Hi, welcome to Redeem the Commute. I’m Ryan, your host for the Daily Challenges. Yesterday we read the story of the tenth plague God brought against Egypt.  Moses was warning Pharaoh that he would kill every firstborn male child.

The death of animals, children and men is obviously not something we are supposed to relish.  This was God’s tenth attempt to release an entire nation from slavery.  Hundreds of thousands of people were enslaved, abused, oppressed by the Egyptians.

They were going to leave, not to die in the desert, but with the protection of almighty God, and many of the Egyptians’ riches handed to them as well.

This obviously teaches Pharaoh something, but also the Israelites.  They are learning that they can trust God.

In the future, they’ll be oppressed by other empires and rulers.  They’re learning here how much greater their God is than any empire or king.

Although they will always be a small nation, and never the most powerful, God wants them to remember they are his chosen people, not Pharaoh’s.  They are like God’s firstborn son, he gives them special privileges and responsibilities, and they will survive this ordeal.

We don’t know how yet, but it’s called the Passover, and we’ll explore that next week for Easter.

Pharaoh doesn’t want to let God have his firstborn, however, trying to exploit Israel for all it’s worth.  So, God says he will take Pharaoh’s firstborn, and cripple his nation by taking their children, their livestock and their valuables.

Question: How do you think this points us toward Jesus?

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