ISRAEL'S SPECIAL MOMENT:

THE PASSOVER
Moses and Aaron were finally given the word: they were to tell the people of
God to be ready to leave Egypt. This was on the tenth day of the month of
Abid which later was called Nisan. It was comparable to our month of April
generally speaking. From this time on Abid (Nisan) would be the first month
of the year for the new people called Israel.

Now they would finally leave the land of Egypt as a new nation, no longer
slaves, but a people promised their own land. However, it was not good news
for everyone because all the first born of Egypt would be put to death.  The
gods of Egypt would be shown for their inability to do anything to protect
their followers from the judgment of the Almighty; Everyone, who saw this
take place, would have to admit there was no God like the God of Israel.

We do not know how many first born died when the night of Passover
occurred, but Israel would never forget that the cost of their freedom
included the agony of all those whose first born lay dead. (Remember the
first born was the one to inherit the role of leadership in the family once the
father died.)

There should have been another lesson everyone learned. It is a serious
matter for anyone to think he or she can dare oppose the authority or the
Word of the Almighty, the Creator of the universe. There is no way to
comprehend the determination of human beings to be their own gods, do
their own thing. Even with all this evidence, some of those leaving camp
would fail to grasp what it meant to be called to be servants of the living
God.

Regardless of what any person finally concluded, everyone in Israel's camp
would be in awe, wondering what was really going to happen when they
encountered  the angel of death.  It was made clear that every detail had to
be fuifilled or one would suffer like the Egyptians. Every person was
dependant upon God's mercy, God's grace that would let them escape
judgment.

    1. They chose their lamb carefully, one without blemish.

    2. They made certain that it was the proper age, strong and
    healthy, not a lamb they would glady take from the flock.

    3. They  roasted the lamb so it remained intact, and not one
    bone was broken.

    4. Each household made certain the whole lamb was eaten, leaving no
    leftovers to decay.

    5. They put the blood of the lamb on their doorposts and lintel.


Keil/Delitzsch puts it this way: That the smearing with blood was to be
regarded as an act of expiation, is evident from the simple fact, that a hyssop-
bush was used for the purpose (v. 22); for sprinkling with hyssop is never
prescribed in the law, except in connection with purification in the sense of
expiation (Lev 14:49sq; Num 19:18-19)

Not one Israelite, including Moses, could stand in the presence of the Holy
One's angel of death because he or she was chosen by God. Everyone in
camp relied on the blood of the lamb to cover their sins.

It is human nature to ask how in the world shedding the blood of the lamb
could possibly cleanse all of the Israelites from their sin so their first born
escaped the consequences of sin--death. It was the wisdom of God that saw
the futiity of any person fulfilling the standards of holiness. He had to give
people a substitute that would pay the price for mankind's sin; all who put
their faith in God's promise were counted as if their sins were paid in full as
each home became a "house of atonement" that night. As midnight drew
near, their only hope was for the blood of the Lamb to spare them.

Even if they  were descendants of Abraham, even if they were circumcised as
God commanded Abraham and his seed, they would not have been spared if
the angel did not see the blood of the lamb.

The lesson God wanted to teach was meant for all mankind. The Egyptians
were given an opportunity to see that the One True God had provided an
escape for all who accepted His love offer. Word spread throughout the
known world of what happened to mighty Egypt and the deliverance of the
Hebrew slaves. Still, it appears most people chose to continue putting their
faith in the gods they knew.

Even in our day, people hear this lesson from Israel's experience, Jews and
Gentiles alike, time and again without grasping the importance of the blood
of the lamb. Tradition, hard heartedness and spiritual blindness prevent
people from all nations putting their trust in the blood of the lamb.

Prayer: O God of Israel, grant me the faith I need to put my trust in the
blood of the Lamb you provide. I come confessing my unworthiness while
rejoicing in your love and grace. Amen
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