04.18. SHADOW: The Passover Lamb is Slain…

SHADOW: The Passover Lamb is Slain 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 AUDIO http://www.exposingtheword.com/SHADOWS/MP3s%20Shadows/17%20Shadow-%20Isaac%20the%20Promised%20Son.mp3 As we enter the New Year and look forward to a new start we see a word that is important within this verse about a fresh start. We are going to celebrate the life, death and sacrifice of our Lord today as we observe the Lord’s Supper. We also continue in our series of finding Christ in the Shadows. Today our foreshadowing is on the most important found anywhere in the Scriptures. The foreshadow of the Passover Lamb. The Passover Lamb that was slain. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 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. Paul tells us to purge out the old leaven, the old habits, tendencies, sins and they will be able to celebrate the Passover spiritually instead of just a habit. We as well as we enter the New Year can greatly benefit from heeding these words.

I- The Foreshadowing Lambs Slain: The story of the first Passover, set during the time of the plagues of Egypt that lead to the exodus of Israel from the land, is found in Exodus 12. They were instructed to select a lamb for each house or if the house was too small in number of people combine houses to sacrifice the lamb. Exodus 12:5-7 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. 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. So they were to kill the lamb and put its blood on the doorpost and stay in the house that night. The death angel came and killed the entire first born in Egypt. This led to the deliverance of Israel from the Pharaoh.

II- The Lamb Without Spot or Blemish:

Let us notice a couple of things about the lamb. First, the lamb was without spot or blemish. This speaking of the Lord Jesus speaks loudly. Notice the following Scriptures. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. He was without spot of sin and blemish on His life. Also when we understand this it adds significance to the actions at the cross. John 19:31-33 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: We are told that this was done in order to fulfill scripture, prophetic scripture. John 19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. Again we find this was in part of the foreshadow of the Passover lamb. Exodus 12:46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. The Lord Jesus was the perfect sacrifice in accordance with the spotless lamb without blemish.

III- The Blood Standing Between them and Judgment:

What stands between us and the judgment of God? It is nothing but the blood of Christ. No God is not a revengeful or mean God. He however is a righteous God who cannot condone sin nor lightly pass over it without His holy righteousness being satisfied. This is where the lamb that night during Passover, or should I say the Lamb’s blood played such an essential role. The judgment of God was going to pass over the land of Egypt. To avoid this judgment was simple the needed to only apply the blood of the lamb to their door post and they would be safe. The only thing that stood between them and judgment was the blood of the lamb. Exodus 12:13 ...when I see the blood, I will pass over you... On the night that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper that we will observe today He said in Matthew 26:27-28 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Romans 5:8-10 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. This foreshadowing of the Lamb was God’s plan from eternity past. Notice 1 Peter 1:18-20 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

IV- Must Be Under the Blood: A certain businessman arrived at the airport 30 minutes in advance of his flight. He went to the ticket window and received his boarding pass. Next, he checked his suitcase in plenty of time to get it on the proper flight with him, then sat down with a magazine in the lobby waiting for time to board. Since this was his first chance to relax all day, he closed his eyes for what he thought would be a ten minute "cat nap." He rested his eyes right through the first, second, and final boarding calls on his flight. When he awoke, a quick glance at the clock on the wall snapped him back to reality. The flight had taken off without him. He had done everything right except one. He had not gotten on board. At the chance of being repetitive let me make on more point. The Passover lamb was to be slain and eaten that night. Thousands of lambs were slain that night and the blood applied. The instruction were clear, they were only protected if they were behind the door, within the house, where the blood was applied. Exodus 12:7 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... 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. It was not enough to know about the sacrifice, nor was it enough to simply kill the lamb and roast it and eat it. It was not enough to place the blood on the door and go out for the evening. The point I am making is it is not enough to simply know about Christ, the Passover Lamb, you must be within the safety He provides by His blood. The Old Testament writer Isaiah said it perfect. Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Christians do you have you eyes on Him as we run the race? Let me give on last illustration as we give the invitation. The snow covered the ground where three lads were playing. A man came along and said to them, "Would you like to try a race and the winner receive a prize?" The boys agreed and the man told them that his race was to be different. "I will go to the other side of the field," he said, "and when I give you the signal, you will start to run. The one whose footsteps are the straightest in the snow will be the winner." The race commenced and the first boy kept looking at his feet to see if his steps were straight. The second lad kept looking at his companions to see what they were doing; but the third boy just ran on with his eyes steadfastly fixed on the man on the other side of the field. The third lad was the winner, for his footsteps were straight in the snow. He had kept his eyes on the goal ahead of him. So are you dwelling under the blood of the Lamb, dwelling in safety? Or, perhaps you simply know about the blood but have never accepted it for safety of your soul. Will you do that today? Christ the Passover Lamb is sacrifices for us...