Study notes
The final plague was the death of the firstborn sons. The Egyptians worshiped life. They gave so much attention to preparations for life after death because they wanted to ensure that it would be at least as good as their lives in Egypt. Death itself is in God’s hand. There is no underworld god who can ultimately defeat the God of life. Both life and death belong to the Lord.
In Exodus 4:22–23 God described the people of Israel like his eldest son. He was their Father. Pharaoh treated Israel badly and refused to free the people from slavery. So God warned that Pharaoh’s eldest son would be killed. That happened in the tenth plague.
The eldest son in every Egyptian household was killed. This also happened with the first male animal born to their livestock. This plague brought judgement against Pharaoh. It also showed that the false gods didn’t have the power to save the Egyptians. But the destroying angel from God passed over the Israelite homes. That happened because they put lamb’s blood around the doors.
After that, Pharaoh let the whole Israelite community and their animals leave Egypt. God gave the Israelites instructions about how to remember the tenth plague and the exodus. They were to honour it every year through the Passover Feast. They were to teach their children the story of the tenth plague and the exodus.
They were to give the eldest male child and animal to God. These belonged to God in a special way. The first male animal born to its mother was to be sacrificed. The animal was sacrificed instead of the eldest male child. This helped the Israelites remember how God had saved them from the tenth plague.
Pharaoh refused to recognize the truth, but the Lord ensured that the rest of Egypt would recognize it.
In many parts of the world, people look to their children for survival. In many cultures, the firstborn son carries on the family line. If people have children, they may feel secure. They may believe that, even after they die, they will continue through their children.
When the Egyptian firstborn sons died, God showed that people cannot guarantee their own survival. Life is a gift. That gift is in the hand of the one Lord, the "I Am."
Pharaoh had lost control. Moses was no longer making a request. He was now able to set the terms for the Israelites' departure from the country.
Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources