Subject Twenty-five

THE PASSOVER

Scripture: Exo. 12

1. The position of man by birth
   1. In the world. The children of Israel were born in Egypt. Every human being is born in the world.
      1. All things in the world are contrary to God and against God. The world occupies mankind, which God created, in just the same way that Egypt occupied the Israelites at that time.
      2. Because man has been born into the world, not only is he occupied by the world, but he also follows the world in opposing God.
   2. Under the power of Satan.
      1. Man is under the power of Satan just as the Israelites were under Pharaoh.
      2. Exodus 12:12 says that God will smite all the gods of Egypt, which means that He will smite all the idols of Egypt. Today, people in the world are all worshipping idols and are under the power of Satan. One day God will come and judge them also.
      3. Worshipping idols is the greatest sin against God, for God is a jealous God. Idol worship is just like a married woman committing adultery.
   3. In sin.
      1. When the Israelites stayed in Egypt, they committed sins just as the Egyptians did.
      2. All the people in the world are committing sins. Speak about men’s sins and the manner in which they are committed.
      3. For man to commit sins is to sin against God.
2. The appointed judgment
   1. Judgment is appointed.
      1. Men have committed sins and have done evil things in the world; they have followed Satan and worshipped idols. God’s judgment has already been appointed to men a long time ago.
      2. When the time comes, God will execute His predestinated judgment.
   2. The result of judgment.
      The result of judgment is death. Use Exodus 12 to explain that God’s appointed judgment upon the Egyptians was that one in each house should die. Speak more about death being appointed to everyone, if time allows.
3. The way of salvation prepared by God
   1. The lamb.
      1. Explain how the Israelites prepared the lamb at that time.
      2. The lamb typifies Christ.
      3. Explain how they examined the lamb. Examining the lamb is examining Christ. Those who examined Christ could not find any fault with Him.
      4. Explain how the lamb became their substitute.
   2. Shedding of blood.
      1. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin.
      2. When God’s judgment comes only the blood can deliver man. On the day that God’s judgment came to the land of Egypt, every house had to have the shed blood. Unless you want to shed your own blood, you must have the blood of a lamb to substitute for you.
      3. All the houses of Israel had the blood of the lamb to substitute for them.
      4. All the houses that had the lamb as a substitute escaped death and escaped God’s judgment.
   3. The sign of the blood.
      1. God looks only at the blood, not at man. God had the blood as the basis and as the sign.
      2. Man cannot depend on his own good deeds or his own virtue to escape from God’s judgment.
      3. The importance of the blood. Here you can use more Scripture verses, such as the blood washes us from our sins, sins were forgiven by the blood, and we are redeemed by the blood, etc. (Eph. 1:7; Matt. 26:28; Rev. 1:5).
4. The application of God’s salvation
   1. Believe.
      1. In that day for the Israelites to kill the lamb was to believe the lamb. The killing was believing. At the moment we believed, we all killed the Lord Jesus on the cross. Every one that believes will have the feeling that it was my sins that had crucified my Savior on the cross. Although it was because of God’s righteousness that Jesus was killed on the cross, nevertheless, in terms of our feeling, it was our sins that had crucified Him.
      2. To believe is to receive.
         The Israelites not only killed the lamb, but also struck the blood upon the lintel and on the two side posts. Striking the blood is receiving. There are two steps to the receiving: the first is to strike the blood, and the second is to eat the lamb. Eating the lamb is taking Christ into us as life.
   2. Remission of sins.
      1. The Israelites had the feast of the Passover and the feast of the Unleavened Bread at the same time. When they ate the lamb, they also had the unleavened bread. This means that on one hand they received the Lord’s life and on the other hand their sins were forgiven.
      2. The lamb should be eaten with bitter herbs. This means that with a broken and contrite heart man is willing to get rid of his sins.
   3. Receive the words of God.
      1. God’s saving way is prepared by God, but it was given to us through the words of God. So today when we believe in Him, we should also receive His words.
      2. Once we receive the words of God, we are saved.
      3. Once we receive the words of God, we experience the Passover. God’s judgment passes over us, and we are at peace.
   4. The result.
      1. Delivered from God’s condemnation.
      2. Delivered from Satan’s domination.
      3. Delivered from the world’s occupation.
      4. Walking out of the world. When the Israelites were eating the lamb, they had to have their loins girded, shoes on their feet, and a staff in their hand. They ate in haste so that they could leave Egypt in haste.
         This message may be given in two sessions.