Week 4 | Day 4
THE TENTH PLAGUE: THE FIRST BORN
Exodus 11:1-10
After repeated warnings and mounting plagues, Pharaoh’s pride and obsession with control brought Egypt to the brink of devastating judgment—the death of every firstborn. Yet even in judgment, God revealed mercy. He provided a substitute: a spotless lamb whose blood was to be painted over the doorposts. When the angel of death passed through Egypt, judgment passed over every home marked by the blood. What Israel couldn’t yet fully see is that this night would become the defining moment of the Old Testament—a living prophecy. The Passover wasn’t merely rescue from slavery; it was a shadow pointing forward to Jesus, the true Passover Lamb. Just as blood over the door spared Israel from death, Christ’s blood—received by grace through faith—spares us from eternal separation from God. Pharaoh’s power collapsed, but God’s salvation stood firm. The Lord alone is God.
Application
1. God’s Love Always Provides a Substitute
Judgment was real, but so was mercy. God did not ignore sin—He covered it through sacrifice.
2. Faith Must Move from Belief to Action
The Israelites had to trust God enough to obey as belief without obedience wouldn’t save them.
3. Jesus is the Only True Passover Lamb
Salvation isn’t found in effort, religion, or negotiation—only in Christ, the way, truth, and life.
4. Obey God’s Word the First Time
Pharaoh delayed, resisted, and negotiated—until consequences forced his hand.
5. Repent Early, not Dramatically
Don’t wait for pain to make obedience urgent. Respond quickly when God convicts.
6. Surrender What You’re Trying to Protect
Pharaoh lost what he refused to release. Ask: What is my “firstborn”—the thing I won’t give God?
Judgment was real, but so was mercy. God did not ignore sin—He covered it through sacrifice.
2. Faith Must Move from Belief to Action
The Israelites had to trust God enough to obey as belief without obedience wouldn’t save them.
3. Jesus is the Only True Passover Lamb
Salvation isn’t found in effort, religion, or negotiation—only in Christ, the way, truth, and life.
4. Obey God’s Word the First Time
Pharaoh delayed, resisted, and negotiated—until consequences forced his hand.
5. Repent Early, not Dramatically
Don’t wait for pain to make obedience urgent. Respond quickly when God convicts.
6. Surrender What You’re Trying to Protect
Pharaoh lost what he refused to release. Ask: What is my “firstborn”—the thing I won’t give God?
Closing Prayer
Lord, thank You for providing a way of mercy when judgment was deserved. I confess my tendency to delay obedience and negotiate surrender. Keep my heart soft and responsive to Your Word. Help me trust fully in Jesus, the true Passover Lamb, and to live marked by His sacrifice—not just in belief, but in obedience. I surrender what I’ve been holding back and trust You with justice, timing, and outcomes. Amen.
Posted in Delivered