Be rescued by God - Exodus 12:1-42
This is a sermon by Abraham Overvoorde from the Riverside Church service on 11th August 2024.
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Be Rescued by God – Exodus 12:1-42
We spent a week in the Lake District the week before last and took a day trip to Ambleside. We had Heather Tinker with us who recounted a story to us on the way back of how she saw a sheep on the narrow path walking towards her with two shepherds and a sheep dog. So as you would, she stopped and tucked in at the side of the path. She was stood next to a stile. As the shepherds and the sheep got closer she could see that they were dragging her along by its horns, she was stubborn or maybe heard-hearted and did not want to go, so it was the only way to get her to go the way they wanted. When they reached Heather, they pointed to the stile and said, we’re going over that. Surprised about this, Heather offered to hold the dog who was pulling at its lead to herd this sheep, while the two shepherds pushed and dragged the ewe over. What a horrible journey for this sheep, why was she been dragged and pushed and forced where she did not want to go. I guess she was heard-hearted but also Heather found out that the sheep was unwell and they needed to treat it and rescue it. We can only assume that was the easiest route and there was no gate that could be opened to make things easier.
I wonder how the Israelites living in Egypt are feeling as they live in slavery, being dragged and pushed around, been beaten, their children killed and forced to do more and more work in less and less time. Can we relate to that, maybe not in slavery but do we feel in life we are being mistreated, like God has forgotten you, do you feel God is dragging you through this awful situation? Do you feel there is just no rest, life just seems relentless. Do you feel lonely, battling the walk you’ve been given, alone and unsure.
Well the Israelites should have been remembering God’s promises of rescue for his people despite their dire situation. Just like we should be remembering the wonderful rescue we have received and how Christ will return. It is coming for God’s people, and we’ve seen the build-up to this rescue from Egypt over the last 4 chapters of Exodus which we heard about last week. We’ve read the story so many times to our kids and they know the lines, Moses said to Pharoah “Let my people Go” and Pharoah said “NO!”, seven times that is recorded in this book. Pharoah is stubborn, of course he is, he’s the boss, he’s in charge, he doesn’t want to lose his entire workforce. Just like in a car journey and right at the beginning, your child asks, “are we nearly there yet”, NO and hundred more times no.
God’s people must have been thinking, is this guy ever going to relent, God’s judgements and signs keep going on and it’s not changing his mind. There is a battle going on between God and Pharoah, yet it is one that God is always in control.
So how will God rescue his people, this will be through the Passover. So let’s look at these first 20 verses and explore that a little more.
Firstly we see God setting out specific instructions for his people, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.
God is rewriting their calendar here, he is emphasising that this Passover, this rescue is going to be important, diary changing, monumental enough for it to now become the first month in their year. We also see in verse 11 it says: it is the Lord’s Passover. It’s an act of God.
And the instructions from the Lord are to take this year old male Lamb without defect, so the ewe Heather saw would be no good for a number of reasons. One for each household, or if a household could not eat it all, they were to share with a neighbour. I’m not sure how good my family would be at eating a whole lamb but on a Life group night it would be no problem, we love our life group food nights.
The importance of this day is emphasised by the careful instructions that were laid out for celebrating this event. Just like we celebrate Easter, the Jews celebrate Passover, the festival of Unleavened Bread. Prior to the celebration, they would spring clean their house removing any bread and banned foods. Then they would celebrate with a Seder service where they read the book of Exodus and have from the Seder plate each of which has meaning, a green vegetable, usually parsley which symbolises the Israelites time of flourishing in Egypt. Haroset, sweet fruit and nut paste to symbolise the mortar they used in construction during their slavery. They have two types of bitter herb to symbolise the bitterness in that slavery. Zeroa, a lamb shank bone for the lamb that was sacrificed. Finally Beitzah, or an egg which symbolises hope and new beginning. They also celebrate with a family meal, eat unleavened bread and drink wine.
It is a commemoration, a celebration of God providing a sacrifice as he brought judgement on the Egyptians and also the rescue in bringing them our of Egypt by his might hand.
In the shadow of the lambs in Egypt, we see Jesus, our Passover Lamb. Tim Chester said of this;
Over a millennium after these verse in Exodus, with this unfinished business still waiting to be resolved, John the Baptist sees Jesus and says, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
A few years later, Peter says, "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" (1 Peter 1:18-19). Paul describes Christ as "our Passover lamb" in 1 Corinthians:
The truth is, that for us the cross is the defining moment, that is why we celebrate at Easter and all year round with communion, to remember Christ, the ultimate Passover lamb who was sacrificed as a substitute for our sin, so that we can be safe. It’s interesting that the Jews still eat unleavened bread during Passover and drink wine, when Jesus broke bread and drank wine at Passover with his disciples, he pointed to his own broken body and shed blood. It’s clear isn’t it that the eyes of the Jews are blinded to the one who their Passover celebrations points to, they need the veil removing from their eyes to see the true Saviour and receive full rescue themselves rather than just remembering the past rescue their people received.
I’ve watched some videos on YouTube of people who have an eye condition and haven’t been able to see for years and through an operation or special glasses, the can now see for the first time or after such a long time. There was one guy who saw his wife and daughter for the first time. Beautiful emotion as the veil is removed from his eyes, and he could see clearly and declared how beautiful they both were. That’s what all those who do not see Jesus as the fulfilment of the Passover need to have happen to them, blinded eyes need to be opened, hardened hearts need to be softened to the promised Messiah of God.
Verses 21-23 are the bloody instructions for God’s people to avoid this judgement of God. A lamb without defect must be killed as a sacrifice, pointing again to Jesus who was spotless, without sin, had there been one sin in Christ, he would not been capable of being our Saviour, but he was spotless, perfectly innocent and he is able to save.
Why did the Israelites have to perform this act though, why did they need to kill this lamb if they were God’s people, surly they were under his protection, they need not fear, while it is true that the Israelites were safe, they are only safe by blood. The truth is the Israelites deserve this fate just as much as the Egyptians, there was no distinction between the sin of any household in the region, they are just as guilty, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
The act of sacrificing a lamb and daubing the blood on their doorposts was a covering for their guilt. They needed a substitute to die in their place to avoid judgement. You see, the death count in each house is the same. It was either the firstborn child or the lamb sacrifice.
The Egyptians could have avoided this. If only they'd have submitted to the true God, the one who created them, if only they'd seen his great salvation and made the sacrifice to cover their sins. They did not believe, their stubborn, hard-hearted hearts condemned their children.
Just like the Ewe we heard about earlier, Pharoah and the Egyptians were heard-hearted and did not see the need for rescue. We can be like this too can’t we, all too often, I can say, I’ll do this my way, we can choose to not pray for a situation and get “righteously angry about what is going on. Why isn’t God acting.
We must cast our eyes to the incredible rescue we have received, God is working, he is transforming the lives of sinners, Jesus is our Passover lamb, it is his blood that makes a once for all time sacrifice to be our substitute. We all deserve to die because of our rebellion and sin against God. But Jesus has died in our place. His blood is, as it were, daubed over our lives so that God will "pass over" us when he comes in judgment. When our lives are marked by the blood of Jesus, our sin is covered over, we are protected from eternal death, we need not fear, we are safe!
That’s why we celebrate Communion, why we sing praise, because it is our remembrance of the ultimate Passover Lamb who died in our place.
The Egyptians were commanded to teach their decedents about this and this shows in the continued Passover remembrances that the Jews celebrate year on year. “when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you? then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’”
We must do this with our children but not just our children, we are commanded by the Lord to; “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Now I’m not sure that telling your dog or cat about Jesus is what is meant here but hey if that’s what helps you practice and gain confidence then who am I to say no. But why, why don’t we speak more about this, why don’t we share of the delightful wonderful, glorious, good news of the shed blood of our spotless Passover Lamb who defeated the worst of enemies. Just as Charles Spurgeon said of his preaching:
When I preach to you the blood of Christ this morning, I am preaching something that is well pleasing to God; for God choose Christ to be the Redeemer; he set him apart from before the foundation of the world, and he, God the Father, laid upon him the iniquity of us all. The sacrifice of Christ is not brought to you without warrant; it is not something which Christ did quietly and in secret; it was written by God from all eternity, that Jesus was the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world. It is God's will that the blood of Jesus should be shed. Jesus is God's chosen Saviour for men; and here, when addressing the ungodly, here, I say, is one potent argument with them. Sinner! You may trust in Christ, that he is able to save you from the wrath of God, for God himself has appointed him to save.
Speak of Christ and his shed blood to those who need to hear, as it is pleasing to God, but also it causes people to fall down and worship at Jesus feet. As a result of God’s working and his instructions “the people bowed down and worshiped.” God’s word is powerful, share of it, speak it, it might just change someone’s life.
God did all he promised for the Israelites, and they finally had their day of victory. Pharoah’s answer has changed from no to Get out, leave this place and maybe realising the power of God he is dealing with asks for a blessing. The Egyptians were pretty much pushing them out now, The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!” The Israelites were leaving after being kept safe from all the signs and wonders that God brought on Egypt.
The Lord had made the Egyptians favourably disposed to the Israelites and this was a complete 180 shift from their previous hatred and looking down on God’s people as they lived as slaves. So they left with treasures of gold, silver and clothes and pretty much anything they asked for! I’d suggest it is probably nothing more than what they were owed, however God often takes us through the wilderness of sin or sorrow and brings us out the other side with more treasures as we learn a deeper meaning of his goodness to us.
Has it ever struck you what a monumental occasion the exodus of the people of Israel was? Do you know how many people went out? According to the very lowest calculations, there must have been two and a half million, all assembled in one place, and all coming out of the country at one time. And then, besides these, there went out with them an exceeding great company, others who joined them, maybe who had seen the mighty works of the Lord and wanted to be with them. “With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread.”, here is the significance of the unleavened bread, there was no time to add the yeast. I imagine with the constant changing of Pharoah’s mind, they wanted to get out swiftly and avoid him going back on his word.
This really was a day of victory, it was wonderful and glorious fulfilment of promises by God. The people are free, they are coming up out of Egypt, the up and out is symbolism of coming out of the grave and looking forward to the promised land. We know it will still take them a while to get there but it does point us to the future home that we have. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are rescued from sin and we know there will be a day coming where God will fulfil his promises to all his people. A day when we will walk side by side with our Saviour, unhindered by our earthly ailments, where we will joy in the very presence of God and all that is good. Where we will experience a place where there will be no more pain, no more sin and temptation to battle with, no more cloud of depression, no more anxious thoughts. Christ Jesus will be our light. The Passover Lamb who died for us is reigning on the Throne and we will joyfully get to spend eternity praising and worshiping the one who saved us.
Randy Alcorn in his book Heaven says this; “The best of life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.”
Let me finish by saying, don’t be like Pharoah and the Egyptians, the shed blood of Jesus on the cross as a sacrifice for the covering sin is a free offer for all who will repent, turn from their sins, and live with Jesus as their Lord. “Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty.” He can be trusted.
Intro: A stubborn ewe
- NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO
1) Rescue is a defining day (v1-20)
- A calendar rewritten emphasizing the importance of the coming event.
- A day to be commemorated – It’s the Lord’s Passover
- Pointing to our defining moment
“Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” 1 Corinthians 5:7
2) Rescue is a bloody matter (v21-23)
- Specific instructions
- A sin substitution for some but not all
- Pointing to the greater Passover Lamb
3) Rescue is a teaching commitment (v24-28)
“when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you? then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’”
- A reason to worship
4) Rescue is a day of victory (v29-42)
- Fulfilled promises for the Israelites
- Safety and treasures
- Fulfilled promises to come for all God’s people
| Questions to chew on:
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| Memory verse: All the Israelites did just what the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. And on that very day the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions. Exodus 12:50-51
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| My own questions for later:
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