Vigil

DEVOTION

EXODUS

VIGIL

Ex 12:37-42

37 The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 Many other people went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. 39 With the dough they had brought from Egypt, they baked cakes of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves. 40 Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD's divisions left Egypt. 42 Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the LORD for the generations to come.

NIV

A tremendous amount of time and effort has been put into the discussion about the 430 years, to the very day, when all the LORD’s divisions left Egypt. There has also been a great deal of time spent in an effort to determine the exact number of complete souls that were in that Exodus. From all the records in scripture that reference this event, it has been thought that they did not actually spent that full 430 years in Egypt, but the it was that length of time since God gave Abraham the promise to the giving of the Law, which he did right after their leaving Egypt. It has been estimated the complete number was somewhere near 2 million people, with all the wives and children and those who came with them. Others put the number closer to 3 to 3.5 million. As interesting as all this is, most of it is either speculation, or assumptions. The 430 years might well be based on fact, however, seeing that Paul used that exact number informing his readers of the years from the Promise to the Law. Still neither of these serve to be our lesson today. We are told there were many other people went up with them out of Egypt. It is supposed that many others left their countries of origin due to the immense famine throughout all the lands. Their descendants would have been born in Egypt as well, as perhaps either enslaved also or simply lived among the Egyptians in such some numbers they were no threat to them. Either way they took the opportunity to get out of Egypt following after the God of the Israelites rather than remaining behind. We would have to believe these foreigners, not being Israelites, experienced the death of their firstborn, as well as all the other plagues, along with all the Egyptians. Yet they chose to leave with the Israelites and their God who did all this in Egypt. This could be our lesson, that because of our faith in God, people will follow or join us, following our God, when we exodus this planet. Surely these others show how God protected the Israelites form certain plagues especially the death of the firstborn. Surely they know the God of the Hebrews was a powerful and mighty God who is concerned about his people. Who did all he did to bring them out of their misery. Why would they stay behind in a country ravished by his plagues, left with barren fields and death all over, when they could follow after a people who served such a powerful God? Certainly we should be like that. Surely we should be a people who serve such a powerful God and have his power working on behalf of us in such a way that others will choose to join us rather than stay behind in a ravished world which will be after all the seven angels, the seven trumpets, vials, and plagues. Although that would be a great lesson and it is, it might be best to find our lesson in the vigil. But of the LORD and of the people. God kept a vigil over them as they left. It had to have taken a lot of time to gather all their goods, their flocks, and ask and receive all the gold and silver from the Egyptians. All night long this gathering took place. An amassing of over several million people finding each other, watching over the children and the helping the elderly. Although we are not told exactly, perhaps they were assembled by tribe, by clan or as by division, as that term is used. A massive gathering of people and God stood vigil over them during the whole of it. This term vigil is not found in the original text, it simply says the LORD brought them out that night and they are to keep that night special, to celebrate that night for generations upon generations. But the fact is God watched over them, protected them during this gathering and as this massive exodus took place under the direction of Moses. How he managed to govern such an enormous event can only be attributed to God. The LORD watched over them, he kept his eye upon them, he maintain his vigil over them during the whole night. This is how he always is with his creation. The LORD does not every leave us nor forsake us. He is always watching over us, keeping a vigil over us. He knows our very thoughts, our inner most being. We think we know some people, but we only know them on the outside, God knows our heart, he sees into our very being and keeps a vigil over us. He is always with us, even when we do not feel his presences, he is there. Daryl Scott, put it best. The constant presence of God and the conscience presence of God. Even though we may not be conscience of his presence, he is constantly present. This is the kind of presences he exhibited the night of their gathering and leaving. He was there with them and he is here with us.

Ps 34:15

15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;

NIV