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FAIR Resources for Come, Follow Me – Restoration Scripture
Week 15: April 6 - 12: "Remember This Day in Which Ye Came Out From Egypt"

Exodus 7-13

Doctrinal Focus
Historical & Contextual
Apologetic Application
Practical Applications
Ideas for Teaching
Quick Reference

Doctrinal Focus

  • Key doctrines addressed in this week’s reading

The Passover demonstrated that salvation came through the blood of the lamb placed on Israelite homes. In Exodus 12:13, the Lord promised protection when He saw the blood, foreshadowing Jesus Christ as the “Lamb of God” (see John 1:29). Just as ancient Israel was spared and delivered, we are spiritually redeemed through Christ’s Atonement when we exercise faith and keep covenants.

The Israelites had to act in faith—marking their doors and preparing to leave Egypt—even before seeing the final miracle of deliverance (see Exodus 12:21–28). Similarly, covenant disciples show their willingness through obedience and trust, as taught in Mosiah 18:8–10, where followers of Christ commit to bear one another’s burdens and stand as witnesses of Him. Faith becomes powerful when it leads to faithful action.

Israel was instructed to observe the Passover as a lasting memorial of God’s saving power (see Exodus 12:14, 24–27). This remembrance helped future generations understand their identity as covenant people. In the same way, modern disciples renew their covenants through ordinances such as the sacrament, remembering Christ’s deliverance and recommitting to follow Him.

Israel’s deliverance from Egypt marked the beginning—not the end—of their covenant journey. Their continued willingness to follow the Lord determined their spiritual strength as a people. This mirrors the covenant invitation in Mosiah 18:8–10 to remain willing to serve God and others throughout life, showing that true discipleship is renewed regularly through remembrance and action.

  • Pharaoh’s hardened heart prolonged Israel’s suffering, yet each plague revealed the Lord’s supremacy and covenant faithfulness (see Exodus 7:3–5). These experiences taught Israel to rely fully on God’s power rather than their own strength. Trials today can similarly refine faith and help us recognize the Lord’s sustaining hand.
  • When the Lord finally led Israel out of Egypt, He did not choose the shortest route but a path that would strengthen and protect them (see Exodus 13:17–18). Scripture shows that God’s deliverance often comes after periods of preparation and growth. As with other covenant peoples who endured hardship before deliverance (see Mosiah 23:21–24), trusting His timing helps us develop patience and spiritual resilience

Historical & Contextual Insights

  • Insights in this week’s study
  • The events of Exodus 7–13 take place in ancient Egypt during the late Bronze Age (around 13th century B.C.), a time when Egypt was one of the most powerful civilizations on earth. The Israelites had been enslaved there for generations, and their lives were marked by forced labor, oppression, and despair.

The Lord called Moses, a Hebrew raised in Pharaoh’s court, to confront Egypt’s king and demand freedom for God’s people. Pharaoh’s repeated refusals brought about the ten plagues, divine judgments that not only demonstrated God’s supremacy over Egypt’s gods but also revealed His covenant commitment to deliver Israel. The climactic event, the Passover, marked the Israelites as God’s covenant people through the symbolic blood of the lamb.

  • This was not just a political liberation—it was a spiritual rebirth of a covenant nation. Israel’s deliverance foreshadowed Christ’s Atonement and the redemption of all God’s children. Each plague exposed the impotence of Egypt’s idols, reaffirming that the Lord alone holds the power to save. The Exodus became the central act of divine deliverance in Israelite memory, continually referenced throughout scripture.
  • The Exodus story teaches that God remembers His covenants and delivers His people in His time and way. Like the Israelites, modern disciples are called to leave behind spiritual bondage and trust in the Redeemer’s power. “Are You Still Willing?” adds a personal dimension—our ongoing willingness to follow Christ demonstrates that we still trust in His power to deliver us from the bondage of sin, fear, and doubt.
  • Each plague targeted a specific Egyptian deity—such as Hapi (god of the Nile), Heqet (frog goddess of fertility), and Ra (the sun god)—demonstrating that Jehovah alone ruled over all creation. The Lord was not merely freeing slaves; He was establishing His identity as the true and living God in a world of idols.
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  • This theological message would have strengthened Israel’s covenant identity as they prepared to become a nation of priests (Exodus 19:5–6). Seeing God’s power firsthand helped them know whom they served. In “Are You Still Willing?” we see this same call: to stand distinct in loyalty to the true God despite competing worldly influences.
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  • The plagues thus served both as judgment and instruction—judgment on Pharaoh’s pride and instruction for God’s people to trust Him fully. Even today, the “plagues” of modern life—pride, materialism, unbelief—test our willingness to recognize God’s sovereignty and yield our hearts to Him.
  • When the Israelites placed lamb’s blood on their doorposts, it symbolized both deliverance and belonging—they were marked as God’s covenant people. This moment became the defining ritual of Israel’s faith, teaching generations to remember God’s saving acts. Jesus Christ later transformed the Passover into the sacrament, turning a symbol of national deliverance into one of universal redemption.
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  • This shift reveals how God’s covenants evolve yet remain centered on remembrance. Israel remembered the Exodus; Christians remember the Atonement. Both invite us to act, not just recall. “Are You Still Willing?” reinforces that remembrance without renewed willingness lacks covenant power.
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  • By remembering Christ through weekly sacrament, we spiritually reenact the Exodus—leaving behind bondage and moving toward promised freedom. Each week, the question becomes personal: Are we still willing to come out of Egypt—to let go of what enslaves us—and follow the Deliverer anew?

If you have questions on this week’s reading, please email your questions to us here.

Apologetic Application

  1. Claim: “The Exodus is a myth written centuries later to give Israel a national origin story.”
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  3. Response:
  4. Historical Evidence: Archaeological and textual studies show Semitic populations living in Egypt during the 2nd millennium B.C., consistent with the Israelite experience (e.g., the Avaris settlements in the Nile Delta). Egyptian records, such as the Ipuwer Papyrus, describe calamities similar to the biblical plagues.
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  6. Eyewitness Support: Later Old Testament books and psalms (e.g., Psalm 78; Joshua 24) treat the Exodus as verifiable history, not allegory. Its details—geography, customs, and rituals—reflect authentic Egyptian culture of the era.
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  8. Spiritual Confirmation: Prophets throughout scripture, including Christ Himself (Luke 9:31), reference the Exodus as a literal event pointing to divine deliverance. The Spirit confirms its truth by testifying of God’s power to deliver His people in all ages.
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  10. Logical Analysis: Myths rarely portray a nation’s ancestors as fearful, faithless, and rebellious. The self-critical honesty of the Exodus narrative suggests authentic memory, not national propaganda.
  • Claim: “The biblical authors exaggerated natural phenomena to make them seem miraculous.”
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  • Response:
  • Historical Evidence: Naturalistic explanations fail to account for the timing, sequence, and theological purpose of the plagues. The precision and escalation—culminating in the Passover—reveal divine orchestration rather than coincidence.
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  • Eyewitness Support: Moses and Aaron, along with the Egyptian magicians and Pharaoh himself, witnessed the events firsthand (Exodus 8:18–19). Even Pharaoh’s servants acknowledged, “This is the finger of God.”
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  • Spiritual Confirmation: The same Spirit that confirms Christ’s miracles affirms that the Lord can act through both natural means and divine power to accomplish His purposes.
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  • Logical Analysis: The insistence on “natural-only” explanations reflects a worldview bias, not evidence. If God exists, then miracles are not impossible—they are expressions of His sovereignty over nature.
  • Claim: “The blood on the doorposts was a primitive superstition, not divine symbolism.”
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  • Response:
  • Historical Evidence: Ancient Near Eastern covenant rituals often used symbolic blood as a sign of protection or belonging. The Passover’s unique theological focus—deliverance through substitution—set Israel apart from its neighbors.
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  • Eyewitness Support: Generations of Israelites reenacted the Passover annually, preserving its meaning and transmission across millennia (Exodus 12:24–27). Christ Himself participated in Passover before instituting the sacrament.
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  • Spiritual Confirmation: The Holy Ghost bears witness that the Passover was a prophetic type of Christ’s Atonement. Modern disciples feel the same confirming Spirit during the sacrament as ancient Israel did during their deliverance.
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  • Logical Analysis: The coherence between Passover imagery and Christ’s sacrifice centuries later argues for divine design, not cultural accident. The typological unity across dispensations supports revelation rather than mythmaking.

Practical Applications

Practical solutions for someone in faith crisis:

Action Step: Keep a written or digital “deliverance record” where you note moments God has helped, protected, or strengthened you.

The Israelites were commanded to remember their deliverance from Egypt so that faith in God’s power would endure across generations (Exodus 12:14, 24–27). Modern disciples face spiritual “Egypts” of doubt, distraction, and fear; remembering divine help renews gratitude and strengthens covenant trust in the Lord’s timing and mercy.

  1. – Reflect on past experiences when God has guided or delivered you.
  2. – Record those moments in a journal, scripture margins, or notes app.
  3. – Revisit your record during sacrament or prayer to renew gratitude.
  4. – Share one testimony of deliverance with a family member or friend this week.

Encouraging Thought:

“Are you still willing?”  Remembering the Savior’s past deliverance renews our willingness to follow Him again today.

Action Step: When you face uncertainty, take one faith-filled action that shows you trust the Lord—such as serving, forgiving, or praying before answers come.

The Israelites acted before they saw the Red Sea part. Faith precedes miracles, not the other way around. Acting in trust allows the Spirit to confirm that deliverance is already underway even when it’s unseen.

  1. – Identify one area in your life where you feel “stuck.”
  2. – Pray for guidance on what faithful step to take next.
  3. – Write down that prompting and act on it promptly.
  4. – Record how you feel afterward and how the Lord sustains you.

Encouraging Thought:

Faith is not only a feeling; it is a decision to trust in God even when the path is dark.

  • Action Step: Before taking the sacrament each week, consciously review what you will do to show your willingness to bear Christ’s name.

The Israelites’ Passover marked their covenant identity as God’s people. Likewise, partaking of the sacrament is our modern covenant renewal. “Are You Still Willing?” reminds us that discipleship isn’t about perfection but persistence—the willingness to keep trying, trusting, and following Christ.

  1. – Before Sunday, choose one Christlike attribute (e.g., patience, humility, forgiveness) to focus on.
  2. – Write it down and pray for help to live that attribute during the week.
  3. – During sacrament, mentally place your “offering” before the Lord as a token of renewed willingness.
  4. – At week’s end, reflect on what you learned and how Christ strengthened you.

Encouraging Thought:

  • Being ‘willing’ is the quiet power of covenant discipleship. God can work miracles with a willing heart.

Ideas for Teaching

Objective: Help learners recognize how remembering God’s deliverance strengthens their covenant identity.

  1. – Paper door outlines or small cardstock “doorposts”
  2. – Markers or pens
  3. – Copies of Exodus 12:21–27 and Mosiah 18:8–10

Activity Steps:

  1. Introduction (5 min): Ask: “If you could mark your home with one symbol of faith, what would it be and why?” Explain that Israelites marked their doors with lamb’s blood as a sign of faith and belonging.
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  3. Scripture Discussion (5 min): Read Exodus 12:21–27. Discuss what the symbol meant to ancient Israel and how the sacrament renews that covenant today. Connect to “Are You Still Willing?” by emphasizing the renewal of willingness to follow Christ.
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  5. Application (5 min): Have each participant write on their “doorpost” one word or phrase symbolizing how they show willingness to follow Christ (e.g., forgive, pray daily, serve others). Invite a few to share.

Follow-Up Question: What does it mean for your life today to be “marked” as one of the Lord’s people?

Objective: Inspire learners to act in faith before seeing the results, as the Israelites did when leaving Egypt.

  1. – A rope or tape to represent the Red Sea
  2. – Scriptures (Exodus 14:13–16, Mosiah 23:21–24)
  3. – Small slips of paper and pens

Activity Steps:

Introduction (5 min): Lay down the rope or tape as a “Red Sea.” Ask: “Have you ever faced a situation that felt impossible to cross?” Invite brief responses.

Scripture Discussion (5 min): Read Exodus 14:13–16 and Mosiah 23:21–24. Discuss how God’s people acted in faith before the sea parted or the burden was lifted.

Application (5 min): Have each person write one “Red Sea” challenge they face and one small act of faith they can take this week. Invite them to symbolically “step across” the rope as they share or silently commit.

Follow-Up Question: How can you act in faith today, even before you see how God will deliver you?

Objective: Help learners internalize the meaning of being “willing” disciples who renew their covenants weekly.

  1. – Printed quote from “Are You Still Willing?”
  2. – Scriptures (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77; Exodus 12:14, 24–27)
  3. – Index cards and pens

Activity Steps: 

Introduction (5 min): Read the quote: “Being willing to take upon us the name of Christ means we have His permission to represent Him.” Ask: “What does that look like in your life?”

Scripture Discussion (5 min): Read D&C 20:77 and Exodus 12:24–27. Discuss how both the sacrament and the Passover invite remembrance and renewed commitment.

Application (5 min): Give each participant an index card. Have them write one specific way they will show they are still willing to follow Christ this week (e.g., show kindness at work, forgive, pray more consistently). Encourage them to place it where they’ll see it daily.

Follow-Up Question: In what ways can you show your willingness to follow the Savior even when discipleship feels difficult?

QUICK REFERENCE

  • God’s deliverance is both physical and spiritual—the Exodus foreshadows the redemption made possible through Jesus Christ.

     

  • The Passover teaches us to remember and renew our covenant relationship with God, just as the sacrament does today.

     

  • Faith precedes miracles—like the Israelites stepping into the unknown, we act in faith before deliverance comes.

     

  • God’s timing and methods of deliverance are purposeful; trials refine trust and reveal His sustaining power.

     

  • Being “willing” (Mosiah 18:8–10) means continually choosing discipleship, just as Israel had to continually choose to follow God after leaving Egypt.
  • Why trust modern prophets?
  • God’s pattern of communication has never changed—He sent Moses to deliver Israel and now sends modern prophets to guide His covenant people. Prophets are not self-appointed but divinely called and sustained through revelation. Their counsel consistently aligns with scriptural patterns of deliverance and covenant renewal. Just as Israel’s safety depended on trusting Moses’ inspired direction, our spiritual safety depends on heeding prophetic guidance. Prophets help us interpret modern “plagues” of confusion and fear through eternal truth.
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  • Why does God allow mistakes?
  • God allows human agency—even among His leaders—so that faith rests on Christ’s perfection, not mortal infallibility. Moses, like every prophet, learned through experience, yet God’s purposes were fulfilled. Allowing imperfection invites humility and participation in the learning process. As “Are You Still Willing?” teaches, discipleship means remaining willing even when outcomes or leaders are imperfect, trusting that God’s plan is still unfolding.
  • Exodus 12:13–14 — The blood of the lamb as a symbol of deliverance and remembrance.

     

Mosiah 18:8–10 — The covenant of willingness to follow Christ and serve others.

Teaching in the Savior’s Way — “Teaching by the Spirit” and “Helping Learners Act in Faith.”