“1 ¶  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2  This month [shall be] unto you the beginning of months: it [shall be] the first month of the year to you. 3  Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth [day] of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of [their] fathers, a lamb for an house: 4  And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take [it] according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5  Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take [it] out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6  And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7  And they shall take of the blood, and strike [it] on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8  And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; [and] with bitter [herbs] they shall eat it. 9  Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast [with] fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10  And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11  And thus shall ye eat it; [with] your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it [is] the LORD’S passover. 12  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I [am] the LORD. 13  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye [are]: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy [you], when I smite the land of Egypt. 14  And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. 15  Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. 16  And in the first day [there shall be] an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save [that] which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. 17  And ye shall observe [the feast of] unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. 18  In the first [month], on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. 19  Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. 20  Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread. 21 ¶  Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. 22  And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip [it] in the blood that [is] in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that [is] in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 23  For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite [you]. 24  And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. 25  And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. 26  And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 27  That ye shall say, It [is] the sacrifice of the LORD’S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. 28  And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. 29 ¶  And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that [was] in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. 30  And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for [there was] not a house where [there was] not one dead. 31  And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, [and] get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. 32  Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. 33  And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We [be] all dead [men].” Exodus 12:1-33 AV

The story of the first Passover is just an early edition of the Gospel of Christ.

The order of teaching in this chapter is very much the same as we have in the first ten verses of Romans 5.

 There is a well-trodden path of thought running through this portion of the King's garden, but the flowers and spices are as beautiful and fragrant as ever.

Let us praise God for the perennial freshness of His Holy Word. The first thought is a solemn one.

All God's foundations go deep down.

I. Condemnation.

A. "I will smite all the firstborn in the land" v. 12.

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I [am] the LORD.” Exodus 12:12 AV

B. The sentence of death was passed upon all the firstborn.

1. All were condemned already.

2. There was no difference here between Jew or Egyptian.

“Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” Romans 3:22 AV

“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.” Romans 10:12 AV

C. This is the condition of all men/women under the law,

1. they are under the curse

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Galatians 3:10 AV

2.  the sentence of death is already passed upon all

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Romans 5:12 AV

3. for that "all have sinned"

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23 KJV)

a) We sin when we violate the Law of God

b) We sin when we do not do the good we know we ought to do.

c) We sin when we do something that is not of faith, we do not have the confidence that what we are doing would be approved by God.

II. Substitution.

“Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth [day] of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of [their] fathers, a lamb for an house:” (Exodus 12:3 KJV)

A. Every condemned person in Egypt needed a lamb to redeem him from death. –“ every man a lamb”

B. Either the firstborn or an innocent substitute must die.

C. This was God's method; there was no escape from it.

1. You may think there is a better way, No use it is God’s Plan

2. You may think that is unfair, No use it is God’s Plan

3. You may not like the his plan, but it is still his plan.

4. But note, that he requirement for a Lamb was an easy one to meet, one newborn lamb, for each family in a nation of shepherds and sheep owners.

D. The Lord Jesus Christ is the divinely appointed Lamb John 1. 29.

E. If ye believe not ye shall die in your sins.

F. "Christ our Passover sacrificed for us" 1Cor 5:7

“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:” (1 Corinthians 5:7 KJV)

III. Appropriation.

 “7  And they shall take of the blood, and strike [it] on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8  And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; [and] with bitter [herbs] they shall eat it. 9  Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast [with] fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10  And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11  And thus shall ye eat it; [with] your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it [is] the LORD’S passover. 12  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I [am] the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye [are]: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy [you], when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:7-13 KJV)

A. The death of the lamb availed them nothing until the blood was applied.

B. The individual soul is not saved by the death of Christ upon the Cross, but by the personal acceptance and appropriation of that death as the alone ground of our justification before God.

1. Let me explain, It is not enough that Christ died on the Cross for you.

2. You must apply that to your life.

3. If you expect anything other than the blood of Christ shed on the Cross for you sin to allow you to stand before the Lord, i.e. your goodness and good works, you will be sorely disappointed.

C. Only when the blood was on the door posts was it between the firstborn and the avenger,

D. By faith we lift up the sacrifice of Christ between our guilty souls and a sin-avenging God.

1. This is the only thing that will satisfy God’s righteous demands

“Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” (Romans 3:25 KJV)

“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.” (1 John 2:2 KJV)

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10 KJV)

2. to cause to become favorably inclined; win or regain the good will of; appease or conciliate (sacrifices made to propitiate the gods”

3. We have sinned against a holy God, how do we expect to please him except it be on his terms.

IV. Confirmation.

 “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye [are]: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy [you], when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:13 KJV)

A. When Jehovah passed down through Egypt that night He was not looking for Israelites or Egyptians, but for the blood of the lamb.

1. Today He is not looking for Church members

2. Today He is not looking for those who have been baptized

3. Today He is not looking for moral people

4. Today He is not looking for religious people

5. Now none of these things are bad, but are the result of what the Blood of Christ has done and will do.

6. He is looking for the Blood of Christ applied to our lives.

B. The precious blood of Christ is ever before His eye, although we, like the Israelite, may see it not.

1. The blood was applied to the outside of the door

2. The blood was applied once, and only once, to the door posts.

3. Have you ever tried to wash away blood from rough hewed wood.

C. The blood made them safe, the promise made them sure.

1. Note the promise is based upon the integrity of God,

“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” (Romans 3:4 KJV)

2.  He could swear by no other because no other is greater than God.

“For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,” (Hebrews 6:13 KJV)

V. Purification.

 “Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.” (Exodus 12:15 KJV)

A. Leaven as typical of secret and hidden sin must be put away 1Cor 5.7. 8, and put away on the first day.

 “7 ¶  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened [bread] of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:7-8 KJV)

B. The blood without not only justifies, but also leads to cleansing within.

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1 KJV)

C. The purpose of His redemption was to take us out of the pitiful miry pit that we are in, and to purify us as a peculiar people

 "He gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14 KJV)

D. It is by the blood and through his word that we are cleaned. “

Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3 KJV)

1. If the Lord has cleaned you up, don’t run back to the “horrible miry clay”

2. Once cleaned he put within you a desire (The Holy Spirit) to stay clean.

E. The act of eating the Passover lamb is an act of faith.

1. Note there is crying a screaming all around as the death angel passes by.

2. There is fear all over the land as the plague had been announced.

3. But by faith the Israelites were having a feast of roast lamb.

VI. Resignation.

 “And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip [it] in the blood that [is] in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that [is] in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.” (Exodus 12:22 KJV)

A. Until the Lord passed by in judgment they must abide, calmly resting behind the sheltering blood.

B.  In so doing they had quietness, confidence, and strength

“For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.” (Isaiah 30:15 KJV)

C. Where else can we hide till the calamities be over past.

D. There is no safety for us outside the blood-sprinkled house of refuge.

E.  In patience possess your souls with regard to the judgments that are quickly coming upon the earth.

"When I see the blood I will pass over you" Exod. 12. 13.

F. Dear as the apple of His eye His blood-bought people are.

VII. Separation.

 “31  And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, [and] get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. 32  Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.” (Exodus 12:31-32 KJV)

A. After the blood had been shed and applied the Israelites had no difficulty in getting out from among them.

B. All God's redeemed ones are to be separated unto Him.

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,” (2 Corinthians 6:17 KJV)

C. If the atmosphere is to receive the eagle and bare it up it must cast itself entirely on it.

1. Entire renunciation of the world and self prepares us for the entire and perfect salvation of God.

2. Leave all and ye shall possess all.

 “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:39 KJV)

God's Simple Plan of Salvation

This Was Your Life

Rodeo Cowboy's Prayer