Justin Houtz

Exodus 12, Luke 18

DateVersionReading Plan
March 3, 2025ESV (2016)OT/NT Plan 2025 – 2027

Exodus 12

Observation

Exod 12:1 – “The exodus from Egypt is of such profound importance that the Israelite calendar is reoriented to it. The first month of the year will now be the month that Israel left Egypt, and the remaining months are numbered accordingly.” (FSB)

Exod. 12:3 – The lamb to be taken for the Passover was to be for the whole household

Exod. 12:4 – If the household was small and the lamb would be too much to eat, it could be shared with their nearest neighbor. The portioning of the lamb had to be done in such a way that “everyone had to eat meat and all the meat had to be eaten.” (Douglas Stuart, NAC).

Exod. 12:11 – The lamb was to eaten with belts fastened, sandals on feet and in great haste. It would be the meal directly prior to the exodus and the last meal they eat in Egypt.

Exod. 12:12 – The LORD would strike the firstborn of Egypt and execute judgments on their gods. “By the plagues God demonstrated his superiority to all the supposed other gods, and by demonstrating that superiority in connection with the supposed gods of the greatest economic-political-military power of the day, God showed his sovereignty, mutatis mutandis, over all the nations of the earth and their ‘gods’.” (NAC)

Exod. 12:15-20 – “Eating unleavened bread would remind the Israelites of their rapid departure from Egypt that did not allow time for a leavening agent to make the bread rise (v. 39). Those who ate leavened bread showed disdain for what the Lord had done in founding Israel as a nation and   p 107  were subject to either banishment (Nm 19:13) or the death penalty, which was meted out to intentionally defiant lawbreakers in Nm 15:22–31 and carried out by human or divine agency (Ex 31:14; Lv 20:1–24).” (CSB Notes)

Exod. 12:23 – The LORD indicates that there would be a “destroyer”. The NAC gives clarity on this figure by saying, “The ‘destroyer’ could be none other than the Angel of the Lord, revealed as the angel that causes death in such contexts as 2 Sam 24:16 and Isa 37:36. This angel directly represents God and is thus ‘the Angel Yahweh’—Yahweh manifesting himself in angelic form.”

Exod. 12:31-32 – Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron (their last interaction) and told them to go with all the people and livestock of Israel and serve the LORD as they had said. Concluding his address to Moses and Pharaoh was a request for blessing. The NAC provides some helpful insights on this request:

…the last time an Israelite blessed a pharaoh was when Jacob blessed the pharaoh whom Joseph served as prime minister (Gen 47:7, 10). That was the last recorded time in Moses’ story of the Israelites that the Egyptian king had accepted a blessing from an Israelite, an act that indicated appreciation and respect for the leader of the people who had come to live among the Egyptians. Now this pharaoh showed by his request that he had made the spiritual-psychological shift (however temporary it may in fact have been) to the same sort of position of respect and appreciation for the Israelites as that embodied in their leader. Moses now stood in relation to Pharaoh in the position that Jacob himself had once stood.

Exod. 12:42 – “It was a night of watching by the LORD” indicates the LORD’s close supervision over the exodus to fulfill what He had promised.

Application

It is necessary to meditate on the LORD’s oversight of the events surrounding the exodus. The precision of instruction given to Moses and Aaron in what the people were to do is worthy of our deep appreciation. Comprehensively, it displays God’s unmatched majesty, power and faithfulness to fulfill every promise. In response to what they were given to tell of future generations of the Passover, the people bowed their heads, worshiped and complied with what the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron. With what devotion to the LORD should we do likewise, remembering all that the LORD has done and striving in obedience to all He has commanded.

Luke 18

Observation

Luke 18:1-8 – “The widow’s persistence reflected faith that her request would be granted someday. Jesus calls on His followers to demonstrate this same kind of faith as they wait for His return.” (FSB)

Luke 18-28-30 – In response to the rejection of the young rich ruler and instruction of the difficulty of the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God, Peter spoke of how he and the other disciples left everything to follow Jesus. To this, Jesus told them that no one who has left all they have for the sake of the kingdom will not receive much more in this life and in the age to come eternal life. In this life, the sacrifice of family will result in receiving a much larger family, namely, the family of believers. As for the eternal reward, the BBC provides helpful clarification:

The latter part of verse 30 (and in the age to come eternal life) does not mean that eternal life is gained by forsaking all; rather it refers to increased capacity for enjoying the glories of heaven, plus increased rewards in the heavenly kingdom. It means “the full realization of the life that had been received at the time of conversion, i.e., life in its fulness.”

Application

The chapter is rich with teaching around how the humble will be exalted and riches that await those who sacrifice all for God and kingdom. By God’s grace and His Spirit’s work of regeneration, we given eyes to behold the treasure that is Christ and the blessed eternal dwelling with Him that is to come. What stems from this is the complete reestablishment of ultimate value and the ability to forsake everything for Him. May we see Him for who He is and that there is nothing in this world is more dear to us that our relationship with and obedience to Christ Jesus.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the great Deliverer and Restorer. By Your Spirit, help me to never grow weary in remembrance of who You are, what You have done, and that it may drive my unshakable desire to live for and abide in You.

Resources