Now that the tenth plague has swept through Egypt, there is no hesitation whatsoever about the departure of the Israelites from Egypt. The fear of death and further destruction has motivated the Egyptians to do everything necessary to speed the release of the Israelites from their country. They aren’t thinking any longer of the economic benefits of retaining the Israelites, whereas before they argued that they needed the labor for bricks and for gathering hay lest the country’s economy crash. But now the threat of economic crash means nothing in light of the loss of the oldest of the next generation, the leaders for the future of Egypt have been suddenly taken and the populace’ outlook on their future has been radically altered as well. The Israelites were also probably just as bewildered at this sudden change of events as the Egyptians; they were accustomed to the abuses of oppression that the sudden freedom to just leave would have been disorienting. They had to begin to orient themselves to life as free people of God; and to help them along towards this goal, God’s might had prompted the Egyptians to start unloading their gold, silver, and clothing on them in order to motivate them to leave more quickly.
Having lived as slaves for generation upon generation, the Israelites had to learn how to live as free people. We have this learning curve as well, having become so accustomed to living in a sinful world where we are oppressed and made to serve the will of an evil ruler. But when we are freed, we have to learn the culture and the manners of God’s kingdom of which we become citizens. In so many ways, we see the world through the eyes of sin and in terms of the values and priorities of the kingdoms of this world. We mistake the ‘plunder’ or benefits that we take from the world, in the grace of Yahweh, for a benefit bestowed on us by the world rather than by God himself. The generosity of the Egyptians in those last days of the Israelites’ time in Egypt was not a reflection on the character of the Egyptians but on the character of Yahweh, who had proven his power and presence before everyone. We have likewise been pursued; but rather than staking his claim on the firstborn children of every family (both Egyptian and Israelite, remember, though he let the sacrifice of a lamb stand in the stead of the Israelites’ children), he has now made his claim on us by giving his only begotten Son on our behalf.
