APPROACHING YOUR YEAR-IV[part 1]— Exodus 12:3-13(:1-13)
•God’s people must approach their ‘New Year’ within the confines of an exclusive worldview.
Need:
For all that this New Year will hold, God’s people should & can approach it with Confidence! Even when we cannot know all that our future holds, we can live in peace & certainty thru it all, because our confidence rests in the absolute faithfulness of Almighty God toward His people!
God established a novel way for Israel to approach their calendar year.
God’s people should have a particular approach toward understanding their calendar year.
How are we to approach our new year?
Rom. 14:7-8—“For none of us lives to himself, & no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; & if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”
We’ve found previously that
A proper approach toward your year is found in...
1. Your GOD(:1a)
2. Your SPOKESMEN(:1b)
3. Your EGYPT(:1c)
4. Your PATTERN(:2)
5—A proper approach toward your year is also found in...
Your DELIVERANCE(:3-13)
Explanation:(:3-13) Faith/Passion
:3—““Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth day of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household.”
Moses is to openly share what God reveals to him.
Moses is to share it with “all the congregation of Israel.”
He is to reveal God’s plan for extracting Israel from enslavement by Egypt. Israel will be specifically instructed about what their part is, in receiving their freedom!
This is a true history, & at the time recorded, the multitude of the children of Israel, were enslaved to Egypt & the Egyptians.
“This month”(cf-:2, 13:4; 23:15)—Abib(Canaanite)/Nisan(Babylonian)—~March-April
13:4-5—“On this day you are going out, in the month Abib. And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites & the Hittites & the Amorites & the Hivites & the Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk & honey, that you shall keep this service in this month.”
“On the tenth day of this month...”—*See :6—“until the fourteenth day”—
4-5 days, were to be spent keeping the “lamb” healthy & ready for sacrifice! The specified “lamb” would thus be ‘intimately known’ by the family.
*This speaks to a person’s relationship to the Lord Jesus, who is our ‘passover’ sacrifice!
“Every man shall take for himself a lamb...”
The ‘saving sacrifice’(lamb) is PERSONAL.
“According to the house of his father, a lamb for a household.”
One “lamb” was expected to fulfill the need of one particular “household.”
:4—“‘And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him & his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb.”
*The ‘saving sacrifice’(lamb) is to be SHARED(among closest neighbors)
•The family unit was to be extended to their “neighbor next to” them. Thus the Passover(:11, 13) was an intentionally bonding event, that fostered the joining together, of all who were of ‘like faith.’
It can be assumed that no one was expected to ‘gorge themselves’ on the sacrifice...no one would be encouraged toward gluttony.
The amount of meat that would be supplied by the single “lamb”, was to be determined/calculated “according to” the amount which each person would/should eat.
•We are not told how much of “the lamb” was designated for each person. Nor are we told in what way it was to be determined.
*The ‘saving sacrifice’(lamb) establishes COMMUNITY.—draws those of common bonds/faith together.
:5—“‘Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.”
:5a—“‘Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year...”
The “lamb” was to be a ‘substitute’ for all who were in the faithful ‘family.’ It was a bittersweet & heartrending reminder of their own ‘perfect’ children whom they loved.
•Those children would not be lost to the plague, as would the first-born children of the Egyptians supportive of their hard-hearted & belligerent government!
•Isa. 43:1-4—“But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia & Seba in your place. Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you, And people for your life.”
“Unblemished/Without blemish”—Mymt taw-meem'—Complete, whole, entire, sound.
The “lamb” was a reminder that the Israelite ‘families-of-faith’ were spared only by the blood of perfect innocence.
Likewise, the faith of God’s people today—Christians— is centered solely upon the redemption provided by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!
-So....
*The ‘saving sacrifice’(lamb) is INNOCENT / UNTAINTED(by sin).
-&....
*The ‘saving sacrifice’(lamb) is a PERFECT Substitute.
Heb. 4:15-16—“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy & find grace to help in time of need.”
1Pet. 1:17-19—“....you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish & without spot.”
2Cor. 5:21—“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
1Jn. 3:5—“And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, & in Him there is no sin.”
:5b—“You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.”
•This “sheep”, this “lamb”, this “goat” was destined to become a substitutionary sacrifice(:6).
*FYI—Hebrew distinguishes between “sheep”[sbk keh-bes'] &/or “goat”[ze (az)].
•In the LXX(Greek translation of the OT), the Hebrew word—hs(seh), OR--ys(say)(‘an indeterminate one of a flock, or a sheep, or goat’)—is translated using the Greek word, probaton. Both hs(seh), OR--ys(say) -&- probaton are technically understood in both languages, as referring to the same—‘any small, domesticated, four-footed/legged animal, such as sheep or goats.’ Depending upon the context, it may refer to all, either, or the other.
•Larger domesticated animals such as Cows &/or Oxen(rqb baw-kawr’ -&-bouv; taurov), Horses(owo soos, OR--oo soos-&-ippov), Donkeys(rwmx kham-or’, OR(shortened)--rmx kham-or -&-onov), etc. are referred to separately/differently.
Later the Passover(among English speakers), would become specifically associated with the sacrifice of a ‘lamb’ only.
•Verse :21 in English, assumes that it is to be a ‘lamb’ that is sacrificed. However the word translated there as “lamb”, is Nau(tson), meaning either—‘small cattle, sheep, sheep & goats, flock, flocks.’
•Many centuries later, the sacrifice of “goats” is associated directly with the Passover(2Chron. 35:7-9[king Josiah]).
:6—“‘Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight.”
“‘Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month.’”
“The fourteenth day” would be the middle of the lunar month, when the moon would be full.
•Even at nighttime, the ‘sacrifice’ made by each Israelite ‘faith family’, would be obvious upon the lintel & doorposts in the moonlight!(:7)
“Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel...”
•All who hold the same passion, are to operate as one man.
They are a heavenly, God-ordained, & empowered ‘family’ of faith!
“Shall kill it at twilight”—
Each of the families are instructed to “kill” their lamb, that has ‘probably’ been in their house with them. They have become intimately acquainted with their particular lamb/goat.
“Twilight”—Evening, night, sunset.
•For Israel, their ‘day’ was measured from evening to the following evening(Gen. 1:5, et al).
•The slaughter at “twilight” would then signal the promise of a New Day for Israel!
Jn. 1:29-36—“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, & said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! “This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ “I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, & He remained upon Him. “I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, & remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ “And I have seen & testified that this is the Son of God.” Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!””
:7—“‘And they shall take some of the blood & put it on the two doorposts & on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.”
The ‘saving sacrifice’(lamb) is to be a FAITH STATEMENT
Each ‘family’ was to dab or blot(with hyssop-:22) the outside of the entrance to their house—“where they eat it”— with “the blood” of the sacrificed lamb.
Mat. 26:27-28—“Then He took the cup, & gave thanks, & gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
•Personal TRUST in innocent “blood”, is what holds & keeps God’s judgment from your account/life! The “blood” of Jesus Christ shed for me, frees my hands to serve Him fully! It is my responsibility, to trust Him & honor Him!
:8—“Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, & with unleavened bread & with bitter herbs they shall eat it.”
“...roasted in fire,...”—(See :9)
“Then they shall eat the flesh on that night;...”
•None of it was to be stored for later. An all or none situation.
Jn. 6:47-57—““ “I am the bread of life. “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, & are dead. “This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it & not die. “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; & the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man & drink His blood, you have no life in you. “Whoever eats My flesh & drinks My blood has eternal life, & I will raise him up at the last day. “For My flesh is food indeed, & My blood is drink indeed. “He who eats My flesh & drinks My blood abides in Me, & I in him. “As the living Father sent Me, & I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.”
That “they shall eat the flesh on that night” was to picture for Israel, complete dependence upon their Messiah, Jesus. They exclusively ‘fed’ on “the flesh” of the lamb. And by doing so, they would live, rather than being under Egypt’s curse.
“With unleavened bread...they shall eat it.”
“Unleavened bread” The lack of time to “leaven” the bread, was representative of the HASTE within which Israel was to eat their meal. There was no time for the bread to rise.
•Their opportunity was here. It was the night of a monumental decision...Trust YHWH!?
•No leavening agent....No yeast. The lack of a leavening agent is ALSO representative of an active removal of personal sin.
1Cor. 5:6-8—“...Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice & wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity & truth.”
“And with bitter herbs...they shall eat it.”
*The “bitter herbs” speak to at least a few things:
•Leaving behind the only home a person knows, & the only thing that is familiar, even though Israel’s was a slave’s existence, would cause “bitter”-sweet emotions to come into play.
•The unknowns of their future had potential to produce “bitterness.”
•The “bitter herbs” would also be a reminder of their condition in slavery.
•The “bitter herbs” would soon also be a reminder of their upcoming travail in the wilderness which they would endure as a result of their own unbelief.
•HOWEVER, the “bitter herbs” especially spoke to the condition of the ultimate & final sacrifice, Jesus Christ. His sacrifice being personally undeserved, Yet intentionally accomplished!
*Jesus received the ‘bitter cup’ of God’s judgment against your sin!—Dave Guzik
So the ‘saving sacrifice’(lamb) is BITTER-SWEET.
:9—“‘Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire--its head with its legs & its entrails.”
In Haste/Quickly(cf.-:11)...
“‘Do not eat it raw, nor boiled—Those two methods of consumption represent a degree of separation from the “fire” of judgment. That “fire” is vital to the future overall picture of the Passover.
“Roasted in fire--its head with its legs & its entrails.”(:8, 9)—God’s judgment came upon Christ, as sin, subjected to the ‘fire of hell’ for our sake(1Pet. 3:19).
1Pet. 3:18-20—“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went & preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.”
Eph. 4:7-10—“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended”--what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.).
*That is to say:
•God’s Lamb, Jesus, was exposed directly to the “fire” of God’s judgment, of hell. He took your sin & my sin upon Himself. He fully accepted God’s judgment against that sinfulness.
•Jesus took your place in hell! He did in fact, ‘atone for your sins’! Jesus being a man, yet Divine, & sinless, did not merely lay down His life, but He was “made sin for us”(2Cor. 5:21). He did that because no one other than Him, is able to pay the eternal price that sin earns for any of mankind.
•So, Jesus willingly died FOR you, INSTEAD of you being condemned to die eternally in hell!
2Cor. 5:21—For He[God] made Him[Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
1Pet. 2:24—“who Himself[Jesus] bore our sins in His own body on the tree[the Cross], that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.”
Isa. 53:5, 6, 10, 11, 12—“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”....“And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”....“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed...”....“....By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.”
CONCLUSION:
Action:
A proper approach toward your year is found in...
5. Your DELIVERANCE(:3-13)[part 1]
1. Your GOD(:1)
2. Your SPOKESMEN(:1)
3. Your EGYPT(:1)
4. Your PATTERN(:2)
Pt# 5[part-1 only!] Presented 01/21/2023am to:
Salem Baptist Church
1618 Salem Rd.
Bennettsville, SC 29512
