For a moment try not to think about the horribleness of the tenth mighty act. Try to imagine what this event meant to the Israelites; what it communicated to them. Imagine the alternative. God is aware of their suffering; of their crying out in despair when their children are cast into the depths of the Nile; of their fear, bitterness and hatred broiling inside of them. God is aware and able to bring it to an end. But what if he didn’t? What if he left them there? And what would that communicate? Imagine feeling abandoned and unloved. Let’s make this personal. Imagine that your children have been abducted by the neighbor. You saw it happen. Your children saw you witness it happen. You have the ability to do something, whether that is calling the police or running over and demanding their release. Would you fight to free them? What if you knew the neighbor intended evil toward your children? If you do everything you can to free them that communicates something to your children. And if you do nothing? Well, that also communicates something doesn’t it?
In Exodus 12:21-28 the tenth mighty act, and all the mighty acts really, is to be remembered as salvation; as deliverance. Moses summons all of the elders of Israel and instructs them to divide out the flock animals and to receive them for slaughtering in preparation for the Passover. It is emphasized that each clan is to be included. This is especially significant when they do the whole dipping hyssop into a basin of blood thing and smear it on the door frames. We do not have enough information to know exactly what kind of plant is meant here. What we do know is that hyssop was used in purification rights. When a leper was considered clean, hyssop was used to sprinkle blood on the now clean leper seven times. Psalm 51:7 says “Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean”. Since we do not use hyssop in our ceremonies, we have no need to have an exact delineation of the plant. What is important is that blood was “touched” to the door frame and that because of that blood, Yahweh did not allow the “destroyer” to enter into the Israelite homes. Their houses were protected. The destroyer would pass over those houses and move on to the Egyptian houses and strike within.
There has, of course, been a lot of discussion about who the destroyer is. Some have even suggested that the destroyer is the pre-incarnate Christ. This seems highly unlikely to me. In 2 Samuel 24:15-17 there is this angel that seem intent on destroying Jerusalem until Yahweh puts the brakes on by saying, “It is enough! Now relax your hand!” And it was an angel that Yahweh sent to slay 185,000 of Sennacherib’s soldiers in 2 Kings 19:35. Was the “destroyer” this same angel of destruction? I don’t know, but it makes more sense than the other suggestions parading around out there. What is important for us is not to discover the identity of the destroyer, but to understand that Yahweh was in control; he set the parameters and the destroyer was allowed to operate only within those parameters.
The people are told that they will observe this word as a decree forever. The NASB has “event” for word and that is a possible translation, but it seems likely that the point is that they are commanded to keep; to remember the word or message of God wrapped in the mighty acts of God that lead to their rescue. The verb form of the same word is used in the next verse and translated “promise”. So, when they get to the land that Yahweh had communicated with them, they are to observe this work. Interestingly the word “rite” is the same word used at the beginning of the story to describe the slave labor the Israelites endured. Now, as rescued people of Yahweh, they are to keep this work. A much more pleasant work. And when their children ask what in the world all of it means they are to tell them that it is about Yahweh passing over them and striking the Egyptians so that they would be saved. It is about their rescue.
And don’t we need a God who cares enough to step in and do something about our suffering. And you and I are suffering at the hands of an oppressor. Now, here’s the thing: the oppressor we deal with in this new and end age is Satan and sin. God cared enough to send his son to the cross. Jesus beat Satan with a big stick. But Jesus didn’t swing that stick upside Satan’s mangy old head. Nope! He hung on it and died. That’s how he beat Satan; that’s how he beat sin. I don’t know why God allows us to suffer through horrible things. If you figure it out, let me know because it would ease my nightmares. I do know God loved me enough to slay the power of my oppressor. The cross communicates love and salvation. Be free!