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RUSSELL SANDERS
4-6-2023
THE PASSOVER
Today is the Jewish sacred observance of Passover, so let us first see what that is about.
The story comes from Exodus 12:1-36 as God was to deliver Israel from 400 years of harsh Egyptian slavery. God had called Moses to lead this deliverance and gave him detailed instructions. Ten plagues were put upon the nation of Egypt to show God’s power over the many false Egyptian gods. The tenth plague was that God would kill the firstborn male of every household and every flock of animals.
God gave instructions to the Israelites on how to save the Israelites so that none of them would die in this plague which was to occur in a single night. This was to occur on the 14th of Abib (Nissan). This month was to be the first month of God’s calendar for Israel.
Every Hebrew household was to select a first-year male lamb without any blemish and set it aside for the 14th of Abib. As that day came, they were to kill the lamb, save the blood, and roast the lamb to be eaten on the evening of Abib 14. They were to apply the blood to the household by putting it (swabbing it onto) the lentil and door posts of the house. This way when God passed over Egypt at midnight to slay the firstborns, nobody in that house would die.
When this happened, all firstborns in the land whose house did not have the blood covering on the door died, including Pharaoh’s son. It resulted in Pharaoh releasing the Hebrews to go free. In their departure, they were given much goods by the Egyptians. Moses then led them out of bondage to journey to the promised land that God had covenanted to give Abraham.
God instructed them to always commemorate Abib 14 (Nissin 14) as a holy convocation (gathering) every year henceforth. It is a sabbath called Passover, because God “passed over” every household that had the blood covering the door.
What does this mean for the New Testament believer? It was a prophetic prototype for Messiah. Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, is God’s chosen Passover Lamb. Just as the bondage of the Israelites represented bondage in an evil land of sin, so our bondage was to sin also. Israel’s Passover lamb represents God’s Passover Lamb, Jesus.
When Jesus approached John the Baptist, he declared in John 1:29, “Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
Jesus died and shed his blood for us so that we could be freed from the bondage of sin, just as Israel was freed from evil bondage by the blood of a lamb.
So, on this Passover Day, we should reflect on it, meditate on it, and praise Father God for giving us this Passover Lamb who was slain for our salvation. We should give praise to Jesus for His willingness to be that Lamb.
We also see Jesus in Revelation 5:5-10 as the Lamb that was slain. He alone was worthy to open the sealed book.
Jesus is God’s Passover Lamb given for our redemption from the bondage to sin. Our life is now in Him, who was resurrected, so we can live the resurrected life.
Celebrate Passover in your heart. Rejoice in Jesus and rejoice in your salvation.
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