Exodus 12:33-51 Study Guide: Delivered and Freed
Community Group Study Guide — Delivered and Freed
Exodus 12:33-51
Study Information:
We love stories of rescue and survival. Often in these stories people make it through some intense challenge, but need the help of someone else to really be saved and delivered. Think of a movie like Castaway where a lone survivor of a plane crash has to survive 4 years by himself on an island. Eventually he was able to make a raft and get out past the break of the waves to try and get to safety. He found himself hopeless and in need on the open waters because his own effort could only get him so far. Eventually he’d be saved by a passing cargo ship who just happened to see the raft. Think about all the effort and hope he had to endure, but at the end of it all he was still in need of someone else finding him and bringing him on board to be saved. He needed someone else to deliver him. The irony of using that word “deliver” is that the main character worked for FedEx in the movie.
We’ve learned through Exodus about the perseverance of the people of God under their slavery and oppression. God sustained them and they grew in their resilience and hope. In our passage today we learn how they were delivered and rescued by God out of slavery and into freedom through God’s power and not their own.
Freedom
Exodus 12:33-34, 37-42
The people of God are finally freed! After the plague of the death of the firstborn, Pharaoh finally gave in and let the people of God go. It came at great cost to the Egyptians, but God would not allow his people to remain in slavery any longer. The Egyptians thrust them out of the land and the people of God had to leave in a hurry (Exodus 12:34, 39). The passage emphasized that they did not have time to gather much and had to leave with food that was not fully prepared.
Notice a few things about this freedom. First it was total and complete meaning every man, woman, child and livestock. In the past, Pharaoh tried to bargain with Moses and God and only wanted to let one of these groups go, but now they all were able to leave fully. Second, it was a mixed multitude who left with them pointing to other ethnic groups gaining their freedom as well or possibly Egyptians who came to believe and trust in YHWH. So even in the Old Testament we see outsiders to God’s nation join up with his people. Lastly, this freedom was final. Exodus 12:40-41 point to how their 430 years of slavery was completed and they left out of Egypt going to the East, watched by the Lord.
This Exodus event became the predominant image of redemption in the Old Testament and referred to over and over again by God to remind his people of his power and that they belong to him. The Exodus also pointed to the work of Jesus on the cross, who delivered us from slavery to sin and death. Freedom language is then used in places like Galatians 5:1 and Romans 6:7-8 to teach us that we are no longer slaves held captive by sin. Through faith in Jesus, the power of sin no longer holds us captive.
Filled
Exodus 12:35-36
Israel was freed and they were sent out of the land full! God told the Israelites to ask the people of Egypt for gold and silver jewelry and clothing on their way out of the land and God gave them favor in their eyes so that they plundered the Egyptians. Three things could be happening in this passage. First, God was “paying them back” for their wages earned while they were slaves. Second, God was removing Egypt’s ability to quickly rebuild and continue to exercise injustice. Third, God was blessing his people and helping them to be provided for in the Land. God not only set his people free but he gave them every blessing they could need and in Christ we get to experience every spiritual blessing in Christ as we’re freed from sin and walk in new life (Ephesians 1:3-5).
Remember, Do Not Forget
Exodus 12:43-51
Finally the people of God are commanded to remember this freedom through the celebration of passover. God called this a “night of watching, kept by the LORD and all generations.” It was a time to remember and not forget. We can easily forget the things of God and the various ways he has moved in our lives to deliver us and free us. God’s remedy for that is to give us reminders and one of those for the Israelites was the annual feast of Passover where those who had joined God’s people through faith could participate in this feast of remembrance. Our text tells us things like “no foreigner” could eat the passover and we could read that as this being a text all about who is excluded, but look a bit further and read how the passage highlights who could be included (Exodus 12:43). Those who were circumcised and joined the people of God could be included into his people. Circumcision was the Old Testament sign for trust in God’s promised covenant. The reason that only those who joined the people of God could take the passover feast was because the feast meant something, it celebrated being freed from slavery and freed to God. Outsiders could opt in as they came to trust in God’s promise. It was a celebration of deliverance and did not mean anything concrete to someone who was not set free from slavery. We have similar reminders of our freedom in Christ through weekly gathered worship, baptism and communion. Since we are prone to forget, we need to have these practices that help us remember the mighty works of God.
To be delivered and freed means that we need rescue! It means that we are no longer an old harsh master and that we can be freed to worship God and pursue righteousness.
At your community group:
Take 15-20 minutes to share about how God has been at work in your life, prayer concerns and pray for one another.
How did God speak to you through the scripture and the sermon this week?
Discussion Questions:
Read Exodus 12:33-42
Who left Egypt and why does the text highlight the rushed nature of it?
Why would God command his people to ask for wealth on the way out of the land?
Read Exodus 12:43-51
What are some reasons God gave his people a list of who could and could not take the passover feast? Why do you think God commanded them to have this be an annual celebration?
To be delivered means that we are unable to rescue and save ourselves and we’ve learned that over and over again in the Exodus story. What are some reasons people can be tempted to rely on their own power and strength instead of God? If you are a follower of Jesus, what are some ways we can remember your salvation and freedom from sin and death?
Exodus 12:33-51
Study Information:
We love stories of rescue and survival. Often in these stories people make it through some intense challenge, but need the help of someone else to really be saved and delivered. Think of a movie like Castaway where a lone survivor of a plane crash has to survive 4 years by himself on an island. Eventually he was able to make a raft and get out past the break of the waves to try and get to safety. He found himself hopeless and in need on the open waters because his own effort could only get him so far. Eventually he’d be saved by a passing cargo ship who just happened to see the raft. Think about all the effort and hope he had to endure, but at the end of it all he was still in need of someone else finding him and bringing him on board to be saved. He needed someone else to deliver him. The irony of using that word “deliver” is that the main character worked for FedEx in the movie.
We’ve learned through Exodus about the perseverance of the people of God under their slavery and oppression. God sustained them and they grew in their resilience and hope. In our passage today we learn how they were delivered and rescued by God out of slavery and into freedom through God’s power and not their own.
Freedom
Exodus 12:33-34, 37-42
The people of God are finally freed! After the plague of the death of the firstborn, Pharaoh finally gave in and let the people of God go. It came at great cost to the Egyptians, but God would not allow his people to remain in slavery any longer. The Egyptians thrust them out of the land and the people of God had to leave in a hurry (Exodus 12:34, 39). The passage emphasized that they did not have time to gather much and had to leave with food that was not fully prepared.
Notice a few things about this freedom. First it was total and complete meaning every man, woman, child and livestock. In the past, Pharaoh tried to bargain with Moses and God and only wanted to let one of these groups go, but now they all were able to leave fully. Second, it was a mixed multitude who left with them pointing to other ethnic groups gaining their freedom as well or possibly Egyptians who came to believe and trust in YHWH. So even in the Old Testament we see outsiders to God’s nation join up with his people. Lastly, this freedom was final. Exodus 12:40-41 point to how their 430 years of slavery was completed and they left out of Egypt going to the East, watched by the Lord.
This Exodus event became the predominant image of redemption in the Old Testament and referred to over and over again by God to remind his people of his power and that they belong to him. The Exodus also pointed to the work of Jesus on the cross, who delivered us from slavery to sin and death. Freedom language is then used in places like Galatians 5:1 and Romans 6:7-8 to teach us that we are no longer slaves held captive by sin. Through faith in Jesus, the power of sin no longer holds us captive.
Filled
Exodus 12:35-36
Israel was freed and they were sent out of the land full! God told the Israelites to ask the people of Egypt for gold and silver jewelry and clothing on their way out of the land and God gave them favor in their eyes so that they plundered the Egyptians. Three things could be happening in this passage. First, God was “paying them back” for their wages earned while they were slaves. Second, God was removing Egypt’s ability to quickly rebuild and continue to exercise injustice. Third, God was blessing his people and helping them to be provided for in the Land. God not only set his people free but he gave them every blessing they could need and in Christ we get to experience every spiritual blessing in Christ as we’re freed from sin and walk in new life (Ephesians 1:3-5).
Remember, Do Not Forget
Exodus 12:43-51
Finally the people of God are commanded to remember this freedom through the celebration of passover. God called this a “night of watching, kept by the LORD and all generations.” It was a time to remember and not forget. We can easily forget the things of God and the various ways he has moved in our lives to deliver us and free us. God’s remedy for that is to give us reminders and one of those for the Israelites was the annual feast of Passover where those who had joined God’s people through faith could participate in this feast of remembrance. Our text tells us things like “no foreigner” could eat the passover and we could read that as this being a text all about who is excluded, but look a bit further and read how the passage highlights who could be included (Exodus 12:43). Those who were circumcised and joined the people of God could be included into his people. Circumcision was the Old Testament sign for trust in God’s promised covenant. The reason that only those who joined the people of God could take the passover feast was because the feast meant something, it celebrated being freed from slavery and freed to God. Outsiders could opt in as they came to trust in God’s promise. It was a celebration of deliverance and did not mean anything concrete to someone who was not set free from slavery. We have similar reminders of our freedom in Christ through weekly gathered worship, baptism and communion. Since we are prone to forget, we need to have these practices that help us remember the mighty works of God.
To be delivered and freed means that we need rescue! It means that we are no longer an old harsh master and that we can be freed to worship God and pursue righteousness.
At your community group:
Take 15-20 minutes to share about how God has been at work in your life, prayer concerns and pray for one another.
How did God speak to you through the scripture and the sermon this week?
Discussion Questions:
Read Exodus 12:33-42
Who left Egypt and why does the text highlight the rushed nature of it?
Why would God command his people to ask for wealth on the way out of the land?
Read Exodus 12:43-51
What are some reasons God gave his people a list of who could and could not take the passover feast? Why do you think God commanded them to have this be an annual celebration?
To be delivered means that we are unable to rescue and save ourselves and we’ve learned that over and over again in the Exodus story. What are some reasons people can be tempted to rely on their own power and strength instead of God? If you are a follower of Jesus, what are some ways we can remember your salvation and freedom from sin and death?
Recent
Exodus 18:1-27 Study Guide: Jethro's Advice
February 11th, 2025
Exodus 17:8-17 Study Guide: the Battle Belongs to God
February 5th, 2025
Exodus 17:1-7 Study Guide: Dealing with Distrust
January 29th, 2025
Exodus 15:22-16:36 Study Guide: Trusting God in the Wilderness
January 22nd, 2025
Exodus 15:1-21 Study Guide: God is a Warrior
January 15th, 2025
Archive
2025
January
2024
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
2023
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October