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February 5

Reading 1 - Exodus 11 & 12

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11v.7 - God has put a difference. Nowhere in all of the plagues was this more noticeable (until maybe this one) than in the plague of darkness (ch.10:22-23). Israel, like us, had the light, while the 'rest of the world' had darkness. John 3:19, 8:12, 12:46, Eph.6:12. God has gone to great pains through the ages to 'set apart' a people for himself. Ps.4:3, Eph.2:10, 1Pet.2:9.
Peter Cresswell
2002
12 v.8 - There is a picture of ritual purity here, which God has instituted to emphasise the importance of these things, that the people might have a process by which to remember in years to come. The meat was not to be made unclean by the use of water, nor the bread by the use of leaven. Notice also it says 'eat the flesh' of it. Is Jesus refering to this, and the bread, when he speaks of himself in John 6:48-56?
Peter Cresswell
11:7 That the Lord did not bring the plague of the death of the firstborn upon Israel, like 8:23 the flies and 9:4 the murrain is not just because God is compassionate towards His own people. If this were the case then a separation would have been made for all the plagues. Rather, having experienced some of the plagues Israel, being spared the last three, were to appreciate that God made a difference between the Egyptians and themselves. Israel were being taught separateness.

12:12 Up to this point it would seem that the plagues have been random in their nature. However we learn that Yahweh is fighting the god of Egypt. It is a battle for the minds of the people. So we might conclude that the earlier plagues attacked the theology of Egypt as well.
Peter Forbes

11:10 That God hardened Pharaoh's heart demonstrates that God wanted to punish Israel in Egypt. (see the comments on Chapter 8)

12:15 The command that unleavened bread was to be eaten for seven days demonstrates that whilst this Passover was a specific event it was to be remembered in future years even though the narrative reads like it is a one off event. So Israel would not have been surprised when they were told later (Leviticus 23) that they were to keep the feast annually.
Peter Forbes

THE FIRST DAY

Having been to a baptism last Saturday (Matthew Simpson's), the reading of the Passover took on a whole new dimension. The Passover was the day on which Israel were redeemed from their slavery and freed from their bondage. A baptism is the day when a person is freed from their bondage to sin and given new life in Jesus Christ.

The Passover was the day when the faithful were saved by the blood of the lamb that was painted around and over the door of the house, protecting the inhabitants of that house from death. In the same way, at baptism we are saved by the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. His blood saves us from death.

At baptism we are baptized into the family of Christ. We must remain in the family until we are called into the kingdom. So, at the Passover, the meal was to be shared in families and they were not to go out of their houses, away from the covering until they were called to leave Egypt.

But just as important, and more frequently forgotten, is that the Passover was to be the first day of the first month of the first year for Israel. At baptism we are born again making a fresh start. Let's make that day the first day of the first month of the first year for us, and just as they were to remember the Passover every year, so let us always remember the first day of our new life in the household of God, with our sins covered by the blood of the Lamb.
Robert Prins
Exodus 11:1-3 - This section is in parenthesis. It is an aside, inserted between 10:29 and 11:4.
 
11:5 - "And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die" - This message was also meant for those children of Israel dwelling in the land too. Any Israelite who refused to listen and who had no faith would suffer the fate of the Egyptian households who did not follow the Passover instructions. The fate of those among us who refuse to prepare for the return of Jesus, is to likewise partake of the judgement prepared for the unheeding world at His return. The antidote? Read, meditate and pray daily. Constant contact with the Father, with ears open to His warnings will stand us in good stead when the time comes soon to introduce the Son of God to a world that desperately needs Him.
 
11:9 - "Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you" - Pharaoh is a rebel... and rebels "always know a better way!"
 
12:22 - "And strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood" - Here was a great act of faith, for the doors at that time opened outward, (not inward like our modern doors), therefore once the doors were shut to, no blood would be seen from the outside. Yet the next verse says, "For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians and when He sees the blood upon the lintel and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door." Only a divine eye, and an eye of faith, could *see* the blood on these door posts.
 
12:40 - "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, (who dwelt in Egypt) was four hundred and thirty years" - By placing brackets around the words indicated in this verse, we get the true picture. The children of Israel were only actually in Egypt for 215 years, Jacob and his family arriving there 215 years after Abraham had been told that his family would be "a stranger in a land that is not theirs, (and shall serve them and they shall afflict them), four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward (30 years after the 400 years had expired) shall they come out with great substance" - Genesis 15:13-14. So the word of promise was true. Abraham's family dwelt in the land of Canaan 215 years beyond God's words to Abraham, and a further 215 years in the land of Egypt.
 
For those who may wish to explore another interesting point in this fundamental chapter in Exodus 12, there is much evidence to prove that the very first Passover recorded here in Egypt, took place on a Wednesday, with the lambs being slain between 3pm and 6pm, just as Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday, dying on the cross between 3pm and 6pm that day. If you would like to know more, you may contact me via e-mail at [email protected]
Cliff York

Reading 2 - Psalms 66 & 67

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66v.10 - 'tried as silver is tried'. This talks (v.11) of the chastening that God builds us with, which leads (v.12) to a wealthy place. Just as the Children of Israel wandered in the wilderness to be proved - Deut.8:2,16, 13:3 and then to enter (the next generation) into a wealthy place - flowing with milk and honey. Likewise we should allow ourselves to be shaped (Heb.12:11 - be exercised by it) by the refiner - Prov.17:3, Isa.48:10, Zech.13:9.
Peter Cresswell
2002
67 v.1 - To 'cause his face to shine' comes several times - Psa.80:3,7,19, Dan.9:17. Add to this the face of Moses that shone when he returned from the mount - Exo.34:29-35, the face of Jesus at the transfiguration - Luke 9:28,29, and this all leads to the principle discussed in 2Cor.4:6
Peter Cresswell
66:6 In speaking of the Exodus the Psalmist is returning to a theme often used by faithful man and women in Scripture. He is taking comfort from the fact that God has worked in the past. Such a way of thinking can only come to those who are both aware of what God has done in the past recorded in Scripture and who can see the hand of God in their lives in the past.

Psalm 67 - The shining of God upon Moses caused his face to shine - Exodus 34:30 in like manner the Gospel should change our appearance - that is our lives should be seen to have changed by the influence of the Gospel.
Peter Forbes

66:12 The way in which the Psalmist talks about going through fire and water is echoed by Isaiah (43:2). Both these passages must have been a comfort to those cast into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:20)

67:4 In seeking for the nations to glad we see a picture of the kingdom when Christ will rule over all nations.
Peter Forbes

Psalm 66 - "To the chief Musician" is the subscription to Psalm 65. Psalm 66 truly begins with the words "A song or Psalm"
 
Psalm 67 - "To the chief Musician on Neginoth" is the subscription to Psalm 66. Psalm 67 truly begins with the words "A Psalm or song"
Cliff York

Reading 3 - Mark 1

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v.13 - angels ministered - he was thus sustained - like Moses in the mount for the same length of time - Ex.34:28 - and as his role of saviour - Deut.9:25. Like Elijah in the wilderness for the same length of time - 1Kings 19:8. This was an important common aspect which binds together these three that met on the mount of transfiguration. From all of this, of course, we also benefit. Heb.2:17,18, 4:15.
Peter Cresswell
v.15 - The 'time' that was fulfilled is the time spoken of by Daniel [9:25]. Mark is wishing to inform us that the coming of Jesus is actually the fulfilment of the promise of the coming of Messiah.
Peter Forbes
1:2 'As it is written in the prophets …' We are so familiar with the fact that Jesus was promised in the Old Testament that we may just take it for granted. As you read Old Testament Scripture ask 'How does this speak of Jesus?'
Peter Forbes
Mark 1:40-45 - An interesting theme develops in these verses as Jesus heals a leper who would have had his abode outside the city. After healing the man, he enters the city, but Jesus is forced out into the desert places. The leper and Jesus swapped places.
Cliff York