Each month, our Northside women meet in small groups for prayer, fellowship, and to read and discuss a devotion written by our writers' group. This year we're studying the book of Exodus as we delve into the character of God. The following is from our June devotion:

“And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.” - Exodus 12:36

The Bible says that God had given favor to the Israelites in the face of the Egyptian people. That word "favor" in Hebrew is the equivalent of our English word "grace." Grace is beyond unmerited favor. It’s to be lavished upon someone. It is extravagant.

In the New Testament, John 1:16 describes God’s grace in Christ as “grace upon grace.” This gives the picture of waves coming onto the seashore... one stacking upon another.

At the end of Exodus 10, Pharaoh told Moses not to show up again in his court – if he did, he’d be killed. Yet, Moses had one more word from the Lord for the stubborn-hearted Pharaoh. So, while still in Pharaoh’s court, Moses announced to Pharaoh that there would be one last plague brought upon Egypt. The Lord would take the first-born of all the Egyptian males and their first-born male livestock. By the end of Chapter 11, God had drawn a line in the sand for both Pharaoh and the Egyptians. God knew that Pharaoh and the Egyptians would fail to obey His instructions. This time, however, God told Moses that although Pharaoh’s heart would continue to be hardened, two things would happen: Pharaoh would let the children of Israel go and the Egyptians would believe Moses’ words.

God commands Moses to call the elders of the Israelites to select and kill specific lambs. Then they are to take a bunch of hyssop, dip the hyssop into the lambs’ blood, and cover the lintel and the sides of the doorposts of all the Israelite households with the blood. This covering of the doors with the blood of the lamb was a foretelling of the future Messiah... a Redeemer who would come and cover our lives with His blood as a covenant of redemption for us. When the destroyer passed over the Israelite homes, they were spared from death. Just as the lamb’s blood covered their homes and protected them, so much more does Jesus’ blood from His death on the Cross cover us!

At midnight, the destroyer killed all the first-born Egyptian males (of ALL ages) and livestock, just like God had promised. Pharaoh’s house was not spared. This caused Pharaoh to send Moses and Aaron and the Israelites out of Egypt. He even asked that God would bless him, too! This is important because Pharaoh (who thought himself to be a god) was humbled, if only for a moment.

We’ll discuss the Israelites leaving in depth next month, but I want to point out two things:

1. God showed His favor (grace) upon the Israelites once again (Exodus 12:36). God’s grace is ongoing toward them in the same way it is ongoing to us. God’s grace is a gift – it cannot be earned. (Eph.2:8-9)
2. The Israelites left in a hurry. This was not a surprise to them! In His specific instructions, God told them to eat their Passover meal with their tunic tucked into their belts for quick travel. He is a God of preparation and order. They obeyed and trusted in His Words.

I’ve heard it said that a good definition for God’s grace is the acronym GRACE: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. That’s what happens when we believe on Christ or our redemption – our perfectly Holy God looks to the Spotless Lamb of God– Jesus – and sees His sacrifice on our behalf. He tosses our sin into the depths of the sea and remembers it no more. That is lavish grace!