The entire world right now is in the midst of one of the greatest crises of my lifetime, Covid 19. We have seen smaller versions in the last 40 years, but nothing of this magnitude since 1918. Knowing that my husband, my brother, my sister-in-law, and I are at a greater risk due to age and health conditions, we are staying healthy at home. I worry a little about our children and grandchildren at this time. I try not to, but this virus really is no respecter of persons, race, religion, or gender. It is not quite as hard on the younger people and children which is a great relief, but none of us truly knows what underlying conditions we have.
Several days ago I was a nervous wreck knowing that I could not protect my family. I spent some time on my knees crying out to G-d for them. During this prayer time the thought came to me about it being almost Passover and Easter. Today is the 4th of April, 2020 and Passover begins 4 days from today at sundown. I was recalling in my memories about the original Passover and the meaning. The Israelite people had been enslaved by the Egyptians.
The slavery of that day was quite different from the slavery of the United States history. It was more of an indentured servant type of slavery. If they wanted to eat and live, they worked for the Egyptians. As time went on the Israelite people grew to an astounding number and the Egyptians did more and more to keep them suppressed.
When the burden became too great they cried out for someone to rescue them. That is when G-d called Moses. He came to rescue them from their plight. But G-d didn't have Moses ride in on a white horse with an army to overthrow the Egyptians, He took His good sweet time. In fact, life for the Israelites would get much worse before their rescue.
Moses and his brother Aaron first went before the Israelites to let them know that G-d had not forgotten them and had heard their pleas. Next Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. All they asked for was that he allow the Israelites to go into the wilderness for three days to celebrate G-d. Pharaoh's response was not welcoming. As a result Pharaoh ordered the taskmasters to make the work life more difficult for them. If you have ever worked in a factory that runs production you may be able to understand this better. They were not given the raw materials (straw) they would need, they were required to find those raw materials on their own, make them into the building materials (bricks), and still maintain the same level of production as before. When they were unable to meet their quota, the foremen of the Children of Israel were beaten.
Some rescue right? They wanted to be released and free, not burdened more and treated worse. The foremen appeal to Pharaoh, but he is relentless. As they leave Pharaoh they happen to meet Moses and Aaron on the way and said to them, "May the Lord look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us." Exodus 5:21 NIV
Moses then turns to G-d and says, "Oh Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all." Exodus 5:22-23 NIV
Now G-d reveals His plan. Beginning in Exodus 6:1 G-d says, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: because of My mighty hand he will let them go; because of My mighty hand he will drive them out of his country." NIV
G-d is about to show who He really is. After these things Pharaoh will not only let them go, but he will drive them from the land. It wasn't merely an okay you can go, but more like get out of my sight and never come back!
The commentary on this passage can be summed up like this, an event of epic proportions was about to occur. Though Pharaoh appeared to be invincible, he would soon crumble. Though the Israelites felt they were doomed, they would soon live to see one of the biggest redemption plans in history. A redemption that generations would celebrate forever more.
What followed that day was, according to the ancient Hebrew sages, six months of miracles. Miracles that we see today as astounding, but at the time must have been some of the most frightening days ever in the lives of G-d's people. They were given a promise that G-d would; 1. bring them out, 2. free them, 3. redeem them, and 4. take them as His people. Exodus 6:6-7a. These four statements, also known as the four I wills, are reflected in the four cups that one drinks at the Passover meal. (There is a hint in the Gospels regarding these at the last supper.)
The plagues can be broken down into groups of three and a final redeeming plague. The first three represent G-d proving His existence as I AM. The second three represent G-d's providential hand over earthly affairs and shows that He cares about material matters. The next three are to prove that He is unmatched by any power and lastly the final plague was to break Pharaoh down.
The time from Moses appearing to Pharaoh until the exodus was also a time for the Israelites to work through the letting go process. They had to learn to remove Egypt from their lives. In our lives it is a way for us to work through the process of getting the Egypt out of us. Regardless of how horrible a life situation may be for any of us, sometimes the unknown is more frightening. Egypt was a hard life, but they had houses, animals, and plenty of food. How would they survive? Where would they find food? What lay just past that border?
I started this post about the Covid 19 pandemic currently running amok on the earth. As of today there have been 1,140,327 confirmed cases, 60,887 deaths, and 233,930 total recovered worldwide. In the USA there are 278,568 confirmed cases, 7,163 deaths, and 9,920 total recovered. These numbers are staggering and climb dramatically every day. We aren't sure when it will end and at what cost to life, mental health, and the economy.
I get it. We are all nervous and some are down right terrified. As I stated at the beginning I was praying about it and remembered the Passover and Easter. Both of those events were two of the greatest events ever, but also two of the most frightening ever at the time. As I sat pondering these things I wondered if these two events and the virus did not happen by coincidence. I truly believe G-d orchestrates things to bring us back to Him.
We are at a crossroad. What part of Egypt have we allowed to come into our life? Have we strayed from His ways so far that He needed to get our attention? Another verse ties in so well with this situation. 2 Chronicles 7:11-16 "When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace, the LORD appeared to him at night and said: 'I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a temple for sacrifices. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among My people, if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that My Name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart will always be there.'" NIV
Passover is a time for complete reliance and faith in G-d that He is who He says He is and that He will keep His word. This time of pandemic on our world is a time for complete reliance and faith in G-d that He is who He says He is and that He will keep His word. The first three plagues fell on the Egyptians and the Israelites. It did not differentiate, but the next six were different. Those fell only on the Egyptians until the 10th and final plague.
The 10th plague required something from the Israelites in order to not have the plague befall them. They were told to go to the Egyptians and ask for gold and silver vessels. They were also given explicit instructions to protect themselves and their family from the last and final plague. It must be followed exactly. On the tenth of the month they were to take for their household an unblemished male yearling lamb or goat. For four days they were to watch this animal to ensure it was spotless and on that fourth day every single Israelite family was to slaughter that animal in the afternoon. They were then to take some of it's blood and place it on the doorposts and the lintel of the house where they will be eating the animal. They were to roast it over the fire with a bread made without yeast and bitter herbs. They were also to eat it in haste fully clothed and with shoes on their feet and a staff in their hand. In other words they were to eat it as if they were going to have to leave in a hurry.
The blood on the lintel and doorposts was extremely significant. When G-d came through the land, He would pass over any house with the blood. If the blood was not there He would take the life of every first born in the house.
I want to fast forward to December of 2019 when we saw the beginnings of a plague come on this earth. As Americans we sort of sat back with a slight tinge of arrogance thinking it couldn't happen here, but it did. It is now almost out of control. We have neither a vaccine nor a cure. Some have no symptoms at all while others lose their life.
What I do know is that for the most part the entire world has shut down. It is frightening. The stock market is dropping, sports stadiums are turning into field hospitals, places are on lock down, refrigerated trucks are being brought in to places like New York, NY to be used as a morgue, and we still have no cure. We sit in our houses and wait. We have learned words and phrases we never wanted to learn; Covid 19, flattening the curve, social distancing, PPE, N95, and healthy at home. We hear about a new case in our county and wonder when it will stop on our doorstep.
As I prayed that night the thought hit me to pray for the blood to be upon the doorposts and lintel, not only on my house, but on the house of every family member. I don't believe in incantations or magic potions, but I do believe in G-d's word. It is His guide book to life for us. I also don't think we can just magically pray for the blood to be upon the doorposts and lintels and that makes it all okay. There was a long process for the Israelites to get to that first Passover. It was a time of reflection and waiting. A time to get the Egypt out of them.
Right now we are being instructed to stay home and only leave to get essential supplies. I see so many people who are bored out of their minds. What if we took this time to work through getting the Egypt out of us by following 2 Chronicles 7? Would G-d then hear from heaven, forgive our sin and heal our land?
G-d has given almost all of us time right now. Time to study, to reflect, and to change. What gods have we let take over our life? What has crept in between us and G-d that should be purged? I urge you to spend the next four days working through these things and then on April 8th at sundown, ask G-d to place the blood of Christ on the lintel and doorposts of your home.
On the 9th we will begin to look at the next step in this process, a truly life changing way to minimize our personal life and get back to a deep, meaningful relationship with the Creator.
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