I have recently been studying the last few chapters of each gospel to see if I could work out from scripture when Jesus was actually arrested and crucified. That's a topic for another blog .......
However - as always when engaged in study of the Word - other truths are revealed, thoughts prompted, ideas emerge by complete surprise.
This week's is ........
the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) was not a sacrifice for the atonement of sins.
Now please don't hear me wrong - Of course I know and believe that on the cross Jesus accomplished the complete atonement of our sins (in addition to many other things).
However - it has never occurred to me before that this wasn't the aim or the achievement of the Passover Lamb. I have always viewed the quote from John 1 v 29 as one in the same - ie: passover lamb of God = sacrifice for atonement of sin.
Reading carefully through the events detailed in Exodus 12, and the repeated instructions for remembering this event in Exodus 24, Leviticus 23, Numbers 28 and Deuteronomy 16 the atonement from sin during that feast (the shadow of things to come) came from the goat that was sacrificed each day during the week of the feast of unleavened bread not from the passover lamb killed and eaten on the first night of the feast week.
Jesus obviously completely fulfilled this shadow along with every other shadow sacrifice mentioned in the OT. However his role and description as the Passover Lamb of God would appear not to have been for this purpose (not for the purpose of atonement of sin) - so what was the purpose of the killing of the Passover Lamb?
From a straightforward reading of Exodus 12 - I learn that
a) Each house is to find an appropriately sized lamb (a lamb fit for the task - to feed exactly the right number - because no meat was to be left for the next day). Jesus is the ultimately appropriately sized lamb - he fills us up completely
b) The lamb is as with all sacrifices to be perfect and without blemish (interestingly it can be a baby sheep OR a baby goat - v 5) Jesus is of course the PERFECT and WITHOUT BLEMISH Son of God
c) the lamb was to be chosen before the event and kept ready (v 6) We know Jesus was chosen before the foundation of the world
d) the lamb was killed that evening by the household (not by the priests) (I am intrigued that no specific time is mentioned - some make a big thing of Jesus being killed at exactly the time the priests killed the passover lamb - but the priests didn't kill the passover lamb - they killed all the other sacrifices mentioned but not this particular one. This one wasn't killed "on behalf of" anyone - but by the head of each house. A very personal sacrifice. Jesus is indeed a personal sacrifice for each and every one of us.
Interestingly - now that the temple doesn't exist - this lamb sacrifice is the only sacrifice the jewish people are still allowed to (and still do) perform as it's the only one that didn't require the services of a priest.
e) the most important thing about the lamb was its blood. v 7 and 13. This passover lamb didn't save them from their sins - it preserved, protected and saved the household from death. It was ALL about the blood - the choice was theirs - here are the instructions - do it - put the blood on the doorposts and you will have life - don't put it on the doorposts and you won't have life - regardless of whether you are an israelite or not. So amazingly the passover lamb's blood offered protection, preservation and salvation without the slightest mention of sins to be atoned for yet. How amazing is that.
What do you think? Does this make a difference to the way you think about the Passover Lamb of God - it certainly does me.
