The Passover

Call to Worship
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!
Each day God brings to us new opportunities to learn
and grow.
God is near to all of us.
We will not fear to call upon the Lord.
Come, let us praise God who walks with us daily.
Let us open our hearts and spirits to God who loves
and lives with us.

Invocation
Redeeming God, come and heal our souls. Open our
hearts to receive your words of hope and joy that we
may become faithful servants of yours in this world
which you have loaned to us.
For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

Context
A personal faith is experienced differently than in the
community of faith. It was no less different for the
promise of Abraham when it moved beyond a family
or clan.
As a nation, Israel would become the proving grounds
for the ultimate expansion of that promise to all
mankind.

Context
C. F. Keil. “…a divine consecration was necessary, that
their outward severance from the land of Egypt might
be accompanied by an inward severance from
everything of an Egyptian or heathen nature.
This consecration was to be imparted by the
Passover—a festival which was to lay the foundation
for Israel’s birth into the new life of grace and
fellowship with God, and to renew it perpetually in
time to come.”

Context
God gave detailed instructions that were to guide his
people at this crucial moment in their history.
Pharaoh was reluctant to allow this large group of
slave laborers to leave, however. Through Moses, the
Lord sent a series of plagues against the Egyptians.
Our text anticipates the final plague and provides a
clear record of what took place.

‘
Exodus 12:1

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the
land of Egypt:

‘
Exodus 12:1
Though God first spoke to Moses at the burning bush
on the mountain of God, Moses did not need to go to
and from the mountain of God in order to hear from
God.
The Bible makes clear that Moses did not need to be
in a special place or pray during a special time to hear
from God.
The Temple would never replace that privilege.

‘
Exodus 12:1
According to the Biblical record, neither Moses nor
Aaron introduced any legislation of their own, either
at this time or later.
The whole system, religious, political, and
ecclesiastical, was received by Divine Revelation.

‘
Exodus 12:1
The eighth and ninth plagues of locusts and darkness
may have already come upon the Egyptians by the
time God speaks to Moses again in Exodus 12:1.
Some commentators think the plague of darkness
descended upon the Egyptians beginning the 10th
day of the month, immediately before the first
Passover was to be celebrated.

‘
Exodus 12:2

This month shall mark for you the beginning
of months; it shall be the first month of the
year for you.

‘
Exodus 12:2
The Israelite year prior to this would seem to have
commenced with the autumn equinox (Exodus 23. 16)
which corresponded to our October.
The name of the new first month is Nisan, which falls
during the latter part of March or the first part of
April, since the Jews use a lunar calendar.
For this reason, the dates for Passover, Palm
Sunday, and Easter vary from year to year.

‘
Exodus 12:2
With this first Passover, the Jews began a new
calendar, a new calendar year, and a new way of life
under the ceremonial Law of Moses before they
entered the Promised Land.
In a similar way, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ
Sunday became the first day of the week and our new
calendar is divided into BC and AD despite the
attempt to change it.

‘
Exodus 12:2
Lesson: Redemption by God always signals a new
beginning (Exod. 12:1-2; II Cor. 5:17)
We have a tendency to relish the new and quickly move
to the next new thing. What appears as fickle is our
innate desire to experience that life that is found in the
new be it a baby or a beginning date in our lives. We
celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and remember times
that changed our lives and world.
What we don’t realize is that God gives us a new
beginning each day. A new chance to laugh, love and
live. Shed yourself of those things that so easily beset you.
Enjoy each new day!

‘
Exodus 12:3
Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on
the tenth of this month they are to take a
lamb for each family, a lamb for each
household.

‘
Exodus 12:3

The new moon began a new month. In the Bible, the
number 10 is a symbol for completion. On the 10th
day, with the selection of the Lamb, the Hebrews
began to make their Passover preparations.

‘
Exodus 12:3
Each person in the whole congregation was to be
involved in the celebration of the Passover, and the
head of each household would serve as a priest in the
slaughter of the sacrificial lamb.
The Bible does not say that the person who
slaughtered the lamb had to be a male, though the
slaughtered lamb had to be male.

‘
Exodus 12:4
If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it
shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining
one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion
to the number of people who eat of it.

‘
Exodus 12:4
A family could be comprised of many households. At
this time, the Hebrews lived in houses with doors and
door posts instead of tents. Some households could
be too small in numbers or too impoverished to
acquire or use a whole lamb, so God made provision
for everyone, rich and poor alike.

They were told to join with their “closest neighbor” to
buy the lamb or take a lamb from the flock to use.

‘
Exodus 12:4
The lamb would be divided equally among each
person at the feast.

Centuries later, the rabbis would say that each person
needed to eat some lamb and no piece of lamb eaten
could be smaller than the size of an olive.

‘
Exodus 12:4
Lesson: The way of redemption needs to be proclaimed to all
men (Exod. 12:3-4; Matt. 28:18-20)

We love redemption and we don’t even know it. We cheer the
underdog, the overcomer and the David’s of our world who
stand up to the Goliaths. We read those books, watch those
movies and follow those stories where the downtrodden rise up
to try again.
We just realize how people need to hear what God has done for
us. How He lifts us up each day and helps overcome this life.
They need to hear more stories of redemption.

‘
Exodus 12:5

Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male;
you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

‘
Exodus 12:5
The Hebrew word is one of much wider meaning than
our “lamb.” It is applicable to both sheep and goats.
The lamb to die sacrificially and be eaten was to be
“the best,” without blemish; just as the Lamb of God
was the Messiah who never sinned and was the best
that God the Father could give as a sacrifice for our
sins.

‘
Exodus 12:5
At future Passover celebrations, the lamb would have
been born near or shortly after the previous Passover
It would be a male, but would represent males and
females; just as the Lamb of God, the Son of
God, died for the sins of males and females and
represented males and females when He died for all.

‘
Exodus 12:6

You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this
month; then the whole assembled congregation of
Israel shall slaughter it at twilight.

‘
Exodus 12:6
As God’s judgment on the gods of Egypt and the
Egyptians (who worshiped the sun as a god or
idol), some believe the Egyptians were in darkness
from the 10th day of the month to the 14th day of the
month.
Their sun god could not overcome the true God and
give them light or save their firstborn children from
death.

‘
Exodus 12:6
During this same time, the Israelites were caring for
their livestock and their families in the light that God
provided for them alone.

As night approached on the 14th day, the lamb would
be slaughtered and eaten in the evening, which was
the beginning of the 15th day. The lamb was generally
slain between the ninth hour (3 p.m.) and the
eleventh (5 p.m.).

‘
Exodus 12:6
One of the main peculiarities of the Paschal sacrifice
was that the head of each family was entitled — in
the early times was required to offer the sacrifice for
himself.
In it no one intervened between the individual and
God. Here we see a priesthood of all believers.

‘
Exodus 12:6
Lesson: Purity of motive and action displays true faith and
obedience (Exod. 12:5-6; Isa. 29:13)
No one took a shortcut that Passover night. No one did just
enough. Everything was on the line and nothing was held back.
It takes such moments of absolute obedience to reveal our
deepest motives. We have been there at hospitals, divorce
courts and funeral homes. These are the times that take the
measure of our faith. Be amazed at the faith and strength God
can give to you then if you are honest with Him.

‘
Exodus 12:7

They shall take some of the blood and put it on the
two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which
they eat it.

‘
Exodus 12:7
As the darkness of the evening approached, the
Israelites obeyed Moses in faith and they put some
blood from the slaughtered lamb or goat on the two
door posts and the beam above the door (the lintel)
of the house, but not on the threshold where it could
be trampled underfoot.

‘
Exodus 12:7
The blood would protect all those who stayed inside
the house, so each one could be at peace on the
inside of the house on the night of God’s Passover.
They may not have understood why this was
important, but their faithful obedience led to their
salvation when the death angel passed over their
homes and saw the blood of the lamb where God had
commanded them to place it.

‘
Exodus 12:8

They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall
eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread
and bitter herbs.

‘
Exodus 12:8
The lamb would be slaughtered and roasted
immediately after it was slaughtered. In later
years, the Hebrews would eat the lamb with
unleavened bread in remembrance of how quickly
they had to leave Egypt (before their bread had time
to rise with yeast), and bitter herbs in remembrance
of their bitter years of slavery in Egypt.

‘
Exodus 12:8

Just as believers are saved from spiritual death by the
blood of Christ, so they need to eat spiritually of the
Lamb of God for spiritual life moment by moment.

‘
Exodus 12:9

Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but
roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner
organs.

‘
Exodus 12:9
God commanded the Hebrews to cook by roasting the
entire lamb in haste. There was no time to remove
the insides of the lamb (or “properly” dress it as a
butcher would) before roasting it.
Eating boiled lamb with its head and inner organs
instead of roasting the lamb entirely might also have
made people sick.

‘
Exodus 12:9
Roasting the whole lamb might be considered a
symbol of the fact that we are to receive into our lives
and hearts Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, wholly and
completely as He is.
Furthermore, we must receive the Lamb of God into
our hearts on His terms, not on our terms or in our
way but in His way, even though we may not
completely understand His terms or His way.

‘
Exodus 12:10

You shall let none of it remain until the morning;
anything that remains until the morning you shall
burn.

‘
Exodus 12:10
The Hebrews needed to learn complete trust in God for
their salvation and daily provision. They needed to trust
God for their daily bread, and obey God in order for them
to receive all the blessings God wanted to give them.
They were to burn all of the remains of the lamb and
trust God for their next meal; just as later they were not
to keep manna in the wilderness that they received
overnight because it would spoil, except on the day
before the Sabbath.

‘
Exodus 12:10
Even though the Israelites may not have understood
everything God wanted them to do, they understood
enough to obey God in faith.

The remains of their meal was consecrated and so
burned; it was not to be trampled underfoot or
thrown in the trash by Egyptians after the Israelites
exited the land.

‘
Exodus 12:10
Lesson: Clear directions from God warrant full obedience to God
(Exod. 12:7-10; cf. Josh. 1:8)

We are the masters at compromise and hesitation. We hedge
our bets instead of doubling down. We call fear caution and
negligence prudent. But there are those times in our lives when
the calling of God is clear and our opportunity absolute.
Those are the moments we change not just ourselves but our
world. We stand up to prejudice and go long term to make a
difference in an innocent life. Those are the times that God sees
His Son in us.

‘
Exodus 12:11

This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals
on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it

hurriedly. It is the Passover of the LORD.

‘
Exodus 12:11
The Israelites were commanded to eat in haste and
prepared for their quick deliverance by God. They
were to eat with their “loins girded” (with their robe
tied around their waist so they could run or work and
the robe length would not get in their way or trip
them), with their sandals on their feet because they
would not have time to search for them and put them
on before embarking on the hard road ahead, and
with their staff for support as they walked.

‘
Exodus 12:11
Remember, Moses did great things with his staff. God
wanted the Hebrews to be ready when He moved
quickly, as He did (and often does).

Though God may seem to take a long time, when He
does move or want people to move, He often does so
very quickly. From Passover, we learn to always be
prepared to do God’s will immediately.

‘
Exodus 12:12
For I will pass through the land of Egypt that
night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the
land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all
the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the
LORD.

‘
Exodus 12:12
God executed judgment “on all the gods of Egypt;”
these gods were a total failure and some of these
gods may have been inspired by evil spirits, as Paul
described them: “For our struggle is not against
enemies of blood and flesh, but against the
rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic
powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

‘
Exodus 12:12
The ten plagues and the exodus show that if we trust
in false gods, we will suffer with them when they fail
or when they suffer God’s judgment.
The Israelites learned this same lesson by hard
experience over and over again throughout their
history, as their prophets warned and taught them.

‘
Exodus 12:12
Through Moses, the prophet of God, God gave the
people good and sufficient reasons to believe God
and obey God.
They had witnessed nine plagues that had fallen on
the Egyptians and they had every reason to believe
that God would do what He said.

‘
Exodus 12:12
The Pharaoh pretended to be the son of the sun
god, and his son was considered a god too;
therefore, at the first Passover God would be judging
these men who were considered to be gods when the
true God killed the firstborn of every Egyptian and
every Egyptian animal.

‘
Exodus 12:12
God’s just judgment was milder than Pharaoh’s
persecution of the Israelites, because the Pharaoh
had ordered the midwives to kill every newborn male
child: “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew
women, and see them on the birth stool, if it is a boy,
kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live” (Exodus 1:16).

‘
Exodus 12:13

The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses
where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over
you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike
the land of Egypt.

‘
Exodus 12:13
The angel of the Lord would pass over every house;
he would see the blood of the lamb on the door posts
and on the beam above every door; he would see and
save the occupants of the house from death.
Many hold that the angel of the Lord was indeed
Jesus Christ, Son of God.

‘
Exodus 12:13
Those inside the house could not see the blood on the
door posts, but they trusted that the angel of the Lord
could see the blood and save them from death.

We do not see the blood of Jesus Christ, but when we
trust in Jesus Christ, in His death for us, in His blood
shed for our sins, in His resurrection from the
dead, by grace He saves us through our faith in Him.

‘
Exodus 12:13
Lesson: God is gracious to redeem, but He will judge
those who are His enemies (Exod. 12:11-13)
A soldier is diplomacy’s last resort. Surgery is a body’s
last hope. And judgment is God’s final word. Nothing is
to be more feared since it cannot be stopped or altered.
Judgment comes like the host of heaven, severing those
things which are not worthy and giving no mercy.

We do well to remember that only God can kill the soul
and not just the body. Fear Him!

‘
Exodus 12:14
This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You
shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD;
throughout your generations you shall observe it as
a perpetual ordinance.

‘
Exodus 12:14
God told the Hebrews when and how to celebrate the
Passover yearly in commemoration of this first
Passover.
Later, Jesus the Messiah made a new covenant in His
blood, and He instituted the new covenant in a
communion celebration during His last Passover meal
with His disciples.

‘
Exodus 12:14
He has told all who believe in Him as Lord and Savior
to celebrate and remember His death for their sins in
the celebration of the communion meal, the Lord’s
Supper, until He comes again (see 1 Corinthians
11:24-25).

‘
Conclusion
Life is a bit different for believers today. Unlike the people
of Israel, we are not likely to see a constant stream of
miracles surrounding us, the possibility of slavery
threaten us, or plagues devastate entire civilizations
around us. However, we still share in the human
experience—enduring pain, fearing death, and struggling
to obey our God.
As the Israelites celebrated Passover in days to come,
their hearts would once again be comforted by the
mighty, protective hand of God.

‘
Conclusion
Forgetfulness can lead to disaster as mistakes are repeated and
purposes are lost. The meaning of life can get swallowed up by
life's demands; the direction God has given world history can be
replaced with a pointless, repetitive cycle.
God knows the importance of remembering beginnings. He gave
the ancient Israelites three practices by which to remember
their founding event, the exodus from Egypt: (1) the rite of the
firstborn son, (2) the meal of unleavened bread, and (3) the
celebration of the Passover feast.

‘
Blessing
In the midst of your rejoicing, may you find your heart
tuned to God’s love for all God’s creation. May you
find that you have been given gifts for helping others,
for alleviating the pain and hunger around you. May
your eyes be open to God’s calling.

‘
Benediction

May the love of God, abundant through Jesus
Christ, and freely given to us, be with us all. May we
serve God in all that we do. AMEN.

‘
Blessing
In the midst of your rejoicing, may you find your heart
tuned to God’s love for all God’s creation. May you
find that you have been given gifts for helping
others, for alleviating the pain and hunger around
you. May your eyes be open to God’s calling.

The Passover

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The Passover