The Passover

Exodus 12

This chapter is a very significant chapter to not only the Jew but also to the Christian. We see God’s hand in directing the exodus for His people. Moses warned the Egyptians but now the instruction came to the Jews to follow this every year for the rest of their lives, the Passover. This was the beginning of months for Israel because now they were going to be free from the bondage of Egypt. The month that this first month for Israel was called Abib and was later changed to Nisan, it is equal to our month April. It is fitting that we are reading about this since we are in the month of April.

The Passover

The passover consists of different things. The family was to take a lamb that was without blemish and prepare it by roasting it over a fire. The lamb was the animal that was going to provide redemption for the people and the firstborn. The blood of the lamb needed to be placed on the doorpost of the entrance of the house. This was not only the place of entrance in a home but also symbolized security. They will eat the flesh of the lamb that evening with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They were to eat the meal with shoes on and dressed ready to leave, which we will see that Pharaoh wants them gone. 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread (14-20) 

This feast is associated with the Passover because they were commanded to not eat leavened bread on Passover. The beginning of the Passover they were commanded to get rid of all the leaven in the household. Leaven or yeast is a symbol of sin (Lev. 2:11 and 1st Corinthians 5:7-8). This feast is carried on through the rest of the week. As this was a sign of being clean the Israelites were to take this seriously because if they did not they would be cut off or lose their right and privileges of an Israelite.  

Death of the firstborn

We see that the last plague happens in Egypt and there is a great cry among the people. The Bible tells us that there was death of the firstborn from the throne of Pharaoh to even those that were in prison and even the death of the firstborn of the livestock. Every household in Egypt had death in it that evening. It took Pharaoh losing his first son for his heart to break and he calls Moses and Aaron in the middle of the night and just tells them to leave. They need to take everything with them, their flocks, their children and just go. It is interesting that they people of Egypt gave the Hebrews dough without leaven on their journey and also the Hebrews asked for gold, silver, and clothing and the Egyptians gave it willingly. In verse 36 the Bible says, “They plundered them.” If you go back to Exodus 3:22 where God is talking with Moses and God tells Moses that the Hebrews will plunder the Egyptians. God told Moses that this would happen. 430 years of slavery ended and there were more than 600,000 Hebrews leaving Egypt. Most scholars will say that it was closer to 2 million men, women, and children that Moses  would lead out of Egypt.As Christians we can read this and just think of how great that the Hebrews finally get to leave and God is awesome but we can overlook that the Passover was just a sign to show of what the future held for us. The Passover points to Christ who was the lamb and his blood was spread for our redemption from God’s wrath (Romans 5:8-9). It was a great price that Jesus paid on the cross for us and God’s wrath would be passed over those that believe.