The Lamb For The Passover
Notes
Transcript
On the first day of the first month that marks the new beginning for Israel, the word of the LORD came to Moses concerning the lamb that is to be sacrificed, which he gave to the children of Israel and they received. Their year, their beginning of life as a nation, began in the month of April, called at the time of Christ, Nisan.
At the very heart of the complete instructions regarding the Passover was the lamb. Everything centered on the lamb. The lamb was to be selected and to become the center of observation and scrutiny. It was the center at the slaughter and was afterwards roasted with fire. When the time came to eat the lamb, the lamb was still the main dish with everything else merely side dishes.
“Speak to all the congregation of Israel”
Moses, Israel’s divinely sent deliverer, has a message to deliver to the nation of Israel, a message which is a matter of life and death. The message is about the death of the lamb and of blood being personally appropriated by each family. When the Greater than Moses appears, the message will still be of the Lamb and the blood provided for salvation (Zech. 12:10; 13:1; Rev. 12:11; 14:3, 4). Salvation will be based upon the once for all sacrifice of the Lamb (Heb 9:14-10:17).
This is the “everlasting gospel” which is the universal message that God will preach …Rev. 14:6
And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people;
The message is …Rev.14:7.
and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”
How do you worship Him? You worship Him through the blood of the Lamb. This is what provides protection in “the hour of His judgment.” The message will go out to all the earth in that day of tribulation so that all may be without excuse.
The message was to go to all so that salvation might be extended to all. They are without excuse if they failed to believe the word of God. In verse 3, we have the first use of the phrase “the congregation of Israel.” Here they were all to hear; in verse 6 they were all responsible for the death of the lamb.
These instructions were from the Lord to the people. Everyone knew exactly what they were to do. There was no need for anyone to fail to do the right thing because he did not know what was expected of him. These were specific instructions that they were to follow. They did not have to work out the details, nor was there a need for a program committee appointed by Moses to work out the details. God gave the instructions in minute detail because 1500 years later the entire ceremony was going to be acted out completely in the drama of human history.
Israel received this spoken word for their personal benefit. They are written down for our personal benefit that we might come to realize that Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. He is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. All these things speak of Him—His person and work. This is God’s picture book of redemption. He gave the pictures for His children before He sent the Person of His Son. Every detail is as a candid shot of the moving drama of God’s Lamb and of His sacrifice.
1. On the 10th day they are to select a lamb, 10:3a.
1. On the 10th day they are to select a lamb, 10:3a.
‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves’
All of this started on the 10th day of the month. In Scripture, ten is the number of testing. The ten spies gave an evil report to the people and tested the people. The ten commandments also were a test. The church at Smyrna was to have tribulation ten days (Rev. 2:10). The 10th day of the month tested the hearts of the people for this was the day that the action began that would ultimately lead to their salvation.
Here we see the lamb being singled out before it was slain. It was under observation, and any imperfection would have disqualified it from being the Passover sacrifice.
This is a picture of Christ. He was marked out for death before He was slain.
God had marked Him for death. 1 Peter 1:19
but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
(note His selection and perfection),
Revelation 13:8.
All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.
Christ lived at least 33 years among men, ministering among the people for over 3 ½ years. During the last week from the 10th to the 14th of Nisan, Christ was in Jerusalem and He was, during this time, singled out for death.
He was in public view each day teaching in the Temple. Had our Lord not come to Jerusalem on the 10th day of the month and been under the scrutiny of the people, He could not have been our Passover on the 14th day of the month.
2. They are to have a lamb for a family unit, 12:3b-4.
2. They are to have a lamb for a family unit, 12:3b-4.
‘according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb.
“Their fathers’ households” were each family unit. The basic structure of society is the family, and this first and principal feast of Israel is a family one. The spiritual unity of the family is important to God. This feast centered in the home; today everything centers outside the home, with our culture trying to redefine what a family is—and this is wrong.
Josephus tell us a paschal company consisted of not less than ten members, although there were sometimes as many as twenty. Ten was the minimum. Later tradition said this was not a feast, but a religious solemnity and that only a tiny portion---about the size of an olive—was eaten by each individual. This is totally in error. The lamb was not only for killing and applying the blood; it was also for eating. If one family was too small to consume one lamb, then two families might come together for this purpose. What was to govern this was “every man according to his eating” capacity. They were to feed on that lamb, devouring all that they could possibly eat for they were going to walk out of Egypt and needed the strength this lamb would provide.
How wonderful it is that we may believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved, and our household with us (Acts 16:31). The Lord Jesus Christ is concerned about the family and He died for the family. Every man had to take a lamb (Exodus 12:3) but it was just one lamb per family. Every member of the family has the same sacrifice, which they must individually partake of and appropriate to themselves.
Dr. Harry Ironside, commenting on the truth that two families may go together to sacrifice and partake of the lamb, asks the question, “Have you asked your neighbor?” The same lamb that will provide your salvation will provide your neighbor’s also. Why not ask them to join in with you in this wonderful salvation? This lamb is too precious to just keep to yourselves when He is more than you can consume. We are not to try to keep Him over for another day nor can we throw Him away. But we can share Him with our neighbor. Have you asked your neighbor?
3. The lamb is to be without blemish, 12:5a.
3. The lamb is to be without blemish, 12:5a.
‘Your lamb shall be an unblemished male…’
The smallest defect or deformity made the lamb unfit for sacrifice. This was the reason why it was scrutinized closely for four days. In this regard the LORD was to give instructions later:
Leviticus 22:21-25.
‘When a man offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord to fulfill a special vow or for a freewill offering, of the herd or of the flock, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it.
‘Those that are blind or fractured or maimed or having a running sore or eczema or scabs, you shall not offer to the Lord, nor make of them an offering by fire on the altar to the Lord.
‘In respect to an ox or a lamb which has an overgrown or stunted member, you may present it for a freewill offering, but for a vow it will not be accepted.
‘Also anything with its testicles bruised or crushed or torn or cut, you shall not offer to the Lord, or sacrifice in your land,
nor shall you accept any such from the hand of a foreigner for offering as the food of your God; for their corruption is in them, they have a defect, they shall not be accepted for you.’ ”
The sin of the people in Malachi’s day was the disregard of this very thing:
Malachi 1:8.
“But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the Lord of hosts.
All of this was to be done because our Lord was without sin, without a sin nature, and without imputed sin. He was the sinless One who died for the sinful. He was, as Peter wrote, “a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19). The very nature of the lamb is that of meekness and innocence. He never harmed anyone.
Isaiah 53:7.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.
2 Cor. 5:21.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Heb. 4:15; 7:26.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;
1 Peter 2:21-22.
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;
The enemies of Christ scrutinized Him completely and sought to catch Him in some wrong act or word, yet they found no fault in Him.
John 8:46.
“Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?
Note something else significant regarding this. In verse 3, they were to take “a lamb.” In verse 4 it was “the lamb,” and in verse 5 the lamb becomes “your lamb.” This is exactly the way we come to appreciate the sacrifice of Christ as our Passover lamb.
As a Lamb, He died for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2).
and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
As the Lamb, He gave Himself for the church, His own (Ephesians 5:25)
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
As your Lamb, He died personally for you (Galatians 2:20).
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
4. The lamb chosen was to be a male one-year old, 12:5b.
4. The lamb chosen was to be a male one-year old, 12:5b.
‘Your lamb shall be … [a] male a year old…’
A one-year old lamb was a lamb in the very prime of life. The lamb could not be too young nor too old but must die in the fullness of his strength. Christ did not die for us in His infancy or boyhood, neither in youth nor old age. He died in the very prime of His manhood. In the language of the Scriptures, Christ was cut off “in the midst of His days” (Psalm 102.24). The picture is so complete, we can only stand in awe.
In “a male of the first year” there would be no death principle at work; in Christ, the principle is brought to perfection. Death was not working at all in Him. Death is the result of sin and there was no sin in Him. Christ voluntarily laid down His life Himself (John 10:17-18).
“For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again.
“No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
He did so in the fullness of His strength.
5. The lamb was to be separated, 12:5c.
5. The lamb was to be separated, 12:5c.
‘… you may take it [out] from the sheep or from the goats.’
The lamb was to be used when available, but from this it is seen that a goat might be substituted for a lamb if the individual did not have a perfect lamb. The true type is in the lamb; the alternate type is in the goat. It was a goat that was sacrificed on the Day of Atonement and provided salvation for the nation. The goat became sin and the accursed thing. So, Christ actually “became sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The LORD was asking each family to do something that was within their ability. These were a shepherd people. They all had either sheep or goats. There was no reason for any family not to sacrifice a lamb or a kid. No one died that night for a lack of a lamb. They died merely because of unbelief, having failed to believe the word of God and appropriate to themselves the lamb and its blood. So, it is today—no one dies for lack of a Lamb. The Lamb is available to all, and that Lamb is Jesus Christ. He died for every man and partook of death so that no one need die. If anyone dies, it is not because the Lamb had not been sacrificed, but because they had failed to appropriate the blood to their dwellings, i.e. their lives. No one need die; salvation is available for all.
This lamb was to be separated from the rest of the flock, and if it was found perfect was to die. It would never be returned to the flock again. It was a one-way road to death. There was no escape for this spotless lamb. So it is that there was a distinction between Christ and all others, whether sheep or goats, whether believers or unbelievers. He is not the same; He is unique. This Lamb is different from all other lambs.
In Revelation 5 we find the Lamb is the Sovereign of the universe. In Revelation 7 the Lamb is seen as the Shepherd of the flock. This is the One who set His face toward Jerusalem to die (Mark 10:32-34). He was appointed for this; He came into the world for this purpose (John 12:24-27). He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8).
Why was the Lord Jesus Christ selected by God to be the Lamb who would die in the sinner’s place? He was selected because He and He alone was perfect. The perfection that He Himself is. Nothing less is acceptable.
The first and greatest commandment is: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). The first and greatest sin, then, is the breaking of the first and greatest commandment. This is the perfection that God demands, and this is what Jesus Christ is.
Paul wrote these words to the churches in Galatia: “Cursed is everyone that does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law” (Galatians 3:10). Thus, anyone who does not keep the whole law perfectly is cursed. This means that nothing short of perfection is acceptable to God. “Whoever keeps the whole law, and yet offends in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). It is perfection or death.
The wonderful truth is that the perfection God demands He Himself provides. He demands 100%; and 99 44/100% will not do. He provides perfect righteousness in His Son. It was the Son Who came and lived a life I could not live—perfection—and died a death I could not die—substitution. He loved His Father with all His heart, soul, and mind. He kept the law and was thus sinless. This is the one that the Father sacrificed for me. This is the One Whom He gave for the world because He so loved the world. This is the One Who so loved me.
How can I help but love Him when He loved me so?