Exodus - Day 3 - Deliverance: The Lord Redeems His People (Feb 3)
Narrative Walkthrough / Exodus 12:1–14 (NKJV)
Scripture Link:
Narrative Walkthrough (with Bridge of Exodus 4-11)
Before the night of Passover unfolds, the road to this moment has already been long, deliberate, and deeply purposeful. In Exodus 4–11, God forms His servant, confronts Pharaoh, exposes false power, and makes His name known through judgment and mercy intertwined.
God equips Moses even amid fear and hesitation, appointing his brother Aaron, a Levite, as Moses’s spokesman and partner in the mission, so that Moses learns dependence on God rather than self-confidence 🙏 Exodus 4 (NKJV). When Moses and Aaron first stand before Pharaoh and deliver the Lord’s command, oppression intensifies instead of lifting, and Israel’s hope seems to collapse as their burdens grow heavier 🙏 Exodus 5 (NKJV). Yet God responds not by retreating, but by reaffirming His covenant, strengthening Moses and Aaron for the task, and revealing Himself as the God who acts in redemption and will accomplish His purposes in His time 🙏 Exodus 6 (NKJV).
The conflict deepens as signs and plagues begin. The Nile, which is Egypt’s lifeline, turns to blood, showing that the God of Israel rules creation itself 🙏 Exodus 7 (NKJV). Creation turns against Pharaoh’s stubbornness as frogs, gnats, and flies fill the land, yet Pharaoh’s heart hardens when relief comes🙏 Exodus 8 (NKJV). Disease, boils, and devastating hail fall on Egypt, and God makes a distinction between His people and Pharaoh’s nation. Some Egyptians begin to fear the Lord’s word. Still, Pharaoh refuses to repent 🙏 Exodus 9 (NKJV).
Locusts strip the land bare, and darkness covers Egypt. This is a darkness that mirrors the blindness of Pharaoh’s heart 🙏 Exodus 10 (NKJV). At last, God announces the final plague, the death of the firstborn. A judgment that will touch every Egyptian household, while Israel is set apart for deliverance 🙏 Exodus 11 (NKJV). The story now stands at the threshold of redemption: freedom is near, but it will come through a night of both judgment and rescue.
It is into this hard-won moment that Exodus 12 opens.
The Lord speaks to Moses and Aaron in Egypt and resets Israel’s calendar around His redeeming work. This month becomes the beginning of their year 🙏 Exodus 12:1–2 (NKJV). Every household is instructed to choose a lamb that is without blemish. They must keep the lamb until the fourteenth day, when the entire congregation will kill their lambs together at twilight 🙏 Exodus 12:3–6 (NKJV).
The blood of the lamb is to be placed on the doorposts and lintel of each home, while the lamb is eaten inside with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. This is a meal of identity, urgency, and obedience. God commands them to eat in haste, belts fastened, sandals on, staffs in hand, ready to leave at His command 🙏 Exodus 12:7–11 (NKJV).
This moment is named: The LORD’s Passover.
On this night, the Lord will pass through Egypt in judgment against oppression and the false gods of Egypt. But where the blood marks the home, the Lord will pass over; this is the boundary between death and life drawn by trust and belonging to Him 🙏 Exodus 12:12–13 (NKJV). And God commands that this day be remembered for all generations, not only as history, but as the defining story of a redeemed people 🙏 Exodus 12:14 (NKJV).
Key Observations
Redemption resets identity and time — Israel’s calendar now revolves around God’s saving work.
The lamb must be spotless — deliverance is costly and requires a blameless substitute.
Blood marks the household of faith — a visible line between judgment and mercy.
The people act in obedience and readiness — salvation calls for trust expressed through action.
Judgment exposes false gods — the Exodus is a spiritual confrontation, not just a political one.
Passover becomes a perpetual memory — a story meant to be remembered, retold, and lived into.
Why This Matters
Exodus 12 teaches that God’s redemption is deliberate, costly, and identity-forming. Israel is not rescued by accident, emotion, or force of will. They are redeemed through sacrifice, obedience, and belonging to God. Passover becomes the center of their story because it reveals who God is and who His people are.
This moment reminds us that God not only delivers from bondage but also forms a people for Himself. These are people who live in trust, gratitude, and faithful remembrance of His saving work across generations.
A Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness and redeeming mercy. Teach us to remember Your mighty works, to trust Your promises, and to live as people who belong to You. Give us hearts that are ready to follow wherever You lead. Amen.
Preparing for Tomorrow
Tomorrow, we move from Passover commanded to deliverance in motion, watching the story shift from preparation to departure as God leads His redeemed people out of Egypt and into the journey of faith.