Passover in the Exodus

Introduction
Passover is one of the great events of the Bible and very important in developing an appreciation and understanding of the saving work of Jesus. Within the event we are being taught about calling, leaving, saving, judgement, and the idea of the substitutionary lamb

Passover provides a pattern for God’s acts of salvation and both the language and the imagery of salvation throughout the Bible. For example, in Jeremiah 23:7 the prophet speaks in terms of the Exile return being a second Exodus.

Judgement - Everyone’s Punishment
Judgement and Salvation have been an ongoing theme of this book. Leaving aside salvation for a moment, verse 12 of chapter 12 says this:

"On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn--both men and animals."

Let's be clear that this means everyone in Egypt. No one is exempt, not even an Israelite. This is an important principle for the whole of humanity down the ages. All sinners are subject to judgement, and we are all sinners, Christians included. No one is above judgement. Paul makes the point in Romans 3:23,

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

Averting Punishment – the heart of Passover
There is a big 'BUT' however, to this picture of universal judgement. To paraphrase Jim Spence of St Helens, London, "God’s kindness is such that the severity of God’s judgement need not be experienced." God, not man, provides a means to avoid judgement. This is what Passover is all about.

The question is how people appropriate this means that God provides and how do they avert the angel of death. The details are in verses 22-23. In simple instructional terms they need to paint the blood of a lamb on the doorposts of the house. To do so requires two qualities from the human perspective, faith and obedience. In painting their doors they demonstrate that they believe what the have been told, and they witness to their faith by acting on their belief in the promise.

These are fundamentals of the Christian faith. We believe what God says about Jesus and so we actively repent and start living our lives in obedience to Jesus as Lord. When God sees this, so he passes over when judgement comes.

Recap
David Jackman, Director of the Cornhill Training Course in London, says, "There is no exception from death...The distinction is not between Israelite and Egyptian, so much as the distinction between the house where the first born son had died and a house in which the lamb of the Passover had died." Every sinner must be judged, so the only thing that keeps people safe is God’s provision of a sacrifice.

Substitution
Passover is one of the clearest examples of salvation by grace, that is, by free gift. Blood Sacrifice is a Sign (verse 13). We know now that blood is the sign God gives people so that they may go through the judgement safely, and specifically it is the blood of Jesus Christ. God’s anger is turned aside by blood sacrifice. Since Cain and Abel people come into relationship with God through blood sacrifice. We know that the blood comes from a sacrificed lamb. In Revelation, Jesus is referred to time and again as the slaughtered Lamb.

Let's try and understand better this idea of blood as a sign. In verse 13 where it says, "The blood will be a sign for you," it actually conveys the sense of, "it will be a sign of you" or a "sign in the place of you." If someone takes your place then they are your substitute. Just think of the football game where you are taken off and another player sent on in your place. They are your substitute.

We are dealing here with the biblical doctrine of substitution. Here is a rhyme to help us learn the principle,

the death of a lamb in place of the death of a man

Cost
Not any old lamb will do for God (verses 3-6) but rather the most valuable type of animal that anyone owned and one year old male without defect (v5). It represented perfection at its peak and was costly to the family. You see there is a price to redemption.

Christians are called to costly service, to pay a price, even if it is smaller than that of Jesus. In Romans 12:1 Paul says Christians are to "offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship." We are told to carry our own cross, to humble ourselves, to serve others rather than ourselves, so on and so forth. In doing so we are figuratively painting the door posts of our lives with the blood of the sacrificial lamb - we are demonstrating the reality of our faith in Jesus and our obedience to them.

Foreshadow of Christ and the Cross
Let's note that the chosen lamb at this first Passover was separated from the flock, and kept for three days within the family community. Jesus became a man and served his ministry for three years! The instructions given to the Israelites are very detailed, but carrying out those instructions demonstrated the reality of the Israelites’ faith in their God. The people are active participants. Also, it shows the careful planning that God always gives. Throughout the remainder of the Old Testament God gives details of the ministry of Jesus in prophecies that are all fulfilled to the letter in great detail.

When we come to the New Testament the apostles clearly understood the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross in Passover terms - remember the crucifixion happened on the Passover anniversary, a day that the nation is called on to remember what God has done for them! The Exodus Passover foreshadows the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross, and therefore it is crucial in understanding the cross. Here are a couple of pointers for you.
§ John 1:29 - "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
§ Jesus is the lamb of God fulfilling same function as Passover lamb.
§ 1 Peter 1:19 - "the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."
§ John 19:33 - "But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs." If we look at Exodus 12:46 we see that the Passover lamb was to have none of its bones broken.
§ The book of Revelation refers to Jesus as the crucified Lamb.

A Family Affair
We have noted a number of times in our study of Exodus that a major theme of the book is relationship. That theme continues in this part of the Exodus. There is to be one lamb per family unit, or per group of neighbours (12:3&4) and responsibility as priest is undertaken by the father of the family.

Feast and Pilgrimage
The lamb has provided blood for salvation, and it provides sustenance for the coming journey. Nothing of the lamb is wasted. God meets needs exactly. God’s saving provision exactly matches the need of each family. God provides for the Church and each fellowship, exactly what it needs – provided that, there is active participation and detailed observance of God’s instructions! You see, we must accept the substitution in full or not accept it at all! This is a practical provision of food for the flight of exodus and we see that they are told to wear their travelling clothes, ready to depart. In the New Testament Jesus is not just described the as lamb but also as the Bread of Life (John 6:35). It is in his power that our spiritual exodus is sustained. Later in Exodus he provides water from the rock and is to be seen in the theophany of the cloud and pillar of fire that accompanies the Israelites. The New Testament explicitly says that Jesus was with them in the desert. We will return to that point in a later study.

David Jackman says, "The emphasis is on the journey that lies ahead...Passover is an invitation to a feast but also a motivation to a pilgrimage," The lamb that provides protection from God’s wrath and judgement is the same lamb that provides sustenance on their pilgrimage. Thus Jesus saves and also provides. At point of conversion that is only the starting point of a long trek to the heavenly kingdom. The strength to persevere and to be sustained comes from the lamb, from Jesus. He is the bread of life!

Inauguration
Let us turn our attention to the significance of the institution of an annual feast or rite in verse 2, 14 and 24-27. And much of chapter 13 too!
§ Definition of nationhood: The Israelites have a new start! From this moment Israel’s nationhood is defined with a timeless significance. You will notice that even a foreigner could partake, but had to be circumcised! It was the demonstration of faith and obedience and will to know the one true God that was all important.
§ Instruction & Witness: When God does something in history his act flows not only into the lives of those who are alive at the time but to following generations, through 'generational witness'. Thus, some people see first hand. They then witness and proclaim so that those who do not see first-hand can know too and also believe.
§ We New Testament people likewise have the Lord’s Supper remembering the cross that Jesus inaugurated.

A Holy Nation
Passover is tied closely to the festival of unleavened bread (14-20) that occurs prior top the Passover. It is not immediately apparent to me as to what idea lies behind it. However, it seems that the answer is found in the New Testament and the picture of yeast spreading like evil. The central idea is that sin and evil should be allowed no foothold when dealing with the sacred things of a holy God. You will see from the timetable of events below that yeast is to be banished from the house for the 7 days preceding Passover. If 7 represents the perfect number or the idea of bringing to completion, then we might see a significance for the life of a believer between their spiritual birth at conversion and their physical death marking salvation through the judgement. Please note I offer that last point only as an idea to think about.

Let's remind ourselves of the timetable of events. God tells the Israelites in 12:2 that the Hebrew month of Nisan in which the Passover occurred is henceforth to become the Israelites first month. The important dates in this month are these:

Unleavened bread is furthermore a sign of holiness, of being separated from the world of sin as depicted here by Egypt. Lastly it could indicate the urgency of the Christian who is a traveller, a sojourner and only 'passing through' this world. The bread is a mark of affliction, of holding only lightly to the delights of this world. Leavened bread may taste nicer but unleavened is quite sufficient.

Redemption
The Passover is the act that redeems the Israelites. It is the defining moment that makes them God’s nation of people. They have now been bought and belong to God who will continue to teach them and mould them into a righteous people, that is, a people who are right with God.

Consecration of the First-born (13:1-16)
God builds the Passover and Exodus event into the very fabric of family and national life in Israel through the consecration of the first born. Verse 9 says, "This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead." Some Israelites later took this injunction beyond the pictorial sense and literally tied what were called phylacteries on their wrists.

This ritual concerning the first-born however, was a potent reminder of their identity as being in relationship with God, and that this relationship is built upon sacrifice and commitment. The state machinery did not need and could not sustain so many full-time religious workers, so first-born children would be redeemed by sacrifice as God tells them here in verse 13.

Some see the offering of two turtle doves by Mary and Joseph as this redeeming act for Jesus but reading the Luke account it is rather more likely that they offer the doves in thanksgiving to God and not as a redemption price.

Jesus, like Samuel who was offered to God's service by Hannah, remains consecrated to God. As such, when at the age of twelve his parents return from a visit to Jerusalem and discover Jesus is not with them, they subsequently find him in the Temple. He rebukes them for not realising he would be in his Father's house. He says this because he was not redeemed for the family but remained belonging to God.

Of course, Christ's death on the cross is consecration to God in the fullest sense. Humanity offers up its one perfect son to come into relationship with God forever. This perfect act of consecration that makes Jesus the Lamb who is worthy to open the seven seals of God's scroll and execute his will in salvation and judgement.

This night of deliverance is only a beginning and we will see how God now moulds his people further in the coming chapters of the history.