SCRIPTURE: EXODUS 12
BIBLE VERSES:
“On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.” (Exodus 12:12-14)
“Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.” (Exodus 12:21-23)
“At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.”(Exodus12:29-30)
“During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.” (Exodus 12:31-32)
THE PASSOVER (vs. 1-30)
The Lord told Moses and Aaron: “Take a lamb, slaughter it at twilight, take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the house. Eat the lamb with bitter herb and bread without yeast. That same night, I will pass through Egypt and strike down every first born both men and animals – and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. But I will pass through houses with blood in door frames. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. They are to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.
AT midnight, the Lord stuck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh to the first born of the prisoner and the firstborn of all the livestock. Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night and there was loud wailing in Egypt for there was not a house without someone dead.
THE EXODUS (vs. 31-42)
During midnight, Pharaoh summond Moses and Aaron to go and leave with his people including their flocks and herds. The people asked for silver, gold and clothing and they journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about 600k men excluding women and children. A long droves of livestock both the flock and herds went up with them. The total length of time the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years.
PASSOVER RESTRICTIONS (vs. 43-51)
Regulations of Passover:
- No foreigner could eat the Passover.
- Slave may eat but they had to be circumcised.
- Temporary resident and hired workers were not allowed to eat.
- It must be eaten inside the house and not to be taken outside.
- Bones must not be broken.
- The whole community must celebrate it.
- Aliens and native born who wanted to celebrate must be circumcised.
THOUGHTS:
A lamb without defect must be killed and its blood put on the sides and tops of the doorframes of Israelites house so that the first born would be saved from being struck down by the Lord. Jesus is the perfect lamb who was being sacrificed. His blood is to wash our sins and save us from eternal death.
Yeast is a picture of sin because it begins small but spread quickly. That was why the Lord commanded them to eat bread made without yeast and celebrate the Feast of the Unleavened Bread as a lasting ordinance from generation to generation to come. When we are saved by the blood of Christ, we should live a life that is pure an free from sins.
The people were told to slaughter a lamb and twilight and put the blood on side and tops of the doorframes. Then they had to eat the meat roasted over the fire along with bitter herbs and bread without yeast. No leftovers were allowed. They had to burn it. The lamb had to be roasted with fire speak of the suffering of Christ on the cross. It has to be eaten with no leftovers which means that when we received the Lamb for our salvation, we need the whole Christ. And we need to feed on the Lamb daily.
Passover became an annual remembrance of ho God had delivered the Jews from Egypt. Believers today also celebrate the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of our deliverance from spiritual death. It is our Passover in remembrance of a new life and freedom from sin.
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