Obedience and Worship: Israel's Response to Divine Command

Exodus 11:28 records Israel's immediate compliance: "Did as the Lord had commanded." This phrase crystallizes the inseparable bond between worship and obedience. Joseph S. Exell's Victorian commentary identifies seven principles embedded in this moment.

First, authentic worship expresses itself through faith, humility, and integrity—the truest gratitude offered to Yahweh. Second, God's revelation in providences and ordinances demands praise from His people. Third, worship and obedience cannot be divorced; they are intrinsically coupled. Fourth, promptness (tachyon—swiftness) in obedience remains essential to God's covenant people. Fifth, Israel alone possesses the fitness to worship; only Jehovah merits receiving such worship.

Sixth, obedience must be regulated exclusively by God's Word, not by cultural custom or individual preference. Seventh, as God gives instruction through His ministers, the Church must receive and execute His commands precisely.

The tenth plague—death of Egypt's firstborn—underscores the cost of Pharaoh's rebellion. Yet Israel, having obeyed God's specific ordinance regarding the Passover lamb, experienced complete deliverance. "Not a house where there was not one dead" in Egypt stood in stark contrast to Israel's protected households. This Divine selectivity demonstrated Providence's sovereignty: God's judgment spares none regardless of station, yet His mercy preserves those who trust and obey His Word.