Exodus 12:13-14  “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. ¹³ The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

Today is the first day of Passover.  The Lord told the Israelites that they were to commemorate it as a feast to the Lord for generations.  We tend to pronounce the word Pass’-over with the emphasis on the first syllable.  It is the name of an event that occurs every year.  But when you read this text, it is two words and we typically place the emphasis on the second.  The Lord says, “…and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.”  This might seem like a little thing, but it’s a helpful ‘trigger’ to recalling the richness of the event.

The Passover commemorates the Lord seeing the lamb’s blood on the sides and the tops of the doorframes and ‘passing over’ the children of Israel.  The destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. (Heb 11:28)  The key element in this is the blood of the Passover lamb.  This lamb, slaughtered by each family, was to be without blemish or defect and was sacrificed to protect them.

When I read about the Passover lamb, my thoughts go immediately to John the Baptist’s declaration when he saw Jesus.  John declared, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)  Later, Peter writes regarding our redemption that is was not with silver or gold, “but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”  (1 Peter 1:19)

Paul declares Christ to be our Passover lamb that has been sacrificed for us. (1 Corinthians 5:7)  But best of all, Jesus is the Lamb of God who was slain and is alive!  John refers to Jesus repeatedly as the Lamb in Revelation.  One of my favorites is his description in Revelation 5:11-12:

”Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. ¹² In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

Little did the disciples realize that when they celebrated Passover with Jesus at the last supper, that they were about to witness the sacrificing of the Lamb of God, once and for all, to bring salvation to mankind.