“The Lord will pass to smite Egypt, and He will see the blood on the lintel, and on the two doorposts, and the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come to your houses to smite you” (Exodus 12:23). “The Lord will pass to smite Egypt” – that is what is written: “What shall I do when God rises? When He reckons, what shall I answer Him?” (Job 31:14). Who stated this verse?
It was the angel who oversees the world who said it, even though Job said it regarding himself. Likewise, all mankind are destined to say thus. We find regarding the generation of the flood that God judged them while sitting, as it is stated: “The Lord sat enthroned at the flood” (Psalms 29:10). What is written in their regard?
“He blotted out all existence” (Genesis 7:23). But, in Egypt, He judged them while passing, as it is stated: “The Lord will pass to smite Egypt,” and it is written: “I will pass in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12). However, in the future, He will stand and judge His world while standing, as it is stated: “And His feet will stand on that day” (Zechariah 14:4), and it is written: “Therefore wait for Me, said the Lord, until the day that I rise up forever; [for My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them My indignation, all My fierce anger; for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of My jealousy]” (Zephaniah 3:8).
Mankind will say: If while sitting He judged the generation of the flood and blotted them out, and He judged the Egyptians while passing and killed their firstborn, when He stands in the future to judge His world, who will be able to withstand it? Therefore, it is written: “What shall I do when God rises?” Why is He destined to stand? It is because of the outcry of the poor, as it is stated: “For the oppression of the poor, for the sigh of the needy, now I will rise, says the Lord” (Psalms 12:6).