God sends Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh to keep asking that he let God's people go, even though he's going to keep saying "no". And Pharaoh keeps saying "no", even though each request comes with a warning, followed by a plague, There is great purpose in this, because God uses the ten plagues to show His great power to the world, as well as to the Israelites.
The ninth plague is darkness. I just realized: this could represent the darkness of our sin nature before we find Jesus' Light... before we become believers. The tenth and final plague clearly represents redemption through Jesus' work on the cross. As a foretelling and then as a reminder of Jesus' work on the cross, God institutes first the celebration of Passover, and then the disciples (and us) are encouraged to take communion. I will isolate the words to demonstrate this from the instructions Moses told the Hebrews...
(Exodus 12:3) ...‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves...
(Exodus 12:5) ...Your lamb shall be an unblemished male...
(Exodus 12:6) ...kill it...
(Exodus 12:7) ...take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses...
(Exodus 12:8) ...eat the flesh...
(Exodus 12:13) ...The 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.
Sin (spiritual darkness) means there will be (spiritual) death. And so, for this last plague, it means the loss of all firstborns. Unless one is covered by the blood of the lamb. The unblemished male lamb represents Jesus, the Lamb of God. The two door posts could represent the cross. His blood was spilled and his body was broken for us. Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for sin. When we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, when we die, Jesus' blood covers us so that judgement passes over us. God chooses to remember our sins no more. We are delivered from death, just as the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt. And not only were they delivered, but the Egyptians practically pushed them out of Egypt, giving them "parting gifts"!
(Exodus 12:35-36) Now 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; 36 and 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.
(Exodus 12:50) Then all the sons of Israel did so; they did just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 And on that same day the Lord brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.
Curious how we so quickly forget how God can answer prayer and perform miracles. This is probably why God instituted the various "rites" (celebrating Passover, then celebrating Communion) so we have these necessary reminders.... BECAUSE - it is amazing what happens when we obey God's word and trust Him to work things out for us!!! But even more amazing is what God has done for us...
(Romans 5:6-11) For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation..
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