By the time Moses had retreated and Pharaoh had dug in, the land of Egypt was wasted. Nine plagues had ravished both water and land; crops and livestock. The residue of God’s judgment could be seen in every corner of the nation. God made His intent clear when He said, Exodus 14:18 “And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD…”
Of the ten plagues only one was able to afflict both Hebrew and Egyptian. The tenth plague would know no boundary. The ninth was that of Darkness, and yet, there was light in the land of the Lord’s people. However, the final one would offer no reprieve. Everyone was required to cover their homes with the blood of an innocent lamb. Both Egypt and Israel had the opportunity to save their sons if the blood was applied. If not, judgment was certain to come.
God sent an angel at midnight. It was the commencement of something far beyond the moment in which they lived. Each home which had the sign of the blood on their doorposts were saved. The angel would “pass over” when he saw the blood, thus the day was called The Passover.
While we have adopted the term “Easter” (having multiple meanings in American culture), the root of it was always The Passover. It was the moment when the curse of death could not enter by virtue of the applied blood. The difference between the Passover of Moses and the day in which Jesus died was that Jesus was The Lamb of God. His blood was precious, atoning, and perfect. His death was the sacrifice made once and for all. The whole of humanity would now have the ability to be covered by the saving Blood of the sinless sacrifice.
His death gives reason for forgiveness and His burial gives promise of removal. Howbeit, His resurrection gives Hope of a New Life. Today, we are thankful for His sacrifice and His burial; and we rejoice at His assurance of His empty tomb. Paul wrote it this way:
Romans 6:4-5 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:”
It came by way of The Passover…
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole
