Moving onward into the book of Exodus we find one of the most notable pictures of Jesus within the Old Testament: the Passover Lamb. During the very last moments of Israel’s bondage in Egypt, when “God assayed to go and take Him a nation from the midst of another nation, [that is of Egypt], by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors,” [Deut 4:34] The LORD spoke to Moses and said,
“I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am The LORD.” [Ex 12:12]
The final plague before Pharoah finally let Israel go is what is called The Passover. During this plague, The LORD would pass through Egypt and smite all the firstborn residing within a home wherein the blood of an unblemished, male lamb was not smeared upon the door. Again, as it is written,
“And Moses said, thus saith The LORD, about midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill: and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.” [Ex 11:4-6]
And so, as The LORD had promised,
“It came to pass, that at midnight The LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt…and Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.” [Ex 12:29, 30]
It came to pass, then, after this final plague and judgment from God, that “[Pharaoh] called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel…” [Ex 12:31] Finally, after ten plagues, after The LORD had executed His fierce judgment upon Pharoah and Egypt’s false gods, Pharaoh let Israel go free. “In the month of Abib,” which is the seventh month of the secular calendar, The LORD, “by strength of hand…brought [Israel] out from [Egypt].” [Ex 13:3-4] And for this reason: The LORD bringing His people out of bondage and into freedom, redeeming them from the hand of Pharaoh – under whom they had served in rigorous bondage for hundreds of years – The LORD made that month, otherwise known as Nisan, the first month. “And The LORD spake unto Moses…saying, this month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.” [Ex 12:1-2] It is here that we shall begin our discussion of The Passover. For just as The LORD flipped the calendar and made Nisan the first month, where it had not previously been first, thus making Israel’s redemption and salvation both the beginning of a new life and the beginning of each new year, so too it is with us.
In Christ Jesus we are new creations. Because Jesus has saved us, as God saved Israel, we are made new and given a fresh start. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” [2 Cor 5:17] Our true life, our real life, began not with our birth, but with our second birth, with our redemption. Like with Israel and the flipping of their calendar at Passover, God has made our new birth in Jesus Christ the first month of the year as it were. As Jesus’ name is, Alpha and Omega Beginning and The End, so too our true life starts and ends with Jesus. As Jesus says, “verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [Jn 3:3] We have been “begotten again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead;” [1 Pe 1:3] we have been born again, born from above. The Lord has “ransomed [us] from the hand of him that was stronger than [we].” [Jer 31:11] Through the blood of “the Lamb of God” [Jn 1:29] we have been delivered from bondage to sin, satan, and the world, and we have been made new, having been born again of God’s Spirit. Just as Israel was released from their rigorous toil under Pharaoh, so too we have been released from the bondage to sin under the rule of satan. For we were once all “dead in trespasses and sins,” in which time we “walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air;” we were, because of our rebellion against God, imprisoned by satan, “taken captive by him at his will.” [Eph 2:1, 2, 2 Tim 2:26] But just as The Lord God delivered Israel, Jesus Christ delivered us “out of the pit wherein is no water,” [Zech 9:11] delivering our souls “from the lowest hell.” [Psa 86:13] Whereas Israel worked as slaves making bricks, contributing to the kingdom of Egypt, we, as sinners and unbelievers, were in slavery to sin, not using our bodies for God’s kingdom and glory, but for satan’s. Jesus says, “verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever commiteth sin is the servant of sin,” [Jn 8:34] and truly, all of us, before Christ, did just that; for again as it is written,
“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” [Rom 6:17-18]
But God. But though we were in bondage and lost, God saved us, making us new creatures and giving us fresh starts. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath given us life together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved).” [Eph 2:4-5]
The changing of the calendar in Moses’ day to mark the fresh start of Israel, marks also the great importance of this event. The Passover and God’s redemption of Israel out of Egypt, again and again, is brought to remembrance and referenced by The LORD. It is one of the most foundational things to Israel’s existence and relationship with God, even as our salvation in Christ is for us. For just as The LORD constantly reminds Israel of Egypt, for example, saying, “thus saith The LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage,” [Jdg 6:8] so too we should be often reminded of what Christ did for us in saving us from our sins. Because as Paul says, “the love of Christ constraineth us.” [2 Cor 5:14] It is the deep, broad, wide love of Jesus Christ which constrains, which compels and urges us, to live for Him and not for ourselves. For if, as Paul says, “one died for all, then were all dead: and that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.” [2 Cor 5:15] Of Passover’s importance there is no doubt. But let us now delve deeper into the account given in Exodus that we might draw out further encouragements and parallels. For as John said, Jesus is “The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” [Jn 1:29]
The first and main command that God gave to Moses/Israel was this:
“…In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: and if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls…and ye shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.” [Ex 12:3-4, 6-8]
And regarding the lamb itself,
“Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year…” [Ex 12:5]
Other commands besides these were added as well; for example, Israel was admonished of God, “eat not [the Passover lamb] raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire…and ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.” [Ex 12:9, 10] And even the manner in which they were to eat it was different: “and thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste.” [Ex 12:11]
The most important aspect of the Lamb, beyond those commands on its state and the way in which it was prepared and eaten, was the blood. The blood was to be spread “on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” For without the blood, the Lamb was in effect useless. A household could theoretically follow every, single other command: bringing the lamb in, making sure it was without blemish, etc. But if the lamb were never slain; if its blood was never spilt and then spread upon the home, then that household would indeed be lost. For The LORD said, “and the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you.” [Ex 12:13] The blood was of utmost importance. Without blood there is no forgiveness. As Hebrews quotes Leviticus, saying, “…without shedding of blood [there] is no forgiveness [of sins].” [Heb 9:22] And again, “…it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” [Lev 17:11] And just as the blood of the lamb were most important for Israel’s salvation, so too is Jesus’ blood for us. Jesus told the disciples on Passover night, regarding one of the cups of wine which the Jews were accustomed to drinking on that night, “drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.” [Mt 26:27-28] That particular cup which they drank of, so admonished by Jesus, was one of four cups drank on Passover, each having a name. The name of this particular cup is the Cup of Deliverance. While handing us this cup, The Lord Jesus said, “take this, and divide it among yourselves: for I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.” [Lk 22:17-18] It was unto us that the cup of deliverance was handed. Our Lord forbare to drink of that cup: for there was a different cup that He was to drink that night. That is, the cup of God’s wrath. Remember in the garden how Jesus prayed, crying out to God,
“Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” [Lk 22:42]
It was the cup of God’s fiery wrath that Jesus prayed about and drank on our behalf. This is the very exchange which saves our souls: mainly, that Christ Jesus, as it is written, was sent “to be the [atoning sacrifice] for our sins;” yes, “God hath set forth [Jesus His Son] to be the propitiation [for us] through faith in His blood,” the sacrifice which atones for and calms God’s wrath against our sin. [1 Jn 4:10, Rom 3:25] Jesus drank the cup of wrath in full and handed to us the cup of deliverance. Not willing to be delivered, but gladly accepting the cup His Father had, Jesus endured the wrath and punishment of God for our sakes, that we might be delivered. “For in the hand of The LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red…the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.” [Psa 75:8] This was the cup that Jesus drank on our behalf, and it was Jesus, and Jesus alone, who drank it and who was crushed by God’s wrath. Regarding God’s wrath which will be poured out on Israel and the world, it says,
“And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” [Rev 14:19-20]
That which The LORD will one day pour out, Jesus experienced. Upon that cross, during those hours of darkness, Jesus drank full and deep of this cup, being trodden underfoot of God. As it is written, “yet it pleased The LORD to crush Him;” [Isa 53:10] And again, remembering that Jesus was made into sin for us, [2 Cor 5:21] it is written, “He will trample our iniquities underfoot; and [He] will cast all [our] sins into the depths of the sea.” [Mic 7:19] Dear reader, you must see this. You must see that it was you sitting at the Passover table; it was to you the Cup of Deliverance was offered; and it was this Man, this God, Jesus Christ, who willingly, for love’s sake, took your cup, full of God’s wrath, and drank it. As the throwing of Jonah into the sea stilled the storm, so too the throwing of Christ into the sea of God’s wrath appeased and stilled His anger toward your sin. And as The LORD promised to trample our sins, so too Jesus was trampled underfoot for your sin.
And so, as the innocent, unblemished lamb was slain for each household’s salvation, so too Jesus Christ, “who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth,” shed His precious blood and, “His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” [1 Pe 2:22, 24]
Before we move onto a few aspects of the Lamb’s preparation and eating, let us notice again something of great importance: the Lamb had to be slain. And for you, dear reader, Christ must have been slain. You were no good person (and neither I) – for it is written, “there is none righteous, no, not one…there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” [Rom 3:10, 12] And thus, for all of us, it was necessary that The Precious Lamb of God, The LORD’s Only Son, be slain. But let us stay one moment further; for The Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, God’s Lamb – it is not enough for you, good man, that He was just slain. For if we think back to Exodus, there were many lambs slain, yet only those homes upon which the blood was spread were saved; and even then, it was only to those abiding in the house. Ask yourself a question then: is the blood spread upon you? Have you been cleansed and washed? Are you covered by His blood? Or has the Lamb remained alive as it were? Has Jesus’ atonement never been applied to you? Have you seen Him spotless, as perhaps some did back then upon the lambs gathered; have you seen Him spotless, even touched Him and engaged Him? That is well: but has His blood been applied to you? Have you sought refuge under His wings, in The Father’s house? For there is no other acceptable lamb, and no other acceptable house, and no other acceptable method for salvation. Therefore, with understanding in your heart, take the Lamb Jesus Christ, as it is written, and believe; enter under the roof of The Father’s house with belief in that blood; see Him there upon that cross for you, and believe.
Let us now take several additional points from the account in Exodus, which point us to Jesus.
First, The LORD specifically commanded the method of cooking the lamb. He said, “they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire…” [Ex 12:8] It was not to be “boiled at all with water,” nor was it to be “raw,” [Ex 12:9] but roasted with fire. To roast literally means “[to make suitable] for food by exposure to heat.” [Webster] The Passover lamb would not become accustomed to the heat over time, as with boiling, but would be exposed to the fulness of the fire’s heat, absorbing that heat until suitable for consumption. In the same way, Jesus Christ, our Passover Lamb, bore upon Himself “the fire of [God’s] wrath” [Ezek 22:21] for our sakes. He did not grow accustomed to the heat of God’s fire over time but was crushed and burnt under its weight and heat in an instant. As “The LORD shall swallow up [the wicked] in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them,” [Psa 21:9] so too Christ, in our place, was swallowed up and consumed by God’s fire, until having experienced the fullness of His wrath, was fit for us to consume as it were: to believe Him and receive Him into our hearts for salvation.
Second, The LORD said, “and ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.” [Ex 12:10] Our Lord Jesus, our Glorious King, The Lamb, “poured out His soul unto death” [Isa 53:12] for our sakes. Utterly and completely, as it is written, Jesus, “emptied Himself.” [Phil 2:7] And just as it was commanded of God regarding the Lamb, “ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning,” [Ex 12:10] so too Jesus was completely poured out for us, completely crushed for us, until nothing remained, except the shattered and mangled corpse of a slaughtered Passover Lamb hung upon the cross, bloodied and dirtied and broken for our sins. And praise be to God for this. For it was Christ Jesus, that glorious Carpenter from Nazareth, The Sunrise from on High, who has completely and utterly drunk every drop of God’s wrath for us, being completely poured out. As there was nothing of the Passover lamb on the next morning, according to the command of The LORD, so too on that morning after the Passover when Christ hung on the cross, there remained nothing. Nothing left of Him, and nothing left of our sins, and nothing left of God’s wrath. Our sins had been paid for; the cost was relinquished up to God; and the redemption of all mankind was thus accomplished and secured.
Third, The Lord had commanded, “thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste.” [Ex 12:11] The Passover was not a meal so much to be slowly enjoyed – at least the first Passover was not – but rather, a meal to be quickly consumed. As The Lord had said, they ought to “eat it in haste.” In the same way, salvation is to be quickly laid hold of. It is not a matter to take slowly or methodically; it is not something that can wait until tomorrow; salvation is urgent and takes precedent above all. Whether that be the initial salvation of our souls, when we first come to Christ; or whether that be our continuing salvation/deliverance over sin. Paul writes,
“We then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I helped thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” [2 Cor 6:1-2]
Salvation is no matter to delay! As the Israelites were told to consume the Passover quickly, so too let us quickly come to Jesus. Let us delay no further. If you be unsaved, or unsure of your salvation, turn to Jesus! Let there be no more delay; for what good shall the truth of salvation and God’s love do for you, if you delay the acceptance of such things unto tomorrow and today you die? Today may be the last day any of us have. Therefore come! Therefore turn! Whether you have never fell down at Jesus’ feet, have never submitted your life and heart to Him, believing in what He has done; or whether you have, and you simply require some victory/deliverance over sin – whatever the case, as Paul wrote by inspiration of The Spirit, so too I say to you: “now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation[!]” [2 Cor 6:2]
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