Us and them! How do you react to that phrase? Our society wants to do away with any language that smacks of divisions. But here’s the thing; you can’t. There are groups. I have some friends who are members of the Lion’s Club. I am not. I am not an “us” when it comes to the Lion’s Club. I’m a “them”. But they don’t hate me because I am a “them” and I don’t hate them because they are an “us”. I could be an “us” any time I wanted. They are not opposed to men named Walter or anything like that. We are not at war. And here’s another thing; the Bible is full of “us and them” language. There are the saved and the lost. There are believers and unbelievers. There are the Israelites and the foreigners. The problem is not dividing into groups. The problem is thinking that those groups are exclusive; the problem is thinking that we are superior to all those “thems” out there.
Exodus 12:37-51 is all about community and regulations that make distinction between those who are community and those who are not. Some sources will attest with certainty that they know where Rameses and Succoth were. But we don’t know with any amount of certainty. The original readers most likely did and that is why these place designations are given. All that we need to know is that Israel set out on the journey. Take a moment and try to imagine what that setting out must have felt like. Have you ever set out on a freeing journey; a journey that left oppression behind? Was there dancing or prancing or singing? We are not told, but it seems likely doesn’t it? We are told that there were six hundred thousand fighting men. This has caused a lot of discussion since the estimate of the total number then becomes two or three million people. Some question the validity of such a large number of people. But remember how the beginning of Exodus told us that those crazy Israelites were multiplying like teeming frogs? No matter what Pharaoh tried to do Yahweh was there in the mix increasing their numbers. And so here we are with six hundred thousand fighting men marching out of Egypt.
We are also told that a mixed multitude set out with them. Maybe they were other peoples who had suffered oppression at the hands of Egypt and this was their chance to journey to freedom. Maybe they were Egyptians who had become disenchanted with Egyptian society and religion. After all, their gods had just been shamed and beat into submission by Yahweh. What is important is that it is most likely the presence of this mixed group that necessitated the further Passover instruction of verses 43-49. We are also told of a large number of animals who also set out with Israel. And then, we are told that on the first stop, they ate the bread that they had to hastily grab; the bread that had not been allowed to rise.
As they journey to freedom, we are told that they were in Egypt four hundred and thirty years. And this number is different than the four hundred years of Genesis 15:13. And unless a generation equaled a hundred years it is also different than the four generations of Genesis 15:16. There are several viable explanations for the discrepancy: the Genesis account rounded down; the Exodus account includes the years the Israelites lived in Egypt in freedom. What is significant is that Yahweh led them out at the right time; to the very day. Yahweh kept his promise. And because Yahweh honored his promise the Israelites are encouraged to honor their keeping of the Passover.
And speaking of Passover, we now have some new instructions. Mostly these instructions are about who can and cannot eat the Passover; who can observe the keeping. Foreigners are relegated into the “them” category. They are not allowed to celebrate the intimate meal that is eaten in homes. Unless, that is, he has been circumcised. If he decides to be circumcised; to accept the covenant of Israel, he is then an “us”. The sojourner and the hired hand; the people who are passing through; who make no such commitment are not allowed to eat. The slave can be circumcised and can become an “us”. No part of the flesh can leave the house. The bones cannot be broken. The meal is a symbol of community; of unity.
There was an “us and them”. But there was good news. The “them” could become the “us”. God’s community has never been exclusive. That is especially true today. There are Christians and non-Christians. We are not part of the same group. Our values are different; our goals are different. But those who are “us” deeply desire that all the “them” become “us”. We don’t hate the “them”. No! Every “them” is a potential “us”. The community of God is always inviting; always loving; always seeking. Peace, Walter
