The killing of the firstborn refers to the final of the ten plagues that God inflicted on Egypt as described in the Book of Exodus in the Bible. According to the Biblical account, God commanded Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand that he let the Israelite slaves leave Egypt. When Pharaoh refused, God sent ten plagues upon Egypt to demonstrate His power. The tenth and final plague was the death of all the firstborn children in Egypt.
What was the purpose of the ten plagues?
The ten plagues served several purposes:
- To force Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave Egypt as God had commanded.
- To show God’s power over the Egyptian gods and religious system. Each plague targeted specific Egyptian gods to display God’s supremacy.
- To judge the Egyptians for oppressing the Israelites for over 400 years.
- To display God’s miraculous signs and wonders.
The plagues were intended to humble the proud Egyptians who had enslaved and oppressed the Israelites for centuries. God sent an escalating series of judgments to demonstrate His might and force Pharaoh to yield to His will.
What were the ten plagues?
- Water turned to blood – The Nile River and all water sources turned to blood for 7 days. Fish died and water stank.
- Frogs – Millions of frogs swarmed Egypt from the Nile.
- Lice – Dust turned to gnats/lice on both humans and animals.
- Flies – Swarms of flies filled Egypt.
- Livestock disease – Pestilence killed Egyptian livestock including cattle, horses, donkeys, camels, oxen, and sheep.
- Boils – Festering boils broke out on humans and animals.
- Hail – Severe thunder and hailstorm destroyed crops, livestock, and people.
- Locusts – Locusts swarmed and devoured any remaining Egyptian crops and plants.
- Darkness – Heavy darkness covered Egypt for 3 days.
- Death of firstborn – All firstborn children died overnight in Egypt.
Why did God harden Pharaoh’s heart?
The Bible says that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he refused to listen to Moses and let the Israelites go. There are several reasons why God did this:
- To demonstrate His power by multiplying His miraculous signs in Egypt.
- To bring a final, devastating judgment on Egypt for their mistreatment of Israel.
- To show that He has control over all rulers and authorities.
- To make His glory and fame known throughout the earth.
- To strengthen the faith of Israel by showing them He could overcome a powerful ruler like Pharaoh.
Though Pharaoh hardened his own heart early in the process, the Bible says God hardened his heart after plague 6 to accomplish His greater purposes in Egypt and in revealing Himself to the world.
The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn
What exactly did the tenth plague entail?
The tenth plague was the sudden death of all the firstborn children in Egypt:
- All firstborn sons died, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh to the firstborn son of the lowliest servant girl.
- Firstborn cattle and livestock also died.
The plague struck all the Egyptians families in a single night. It was a tragic and devastating blow that finally compelled Pharaoh to yield to Moses.
How did the Israelites avoid the plague?
God had Moses instruct the Israelites to follow specific guidelines so the plague would not affect them:
- Each family was to sacrifice an unblemished one-year-old male lamb or goat.
- They were to smear the blood on the sides and tops of their doorframes.
- They were to roast the lamb and eat it quickly with bitter herbs and unleavened bread.
- They were to remain inside their homes and stay vigilant throughout the night.
Following these instructions protected the Israelite firstborn from the plague. When God came through Egypt that night, He passed over the homes marked with the blood of the lamb.
Why were firstborn sons targeted?
There are several symbolic reasons why God chose to take the firstborn sons:
- Firstborn children were seen as special and privileged. Killing them devestated every family.
- Pharaoh’s refusal to release God’s firstborn son Israel provoked the death of Egypt’s firstborns.
- It showed the impotence of Egypt’s gods who could not protect their children.
- Firstborns were also future heirs and leaders. Their deaths crippled Egypt’s future.
- Israel as a nation was also God’s firstborn son. They were protected by the Passover lamb’s blood.
The plague represented God’s final and ultimate judgment on Egypt’s national pride.
The Exodus from Egypt
How did Pharaoh respond to the tenth plague?
After burying their dead firstborn, Pharaoh and the Egyptians urged the Israelites to leave Egypt immediately. They were terrified more plagues would come if they did not comply:
- Pharaoh told Moses and Aaron to take the Israelites and leave Egypt.
- The Egyptians urged the Israelites to hurry and leave.
- The Israelites requested silver, gold, and clothing from the Egyptians, who freely gave it to them.
- 600,000 Israelite men plus women, children, flocks, and herds all left Egypt.
After 215 years of slavery in Egypt, the Israelites finally gained their freedom. The depth of Pharaoh’s resistance makes the swift final capitulation even more notable.
Where did the Israelites go after leaving Egypt?
The Israelites left Egypt from the city of Rameses and journeyed to Succoth. From there, they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.
God led them by pillars of cloud and fire away from Egypt towards the Red Sea. Pharaoh changed his mind again and sent his army after them.
The Israelites eventually crossed through the Red Sea on dry ground after God parted the waters. They witnessed the Egyptian army drowning after God allowed the waters to close over them.
The Israelites then traveled on to Mount Sinai where God gave them the Ten Commandments and sealed His covenant with them.
Significance of the Tenth Plague
What was the significance for Israel?
The tenth plague held great meaning for Israel:
- It represented God’s mighty deliverance of His people from slavery.
- It inspired ongoing remembrance through the Passover celebration.
- It demonstrated God’s faithfulness to the Abrahamic covenant.
- It showed that God alone had power over life and death.
- It marked a new beginning as God’s chosen nation.
This event became a central identity marker commemorated annually through the Passover feast.
What was the plague’s theological significance?
Theologically, this final judgment revealed key aspects of God’s nature and relationship to the world:
- God hears the cries of the oppressed and intervenes on their behalf.
- He alone is God over all creation, nature, and human institutions.
- He has power of life and death.
- He judges evil, though He may be patient before acting.
- He redeems and restores those who trust in Him.
- He accomplishes His purposes, even using resistant agents like Pharaoh.
This dramatic demonstration of God’s supremacy served as a warning to surrounding nations. It also prefigured the final eschatological judgment upon the wicked when Christ returns.
Conclusion
The killing of the firstborn was the decimating tenth plague God inflicted on Egypt to break Pharaoh’s resistance and force him to release the Israelites from their generations of oppression. Firstborn children and animals died in a single night, representing God’s judgment on Egyptian society.
The Israelites avoided the plague by sacrificing lambs and painting their doorframes with blood, representing God’s protection for His chosen people. Pharaoh finally conceded defeat and allowed Israel’s exodus from Egypt.
This devastating plague expounded God’s might over all other powers and foreshadowed the ultimate divine judgment of the unrighteous. The Passover event remained a seminal spiritual experience for Israel. God transformed their slavery and suffering into the birthing pains of His covenant nation, demonstrating His faithfulness across generations.