XXXIX - Exodus 12:31-13:16 - Preparing for the Exodus

Exodus 12:31 - 13:16 - The Gathering of the Israelites, Preparing for the Exodus

This posting will be VERY short, as it leads into the exodus.  But necessary as there are reminders and last minute instructions for Moses to give to the nation Israel.

God has struck down all the firtborn son of the Egyptians and there is loud grievous wailing in all of Egypt, including Paraoh's palace.  Pharaoh summoned Moses in the middle of the night and told him and the Israelites to GO!  And note that Pharaoh asked Moses to bless him.  Pharaoh knew before this that the God of Israel was superior.  The Egyptians urged the Israelites to hurry.  I don't blame the Egyptians.  Think about all the devistation they have suffered, and by now they know it will not end until the Israelites left the country.  The Israelites did as Moses instructed them in every way,
including asking for gold, silver, and clothing from the Egyptians.  And they got plenty.

Check out vs 37.  600,000 men plus women and children, plus many "other people", plus livestock and all their belongings.  {The Hebrews were always numbered by the number of adult males. This is just a guess, but I would say that's over 2 million people plus at least a million head of livestock.   Try to imagine what that crowd looked like, and remember, there were loads of supplies with them.}

Vs 39 explains why there was to be no yeast in the Passover feast.  Vs 40 tells us that they left Egypt EXACTLY 430 years after they arrived, to the day.  Vss 42 - through 49 gives further detail about the Passover, and further indicates how peculiar God is about such matters.  He has little tolerance for disregarding His instructions.  In verse 51 it says God brought them out of Egypt by their divisions, which means they were grouped by their families according to the 12 brothers.

Chapter 13:1-16  -  The Consecration of the Firstborn

Here is another set of instructions that Moses is to give to the Isralites before they leave.  13:1  God told Moses "Consecrate to Me every firstborn male.  Every one belongs to Me, both human and animal.  To concecrate means to devote or declare sacred.  Then in vs 2 Moses speaks to the people and tells them to commemorate this day.  As stated earlier, to commemorate is to call to remembrance and/or mark by ceremony performed to serve as a reminder.  The day to be commemorated is the day that God brought them out of Egypt to take them into the promised land.  Moses reminded them that on this day no bread is to eaten with yeast, as part of the commemoration.  Moses named the first month of the Hebrew calender Aviv (KJV Abib).  In vs 5 he tells them that they are to observe the ceremony every year during this month, adding that unleavened (unyeasted) bread is to be eaten for the first seven days.  Moses goes on to tell them that they are to pass this down from generation to generation, and (vs 10) "You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year".  Vss 11-13 Moses tells the people that when they have reached the promised land that they must immediately give over all the firstborn males of all humans and animals.  It is again stressed that the children are to be taught that all of this is done to celebrate the mighty hand of God taking Israel from bondage in Egypt to freedom in the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey.  {Again, it is not necessary to memorize all of these details, but it is important we realize how important it is to God that the Israelites will never forget Him delivering them from bondage and making the nation Israel.}

The next post will start with 13:17, and will begin the journey of the Israelites out of Egypt.