Monday, January 23, 2012

Exodus 12- Christ and the Passover

This is part of my goal to study all the chapter 12's in the Bible in 2012. This blog will make more sense if you read Exodus 12 first.


Hindsight is always 20/20. It is so neat to live in the light of the gospel! The OT is the New Testament contained. The NT is the Old Testament explained!


The Passover is an amazing event and it comes at an even staggering bright light when you see it coming right after Abraham in Genesis 12 and in context with the sacrifice of Christ on Passover in Jerusalem.

When God was directing Moses to write the Book of Genesis- He was preparing the people for a similar type of call. Just as Abraham was called to leave and follow God (Gen 12), so was Moses going to lead the Israelites as they left Egypt.

Yes, it was bondage and yes, life grew harder as God's people prospered under the fear, bigotry, and jealousy of the Egyptians. But Egypt was a known quantity and the journey into the wilderness was a step of great faith.

But the event of the Passover is monumental in the 'sending off' of God's people.

There is way too much here to comment in detail about- but I did want to make a couple of crucial observations.

THE MULTIPLE MEANING OF LEAVEN: 

It is interesting in Exodus 12 that the removal of all leaven was indicative of haste and sin. Haste as to the need for the Israelites to pack, prepare, eat standing up and be ready to run at God's call. It is such a haste that you don't even have time for the bread to rise.

AND

Scripturally, leaven as symbolic of sin. In preparation of the Passover ceremonial meal- the house is to be rid of leaven and everyone who ears of leaven shall be cut off. The rapid spread of sin and indicative of the extensive false teaching of the Pharisees (Matt16).

CLEAR SYMBOL OF CHRIST AS THE PASSOVER LAMB:

The blood of the unblemished lamb (put on the doorposts as a sign of a cross) is the sign for the angel of death to pass over the household.

The current day passover ceremonies even picture the resurrection of Christ- (go participate in one and see if you catch it). You can watch some of those clear pictures in this link: Passover.


DEEP CONNECTIONS OF PASSOVER TO THE LORD'S SUPPER:

As Christ is participating in the passover meal on the night of His betrayal, He doesn't drink the final cup of wine because He is waiting to share it with His purchased/ransomed Bride on the great resurrection day.

In fact- a proper 'fencing' of the Lord's Table (not partaking in a unworthy manner) can be linked to disallowing anyone who has eaten leaven in the Passover preparation.


When I put Exodus 12 right after my study of Genesis 12 I see a God of deep plans and powerful providence. Nothing is random with Him! The complex overlays of the Scriptures in space/time/history make me marvel at His ways!

SO what do we do with this revelation?

We must have the covering of the blood of Lamb of God to escape the angel of death.

This gift is received by faith- just as the Israelites trusted in God's provision , so must we!

A final powerful symbol of leaven is found in Matthew 13:33

 He (Jesus) told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
Here leaven is the pervasive and rapid spread of the gospel.

What are we doing to hasten the coming of the great Kingdom? Are we preparing and sharing?

I can't wait to see Jesus!


2 comments:

carolyn bradford said...

This is so great....and such a reminder that I can't do anything in my own strength! And...everything that I do...must be covered over by his blood! When I was in high school at Briarwood, we used to sing a song in chapel called " Covered Over"....it was always my favorite song and yes...I used to play the guitar and still have the chords written in my "little white bible" if it ever becomes popular again! If you want the words I can dig out that old bible! But what I really want to stress is that I'm finally learning that no matter our circumstances....no matter our struggles OR our victories...We are covered over by the blood of Righteousness....that only Christ can give!

Jayopsis said...

Thank you Carolyn- amen!~