"When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you."-Exodus 12:13

"Let my people go!" Time and again Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh with this message from God. But Pharaoh had no intention of losing the Israelites, they were slaves and worked very hard for the Egyptians. (More bricks were made while this Pharaoh was king than at any other time in the history of Egypt!) The Egyptian taskmasters pushed the Israelites to work harder than ever, thinking this would keep them from rebellion.

Of course Jehovah knew of the plight of the Hebrews. He sent various plagues to force Pharaoh to let the people go. The Nile River was turned into blood, thousands of frogs left the river and went into the homes-into the beds, the ovens, the bread dough! And when the frogs died there were lice, then there were flies everywhere. The Egyptian animals contracted a deadly disease, the Egyptian people were covered with boils, hail fell from heaven to ruin the land, and millions of locusts ate every bit of vegetation the hail had left. Darkness then covered all of Egypt-a darkness so thick it could be felt! And still Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go.

Finally the Israelites were instructed to select a lamb-a male, not over a year old, and with no blemishes of any kind. On the fourteenth of the month of Nisan they were to kill and roast the lamb whole with bitter herbs. In the meantime, they were to pack their belongings, gather their flocks and herds, and get everything ready for a journey. God would send an angel of death throughout the land of Egypt and the firstborn male in every household would die.

The Hebrews would be spared if they took the blood of the lamb and sprinkled it on the doorposts and lintels of their houses. This would be a sign to the angel to pass over that home.

At midnight that night the angel of God passed throughout the land of Egypt and every firstborn male died, both of men and animals. The one thing Pharaoh loved more than himself was his son-his death was a terrible blow to him. He called Moses and told him to leave Egypt at once and all the Israelites with him.

The Egyptians had no intention of letting the Israelites go free!

The death angel did not strike the Israelites because they were "under the blood!"

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