Study Questions

Exodus 12:1-13

Today’s story makes us wonder about the justice and mercy of God. Remember, the Hebrews were enslaved for 430 years. Pharaoh murdered countless Jewish boys. The only reason that Moses survived the slaughter is because of the cleverness of his family and the sympathy of Pharaoh’s daughter. Today’s story reminds us that God gives ample opportunity to change our ways, but that ultimately he will judge the world.

1. If you could ask God to explain any tragedy in human history, what would you like to understand?
2. Which of those tragedies originate in human sin?

There were ten plagues of Egypt. Pharaoh had nine previous warnings to set God’s people free. That’s a lot of miraculous warnings!

1. First, the Nile turned from water to blood (Exodus 7:14-24).
2. The land was covered by frogs (Ex. 7:25-8:15).
3. People were covered by gnats. (Ex. 8:16-19).
4. There was a swarm of flies (Ex. 8:20-32).
5. The livestock got sick and died (Ex. 9:1-7).
6. The people were covered by boils (Ex. 9:8-12).
7. Egypt was rattled by thunder and hail (Ex. 9:13-35).
8. The land was covered by locusts (Ex. 10:1-20).
9. Darkness fell over the land of Egypt (Ex. 10:21-29).
10. The final plague: death of the firstborn (Ex. 11:1-10).

Some scholars suggest that the ten plagues correspond to natural disasters. Other scholars believe that the plagues demonstrate the inefficacy of the pantheon of the Egyptian gods. Some scholars argue that the plagues demonstrate the undoing of God’s creation as a result of the captivity of the Hebrews. All we know for certain is that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened with every miracle of God … until the death of his own son.

1. Have you ever known someone whose heart was hardened to God?
2. Have you ever know someone whose heart eventually softened and accepted the love of God?
3. How have you seen personal tragedy change a heart?

Exodus 12 is about fast food. Not McDonald’s, not Taco Time, but eating quickly because the Hebrews were going to escape from Egypt. God commanded the Hebrews to eat with their cloak tucked into their belt (so they could run quickly), their staff in their hands (awkward to say the least), and sandals on their feet. One explanation for eating fast food was that they Hebrews needed to be ready to go at a moment’s notice. Another explanation is that they ate in haste because they were eating in trepidation under the fear of the Almighty God.

1. What does this story tell you about the character of God?
2. Are you afraid of God’s anger?
3. Are you encouraged by God’s offer of grace?

Exodus 12 explains why the Jewish people celebrate Passover. This is an important story for Christians too. Every time we head to the communion table, we remember that Jesus celebrated the Passover meal right before heading to the cross. Jesus and the disciples only ate bread and wine at their Passover meal because Jesus is our Passover lamb. Only in English do we call the resurrection of Jesus Easter. The Swedes call it Pask; the Greeks call it Paskha; the Spanish call it Pascua, all words for Passover.

1. Why does it mean to you that Jesus is our Passover lamb?
2. Why do you think that Jesus described the Passover wine as his blood and the Passover bread as his body?
3. Why do you think Jesus had to spill his blood to save the world?
4. Did Jesus satisfy the wrath of God or is his sacrifice the ultimate gesture of divine love?

Anyone who put blood on her doorframe would be spared from judgment. Theoretically, any Hebrew could have invited his Egyptian neighbor to avail himself of the grace of God. My seminary professor Jim Bruckner writes about this story, “This was not a blood ritual that fended off an angry God. God’s grace had provided them with a sign of the Lord’s prevenient provision of protection in the midst of general judgment in the land” (New International Biblical Commentary: Exodus, p. 111). Anyone who accepted the grace of God would be safe.

1. How did Jesus extend the grace of God to the entire world by his sacrifice on the cross?
2. Which neighbor do you want to see covered by the grace of God?
3. How can you better demonstrate the sacrificial love of Jesus to people in your life?