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And the Lord said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether.
Then Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again.
But the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not heed you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.
And it came to pass 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 livestock. So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the Lord as you have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.”
—From Exodus 11; 12:21–32 (NKJV)

Meditation

First all the waters in the land of Egypt turned to blood, from the great river Nile to water in Pharaoh’s wash basin. Then a carpet of frogs crawled and hopped out of the water. Next, a fine mist of gnats invaded every nostril, every blinking eye, only to be replaced by buzzing, biting flies. Following the insects, every herdsman watched his flocks suffer from a terrible disease, and just as that plague was lifted, he and his family were covered in swollen boils. As their scabs healed, lightning and hail decimated the early crops, and, as if Pharaoh hoped the later crops would be saved, locusts covered the land like a cloud and stripped it of everything green. Finally an unearthly darkness fell across the land, yet through all these trials and judgments, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.

Until the final, most horrible plague.

“Death passed over those homes, and so sacrifice, like a scarlet thread, weaves again into Scripture.”

We may know this story already, the story of God’s Passover, where the blood of a slaughtered lamb kept the Angel of Death from visiting the worst and final plague onto the people of Israel. The firstborn in every household would be struck down, unless blood marked the doorposts. Death passed over those homes, and so sacrifice, like a scarlet thread, weaves again into Scripture.

That first Passover meal or Seder is still celebrated today, and in its many traditions, one should be very interesting to Christians—the hiding of the afikomen. Beneath the seder plate (a ceremonial plate with items reminiscent of the suffering in Egypt), is a stack of three matzah or unleavened bread. During the celebration, the middle piece is removed, broken in two, and part of it is wrapped in cloth. Usually it is hidden for the children to search for as the evening continues. The child who finds the afikomen receives money or a prize.

We may also be familiar with the last supper of Jesus, the final meal he enjoyed with his disciples before his arrest and crucifixion. According to the Bible, at one point in the meal he took a piece of bread and broke it in three. He then said, “This is my body, broken for you.”

Of the three persons of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, it is the second person, the Son who came to earth in human form. He was wrapped in cloths in a manger and later, when He was broken in body, wrapped in grave clothes and hidden away in a tomb.

The reward for all who find Him?

The gift of once again walking with God, unashamed and in a new heaven and earth.

Inspiration

Jews Crossing the Red Sea

Hans Jordaens III, 1595–1643. Water of judgment and water of salvation in one miraculous event.

Music

Enjoy Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, born to set His people free.

While not technically a Christmas song, Go Down, Moses powerfully illustrates the need of the people for rescue.

Visit our Joy of Advent YouTube playlist for featured videos, our Ultimate Christmas playlist for all our favorite carols, or our sing-along carols to enjoy karaoke style.

Reflection

Moses didn’t want to be God’s chosen prophet (Ex. 3–4:17). When God announced (from a burning bush) that Moses would be His hands, feet, and mouth, Moses had a litany of objections. “What will I say?” “They won’t listen to me.” “I can’t speak well.” “Lord, please send someone else!” The Lord’s anger was kindled, but not with punishment—because God knows our weaknesses better than we do. Instead He sent Moses’s brother Aaron to go with Moses, but not instead of him. Reflect on something God has asked you to be or do that wasn’t in your plan—or comfort zone. Do you face a call to action now? What (or who) could God send to you as an encourager?

Prayer

Wash away the old leaven that we may be fresh, new dough. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.  Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with leaven of vice and malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of purity, nobility, honor, sincerity and truth. Amen.

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 5)

Family Celebration

A door with a red-painted frame reminds us of the lamb’s blood that saved God’s people.

In your child’s favorite Children’s Bible, read the story of the 10 Plagues and Exodus.

Say: Even after all the plagues—bugs and blood and sickness—Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, wouldn’t let Moses take his people out in the desert to pray. If your bathwater turned red, or grasshoppers covered everything in the house, or it was so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face, would you doubt God? God had one final plague—He would take the firstborn from every house. That’s why our symbol today is a doorpost painted with blood. God passed over any house with a painted door. That sacrifice, like Jesus’s sacrifice many years later, would save people from death.

Especially for Toddlers and PreK

Resources

Host a Christian Passover Seder using this guide.
The animated film, The Prince of Egypt, is incredibly moving and entertaining.
Enjoy printable coloring pages of Passover and Moses's life.
Would you like to make Jesse Tree ornaments to accompany your readings? Find tutorials and ideas from simple to advanced at our Jesse Tree Ornaments Pinterest board.