Faithbase

God was steadily destroying the economy of Egypt while showing his ability to protect and provide for those who obeyed him in faith, urgently oppressing upon Pharaoh the proof of his existence, sovereignty, and grace by not immediately eradicating all of Egypt. The eighth plague, locusts, again focused on nut, ossicerus, and set. The later crops, wheat and rye, which had survived the hail from the previous plague, were now devoured by a swarm of locusts. There would be no harvest in Egypt that year. The ninth plague, darkness, was aimed at the sun god Re who was symbolized by Pharaoh himself. For three days the land of Egypt was smothered with an unearthly darkness, all but the homes of the Israelites, for they had light. The tenth and last plague, the death of the first born males, was a judgment on Isis, the protector of children. In this plague, God was teaching the Israelites a deep spiritual lesson that pointed to Christ. Unlike the other plagues which the Israelites survived simply because of their location in the land of God's people in Israel, this plague required an act of faith by them and any who would believe in him, whether they were Israelite or Egyptian. God commanded each family to take an unblemished male lamb and kill it. The blood of the lamb was to be smeared on the top and sides of the doorways. The lamb would be roasted and eaten that night. Any family that did not follow God's instructions would suffer in the last plague. God described how he would send the destroyer through the land of Egypt with orders to slay the first born male in every household, whether human or animal. The only protection was the blood of the lamb on the door. When the destroyer saw the blood, he would pass over that house and leave it untouched. This is where the term Passover comes from. Passover is a memorial of that night in ancient Egypt when God delivered his people from bondage. First Corinthians 5-7 teaches that Jesus became our Passover when he died to deliver us from the bondage of sin. While the Israelites and Egyptians who followed God's instruction out of faith in him, they found God's protection in their homes. Unfortunately, every other home in the land of Egypt who did not believe in God and did not follow his instructions to put blood on their door, they experienced God's wrath as their first born males were killed. God was showing Pharaoh who had ultimate control, reminding Pharaoh that he was no God, nor did he have the right to act as a God by murdering every Israelite male baby who he had tossed into the Nile. God alone was the one true God. This grievous event caused Pharaoh to finally release the Israelites. They knew they must leave quickly because Pharaoh could easily change his mind. So the Israelites and any Egyptian who believed were instructed to bring their bread, which would have yet to have any yeast added for the next day.