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> Ex. 12 - The Passover Lamb
Introduction
Separated
The Passover Lamb
God’s Lamb
Slain
The Passover Lamb
God’s Lamb
Substitute
The Passover Lamb
God’s Lamb
Salvation
The Passover Lamb
God’s Lamb
Sustenance
The Passover Lamb
God’s Lamb
See: Ex. 15:1-18 - Song of Moses
Return to Exodus
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The Passover Lamb
Ex. 12
Ex. 12
Introduction
This is a pivotal chapter in Exodus: in v. 1 Israel
is a slave nation, but in v. 51 Israel is a free nation.
Interwoven with all the topics of this chapter—life and death, last plague, leaven, meal, Passover, death angel, Exodus—is the centrality of the Passover lamb, significant in this chapter and throughout the Scriptures.
The Passover lamb is related to Christ: Christ is called the “lamb” (Jo. 1:29; I Pet. 1:19; Rev. 5:6); and Christ is called “our Passover” (I Cor. 5:7).
Consider how closely the Passover Lamb and the Lamb of God are related; what is true of the one, the lamb, is true of the Other, the Lamb.
Interwoven with all the topics of this chapter—life and death, last plague, leaven, meal, Passover, death angel, Exodus—is the centrality of the Passover lamb, significant in this chapter and throughout the Scriptures.
The Passover lamb is related to Christ: Christ is called the “lamb” (Jo. 1:29; I Pet. 1:19; Rev. 5:6); and Christ is called “our Passover” (I Cor. 5:7).
Consider how closely the Passover Lamb and the Lamb of God are related; what is true of the one, the lamb, is true of the Other, the Lamb.
Separated
The Passover Lamb
The lamb was to be a male, one year old, and without blemish; it was to be
as perfect as possible, and was to be separated from the 10th to the 14th
day of the month for inspection (vs. 1-6).
“without blemish” translates the Hebrew tamin, a word used 87 times in the OT; translations include: complete, full, perfect (14 times), sound, upright (8), whole (4), and without blemish (44).
“without blemish” translates the Hebrew tamin, a word used 87 times in the OT; translations include: complete, full, perfect (14 times), sound, upright (8), whole (4), and without blemish (44).
God’s Lamb
Like the Passover Lamb, the Lamb of God is to be perfect, complete, sound,
upright, and without blemish; in other words, Christ is to sinless.
His sinlessness is stressed in the NT: Matt. 27:4, 24; II Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 7:25-27; I Pet. 1:19; 2:22; I Jo. 3:5.
God’s Lamb: never disobeyed the Father but did the Father’s will (Jo. 5:30); He always kept the Law (Matt. 5:17); He did no evil thing (I Pet. 2:22).
His sinlessness is stressed in the NT: Matt. 27:4, 24; II Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 7:25-27; I Pet. 1:19; 2:22; I Jo. 3:5.
God’s Lamb: never disobeyed the Father but did the Father’s will (Jo. 5:30); He always kept the Law (Matt. 5:17); He did no evil thing (I Pet. 2:22).
Slain
The Passover Lamb
The lamb was killed (“kill it at twilight” and “kill the Passover lamb” –
vs. 6, 21), and the blood was spilt (“take some of the blood” – v. 7).
The lamb was slain so the blood could be spilt; the spilt blood was used for protection (vs. 22-23); if blood was on the house, then the firstborn was protected; here we are brought face to face with blood redemption.
The significance of the blood is in Lev. 17:11; the life is in the blood; to give up blood is to give up life; the difference between the Egyptians and the Hebrews was not a moral difference but the difference the blood made (Ex. 12:13).
The lamb was slain so the blood could be spilt; the spilt blood was used for protection (vs. 22-23); if blood was on the house, then the firstborn was protected; here we are brought face to face with blood redemption.
The significance of the blood is in Lev. 17:11; the life is in the blood; to give up blood is to give up life; the difference between the Egyptians and the Hebrews was not a moral difference but the difference the blood made (Ex. 12:13).
God’s Lamb
The blood of the Lamb, His life, is for out salvation: Heb. 9:13-14, 22; I
Pet. 1:18-19; I Jo. 1:7; Rev. 5:9.
Substitute
The Passover Lamb
God said to take “a lamb for a household” (Ex. 12:3); a one year old lamb
died so the firstborn in the family could live—a substitute—the lamb for the
firstborn.
The principle of substitution is throughout the OT: an animal died so Adam and Eve could be covered (Gen. 3); an animal died and Abel was accepted (Gen. 4); an animal died so Isaac could live (Gen. 22; and animals died on the Day of Atonement so the nation could continue (Lev. 16).
The principle of substitution is throughout the OT: an animal died so Adam and Eve could be covered (Gen. 3); an animal died and Abel was accepted (Gen. 4); an animal died so Isaac could live (Gen. 22; and animals died on the Day of Atonement so the nation could continue (Lev. 16).
God’s Lamb
“a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28)
“Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6)
“Christ also suffered for us” (I Pet. 2:21)
“He bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (I Pet. 2:24)
“the just for the unjust” (I Pet. 3:18)
All of the above speak of substitution, the substitution of Christ for sinful men.
“Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6)
“Christ also suffered for us” (I Pet. 2:21)
“He bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (I Pet. 2:24)
“the just for the unjust” (I Pet. 3:18)
All of the above speak of substitution, the substitution of Christ for sinful men.
Salvation
The Passover Lamb
Through the lamb, the blood of the lamb,
the life of the lamb, the specific families were spared the death of the
firstborn (Ex. 12:13); those who did not have this protection suffered lost
(Ex. 12:12); if no lamb then no salvation.
God’s Lamb
“Behold! The Lamb
of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jo. 1:29).
“Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
“Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Sustenance
The Passover Lamb
The lamb that was the salvation of the people was to be
eaten by the people in order that they might have strength for the journey
that was ahead; the lamb that saved was also to sustain them (Ex. 12:8-11).
God’s Lamb
The One who saves us is the One who sustains us on our
spiritual journey.
See: Ex. 15:1-18 - Song of Moses
Return to Exodus
For overview of EXEGESIS, see: Site Map - Exegesis
For overview of THEOLOGY, see: Site Map - Theology