5. The Lord’s passover. The Passover was not instituted until the deliverance of Israel from Egypt (Ex. 12:14, 27). It commemorated the saving power of God exercised in their behalf on that historic occasion, and was therefore for them “the Lord’s passover.” In striking contrast, “the sabbath of the Lord” became such when, at the close of creation week, God Himself rested upon that day and set it apart for the use and benefit of all mankind (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Mark 2:27, 28). All men owe their very existence to the creative power of God and are therefore under obligation to Him to keep ever holy His appointed day of rest.
As stated, the Passover was instituted in memory of Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage. On the 10th day of the first month a lamb was selected for each household “according to the number of the souls,” or if the household was small, two or more households could unite for one sacrifice. The lamb was kept until the 14th day, when it was killed in the late afternoon, and its blood sprinkled on the doorposts (see on Ex. 12:1-10). The same night the flesh was eaten, not boiled as usual, but roasted. Only unleavened bread could be used, with bitter herbs ( 8). In later years there were modifications in this ritual, but it remained essentially the same.
The Passover sacrifice is distinguished by being called “my sacrifice” (Ex. 23:18; 34:25). The Passover commemorated Israel’s departure from Egypt. But it also looked forward to “Christ our Passover,” who was to be “sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7).In various respects the Passover fitly foreshadowed the crucifixion. At the crucifixion not a bone of Christ’s body was broken (John 19:36); not a bone of the Passover lamb might be broken (Ex. 12:46; Num. 9:12). The Passover lamb was slain the 14th day of Abib and eaten the same night (Ex. 12:6-10); Christ died at Passover time (John 19:14). The sprinkling of the blood meant a “passing over” in mercy, a deliverance from death (Ex. 12:13); so through Christ’s blood there has been a passing over of sins committed and confessed (Rom. 3:25). The Passover sacrifice was a lamb (Ex. 12:3); so Christ was “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). The lamb was to be without blemish (Ex. 12:5); Christ was without blemish (1 Peter 1:19). Its flesh was to be eaten (Ex. 12:7); likewise we must partake of His flesh (John 6:51).
The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are replete with gospel truth. In the slain lamb provision was made for saving the first-born. But the death of the lamb was not enough to assure salvation; the blood must be struck on the doorpost.
The Passover is symbolic of Christ’s death. He is our Passover (1 Cor. 5:7). On the cross He made provision for everyone to be saved. But the cross in and of itself saves no one. It only made salvation available (see John 1:12). The death of the lamb provided the means of salvation; the application of the blood made efficacious the means provided. Both were necessary. Thus for the Christian the atonement on the cross, though essential and sufficient for all, does not save any individual until there has been an individual application of the blood. The sprinkling of the blood was fully as important as the death of the lamb. Yet even this was not enough; the flesh must be eaten, and it must be eaten under the specified conditions (Ex. 12:11). And this was not enough; all leaven must be purged away. Carelessness in the least particular would be fraught with tragic results (Ex. 12:13, 19, 23).
It is one thing to be saved from death. It is another to have the means of sustaining life. This was provided positively by eating the lamb; negatively, by abstaining from leaven. Christ is “the living bread which came down from heaven,” of which a man must eat if he would “live for ever” (John 6:51). The lamb was to be roasted entire (Ex. 12:9). For each lamb there was to be a sufficient number of people so that all the flesh would be eaten (Ex. 12:4). Nothing was to be carried out of the house, and nothing left until morning. Whatever remained of those parts that could not be eaten was to be burned (Ex. 12:10, 46). Similarly, the Christian must assimilate completely the life of the One represented by the lamb. This means the entire identification of the believer with Christ. It means accepting fully the life and character of Jesus.
The counterpart of the Passover is found in the Lord’s Supper, the communion service. After Christ had come, there could be no more virtue in slaying the Passover lamb, which prefigured His coming. But there would be virtue in commemorating the sacrifice of Calvary and its sustaining power. For this reason our Lord instituted the symbolic meal of communion, the purpose of which is to remind us of the provision made for our salvation upon the cross. Like its prototype, it points both backward and forwardâwe are to remember Calvary “till he come” (1 Cor. 11:26).