By Tyson Thorne

April 14, 2014
 
 

PassoverBegins large

Today, at sunset, Passover celebrations begin. For our Jewish readers, this is a feast lasting several days, and for our Christian readers it is a celebration of the final sacrifice for sins. None of us should forget its origin (Exodus 12)…

At least one of Egypt’s gods could not sleep. Pharaoh paced in his bedchambers anxiously, wondering if his own might and the tricks of his magicians could keep his first born son safe from the God of the Hebrews. He had the child moved to an interior room of the palace, where there were no windows and only one door. It was a storeroom converted for the occasion. Armed guards were stationed at the door, and throughout. Lookouts were placed on the towers and high windows, and the priests had spent the day offering sacrifices to the other gods of Egypt to enlist their assistance. There was little left for him to do except wait.

As the fateful hour grew closer the god-ruler’s wits began to fray, which made him angry. His fear drove him to curse the Hebrew God loudly. He shouted every obscenity he knew in every language he could think of to keep this rogue Spirit at bay. With only minutes left he strode from his chamber through the halls and to his son’s room. If G-d were to make an appearance he would have to get past Pharaoh first!

The guards saw their king approaching hurriedly and immediately fumbled for the keys to unlock the chamber. No sooner was he at the door than the guard threw it open before him. Pharaoh looked down at the boy sleeping silently and felt a wave of relief wash over him.

It started with a single wail too far away for the Pharaoh’s ears to hear, but it was quickly joined by others. The screams of terror and loss rose as all across Egypt households found a dead child in their midst. The volume grew steadily until at last it could be heard echoing down the corridors of the palace. The guards looked into the chamber wide-eyed with fear and saw their king steel himself, his hand on his staff and feet planted and ready for action.

The silence stretched for several moments, no one moved. There was no sign of a death ghost or specter, only ominous silence. Pharaoh’s taught muscles suddenly relaxed as he was overcome by a single thought. He looked around the room and grabbed a mirror from a nearby table and, with shaky hands, held it close to his boy’s mouth. The mirror didn’t fog with breath.

He had no intention of kneeling at that moment, his knees simply failed to keep him up. He would not cry, he would not wail, he would show no weakness. He simply turned his head over his shoulder and, in as calm and controlled a voice as he could muster, sent the guard to fetch Moses.

Angry at his own impotence to protect his family he approached Moses sternly, his jaw set and eyes hardened. “Get your people and leave. Take what you want, only get out of my kingdom!” Moses, face downcast with sorrow for the king, bowed slightly and left without a word. His people were free, but at a great cost. The son of Egypt’s god had to die to deliver the Hebrews from slavery.

 

 
 
Learn Biblical Hebrew Online

Translate

English French German Italian Portuguese Russian Spanish

GET IN TOUCH

Info@Think-Biblically.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/620829378050965/

@Think-Bibically

How to setup an RSS of Windows Reader Service