The Messiah Mystery: A Lent StudyExemplo

Clues in the Desert

This lesson’s clues about who the Messiah is and why He came can be found in a famous story in Exodus about Moses and how God uses him to lead His people from Egyptian slavery.  This story is so dramatic and packed with clues that it feels like God was putting up lights and pounding a drumbeat saying, I want to restore our broken relationship.  My Son will be the way, He will look like this! Don’t miss Him!

God used ten plagues to remind His people that He was all-powerful. The plagues also proved to the Egyptian people that He was the real God, unlike their pretend gods made of wood and stone.

The Egyptians had suffered through plagues of locusts, flies, boils, and more.  Then God told Moses about the last plague He would bring: death to the firstborn son of every family.

But God made a way out for His people.  Each family must sacrifice a male lamb, perfect and healthy, and paint their doorposts with the lamb’s blood.  “And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:13).

Did you catch the clue? The blood of the lamb would be a sign that those families belong to the Lord, and His judgment would pass over them.  This night is called the Passover because death passed over them.

We don’t like to talk about blood—or death. Still, death is a consequence of sin so we must address it. But God made a way for the Israelites.

The blood of the lamb on the doorways of each Hebrew house was meant to be a vivid foretaste of Christ’s sacrifice.  Take time to thank God in your heart that the sacrifice of a Lamb—of Jesus’ blood—makes it possible for death to “pass over” us, too.

Dear God, we thank you for being a God who always provides a way for people to receive mercy and forgiveness.  Thank you for protecting the Israelites through the sacrifice of a lamb at Passover.  And thank you that through Jesus’ shed blood, my sin can be forgiven and death will “pass over” me.