he beginning of the year changed, The passover instituted.
(1-20) The people instructed how to observe the passover.
(21-28) The death of the first-born of the Egyptians The
Israelites urged to leave the land of Egypt. (29-36) The
Israelites' first journey to Succoth. (37-42) Ordinance
respecting the passover. (43-51)
Verses 1-20: The Lord makes all things new to those whom he delivers
from the bondage of Satan, and takes to himself to be his
people. The time when he does this is to them the beginning of a
new life. God appointed that, on the night wherein they were to
go out of Egypt, each family should kill a lamb, or that two or
three families, if small, should kill one lamb. This lamb was to
be eaten in the manner here directed, and the blood to be
sprinkled on the door-posts, to mark the houses of the
Israelites from those of the Egyptians. The angel of the Lord,
when destroying the first-born of the Egyptians, would pass over
the houses marked by the blood of the lamb: hence the name of
this holy feast or ordinance. The passover was to be kept every
year, both as a remembrance of Israel's preservation and
deliverance out of Egypt, and as a remarkable type of Christ.
Their safety and deliverance were not a reward of their own
righteousness, but the gift of mercy. Of this they were
reminded, and by this ordinance they were taught, that all
blessings came to them through the shedding and sprinkling of
blood. Observe, 1. The paschal lamb was typical. Christ is our
passover, (1Co 5:7). Christ is the Lamb of God, (Joh 1:29);
often in the Revelation he is called the Lamb. It was to be in
its prime; Christ offered up himself in the midst of his days,
not when a babe at Bethlehem. It was to be without blemish; the
Lord Jesus was a Lamb without spot: the judge who condemned
Christ declared him innocent. It was to be set apart four days
before, denoting the marking out of the Lord Jesus to be a
Saviour, both in the purpose and in the promise. It was to be
slain, and roasted with fire, denoting the painful sufferings of
the Lord Jesus, even unto death, the death of the cross. The
wrath of God is as fire, and Christ was made a curse for us. Not
a bone of it must be broken, which was fulfilled in Christ, (Joh
19:33), denoting the unbroken strength of the Lord Jesus. 2. The
sprinkling of the blood was typical. The blood of the lamb must
be sprinkled, denoting the applying of the merits of Christ's
death to our souls; we must receive the atonement, (Ro 5:11).
Faith is the bunch of hyssop, by which we apply the promises,
and the benefits of the blood of Christ laid up in them, to
ourselves. It was to be sprinkled on the door-posts, denoting
the open profession we are to make of faith in Christ. It was
not to be sprinkled upon the threshold; which cautions us to
take heed of trampling under foot the blood of the covenant. It
is precious blood, and must be precious to us. The blood, thus
sprinkled, was a means of preserving the Israelites from the
destroying angel, who had nothing to do where the blood was. The
blood of Christ is the believer's protection from the wrath of
God, the curse of the law, and the damnation of hell, (Ro 8:1).
3. The solemn eating of the lamb was typical of our gospel duty
to Christ. The paschal lamb was not to be looked upon only, but
to be fed upon. So we must by faith make Christ our own; and we
must receive spiritual strength and nourishment from him, as
from our food, see (Joh 6:53,55). It was all to be eaten; those
who by faith feed upon Christ, must feed upon a whole Christ;
they must take Christ and his yoke, Christ and his cross, as
well as Christ and his crown. It was to be eaten at once, not
put by till morning. To-day Christ is offered, and is to be
accepted while it is called to-day, before we sleep the sleep of
death. It was to be eaten with bitter herbs, in remembrance of
the bitterness of their bondage in Egypt; we must feed upon
Christ with sorrow and brokenness of heart, in remembrance of
sin. Christ will be sweet to us, if sin be bitter. It was to be
eaten standing, with their staves in their hands, as being ready
to depart. When we feed upon Christ by faith, we must forsake
the rule and the dominion of sin; sit loose to the world, and
every thing in it; forsake all for Christ, and reckon it no bad
bargain, (Heb 13:13,14). 4. The feast of unleavened bread was
typical of the Christian life, (1Co 5:7,8). Having received
Christ Jesus the Lord, we must continually delight ourselves in
Christ Jesus. No manner of work must be done, that is, no care
admitted and indulged, which does not agree with, or would
lessen this holy joy. The Jews were very strict as to the
passover, so that no leaven should be found in their houses. It
must be a feast kept in charity, without the leaven of malice;
and in sincerity, without the leaven of hypocrisy. It was by an
ordinance for ever; so long as we live we must continue feeding
upon Christ, rejoicing in him always, with thankful mention of
the great things he has done for us.
Verses 21-28: That night, when the first-born were to be destroyed, no
Israelite must stir out of doors till called to march out of
Egypt. Their safety was owing to the blood of sprinkling. If
they put themselves from under the protection of that, it was at
their peril. They must stay within, to wait for the salvation of
the Lord; it is good to do so. In after-times they should
carefully teach their children the meaning of this service. It
is good for children to ask about the things of God; they that
ask for the way will find it. The keeping of this solemnity
every year was, 1. To look backward, that they might remember
what great things God had done for them and their fathers. Old
mercies, to ourselves, or to our fathers, must not be forgotten,
that God may be praised, and our faith in him encouraged. 2. It
was designed to look forward, as an earnest of the great
sacrifice of the Lamb of God in the fulness of time. Christ our
passover was sacrificed for us; his death was our life.
Verses 29-36: The Egyptians had been for three days and nights kept in
anxiety and horror by the darkness; now their rest is broken by
a far more terrible calamity. The plague struck their
first-born, the joy and hope of their families. They had slain
the Hebrews' children, now God slew theirs. It reached from the
throne to the dungeon: prince and peasant stand upon the same
level before God's judgments. The destroying angel entered every
dwelling unmarked with blood, as the messenger of woe. He did
his dreadful errand, leaving not a house in which there was not
one dead. Imagine then the cry that rang through the land of
Egypt, the long, loud shriek of agony that burst from every
dwelling. It will be thus in that dreadful hour when the Son of
man shall visit sinners with the last judgment. God's sons, his
first-born, were now released. Men had better come to God's
terms at first, for he will never come to theirs. Now Pharaoh's
pride is abased, and he yields. God's word will stand; we get
nothing by disputing, or delaying to submit. In this terror the
Egyptians would purchase the favour and the speedy departure of
Israel. Thus the Lord took care that their hard-earned wages
should be paid, and the people provided for their journey.
Verses 37-42: The children of Israel set forward without delay. A mixed
multitude went with them. Some, perhaps, willing to leave their
country, laid waste by plagues; others, out of curiosity;
perhaps a few out of love to them and their religion. But there
were always those among the Israelites who were not Israelites.
Thus there are still hypocrites in the church. This great event
was 430 years from the promise made to Abraham: see (Ga 3:17).
So long the promise of a settlement was unfulfilled. But though
God's promises are not performed quickly, they will be, in their
season. This is that night of the Lord, that remarkable night,
to be celebrated in all generations. The great things God does
for his people, are to be not only a few days' wonder, but to be
remembered throughout all ages; especially the work of our
redemption by Christ. This first passover-night was a night of
the Lord, much to be observed; but the last passover-night, in
which Christ was betrayed and in which the first passover, with
the rest of the Jewish ceremonies, was done away, was a night of
the Lord, much more to be observed. Then a yoke, heavier than
that of Egypt, was broken from off our necks, and a land, better
than that of Canaan, set before us. It was a redemption to be
celebrated in heaven, for ever and ever.
Verses 43-51: In times to come, all the congregation of Israel must
keep the passover. All that share in God's mercies should join
in thankful praises for them. The New Testament passover, the
Lord's supper, ought not to be neglected by any. Strangers, if
circumcised, might eat of the passover. Here is an early
indication of favour to the gentiles. This taught the Jews that
their being a nation favoured by God, entitled them to their
privileges, not their descent from Abraham. Christ our passover
is sacrificed for us, (1Co 5:7); his blood is the only ransom
for our souls; without the shedding of it there is no remission;
without the sprinkling of it there can be no salvation. Have we,
by faith in him, sheltered our souls from deserved vengeance
under the protection of his atoning blood? Do we keep close to
him, constantly depending upon him? Do we so profess our faith
in the Redeemer, and our obligations to him, that all who pass
by may know to whom we belong? Do we stand prepared for his
service, ready to walk in his ways, and to separate ourselves
from his enemies? These are questions of vast importance to the
soul; may the Lord direct our consciences honestly to answer
them.
he beginning of the year changed, The passover instituted.
(1-20) The people instructed how to observe the passover.
(21-28) The death of the first-born of the Egyptians The
Israelites urged to leave the land of Egypt. (29-36) The
Israelites' first journey to Succoth. (37-42) Ordinance
respecting the passover. (43-51)