The Passover

Text: Exodus 11:4-6; 12:21-23, 28-30

Last Sunday morning, my message was from Mark chapter 14 where Mark records for us Jesus and His disciples’ celebration of the Passover. This celebration, for the Jews, was a time of remembrance when God brought the nation of Israel out of Egypt which is recorded for us in the book of Exodus. During this remembrance, Jesus Christ gave new meaning to the bread and to the juice that was served during the Passover.

Turn to and read Mark 14:22-26.

This morning, though, as we prepare to take part in the Lord’s Supper, let’s go back and consider the original passover

Turn to and read Exodus 11:4-6; 12:21-23, 28-30. Pray.

The nation of Israel had, up to this point, been slaves in the land of Egypt. But, the time had come for God to bring His people of out Egypt and bring them to the Promised Land.

We are told, in Exodus 5:

Exodus 5:1–2 KJV 1900

And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.

With that, a battle betwen God and Pharaoh began to unfold.

God brought plague after plague upon the nation of Egypt so that Pharaoh and the Egyptians would finally understand Who God really was!

Exodus 7:5 KJV 1900

And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

These are the plagues which God brought upon the nation of Egypt:

Water into blood.

Frogs

Lice

Flies

Infectious disease (Exodus 9:3) upon the Egyptians cattle

Boils on the bodies of men and animals

Thunder and hail mingled with fire

Locusts

3 days of complete darkness

And still, Pharaoh refused to let the nation of Israel go! In fact, after the 3 days of darkness, this was Pharaoh’s response:

Exodus 10:28–29 KJV 1900

And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

That brings us to Exodus chapter 11:

Exodus 11:1 KJV 1900

And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.

One last plague that would be so severe that Pharaoh would literally demand that the Israelites leave!

The Hebrews apply the blood.

God explained about the last plague and what they were to do just before it came.

About midnight, the Lord would go through the midst of Egypt. Every firstborn would die!

Exodus 11:6 KJV 1900

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.

God instructed the each household to take a “…lamb without blemish…of the first year...” The family would kill that lamb and drain its blood into a bowl. Then, with a bunch of hyssop, they were to sprinkle the blood of that lamb on the top and side posts of the door of their home.

Then, the family was to roast that lamb and eat it, along with unleavened bread. They did this fully prepared to travel at a moment’s notice. Exodus 12:11 says that this meal was, “…the Lord’s passover.”

Exodus 12:12–13 KJV 1900

For 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. 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, when I smite the land of Egypt.

The only way that the Israelites would be saved was by believing the Word and God and accepting His means of salvation.

The Death Angel visits the land.

Exodus 12:29 KJV 1900

And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

As the Death Angel went through the land, he would see the blood and passover that house. The firstborn would be safe. However, if there was no blood applied, the firstborn would die.

This was too much for Pharoah; his oldest son, the heir to the throne, lay dead.

At last Pharaoh’s stubborn will was broken, and he was brought to his knees. He wanted no more plagues; he had had enough.

Exodus 12:31 KJV 1900

And he 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; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said.

What’s interesting to note is the fact that at each household something died - either a lamb or the firstborn. Something - or someone - had to die.

What the Passover means.

God had a plan by which all who believed God and acted upon that belief were saved from physical death.

This plan was a wonderful and exact picture of the plan which God has devised for all of mankind, can be saved from spiritual death.

The Passover lamb in the book of Exodus pointed to Jesus Christ, Who gave His life upon the cross for the sins of the whole world.

John the Baptist said:

John 1:29 KJV 1900

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Paul wrote, in 1 Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 5:7 KJV 1900

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

The blood on the door was a sign that the people in that house believed and had accepted God’s way of safety. They were trusting in the blood, and nothing else.

It was the blood of the lamb that saved the firstborn and it is the blood of Christ alone that saves us from eternal death.

Christ our Redeemer died on the cross, Died for the sinner, paid all his due; Sprinkle your soul with the blood of the Lamb, “And I will pass, will pass over you.”

“When I see the blood, When I see the blood, When I see the blood, I will pass, I will pass over you.”

Has the blood of Jesus Christ been applied to your heart?