Good morning,
Passover begins at sundown 22 April 2024. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, observed for seven days.
Today’s study requires us to open our Bibles and search the references about the Passover. It will open our eyes and help us connect to what Christ did on the cross for us.
Our devotionals will center Preparation for Passover, the fulfillment of Passover, and consequence of Passover.
You may see movies or other depictions of these events, but please make sure they line up with the Bible.
PASSOVER
Exodus 12:1-36
Preparation for Passover (12:1-20)
New Year (12:1-2)
And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
Characteristics of the Lamb (12:3-5)
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
Killing the Lamb (12:6)
6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
Blood of the Lamb (12:7)
7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
Eating the Lamb (12:8-11)
8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover.
Passover by God (12:12-13)
12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
Feast of Unleavened Bread (12:14-20)
14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.
Fulfillment of Passover (12:21-30)
Kill the Passover (12:21)
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.
Strike the Lintel and Two Side Posts with Blood (12:22-23)
22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.23 For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
Passover to be on Observed Forever as Testimony to God’s Power and Provision (12:24-28)
24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
Death of the First born (12:29-30)
29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
Consequence of Passover: Pharaoh Lets Israel Go (12:31-36)
31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said.32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:36 And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
The blood protected the children of Israel. Christ’s blood on the cross bought our salvation. Each had to take a step of faith. Israel had to obey God, sacrifice a perfect lamb, and put the blood on the lintel and doorpost. We must by faith, repenting of our sin, put our trust in God’s perfect Lamb, Jesus Christ. Israel lived and God freed them from their bondage in Egypt and eventually allowed them to enter into the Promised Land He promised Abraham. We live and will be eternally with the Lord here on earth and in heaven.
CONCLUSION:
And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! (John 1:36)
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18-19)
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1 Corinthians 5:7)
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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