头胎的被杀 Death of Firstborn
Remember these points
I put these points at the top of my sermon-prep template to remind myself every week:
- Show that main point of passage relates to Jesus and his saving work
- (1 Cor 1:18) A truly gospel-centred message will not be acceptable in a synagogue or mosque
- Did I proclaim the gospel as the headline news of the sermon, rather than as a “by the way…”?
- Unbelievers are called to repent, believe, and be saved
- Believers are encouraged to abandon their old self, renew their minds, put on the new self in Christ
- Preach simple sermons, so that God’s people can see Christ more clearly and love him more dearly
News
Our Christmas Pageant will take place on Sunday 24 Dec 2024, immediately after worship. After the pageant, we’ll have our annual Christmas potluck.
This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is the Christmas season, consecutive four Sundays ending at Christmas. Many churches or denominations observe it, some more so than others. You can read the Wikipedia article here. For the adventurous, you can read the article in Chinese!
Hook
Would you ask for blessing from other gods?
- Would you ever consider asking a non-Christian (maybe a Buddhist, or a Muslim, etc.) to bless you?
- Has any non-Christian ever asked you to bless them or to say a prayer for them?
- If a non-Christian does ask you for prayer or blessing, what would you do?
- How do most people understand “blessing from God”?
YHWH knows if a house is Israelite, so why is the lamb’s blood needed on the doorframe?
YHWH is stopped by the blood on the doorframe, as in Exo 12:13 “我一见这血，就越过你们.”
YHWH knows who’s in each house, so technically there’s no need for him to see the blood.
Who’s the blood for?
For the Israelites!
YHWH don’t need the blood, it’s for the Israelites. For them to follow God’s instructions and have faith that by doing so, they will be spared.
It’s a sign of faith. It’s faith that saved them from God’s wrath.
Passage
Exodus 12:29–32 ESV
At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead. Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said. Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!”
Section 1 都杀了 All struck down
Passage
The killing happened at midnight. Remember they slaughtered the Passover lamb at dusk, sundown (round about 18:00 or so). They then had the Passover meal, all dressed and ready to go.
Everyone in Egypt who didn’t apply the Passover lamb’s blood on their door will suffer the death of their firstborn. Moses recorded that everyone in Egypt, from the highest person in the land, to the lowest of the low, the person held in prison, would be affected. Even the livestock are affected.
Lessons
Section 2 有大哀号 There was a great cry
Passage
It’s no wonder that there’s a great cry in Egypt. Imagine losing your firstborn? How would you feel?
In those days, it’s common for an extended family to live together in one house, or in several houses in close proximity to each other. So it’s quite likely that there will be at least one firstborn (human and livestock) in each house. It’d be an exception that a house didn’t experience death.
Death also happened in Israelite homes. Who died?
The Passover lamb! The lamb died instead of the firstborn in that home. Remember they selected the lamb on the 10th of the month, and brought it into their home and kept it until the 14th. So the lamb is almost like part of the family during that week.
When the lamb was killed, it took the place of the firstborn.
Lessons
Section 3 去事奉耶和华吧 Go, serve the LORD
Passage
Humiliation for Pharaoh
Pharaoh said earlier (in Exo 10:28) that he doesn’t want to see Moses again. But now, Pharaoh and all his servants summoned Moses and Aaron, in the middle of the night at that. This is a very humiliating move by Pharaoh. No king (or god) holds audience in the middle of the night. Shows how much this is affecting Pharaoh and Egypt.
God also told Moses (back in Exo 11:8) that Pharaoh’s servants will bow down to YHWH. This is happening now.
Sons of Israel
以色列人 (ESV has “the people of Israel,” other English translations might say “the Israelites”) translates בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (bene yis-ra-el), literally “sons of Israel.” This is the first time Pharaoh called them Israelites. It shows that for the first time, he recognises the Israelites as a people.
Pharaoh also said “from among my people.” He’s making a distinction between Egyptians (his people) and the Israelites. It’s almost like seeing the Israelites as no longer belonging to him (no longer his slaves and property).
Pharaoh can barely speak
Notice Pharaoh can barely speak. It’s not as obvious in Chinese or English, but it’s clear in Hebrew. In Chinese, in Exo 12:31, when Pharoah first spoke to Moses and Aaron after summoning them, he said:
起来连你们带以色列人从我民中出去 (16 words in all)
In the ESV, it’s
Up go out from among my people both you and the people of Israel and go (ESV, 16 words also)
In the original Hebrew
ק֤וּמוּ צְּאוּ֙ מִתֹּ֣וךְ עַמִּ֔י גַּם־אַתֶּ֖ם גַּם־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּלְכ֛וּ (BHS[1]Elliger, K., W. Rudolph and Gérard E. Weil. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Electronic ed. Stuttgart: German Bible Society, 2003. It’s based on the Leningrad Codex B19A, the oldest dated … Continue reading, 8 words)
Pharaoh’s speech was very abrupt (Exo 12:31–32), using a whole string of imperative verbs: “get up,” “go,” “go, serve,” “take,” “be gone.” The abrupt imperatives shows how agitated he was; he can’t even speak a full sentence!
Lessons
Section 4 依你们所说的 As you have said
Passage
No compromise
Pharaoh gave in to all of YHWH’s original demands. Pharaoh tried many times to negotiate with God, but God never compromised.
Plan of salvation also has no compromise
This is the same with salvation. God gave us the only way to salvation: faith in his son Jesus Christ. There is no other way, there is no compromise.
Throughout the ages, people have tried to come up with salvation on their own terms, but God gave the only way to salvation: believe in Jesus Christ as saviour. There is no other way.
The truth is the truth
Truth is the truth, whether you believe it or not. Many people say, “Jesus sounds good, but it’s not for me. I don’t believe him.” But it doesn’t work that way. Jesus is the son of God, whether you believe him or not. Whether you believe it or not, Jesus will one day judge the whole world, and if you don’t put your faith in him, you’ll face the horrible wrath of God. This will happen because it’s the truth, and the truth remains the truth even if you don’t believe it.
Lessons
Section 5 为我祝福 And bless me also
Passage
Do you think Pharaoh has repented? Did he now believe in YHWH?
He didn’t repent (as we’ll see later in Exo 14:5–7). He wanted God’s blessing “without ever turning to him in faith and repentance.”[2]John D. Currid, A Study Commentary on Exodus, 2 vols. (Auburn, MA: Evangelical Press USA, 2000), 1:257. He is quoted in NIVAC.
Many have the wrong idea of what it means to be blessed by God. They think it means a long and prosperous life, no illnesses, good job, good marriage, obedient children, excellent grades in school, able to attend an Ivy League school, etc. God can certainly give us these things, but the true blessing is salvation from God.
During the Exodus, blessings came to those who trusted in the blood of the lamb. Today, when we believe in Jesus, we’re then able to serve God, and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and live a life that pleases him. This is the true blessings of God.
If you don’t come to God through faith in Jesus Christ, God will not bless you.
Lessons
So what?
- Israel can finally leave! God’s promises will never fail.
When did God promise them that they will leave Egypt? Way back in Genesis (Gen 15:13–16, slide 53). - In his entire lifetime, Abraham never saw God’s promise coming true.
God’s blessings and promise are not necessarily for this life. But we can sure that we will have blessing, and that all his promises to us (as seen in Scripture) will come true (just look at Revelation). - What saved the Israelites?
Their faith in God! They must believe and follow God’s word. - Knowing God’s word (the Bible) is good, but we need to have the corresponding behaviour; we need to do God’s word. (James 2:20)
- Jesus Christ is God’s firstborn.
- Jesus died for our sins, allowing us to have the ultimate exodus: The exodus from sin’s grip on us.
Communion
Notes
| ↑1 | Elliger, K., W. Rudolph and Gérard E. Weil. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Electronic ed. Stuttgart: German Bible Society, 2003. It’s based on the Leningrad Codex B19A, the oldest dated manuscript of the complete Hebrew Bible |
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| ↑2 | John D. Currid, A Study Commentary on Exodus, 2 vols. (Auburn, MA: Evangelical Press USA, 2000), 1:257. He is quoted in NIVAC. |