The answer
It is wrong to assume that the Egyptians had no role to play in the long saga of the children of Israel and what went on between Pharaoh and Moses. We read:
A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds—a great deal of livestock. (Ex 12: 38)
The word “multitude” refers to the Egyptians who took the side of the Israelites, believing in their God after seeing the plagues. Those Egyptians did not lose their firstborn. The one and only guarantee for salvation from death was the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts … so even if this was a house for Egyptians who believed in God and put that sign of blood, they were saved.
However, the majority of the Egyptians did not pursue their salvation and that of their children in spite of the obvious unyielding severity of Pharaoh while they should have rebelled against him, or at least made all effort to oblige him to let the Hebrews get out of Egypt before they got to the tenth plague, namely that of killing the firstborn. This tenth plague came as a final judgment as a result to Pharaoh’s cruelty and it was passed on all Egyptians as a result for their passive attitude and their surrender to Pharaoh’s stubbornness despite their having experienced all the previous plagues.
God’s justice demands judgment … for in His mercy He allows people time to repent and believe … but there must be a time when the end comes.
- In the Old Testament, judgment came in the form of the flood, fire and sulphur (Sodom and Gomorrah), annihilation in wars, or plagues. Those are all different pictures of the same truth, namely the Judgment of the wicked.
And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. (Rev 2: 21)
- In the New Testament we see that the same rule applies (God’s justice and mercy)...
I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13: 5)
“Perishing”, in this context, is that which will occur on the Last Day, when Judgment will take place.
Fr. Daoud Lamei