Day 36, Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today's Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Exodus 10:1–13:16
A Picture with a Purpose
What do we do to help us remember significant events or people? We take pictures. Or, if they are very esteemed, we might set up memorials or even dedicate a day to honor them.
The image above represents the last Passover meal Christ and his disciples shared before his crucifixion. The meal was part of the Passover Feast. What is the Passover Feast? What did it mean for them, and what does it mean for us today?
Egypt’s last three plagues
We saw in our last Bible study that God was delivering his people by plagues on Egypt. In today’s Bible reading, we see the final three— locusts, darkness, and the firstborn’s death. Each plague attacks one of their gods to show the Egyptians and the Israelites that the LORD is Sovereign (more...). They also serve another purpose:
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD.” (Exodus 10:1-2: NIV)
When accounts of how God delivered the Israelites would be shared in future generations, children would come to know the LORD, and their faith and hope in him would increase. They would know that God sees his people when they are distressed. They would learn that he delivers them from their enemies.
We can draw the same encouragement from the history of Israel’s deliverance. Their God is our God. We Christian parents should share Bible stories with our children and grandchildren to help them remember that God answers prayer. We need to keep repeating them until they know the narratives by heart. This will help build our confidence and their confidence in the LORD.
Just before Israel is delivered from slavery, they do something to remember it— they celebrate the first Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. This, too, is for a purpose.
The Passover and Unleavened Bread Feasts
The LORD tells Moses,
Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. And when your children ask you, “What does this ceremony mean to you?” Then tell them, “It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.” (Exodus 12:24-27, NIV)
Four Days before the Passover, each Israelite family would select a one-year-old male lamb or goat without defect. He would kill it at twilight on the Passover, and then with a hyssop branch, spread its blood on the doorposts and lintel of their dwellings. This was to remember when the plague upon the firstborn came, God saw the blood and passed over them. The LORD is merciful to those who fear and obey him.
The first Passover meal was eaten in haste— God was judging the Egyptians. Because of the swiftness of their deliverance, yeast (leaven) was not added to the bread. The Feast of the Unleavened Bread was instituted so the Israelites would remember their quick deliverance from their bonds.
Later in history, Jesus would celebrate the Passover with his disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem. He would give the elements a more significant meaning. He is the perfect lamb, the firstborn Son of God. His blood sacrifice would be much better than the Passover sacrifice because his blood makes amends for our sin with one offering, forever (Hebrews 9:28; 10:10,14).
Matsa or Matzo (yeastless bread) and some bitter herbs were also served at the meal. Jesus is the sinless (yeastless) bread of life who came from heaven. Anyone who partakes of him in faith will never spiritually die. His soul will live forever, and he will have a place in heaven.
On the Day of Judgment, when God sees the blood of his Son applied on the doorposts of our hearts, he passes over us—we are safe from destruction (eternal judgment in hell). Let’s not wait until the twilight of our lives to accept Jesus’ Passover sacrifice for us. Now, we can be delivered from our sins and made righteous in his sight. Now, we, too, with God’s help, can live sinless (yeastless) lives.
Today, the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are remembered with new significance as believers gather together for a ceremony called Communion. It is a picture of Jesus’ sacrifice. The cup of grape juice or wine represents the blood of Christ, and the Matzo, crackers, or bread without yeast, represent the body of the Lord, which he suffered for us on the cross. We Christians should regularly participate in Communion with other believers. Our children and we need reminders of how God powerfully and quickly delivers us from our sins through his Son, Jesus Christ.
Offering the firstborn
In remembrance of the last plague upon Egypt, another memorial is established—offering the firstborn. Every firstborn of the Israelite livestock was sacrificed as a burnt offering to the LORD. However, their firstborn children were presented to the LORD differently—lambs were provided as a substitute for their lives.
This is a beautiful picture of what God did for us—he sent his firstborn Son to our world and offered him up as a perfect substitute lamb for our sins. If we accept his ultimate sacrifice in our place, we escape eternal death in hell and win a home in heaven (more...)
Discussion
Besides showing Egypt and the Israelites that the LORD is God, what other purposes did the plagues serve?
How do the Passover, Unleavened Feasts, and the Firstborn’s Offering picture what Christ has done for us?
Memorials help us remember what God has done, and they give us faith in what he can do. What things has God done in our lives that we can share?
Focus Verses
1Corinthians 11:24-25 (NIV)
And when he [Jesus] had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
You can watch a video of today's lesson here. It does use artistic license but seeks to capture the spirit of the story. Start at 20:09 and end at 26.44
Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study:
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Looking Ahead: The Israelites were delivered from slavery in Egypt, so their troubles were over—right? Wrong! Why Should We Trust God when things do not go right in our lives after becoming Christians? Find out in our Next Lesson.
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