The Means of Evacuation: Passover

Transcription

1 The Means of Evacuation: Passover Summary and Goal The culmination of God s plan to redeem and rescue His people is by the shedding of blood. The firstborn dies; those, however, covered by the blood of the spotless lamb live. God s way has always been to raise up one whom we don t expect (in this case, Moses) to execute a plan we could never imagine (in this case, blood). This, of course, points to and culminates with the Person and Work of Jesus. Main Passages Exodus 12:1-16 Session Outline 1. Preparing and Eating the Passover (Exodus 12:1-11) 2. The Passover as Salvation from Judgment (Exodus 12:12-13) 3. The Passover as a Reminder (Exodus 12:14-16) Theological Theme The salvation of God s people came through the shedding of blood, which prefigures the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Christ Connection The Passover, as Jesus Himself explained, pointed to the ultimate freedom from death through the shedding of Christ s blood. Missional Application Shaped with gratitude for how Christ s sacrifice has saved them, believers have the opportunity to share the news of Jesus sacrifice with those they come into contact with. 100 Leader Guide

2 Historical Context of Exodus Purpose To record the events of Israel s deliverance from Egypt and development as a nation Author Moses Date Written B.C., approximately the same as Genesis Where Written In the desert during Israel s wanderings, somewhere in the Sinai peninsula Setting Egypt. God s people, once highly favored in the land, are now slaves. God is about to set them free. Key Verses 7 Then the Lord said, I have observed the misery of My people in Egypt, and have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I know about their sufferings Therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. Exodus 3:7,10 Key People Moses, Miriam, Pharaoh, Pharaoh s daughter, Jethro, Aaron, Joshua, Bezalel Key Places Egypt, Goshen, Nile River, Midian, Red Sea, Sinai Peninsula, Mount Sinai Special Features Exodus relates more miracles than any other Old Testament book and is noted for containing the Ten Commandments. Date of My Bible Study: 101

3 8 For Further Discussion What events or holidays in your family s history are celebrated most faithfully? Why is that particular observance so special? For Further Discussion When was the last time you told someone the story of how you came to know Christ? Session Plan The Means of Evacuation: Passover Introduction What has been the most dramatic difference your journey with Jesus has made in your life up until this point? In this conclusion to our look in Exodus, God has instructed Moses on how to prepare the Israelites for the final plague the death of the first born. This plague was truly horrific. The plague that was designed to finally break Pharaoh and lead to the freeing of the Israelites had to be more severe than those that preceded it. In order to be spared from the judgment that would befall Egypt, the Israelites were instructed to observe the first Passover. 1. Preparing and Eating the Passover (Ex. 12:1-11) The Israelites were required to have a four-day preparation period between the selection of the sacrificial lamb and its slaughter. Its slaughter represented the death of the firstborn that Egypt would experience, due to the prized position of being the firstborn. The blood on the doorposts and lintel were a sign that those in the home were God s people. With their homes covered by the blood of the lamb, the Lord would pass over them as He moved throughout Egypt. The sign was a physical proclamation of their belief in the power of God to rescue. According to the instructions in these verses, what would have been the most significant part of the Passover for you? The most challenging? Read Hebrews 9: How do passages like this help you connect the Passover with the redemptive work of Jesus? It would be difficult to imagine the tie to Jesus in this event could be any stronger. From His entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday four days before His arrest on the evening of Maundy Thursday to the more obvious connection through His ultimate sacrifice to save those who call Him Savior from death due to the plague of sin, Jesus perfected the observance of the Passover. 102 Leader Guide

4 2. The Passover as Salvation from Judgment (Ex. 12:12-13) It was Yahweh alone who had the right and ability to serve as Judge over the impotent gods of Egypt. Because Pharaoh had refused God up to this point, including multiple points of temporary brokenness in which he promised to let the people go, only to refuse later, this final plague would demonstrate that Pharaoh, indeed, had no power. The anxious moments until the Israelites were sure they had been spared must have been extremely formative. God spared Israel, as He said He would. Not only that, but God also judged Egypt as He said He would. Everything came to pass just as He had said. For Further Discussion How do you think you would feel if you were in a house with blood on the posts, listening to the swell of horrific mourning all around you? It is tempting to think that idolatry was something that occurred millennia ago. What false gods do you see our culture worship as an avenue for providing worth, security, and happiness? 3. The Passover as a Reminder (Ex. 12:14-16) After the explanation of the events of the final plague, God followed with a decree that it must be commemorated. They were to tell their children and grandchildren about that night and all its details so that they remained vigilantly aware that God was their Redeemer. The danger of forgetting that night was a loss of understanding as to what it meant to be God s covenant people. What regular commemorations do you celebrate that lead you to tell stories (i.e., birthdays, anniversaries, etc.)? What are the key points to those stories that you always make sure to include? For Further Discussion What are the key moments in your journey with Christ, both pre-salvation and since, if you are a believer? How ready are you to share those stories with others? Why are those stories so important? Conclusion Who do you need to share your story with so that they can know God like you do? How would you describe how God provided a way of escape for you? What about your worship experience would you like to be different this year as you commemorate what Christ did for you? What new traditions or modes of remembrance would you like to share with others? How does it impact you to know that, when you could not save yourself from your own enslavement, Christ came to die in your place? What does it mean to you to see that God has been preparing for the salvation of His people since even before Moses? Session 8 103

5 Expanded Session Content 8 The Means of Evacuation: Passover The Israelite Calendar It may seem strange that the Israelites had to have the beginning of their calendar year defined for them. This would not have been unusual, considering how long they had been enslaved in a foreign land. Many people groups in the ancient world observed different calendar beginning points, generally because of a major event such as harvest. People groups largely landed in two camps: either the beginning of the year was in spring when things began growing again, or in the fall to celebrate harvest. The Israelites were based in a culture in which the end of summer and the beginning of fall marked the new year (known as the agricultural calendar), that is, until Yahweh changed it in this passage. Passover fell in March- April; thus, when Yahweh reoriented their calendar, He moved Israel from an agricultural calendar to a theological calendar. Introduction We make a point to remember the moments in our lives that have been life-changing in nature. Those pivotal moments that made us different people are memorialized in different ways, according to the reason why we remember them. Some are joyous occasions, like anniversaries, children s birthdays, salvation experiences, or the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series. Others, though, remind us of difficult or heartbreaking moments, like the loss of a loved one, a natural disaster, or a national tragedy. The memorials are designed to fit the tone of the event itself so that the memory of it is more than an academic, mental acknowledgement that it happened; it s an experiential re-living of the event. The grander the moment, the more significant its commemoration. Commenting on this dynamic in Exodus 12, pastor and author Tony Merida writes, We find God doing something on a much grander scale. God changed the calendar of the Israelites so that they would celebrate the Passover. He told Moses and Aaron that there would be a new calendar, and it would be a sign of a new beginning. As will be evident in this week s study, this change was not to be remembered for a number of weeks, months, or even years. Rather, this would be something that was to be retold for the all the coming generations. What events or holidays in your family s history are celebrated most faithfully? Why is that particular observance so special? When was the last time you told someone the story of how you came to know Christ? What has been the most dramatic difference your journey with Jesus has made in your life up until this point? Session Summary In this conclusion to our look in Exodus, God has instructed Moses on how to prepare the Israelites for the final plague the death of the first born. This plague was truly horrific. The plague that was designed to finally break 104 Leader Guide

6 Pharaoh and lead to the freeing of the Israelites had to be more severe than those that preceded it. In order to be spared from the judgment that would befall Egypt, the Israelites were instructed to observe the first Passover. The blood of the slaughtered, unblemished lamb would be a sign for the Lord to pass over their homes. God s provision for the salvation of His people from the judgment of the plague was a shadow of what Christ would ultimately accomplish on the cross. 1. Preparing and Eating the Passover (Exodus 12:1-11) After the prediction of the final plague in Exodus 11, the narrative of Exodus changed scenery to a private conversation between God, Moses, and Aaron. The address is much longer and more intricate than the institution of the other plagues because, unlike the other plagues, this one was to be remembered throughout the generations. Moses and Aaron were both Levites; Levites would become the tribe the priests that served as intermediaries between Israel and God came from. In that light, their receiving of the instructions for the preparation for Passover marks as a sort of initiation for their ritualistic service of the nation. The event was significant enough to reorient the Israelite calendar around its commemoration. The specificity of how the Passover was to be observed also underscored its importance. Of particular interest is the fact that the Israelites were required to have a four-day preparation period between the selection of the sacrificial lamb and its slaughter. The prized lamb was significant, as it was one with no blemishes. At least in part, this period would have involved a bonding with the lamb, making the community-wide mass slaughter of the lambs especially difficult. Its slaughter represented the death of the firstborn that Egypt would experience, due to the prized position of being the firstborn. While no preparation could have communicated to a sizable degree the grief of the Egyptians during the plague, the four-day period with the lamb would represent it well enough to facilitate an experiential re-telling every year. Passover The Hebrew word for Passover, pesach, occurs for the first time in this chapter. It is used 49 times throughout the Old Testament to refer to either the festival of Passover or to the sacrificial lambs needed for the observance. The verbal form of the word, pasach, literally means pass over, but implies sparing. According to the instructions in these verses, what would have been the most significant part of the Passover for you? The most challenging? Read Hebrews 9: How do passages like this help you connect the Passover with the redemptive work of Jesus? The grisly nature of the details for how the Israelites were to be saved from the final plague are often tempered by familiarity with the story. As the meal was being prepared following the community-wide slaughtering of the lambs at sundown, the heads of the house in Israel were to take the Session 8 105

7 blood of the slaughtered lamb, which had been drained into a basin when the lamb was killed, and smear it on the doorframes of their homes. The blood on the doorposts and lintel were a sign that those in the home were God s people. With their homes covered by the blood of the lamb, the Lord would pass over them as He moved throughout Egypt. Obviously, because God is omniscient (all-knowing), the sign was not so much for Him as it was a physical proclamation of their belief in the power of God to rescue. It would be difficult to imagine the tie to Jesus in this event could be any stronger. From His entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday four days before His arrest on the evening of Maundy Thursday to the more obvious connection through His ultimate sacrifice to save those who call Him Savior from death due to the plague of sin, Jesus perfected the observance of the Passover. The Passover Meal Much about the manner in which the meal was prepared and eaten emphasized the hurried flight from Egypt. The staff in hand and sandals on the feet instructions were the opposite of normal Jewish custom for eating a meal. As evidenced in, among other places, Jesus washing the disciples feet, the removal of shoes and traveling attire was the typical practice. Roasting the lamb over a fire meant no pots or cookware to clean afterward. Unleavened bread meant not having to wait for dough to rise to make bread. Bitter herbs were the most common and easily prepared. The meal was supposed to feel different from any other meal, because it was different. The differences underscored the hurried flight in a way that made the experiential re-telling of the story more formative. 2. The Passover as Salvation from Judgment (Exodus 12:12-13) The details of the final plague were nightmarish in their scope and consequence. The judgment the Egyptians would experience in only a few short hours would be so complete that the cry of mourning that would arise from every home in Egypt would be able to be heard by the Israelites. They would know very well the horrors they were saved from as the crescendo of grief grew with the discovery of each dead firstborn. Tony Merida described that the events of Passover were an awesome demonstration of God s holy judgment on Egypt and their false gods. The blood on the doors of the Israelites served as a sign that judgment had already fallen at that house. Just as the plagues were a sign to Egypt of God s justice and judgment, now the Passover was a sign of God s mercy to Israel. The self-identifying statement, I am Yahweh, informed the following sentence. It was Yahweh alone who had the right and ability to serve as Judge over the impotent gods of Egypt. The judgment over Egypt s gods came in the form of exposing them as being incapable of saving their devotees. It is important to understand that one of the most prominent, if not most prominent, gods in the Egyptian pantheon was Pharaoh himself. Because Pharaoh had refused God up to this point, including multiple points of temporary brokenness in which he promised to let the people go, only to refuse later, this final plague would demonstrate that Pharaoh, indeed, had no power. Since the gods were not gods at all, judging the gods meant judging the belief in and worship of those false gods. It is tempting to think that idolatry was something that occurred millennia ago. What false gods do you see our culture worship as an avenue for providing worth, security, and happiness? 106 Leader Guide

8 How do you think you would feel if you were in a house with blood on the posts, listening to the swell of horrific mourning all around you? To accurately understand the experience of that night, modern readers must fight the urge to believe that the Israelites were safe in their own part of town and unaware of what was happening in Egypt. The Bible clearly indicates that the sounds of grief would have been audible to Israel, even though they were spared. Attaching to the woeful sound the knowledge that Yahweh s presence moving through Egypt was the cause would have only increased the terror. The physical evidence of the Almighty executing judgment en masse would have been utterly overwhelming. The Israelites clung to the promise that God would not visit them in the same way. It is hard not to imagine the thoughts racing through their heads similar to, Will the blood on the door REALLY save us? or, Did I use enough? In the right place? The anxious moments until the Israelites were sure they had been spared must have been extremely formative. God spared Israel, as He said He would. Not only that, but God also judged Egypt as He said He would. Everything came to pass just as He had said. 3. The Passover as a Reminder (Ex. 12:14-16) After the explanation of the events of the final plague, God followed with a decree that it must be commemorated. The you must construct makes several appearances in this section. Its repetition is specifically to impress firmly on the Israelites that this event must not be forgotten. To forget it would be to their detriment. Students of Scripture will observe, then, that in the seasons of Israel s existence in the Old Testament in which the Passover was neglected, it absolutely was to their detriment and judgment. The mechanism for ensuring that the Passover was remembered was the passing of the traditions and testimonies from generation to generation. In other words, they were to tell their children and grandchildren about that night and all its details so that they remained vigilantly aware that God was their Redeemer. The danger of forgetting that night was a loss of understanding as to what it meant to be God s covenant people. Throughout the Old Testament, after this event, God repeatedly identifies Himself to Israel s leadership throughout the generations as some variation of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who brought you up out of Egypt. This was the supreme covenantal demonstration of faithful deliverance of His people in the Old Testament. It is impossible to overstate its importance. Pantheism The religious culture of Egypt at the time would be classified as pantheistic and polytheistic. Pantheism refers to the belief that everything in nature was a participant with the divine, meaning that everything was an outflow of one god or the other. Polytheism meant that the universe was an expression of numerous different gods. Polytheism was common to all ancient people groups, with the exception of Israel. What regular commemorations do you celebrate that lead you to tell stories (i.e., birthdays, anniversaries, etc.)? What are the key points to those stories that you always make sure to include? Session 8 107

9 What are the key moments in your journey with Christ, both pre-salvation and since, if you are a believer? How ready are you to share those stories with others? Why are those stories so important? Cut Off Readers can gain a sense of the importance of God s directive about celebrating the Passover by understanding what it means to be cut off from Israel. The Hebrew phrase, wenikretah, connotes that it was Israel s responsibility to rid themselves of those that refused to commemorate the Passover. In other places the same word is used, the ridding process would include either exile or capital punishment. In this instance, the idea is that being cut off meant that the person would be excluded from Israel s present and eternal benefits. Douglas K. Stuart explains, The person who defies God s regulations shows that he has no interest in keeping covenant with Him and therefore will eventually suffer the consequences of not obeying God. All of the people were to commemorate the event together. There was to be a solemn assembly at the beginning of the festival, as well as one on the concluding seventh day. The remembering of the Passover involved as much of their corporate identity as God s covenant people as it did their individual understanding of God s care and protection for themselves. Because the day was special in the Jewish calendar, no routine or daily work was to be done. Routine is the antithesis of the recognition and celebration of God s special day of rescue and protection for Israel. Conclusion When we treat Exodus as just a book in the Old Testament of the Bible or merely an event in a collection of events of God delivering the Israelites, we impoverish ourselves. As we celebrate Palm Sunday a commemoration of Jesus Christ willingly riding into Jerusalem to be beaten, tortured, and executed in the most heinous way possible the realization of what God did for Israel in Exodus should thunderously resound in the souls of those who know Him. There is great emotional and spiritual weight when we read of that final plague. A lamb without blemish was slaughtered for every household. The judgment of Israel was taken out on that lamb, so that God s judgment would pass over the Israelites. Meanwhile, all around the Israelites, the Egyptians were facing the just wrath of our holy God. Israel, by very close proximity, had to observe what holy wrath looked like and felt like. All the while, they were dressed and ready to flee, just waiting on the moment when God, through Moses, said, Go! The event we commemorate in Palm Sunday is the same event, only so much more robust and profound in scope and impact. Christ, who is often referred to as the Lamb in Scripture, began His passion week knowing how it would end. He would be the perfect sacrifice, having no sin (or blemish) of his own. His blood spilled out would be the covering that allows us to stand in the presence of God because He absorbed the judgment that was ours. If you re a believer, the reality is that, like the Israelites, there are those who are still rightfully due God s judgment all around you. The good news is that, unlike the Israelites during the plague, you have the chance to help change their standing before the Lord. 108 Leader Guide

10 Who do you need to share your story with so that they can know God like you do? How would you describe how God provided a way of escape for you? What about your worship experience would you like to be different this year as you commemorate what Christ did for you? What new traditions or modes of remembrance would you like to share with others? How does it impact you to know that, when you could not save yourself from your own enslavement, Christ came to die in your place? What does it mean to you to see that God has been preparing for the salvation of His people since even before Moses? Prayer of Response Pray that the Holy Spirit would enrich our understanding of what Christ offered for us. Ask Him to make the Word of God alive to us so that our appreciation leads us to authentic worship. Pray that our gratitude over being covered by His blood would lead us to tell others about it as well. Additional Resources The Lord s Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes by Thomas Schreiner Given for You by Keith Mathison The Lord s Supper: Five Views by Gordon T. Smith Session 8 109

11 Extended Commentary Exodus 12: :1-13:16 Chapters are arranged topically in a way that intersperses long sections of instruction with short sections that describe events taking place. With earlier plagues, the report of the plague follows immediately after its announcement. Not so with the tenth. Instructions to Moses and Aaron and then to the Israelites about how to observe the Lord s Passover (12:11) postpone the report of the plague s enactment (12:29-42). Some of the instructions that stand before the report of the plague and of the Israelite departure are ones that the Israelites would have needed at the time in order to prepare. Some instructions would be of use only in later years, but they are prominent among the instructions before the event. The report of the exodus (12:29-42) is followed by further instructions for future celebrations (12:43-49) and a short summary of the first Passover observance and the exodus (12:50-51). Another section of instructions for the future follows. It involves dedication of the firstborn and observing the feast of unleavened bread (13:1-16) before the account returns to the unfolding events of the exodus (13:17-14:31). People usually wait to make plans for commemorating an event until after the event has occurred, but here the Israelites were still in Egypt (12:1). The attention given to future celebrations in these preparatory chapters highlights the event s certainty and importance as well as the authority of the Lord, who would give the Israelites cause for celebration. 12:2 Because of what the Lord was about to do in the current month, the Israelites were to consider it the first month of their year ( the beginning of months). Its Canaanite name was Abib and its Babylonian name was Nisan (13:4). This lunar month overlaps with portions of the solar months of March and April. 12:3 To select an animal of the flock four days in advance would give opportunity to observe it for defects. But more importantly, early selection would draw attention to what was ahead. Just enough should be prepared for the people who would eat together. 12:8-10 The meat must be eaten immediately, and anything left must be burned and not left to ordinary uses the next morning. That it must be roasted whole also fits the need for special treatment of this animal, whose blood above the doorway and on the side posts identified the inhabitants of the house; they were people who took the Lord s commands seriously (9:20-21). 110 Leader Guide

12 12:11-12 The declarations it is the Lord s Passover and I am Yahweh reinforce the truth that what was happening centered on God s identity and His selfrevelatory actions (6:2-8,29; 7:5,17, etc.). In this instance He exercised His ability and right to execute judgments, as He had said He would do (cp. 6:6; 7:4), even against all the gods of Egypt. 12:15-20 Eating unleavened bread would remind the Israelites of their rapid departure from Egypt that did not allow time for a leavening agent to make the bread rise (v. 39). Those who ate leavened bread showed disdain for what the Lord had done in founding Israel as a nation and were subject to either banishment (Num 19:13) or the death penalty, which was meted out to intentionally defiant lawbreakers in Num 15:22-31 and carried out by human or divine agency (Ex 31:14; Lv 20:1-24). Session 8 111