In this week’s class presentation we are looking at the final plague known as the “Passover” along with the Israelites exodus from Egypt, culminating in one of the most epic events in Biblical history: The Red Sea Crossing. We will do this by covering answers for Exodus chapters 11-15 from last week’s homework. We will also focus on some of the skeptics’ questions about these events as part of our apologetics’ case-making, along with the all important emphasis on the foreshadowing of Jesus.

We are recommending that you watch Timothy Mahony’s “Patterns of Evidence” documentary series, specifically. the first one simply called “The Exodus” which will help us understand the debate in academia today over the dating and events of this time period. Each week’s class includes prayer, an “apologetics” presentation, a review of last week’s Bible study, and a homework assignment. You will also find the presentation notes, Bible study questions and additional resources below.

Watch this week’s class presentation here:

Overview Notes from the Presentation

Joseph to Moses: The Passover, the Exodus and the Red Sea Crossing – Exodus Chapter 1-15

Prayer and Reflection

Write out your prayer cards and exchange them at the end of the class.

Bible Knowledge Practice (answers can be found in the introduction session of this class):

1. What are the five categories of the Old Testament books in the Christian Bible and what are the 39 books of the Old Testament in each of those five categories? (Hint 5-12-5-5-12)

2. What are the “Major Historical Events” – the “Major Players” involved in those events – and the “Major Covenants” found in Genesis and Exodus?

3. What is the “Big Picture” of the Bible (12 points to remember)?

4. What are the (8) most important focus points to watch for when studying the Old Testament?

Read, or recite, the memory verses out loud with your group:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7 (NASB)
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NASB)

Review of last week’s Bible Study with Basic Answers: Exodus Chapters 11 – 15

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

Note: Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for Discussion or Going Deeper questions. If you use these kinds of sources share them with your group.

1. Review of Class Topic: Before getting into the Bible study questions, discuss today’s class presentation by summarizing what you learned, commenting or asking any questions.

Answers will vary…

Review of “Patterns of Evidence – The Exodus”

Evidence for the plagues and earlier dating of the Exodus

Tradition of commemorating the Exodus and Passover goes back generations from today to ancient times – Where did it come from, and with such detail, if not from original event
Ramses Steele has name of Israel inscribe on it from the 13^th century BC, indicating Israel was already a Nation and not enslaved at that time
Berlin Pedestal also states Israel as being a Nation at an earlier date than 13^th century BC
Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage describes…
- Central Egyptian power collapse due to plagues
- Poor becoming rich
- Slaves takes what he finds
- Gold, silver precious jewelry on the necks of female slaves
- Water equals misery; the river is blood, people die
- Gone is the barley of abundance
- Darkness plagues the land
- Plagues are everywhere
- Brothers bury. Brothers in the ground
- Wailing in the land

Skeptics say things like “we must remember these things pretend to be from an eyewitness report, but the Sage just imagined it

Read Exodus Chapters 11 through 15, then answer the following questions:

The last plague and the Passover; the Exodus; the Red Sea crossing; and Moses’ Song of Praise

2. (Exodus 11:1-10) In this chapter God sends one more plague on the Pharaoh and Egypt. As God describes the last plague to Moses, He tell Moses to have the people of Israel ask their Egyptian neighbors for supplies and possessions. What did God say to Abraham about this in Genesis 15:12-16? What did they later use all these things for (cross-reference Exodus 25:1-8)? What did God say, through Moses, would happen at about midnight, why, and how did the Pharaoh respond?

Going Deeper: Set up a chart of the “ten plagues” and in you headings include, 1) the type of plague; 2) the result of the plague; and 3) the Egyptian god(s) or idol represented in each plague (showing YHWH’s supremacy over all of the Egyptian gods and idols).

Going Even Deeper: Are there any similarities in these plagues with any of those found in the book of Revelation? (If so list them in your chart)

“Now the Lord said to Moses, “One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely. ²Speak now in the hearing of the people that each man ask from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor for articles of silver and articles of gold.” ³The Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Furthermore, the man Moses himself was greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people. ⁴Moses said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt, ⁵and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well. ⁶Moreover, there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again. ⁷But against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ ⁸All these your servants will come down to me and bow themselves before me, saying, ‘Go out, you and all the people who follow you,’ and after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. ⁹Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that My wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” ¹⁰Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh; yet the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land.” Exodus 11:1-10 (NASB)

Israel plunders the Egyptians

Note: Scholars observe that this “plundering” can also be seen as “wages paid” for the years the Israelites served Egypt for free.
In verse 2 God says to Moses, “Speak now in the hearing of the people that each man ask from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor for articles of silver and articles of gold.”
This was to fulfill the prophecy God gave to Abraham back in Genesis 15:13-14 “God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. . But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve and afterward they will come out with many ”
These items will eventually be used, at least in part, to build the Tabernacle while they are in the wilderness for forty years:

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution. This is the contribution which you are to raise from them: gold, silver and bronze, blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair, rams’ skins dyed red, porpoise skins, acacia wood, oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece. Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it. Exodus 25:1-8 (NASB)

God’s promise for midnight and Pharaoh’s response

Moses said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt, and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well. Moreover, there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again. But against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ Exodus 4:4-7 (NASB)
As God says prophetically, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that My wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”
In addition, all of the plagues had been designed to humiliate and disgrace the Egyptian gods, and specifically the worship of the Pharaoh and his firstborn – heir and successor to the throne, and ultimately the next god to be worshipped.

Going Deeper and Even Deeper, concerning the plagues

Plague and Effect	Egyptian God(s) defeated	Similarity to book of Revelation
1. Blood in the Nile River-Killed all of the fish -Damaged the water supply	Nile River Gods:Khnum (Guaardian of the Nile) Hapi (Spirit of the Nile) Osiris (Guardian of the underworld and the was his bloodstream) Sepek (Crocodile god) Neith (Lapes fish protector) Hathor (Chromis fish protector)	First and second trumpets and the two witnesses bring blood – Revelation 8:7-8 and 11:6
2. Hordes of Frogs-Covered the land inside and out	Hapi (Spirit of the Nile, also fertility. God associated the arrival of frogs) Heqt (Fertility god with head of a frog and body of a woman)	Frog-like demons released – Revelation 16:13
3. Swarms of gnats/lice/insects-Invaded the land -Infected both people and animals	Uatchit (Protector of swarming insects)Seb (Protector from lice)	Swarm of the plagues released by the two witnesses and “Every Plague” – Revelation 11:6
4. Swarms of Flies/Dogflies/Insects-Invaded the land -Bloodsucking flies that would infect both people and animals -Did not harm the Hebrews	Baalzebub (god of the flies and a name that often references Satan)	Swarm of the plagues released by the two witnesses and “Every Plague” –Revelation 11:6
5. Pestilence-Invaded the animals/livestock outside in the fields -Hebrew animals/livestock and those inside were not harmed	Apis (sacred bull kept out in the open)Mnevis (sacred bull of the king of the gods/sun god Ra) Hathor (cow goddess) Knom (ram-like god)	Fourth seal judgment – Revelation 6:7-8
6. Boils-Infected the people except for the Hebrews	Sekhmet (body of a woman, head of a lioness, the god over epidemics)Serapis (god of healing) Imhotep (god of medicine)	First bowl judgment – Revelation 16:2
7. Hail-Rained down on the land destroying all that was in the fields: Humans, animals and crops, except for the Hebrews	Shu (sky god and son of Ra)Nut (sky goddess) Seth (agricultural god) Isis (agricultural goddess)	First trumpet judgment and seventh bowl judgment – Revelation 8:7 and 16:17-21
8. Locust-Swarmed and destroyed everything the hail left behind, except for the Hebrews’ land	Seth (agricultural god)Isis (agricultural goddess)	Fifth trumpet judgment – Revelation 9:1-12
9. Darkness for three days-Covered the entire land except for the Hebrew people – so thick it could be felt	Ra (king of the gods/sun god)Thoth (moon god) Nut (sky goddess) – There were also many other “gods” related to the sky in this time period	Fifth bowl judgment – Revelation 16:10
10. The death of the firstborn-All the firstborn in the land of Egypt, including cattle -Only those who did as God said, and painted the blood of the lamb on their doorposts, were spared	Pharaoh (the ultimate god of the Egyptians, and his son would be known as a son of god)	The defeat of Satan – Revelation 20

3. (Exodus 12:1-13:2) In this section God prepares Israel for their quick departure from Egypt in the middle of the night known as the “Exodus.” What was the purpose of the “Passover Lamb,” what were God’s specific instructions concerning what the people were to do with the lamb and its blood, and why do you think this was important (12:1-28)? What then happened at midnight, and how did the Pharaoh respond (12:29-32)? God instituted the Passover for future generations, what were some of the regulations He placed on it, and what did He say about the firstborn (12:43-13:2)?

Discuss: After Pharaoh directed Moses and Aaron to depart from the land, who went out that night besides the people of Israel, and how might this affect the people’s obedience to God later on (12:38)?

Going Deeper: What foreshadowings/pictures of Jesus do you see in the “Passover” event? (Make a list)

“12 Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, ²“This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you. ³Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. ⁴Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb. ⁵Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. ⁶You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. ⁷Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. ⁸They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ⁹Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. ¹⁰And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire. ¹¹Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Lord’s Passover. ¹²For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the Lord. ¹³The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

Feast of Unleavened Bread

¹⁴‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance. ¹⁵Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. ¹⁶On the first day you shall have a holy assembly, and another holy assembly on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them, except what must be eaten by every person, that alone may be prepared by you. ¹⁷You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent ordinance. ¹⁸In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. ¹⁹Seven days there shall be no leaven found in your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is an alien or a native of the land. ²⁰You shall not eat anything leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’” ²¹Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb. ²²You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning.

A Memorial of Redemption

²³For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you. ²⁴And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever. ²⁵When you enter the land which the Lord will give you, as He has promised, you shall observe this rite. ²⁶And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’ ²⁷you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the Lord who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’” And the people bowed low and worshiped. ²⁸Then the sons of Israel went and did so; just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. ²⁹Now it came about at midnight that the Lord struck 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 cattle. ³⁰Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead. ³¹Then he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the Lord, as you have said. ³²Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go, and bless me also.”

Exodus of Israel

³³The Egyptians urged the people, to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, “We will all be dead.” ³⁴So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls bound up in the clothes on their shoulders. ³⁵Now the sons of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, for they had requested from the Egyptians articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; ³⁶and the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have their request. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. ³⁷Now the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children. ³⁸A mixed multitude also went up with them, along with flocks and herds, a very large number of livestock. ³⁹They baked the dough which they had brought out of Egypt into cakes of unleavened bread. For it had not become leavened, since they were driven out of Egypt and could not delay, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves. ⁴⁰Now the time that the sons of Israel lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. ⁴¹And at the end of four hundred and thirty years, to the very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.

Ordinance of the Passover

⁴²It is a night to be observed for the Lord for having brought them out from the land of Egypt; this night is for the Lord, to be observed by all the sons of Israel throughout their generations.

⁴³The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: no foreigner is to eat of it; ⁴⁴but every man’s slave purchased with money, after you have circumcised him, then he may eat of it. ⁴⁵A sojourner or a hired servant shall not eat of it. ⁴⁶It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, nor are you to break any bone of it. ⁴⁷All the congregation of Israel are to celebrate this. ⁴⁸But if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. ⁴⁹The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you.” ⁵⁰Then all the sons of Israel did so; they did just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. ⁵¹And on that same day the Lord brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.

13 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.”” Exodus 12:1 – 13:2 (NASB)

The Importance of the Passover Lamb

The lamb was to be a perfect and innocent sacrifice
The lamb was to be kept in the house alive for 3 full days on the fourth day it was to be killed
They were to put some of its blood on their doors, specifically the lintel and the two doorposts, so that God would have the destroyer “pass over” that house
They were to roast and eat the lamb that same night, and burn any of the leftovers
They were to eat it “dressed and ready to flee”

This was all so important for several reasons:

Ultimately it foreshadowed Jesus and His sacrifice for us all
The details were specific, and had purpose under God’s direction, especially the “saving” of the firstborn to the families that followed His instructions
These details were to be followed for generations to come; God said forever (and it is)
The Exodus required quickness and timing before Pharaoh changed his mind (and he did)
There are many times in the Old Testament (227 times in the NASB), God tells the people of Israel to “remember,” and Jesus gives us a similar command in the New Testament (to remember Him), and we should ask ourselves: How important is it for us as Christians today to use this same principle of “remembrance” with our children and neighbors?

What happened at midnight, and the Pharaoh’s response?

Just as the LORD had said: “Now it came about at midnight that the Lord struck 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 cattle. ³⁰Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead. ³¹Then he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the Lord, as you have said. ³²Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go, and bless me also.”

God’s ordinances concerning the Passover

Including the directions for the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” God also gave specific instructions for how to observe the Passover for generations to come (and they still follow it to this day):

⁴²It is a night to be observed for the Lord for having brought them out from the land of Egypt; this night is for the Lord, to be observed by all the sons of Israel throughout their generations.

⁴³The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: no foreigner is to eat of it; ⁴⁴but every man’s slave purchased with money, after you have circumcised him, then he may eat of it. ⁴⁵A sojourner or a hired servant shall not eat of it. ⁴⁶It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, nor are you to break any bone of it. ⁴⁷All the congregation of Israel are to celebrate this. ⁴⁸But if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. ⁴⁹The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you. 13Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.””

The importance of the sanctifying every firstborn from this point on:
It served as a reminder of how God had spared their firstborn sons from death and freed them from slavery
It showed God’s high respect for human life in contrast to the pagan gods who, their worshippers believed, demanded human sacrifice (death)
It looked forward to the day when Messiah (Jesus) would buy us back by paying the price for our sins

Discuss: The implications of a “mixed multitude”

³⁷Now the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children. ³⁸A mixed multitude also went up with them, along with flocks and herds, a very large number of livestock.

This mixed multitude could have been Egyptians and others (there were other people in Egypt, probably in servitude) who were drawn to the Hebrews by God’s mighty works.
This mixed multitude will most likely be influential concerning “the grumbling, trouble and rebellion” by the people against Moses later on, including the inclination to return to Egypt.

The Foreshadowing of Jesus in this event

The importance of the Firstborn: God says to Moses in 13:3 “Sanctify to Me every first born, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.” Jesus was also God’s firstborn, and the firstborn of those resurrected from the dead (Colossians 1:8 and Revelation 1:5).
The importance of the shedding of blood: Blood is where the life is (today we know it is where the DNA is!).
Adam and Eve were told that if they ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would die, and the only way we can be redeemed (from the Fall) is by the shedding of the blood of an innocent that Jesus ultimately fulfills
The representation of the purity (without blemish) of the sacrificial lamb pictures Jesus’ sinlessness which made Him the perfect sacrificial lamb for all, forever.
The crucifixion happened on the Passover – Christ is the final Passover Lamb
The requirement was given for the lamb to live with the family and become part of the family, and then they had to kill it – the pain of losing something/someone close represents what God lost at the crucifixion of His Son – the giving of life to save a life. “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.” Zechariah 12:10 (NASB)
Exodus 12:46 and Numbers 9:12 tells us that when they eat of the Passover, they cannot break any of the lamb’s bones, and Psalm 34:20 prophesizes this fulfillment in Christ: “He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken.”

Extra: The seder (Hebrew for order) – each food is symbolic for an aspect of Passover:

A roasted shank bone represents the Pescah (lamb) sacrifice (As a mark of respect for the memory of the temple sacrifices, the eating of a whole roasted lamb on Passover is forbidden by the code of Jewish law called Shulhan Arukh, which was first printed in Venice in 1565; Jews who strictly interpret this rule will not eat roasted meat or poultry of any kind for their seder).
An egg represents spring and the circle of life.
Bitter herbs represent the bitterness of slavery.
Haroset (an applesauce-like mixture with wine, nuts, apples, etc.) represents the mortar used by the Jews in Egypt.
Karpas (or greens, often parsley) to represent spring.
Three pieces of matzah — a cracker-like unleavened bread — that represent the bread the Israelites took with them when they fled Egypt.
Salt water to represent the tears of the slaves.
The Torah commands that (at least) four symbolic cups of wine be consumed during the Passover seder.
One extra kiddish cup at the table for the prophet Elijah whose spirit visits on Passover.
On the chairs, there may be pillows because on Passover you are supposed to recline at the table as a symbol of being free.
There is a specific section of the Seder called the four questions, where the youngest person at the table asks about the different Passover symbols and the elders explain – (remembrance).
Not featured during the meal are leavened foods made of grain known as “chametz” which is prohibited during Passover.

The meal’s menu will differ depending on family tradition. Traditional dishes include matzo ball soup, gefilte fish, beef brisket, chicken and potatoes.

4. (Exodus 13:3 through 14:31) In these chapters we find Israel fleeing Egypt as the Egyptians were mourning and burying their dead, and God demonstrates His sovereign power over His Creation in one of the most epic events in all of Scripture. What was the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” and what was its purpose (13:3-16)? Moses writes of a specific path that the Israelites took. Where did the Israelites end up camping, and why did God lead them that way (13:17-22)?

Discuss: Summarize the story of the parting of the Red Sea; include why the people were grumbling, Moses’ conversation with God, and what ultimately happened to the Egyptian army.

“³Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place. And nothing leavened shall be eaten. ⁴On this day in the month of Abib, you are about to go forth. ⁵It shall be when the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall observe this rite in this month. ⁶For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. ⁷Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen among you, nor shall any leaven be seen among you in all your borders. ⁸You shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ ⁹And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt. ¹⁰Therefore, you shall keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year. ¹¹“Now when the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, ¹²you shall devote to the Lord the first offspring of every womb, and the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to the Lord. ¹³But every first offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. ¹⁴And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. ¹⁵It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ ¹⁶So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and as phylacteries on your forehead, for with a powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

God Leads the People

¹⁷Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” ¹⁸Hence God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up in martial array from the land of Egypt. ¹⁹Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you.” ²⁰Then they set out from Succoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness. ²¹The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. ²²He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

14 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea. ³For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ ⁴Thus I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” And they did so. ⁵When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” ⁶So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; ⁷and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. ⁸The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly. ⁹Then the Egyptians chased after them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

¹⁰As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. ¹¹Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? ¹²Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

The Sea Is Divided

¹³But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. ¹⁴The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”

¹⁵Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. ¹⁶As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. ¹⁷As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. ¹⁸Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.” ¹⁹The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. ²⁰So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.

²¹Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided. ²²The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. ²³Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. ²⁴At the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion. ²⁵He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.” ²⁶Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.” ²⁷So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. ²⁸The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen,ev en Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained. ²⁹But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. ³⁰Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. ³¹When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.” Exodus 13:3-14:31 (NASB)

Feast of Unleavened Bread and its importance

^“6For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. ⁷Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen among you, nor shall any leaven be seen among you in all your borders. ⁸You shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt”

It commemorates the LORD bringing His people out of Israel
It was to be a memorial feast to celebrate God saving them, and bringing them out from bondage
It was to be remembered, and celebrated, through the generations (v.24 forever) by following specific guidelines.
It was a way of connecting, and remembering, the importance of the Passover as it is related to the Exodus.

The Path to the Red Sea, and why they took it

“Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.”” Exodus 13:17
Specifically lead the Israelites a different way, ultimately to display His glory and power as the one true God over all, in the most epic event in Israel’s history: The Red Sea Crossing
The specific path has now been a guide to Archeologists and historians as they attempt to identify the location of both the crossing and Mount Sinai
The Path: around by the way of the wilderness; from Succoth they went and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness; then they “turned back” and camped before Pihahirot, between Migdo and the sea in front of Baal-zephon.

“For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ Thus I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” And they did so”. When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly. Then the Egyptians chased after them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

Exodus 14:1-9 (NASB)

The story of the parting of the Red Sea, and why the people were grumbling, Moses’ conversation with God, and what ultimately happened to the Egyptian army.

The people began to grumble saying to Moses “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 14:11-12 (NASB)
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.” 14:15-18 (NASB)
“The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. At the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion. He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained. But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 14:22-29 (NASB)

5. (Exodus 15:1-27) In this chapter we find Moses, Miriam and the people of Israel singing songs. What type of songs did they sing, and what are some specific things said in these songs that characterize them? Is there any evidence in these songs for the type of water crossing they made and the way the Egyptian army met their final demise? Where did Israel go from the Red Sea, what happened along the way and what did God promise them if they would be obedient to Him?

Discuss: Why is praise important as part of our regular prayer, even when things in life seem difficult?

Going Deeper: Define the meaning of the word miracle. How do we view miracles in the Bible – do they have a specific purpose or are they just random acts of God’s power?

“15 Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and said, “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. ²“The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him. ³“The Lord is a warrior; The Lord is His name. ⁴“Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea. ⁵“The deeps cover them; They went down into the depths like a stone. ⁶“Your right hand, O Lord, is majestic in power, Your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy. ⁷“And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You; You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff. ⁸“At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up, The flowing waters stood up like a heap; The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea. ⁹“The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be gratified against them; I will draw out my sword, my hand will destroy them.’ ¹⁰“You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters. ¹¹“Who is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders? ¹²“You stretched out Your right hand, The earth swallowed them. ¹³“In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation. ¹⁴“The peoples have heard, they tremble; Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia. ¹⁵“Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed; The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. ¹⁶“Terror and dread fall upon them; By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone; Until Your people pass over, O Lord, Until the people pass over whom You have purchased. ¹⁷“You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, The place, O Lord, which You have made for Your dwelling, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established. ¹⁸“The Lord shall reign forever and ever.” ¹⁹For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea. ²⁰Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. ²¹Miriam answered them, “Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”

The Lord Provides Water

²²Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. ²³When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah. ²⁴So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” ²⁵Then he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet.

There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them. ²⁶And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.” ²⁷Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.” Exodus 15:1-27 (NASB)

Moses, Miriam and the people sing to the LORD

This is a praise and worship song as evidenced by the use of the word praise, and by the use of terms like:

I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted
The Lord is my strength and song
He has become my salvation
This is my God, and I will praise Him
My father’s God, and I will extol Him
Your right hand, O Lord, is majestic in power
The greatness of Your excellence
Majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders
In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed
In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation

Water crossing evidence, and the Egyptians’ final demise

1 – The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea
4 – Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea
5 – The deeps cover them; They went down into the depths like a stone
8 – At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up, The flowing waters stood up like a heap; The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea
10 – You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters
12 – You stretched out Your right hand, The earth swallowed them
19 – For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and the LORD brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea

Where Israel went from the Red Sea, and what happened along the way, including God’s promise if they would be obedient to Him

They went out into the wilderness of Shur; and went three days in the wilderness and found no water
When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters for they were bitter, and the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”
Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet.
God said to the people: “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.” (Note: The people will not do what is right within one generation)
Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.

Discuss: Why is praise important as part of our regular prayer?

Praise takes our eyes off ourself and puts them on God
Praise reminds us of God’s hesed and all that He does for us each day
Praise helps us keep in mind God’s presence, even through tough times
Praise helps us remember what Jesus sacrificed for us
Praise focuses us on our hope for the future, remembering this life is temporal, eternity forever – this is our goal

From gotquestions.org:

The book of Psalms is the praise book of the Bible, and it gives us hundreds of reasons why praise is important, as well as examples of how to give praise to God. In examining those reasons and examples, one thing becomes clear. “It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High…” (Psalm 92:1). Praise is a good thing. That means it is pleasant, valuable, and morally excellent. Psalm 147:1 tells us that praise is beautiful and agreeable.

When we consider the reasons why we should praise God, we find a list of His attributes. He is full of glory (Psalm 138:5), great (Psalm 145:3), wise and powerful (Daniel 2:20), good (Psalm 107:8), merciful and faithful (Psalm 89:1), and much more. This list of attributes is complemented by a list of His wonderful works. He is the One who saves us (Psalm 18:46), keeps His promises (1 Kings 8:56), pardons sin (Psalm 103:1-3), and gives us our daily food (Psalm 136:25). To try to list all the things God has done is impossible, but it is a wonderful exercise because it turns our hearts back to Him and keeps us mindful of how much we owe to Him. (Psalm 148:1-10) tells us that all of creation is commanded to give praise to God. When Jesus was entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, great crowds gathered and offered Him their praises. The Pharisees wanted Him to rebuke the people, but Jesus answered, “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40 KJV).

Though there are many people who choose not to praise God right now, there is coming a day in which every knee will bow and every tongue will confess the praises of God (Philippians 2:10-11). Some will joyfully give those praises because of the salvation they have received, while some will give those praises as conquered enemies headed for eternal punishment for their rejection of God. Praise is a vital part of a life surrendered to God, and it gives credit where credit is due. “O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8 KJV).

Going Deeper: Miracles

“A miracle is something which would never have happened had nature, as it were, been left to its own devices.” -Antony Flew (former atheist)

Dictionary definition for the word miracle:

“A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.”

Miracles can be described as…

“Special acts of God that interrupt the normal course of events.”

In contrast, natural laws are laws that have been instituted by the Creator and the Creator can manipulate these laws to point His Creation towards Him and His purpose.
Natural laws are only descriptive of what God has set in motion, not prescriptive of what must always happen.
Natural laws describe what happens regularly by means of natural causes, whereas miracles describe what happens rarely by means of supernatural causes.

Biblical Miracles are…

Divine acts that are supernatural occurrences.
They happen rarely and are outside the realm of natural explanations.
They never fail and they always give glory to God, pointing to who He is.
Biblical Examples: Raising the dead, parting the sea or walking on water.

Bible Study

Each week, we will have Bible study following the presentation. There will be questions presented here on the weekend, and basic answers will be part of the next presentation. This can also be used to make a leader’s guide for your own small group and future studies!

Note: Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for Discussion or Going Deeper questions. If you use these kinds of sources share them with your group.

1. Review of Class Topic: Before getting into the Bible study questions, discuss today’s class presentation by summarizing what you learned, commenting or asking any questions.

Read Exodus Chapters 16 through 20, then answer the following questions:

Complaints and the Lord provides; Jethro and Moses; Israel at Sinai; The Ten Commandments

2. (Exodus 16:1-35) In this chapter we find the Israelites in the wilderness after the miraculous Red Sea crossing, and problems have begun. What was the next thing the people complained about after God, through Moses, made the bitter water sweet, and specifically, what did they say in 16:3? How did God respond to the people’s complaint (what did He say and do)? What does the word “manna” mean, what could the people do with it, and what happened to the manna when the people did not follow God’s command? What did Moses and Aaron do with some of the manna, and why?

Discuss: What was the purpose of the Sabbath day instituted by God (16:22-31)? How do Christian view the Sabbath today, and why?

3. (Exodus 17:1-16) Here we find the people quarreling again with Moses, and we get an introduction to Joshua. What were they upset about this time, and what did God have Moses do? Who did Israel battle against and what did Moses have to do in order for Joshua and the Israelites to prevail? Do you see a picture (foreshadow) of Jesus in this event, if so, describe what you observe?

Discuss: What thoughts do you have about the people’s true commitment and belief in God, and how might that relate to “church-goers” today?

4. (Exodus 18:1 through 19:25) In this section Moses gets some good advice from another person, and he also meets with God on Mount Sinai. Who came to visit Moses from Midian, and what do we know about them (18:1-7)? What advice was given to Moses, why and by whom (18:8-27)? On Mount Sinai, what did God tell Moses to say to the people, and how did the people respond (19:1-8)?

Discuss: What happened in the narrative that shows us the people did not understand the importance of who God is, and His complete authority and holiness (19:9-25)?

5. (Exodus 20:1-26) In this chapter we begin to learn about “the Law of God” given to Moses, and specifically the Ten Commandments. Make a list, or chart, that highlights each of the Ten Commandments and discuss them with your group. The people experienced thunder and lightning when God spoke, and they trembled, so God had to again speak through Moses. What part(s) of the Ten Commandments did God reemphasize, what did He require them to do and why?

Going Really Deep (optional): Do a word study on the meaning of each of the commandments, for example “You shall not murder” – How is the word murder defined in English and in the Hebrew? Note: There may be more than one word you would like to research in each commandment, or you may want to just select a few of the commandments for your research.

Join us next week as we continue our “Case for the Old Testament, Joseph to Moses!”

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15