Scripture: The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders. The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.
And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.
The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. It was a night of watching by the LORD, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the LORD by all the people of Israel throughout their generations.
Exodus 12:33-39 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Friday’s Daily Focus, at the outset, Yahweh takes action to motivate Pharaoh to let Israel go by striking down the firstborn males of the Egyptians and their beasts. Indeed, while the Lord orchestrated the first nine plagues through supernatural acts of nature, here, he directly inflicts a devastating final blow that guts Pharaoh and changes his perspective on the value of holding on to this slave nation that has become a thorn in his side. Now, the humbled Pharaoh succumbs to his grief over the loss of his eldest son and realizes it’s time to cut his losses. So, even though he had threatened Moses never to seek his face again, this time, Pharaoh summons Moses and Aaron before the break of dawn and commands them to go with all of Israel, including their flocks and herds, and serve their Hebrew God. Lastly, Pharaoh curiously adds: “… and bless me also.”
Today’s passage inaugurates the Exodus. With Pharaoh swallowing his pride and momentarily coming to his senses, Moses and the people of God are now free and ready to trek to the Promised Land. And just as Yahweh foretold, the Egyptians obliged when Israel asked the distressed Egyptians for their gold, silver, and clothing. But little did Israel know that they would need the extra clothes for an extended wilderness wandering and the jewelry for adorning a tabernacle and priestly garbs. So, as God’s people embarked toward Mount Sinai, this massive caravan of approximately two million included:
- About six hundred thousand men (v.37)
- Women and children (v.37)
- A “mixed multitude” of God-fearing converts (v.38)
Amazingly, they had all the provisions needed: livestock raised in Goshen (unaffected by the plagues) and baked unleavened bread (that would have a longer shelf-life). Moreover, they were well-nourished from the Passover meal the night before and had the energy to make haste.
Takeaway: There are a few elements of irony in this story. First, Moses describes the Egyptians’ emotional plea to leave their land using the Hebrew word watteḥezaq, whose root is ḥāzaq, which is the same root that describes Pharaoh’s “hardened” heart. In a sense, the Egyptians are now hardened to Israel staying in their country as much as their ruler was hardened to Israel leaving their land. Secondly, Yahweh’s call for Israel’s urgent departure matches Pharaoh and his people’s desire for them to go. Indeed, neither side wastes time with polite conversation; it’s strictly transactional. Lastly, while Moses only asked that Israel be set free and take their possessions with them, now God’s emancipated people have plundered the wealth of Egyptians who accumulated their wealth from Israel’s years of slave labor.
Our takeaway? There are two. First, as we discern God’s will, there are occasions when we have to act quickly to go where he calls us. It may seem haphazard and tenuous, but God will provide. My wife, Ruth, and I felt that way when we returned to the States to begin my seminary education. With limited income (from an inheritance, donors, and Ruth’s part-time work as a physical therapist), within four months of arriving in America, I started grad school—a challenging journey for the next five years as I worked toward two master’s degrees. Indeed, in my first semester, our twins arrived in the world. With three children in diapers, Ruth could no longer work. Money was tight, yet we had (or would gain) all the provisions we needed for the journey like Israel. Our two seminary communities and churches donated or loaned baby paraphernalia and clothing for our kids. And along the way, whether we needed a financial boost or a helping hand, the Lord marvelously provided—sometimes from unexpected sources.
Secondly, God calls us to pay it forward to resource others when they need to act quickly. A quarter of a century has passed since I completed my seminary education, and we are in a more stable financial position. But as we watch and pray for our adult children, who have also had to make quick decisions involving their next steps, we see God marvelously providing for them. And he sometimes calls us to pay it forward so that they might have adequate provisions for their journeys.
Our part? We must stay regularly attuned to the Lord through the three anchors of our faith: prayer, Scripture, and the community of believers. Still, when time is of the essence, arrow prayers hit the target. The first two chapters of Nehemiah provide an excellent example. Grieved by the report that Jerusalem is in rubble, Nehemiah immediately seeks the Lord in lament with prayers of confession and petition (Nehemiah 1:4-11). Then, when King Artaxerxes questions Nehemiah’s sad countenance, Nehemiah lifts an arrow prayer to the Lord and lays out his concerns before the king (Nehemiah 2:4-5), who responds favorably to Nehemiah. So, whether Moses, Nehemiah, or us, ongoing communion with the Lord is essential to discerning our Lord’s good, pleasing, and perfect will—particularly in stressful situations that require immediate action. When we do, our gracious Lord will lead us to new horizons and provide all we need along the way.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son and the Holy Spirit, who have provided all we need for our spiritual and physical journeys. Still, with urgent matters that require quick decisions, we sometimes freeze or flee. With that in mind, please help us maintain the three anchors of our faith and stay in touch with how you move in our lives so that we might discern your will, follow your lead, be good stewards of your provisions, and pay it forward to others in need. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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