“Loins girded,” says the KJV. In other words, don’t let anything impede your personal exodus.
Do you see what God is doing? He is about to pour out well-deserved wrath on Pharaoh and all those who do not, as some of the Egyptians do, fear the word of the Lord (Ex 9:20). But how is He doing it? By providing the greatest demonstration of His salvation in the Old Testament! Listen to this verse: “‘With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,’ says the Lord, your Redeemer” (Isa 54:8). Or hear the prophet Habakkuk’s plea to the Lord: “In wrath remember mercy” (Hab 3:2). This story is amazing! In effect, God is saying, Pharaoh, if you refuse My mercy, I will have to pour out on your nation its deserved wrath, but I will do it in such a way that the demonstration of both My wrath and mercy will cause untold multitudes to flee from My wrath to My mercy and find salvation. To this day, around the world many are explaining God’s way of salvation by the Passover story! This, God said, was His purpose: “that My name [that is, His character] may be declared in all the earth” (Ex 9:16). But back to that night, it wasn’t just that the lamb’s blood was shed to protect from the destroying angel. Now everyone went into the house and had a feast! No doubt, while the lamb was “roasted in fire” (12:8), everyone was packing up. When the meal was served, along with unleavened bread, they were instructed to eat “with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand…Eat it in haste” (v 11). Imagine more than two million people getting ready to go camping! God wanted them to be ready to leave ASAP. Christian, did you know the Lord wants you ready to leave earth at a moment’s notice? One shout and I’m out!