We tend to think of the Lord passing through as a happy event. When the Lord confronts sin, however, it can be far from happy. If the Lord comes to judge, and people are not prepared to repent of their sins, then suffering will be the result.

This applies to christians as much as anyone else. The Lord wants us to be holy and set apart for Him. To the extent that we cling to our sinful attitudes and behaviours, we too might be subject to a cleansing that ultimately brings us closer to Him.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to turn away from every form of sin, and to live only and wholly for you. Amen.