Exodus, Message 5: The Passover

Crystallization-Study of Exodus, Message 5:

"The Passover"

Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:13 NKJV)

Exodus 12 records the institution of Passover, which comes from the English words "pass" and "over." It was during the last plague, the death of the firstborn, after which Pharaoh let the children of Israel leave the land of Egypt. The people were commanded by God to offer Him the sacrifice of Passover lamb, and strike the lintel and the doorposts with the blood of the lamb. The LORD would pass through to strike all the houses in the land and take the lives of all the firstborn. However, if the blood was seen on the lintel and the doorposts, the LORD will pass over the houses.

In the letter to the church in Corinth, Paul states that Christ is not only our Passover Lamb, but every single detail of the Passover. He is the substance of the Passover.

For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. (1 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV)

There are at least 4 items related to the Passover that typify Christ: Passover Lamb, unleavened bread, bitter herbs and house.

The Passover lamb typifies Christ as our Redeemer and our life supply. The unleavened bread typifies Christ as the sinless One. The bitter herbs typifies Christ who helps us feel the bitterness of sin and leads us to repentance. The house typifies Christ as our dwelling place, under which and in which we eat and feast.

 

The Passover Lamb

The Passover lamb typifies Christ.

Unequivocally, Passover is a type of Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29 NKJV)

The blood of the Passover lamb was for redemption of the firstborn of the children of Israel. It therefore signifies the blood of Christ, which redeems us from our sins and from the devastating consequences of our sins, God's righteous judgment.

The children of Israel were charged to eat the Passover lamb after the sacrifice. It is edible and to be eaten. The flesh of the Passover lamb therefore signifies the flesh of Christ, which is not for our redemption, but for our life supply. Christ as our true food supplies us, strengthens us and energises us to move out of the world, which is typified by the land of Egypt.

"For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed." (John 6:55 NKJV)

 

The Passover lamb was to be roasted in fire.

8 Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
9 Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire --- its head with its legs and its entrails. (Exodus 12:8-9 NKJV)

The flesh of the Passover lamb must be cooked by roasting in fire. The children of Israel were charged not to eat it raw or boiled with water.

The fire signifies God's righteous judgment. The death of Christ was not just a model of sacrifice or a death of a martyr. Christ passed through God's justice and righteousness. He who knew not sin became sin, suffered God's divine judgment and bore the death penalty for our sins on our behalves. Christ is the essence of the Passover lamb roasted in fire.

The Passover lamb was to be eaten in its entirety.

Just as the children of Israel were to eat the Passover lamb in its entirety, we must also take Christ in His entirety.

The head signifies wisdom. The legs signify move and activities. The inward parts signify feelings and affection.

To take Christ in His entirety means that we must take His wisdom, His move, His activities, His feelings and affections as ours. We must be totally confirmed to His image. However, we can never be like Him by trying to imitate Him. We must let Him come into our lives and live our lives.

 

The month Abib

This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. (Exodus 12:2 NKJV)

On this day you are going out, in the month Abib. (Exodus 13:4 NKJV)

Since the Passover, the calendar of the children of Israel changed. Whatever month it was, it would become the first month for them. And this month was to be called the month Abib.

Everyone has civil calendar. But all true believers have an additional calendar since their second birth called the "sacred calendar." Their new era starts with the month Abib.

Abib means sprouting and budding. It therefore denotes a new beginning of life. It is an experience of every believer when he receives Christ. It is the experience of the organic Christ sprouting and budding in us.

This must not be a short-time experience. It must be our everyday experience. We need to come to the Lord every day and have a new start every day. This is our experience of the month Abib.

 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. (Exodus 13:7 NKJV)

The feast of Passover was only one-day event. Following the Passover, there was the feast of unleavened bread, which lasted for 7 days.

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul charges us to keep the feast.

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV)

This feast must be the feast of unleavened bread. As the number seven signifies the completion, the feast is to be kept until we go to the Lord or until He comes.

In typology, the unleavened bread typifies Christ's crucified, resurrected and sinless life.

When leaven is added to bread, the bread is softened and easy to swallow.

In our experiences, many times sin makes hard things softened. It can be much easier for us to lie than to tell the truth, because many times lie helps us avoid difficult situations that may follow if we tell the truth. However, we know that any sin inevitably brings us to devastating end. It cuts our fellowship with God and hinders us from the enjoyment of Christ.

If you want to continue enjoying the feast of unleavened bread, we must live a sinless life. Of course, we cannot literally be without sin, but at least we must deal with any sin exposed to our mind. Sin and Christ's sinless life cannot go together. And the only way we can overcome sin and get rid of it is eating the sinless One and become one with Him.

Here we can see an amplification cycle. If we deal with sin, we will be able to continue enjoying the feast of unleavened bread. And the more we feast with Him, the more power we have to get rid of our sin.

Additionally, the feast of unleavened bread is called a feast, not a duty. This signifies that God's salvation is for us not to work. His charge is only for us to eat. In the enjoyment of Christ, there is no place of work.

In conclusion, in the feast of unleavened bread, there must be neither leaven nor the manner of work. It is all about eating Him, enjoying Him and experiencing His life.

 

Further reading

• The Holy Word for Morning Revival: Crystallization-Study of Exodus, week 5.
• Life Study of Exodus, messages 23-25.