Stroll through Scripture for September 29, 2024

Based on Exodus 12:1-13; 13:1-8

In many ways the Exodus story is an origin story for Israel.  It tells of how the nation was formed as a people, what they overcame, and how they set out towards their future.  Much like other founding myths, this story also carries a lot of myth in it.  Let me clarify the term “myth.”  Myth is an ancient story that tells of heroic acts, often involving the divine, that forms a foundational lens through which to see the world.  Myth isn’t concerned with literal truth, but rather, myth conveys a truth about something or someone.  

At the very beginning of chapter 12 we hear God speaking to Moses and Aaron declaring that “This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you.”  (vs. 2).  In other words, it’s a new beginning for Israel.  It’s a sort of birthday for Israel.  

Vs. 3- 13 is an instruction for Israelite households on what they are to do and how they are to prepare for what is about to happen.  Again, throughout this, it is a type of birth narrative.  The act of giving birth is messy.  There is often blood.  The way things were ends and something new begins.  In this case, it’s a hurried birth.  We hear God telling Moses and Aaron to tell the people to have their “loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly.” (vs. 11).  

In many ways the Exodus does become a lens by which to look at the world.  Later, Christians would come to see the Exodus story in Christ’s crucifixion (“the Lamb who was slain…”), the Last Supper, and more.  

Another important aspect of this story, especially in this portion of the story, is in vs. 12 – “For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all gods of Egypt I will execute judgements: I am the Lord.”  The plagues have been judgements against the Egyptian pantheon of gods.  And this final plague is especially a judgement against the Egyptian goddess Isis – one of the most widely worshipped Egyptian deities.  This goddess was part of the important Osiris myth which involves murder, resurrection, and the birth of the goddess’ son Horus. Isis was believed to help the dead enter the afterlife and was the divine mother of the pharaoh.  Isis was also considered the protector of Egypt.  This plague destroys any legitimacy that the cult of Isis tried to claim – showing that Isis was a fake goddess, just like the other Egyptian gods and goddesses. 

When we move to chapter 13, we see God telling Moses to have Israel “consecrate to me all the firstborn.” Again, this is a judgement against Isis – stripping the Egyptian goddess of her role and God claiming it instead. 

Verses 3-8 tell us of the establishment of the feast of unleavened bread.  The purpose of this feast is to connect the memory (of what God has done for Israel in setting them free from Egypt) to the action (of worship). 

Questions for Reflection:

• It’s not easy to admit that there are things that we treat like gods/goddesses in the world.  These are the things that inform how we make decisions, how we use our time, what we consider sacred, and what forms our identities.  What are the false deities that get worshipped in our society – the things that many people look to when they make decisions?  What are the false gods/goddesses that each of us look to in our own lives?  
• How does God call on us to be set free from these false deities in the world?
• What is the origin story of the groups we are a part of?  What is the origin story of the church you call home?  How has God been active in that origin story?