TEXT: Exodus 12 (cf. John 1:29, I Corinthians 5:7)

SUBJECT: Christ in the Old Testament #5: Passover

Today, with God’s blessing, we’ll proceed in our study of Christ in the Old Testament. Thus far, He’s come to us by way of Promise—first to Adam and Eve, then to Abraham. Next, He appeared in a Dream—to Jacob at Bethel. Then He came to Moses at the Burning Bush, promising freedom to a people under the crushing yoke of slavery.

And now He’s back. This time in the greatest role He ever played in the Old Testament—as the both the Judge of the World and the Lamb who takes away the sin thereof.

As we study the awesome chapter, may God give us eyes to see the glory of Christ in it. And the hearts to feel it.

The Passover occurred at a time of Judgment.

The world is under the judgment of God at every moment. This is true whatever the state of our civilization. It would be good if the divorce rate went down; it would be good if abortion were outlawed; it would be good if education were improved. But if all these things were done (and more), the wrath of God would not be quenched. A conservative world is every bit as guilty as a liberal one. Why? Because liberal or conservative, reactionary or communist, the world does not believe in Christ.

The world is always under the judgment of God. But often—due to the wisdom and goodness of God—the punishment is delayed. We deserve it right now, but it doesn’t fall until much later.

That describes Egypt. For years, Pharaoh had kept God’s People in captivity and made their service hard and bitter. But the Lord had done nothing to avenge Himself on the proud king.

…Until now. After four hundred and thirty years, God has finally roused Himself and is pounding Egypt into submission. Thus far, nine plagues have struck:

1. The Nile River is turned to blood.
2. Frogs overrun the land.
3. Lice infest every body.
4. Flies fill the air.
5. The cattle are struck down with a disease.
6. Boils appear on man and beast.
7. Hail smashes the land—killing man and beast and wiping out many crops.
8. Locusts invade and eat what’s left.
9. Thick darkness blots out every light for three days.

Christ comes to us when we’re lost. Not just sinful and mixed-up, but in real danger of eternal fire. Jude 23 says we’ve been

The Last Plague is somewhat like the ones that came before it. They were all inflicted by God, for example, and caused terrible pain to those who bore them.

But there is also a difference. The frogs and flies and hail, and so on, fell on the guilty—and on no one else. Exodus 11:7 underlines the point,

"But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog

God separates the innocent from the guilty. Psalm 145:20 says,

That’s what God has done in Egypt. He has destroyed the wicked and preserved the good. Thus far.

But at the Passover something different occurs. Not only are the guilty punished, but so is the Innocent.

A lamb was taken from every flock in Israel. He was a young lamb and without spot or blemish. His throat was cut, the blood drained into a pan, and his body was put on a stick and roasted. The blood was then carried to the front door and painted along the sides of the door and across the top.

What did the ritual mean? In the next chapter, you find out. The lamb stood in the place of the family’s oldest son. In other words, the son of Moses deserved to die every bit as much as Pharaoh’s firstborn!

But instead of killing the son of Moses, the son of Aaron, the son of Hur, the son of every other Jew, God killed a Lamb. And when He sees the blood, (of that lamb) He will

After seven days of preparation, the night of Passover finally came. On that night, God stalked the land of Egypt, and killed every firstborn male—man and beast. From the hen house to the Royal Palace no one was spared.

Except in those places where blood marked the door.

Passover broke Pharaoh’s stubborn pride at last. He commanded Moses to get his people out of there—right now! "Take your families, take your cattle, take our jewels—whatever you want—just get out of here"!

That night Israel got its freedom. Not the freedom to do whatever they wanted to do, but the freedom to serve the Lord.

The Passover became the most sacred holiday on the Hebrew calendar. It was observed on the fourteenth day of the First Month. And still is, by believing Jews all over the world.

The Passover was a memorial to God’s saving work in Egypt. But that’s not all it was. It was also a prophecy. It pointed back to what God did long ago. And to what He would do some day in the future.

The devout and thoughtful Jew was thankful for what God did in Egypt. But, deep down, he knew that Pharaoh’s slavery was not the only kind he suffered—or even the worst kind.

He felt a slavery to sin. Knowing the right thing to do is a lot easier than doing it. It’s much harder to resist temptation than to preach against it.

When God saved His people from their physical slavery, He was pointing to another, greater work of liberation. One day, through the work of Messiah, God would redeem His people from their True Enemy, Sin.

Every believing Jew knew that. And looked forward to it with joy.

It was a mighty long time in coming. Moses longed for it—but didn’t see it. Neither did Joshua, nor the judges, nor even the kings of Israel. The great prophets didn’t see it and neither did the wise men of old.

They all died in hope. It wasn’t till much later—till centuries had come and gone that God did what the Passover promised.

The Passover Lamb was identified by John the Baptist. Though he had never met Him, God told him that he’d baptize a Man on Whom the Holy Spirit would descend and stay there. A Man came to him one day for baptism—and though John felt unworthy to administer it, the Man insisted.

When the Baptism was finished, the Holy Spirit came down on Him in the form of a Dove and a voice rang from heaven,

That was good enough for John. The next day, he saw this man walking by and announced for all to hear,

The Man is Jesus Christ.

The "Lamb of God" fulfilled the prophecy in the same way the first lamb had: By dying a bloody death in the place of somebody else.

Jesus Christ was killed—not because He had done something wrong, but because we have. He "Suffered for sins—Peter said—"The just for the unjust".

On a cross, one afternoon, the Innocent died in the place of the guilty. In His death, He carried all of our sins and bore all the punishment they deserve.

Because of what Jesus Christ did, we who believe in Him are free. We’re free from the slavery of sin and free to serve God from the heart.

If freedom from Egypt deserved a day of remembrance every year, the freedom from sin should be remembered every day of every year. And celebrated with joy and unending praise!

The Israelites came out of Egypt singing the Song of Moses. We have a better Song. Let’s sing it from the heart.

And you—you who don’t believe in Christ, listen up. The First Passover was meant for the Jews only. The Egyptians were excluded; your ancestors and mine were too. They lived and died without a Passover.

But you don’t have to. For the Lamb who died on the Cross died—not for the Jews only, but for every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue. Including yours. So why don’t you believe in Christ? Why don’t you take the forgiveness of sin He offers in the Gospel?

The wrath of God must fall. On you. Or, on Christ for you. Which will it be? God give you the right answer. For Christ’s sake. Amen.