Exodus 12 marks a monumental moment in the story of the Israelites—a moment where God’s deliverance is about to unfold in a powerful and life-changing way. In this chapter, we witness the institution of the Passover, which will become a lasting ordinance for Israel and a symbol of God’s protection and salvation. This chapter is not just about the past events in Egypt; it speaks to us today, showing us God’s plan for deliverance, the power of obedience, and the ultimate sacrifice that will one day be fulfilled in Christ.
The chapter begins with God giving specific instructions to Moses and Aaron about how the Israelites are to prepare for the final plague—the death of the firstborn in Egypt. This plague is the culmination of a series of judgments on Pharaoh and Egypt, but it also serves as a moment of deliverance for the Israelites. God tells Moses that on the tenth day of the month, each family should select a lamb without defect, one year old, and keep it until the fourteenth day, when it is to be slaughtered at twilight. This act of selecting and setting apart the lamb for several days is significant because it represents the importance of careful preparation. For us, this is a reminder that God doesn’t call us to be careless in our approach to Him or His commands. Just as the Israelites were instructed to choose a spotless lamb, we are called to examine our hearts and lives before approaching God, ensuring that we are fully committed to His will.
The blood of the lamb plays a crucial role in the Passover. The Israelites are instructed to take the blood and apply it to the doorposts and the lintels of their homes. This act of marking their homes with blood is not just a symbolic gesture; it is the means by which God will protect them from the final plague. When God sees the blood on the doorposts, He will pass over that house, sparing the firstborn from death. For us, this moment in history points forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, whose blood was shed for our sins. Just as the Israelites were spared by the blood of the lamb, we too are saved from the consequences of sin through the sacrifice of Jesus. The Passover not only marks a physical salvation for the Israelites but also points to a spiritual salvation for all people, achieved through the death and resurrection of Christ.
God also gives instructions about how the lamb should be prepared. It is to be roasted over the fire and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The unleavened bread symbolizes the haste with which the Israelites will leave Egypt—there is no time for leaven to rise, for God’s deliverance is about to happen quickly. The bitter herbs remind them of the bitterness of their slavery in Egypt, the harshness of their oppression. For us, this meal symbolizes more than just a historical event; it is a reminder of the bitterness of sin and the urgency of God’s salvation. The unleavened bread also speaks to the purity of the sacrifice. In the same way that the Israelites had to remove all leaven from their homes, we too are called to remove sin from our lives, living in a way that honors God and reflects the purity of the sacrifice Jesus made for us.
God further instructs the Israelites to eat the meal in haste, with their staff in hand and their sandals on their feet, ready to leave Egypt at a moment’s notice. This is a moment of anticipation, a moment of faith. The Israelites are to be prepared for the coming deliverance, knowing that God is about to act decisively on their behalf. For us, this speaks to the importance of being ready for God’s work in our lives. We should live in a state of preparedness, ready to move when God calls, ready to act in faith when He opens doors for us. This urgency in their preparation speaks to the need for a proactive faith—one that is always alert and obedient to God’s timing.
As the Israelites celebrate the Passover, God establishes it as a lasting ordinance for them and their descendants. Every year, they are to remember this night and celebrate their deliverance from Egypt. This meal, which begins as a moment of salvation, becomes a symbol of God’s faithfulness for generations to come. The Passover serves as a reminder to them and to us that God is a covenant-keeping God, whose promises endure through the generations. The act of remembering is central to our faith—just as the Israelites were called to remember God’s deliverance, we are called to remember the sacrifice of Jesus and His work in our lives. The practice of remembering helps us to keep our hearts focused on God’s goodness and reminds us of His faithfulness in our own journeys.
The chapter concludes with the final plague—the death of the firstborn. At midnight, the Lord strikes down every firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the animals. But when God sees the blood on the doorposts of the Israelites, He passes over their homes, sparing them from death. This is the moment when Pharaoh finally relents, and the Israelites are given permission to leave Egypt. This deliverance is not just physical—it is the fulfillment of God’s promise to bring His people out of bondage and into freedom.
For us, the Passover is a powerful reminder of the depth of God’s love and sacrifice. Just as the blood of the lamb saved the Israelites from death, the blood of Jesus saves us from eternal separation from God. The Passover meal was a moment of divine intervention in history, and in the same way, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was a divine act that changed the course of history forever. In our own lives, we are called to respond to God’s invitation for salvation with the same urgency and faith that the Israelites had as they prepared for their exodus from Egypt.
Exodus 12 is a chapter that speaks to us about God’s perfect timing, His provision, and His call to obedience. It reminds us that God’s deliverance is both personal and communal, and that His promises are sure. As we reflect on the significance of the Passover and what it represents in both the Old Testament and the New, we are invited to examine our hearts and lives, remembering that we are saved by the blood of the Lamb. Just as the Israelites celebrated their freedom from slavery, we too celebrate our freedom from sin, looking forward to the day when God will fully deliver us into the fullness of His kingdom.