Passover

Introduction: The reality of the two-edged sword of medications. I always find it interesting and a little outrageous at times the “side-effects” that are listed on medications. Especially when there is a commercial about said medication. It’s always a seemingly joyful commercial showing how much the medication changed their lives to help their diagnosis. But then in the background, the narrator tells the viewer the potential side-effects of taking the medicine. And the list seems to get longer and longer, and sometimes I wonder if the side-effects are worse than the actual condition itself.

I use that as an illustration because it’s the idea of a “double-edged sword” or “two-sides of the same coin.” There are benefits to taking the medicine, but there is potential for harmful side-effects. Today, we are going to see this idea played out, that this final plague is a double-edged sword, but rather than there being a positive and a negative per say, we see that necessity that both judgement and salvation are necessary for redemption. God has to judge sin (which is good, for sin will be rightfully judged). And we see that here in this text for the Israelites, and also for us today as it points us to the fullness of salvation found in Jesus.

READ EXODUS 12:21-32

CTS: God provides the perfect Passover Lamb to save us from judgment.

The final plague threatened (11:1-10)

Chapter 11 is the declaration of the final plague and the summary statement of all ten plagues in verse 10. What is brought forth here the final word that Moses will speak to Pharaoh concerning the plagues. You can view this as a continuation of the previous conversation found in chapter 10. Like Moses turns around as he’s leaving and says “and one more thing...”

Moses is reminded of the promise and is ensured that this will be the means by which His people are delivered. (1-3)

Moses declares the final plague (4-10)

They had been warned 9 times. The tenth will be the decisive blow.

Sin is serious. It cannot be minimized or glossed over.

Israel will also face the same plague if they do not heed God’s Word.

There are three things I want you to see from the Passover that highlights the salvation of God’s people.

I. Faith (12:1-11, 21-22)

The theme of disobedience and obedience has been clear throughout the book of Exodus so far.

The women early on Exodus (obedience)

The Pharaoh’s (disobedience)

Moses (obedience and disobedience)

Israel sat back and watched the first nine plagues destroy Egypt’s water supply, livestock, crops, and livelihood. There wasn’t any need for obedience no their part. Yet now this final plague, God brings instructions that they must follow in order to be spared from judgment. In other words, they are going to have to express faith in the word of God that Moses declares.

Chapter 12 is filled here with instructions on what will happen that evening. They will have to trust that God means what he says. In the midst of these instructions, the instructions of what is called “The Passover”

So what were the instructions?

Find a lamb for your household, one year old, without any blemish.

Figure out how much each person will eat. If the lamb is too much for your household, you’ll need to get another household to share with you.

They were to kill the lambs, take its blood and apply it to the doorposts with and the lintel with hyssop dipped in the blood.

They were not to leave the house until the morning.

They would roast the lamb, everything about it and eat it. Anything remaining had to be burned up. Its intention was solely for this saving act.

They would also eat it with unleavened bread (no time to let it rise) and bitter herbs (most likely to remind them of the bitter hardships that they went through in Egypt).

They would also eat it ready to go, clothes and sandals on, belt fastened, ready to leave when the time comes for them to be driven out of Egypt.

This required great faith, obedience to God, trusting that this odd feast would be the means of their salvation. And hear this: Israel also deserved to die like the Egyptians. Why? Because of sin in them. Doubt. Rejection of who God is. We have already seen this in chapter 5. What will they do? Will they doubt and disobey, or will they express faith in God? Their trust in the word rang out. It says in verse 28 that all the people of Israel went and did so.

Application: These instructions, so vital and essential to the life of the Israelites point to an even greater deliverance found in the perfect one time Lamb. Jesus in every way fulfills this Passover act in himself. He is the Lamb that is sacrificed to save us from God’s wrath that we have incurred upon ourselves because of sin.

The call to faith is clear throughout Scripture. It hasn’t changed for us today either. Faith is the means by which we receive God’s salvation.

Paul told the Philippian jailor these words.

Acts 16:31 ESV

31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Paul says his letter to the Romans that they means of salvation is by belief (faith).

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Faith is necessary. Martin Luther’s whole life was changed, and the trajectory of the church was changed because of this idea of faith alone. Romans 1:17 was instrumental in Luther’s life.

Romans 1:17 ESV

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

… faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God.3

A. W. Tozer

Where is you faith? Is if faith in Jesus Christ alone? And what about those in your life you know that are lost? Are you praying for them, that they would come to faith? Are you willing to share your faith with them? The means of salvation from judgment is clearly found to in Jesus alone.

II. Substitution (12:12-13, 23)

Yet, what is the faith about? Why was all of this necessary? Why did they need to get a one year old lamb without blemish? What couldn’t God just killed the firstborn of the Egyptians without all of this Passover meal stuff?

Because God must deal with sin, and any and everyone, including the Israelites, have sin that must be dealt with. Judgment is rendered to everyone of us, the promise that we deserve death because of our sin, going all the way back to the garden. The Israelites sin deserves death, eternal death, the wrath of God. Your sins deserve the same. And God is going to show them the seriousness of sin, but also, the incredible grace found in him.

The high cost of sin is death. Something has to die in order for their to be eternal life. It began in the garden where God killed an animal in order to clothe Adam and Eve. Abraham was commanded to sacrifice Isaac, yet he provided a substitute. Here we see that in order for their to be salvation, judgment for sin must occur, which is death itself.

So in every household, Egyptian and Israelite alike, a death must occur for sin. The question is, who or what dies? For the Egyptians, it was their firstborn children, a direct punishment for the act of Pharaoh to kill the firstborn children of Israel, their sin and rejection of God. For Israel, a lamb must die in place of them as the firstborn of Israel. Regardless, something died in every household that night in Egypt. Yet God provided the means of substitution to save his people. This is called substitutionary atonement.

Application: God continues to require substitution throughout the rest of the Scriptures. The Law would require substitution and sacrifices for sin. The Day of Atonement would forefront in reminding Israel of their need for redemption and salvation, for something to be substituted for their sin.

And that doesn’t end in the OT. God in His promised plan of salvation, has provided the means by which sin and death would be defeated. By the means of His own Son. God would become flesh and become the substitute for us. Jesus Christ is the Final Passover Lamb! John the Baptist says this of Jesus when he firsts arrives:

John 1:29 ESV

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Jesus would take this Passover meal with his disciples on the night before His death, and he would replace the elements of the Passover with bread and wine, signifying that no longer would they need a lamb slain, but that He himself is that slain lamb, once and for all.

The cup that had represented the lamb’s blood smeared on the doorposts and lintels now came to represent the blood of the Lamb of God, shed for the salvation of the world.

John F. MacArthur

The bread and wine pointed to his own body and blood, the means of our salvation, the high cost of that salvation. The death of the Son of God, he substitutes himself to save us from our sin that we cannot pay ourselves.

1 Peter 1:18–19 ESV

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

So what is it that you put your faith in to save you? Is it your own righteousness? Your good works? Your church attendance or membership? Those things cannot save. They are poor substitutes. Unworthy substitutes. Those things are as filthy rags in the eyes of God. Jesus is the only one who can take away our sins.

And are we boldly telling the world this truth? Are we telling our children the Gospel of grace or implying living a moral life is going to save them? Are we telling our neighbors, our friends, even people who claim Christianity, but are putting their faith in good works. Not everyone that goes to church is saved, and we must be adamant about preaching the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, our perfect substitute for our sins, who died and rose again for our redemption!

III. Remembrance (12:14-20, 24-27)

Right in the middle of all this is also the assumption and expectation that this act will be remembered, and that they will take continued steps to make sure that this incredible salvation event in their history would be continue to be remembered. They would hold a week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread to celebrate God’s deliverance of them. It would be a liturgical, visual, and physical way to remind them of God’s grace, love, and mercy toward them. It would also teach the coming generations of this. This salvation was to never be forgotten. It would be a major part of their worship in everything that they did.

The Exodus narrative will be referenced and repeated over and over again throughout the Bible. And that Exodus narrative points us to the new Exodus that is found in Jesus Christ. Through His crucifixion and resurrection, we have been delivered from the slavery of sin and death.

As I mentioned before, Jesus would take the Passover meal and institute a new meal of remembrance. That meal is called the Lord’s Supper. It is one of the two ordinances of the local church, a means of remembrance, renewal, and affirmation of our unity with Christ and with one another as the church, his body.

Application: So, we are called to remember. This is the command of Jesus so that we would remember His work on the cross, the high cost of our salvation.

We come desiring to be reminded of the grace and mercy of Jesus who died for us.

We come desiring to be renewed in our faith, like a renewal of vows and a necessary part of our sanctification (yes, necessary!).

We come affirming our faith in Jesus and also our unity within the body, that those that believe in trust in Christ are united as one body, the local church.

Encourage each other in the faith

Stir one another to good works (love God and love one another)

Hold one another accountable (church discipline)

Carry out the Great Commission

The Lord’s Supper declares these things.

So I call on you today, that as we take this Lord’s Supper to examine yourself. To remind yourself of the Gospel (I hope you have been reminded clearly already!). To desire to be renewed in your faith. And to affirm your unity to Jesus and to His church, desiring to live a holy life of obedience to his commands. We do this all, as worship to the slain Lamb of God for us.

BENEDICTION

Revelation 5:8–14 ESV

8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” 11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.