The Angel of Death is a misnomer. Douay-Rheims Bible For the Lord will pass through striking the Egyptians: and when he shall see the blood on the transom, and on both the posts, he will pass over the door of the house, and not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses and to hurt you. Drunks are people we can laugh at, until they get behind the wheel and kill one of our loved ones. The Grim Reaper, so to speak, does not exist in the way we have perceived it as a culture to exist. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you. So Gad went to David and said to him, Shall there come on you three years of famine in your land? WebIt was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons. How, some will ask, can we find it possible to justify Gods actions here? God's instructions about the Passover appear again, with details about how to observe it once the Israelites had left Egypt, in other parts of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). [4] 11:17-34). Another angel who brought death and destruction is mentioned in the judgment of King Herod ( Acts 12:23 ). (3) Verses 31-42 give a historical overview of the exodus, from the command to leave issued by Pharaoh to an account of the departure, showing that Gods promises had been carried out in accord with His scheduleto the very day. 24:14). The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread, Masoretic Text; Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint. (3) The Passover teaches us the important role played by religious ceremony (liturgy, if you prefer) in the Christians experience. 38Many other people(BR) went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. Since we will not attempt to cover all the material contained in chapter 12 in this message, I want to point out that the structure of the chapter links the instructions given by God to Moses (verses 1-20) and the instructions from God spoken by Moses (verses 21-30). Let us each ask God to prepare our hearts to take the lesson of this incident seriously. Douay-Rheims Bible For the Lord will pass through striking the Egyptians: and when he shall see the blood on the transom, and on both the posts, he will pass over the door of the house, and not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses and to hurt you. In verses 4-8, Moses declared the essence of this revelation to Pharaoh, as it related to him. WebThe book gives the following examples of angels being executors: Angels were involved in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1, 12-13). WebWhen I see the blood, I will pass over you. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. God used angels in bringing the plagues on Egypt (Psalm 78:43, 49) and sent the destroying angel to execute the firstborn in Egypt at the Passover (Exodus 12:13, 23). 127 The NIV takes these verses as parenthetical and indicates so by rendering the text as a past perfect, rather than as a simple past tense. The classic example is in 2 Samuel 24:12-17 where we read; Go and tell David, This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Not too long before, there was a very strong reaction to the visit of President Reagan to a German cemetery, where some Nazi soldiers were buried. All of the commandments and requirements which God placed upon the Israelites was predicated upon the fact that they were a people who belonged to Him. This last week marked the 40th anniversary of the first atomic bomb drop on Hiroshima. Unfortunately, Christians have come to take the remembrance of our Lord lightly, and do it infrequently, often as a kind of footnote to some other service. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand ( Exod. It is a holy God whom we serve, and this text will remind us of that fact as we come to it with reverence and sincerity. All rights reserved worldwide. 12The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2This month is to be for you the first month,(B) the first month of your year. 26 Your children will ask you, What are we celebrating? 27 And you will answer, The Passover animal is killed to honor the Lord. WebHis angel that brings death will pass over and not kill your first-born sons. Perhaps first, a little on angels in general will help. The Angel of Death is a misnomer. The heartless Pharaoh still refused to free the Israelite slaves. Therefore, to answer the specific question: Was the Angel of Death a created being? Since God the Lord Jehovah/Yahweh was the bringer of death and He is eternal and uncreated, the answer is no on all counts. Josh. Not at all. His sister, Miriam, follows along as the basket floats away. In the first place, most of the plagues were preceded by an announcement and a warning. WebThe Eternal will pass through the land during the night and bring death to the Egyptians. As we shall show later, the giving of the Law on Mt. The heartless Pharaoh still refused to free the Israelite slaves. 26 Your children will ask you, What are we celebrating? 27 And you will answer, The Passover animal is killed to honor the Lord. On these (two) days, no work was to be done, other than cooking. But when He sees the blood-markings across the tops of your doorways and down your two doorposts, He will pass over your houses and not allow His messenger of death to enter into your houses and strike you down. Although angels, if given the command of God, can take away a life, they will not do so unless they have received that command or if God wills it. English Standard Version By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. Or three days of plague in your land? 16:1) which literally means ear-month because it was at that time that the grain was in the ear. (BT) 41At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lords divisions(BU) left Egypt. A number of commemorations were held, ranging from memorial services for those killed or injured to demonstrations protesting the use of nuclear weapons. The Passover meal was very naturally transformed into the Eucharist, the Lords Table. [4] 22Take a bunch of hyssop,(AL) dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood(AM) on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. The offer of salvation is before you. Once we have come to grips with the seriousness of sin, we need to focus on the solution. (2) The Passover and its related celebrations, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the redemption of the firstborn, were intended to serve as a means of instruction for the future generations of Israel (Exod. Since Christ is our Passover lamb, and He has already been sacrificed, the Corinthians should begin the Feast of Unleavened Bread, looking for any sign of leaven (a symbol of sin) and putting it far away from them (5:7-8). (1) Because Christ is our Passover Lamb, we are Gods possession. In order to save Moses from the grisly fate pharaoh has decreed, his mother and sister put him in a basket and set it afloat on the river. For a survey of the different views, cf. Our text informs us that this slaughter (no need to use a more euphemistic term) was directed at the Egyptians alone, and without regard to social or economic status. Is Jesus story of the rich man and Lazarus a parable? As I understand the sequence of events in chapters 10 and 11, Pharaoh had just demanded that Moses leave his presence, and warned that to return would mean death (10:28). 39With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. 12:26-27; 13:8, 14-16). Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me. David said to Gad, I am in deep distress. 2 Samuel 24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. 12:46), so no bone of our Lord was broken (John 19:32-36). For the Lord will pass through striking the Egyptians: and when he shall see the blood on the transom, and on both the posts, he will pass over the door of the house, and not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses and to hurt you. This explains how Moses knew that this was the final plague, and why Pharaoh will nonetheless reject the warning. NOAH: What Race was Noah? John Mackay is International Director of Creation Research. What have they done? Dogs have undergone many changes since people have been breeding them. Let us learn to value and to practice those times of remembrance and anticipation which God has established and commanded us to do. Every child of God belongs to God, and must live in the light of belonging to Him. 31During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, Up! I am the Lord. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. His sister, Miriam, follows along as the basket floats away. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. At midnight, the firstborn of the Egyptians were slain, from the king of Egypt to its cattle, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh to that of the prisoner. WebThe Passover. Leave my people, you and the Israelites! And also bless(BF) me.. (2) Verses 21-30, the revelation which Moses conveyed to the Israelites. The Grim Reaper, so to speak, does not exist in the way we have perceived it as a culture to exist. 44Any slave you have bought may eat it after you have circumcised(BZ) him, 45but a temporary resident or a hired worker(CA) may not eat it. Exodus 12:12,13 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 2 Kings 19:35 Verse Concepts 40Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt[b] was 430 years. WebHis angel that brings death will pass over and not kill your first-born sons. The tenth and final plague is described in several phases. God used angels in bringing the plagues on Egypt (Psalm 78:43, 49) and sent the destroying angel to execute the firstborn in Egypt at the Passover (Exodus 12:13, 23). In the Book of Enoch, angels of punishment and destruction belong to a group of angels called satans with Satan as their leader. (4) Verses 43-51 conclude with further instructions for the Israelites regarding the celebration of the Passover in the future, especially focusing on the participation of foreigners. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt. This was not a feast which Israel devised on her own, but one which God designed and very carefully prescribed. Since a number of foreigners accompanied the Israelites out of Egypt (12:38), this was a necessary distinction. Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org, Then it happened that night that the angel of the, When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand ( Exod. 10:21). John J. Davis, Moses and the Gods of Egypt (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1971), p. 136. There is no specific mention of any Egyptians celebrating the first Passover, although this is possible, even likely. The hasty departure of the Israelites did not afford the time required to bake leavened bread (12:34, 39). 26And when your children(AT) ask you, What does this ceremony mean to you? 27then tell them, It is the Passover(AU) sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.(AV) Then the people bowed down and worshiped. So, the bottom line is there was no Angel of Death, or Death Angel involved in the Passover after all. No foreigner(BY) may eat it. This is entirely untrue. WebThe Eternal will pass through the land during the night and bring death to the Egyptians. Moses pronouncement to Israel: instructions regarding the Passover (Exodus 12:1-13, 21-23). Surely this is evolution? Each succeeding plague was further proof of Gods existence and power, and gave greater substance to the warnings which followed. Thus, Moses has not left Pharaohs presence at the end of chapter 10 and returned again to make his statement in verses 4-8 of chapter 11. The firstborn of Israel thus belonged to God as a result of the Passover, and all of Israel as a result of the exodus. Since the firstborn of the Israelites belonged to God, they had to sacrifice them (in the case of an animal, except for the donkey, 13:13), or (in the case of a son) to offer a sacrifice to redeem them. All things were created through Him and for Him. Thus, verses 1 and 9 of chapter 11 begin, the Lord had said to Moses. The meat was eaten along with bitter herbs and unleavened bread (12:8). 32Take your flocks and herds,(BE) as you have said, and go. HUMAN RACE? Exod. WebSurah 32:11 mentions an angel of death identified with Azrael. All those who remained within the house which had blood applied to its door frame were spared. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! For Australia and rest of world click here. 12:5-7, 46-47). As the tenth and final plague, the smiting of the firstborn of Egypt conclusively proved that the gods of Egypt were powerless, non-existent, while the God of Israel was all-powerful. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Thus we shall seek to grasp the meaning and the application of Gods judgment to our lives. 12:14-20; 13:3-10). The instructions for the celebrations of the first Passover were specific, and dealt with several aspects of the feast. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt. Nothing personifies death. 51And on that very day the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt(CG) by their divisions.(CH). get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! 13:14, 16; 3:20). (1) Verses 1-20 contain the revelation which God had given to Moses and Aaron. In the first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, we read, Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeastas you really are. The account of the Passover plague (Exodus 12:29-30). None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. (4) The Passover Lamb was a model, a prototype (a type) of the Messiah, the Lamb of God through whom God would bring redemption to both Israel and the Gentiles (Exod. [4] (3) The Passover and the plague of the firstborn was proof of Gods possession of Israel. (1) The Passover and the tenth plague served as a judgment on the gods of Egypt, whom the Israelites had worshipped in Egypt (cf. Let us remember that when we come to the Passover celebration and the plague of the firstborn, we are now dealing with the tenth and concluding plague which God has brought upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. The fact that God claimed to possess the firstborn, so that they needed to be redeemed (13:1-2; 11-16), evidenced Gods ownership. Provision was also made for non-Israelites to partake of the Passover, if they were circumcised (acknowledging their faith in the Abrahamic Covenant, cf. First they tempt, then accuse and finally punish and torment, both wicked humans and fallen angels. 12:12-13, 22-23), just as it is the shed blood of the Lamb of God which saves men from the judgment of God (1 Peter 1:18-19; Rev. Where in the Bible can I find out? 2 Thes. When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, I have sinned; I, the shepherd, have done wrong. WebIt was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons. One can see that the first Passover, along with each subsequent annual remembrance of Passover, was an event of great significance, one which was to be celebrated from that time on. The word which is translated move literally means to cut into, to sharpen, or to bring to a point. The allusion here is to the fact that none would bring injury to Israel (cf. What Israel did on that first Passover night was a prototype for all future Passover observances. Also, in the instructions God gave concerning the future observance of Passover, foreigners who placed themselves under the Abrahamic Covenant (as signified by circumcision) were allowed to participate, with no distinctions made between them and (other) Israelites (12:43-49). `And Jehovah hath passed on to smite the Egyptians, and hath seen the blood on the lintel, and on the two side-posts, and Jehovah hath passed over the opening, and doth not permit the destruction to come into your houses to smite. It was felt by many that it was inappropriate for our president to dignify the deaths of those involved in the mass slaughter of Jews, based solely on their race. They were to eat the meal in the same way we would eat in an airport restaurant, knowing that the departure of our flight was about to be announced. It is with such protests in mind that we must seek to interpret and apply the killing of every firstborn in Egypt, not only of men, but of the animals as well. 22:14-22; 1 Cor. The weeping and wailing that night was not like anything ever heard in the land before. Great effort is taken here to establish the fact that the Passover is based upon Israels experience in time and space, and upon the direct revelation of God, made to and through Moses. In other words, while we can refer to the deaths occasioned by the other plagues as acts of God (meaning that some natural disaster occurred), this 10th plague is very literally an act of God for God Himself slew the firstborn of Egypt (Exod. 12:1). 13:14, 16; 3:20). Just as the firstborn in Egypt were in danger of being smitten by the death angel, so men, women, and children are in danger of living out eternity in Hell, enduring the eternal wrath of God (cf. For the Lord will pass through to kill the Egyptians. Does that mean that the angel of death doesn't exist in the monotheistic traditions? ), New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. The month of Abib approximates to our month of April. Not at all. WebThe book gives the following examples of angels being executors: Angels were involved in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1, 12-13). There were several purposes for the Passover celebration, some of which were to be understood at a later time. (U) 13The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over(V) you. This was likely not immediately perceived, but there are several similarities between the Passover lamb and the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. In our study of this text we will seek to face these moral issues squarely. Not only is the slaughter of the Egyptian firstborn the means God used to release His people from slavery, it is the angel of the Lord who smote the firstborn. There is no need to elaborate further. When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, Enough! Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth (1 Cor. 20Eat nothing made with yeast. John the Baptist, Matthew 11:10, quoting Malachi 3:1. WebThe book gives the following examples of angels being executors: Angels were involved in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1, 12-13). WebHis angel that brings death will pass over and not kill your first-born sons. DOG EVOLUTION? 12:38, 43-49). 5:6-8). Wherever you live,(AI) you must eat unleavened bread.(AJ). The answer is yes. For less than $5/mo. In the Book of Enoch, angels of punishment and destruction belong to a group of angels called satans with Satan as their leader. For the Lord will pass through to slay the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood upon the lintel and the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to slay you. The Passover celebration was to commence the Feast of Unleavened Bread. DEATH: Did God really kill animals to clothe Adam and Eve, or did He create new skins for this purpose? And anyone, whether foreigner(AG) or native-born, who eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off(AH) from the community of Israel. WebAnd when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lordrelented from the calamity and said to the angel who was working destruction among the people, It is enough; now stay your hand. And the angel of the Lordwas by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 12:5), but since our Lord was referred to as the Lamb, I have chosen to speak of the sacrificial animal as a lamb. There is absolutely no sensationalism here, but only the most cursory account of the fulfillment of the Word of the Lord, spoken through Moses. Moses pronouncement to Pharaoh: the coming of the final plague (Exodus 11:4-8). For Jehovah will pass through the land and kill the Egyptians; but when he sees the blood upon the panel at the top of the door and on the two side pieces, he will pass over that home and not permit the Destroyer to enter and kill your firstborn. (AW) 28The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded(AX) Moses and Aaron. (1) The Passover and the plague of the firstborn was a defeat of Egypts gods: On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstbornboth men and animalsand I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt; I am the Lord (Exod. Because Christians have been redeemed by the Lamb of God, they do not belong to themselves, and they must therefore live out their lives as a living sacrifice to God. In the final verses of chapter 10, Pharaoh angrily demands that Moses and Aaron leave his presence, threatening that to do so again will mean their death (v. 28). 29At midnight(AY) the Lord(AZ) struck down all the firstborn(BA) in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock(BB) as well. Thus, the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, could speak of Israels Savior as a lamb: We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Like the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the redemption of the firstborn, the Passover was to become a permanent part of Israels religious liturgy (cf. (1) The Passover was a memorial of the deliverance of Israel, accomplished by the mighty power of God: This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law of the Lord is to be on your lips. Go, worship(BD) the Lord as you have requested. Their hope is that the basket will float to safety and whoever finds the baby will adopt him as their own. On the first day you are to get rid of all the yeast in your houses, for if anyone during those seven days eats bread made with yeast, he shall no longer be considered one of my people. The striking of the firstborn of Egypt should cause us to rethink the matter of sin. The Passover was a corporate celebration in that all Israel observed the meal, just as Moses had instructed them (12:28, 50). (Y) 15For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. WebLater, in II Kings 19:35, the angel kills 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. 13:9; cf. In this passage and in 2 Samuel 24, the destroying angel is actually called the angel of the Lord, which many scholars take to be a reference to Christ in a pre-incarnate appearance. Passover thus was a kind of dividing line between a true believer and an outsider. (BV) 42Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the Lord for the generations to come. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. Thus, every time the first boy was born to an Israelite family, the parents were reminded of their roots and the reason for their blessing, and every child was retold the story of the exodus. And the blood shall be to you for a token on the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. This possibility is enhanced by the report that some Egyptians had taken heed of previous warnings (9:18-21). 9:16). Joshua 2:12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: 1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. In chapter 11, verses 1-3 and 9-10 are parenthetical explanations.127 The statements which are quoted have been made previous to the event, but are interspersed to explain why things are happening as described. These are but sheep. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 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. Although angels, if given the command of God, can take away a life, they will not do so unless they have received that command or if God wills it. Thus, in the gospel accounts, we find the death of our Savior corresponding with the sacrifice of the Passover sacrificial lambs and the Passover meal (cf. The second is the instructions given to the Israelites regarding the Passover, which is Gods means of protecting His people from the plague. 49The same law applies both to the native-born and to the foreigner(CE) residing among you., 50All the Israelites did just what the Lord had commanded(CF) Moses and Aaron. You are not your own; you were bought at a price. They are fakes and frauds. When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down..