What You Sow, You Reap – The Firstborn Struck Down

 

“What You Sow, You Reap – The Firstborn Struck Down”

Text: Exodus 12:29–30; Hebrews 11:28

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Introduction:

Turn with me to Exodus 12:29–30, where the Word of God records one of the most sobering and devastating moments in biblical history:

“At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt—from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.”

This is the moment of divine judgment—the tenth and final plague. The Lord Himself struck Egypt at its heart. Why the firstborn? Why this specific blow? What can we learn from it today?

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Why the Firstborn?

The firstborn in ancient cultures held a place of honor. In Egypt, the firstborn son represented legacy, inheritance, strength, and future leadership. Striking the firstborn was a strike against the future of Egypt itself.

But there's more. Pharaoh himself was considered divine. His firstborn son would become the next "god-king." By striking down Pharaoh’s son, God demonstrated the impotence of Egypt’s gods. The deities of Egypt—Isis, Osiris, Ra, and others—were believed to protect life. But they were silent on this night. They could not stop the hand of the one true God.

This was not just judgment against people, but judgment against an entire religious system of idolatry. God was dismantling Egypt’s false hopes. As Exodus 12:12 says, “I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord.”

A Reversal of Pharaoh’s Decree

Do you remember what an earlier Pharaoh did in Exodus 1? He issued a cruel decree that all Hebrew male babies were to be drowned in the Nile. That act of genocide was meant to crush the growth of Israel, God’s chosen people.

But now in Exodus 12, we see a reversal of judgment. The destroyer comes not for Hebrew children, but for Egypt’s firstborn. As Galatians 6:7 teaches, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

This is divine justice—not arbitrary, but measured. Pharaoh tried to cut off God's people by targeting their children. Now God shows that He sees, He remembers, and He repays.

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The Role of Faith and Obedience (Hebrews 11:28)

Hebrews 11:28 says of Moses:

“By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.”

Here we see a crucial truth: God’s mercy was extended—but only through obedience and faith. The Israelites were spared not because they were better, but because they obeyed God’s instructions and applied the blood of the lamb to their doorposts.

That blood symbolized covering and redemption—pointing forward to the blood of Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God.

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When the Innocent Suffer for the Guilty

Let’s not ignore a hard truth in this story. Not every Egyptian was personally guilty of Pharaoh’s stubbornness. There were children, mothers, servants. Yet they all suffered because of one man’s prideful rebellion.

This is a sobering warning to us today: Our sins don’t only affect us. Sometimes, the innocent suffer because of the sins of leaders, parents, or those in authority. When we walk in pride or rebellion, we may bring pain into our homes, communities, and churches.

• A father’s addiction can destroy a family.

• A leader’s corruption can bankrupt a city.

• A pastor’s moral failure can shake the faith of many.

This story reminds us to walk humbly before God. Sin is never private. What we sow, we may reap—not just in our own lives, but in the lives of those we love.

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Final Application and Invitation

The story of the firstborn’s death in Egypt is terrifying, but also redemptive.

• It shows us God’s justice—He will not be mocked.

• It shows us God’s mercy—He provides a way of escape through the blood.

• And it shows us the urgency of faith and obedience.

We are all sinners. We all stand under judgment. But the blood of Jesus has been applied to the cross—and through faith in Him, death passes over us.

Let this story remind us:

• To take sin seriously.

• To walk in obedience.

• To protect the innocent by living in righteousness.

Choose today whom you will serve. Walk under the covering of the blood. And live as those who fear the Lord—and love others. Amen.

More: EXODUS Sabbath School Lesson 5 - Passover