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The Hebrew people—Abraham’s descendants—are God’s chosen people. They are the ones chosen by God to be in a covenant relationship, and for lack of a better word, they’re just special to Him.

All throughout the Bible, we follow this thread. God wants the Israelites to love and serve Him, but God’s people don’t stay consistent in their affections. Over and over again He woos them to Himself, but the cycle continues. 

God’s paying close attention to His people, and He’s not missing a thing. He’s setting the scene here for a rescue, and the call to lead that rescue comes to Moses in a strange way. 

Exodus 3:2 says, “And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.”

Have you wondered how the burning bush fit into everything? Well now you know. It’s the place where God spoke to Moses and told him what He was planning to do with him. Moses responded to God by saying “Here I am,” (Exodus 3:4). He essentially said, “I’m ready and listening, Lord.”

Moses and his brother Aaron go to Pharaoh and just as God told them he would, Pharaoh refuses to release the Israelites. In response God sends a series of ten plagues to punish Pharaoh and the Egyptians.

After nine plagues, Pharaoh still refuses to let God’s people leave the land. Moses then warns him of the final plague—the death of every firstborn child in Egypt.

Just before the last plague happens, God commands His people to take a lamb without blemish, kill it, and put some of its blood on the doorpost of their homes.

God explains that during the night He will “pass over” every house marked with blood, thereby protecting the firstborn children of His people. Tell me you see the beauty of this symbolism, because it isn’t by accident. Jesus, referred to as the “spotless Lamb,” will be sacrificed on our behalf, His blood protecting us from death.

From early in Scripture, we see the need for sacrifice. In all sorts of situations, an item was sacrificed on behalf of the people, thereby making it a substitution. Jesus Christ will serve as the ultimate Substitute and all of these beautiful images are leading up to that moment.