Come Follow Me 14: Exodus 7-13

 Come Follow Me Lesson 14: Exodus 7-13

Introduction:

There were many plagues, but Pharaoh refused to hearken to the Lord. Each time, the Lord gave him another chance. Finally, only those who put the lamb’s blood on their door posts were passed over. Only when the blood of Jesus Christ is applied to us through faith, repentance, and the forgiveness of sins do we gain a new life.

Personal Study: Exodus 7-11

How Much Better is it for Us if We Choose to Soften our Hearts?

What do we need to do to soften our hearts?

What sacrifice does the Lord require of us in our day? How do we achieve that and maintain that?

Who hardened Pharaoh’s heart? To what degree our we responsible for our own reactions and for hanging on to a hard heart?

Family Study

How many times did Pharaoh say he’d let the people go and the turn back on his word. How important is it to you for others to keep their word. How important is it to you to keep your word?

Readings: Exodus 7-11

Exodus 7: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ex/7?lang=eng

5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

Likewise, the people of our day will know that Jesus is the Lord when He makes bare His arm in the sight of all nations.

Am I taking time now to now that He is Lord, so He doesn’t have to show me with signs, wonders, pestilences, and destruction?

1. Aaron’s rod became a serpent; so did the magicians rods; but Aaron’s swallowed the others up. Vs 10-12.

2. Rod turned the water into blood. Vs 19-20 (magicians copied vs 22)

Exodus 8: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ex/8?lang=eng

3. Infestation of frogs. Vs 5-6 (magicians copied vs 7)

At Pharaoh’s bidding, Moses entreated the Lord to take away the frogs. Except for where they should be in the waters, they died. Pharaoh didn’t keep his word to let the people go.

15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

When we have a respite, do we harden our hearts and forget the Lord, the One who gave us a time of refreshing?

4. Stretched forth rod turned all dust into lice. Vs 16 17 (Magician’s couldn’t duplicate and told Pharaoh that it was the finger of the Lord that did it. Vs 18-19)

5. Swarm of flies only in Egypt, not in Goshen. Vs 20-25.

Once again Pharaoh says they can go and goes back on his word. Even though Moses entreated the Lord to get rid of the flies, Pharaoh again hardened his heart.

Exodus 9: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ex/9?lang=eng

6. All the cattle in Egypt died vs. 6

7. Men and beast of Egypt had boils. Vs 10 (so did the magicians vs 11

Lord warned of pestilences beforehand.

8. Rod stretched forth and hail mixed with fire destroyed all that were outside in Egypt. Goshen had no hail. vs. 23-26

27 ¶ And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

28 Entreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

Word NOT kept yet, even though Moses entereated the Lord and the hail and storm ceased.

Exodus 10: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ex/10?lang=eng

3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.

How long will it take for us to be humble and let go of pride, so that the Lord can bless us?

7 And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

Pharaoh’s servants certainly wanted Pharaoh to listen to the Lord and let Israel go.

Pharaoh still wanted to make his own conditions? Do we ever try to do the same?

9. Rod stretched forth brings east wind with locusts that darken the sky and devour everything in Egypt. vs. 13-15 (Pharaoh again cries wold, saying he’s sinned, and he’ll let them go vs 16; even though a west wind took the locusts away, Pharaoh again hardened his heart.)

10. Darkness over all of Egypt for three days, but Israel had light. Vs 22-23.

Pharaoh still wanted to make his own conditions. He didn’t want them to take their flocks and their wealth them. He told Moses not to come back. He did want to see his face again.

Exodus 11: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ex/11?lang=eng

11. All the firstborn in Egypt of man and beast will be slain. vs. 5

Personal Study: Exodus 12-13

How is Jesus Christ our Passover?

The Israelites only protection from the last plague in Egypt was adherence to the Passover?

How are we protected by adherence to the gospel of Jesus Christ, keeping our covenants, and obeying His commandments?

“Just as the Lord delivered the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, He can also deliver us from the bondage of sin.”

How does the Passover point to Jesus Christ and His atonement?

What things must we do in order to receive the blessings of the atonement?

How can we figuratively have blood on our doorposts? 12:7

How can we figuratively have our shoes on our feet and our staffs in our hands? Vs 11

If we are prepared and faithful, we have the same promise from the Lord, found in D&C 89:21:

21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.

How Does the Sacrament Help Us Remember that it is Jesus Who has Delivered Us?

The Israelites were asked to keep the Passover each year in memory of their deliverance through Jesus Christ from their bondage in Egypt.

What do you do personally to remember Jesus Christ and your covenant relationship with Him?

What do you do to express gratitude for His deliverance? How do you keep His memory alive in your own life, and how do you help preserve that for future generations?

How are the purposes of keeping the Passover and partaking of the Sacrament similar?

How can remembering the Passover help you in your worship and partaking of the Sacrament?

How can you always remember Him?

Sacramental prayers: Moroni 4:3; 5:2 Doctrine and Covenants 3:3–5, 10

Jesus instituted the Sacrament as He ate the Last Supper with His Disciples: Luke 22:7–8, 19–20

The Lord wants us to remember Him. He wants us to turn to Him, because in Him salvation is found.

Helaman 5:6–12 Moroni 10:3 18:10; 52:40.

How important is it for us to willingly partake of the Sacrament? John 6:54

Video: Always Remember Him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tnzHF7s3QM

Our task is to remember.

Our salvation, just like the Israelites at the time of Moses, so conditional upon our obedience and adherence to what Jesus asks us to do (principles and ordinances of His gospel).

Family Study

What will you do personally to remember Jesus Christ’s atonement?

“How can we more fully make the sacrament a “memorial” of what the Savior has done for us?”

Exodus 12: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ex/12?lang=eng

vs 5 A lamb without blemish

vs 7 Mark door frames with lamb’s blood.

Can people tell when they come to my house that I believe in the divinity of the Savior Jesus Christ and that His blood atones for my sins?

11 ¶ And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s Passover.

How quickly do I do what the Lord requires of me? How prepared am I to flee? How prepared am I for His Coming?

13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

What similar blessings do we have in the last days if we flee Babylon and are part of building up Zion?

14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

How do I observe the Passover in my day?

Vs 16 How is each 7^th day a holy convocation to me?

Vs 23 What signs am I making, what covenants am I keeping, what commandments am I observing which will be a protection to me against the destroying angels? Will the Lord preserve me?

Am I teaching my children to remember how good the Lord has been to our fathers and mothers throughout all our generations?

26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?

27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

During Passover night, all the firstborn in Egypt died. Then Pharaoh not only let the people go, he demanded that they leave immediately. They took their families, cattle, riches, and many things given to them by the Egyptians.

Only the covenant people were to eat of the Passover. If others wanted to eat, they had to join the covenant people through circumcision.

How is the sacrament also a sign of the Lord’s covenant people?

Exodus 13: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ex/13?lang=eng

2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

Firstborn sanctified to the Lord.

How do I become a member of the Church of the Firstborn?

8 ¶ And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.

Explain to your children, and grandchildren, the faith of their fathers.

9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt.

10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

Now we observe Easter. This is when the God’s unblemished Lamb was resurrected, after His life was given in our behalf.

12 That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord’s.

I had a girl first.

14 ¶ And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.

19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

How does repetition, recall, and remembering help us stay true?