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The Night the Lord Passed Over

The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. (Exodus 12:13)

The Israelites spent 430 years as slaves in Egypt. (Genesis 37–50 tells how they got there.) Pharaoh was determined to keep the Israelites as slaves, but God had promised to rescue them and bring them to the promised land (you can read this promise in Genesis 15:18). He struck Egypt with nine plagues, but Pharaoh still refused to obey and let the Israelites go. Ultimately, God will do what he says he will do. He was determined to rescue his people.

The last plague was the death of the firstborn, recorded in Exodus 12. The Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a perfect, spotless lamb. Each family smeared the blood of that lamb on the doorpost of their home to show that a lamb had died in place of the oldest son. The sacrificed lamb showed they were God’s protected children, and the Lord passed over their home. They were spared from judgment and death. Then, they cooked the lamb’s meat to give them strength—they were about to flee Egypt and would need it for the journey ahead! The Israelites celebrated this night of judgment and mercy as a yearly feast called Passover.

God is the holy and supreme Judge, who punishes sin. At the same time, he is our Rescuer, who loves us. Passover points to Jesus. Anyone who believes in Jesus is God’s own: “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). Jesus covered the doorposts of our soul with his own blood to save us from judgment.

Reflect on these questions after reading Exodus 12.

• What do God’s actions in Exodus 12 reveal about his character?
• How does this passage reveal both God’s justice (v. 12) and also his mercy (v. 13)?
• Based on what you read in Exodus 12, why do you think John the Baptist calls Jesus “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29)?
• What is Jesus called in 1 Corinthians 5:7? Why is that significant?

Pray

Today’s prayer comes from Deuteronomy 7:8–9.

Lord, I was a slave to sin, but you have rescued me with your mighty hand. You redeemed me with the blood of Christ. Thank you for calling me to be yours. Remind me that I am free in Christ and don’t have to live like a slave to sin. In Jesus’ name, amen.