Exodus 12:1-13
"The Feast of the Passover"
Introduction
"The Feast of the Passover"
Introduction
We all know about rehearsals. We have rehearsals for weddings. The bride and groom practice walking down the aisle, they practice their vows, they practice their kiss, they practice walking out without stumbling down the steps.
Special music people have rehearsals when they run through their pieces.
I rehearse my sermons a couple of times before the congregation hears them. I did a rehearsal for my first celebration of the Lord's Supper as a pastor; I ran through the entire service just so I knew what was coming and what to do. I even did a rehearsal for my first baptism.
I need to tell you that the Feasts are only rehearsals. They are not the real thing. Using the phrase of Paul in Colossians, they are only shadows with the reality being found in Christ
Special music people have rehearsals when they run through their pieces.
I rehearse my sermons a couple of times before the congregation hears them. I did a rehearsal for my first celebration of the Lord's Supper as a pastor; I ran through the entire service just so I knew what was coming and what to do. I even did a rehearsal for my first baptism.
I need to tell you that the Feasts are only rehearsals. They are not the real thing. Using the phrase of Paul in Colossians, they are only shadows with the reality being found in Christ
I.The Passover at the Time of Jesus
In most of the history of the Old Testament the Israelites observed the Passover in one form or another. By the time you get to the New Testament and to the days of Jesus the Passover was still celebrated but had also developed certain practices.
By the time Jesus was walking the earth, the Jews did not smear blood on the doors anymore. That had gone away.
They did sacrifice a lamb. But not necessarily in the same way. Now it was more of a national festival. So the priests would gather at the Temple and the high priest would slay one lamb on behalf of the whole nation. Those Jews who could make it to Jerusalem also slaughtered a lamb.
And, they didn't necessarily do it in family gatherings as was done in the past; rather, they did it in a grouping of 10-20 people; you needed at least 10 and could have no more than 20. The reason was that you had to eat the entire lamb and could not have any leftovers like we have after Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners. This meant that Jesus and His 12 disciples constituted a family unit; they qualified to have a lamb for His last supper.
In connection with this, very often at the time of Jesus there was also another practice – the "crowned sacrifice." The lamb was to be killed in a certain way. His throat was to be cut and the blood was to be collected in a bowl. And then he was gutted, the intestines taken out. He was roasted vertically on a pomegranate stick. And the intestines were draped around the head while the roasting process was being done. That is called a "crowned sacrifice." This way every part of the lamb was consumed. Because as you read with me in our Bible reading, every bit was to be eaten or burned – the intestines, the fat, everything (Ex 12:10).
They still used bitter herbs and unleavened bread.
They also drank four cups of wine during the Passover meal. The first was called the "cup of blessing," the second was called the "cup of wrath," the third was called the "cup of redemption," and the fourth was called the "cup of the kingdom" – this fourth cup is the one Jesus said He would not drink until He came again in the power of His kingdom ( Lk 22:18)
By the time Jesus was walking the earth, the Jews did not smear blood on the doors anymore. That had gone away.
They did sacrifice a lamb. But not necessarily in the same way. Now it was more of a national festival. So the priests would gather at the Temple and the high priest would slay one lamb on behalf of the whole nation. Those Jews who could make it to Jerusalem also slaughtered a lamb.
And, they didn't necessarily do it in family gatherings as was done in the past; rather, they did it in a grouping of 10-20 people; you needed at least 10 and could have no more than 20. The reason was that you had to eat the entire lamb and could not have any leftovers like we have after Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners. This meant that Jesus and His 12 disciples constituted a family unit; they qualified to have a lamb for His last supper.
In connection with this, very often at the time of Jesus there was also another practice – the "crowned sacrifice." The lamb was to be killed in a certain way. His throat was to be cut and the blood was to be collected in a bowl. And then he was gutted, the intestines taken out. He was roasted vertically on a pomegranate stick. And the intestines were draped around the head while the roasting process was being done. That is called a "crowned sacrifice." This way every part of the lamb was consumed. Because as you read with me in our Bible reading, every bit was to be eaten or burned – the intestines, the fat, everything (Ex 12:10).
They still used bitter herbs and unleavened bread.
They also drank four cups of wine during the Passover meal. The first was called the "cup of blessing," the second was called the "cup of wrath," the third was called the "cup of redemption," and the fourth was called the "cup of the kingdom" – this fourth cup is the one Jesus said He would not drink until He came again in the power of His kingdom ( Lk 22:18)
II. The Passover and Us
A I want you to be clear about this: the Passover reminded Israel, and on this Good Friday it reminds us, that deliverance is costly. It costs blood. Look at the price Israel had to pay – the blood of its lambs. Look at the price God had to pay – the blood of His only begotten Son. Israel saw all this blood – an unbelievable amount of blood. Blood everywhere. Flowing on the ground into the trench and the collection pot and then smeared over the door and on the sides of the door. Even at the time of Jesus the blood was visibly gathered in front of the people. The throat cut, the blood collected, the hyssop dipped.
To be saved and delivered and rescued is a costly undertaking.
B Second, the Passover reminded Israel, and on this Good Friday it reminds us, that we have been saved and delivered and rescued. You need to realize and recognize there has been deliverance from bondage. In recognition of this, Israel had to eat and taste the bitter herbs.
C Third, the Passover reminded Israel, and on this Good Friday it reminds us, that the blood of the Lamb covers us from God's searching judgment. Egypt was not covered and lost its firstborn. What a sad night in all the Egyptian households! But Israel was covered. The Angel of death and wrath, the Angel of God's holy judgment, did not strike any home covered with the blood of the lamb. The blood of the Lamb, the Lamb of God, also covers us so that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). There is power, power, wonder-working power in the precious blood of the Lamb.
Conclusion
Congregation, the Passover Lamb has been slain. He was brought out four days early so He could be tested and found to be without defect. He was staked out that morning at 9 o'clock. He was killed at 3o'clock in the afternoon. By His providence, God arranged history so carefully.
Jesus is the reality the shadows, the rehearsals, prophesied. He is the Lamb which all the earlier Passover lambs looked forward to. It cost Him His blood and His life but we are set free from bondage and we are covered from God's holy wrath.
A I want you to be clear about this: the Passover reminded Israel, and on this Good Friday it reminds us, that deliverance is costly. It costs blood. Look at the price Israel had to pay – the blood of its lambs. Look at the price God had to pay – the blood of His only begotten Son. Israel saw all this blood – an unbelievable amount of blood. Blood everywhere. Flowing on the ground into the trench and the collection pot and then smeared over the door and on the sides of the door. Even at the time of Jesus the blood was visibly gathered in front of the people. The throat cut, the blood collected, the hyssop dipped.
To be saved and delivered and rescued is a costly undertaking.
B Second, the Passover reminded Israel, and on this Good Friday it reminds us, that we have been saved and delivered and rescued. You need to realize and recognize there has been deliverance from bondage. In recognition of this, Israel had to eat and taste the bitter herbs.
C Third, the Passover reminded Israel, and on this Good Friday it reminds us, that the blood of the Lamb covers us from God's searching judgment. Egypt was not covered and lost its firstborn. What a sad night in all the Egyptian households! But Israel was covered. The Angel of death and wrath, the Angel of God's holy judgment, did not strike any home covered with the blood of the lamb. The blood of the Lamb, the Lamb of God, also covers us so that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). There is power, power, wonder-working power in the precious blood of the Lamb.
Conclusion
Congregation, the Passover Lamb has been slain. He was brought out four days early so He could be tested and found to be without defect. He was staked out that morning at 9 o'clock. He was killed at 3o'clock in the afternoon. By His providence, God arranged history so carefully.
Jesus is the reality the shadows, the rehearsals, prophesied. He is the Lamb which all the earlier Passover lambs looked forward to. It cost Him His blood and His life but we are set free from bondage and we are covered from God's holy wrath.
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