Christ in the Passover
CHRIST IN THE PASSOVER
Introduction: After years of hardship and slavery, the children of Israel raised a cry to Heaven. God heard their cry and sent them Moses to bring them out of Egypt from the house of bondage. Through 10 plagues, ending with the Passover, Pharaoh released the children of Israel. Some 1500 years later, God heard the cry of the children of men because of their bondage to sin and death. The only thing he could do was send His own son to deliver the children of men from the house of bondage. Today, we will look at the Jewish Passover and understand that it was a picture of the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross so that God and man could be brought together.
I. Exodus 11:9-10: The Hard of Heart Refuses God.
A. After nine miracles in the land of Egypt, it seems like everyone is convinced, but Pharaoh. Verse 9 says that Pharaoh will not hearken unto you. That means that no matter what Moses did, Pharaoh would not listen to him. God does not force people to listen to Him. He will show Himself. He will give you every chance to listen. He will even make it hard to keep from listening, but in the end, you must listen to Him yourself. He refuses to make you listen to Him. The Bible tells us back in Exodus 10:7 that Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?” They are convinced. Exodus 11:3 tells us that the children of Israel were greatly respected in Egypt by this time and that Moses was, “very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servant, and in the sight of the people.”
B. Why did God let Pharaoh’s heart be hardened? “That my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” By now, God has struck down the false Gods of Egypt. He showed that He could control the river Nile, which was worshipped. He created frogs, which were so worshipped that people would not kill them, even though they covered the ground and were everywhere. He darkened the sun for three days, which was supposed to be the father of their gods. Now He would take the first born sons of the land. Even Pharaoh’s son was subject to this. Pharaoh was the chief god that the Egyptians worshipped. Now the Egyptians would know that even this god was under the control of the one true God.
C. Yet God had one more miracle to perform to convince the Pharaoh and the people of Egypt that there is only one God and only one way to Him. That is the way of faith. They didn’t know of Jesus, but they knew to trust God. The people who killed the spotless lamb and put the blood on the door were saved. Those who didn’t were doomed. I remind you today that there is but one way to God today. That is the way of faith in Jesus.
II. Exodus 12:1-14: The Blood of the Lamb Saves Life.
A. Now God institutes the Passover. He tells Moses to have everyone kill a spotless lamb, spread the blood over the door, and cook and eat the lamb. God promised two things about this night. He promised that those who had the blood would be spared and that those who didn’t have the blood would give their first born sons. The loss of life would even extend to the animals. Notice that God promised that all who put the blood on the door posts would be protected and all who didn’t would not be. Verses 12-13 say, “...(I) will smite all the first born in he land of Egypt, both man and beast...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...” God only asked a small act of faith of Israel. Did some Egyptians escape the plague? Some did because the Bible tells us that when Israel was driven out, there was a mixed multitude that came with them. (12:38) God didn’t say that it was who you were that would save you. He didn’t give a list of do’s and don’ts. He said be under the blood and I will not slay you. Yes, God’s Holy Spirit walked among Egypt on that night, and when He didn’t see the blood of the lamb, He took a life.
B. This is the first of many sacrifices given to Israel. This sacrifice was an act of faith that allowed Israel to escape bondage and enter into freedom in the Lord. Today, we do not have to kill animals to pay for our sins. We do not have to kill animals to please God. He just asks of us simple faith. Faith doesn’t always know why things happen, but trusts that God knows what He’s doing. Faith says, “I don’t understand why Jesus’ death saves me from my sin, but I believe it anyway.” Faith applies the blood to the door posts. Imagine a Jewish man outside, putting the blood on his doorposts as an Egyptian family walks by. “Why are you doing that?” “God told us to.” “Why?” “Because tonight, He’s coming through to kill the firstborn. Where ever He sees this blood, He promised to pass by and spare the family inside.” That man laughs and walks away, mocking the Jewish man. Down the road, another Egyptian man hears the same story and quickly goes home and gathers his family. He believed the Jewish man who offered to let his family come and join him for the meal. He comes in and doesn’t understand why all of the ritual and the meal, but he believes that this meal is all that can save his first, and only, son.
C. When you come to the end of your life, God will not ask you how good you were. He will not ask you how many Sundays you spent in Sunday School, or how often you rode the bus. He will not ask you how much money you gave in the offering plate. He will look for the blood of Jesus. He will look for your faith in what His lamb did on the cross. If He doesn’t see that blood , He will say, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” Now is the time to put your faith in the blood of Jesus. He is the Passover lamb for you and for me.
III. Exodus 12ff: The Travel of the Believer Brings Us Closer to God.
A. Moses was commanded to have the people eat their Passover standing, dressed and ready to leave. They were to have their things packed to go and treat the night like they were about to embark on a journey. As we follow the rest of the book of Exodus, the children of Israel wander through the wilderness to the land of promise. They were going to the land that flowed with milk and honey, but they had to travel to get there. It was a hard journey. They had to get across the Red Sea and they had to travel through the hot desert. Their lives were not instantly perfect when they eat the Passover. Their troubles were not over just because they had left Egypt. Their hardship didn’t end with the passage across the Red Sea. No, life is hard. They still had to get to Sinai and receive the law from God. They had another 40 years of wandering through the desert to get through to get to the land of promise. Their 40 year trek through the desert was a product of their disobedience to God. They spent that time getting closer to God. Through the years, many died on the way. These were the people who didn’t believe God when He told them to move into the land the first time. By the time they all died on the way, the family of Israel was closed to God and had learned more about walking with God.
B. The Christian life does not become a bed of roses when we get saved, but it does get better than it was. In Egypt, Israel was in bondage to their masters. Before we get saved, we are slaves to our sin and to Satan. When we get saved, we are freed from sin to be righteous. We are freed from ourselves and our selfish desires and free to serve Jesus and do His will. His will is that we have faith and believe Him. His will is that we obey the commands of God out of a heart of love for God. What we give doesn’t matter unless is comes from a heart in love with God, ready to do whatever He asks. They ate the Passover ready to move out and do what God demanded from them. When you get saved, it’s time to stand up and get moving for God. He’s simply asked you to believe Him.
Conclusion: The Passover was an act of faith for the people of Israel in their day. Today, we have no lamb to kill. God’s lamb was slain on the cross of Calvary. We have no need to put blood on the doorway. We have to accept what the blood of Jesus did for us over 2000 years ago. When God walked about that night, when He saw the blood, He moved on. When you stand before God and He sees the blood of His Only Begotten, He will invite you into rest in the real promised land.