The Story of the Passover

Transcript:

Moses and Aaron went and did exactly as God told them. But Pharaoh hardened his heart towards the people and increased their burdens. He didn't let the Hebrews go in spite of the miracles that Moses did.

So God started striking Egypt with one plague after another to force the Pharaoh to let go his people go. Like the plagues of the frogs, flies, boils, hail, locusts, and three days of darkness. Sometimes Pharaoh would promise to let the people go, but after a plague passed he went back on his word and hardened his heart even more.

After the ninth plague, God said to Moses, “I will strike Pharaoh with one last plague which will force him to let you out of Egypt.” Moses went to Pharaoh and warned him saying, “The Lord says, 'Tonight at midnight I will pass over Egypt and at that time every firstborn male of the Egyptian’s will die, starting with your firstborn, to the firstborn of the maid in your palace, and also the firstborn of the animals will die. As for the Hebrews, none of that will befall them.'” Paraoh refused to listen to Moses.

God said to Moses, “I want you to tell all the Hebrew families to choose a sheep that is a year old and without any defects. And on the fourteenth day of the month, sacrifice him at sunset. Take some of his blood and put it on your doors, on the top and on both sides.

On that night, I will come through and kill every firstborn of the people and animals. I will bring my judgment on all the gods of Egypt. As for you, the blood on the doors will be the sign that will differentiate you from the Egyptians. And when I see the blood, I will pass over and will not bring down my destruction on you as on Egypt. That day will become a day to celebrate in all of your generations.”

In the middle of the night, it happened exactly like God said. The firstborn of Pharaoh, as well as the firstborn of all the families and animals died. On that night, there arose desperate cries and wailings, such as never happened before. At that time, Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Take your people and all your belongings and go out quickly from Egypt.”

That’s how God saved the people from the slavery of Egypt like he promised and got them out so they could worship him freely in the land that he promised them.

The first nine plagues were God’s warnings to Pharaoh to let the people go. What is the difference between them and the last plague? What does that teach us about God’s patience and its limits? What was the means that God provided the Hebrews to rescue them from death? What responsibility did they have in their rescue?