Exodus chapter 12 establishes Passover as the most important day in the Hebrew year, so important that God changes the calendar to make the month of redemption “the first month of your year“. God gives Moses careful instructions because the consequences are life and death. He begins, “On the tenth day of the month, each man must select a lamb… a male without defect.” He continues, “Take care of him until the fourteenth day of the month.” The believers were then to “slaughter him at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and top of the doorframe of the house“. He even gives instructions for preparing the sacrifice, “roasted with fire” (fire= judgment) and eaten with “bitter herbs” and “bread made without yeast (yeast = sin)”. The people are even instructed to eat, “With your cloak tucked into your belt…sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand…Eat in haste; it is the Lords Passover.” God explains, “On that night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every first born- both men and animals- and I will bring judgment. The blood will be a sign… and when I see the blood, I will Passover you. No destructive plagues will touch you.” There is no other distinction given, there is blood from the sacrifice, or there is death. God did not look at their faith, their suffering or their good works. Without the blood of the lamb, judgment was certain.
God declares, “This is a day you are to commemorate for the generations to come… a lasting ordinance“. And again God emphasizes, “Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread… as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.” Moses explains all of God’s instructions to the elders of Israel. He adds, “When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as He promised, observe this ceremony. And when your children ask, “What does this mean?”, tell them.” Please notice he does not say let them decide for themselves what is right- we must tell our children what we believe and why we believe it! Next we read, “The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded“. At midnight, the Lord struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon. “Pharaoh and all his officials and all of the Egyptians got up during the night and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house in Egypt without someone dead.” Pharaoh finally accepts the will of God, but it is too late to be spared the judgment. As powerful as these events are, all of this was merely a symbol for the final sacrifice to come. Jesus made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem and hailed as the “Son of David”, the Lamb of God was “selected” on the tenth day of the first month. Jesus was crucified, His blood was poured out on the horizontal and vertical beams of the cross. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Hebrews chapter 9, gives a comparison between the sacrifice of sheep and the perfect sacrifice of God’s own Son. The writer explains that Jesus is sinless God in human form, thus He did not inherit the sin of Adam. His death was the only way to pay the debt of our sins once and for ever. “according to the Law…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness…but Christ entered a more perfect tabernacle, not made with human hands… not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood. He entered the Holy Place once and for all, having attained eternal redemption… And for this reason He is the mediator of the new covenant.” The writer reminds us that under the Law of Moses sacrifices were required, “year by year, which they offered continually“. But he concludes, as believers “we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all… there is no longer any offering for sin“. Just as the Hebrews had to believe the blood of the lamb would save them from the plagues, all that is required to receive salvation is believing Jesus died for your sins. He exhorts us to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith“. When we celebrate communion together we celebrate the new covenant, “This is My body which has been given for you; do this in memory of Me“. Jesus died once, but we need to be reminded often. Accept His sacrifice and obtain eternal life.