Passover and Deliverance

Today's reading is from Exodus 10, 11, 12.

This is the account of the last three plagues that God sent against Pharaoh, and more specifically the Egyptian gods. The plague of locusts, followed by the plague of darkness which last for three days - both covered the land. Each time the text says, "God hardened Pharaoh's heart". Pharaoh was unyielding in seeking to keep the Egyptians as slaves, and God was unyielding in his plans for deliverance. The text begins:

"Then the lord said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them."

All of the nine before the last one were severe in themselves; but nothing was more horrendous than the last of the plagues - the death of the firstborn of everything not under the Passover blood.

"So Moses said, "This is what the lord says: 'About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well."

The festival of Passover is Israel's memorial of redemption. God tells Moses that the death of the firstborn will not occur among the Israelites because of the blood of the lamb put on the doorposts of the homes. As the angel of death passes through the Egyptian nation, he will "pass over" the houses of those that have the blood of the lamb on their doorposts.

What a symbolic and prophetic picture of the death of Christ for the remission of sins to those who receive him as Savior. Death is universal but to the believer who has Christ's blood there is nothing of death but a doorway to eternity. Christ's blood is sufficient for the penalty of our sins and those who have him as savior have their own "passover".

As this story continues, the Passover festival becomes a yearly marker point in Israel's identity:

"The lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household...
This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the lord's Passover... The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

To all of Israel, for generations to come, God's Passover was the highpoint of the calendar year. It was their IDENTITY... that we are a people of God who were redeemed by the outstretched hand of God and the enemy of false gods was defeated decisively - this is the God we serve!

"And when your children ask you, 'What does this ceremony mean to you?'
then tell them, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.'" Then the people bowed down and worshiped."

Jesus is our Passover lamb. He came into the world to deliver us from the bondage, slavery of sin, and his blood is sufficient for the total payment of our sins...in fact, it is the only payment for our sins that God accepts. That blood overcomes everything...hallelujah.



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