EXODUS CHAPTER TWELVE --------------------- In the last chapter we saw in verse 5 that this last plague was not against all the firstborn "of the land of Egypt" but rather "in the land of Egypt." The Israelites were not OF the land of Egypt but they were in the land of Egypt. This Divine sentence was against Israel as much as it was against the Egyptians, in that both were deserving of it. However we read that not a dog shall so much as move its tongue against any of the Israelites, and also the Jehovah had put a difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians. To the unbelieving this may sound like a contradiction, but to the believer we see the wisdom of Almighty God. Wisdom that no human could come up with. Pink says, "The sentence of universal condemnation proceeded from the righteousness of God; the difference which He put between the Egyptians and Israel was the outflow of His grace. But how can justice and mercy be reconciled? How can justice exact its full due without excluding mercy? How can mercy be manifested except at the expenses of justice? This is the real problem here. The solution is found in Exodus 12." There was death in all the land of Egypt, but with the Israelites there was the death of the substitute. In verse 11 we see that it was the LORD'S passover, and back in Gen 22:8 we saw that the LORD would "provide himself a lamb." That the passover was a sacrifice is clearly seen in verse 27 where we read, "It [is] the sacrifice of the LORD'S passover." Also we read in 1Co 5:7 "For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us." First, a sacrifice is a propitiatory satisfaction rendered unto God. Compare Numbers 16:45-48 Second, a sacrifice is associated with thanksgiving and praise unto God. Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name. The lamb must be KILLED (vs 6). Death be inflicted. The wages of sin is death. Either death will be inflicted upon the guilty transgressor or upon the innocent substitute. Not only was the blood shed but it was to be applied to the door posts. In Heb 11:28 it was said to be sprinkled. The first is for propitiation the second is for appropriation. In type this points out the fact that Christ must be received. His blood was shed, but the sinner must receive the work by faith. Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, God's eye was not upon the house or those within, but upon the blood. It might have been a high and mighty house, but without blood it was a house of death. Yet on the other hand it might have been a lowly house, yet if the passover blood was upon its door posts then it was spared house. The persons within might have been circumcised the eighth day and had walked blamelessly so far as the law was concerned, yet without the shedding and the application of the innocent blood, death would enter in. The difference was smeared blood on the house. Can you imagine what the well-to-do would think of smearing blood on their lovely beautiful richly homes! "Away with such folly!" they would say. The fact that it was what stood between the Israelite and death is plainly seen in Hebrews 11:28. Heb 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. The passover was the foundation of their security. That which provided a safe refuge from the impending judgement was the death of the passover lamb and the sprinkling of its blood. But that which offered peace to the heart was the promise that Jehovah made concerning the passover lamb. A promise given by Him who can not lie. Our peace CAN NOT rest upon emotion or rituals, but only in the promise of God in the person of Jesus Christ. Had the father not sacrificed the passover lamb, yet lied to his firstborn son, his son might have had peace, but it would have been false peace. On the other hand, if we have received Christ by faith, understanding that it is totally by the shed blood, then we can only rest upon God's promise. That is enough! Verses 1-2, This was to mark the beginning of their year. Passover night was between the 14th and 15th day of this beginning month. So to, the coming of Christ to this earth changed the calendar, and it starts not from his death, but from his birth. Verses 3-6, We see that it is a lamb separated from the flock four days before it's death. So Christ was crucified some 3.5 years after he was separated from the rest of Israel as the Lamb of God. He was also a lamb without spot and without blemish, who was verily foreordained before the foundation of the world. (1Pe 1:19). Without blemish vs 5 - Lev 22:21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish [his] vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. 22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD. 1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: a male of the first year - Not old nor young. It was to die in the fulness of its strength. So too Christ was cut off in the midst of his days. the progression - "a lamb" in verse 3 "the lamb" in verse 4 "your lamb" in verse 5 "a lamb" to the unregenerate sinner. "the lamb" to the convicted and awakened sinner. "your lamb" to the separated child of God the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it- It was not just the priests that put Christ to death, but the people a well. They all cried crucify him (Mark 15:6-15). Likewise, it is the sins of all the believers that caused the death of Christ. in the evening - Heb. = between the two evenings Between the 14th and 15th day of the month. Christ died at the very time that the Pascal lamb was being slain in the temple. kill IT - Though perhaps thousands of lambs were being slain that very night, not once is it referred to in the plural. Not lambs, but lamb. There was only ONE before God's mind. Verse 7 - The two sides and the upper door post. In verse 22 it says bason which can be translated threshold. Pink thinks this points to the blood on his head from the thorns and on his sides from his hands and also on his feet. Verse 8 - They were to eat it. The same lamb that protected them was their food. So too, Christ is the bread of life. Leaven symbolizes sin. So only when we live separated lives can we have communion with God and fellowship with the saints. 1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. bitter herbs - speaks of the remorse for sin in our lives. It is our sins that caused Christ to suffer. Verse 9, roasted with fire - Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but AFTER this the judgment: Fire speaks of God's holy wrath against sin. his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof - The thoughts of his mind and his walk and his heart. His very soul was made an offering for sin. Isa 53:12 Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Verse 10, it was to be eaten in one night; the same night that it was killed. The atoning work of Christ is not a progressive work, as the Roman Catholic Church would like to think, but rather a completed work. Verses 11-12, They were to eat it in haste. The destruction and their deliverance was near at hand. Compare: Luke 12:35-40 Luke 17:26-31 (look at vs 31) Their gods: Nu 33:4 For the Egyptians buried all [their] firstborn, which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments. Verse 13, Death will passover the house where the blood has been applied to the door posts. This is the reason the feast is called the passover. Verse 14, This day was the 15th of the first month. Abib or Nisan. It was to be a memorial, a thing to be remembered, how that the LORD had delivered them out of Egypt. Verses 15, from the evening of the 15th day to the evening of the 22nd day. Compare Numbers 28:16-18 Gill says that this is a distinct festival from what was properly called the passover, and does not respect the first passover in Egypt. The seven days were given later. Passover was the FIRST day. It was from the evening of the 14th day (beginning of that day, which was the passover see 12:6) to the evening of the 22nd (beginning of 22nd), which was 8 days total counting passover. However the Jews did not eat leaven bread for 30 days after the passover out of necessity. And also the passover meal was eaten without leaven, but this feast stands apart from the passover itself in that it was given later. One feast however - In the new testament it is mentioned as one feast. The Compact Bible Dictionary mentions 7 feasts, the first being Passover OR the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Compare: Mt 26:17 (1st day of unleavened bread they were going to eat the passover) Lu 2:41-43 (notice the feast is passover, yet days are mentioned) Lu 22:1 (here the feast of unleavened bread is called the passover) Lu 22:7-8 Eze 45:21 In the first [month], in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. Verse 16, IN the 1st and IN the 7th day there was to be an holy convocation, where no work was to be performed. convocation = sacred assembly AV - convocation 19, assemblies 2, calling 1, reading 1; 23 Verse 17, This feast looks to that day that they were brought out of Egypt. Verse 18, This feast began on the 14th day and continued till the 22nd day which totals 7 days. The evening of the 14th was the day that the passover lamb was to be killed (see vs 6), which was the beginning of that day, since the Jews begin their day at evening. So though this feast stands apart from the passover night it is part of the same feast. Gill says this day began on the 15th the day after passover. Verse 19, This shows that this was for a later time after they had come out of Egypt. For they left their houses the day of the passover. Verse 20, Leaven being a type of sin Verses 21-23, This is the command by Moses given to the elders the night that the death angel, called the destroyer, came into Egypt. hysop = a plant used for medicinal and religious purposes bason = could mean threshold AV - door 12, threshold 8, bason 4, posts 3, bowls 2, gates 2, cup 1; 32 However there is no mention of the Lord seeing the blood in the bason, only the lintel and the two sides (see vs 23) lintel = upper door post (the top portion) They were to stay in their houses till MORNING (vs 22). Verses 24-27, They were to observe this thing as an ordinance, that is a thing prescribed, or due. ordinance: AV - statute 87, ordinance 9, decree 7, due 4, law 4, portion 3, bounds 2, custom 2, appointed 1, commandments 1, misc 7; 127 Verses 28-33, The death angel visits Egypt at Midnight. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron while it was still dark. The Egyptians were URGENT to get the Israelites out of their land, else they should all die. Verse 34, This verse shows that the dough they took was unleavened thus they ate unleavened bread the next few days. Verses 35-36, The Egyptians had given the Israelites so much that it was said that they spoiled the Egyptians. Spoiled is in the Piel stem, which means to strip off. Verse 37, 600,000 men besides the women, old men and children. These were men on foot. Gill estimates 2.5 million people in all. Raamses or Rameses = "child of the sun" 1) a city in lower Egypt built by Hebrew slaves; probably in Goshen Succoth = "booths" 1) the site where Jacob put up booths for his cattle and built a house for himself; apparently east of the Jordan near the ford of the torrent Jabbok and later allotted to the tribe of Gad 2) the 1st stopping place of the Israelites when they left Egypt ( Not the same place where Jacob put up booths, but named so by the children of Israel because they first pitched there tents or booths there, which the name implies. ) Verse 38, a mixed...: Heb. a great mixture A mixture of women, children, men and animals. Verse 39, What remained of the passover lamb was to be burned, so they had only unleavened dough. Verses 40-41, The Septuagint version adds, "and in the land of Canaan." Some other versions read "and in the rest of the lands." Israel did not dwell in Egypt 400 years. Gill says not much more than 200 years. The verse does not say that they dwelt in Egypt 400 years, but that their sojourning had been for 400 years and that they had dwelt in Egypt. The 430 years is from the calling of Abraham till the time that they left out of Egypt. Proof: Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 And this I say, [that] the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. Verse 42, It is a night that points to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a night that shows that without the shedding of blood there is no remission. It was a night that Israel was to observe all their days. Verses 43-49, 1) That no stranger could eat of this passover meal. The feast was for Israel alone. The children of Abraham. The family of faith. We too are the children of Abraham through faith. Ga 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 2) No hired servant could eat, because it was not by works. The hired servant works for pay. He has no part in it. Ro 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 3) No uncircumcised person could participate. Circumcision was a sign of the covenant given to Abraham. And only those who belonged to the covenant could feed upon the lamb. Pink says, "Circumcision was God's sentence of death written upon nature. Circumcision has its antitype in the cross." 4) However a bond-servant who had been purchased and circumcised could participate. This is a picture of the Gentiles being brought in to the family of God and being blessed and partaking of the fruits of the Lamb of God, who is Jesus Christ. We see in 12:46 that it was to be eaten in ONE house and that not a bone was to be broken. The lamb was to be eaten under the shelter of the atoning blood and there alone. The lamb can only be eaten in the place where its virtue is owned. We can not eat of Christ without understanding what He did and the purpose of His shed blood. Many men who say they believe in Christ and say they are feeding upon Him, yet deny the vicarious and efficacious shed blood cannot in reality eat of Christ. Not a bone broken - this again points to Christ. Ps 34:20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. Joh 19:33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: Joh 19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. Verses 50-51, That is, they slew that lamb and put its blood on the door posts. It was that same day, even though they left in the morning, because the evening and the morning are the first day. There were so many men that it was said their armies. armies = AV - host 393, war 41, army 29, battle 5, service 5, appointed time 3, warfare 2, soldiers 1, company 1, misc 5; 485 1) that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host 1a) army, host 1a1) host (of organised army) 1a2) host (of angels) 1a3) of sun, moon, and stars 1a4) of whole creation 1b) war, warfare, service, go out to war 1c) service We are soldiers, but the weapons of our warfare are spiritual. 2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;