10-10-19 Today in the Word

Freed for a Purpose
THE FIRST PASSOVER
Thursday, October 10, 2019 | Exodus 12:31–13:16

The Last Supper, celebrated by us today as communion or the Lord’s Table, was actually Jesus’ last Passover. This special meal commemorating freedom from slavery in Egypt has endured through the centuries as a celebration of God’s redemption. In the Last Supper, Jesus established a new symbolism—the bread for His body, the wine for His blood—but the meal remains a celebration of God’s redemption (Luke 22:7–20).
The Passover was such a significant event that all of Israel’s history would be dated from it (12:2). This was month one of year one! The story of this day would be told to every new generation (12:24–27). The Passover meal itself was filled with symbolism: The bitter herbs represented the many years of suffering and bondage. The bread without yeast was a reminder that it was originally eaten in haste, as the people prepared to leave Egypt. The lamb itself was to be unblemished or perfect.
We now know that the Passover lamb foreshadowed Christ Himself (1 Cor. 5:7). When John the Baptist pointed out Jesus to his disciples, he called Him, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Peter wrote: “You were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors . . . with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18–19).
The night the firstborn males died, Pharaoh changed his mind, summoned Moses to his presence, and agreed to let the people go (12:31–32). The Egyptians were eager to have the Israelites gone, and God gave them favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. So just as He’d said, the former slaves left the country in possession of wealth given them by their former oppressors (Gen. 15:14; Ex. 3:22). The triumph of God was thorough and (nearly) complete!

APPLY THE WORD
The Israelites were marked for life by the blood of the Passover lamb on their doorposts. Similarly, we have been marked for life by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, sacrificed for us. Have you accepted His salvation? By believing in His name, we gain the right to become God’s children (John 1:12–13). We’re born again into His family (John 3:3)!
PRAY WITH US
As we’re reading about Passover in today’s devotional, let’s bring our thanksgiving to Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb sacrificed for us. He is our salvation and our righteousness before God. And we are His!

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