Key Verse: “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 by an ordinance for ever.”
FOLLOWING A SERIES OF nine plagues upon Egypt, God gave Moses and Aaron instructions regarding a tenth and final plague that would effect the release of the Israelites from their captivity. The keeping of these instructions became known to the Jews as the Passover celebration.
“The Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 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: And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.”—Exod. 12:1-4
In preparation for Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage, each Jewish family was instructed to select a lamb “of the first year” from the flock, without spot or blemish. They were to kill it on the evening of the 14th of Nisan, and sprinkle its blood on the door posts and lintels of their homes. By being obedient to God’s instructions, and remaining inside their houses when the death angel would “pass over” during that night, the Israelites would be spared.—vss. 5-13
Our Key Verse reminds us that God desired the Jews to keep “this day” as a remembrance of the firstborns’ deliverance that was brought about thousands of years ago in Egypt. Their deliverance resulted in the subsequent liberation of the entire nation, and Jews around the world continue to commemorate the Passover.
However, the nation of Israel failed to realize that the Passover and other features of the Law Covenant were designed to be a “schoolmaster,” and bring them to an acceptance of Christ. He was the true Passover “lamb,” who was sacrificed on their behalf to take away sin.—Gal. 3:24; I Cor. 5:7,8; John 1:29
Consecrated believers during this Gospel Age have appropriated to themselves the value of Christ’s atoning blood and have entered into a covenant relationship with God. Paul speaks of “the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and … the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” (Heb. 12:23,24) As members of the antitypical firstborn, the Spirit begotten alone have been passed over from the plague of Adamic condemnation resting upon the remainder of mankind. The blood of sprinkling represents the merit of the ransom sacrifice that has been imputed on behalf of the church. This provides each consecrated believer justification by faith in Christ through the cleansing power of his blood.
What a magnificent opportunity has been provided for the church, the antitypical firstborn. They will assist Christ Jesus in blessing all the families of the earth during God’s soon to be established Kingdom, and liberating all mankind from their long bondage to sin and death.