April 23
Moments with God, April 23
Genesis 22:8 (NIV) 8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. Exodus 12:3, 5-7, 13 (NASB) 3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are, each one, to take a lamb for themselves, according to the fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. 5 Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old…. 6 You shall … slaughter it at twilight. 7 Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you [o]live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will come upon you [p]to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. John 1:29 (NIV) 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Several years ago, we met some people who celebrated Passover. I found it interesting, but I had always considered that as a “Jewish” holiday. I was still discovering the wealth of truth in the Bible and felt that Passover was also in our past. Thus, celebrating it was not part of the “new” covenant. When our friends began to explain more about Passover, I realized that its truth had not “passed” away. The truth was still the truth that impacted our lives today. When I delved more deeply into this practice, I realized it would be good for us to experience it.
Today is the last day of Passover. The scriptures clearly tell us that the Lord our God had always meant for Jesus to be our Passover lamb. He established that truth with the plague of death that set Israel free from bondage. The people were to take an innocent lamb that was perfect in every way. They were to slaughter it, apply the blood to their doors, and eat all the lamb. Death would pass over them because of the blood. God Himself abides by His truth, so, as Abraham foretold, God will provide His own lamb. John the Baptist proclaims that God chose His Son to be our Passover lamb. Jesus was innocent and perfect. He was and is the only sacrifice that can cause death to pass over us. It is His blood that sanctifies us, forgives us, redeems us, and sets us free. The Father does not look for good works, acts of service, education, or titles. He looks for the blood of Jesus, our Passover Lamb. When we “apply” that blood to our lives, we are to follow in Jesus’s footsteps in every area of our lives. Tonight, we celebrate Passover, thanking Jesus for His willingness to be the Lamb of God Who takes away our sins.