“Go, Worship The LORD”

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 prisoner who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his officials and all the Egyptians; and there was a loud cry in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead. Then he summoned Moses and Aaron in the night, and said, “Rise up, go away from my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD, as you said. Take your flocks and your herds, as you said, and be gone. And bring a blessing on me too!”

The Egyptians urged the people to hasten their departure from the land, for they said, “We shall all be dead.” So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls wrapped up in their cloaks on their shoulders. The Israelites had done as Moses told them; they had asked the Egyptians for jewelry of silver and gold, and for clothing, and the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. And so they plundered the Egyptians.

The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. A mixed crowd also went up with them, and livestock in great numbers, both flocks and herds. They baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt; it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.

The time that the Israelites had lived in Egypt was four hundred thirty years. At the end of four hundred thirty years, on that very day, all the companies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. That same night is a vigil to be kept for the LORD by all the Israelites throughout their generations.

Exodus 12:29-42

God got the attention of Pharaoh and the Egyptians with a series of plagues. Now the Egyptians wanted to be rid of the Israelites. God had brought on the death of every living first born. Not only did the Israelites leave but they took gold and silver from the Egyptians, enough to make up for the four hundred and thirty years of captivity. But even after all of the ways God showed His power, the Israelites reverted to idolatry. We have to ask ourselves the same kind of questions today and make sure we don’t revert to idolatry.

Are we using our material blessings to serve the Lord?

Or have we become slaves to them?

Gold can be a helpful servant but a cruel master.

Our Daily Bread – November 10, 2005