Christ in all the scriptures Exodus 17 The Smitten Rock

 Christ in all the scriptures

Exodus 17

Water from the Rock

The children of Israel journeyed on, as the Lord had directed them, (three days journey into the wilderness-Exodus 3v18; 8v27), and they came to Rephidim, a haven of rest, (literally "reclining places").  However there was no water, so they have moved from one place with bitter water to one with no water.  The murmuring spread throughout the camp, and they blamed Moses, accusing him of genocide.  Such was the vitriol, they even questioned if the Lord was with them at all-v7, and Moses was in fear of His life; all this in the face of their miraculous deliverance.

God answered them by performing another miracle, the like of which had never been seen.  "Go on before the people and take with thee the elders of Israel; and thy rod wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand and go."

They were directed to Horeb, a place well known to Moses, when he kept the sheep in the desert.  This is thought to be a distance of 25km. and Moses went with the elders before the people, at the command of God, with the words of the Lord ringing in his ears, "Behold, I will stand before the there upon the rod in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.  And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel." What did he do?  He struck the rock at Horeb, and the smitten rock poured out water for the people to drink.  Fresh drinking water gushed from Horeb to satisfy their thirst, and the murmuring was quelled.  Yet another demonstration of Divine, Sovereign power.  The wonder of it is that Horeb means "desert", so God provided rivers of water from a dry desert., out of a flinty rock.  Horeb first appears in Exodus 3v1, the site of the burning bush, called the mountain of God, from whence He sent Moses to deliver Israel.  Another astonishing Divine miracle in response to their murmuring.   Surely our faith in God is tested with this.  How much do we really trust Him?  

The rock had to be smitten by the rod of Moses.  The New Testament interprets-1st Corinthians 3v4 "And did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."  He was smitten by the rod of God.

Thus the title Rock is a title of Deity, and we can explore its meaning to understand more of the nature of our God.  Jehovah is "The fountain of living waters..."-Jeremiah 2v13.  The subject of thirst in the bible is too large to handle here, but the human soul, created by God cannot be satisfied with anything less than God, all other fountains are "broken cisterns.  So we learn that Christ is not only the Saviour of His people, He is the Satisfaction of His people, He is the fountain from whom we can drink forever.  He is the Rock that was smitten to provide living water for us.  When Moses wanted to see the glory of God, he had to stand in the cleft of the rock-Exodus 33v21-22.  In the cleft of the rock, we can see the glory, the excellency, the majesty of our God.  In the place where the rock was smitten is the way to experience all the goodness of Almighty God-Exodus 33v19. 

The imagery of Christ as the Rock is a fabulous study.  From the narrative we know that this rock was a mountain, part of which was split to enable gushing springs of water.  We are well accustomed to people saying, "he is my rock"..."she is my rock", especially in times of illness or despair, or even death.  We know exactly what they mean that someone has a stabilising effect on them in an unstable world.  A rock is a foundation that cannot be moved on which we can build for future security, and certainty.  Christ is our Rock-He is the Rock of Israel, as seen in the sevenfold reference to the rock in Deuteronomy 32v4, v13, v15, v18, v30, v31 v37.  He is the Rock of the Church-Matthew 16v18, "...upon this rock (petra-mass of rock) I  will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." He is the Rock of the individual, Psalm 18v2 "The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."

 As the Rock He is eternal, by reason of the eternity of His being (Psalm 90v2).

As the Rock He is immutable, He never changes,  (Hebrews 13v8; James 1v17)

A the Rock He is invincible, by reason of His omnipotent power (Daniel 4v35)

As the Rock He is dependable, all who trust in Him will never be disappointed (Romans 10v11)

As the Rock He is foundational, everyone rests on Him; Israel-Isaiah 28v16; The Church-1st Corinthians 3v11, Ephesians 2v20; Individuals-2nd Timothy 2v11, Deuteronomy 32v4; Isaiah 54v11.

As the Rock He is impregnable-Matthew 16v18; Ephesians 2v21-22; 1st Corinthians 15v28

Deuteronomy 32v4 is the first mention of God as the Rock.  We can do no more than quote this unique verse, for it requires more in depth study.  There is no other equivalent verse in scripture which combines all the words for uprightness, integrity, sincerity, equity, and reliability, to describe the character of God.  |"He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is He."

He is our Refuge, He is our Rock, He is our Redeemer from whom all blessings flow.

  

Christ in all the scriptures Exodus 16

Christ in all the scriptures

Exodus chapter 16

Bread from heaven

"Then said the Lord unto Moses, behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or no"-Exodus 16v4.

How do you sustain such a large group of people in a desert for 40 years?!  The logistics are enormous, the reality is astonishing.  Even allowing for the debate that the Hebrew word for thousands (eleph) can also mean "clans", the numbers are huge.  Most translations say that over 600,000 men above 20 years old were in the camp.  Taken with wives and children this inflates the number to 2.4 million or more.  Those who insist there were 600 clans of men say the number is considerably less at 30,000.  Later narrative indicates that the number slain during the wilderness journey far exceeds this figure.  It is therefore more credible to accept the higher figure.  In any case, God is not limited to numbers and whether it be the greater or lesser number, the fact remains that God sustained a multitude in desert conditions for 40 years, together with large flocks and herds.  Experts have calculated that this involved over 1000 tons of food per day; 4000 tons of wood for cooking and rubbish disposal and 8-10 million gallons of water, per day, for drinking and washing and cleaning in 40 degrees heat.  By any standard, this is massive, even if only a fraction of it is real.  God furnished a table in the wilderness to sustain Israel, as it says in the Psalms.  He supplied quails in the evening (a kind of miniature pheasant, considered to be a delicacy, even today); He supplied Manna (which is called angels food) early every morning.  This every week for six days and a double portion for the Sabbath.  He set rules for gathering to test their obedience.

The story is recorded in the context of their murmuring, and discontent.  What had commenced as celebration, had turned to cynical complaining.  How quickly God's people forget His benefits!  They even accused Moses of wanting to kill them for lack of food.  God's answer was to shower them with more blessing.  He rained Manna from heaven, which covered the ground around every dwelling.  But what of the Manna?

Manna, literally means "What is it"?  They had never seen the like.  There was nothing to compare it to.  It was small, it was round, the colour of coriander seed, and tasted sweet like honey.  It could be baked into bread or cakes, and had a brief shelf life.  Jesus interprets the Manna for the present day in John chapter 6.  Following the feeding of 5000 men beside women and children, He expounded the true meaning of the Manna, and its implications for today.  He said He is the true bread from heaven-John 6v32; He is the bread of God, that is the bread on which God Himself feeds-6v33; He is the bread that gives life to the world-6v33.  He said, in one of the great "I AM" claims, "I am the bread of life, he that cometh to me shall never hunger..."-6v35; "I am that bread of life"-6v48; "I am the living bread, which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will  give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world"-6v51; "This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever"-6v58.  Jesus is the fulfilment of the type which was manna.  What food is to the body, Christ is to the soul.  It is well said, that we are what we eat, our food becomes one with our body.  So in the realm of the spiritual.  Israel had to change their diet, after leaving Egypt.  In the same way the Christian has to change the diet, spiritually speaking; what we fed on before is unsuitable for the new life.  Each one must decide what that means for themselves.  In the circle of professing Christianity, there is tendency to take the attitude of the old life into what is a close knit society.  This can result in "feeding on the faults of others", instead of feeding on the delights of Christ.  

Christ is the food of the believer!  How much is this my experience, really?  He, alone, feeds the spirit and the soul, and He is superior to anything the world has to offer.  This is the lesson of the Manna, and the meaning behind the word "What is it?"  He is without compare in all the world; take your most exhilarating moment in life, and compare it to one moment of a Christ-filled life.  The Apostles who were nearest to Him in life expressed it, "We beheld His glory (the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth"-John 1v14.  John, writing to the churches in his old age, said, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of life...That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you..."-1st John 1v1-3; why did he put it in the neuter gender, saying that and not he...simply that there was no one to compare with Him, and so he sets Him apart.  He is apart, He is so much better than anyone or anything we have known, and we feed on Him for our spiritual nourishment.  If He satisfies God (He is the bread of God), He can more than satisfy us and build us up, and help us grow in new life.

Some practical things to come out of the story of the Manna:

Christ is found in the scriptures, a fact we are enjoying now.  Feeding on the scriptures is feeding on Him.  Gather a portion each day, enough for the day.  Do not let one day go by without learning more of Him.  Gather early in the day before the issues of life take over.  Share what you learn with those closest to you.

Some lovely aspects of the Manna that speak of Christ:

It was small-His humility; it was round-His eternity; it was sweet-His delectability (Peter quoted the Psalm "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good"); it was like coriander seed (Numbers 11v7)-His beauty; the colour of bdellium (a crystalline precious stone)-His transparency.  

There is enough in Christ to fill our lives in all the wilderness journey until we reach our eternal home.

Feed on Him, not on the chaos of the world, or the failings of others.  Make Him your occupation of thought, the subject of your conversations, the delight of your heart, and experience the life of Christ in you, life more abundant than ever before.   As often is the case, the hymnwriter catches the truth.  Written around 1160 a.d. the French Abbott Bernard of Clairvaux penned these lovely words: source Hymnary.org

1 Jesus, Thou joy of loving hearts,
Thou fount of life, Thou light of men,
from the best bliss that earth imparts,
we turn unfilled to Thee again.

2 Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood;
Thou savest those that on Thee call;
to them that seek Thee, Thou art good,
to them that find Thee all in all.

3 We taste Thee, O Thou living Bread,
and long to feast upon Thee still;
we drink of Thee, the Fountain-head,
and thirst our souls from Thee to fill.

4 Our restless spirits yearn for Thee,
where'er our changeful lot is cast;
glad when Thy gracious smile we see,
blest when our faith can hold Thee fast.

5 O Jesus, ever with us stay,
make all our moments calm and bright;
chase the dark night of sin away;
shed o'er the world Thy holy light.

  

Christ in all the scriptures Exodus 15 The song of Moses

  Christ in all the scriptures

  Exodus chapter15

The Incomparable Christ

"Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?  Who is like thee , glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"

Israel, released from bitter bondage, saved from a vicious enemy, learn not only the nature of their deliverance, but the character of their deliverer.  They break out into spontaneous song, both Moses and the whole camp of Israel to praise the Lord for His goodness to them.  This is the song of redemption, which will continue on through the ages, until we find it sung again in a future day- Revelation 15v3, "They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb...".  Then they will sing the victory song to the God who has delivered them from all enemies.  The song in Exodus 15 was sung by the Red Sea; the song in Revelation 15 will be sung by the Sea of Glass before the throne of God.  This inspired song encouraged more songs throughout the centuries as God's people rejoice in deliverance time and again.  Their expression of exultation was to the God of their salvation, of His incomparable character demonstrated in mighty power over man and nature.  So it was then, so it will be in the future, in the downfall of the kingdom of the Beast; so let it be in our day, that we praise and adore the God who saved us.  

The praise is to the Lord, not to Moses, or any man, or any group of men.  They acknowledge that it was all of God, as in reading the song through it is all of what God has done.  We know that Jesus is one of the Godhead three and it was the angel of God who came between the Egyptians and Israelites-Ex. 14v9.  Scholars are generally agreed that the Angel of God, the Angel of the Lord, is a pre-incarnate theophany of Christ.  Notable references are: Genesis 16v7, 9, 10, 11; 21v17; 22v11; 48v16; Exodus 3v2; 14v19; 23v20; Numbers 22v22; Judges 2v4; 6v21.  Again, Paul referred to Christ in connection with Israel, as "The Spiritual Rock that followed them"-1st Cor.10v3.  Thus the superlative attributes ascribed to God in the song apply to Christ.  Important to note the song focuses more on the Saviour than it does on their salvation.  This is vital for the saved to understand, that our primary occupation should be with the Lord, above every other consideration.  The song brims with His superior excellencies.  How much have we experienced of  His greatness? and what we have known to date is but the beginning, there is much more to come.  It is one thing to know Him mentally, it is a greater thing to know Him experimentally, and this is what inspires this beautiful song of praise.

"The Lord is my strength and my song, and He is become my salvation..."  Exodus 15v2.  The life of faith requires strength, but in my own strength I fail.  In His strength I am victorious in every situation, and every new challenge inspires a new song.  It is in victory people sing, and in Him we will always sing.  As Paul wrote "...according to the riches of His glory...strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man..."; the power of the Lord is available to us at all times.  What strength these people needed for all that they endured; the same Divine strength is with us.  Again as Paul wrote "If God be for us, who can be against us?"-Romans 8v31.

The Lord is a man of war; Jehovah is His name   Exodus 15v3

Hardly the concept of "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild", which is the acceptable public perception, however it it not the whole truth.  The reality is we live in a world of evil and corruption, dominated by unseen powerful forces of evil.  The longsuffering and patience of Almighty God is legendary, but His holiness demands He crush the evil, and crush it and exterminate it He will.  Whenever puny man confronts Him, and opposes His will, they will be met with the same ferocity as the hordes of the Pharaoh of Egypt.  When Jesus returns to this earth to establish the kingdom of God, He comes as a warrior, as the prophetic writings affirm in Revelation 19v11-16, "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat on Him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war...and He hath on His vesture a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."  He will subdue all opposition to God, He will put all enemies under His feet; just as He did with the empire of Egypt, so He will do to all who rebel against His authority.  He will use whatever means necessary to rid His universe of evil.  He will cleanse the earth and the heavens, He will purify the universe.  Note the language of the chapter:  "Thy right hand, O, Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.  And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as rubble."  There is nothing unjust or immoral about this.  He is the God who created all men, whom He has sustained.  His judgments are right and true, as in the face of Divine mercy shown, they continue in rebellion.  He has a Divine right to judge, and He will in His own time and in His own way. 

"Who is like unto thee O Lord among the gods?"   Exodus 15v11

The declaration is clear, that among all the dignitaries in heaven and earth, the Lord is higher, greater, supreme, without compare.  Pharaoh said in defiance, "Who is the Lord that I should obey Him?"-Exodus 5v2.  The whole camp of Israel sang "Who is like unto thee?"  This theme of Divine supremacy is repeated throughout scripture-1st Kings 8v23 Psalm 35v10; 89v6; 113v5-6; Jeremiah 49v19; 50v4.  Isaiah, the royal prophet takes up the theme-40v18, ""To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto Him?"  40v25, "To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal saith the Holy one?"  44v6-8, "Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and His redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God...Is there a God beside me? yea there is no God; I know not any".   46v5, "To whom then will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me that we may be like".  The prophet Micah, whose name translates "Who is like unto Jehovah", wrote in chapter 7v18, "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He retaineth not His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy."  He is without compare in all existence, He is the incomparable Christ.  Three aspects of this are unfolded to describe this in v11:

Glorious in holiness   Holiness is probably the least understood attribute of God.  The perception is of the absence of evil, however it is much greater than that; it is the presence of all that is right and good.  He is the standard of all that is good, hence the name God; God and good are inseparable.  The words used for holiness in the bible, simply mean "apart".  In all things God is "apart" from His creation, He is superior. greater, higher than all.  No matter what aspect of Him we consider, He is apart from all.  He is wiser than all, more powerful than all, more just than all, more merciful than all, kinder than all, more gracious than all, more fearful than all, more beautiful than all.  We could go on, there could be no end to our deliberation.  In His holiness, He is glorious, He is compelling, He is awesome, just read of the adoration of angels who live in His presence, recorded in Rev. 4-5.

Fearful in praises   The Israelites had witnessed awesome things; the plagues on Egypt, the destruction of the pursuing army in the same sea they had crossed on dry land.  Their praise to God was tempered with reverence and awe, as they pondered the character of God.  I recall studying the meaning of grace in the bible; there are many aspects of it but one stood out (unfortunately I cannot remember the source), one commentator described it as "compelling excellence"-that is such excellence that compelled the recipients to respond.  There is something compelling about God, that draws us to worship Him on many occasions.  Revelation chapters 4/5 give the vision of heavenly worship, when all the inhabitants of heaven spontaneously respond to the God of creation, and the Lamb of redemption.  This praise was reverential acknowledging the worth of God and the Lamb.  Much of what passes for worship today is little more than showmanship, which is grossly out of place before the throne of God and the Lamb.  There is a reverence about true worship from the heart which utters glory to Him and not to men.  We are a praising people, but not to draw attention to ourselves, there is One incomparable, He alone is worthy. 

Doing wonders      The God who is glorious, who compels His creatures to praise Him, is the God of action, who acts in decisive fashion, when necessary, and with supernatural effect.  Wonders are extraordinary things, miracles, things that only God can do.  The Psalms are brim full of expressions of the marvellous works of God.  The prophets proclaim the wonders He will do in the future.  Israel came to expect amazing things of God.  Their continued existence today, amid many nations who have avowed their extermination, is testimony alone to the miracle nation which is Israel.  All believers today can enter into the excellent greatness of our God.  We should expect great things of Him.  What He has done in the past, He will do in the future.  The continuation of this song in verses 14-18 predicts that "sorrow shall take old on the inhabitants of Palestina"; that "the dukes of Edom will be amazed"; that the men of Moab will be overcome by trembling; that "all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away"; "Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of God's arm, they will be helpless until His people pass over, in their journey to the sanctuary, in the mountain of their inheritance.  And what of Christ, who will remove the church to heaven, demolish the kingdom of the Beast, and establish Israel as head of nations?  Witness the signs and wonders of Jesus in His public ministry, and the same delegated to His apostles.  We should be in expectation of His wonders in all generations.  This is our God, He does wonders, and compels us to wonder.  

Such was the elation that Miriam, Moses' and Aarons' sister, gathered the women to rejoice and dance in expression of worship to the Lord.   He wrought another miracle in sweetening the bitter waters of Marah, even though they complained.  He promised His presence with them in healing all their diseases.  He was Jehovah-Ropheca, the Lord that heals them, there being no hospitals or the like in the desert.  He settled them in Elim, the grove of palms, where there was plenty of water.   How like fickle people to complain about a lack of water in the face of such power demonstrated among them.  The Lord warned them to expect further tests of their loyalty.

He is the Lord who puts us to the test     Exodus 15v25

 

Christ in all the scriptures Crossing the Red Sea

 Christ in all the scriptures

Crossing the Red Sea

Exodus chapter 14  readings Exodus 14v1-31; Numbers 33v1-8

The Red Sea has been very much in the news in recent years, mostly because it is a popular destination for holidaymakers, but, more recently, a centre of world unrest and conflict.  However it takes a pivotal role in the history of Israel, as the scene of one of the greatest miracles ever recorded.  The narrative in Exodus 14 is riveting, if we truly absorb what happened here.  It begins with a detailed record of where this amazing event occurred.

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, speak un to the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it ye shall encamp by the sea."

The Spirit of God anticipates arguments raging about the location, to cast doubt on the whole story, so He states exactly where they camped before crossing.  Linking with Exodus 13v20-22 and Numbers 33v1-8 they journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, and encamped in Etham in the edge of the wilderness.  There they were given the promise of the Divine presence-a cloud by day and a pillar of cloud by night.  From there they were directed to the land between Migdol (watchtower) and the sea, before Pi-hahiroth, directly across from Baal-zephon, the place of a shrine to Baal the false God.  They were under Divine protection, they were untouchable by any external force.  Those whom God redeems, He keeps by His power.  When Pharaoh's army amassed against them they were afraid, their trust in God not yet fully mature.  Moses calms their fears, "Fear not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord...the Lord shall fight for you and ye shall hold your peace"-14v13-14.  

"The angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: and it came between the camp of Egyptians and the camp of Israel: and it was a cloud and darkness unto them, but it gave light at night to these: so that the one came not near the one to the other"-14v19-20.

The stage was set for a spectacular separation of Israel from their tormentors.  God parted the sea with a powerful east wind, and 3m+people crossed over on dry land, whilst the same waters drowned the chariots of Pharaoh.  The story is legendary, and  the New Testament interprets it as a figure of Christian baptism-1st Corinthians 10v1-2, "...all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,; and all were baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea...".   The link to Christ is obvious.  Paul writes in Romans 6v3 that Christians are "baptised into Jesus Christ".  Baptism in the Red Sea bound all Israel to Moses, to his leadership, to his instructions; baptism in water unites us to Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, and brings us under His authority. We can trace the reality of this by comparing baptism to Moses, and baptism into Christ as follows:

They were all baptised      "...all our fathers...all passed through the sea...all were baptised unto Moses.  There is no example of an unbaptised believer in the New Testament.  The New Testament pattern is clear, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism..."-Ephesians 4v5.

Their baptism was a virtual immersion...they were baptised in the cloud and in the sea.  As they passed over the waters were on either side, and above them was the cloud.  Baptism by immersion is the clear pattern in scripture.  A lot of controversy about this is unhelpful and leads to strife.  The symbolic picture is of burial-refer Romans 6v4 and Colossians 2v12.  The very word used-baptizo, is mostly used of the dying of garments.  Garments to be dyed are immersed in the dye.

This baptism did not save them from the wrath of God, the blood applied to their homes in Egypt did that.  All those baptised were redeemed by the blood of sacrifice.  In the same way, baptism today does not save us but removes us from our former life, and introduces us to a new life.

Just as Moses led them through the wilderness to the promised land, so Jesus, as the captain of our salvation is leading us to glory-Hebrews 2v10.  We are baptised into Jesus Christ, to His death. His burial. and His resurrection.  We have a new destination, and a new lifestyle; we have crossed the Red Sea, we are heading for the promised land.  We are walking in newness of life, just as Israel did, following the release from the bondage of Egypt.  In Jesus we are heading to glory, and His presence, and protection, is with us to to the end.  The Red Sea separated Israel from Egypt; public baptism separates us from the world, as anyone who is baptised will testify. 

   

Christ in all the scriptures Exodus 13 Firstborn

 Exodus chapter 13

Sanctifying the Firstborn

The Spirit of God omits no aspect as He unfolds the glories of Christ.  This fascinating portion appears, at first, to be no more than a Jewish ritual to structure religious life.  The principle of firstborn was established when God slew the firstborn of Egypt to finally bring them to their knees before Him.  The firstborn represented all that the family would be in the future.  It was against this background God set apart the firstborn of Israel for Himself.  This applied to man and beast, and so all the firstborn was set apart for His service.  This was the first action after their release from slavery, and becomes the primary focus of all the redeemed.

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast, it is mine"-13v1-2.

"And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying what is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.  And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt", 13v 14-16.

And so the principle of the firstborn is established.  God comes first in all their service. The term firstborn, which is later applied to Christ many times, and also to His people, presents the thought of service to God, and the strength of God supplied in that service.  He demands the service, and He supplies the strength.  Other portions of scripture bring this out such as:

Genesis 4v4 "And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof" not only the first but also the best.

Leviticus 27v26 "Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the Lord's firstling, no man shall sanctify it, whether it be ox, or sheep: it is the Lord's"

Numbers 3v2-3 "And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. these are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to serve in the priest's office."

Deuteronomy 15v19-21  "All the firstling males of thine herd. and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God.  Thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.  Thou shalt eat it before the Lord thy God year by year in the place which the Lord shall choose, thou and thy household.  And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God."

Thus the importance of the firstborn in Israel is clear.  The firstborn is associated with strength and vitality-Genesis 49v3 "Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power"; Psalm 78v51"...the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the land of Ham".  

The title of firstborn is accorded to Jesus, and sets Him apart from all others.  Set apart for God, strength, dignity, power, spotlessness, excellence, and sacrifice; all these point to the Redeemer, Jesus, who served God in perfection on our behalf.  The main thought of firstborn is not of first in time, but rather first in rank.  We can carry this all the way through.

Psalm 89v27 "I will make Him, my firstborn higher than the kings of the earth".

Luke 2v7-14 "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger...unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour. which is Christ the Lord...and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men".

Romans 8v29 "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren".

What humility and grace! that the Son of God should call believers His brethren!  This should empty us of pride as we trace the privilege that God has brought to the humblest believer, that He looks on us as brethren.  This amazing fact, first appears in Psalm 22v22 following His suffering on the cross, "I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee".  On resurrection ground, our Lord said to Mary Magdalene Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God and your God".  In Hebrews 2v11, just prior to quoting the text of Psalm 22, "...both He that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, ARE ALL OF ONE: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren."  Jesus is our brother, and He is the firstborn among us.  To all of us He is our big brother!!

Colossians 1v15 "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation"-most versions.  He is first in rank in the created universe, whether of man, material. or angel  In every sphere of creation, HE is number 1. The extent of this is awesome.   

Three Greek prepositions are used to present Christ's role in creation.  He is ARCHITECT of the universe 1v16 "For by Him (en-in Him) were all things created, that are in heaven , and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities. or powers..."-that is He is the architect. the designer of the universe in every aspect (all things is ta panta-everything without exception); the things seen and the things unseen, He designed them all, and therefore in the material creation, including everything, He is supreme.

He is the AGENT of the universe, "All things were created by Him..." (Greek ek-through, by means of)-He is the agent, the constructor of all things.  He built it all!

He is the AIM of the universe, "All things were created for Him..."  (Greek eis-toward, unto, for His possession), He is the aim, the very purpose of the existence of the universe.

He is the ANTECEDENT of the universe, 1v17 "And He is before all things..."-He existed before creation of all things, a fact which is repeated throughout scripture.

He is the ADHESIVE of the universe, 1v17 "And by Him all things consist.  That is what He created, He maintains, He holds together.  He is the glue that holds everything together, without which the whole would disintegrate.  This universe will disintegrate one day, but it will be at His command, and He will make all things anew (Revelation 20v11 and 21v1-6).  As firstborn of all creation, He rules supreme, He depends on no one, we all depend on Him.

Colossians 1v18  "And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead."  In the material realm He is supreme, and now in the spiritual realm He is absolutely supreme.  Once again the aspect of the firstborn as ruler is emphasised, He is Head of the Church.  That church which arose from spiritual death to live in Christ is subservient to Him in every way, its membership. its leadership, all depend on Him and answer to Him.  In the end all the dead will be resurrected, "some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame and contempt"-Daniel 12v2.  He will decide the eternal destiny of all, He holds the keys of Hell and death-Revelation 1v18.   A similar scripture is found in Revelation 1v5, "Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth."

He is supreme in the spiritual realm of the church, and over the rulers of the world.  

Hebrews 1v6 "And again when He bringeth the first begotten into the world, He saith, and let all the angels of God worship Him."

The title "first begotten" is prototokos which means preeminent, supreme, the very essence of the biblical meaning of firstborn.  This is one of seven quotations from the Messianic scriptures-Psalm 97v7, and is quoted from the Septuagint version of the Psalm.  The context is of the reign of Christ on earth and is referring to the second advent of Christ who will return to earth in supreme power.  There are two similar expressions used of Christ, "the only begotten"-monogenes, and refers to His 1st advent.  The idea is that He is unique among many sons of God, and, indeed there is none like Him.  The second is "first begotten"- prototokos, and refers to His 2nd advent when He comes to reign.  As first begotten there will be many more in His image among whom He is supreme.  At His 1st advent multitudes of the heavenly host sang praises to Him-Luke 2v13-14.  At His 2nd advent God commands all the angels to worship the glorified Man who will reign supreme.

Some practical issues springing from this; the principle of firstborn is that we give the first and best to the Lord.  This was perfectly illustrated by Christ whilst here, and also now in heaven.  We note that the early church devoted the first of every week in worship to Him.  They gave Him the first and the best-His due for the sacrifice He made for us.  How much is He the first in our lives, and do we give of our best?  He is preeminent in all things, and in every sphere, and our testimony of Him is that He is preeminent in our lives and in our churches.

Christ in all the scriptures Exodus 12 God strikes at the heart of Pharoah's kingdom

 Exodus chapter 12v29-51

God releases His people from bondage

For 430 years, the Thutmose dynasty of the Pharaohs held Israel in bitter bondage.  This was predicted by God to Abram in Genesis 15v13-16.  Over more than four centuries, Israel were subjected to slavery under Egyptian taskmasters.  This slavery was "with rigour"; it was "bitter bondage", they were robbed of their freedom and their dignity.  They were forced to build cities and pyramids for the glory of the Pharaoh.  God allowed it for governmental reasons, as "the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full."  He is slow to wrath, judgment is His strange work, and He left His people in bondage until the maturity of evil was reached, when He must act.  The narrative causes to wonder at the sovereign ways of God. 

The bible is essentially a revelation of the unseen God.  He clearly acts in the long term, but when He acts, He does so swiftly and decisively.  These verses are the record of God releasing a nation from Egyptian bondage.  He moved 600,000 warriors, with women and children making the number over 3 million, in one day, from their long time servitude.  They left with purpose, at the behest of Pharoah and all Egypt, with gifts of riches placed in their hands.  In delivering them, God ensured they were compensated for their years of loss.  The biblical description of this Exodus is that they were freed from slavery by the "mighty hand, and outstretched arm of God" - Exodus 5v15, 6v6, 13v3; Deuteronomy 4v34, 5v15, 7v19, 26v8; Psalm 136v12; Jeremiah 32v21, and a host of other scriptures.  Nothing like this had happened before, and nothing like it will happen again.  Millions of people, "lock, stock and barrel", evacuated Egypt in a day.  Not a voice was raised in anger, nor a shot fired.  God said to Moses, in describing this wonder, "But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel"- Exodus 11v7.  Who can withstand the mighty arm of God and His outstretched arm?  Who, today, could withstand God, who attack His people Israel, should He choose to intervene?  

The narrative indicates another greater enslavement of the human soul, by Satan the Prince of this world  -John 12v31, 14v30, 16v11; Ephesians 2v2; 2nd Corinthians 4v4.  Unseen, this arch enemy of humanity may be, but the bondage in which he holds people is no less powerful.  The bible uses unequivocal terms to underline this reality, even though people are loathe to accept it. 

1st John 5v19 says "the whole world lies in the wicked one"- most versions; that is "under the control of...".   The word for "lies" or "lieth" is keimai, which literally translated means "stretched out" or "fixed".      This is a graphic description of the human condition under the power of Satan.  People laugh at this, mock at it, reject it, like the Jews of old who said, "We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man"- John 8v33.  In fact they were so much in bondage to religious hypocrisy, they were termed "The synagogue of Satan"-Rev.2v9, 3v9.  The word to describe the posture of the whole world, is used in the bible as "A city set on an hill"-Matthew 5v14; a helpless babe lying in a manger - Luke 2v12; a dead body lying in a tomb - John 14v11 and 21v11, and many others.  The picture is of a permanent and fixed situation; it is also one of total helplessness.  This is the true state of humanity without God.  The world is in spiritual slavery to Satan and his hosts.  He controls the world by drawing people into "the course of this world"- Ephesians 2v2; this is the fashion, the trends, the ways of the world.  It is a vast world system to keep us from reality, and occupy us in ways contrary to God.  He does it by providing for the desires (wills) of the flesh and of the mind"- Ephesians 2v3.  He promotes amorality everywhere and controls the airwaves through media, and academia.  He blinds the minds of those who believe not, to prevent them from turning to God.  He does it by false teaching and propaganda and deceit.  His bondage is with rigour, and at times bitter for individuals.  Witness the addiction to drugs, to alcohol, to illicit sex, to power, to money, to false religion - all of which bring misery to people's lives.  He rules without mercy in the souls of men and provides no hope for their ultimate future.  What Israel experienced in a physical way, people, today, suffer spiritually.  Here are some of the scripture statements concerning this.

He presides over a kingdom, described as a kingdom of darkness, through which he controls the "kingdoms of this world"-Matthew 4v8-9, which is populated by all unbelievers.

He is the proponent of all darkness, yet is presented as an angel of light - 2nd Cor. 11v14-15.

He does not savour the things of God, only the things of men, over whom he has control-Matthew 16v23.

He lays snares for people to entrap them, to enslave them - 2nd Timothy 2v26

He stalks people to destroy their lives, even after he has lost their souls - 1st Peter 5v8.

He is deceiving millions and all who follow him (even unwittingly) will go down with him for ever - Rev.20v11-15

He commands unnumbered hosts of evil spirits through whom he maintains his evil empire-Ephesians 6v10-18

It takes the mighty power of God to release even one soul from Satan's power.  The deliverance of a soul from the thraldom of Satan is no less powerful than the release of Israel from bondage.  The wonder of it is imprinted in Holy Writ.

Colossians 1v12-13    "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."

Hebrews 2v14   "Through death He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil: and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

1st John 3v8   "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil."

Romans 16v20   "The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."

Genesis 3v15  "...He shall bruise thy head".

Colossians 2v15   "And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it".

The hymn by Margaret Carson says it all:

My chains are snapt,
the bonds of sin are broken,
And I am free;
O let the triumphs
of His grace be spoken,
Who died for me!

Association with the Passover lamb separates the believer from the world, the flesh and the devil, the threefold enemy of the soul, and helps to maintain fellowship with God.  As later history reveals, it takes our cooperation in the practicalities of this, but the position of the redeemed is never in doubt.

"Principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places"-Ephesians 6v12.  These are the enemy of the soul, who hold the world in stupor, and assail the lives of Christians.  Jesus delivers us from them all.  As the sacred writings say, "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."

Christ in all the scriptures Exodus 12 The feast of unleavened bread

 Exodus chapter 12v14-28

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

The Passover was instituted as a memorial for all generations in Israel: "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 for ever."-Ex. 12v14.  Such a day was never to be forgotten, it was the beginning of a new order, the nation of Israel.  People, today, question the very existence of  Israel, but on this day, more than 3500 years ago, the nation was born, whom God described as His "firstborn"-Ex. 4v22.

Likewise the Lord Jesus instituted the memorial of thanksgiving for the Christian church, at the Passover meal on the night before His death.  The simple command was "This do in remembrance of me"-Luke 22v19.  Paul established this, by revelation, as a memorial for all churches in 1st Cor. 11v23-26.

Closely associated with the Passover is the Feast of Unleavened bread; in fact they are never separated.  Reference to Exodus 12, Leviticus 23, and a host of other scriptures verify this.  Indeed, in 1st Cor. 5, Paul links the two together.  Seven days they were to eat unleavened bread from the 14th to the 21st day of the month.      How are we to understand this?  It is obviously very important, as they were called to rid their houses of all leaven.

Leaven in scripture is always seen as representing evil, particularly that form of evil emanating from puffed up pride.  The action of  a small amount of fermented dough has the effect of  increasing the size of the lump in an unnatural way.   In every case, leaven is that which is introduced into the things of God, having an evil effect, and, potentially, corrupting the whole.  Jesus spoke of leaven as evil, referring to the leaven of the Pharisees, of the Sadducees, of the Herodians.  We must understand leaven as the flesh which is corrupted by sin.

In v1-13 the Passover separated Israel from the world around; now in v13-28 the Passover separates them from the flesh within.  This reflects God's hatred of sin in all its forms, whether of the world of idolatry, or the flesh in man which is corrupt, and corrupting of all with which it comes into contact.  In 1st Cor. 5 Paul describes the sins of fornication, covetousness, extortion, idolatry, drunkenness, as "the old leaven" which has no place in the church of God.  We should not be worshipping, whilst holding such practices.  He extends this to what we might call the new leaven of malice and wickedness-bad attitude and behaviour toward others.  In churches, the flesh can rise, the competitive spirit becomes all too evident.  Malice is holding a bad attitude to someone; wickedness is bad actions toward them.  Both come from the flesh and have a corrupting influence in what should be sacred gatherings.  This is what he means by keeping the feast; in fellowship with Christ our Passover, all leaven, all puffing up of pride, issuing in sinful behaviour, must be put away.  He says "Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened...let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."  Ye are unleavened means that God, in our conversion, has separated us from our evil inward selves.  However, the old nature remains and we have to subdue it in the power of God.

The extent of this propensity to evil is tabulated in Galatians 5, where it says "the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these..,."  We need be under no illusions of the evil within, that is contrary to the Spirit, and corrupts ourselves and all associated with us.  The leaven needs to be purged out, and put away, for it tarnishes that which God has made clean.  The feast of Unleavened bread continued for seven days in association of the Passover.  The number seven is the number of completion, as in seven days a week.  We are to be purging out leaven for ever, from our lives, from our homes, from our churches.  We have, in Christ, been freed from a godless world, and from our inward selves-Romans 6v6-14, and others.  We live in the full consciousness of God's hatred of sin in every form, and we live in the power of God to purge all evil.  Continuation in leaven, in all that it represents, may result in separation from the congregation of Israel-chapter 12v19.  A people associated with the blood of sacrifice must, continually root out evil, when it arises.  "Ye shall eat nothing leavened: in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread"-12v20 

Leaven may take the form of false doctrine, immorality, hypocrisy, or selfish living.  None of it must be allowed to remain in the hearts of a worshipping people, who have been purified at great cost.  Next in chapter12v29-51, the Passover separates Israel from the Pharoah who had held them in bondage-  typical of the tyrant, the devil, who has held humanity in bondage to sin.  Thus the Passover removes God's people from the threefold tyranny of bondage to the world, the flesh, and the devil, to free them to worship the living God under His care.  Freedom from Satan will be our theme next time in the will of the Lord.

Christ in all the scriptures The Passover Exodus 12

 Exodus chapter 12

THE PASSOVER

The Passover, one of the most fundamental topics in scripture, central to everything in connection with the people of God.  It became the first of the seven set feasts in Israel's calendar (Leviticus 23); it was also the first of three mandatory feasts to be held each year (Exodus 23v14-15 and Deuteronomy 16v16); it was the first festival to be held on entering the promised land (Exodus 12v24-27 and Joshua 5v10-11).  It is also central to the Christian faith today.  Paul, writing to the Corinthian church, said,

 "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us"-1 Cor. 5v7.  

The link is further enhanced by the fact that Christ Himself instituted the memorial feast for Christians at the Passover meal-Luke 22v7-20. Matthew 26v17-29.  The importance of the Passover to both Judaism and Christianity is thus established.  It is, therefore, necessary to observe each and every detail for such a cardinal aspect of both.  We can profit by tabulating each step in the chapter.

This is an institution by God.  It is not of man, even of good men, either by concept or design; it is entirely of God, and should not be altered in any way by man.  Exodus 12v1 "And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying...".  It was the Lord, (Jehovah-the ever existing one) who designed and demanded it.  This observation is important for the fact of it is repeated in both testaments.  "It is the Lord's Passover"-v11;  "It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover-v27; "In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's Passover"-Leviticus 23v5.  The same emphasis is placed on the New Testament equivalent, where the Christian memorial is stated as "the Lord's Table"-1st Cor. 10v21; and the Lord's Supper-1st Cor. 11v20.

The Passover represents a NEW BEGINNING.       "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you"-refer 13v4, 23v15, 34v18, Deuteronomy 16v1,where it is called the month Abib.   The term Abib refers to the time of year when the young shoots of corn begin to appear.  In Nehemiah and Esther it is called Nisan, the Assyrian translation which means the month of flowers, or the mo0nth of spring.  At the Passover, God changed the 7th year of the civic calendar to be the first month of the religious calendar, and so the Passover feast was instituted as an entirely new beginning.  This is of courser mirrored in the Christian faith, where entrance into Christianity is described as being "born again", and the doctrine of all things new is developed: 2nd Cor. 5v17, "a new creation"; Eph. 2v15 and 4v24 "a new man".  Jesus spoke of new wine; Hebrews refers to the new covenant, and the new and living way.  All Christians are described as newborn babes, in which their lives have taken on a new destiny and a new character in the image of God.  The importance of the Passover is enshrined in this new beginning that would radically change Israel's relationship to God, and, ultimately the believing Gentile world. 

The Passover applies to all the congregation of Israel.     "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."  

This is the first occurrence of "the congregation of Israel"-sometimes "the congregation of the Lord".   It becomes a regular reference to the sum total of God's redeemed people.  No less than 149 times in 140 verses of Hebrew scriptures is this phrase cited.  It refers to a gathered company, and proclaims God's view of His people in totality, He sees them as a corporate group, yet consisting of many individuals and households.  This is clear from the ensuing verses.  Each household had to choose a lamb of sacrifice; this would amount to thousands of lambs, yet, when the sacrifice was made it was declared "the whole congregation shall kill it in the evening".  Multiple homes sacrificing, yet ONE LAMB slain.  This concept is repeated in the Church in 1st Corinthians 10v17, where the Christian memorial takes place locally, yet it is declared to be the function of the corporate body the Church-"We being many are ONE BREAD, and ONE BODY: for we are all partakers of that one bread.  We must not become parochial in our thinking, for when we gather for this purpose locally we are sharing communion with the corporate body, the Church.  There is a progressive teaching of the slain lamb in scripture-Genesis 22, a lamb for the individual; Exodus 12, a lamb for an house; Leviticus 16, a lamb for the nation; John 1, a lamb for the world.  The worth of the lamb is thus proclaimed in its efficacy for human sin.

Specification for the lamb  

"Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year; ye shall take it out from the sheep or from the goats."  The offering for sin must be without sin.  A holy God requires a perfect sacrifice.  Without blemish is without defect; the N/T adds "without spot"- 1st Peter 1v19.  Blemish may be external marking, discolouration, or other defect.  Spot may be an indication of internal disease.  The substitute offering must be free from all evidence of defects.  Of Jesus, the lamb of God, it was said He was "Holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners"-Heb. 7v26; and that He offered Himself without spot to God"-Heb. 9v14.  This aspect of His offering is so crucial, for without a spotless sacrifice there is no redemption.  Not a stain upon His soul, not a defect; whether from demons or men or God, the pronouncement was the same; from demons "the holy one of God"; from the judiciary of men "I find no fault in Him"; from God "My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased".  In thought, in word, in deed, He was faultless, unblemished, sinless. 

The type that points to Christ must fit perfectly.  It must be a male of the first year, Christ was a man.  It must be of the first year, that is in the full strength and vigour of youth-this was no offering of waning power or vitality.  Interestingly enough, the major title for Christ in the book of Revelation is the Young Lamb, occurring 28 times.  It was in the full vigour of youthful dedication that He offered Himself to God.  God allowed the offering to be taken from the sheep or the goats, for not everyone would have access to lambs.

Instructions to the worshippers

Take it from the sheep or the goats on the 10th day of the month.  God is concerned with timing, and the accuracy of this is awesome!  Written more than 1500 years before the event it was fulfilled to the very day.  Scholars tell us it can be verified that Christ entered Jerusalem on the 10th of Nisan, and was slain on the 14th Nisan.  God presented Him for inspection on the day predicted.  This ought to cause us to worship for the wonder of this; only God could make this happen as He foretold in Exodus.

Keep it from the 10th to the 14th day.  Again, scholars tell us that from the time Jesus entered Jerusalem, until He was crucified, He was subjected to the most intense scrutiny, more than He had ever been in life.  The Scribes, the Pharisees, the Sanhedrim, the Sadducees, the Priests, the Herodians, the Romans, all scrutinised Him, and could make no charge against Him that would stand.  A study of the gospels reveal the level of testing during these four days.  Jesus had largely avoided Jerusalem in His public ministry for His time had not yet come, but now the Divine clock compelled Him to move among them at close quarters.   They stalked Him, and confronted Him in the streets, in the temple, in houses; they mocked Him insulted Him, but He was beyond reproach.  This was, indeed, the Lamb without blemish ready for sacrifice.  He was tested, legally, and religiously, and socially and politically, but He remained what He ever was, the perfect Lamb of God's choosing.

Kill it between the evenings.    A perfect live person, sinless and irreproachable, cannot save us, He could only condemn us.  He must die, His blood must be shed, if sinful man is to be saved.  In the history of the bible, millions of sacrifices have been made, and rivers of blood have flowed, all pointing to the Lamb of God that must die for the sin of the world.  From the beginning it has been declared that the way back to God was only on the basis of the death of a worthy substitute.  The Lamb of God is not a role model to teach us how to live; He is a substitute who must die, and only in His death are we saved.  It is to be killed "between the evenings"-R.V.- that is during the day of the fourteenth of the month, thus underlining the accuracy of the prediction.  Jesus was crucified and died on the day of the 14th.  Preparation for the Passover, and Participation of the Passover took place in the evenings, immediately before and after the day of His death.

Strike it   The blood of sacrifice had to be applied to each individual household.  The context was that the judgment of God would pass through Egypt to slay the firstborn of every household of man and beast, not covered by the blood.  The declaration of God was "When I see the blood, I will pass over you"-Exodus 12v13, "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are...".  Preservation from the avenging angel was only through the blood.  This was no mere ritual, this was a matter of life and death.  There are two expressions in the New Testament, "the shedding of blood", and "the sprinkling of blood".  The former is to satisfy the demands of God; the latter is the personal application to the individual.  The precious blood of Christ has been shed, to the eternal satisfaction of God.  Have I applied it to myself, without which, the wrath of God abides over me?  This 3500 year old ritual is relevant to every living being today.  This demands the attention of all, the obedience of all, the humility of all to accept God's terms.

Eat it    Just as the food that we eat becomes part of our bodies, so the intake of the sacrifice of Christ for us becomes food for our souls.  We are not only saved by Him, we are sustained in Him.  That which symbolises Christ, for us becomes our food.  The Passover is Christ in His death; the Manna is Christ in His life; the Old Corn of the land is Christ in His resurrection.  All three become the food of the believer.  For Israel this new life began with the Passover meal, for us today it begins with our conversion.  We can now understand the instructions for eating.  "Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire, his head and his legs with the purtenance thereof."  The death of Christ is presented as intense suffering, and it is in that way we are to think of it.  The whole lamb is to be roast with fire, the head-His mind; the legs, His walk; the purtenance (inwards), His inner motivations.  All these are to occupy as we "eat the Passover", the biblical equivalent of worship.  We feed on His mind, His walk, and His emotions, until He becomes part of us.  They ate the roast lamb with bitter herbs, and so we measure, as we eat, the extremity of His anguish in all these aspects, as we recall the cost of our redemption.  They ate it in haste, with shoes on their feet, and their loins girt.  Association with God in the death of the lamb. demanded separation from idolatrous Egypt.  They were to journey three days (complete separation) into the wilderness to worship God.  The Passover Lamb separates us from the world and reconciles us to God.