“And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s pass-over.” Exodus 12:11
One of the greatest, and most singular events in history, one which would change nations, and provide man with a pathway to knowing God, was the Passover. Scripture calls it, “The Lord’s pass-over.” Why is it so very important, with such a power and potential to change mankind? It is basically because of the intervention of God, and the specific and powerful revelation of His glory and power.
It had been more than four hundred years since God revealed to Abraham a promise: “Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.” (Gen. 15:14) God went on to tell Abraham, “And also that nation, whom they shall serve I will judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.” God brought together a set of circumstances, raising up Moses as a pivotal figure, to bring the oppressed people of Israel, to the point of willingness to trust and obey Him, in order to be delivered from a Pharaoh’s tyrannical, godless, rule. After God had sent the plagues upon the Egyptians, no man knew at what point, or in what manner, the people would be free to leave Egypt. Nor did the people know by what means they would be led out of Egypt, and through the wastes of the wilderness towards a promised land. All they could, and must, do was to trust God, and follow His instructions by the hand and words of Moses. The moment of the final plague came when God told Moses that the first born of all animals, and families alike, would die during the night of what would be called, “…the Lord’s Passover.” It would be close to midnight that the Lord would “pass over” the land, and those individuals of faith, who would have followed His instructions about readiness that night would be spared the death of a first born. Those who were not of faith to trust and obey God, would suffer the devastating loss of a loved one that night, even the first born of every thing both of man and beast? How then were the people of Israel to prepare for this “pass over?”
The first, and foremost thing that needed to be done had to be the sacrifice of a lamb, “…without blemish, a male of the first year: …(to be taken) out from the sheep, or from the goats.” (Exodus 12:5) Specifically, every man was to take a lamb, “…according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house.” (12:3) Why is this so very important? God’s salvation, though great and all-encompassing, is meant for the individual sinner, and family, as well as a nation. Preparation begins at the individual level. The blood of this slain lamb was to be “struck” on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein the people would eat the roasted sacrifice. The promise of God would be, “…And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you.” (Exodus 12:13) The act of putting the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintels, was followed by retiring into the house behind closed doors. The second means of readiness was the eating of the pass-over supper, leaving nothing. Being fully clothed, with shoes on one’s feet, and staff in hand, there was to be the expectancy of departure at the designated moment. The Lord would even instruct Israel to eat the pass-over meal “in haste,” for there would be but one overwhelmingly important moment when the door of freedom would open by the hand of God. The Lord would strike Egypt; Israel’s bonds would be severed.
Father, Make us ready today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.