The Last Plague

Exodus 11:4-6 (NKJV)

⁴ Then Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt;⁵ and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the hand mill, and all the firstborn of the animals. ⁶ Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again.

Our text speaks of the final plague that broke Pharaoh down. There were several plagues before this one, but none of them caused Pharaoh to flinch or experience fear…however, this last plague would top them all. This plague struck the family. The family has been the final stronghold of human sanity, care, sacrifice, and love. Life is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, without the love and support of a family. Having a family, is having something! However, over the years, the family has lost its luster; it's grown smaller, and less important as it used to be.

1 Timothy 3:4-5 (NKJV)

4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);

America has been plagued by Dysfunctional families...there are several different families that fit this description:

1) A Single-Parent Home: This is dysfunctional, not because there is a lack of love, but a lack of balance. 

My hat goes off to all of the single mothers out there; trying to do the best they can to take care of their children, when the man has run off...try as you might dear; those kids NEED a Father. The same is true in a vice/versa type scenario...a 2 parent home is balanced and provides a stronger advantage versus single parented homes. Understand, it is possible to raise up a child in a single parent home successfully, but not without strong opposition and odds stacked against them.

2) A family with loose morals / disciplines:this is dysfunctional! A child allowed to do anything they want in the name of your ‘love’ is insane! Without proper disciplines instilled in your children at early ages…you’re going to raise a monster!!

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)

6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 13:24 (NKJV)

24 He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

Proverbs 23:13 (NKJV)

13 Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.

We teach our children to disobey with our empty threats…we refuse to take the time to discipline and follow through w/the discipline! We would rather plop them down in front of a television or the internet…the greatest form of child abuse is NEGLECT

3) Another form of Dysfunction is a Perversion:  Artificial insemination began in the 1920s…commonly seen in animal breeding but went on to humans due to some issues of procreation. In other words, if the husband couldn’t generate enough sperm to impregnate his wife, artificial insemination was an option. Today, it’s used for much more than that.

Because the family and its definition thereof has been changed by perversion – now you have homosexual and lesbian ‘couples’ performing this practice in order to raise children…due to this perversion, a curse has been released in our homes.

A family is and forever will be, a male husband, a female wife, and their children! Anything outside of this is NOT a family, but a terrible imitation and spittle on the face of God.

The plague is released, and children are suffering at the hands of selfish parents who care more about their carnal appetite and sexual preference versus the healthy structure of a righteous home.

So where is the Salvation for the family? It can be found in Exodus chapter 12, the first 14 verses. Those verses speak of the Passover Lamb.

Considering all of the plagues that struck Egypt, this was the first one in which the Children of Israel had to do something in order to be saved from it! The only way their families could be spared was by the blood of the Lamb!

It had to be spotless, without blemish, they then took the blood and smeared it on the lentil of their doorposts…afterward – they were to roast the beast and eat ALL of it, what was not eaten was sacrificed.

The same is true today – if our families are going to survive, we must have the blood of Jesus in our homes! We must consume Him every day! We won’t make it without the blood of Jesus in our homes. I don’t know about you, but I want my family safe, and saved. That means, it is my responsibility as the leader of my house hold to make sure Christ is the center of it.