Tenth Plague: Death of Firstborn – Warning Part 2 (Passover Meal)

Tenth Plague: Death of Firstborn – Warning Part 2 (Passover Meal)

Exodus 12: Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, ² “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. ³ Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. ⁴ And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb. ⁵ Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. ⁶ Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. ⁷ And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. ⁸ Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. ⁹ Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire—its head with its legs and its entrails. ¹⁰ You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. ¹¹ And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.

 

¹² ‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike 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 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

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GOD turns from speaking to Pharaoh to speaking to Israel. HE told Moses and Aaron how to prepare the Passover Feast. This would be a feast that is performed to this day.

 

My Observations:

• GOD was using a double entendre for the Passover meal; recognizing the historical significance of HIS grace for those who put the blood on their door, and the prophetic significance of JESUS being the Sacrificial Lamb / Scapegoat, shedding HIS blood to save mankind.
• GOD instituted the need for an outward sign of obedience by requiring a specific marking from a specific animal.
• GOD mentioned HE was executing judgment against “all the gods of Egypt” to Israel so they would not worship humans or idols.

 

There seemed to be a lot more going on here with GOD’s statement. We can get lost in the plagues of Egypt and forget that GOD made a promise to Abraham that HE would make a great nation out of his descendants. GOD not only speaks prophetically about JESUS dying for the sins of mankind, but HE mentions the need for a being who needed to be perfect to open the scrolls mentioned in Revelation.

 

A lamb without a blemish would be the requirement of the being who could open the judgment scrolls. JESUS was that lamb. But Moses had no clue about what GOD was talking about. It wasn’t about punishment; rather, salvation! GOD was taking down the mindset that humans could be gods and at the same time HE was announcing that HE would save you and me!

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about HIS prophecy?
• What outward action is GOD calling you to do to show you are related to HIM?
• How do you actively remember what GOD has done for you?

Water Symbol

Water Symbol

¹⁸ For Christ died for sins once and for all, a good man on behalf of sinners, in order to lead you to God. He was put to death physically, but made alive spiritually, ¹⁹ and in his spiritual existence he went and preached to the imprisoned spirits. ²⁰ These were the spirits of those who had not obeyed God when he waited patiently during the days that Noah was building his boat. The few people in the boat—eight in all—were saved by the water, ²¹ which was a symbol pointing to baptism, which now saves you. It is not the washing off of bodily dirt, but the promise made to God from a good conscience. It saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone to heaven and is at the right side of God, ruling over all angels and heavenly authorities and powers.

 

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“Put this tee shirt on” was the statement from the group I volunteered for the day. It had the name of the organization and their slogan. When we were working together, everyone could tell we were all part of a group.

 

• My shirt told others I belonged with the group.
• I wore the shirt without shame.
• While I wore the shirt, I was supposed to be doing what the group was doing.

 

Peter goes into some heavy theology as guided by the HOLY SPIRIT. He explained that JESUS, the only sinless human, died and was raised from the dead to save anyone who would believe in HIM. He then compared Noah’s family being saved to baptism. Both events are symbolic to the salvation through the resurrection of JESUS. Both events required faith and belief.

 

My Observations:

• Just like Noah, who completed his task of building an ark all his life, GOD wants me to be steadfast and not give up.
• Just like water baptism in front of people, GOD wants me to declare my relationship with HIM versus hiding it at convenient times.
• Just like showing up to work, GOD wants me to hold up my end of the promise by living for HIM and keeping a “good conscience.”

 

Living for GOD can be hard these days. I mean, the symbols can be twisted from love to hatred. Some godly symbols can be misunderstood or even thrown in the dirt. BUT GOD is above any symbol.

 

HE got excited when I chose to be baptized because I declared to the world that I belong to HIM. Now HE wants me to wear HIS clothing for all to see. Meanwhile, JESUS is on the throne ruling over all authorities. I am glad I will one day see HIM through cleaned eyes.

 

Challenge

• Why does the writer mention baptism?
• Have you ever tried to hide your relationship with GOD in order to gain something from people?
• If you are hiding your relationship with JESUS, will you unhide it little by little to save those around you today?

Wanted Provided

Wanted Provided

Hebrews 10: ⁸ First he said, “You neither want nor are you pleased with sacrifices and offerings or with animals burned on the altar and the sacrifices to take away sins.” He said this even though all these sacrifices are offered according to the Law. ⁹ Then he said, “Here I am, O God, to do your will.” So God does away with all the old sacrifices and puts the sacrifice of Christ in their place. ¹⁰ Because Jesus Christ did what God wanted him to do, we are all purified from sin by the offering that he made of his own body once and for all.

 

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After a number of hot days, I noticed the duct tape was peeling on one of my car “repairs.” I finally got tired of the temporary nature of taping things together. I went to the junkyard and found a replacement part. It wiped out the few dollars I had, but fixed the car.

 

• I needed a permanent fix, but was using a temporary one.
• I got used to the temporary fix and was willing to keep doing it for a while.
• I finally reached a point where I could see the futility in a temporary fix.

 

Paul, the assumed writer, discussed the futility of animal sacrifices. GOD didn’t want those. HE wanted a pure sacrifice from a sinless human. JESUS volunteered to be the perfect sacrifice. HE said “Here I am, O GOD, to do YOUR will.”

 

My Observations:

• GOD would prefer my admission to sin versus me trying to hide the fact that I cannot follow the rules.
• GOD provided me with a way to have an everlasting relationship with HIM, namely JESUS.
• GOD got exactly what was needed by JESUS becoming a sacrifice, all HE wants me to do is recognize this act of love.

 

Trying to follow the rules feels good to me. I mean, I can measure when I “did” stuff, but I cannot measure when GOD took care of it all. I want to be part of my salvation, so I jump in with moments of abstaining from sin. I then look to GOD for my pay as if to say “See how good I was, now give me more of life’s comforts.”  HE sees through my righteousness and is forgiving.

 

GOD knew I could not handle what it would take to have a loving relationship with HIM. HE was only satisfied with the act JESUS did. This selfless act of love was just right. I am glad JESUS was just what GOD wanted.

 

Challenge

• How are we purified according to the writer?
• Have you ever thought your being “good” give you more of GOD?
• Will you focus your praise on what JESUS did so HE can guide you today?

It is Finished

It is Finished

John 19: ²⁸ After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” ²⁹ Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. ³⁰ So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

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JESUS had completed what HE came to do. HE walked the earth, loved HIS creation, only to have them turn on HIM to kill HIM in disbelief. The creation had no longer believed in the creator. BUT GOD cared a lot more than HIS creation could ever know.

• GOD loved HIS creation so much that HE gave up HIS only SON to die for them.
• GOD loved HIS creation so much that HE accepted blame for every sin humans could ever do.
• GOD loved HIS creation so much that HE sought after them with all HIS might.

JESUS lived a sinless life, yet HE was blamed, criticized and murdered. What is great about this is even death could not stop HIM. When HE died, HE knew HE did something no one else could do. HE redeemed mankind.

• Have you lost hope?
• Do you have nowhere to turn?
• Will you give your life back to JESUS so HE can guide you today?