Great Stories of the Bible: Moses and the Passover Exodus 5–12

Great Stories of the Bible: Moses and the Passover

Exodus 5–12

Key Verse: Exodus 12:13

“The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a distinguishing mark for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will be among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”

Moses made excuses before God, unsure of his calling and afraid to speak. But God wasn’t finished with him. What followed was one of the most dramatic displays of God’s power in all of Scripture. Moses returned to Egypt, performed signs for the people, and they believed. But when Moses and Aaron confronted Pharaoh with God’s demand to release the Israelites, Pharaoh refused, thinking they were just trying to get out of work. In retaliation, he made their labor even harder by denying them straw but still requiring the same quota of bricks. This caused the Israelites to turn on Moses, and Moses, in turn, questioned God’s plan.

God responded by reaffirming His promise to deliver His people, even as both Moses and the Israelites struggled with doubt. When Moses was 80 and Aaron 83, they went back to Pharaoh. God had already told them Pharaoh would harden his heart, but through these encounters, He would demonstrate His power and glory not only to Israel but to Egypt and the nations. What followed was a series of ten plagues, each one a direct challenge to the false gods of Egypt and a declaration that the LORD alone is God.

The first plague, turning the Nile into blood, was a judgment against Hapi, the god of the Nile. Though Pharaoh’s magicians mimicked it, the devastation was real—fish died, the water stank, and the people suffered. The second plague brought frogs out of the Nile, challenging Heqet, the frog-headed goddess of birth. Frogs filled their homes, beds, and ovens, only to die in heaps that stank throughout the land. The third plague, gnats from the dust, struck at Geb, the earth god. The magicians couldn’t replicate it and admitted, “This is the finger of God,” but Pharaoh still resisted.

Next came flies, a judgment against Khepri, god of the rising sun and renewal. But while Egypt was swarmed, the land of Goshen, where the Hebrews lived, was spared. Disease on livestock followed, striking down animals worshipped in connection with Hathor, the goddess of love and beauty. Yet Pharaoh remained unmoved. The sixth plague, boils, was a direct attack on Isis, goddess of health. Even Pharaoh’s magicians couldn’t stand before Moses because of their afflictions.

The seventh plague brought hail, a clear strike against Nut, goddess of the sky. Some Egyptians had begun to fear God and protected their servants and livestock—but many did not, and their fields were devastated. Still Pharaoh hardened his heart. The eighth plague, locusts, wiped out the remaining crops, challenging Set, the god of storms and disorder. Advisors pleaded with Pharaoh to let Israel go, but he refused. The ninth plague, darkness, was aimed at Ra, the sun god. For three days Egypt was swallowed in darkness, yet Israel had light. Pharaoh had had enough—he told Moses never to return, and Moses agreed.

Then came the final blow: the death of the firstborn. God declared that this final plague would break Pharaoh’s resistance and secure Israel’s release. The Israelites were to take a year-old lamb without blemish, kill it, and apply its blood to the doorposts of their homes. They were to roast the lamb, eat it dressed for travel, and prepare to leave. That night, the LORD passed through Egypt. In every house without blood on the doorframe, the firstborn died. But in every home where the blood was seen, the destroyer passed over.

This moment became the foundation of Passover, a memorial for generations. The gods of Egypt had been judged, and even Pharaoh—believed to be the son of Ra in human form—was powerless before the God of Israel. No religious leader, king, or earthly power could stop what God had determined to do. Salvation came only through obedience and the blood of the lamb.

This story echoes into the New Testament. John the Baptist saw Jesus coming and declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Just as the Israelites were saved by the blood of an innocent lamb, we are saved by the blood of Christ. The Passover was not just a rescue from Egypt—it pointed to a greater deliverance. The same God who freed His people then offers eternal life through the Lamb today.

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