Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Exodus

Exodus 
Day 
Day 96

"That they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God." Psalm 78:7

Text: Exodus 12 : 40-45, 50

THE YEARS OF SOJOURN IN EGYPT

The sojourn of the children in Egypt may be traced directly to Joseph, the penultimate son of Jacob the patriarch. He literally saved the lives of his family members from a very severe famine that had hit Egypt and the surrounding regions. Joseph invited his whole family to stay in Egypt with him. The Pharaoh then graciously gave to them the land of Goshen (Cf. Genesis 46)! Their stay in Egypt began well, but with the passing of the years, their lot became more and more miserable.

“Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt
was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the
end of the four hundred and thirty years – on that very same day –
it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from
the land of Egypt.”
EXODUS 12:40-41

Jacob foresaw this. He gave instructions that his bones were to be taken out of the land of Egypt when the children of Israel made their exodus (Cf. Genesis 47:29-30). Joseph also possessed the faith that God would one day take them out of the land of Egypt (Cf. Genesis 50:24-25). These two men never saw Egypt as their homeland, only a temporary place of sojourn!

MORE INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE PASSOVER FEAST

The Passover Feast was so significant, that the Lord gave further instructions on this subject.

“And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
‘This is the ordinance of the Passover:
No foreigner shall eat it. But every man’s servant
who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him,
then he may eat it. A sojourner and a hired servant
shall not eat it.'”
EXODUS 12:43-45

Israel must not mistake the gravity of the Passover Feast. It was no common feast they were observing. The Passover was supposed to commemorate the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt. No strangers to their faith would be allowed to partake of it! Only those who shared their faith, expressed by circumcision would be allowed to join in the Passover celebrations!

“It is a night of solemn observance to the LORD
for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is
that night of the LORD, a solemn observance for all the
children of Israel throughout their generations.”
EXODUS 12:42

FULL COMPLIANCE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

The children of Israel, to their credit, obeyed all the instructions of the Lord!

“Thus all the children of Israel did; as the LORD commanded
Moses and Aaron, so they did.”
Exodus 12:50