Christ Our Passover - Part 1

[John Alton]

Christ Our Passover - Part 1

Introduction
As the calendar revolves once again we are brought to that time of year when Christ our Lord was crucified. God in his wisdom and foresight deemed that this should happen so that man could be legitimately redeemed. The power and importance of Christ' death is matched and surpassed only by God's raising up of his dead body back to life never to die again. Because we are at this time of year I thought it would be a good time to post this study on the subject of Christ Our Passover.

1 Corinthians 5:7b For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:

As I have continued in my endeavors to "search the scriptures" a couple of years ago I began to see that the phrase "Christ Our Passover" held a far deeper truth than I had previously been aware of and over these past few weeks I have been sharing this study in fellowship and thought this would also be a good forum to share what I have learned from the scriptures
In presenting this I went back to the beginning and looked at the details regarding the selection of the Passover Lamb on the 10th day of the month and that it was to be a lamb without blemish, the time of day it was to be sacrificed on the 14th and how it was to be eaten that evening with unleavened bread which was also the first day - (a High day) of the feast of unleavened bread. We also looked at how this related to the day and time that Christ himself was crucified. We also looked at aspects that relate to the Passover such as the use of leaven as a metaphor for doctrine, and also understanding that in the Hebrew calendar the new day started at sunset. All of these points are well known and documented and do not need to be repeated here.

To appreciate the truth that Christ is our Passover then the more we can understand just what was involved in the original Passover then the more we can appreciate just what it means for Christ to be our Passover.
We read about this original Passover that God instigated in Exodus 12
Selection
Exodus 12:1-5
Flesh And Blood
Exodus 12:6-11
Judgment
Exodus 12:12-13
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
Exodus 12:14-16
Re-Iteration of the Passover and its continued observance
Exodus 12:21-28

Two Aspects of the Passover
There are two symbolic aspects in the sacrificing of the Passover lamb.
Blood - The shedding of blood is required for the remission of sins.
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
It took faith on the part of the children of Israel that by sacrificing the lamb and then spreading its blood upon their doorposts and lintel that God would pass over them and they would be spared from Gods executed judgment. Note they were not to put any blood on the threshold over which they walked.
Flesh - The flesh was to be eaten roasted with fire and bitter herbs for physical life and nourishment. In scripture fire many times represents Gods judgment.
They were also to eat un-leavened bread with the Passover meal and all though out the following week in the feast of unleavened bread.The eating of unleavened bread at the Passover meal and the feast of unleavened bread reminded the Children of Israel of two things.

• One, they were to rid themselves of all outside influences. When the Children of Israel lived in Egypt and were surrounded by its idolatry and the decedent luxuries of that nation which was the richest in the world. Egypt's financial wealth came by God, through Joseph at the time of the great famine.
• Two. Making un-leavened meant that for the bread to be decent the flour had to be ground daily which reminded Israel of the hard work they were forced to do in Egypt. Also if enough flour were ground for several days the bread made without leaven would be heavy which also served as a reminder of the heavy labor they were forced to endure whilst slave's in Egypt

The Passover a "Type" for Christ
Christ the Lamb
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
1 Peter 1:18-19 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; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:Matthew 26:27-28
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Today it is common knowledge that Jesus shed his blood for the remission of our sins. He was the "lamb of God" he was the Passover lamb.Jesus died at the same time thousands of Jews were killing their Passover Lamb, little did they know that God was sacrificing his lamb for their remission of sins.Jesus died at 3:00pm outside the city gates just as many Jews were slaying their Passover Lamb at the same time also outside the city gates.

The Passover
I think it is generally a fair statement to make that Christ as our sacrifice for sin, Christ as the "Lamb of God" sums up what most think of as Christ our Passover Yet the more I look at scripture I see that this is really only half the story.
The service of the Passover has two parts corresponding to the flesh and blood.
The Lamb was slain and the flesh eaten and the blood of the Lamb was spread on the doorposts and lintel to protect them from Gods judgment which he executed upon the idolatry of Egypt.It was not until midnight that God would go over Egypt and upon seeing the blood of the Lamb He would not allow the destroyer to enter into that house but would PASS OVER that house and they would be spared from Gods judgment.
The Passover Lamb was a type for the coming Christ and just as the Passover service has two parts so does Christ have two advents. In his first advent he was the slain lamb of God, this is the first part of the type. In his second advent he is OUR Passover which means he is our protection our covering from Gods executed judgment.
Again look at what the Pass Over is all about.
Exodus 12:21-28 21Then 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. 22And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 23For 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. 24And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. 25And 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. 26And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 27That 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. 28And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

When Moses instructed Israel to put the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintel of their homes this was to protect the Children of Israel from Gods judgment of Egypt.This is why this whole sacrifice is called the "Passover", because God would upon seeing the blood "pass over" that house. Moses instructed Israel that in the future generations this was the explanation of the service that on this night God passed over the house of Israel and would not allow the destroyer to kill their firstborn.
This whole service as outlined in Exodus is called the "Passover" its not called the sacrifice of the lamb or named after any other aspect it is called the Passover which is all about Gods judgment and Gods "passing over" of judgment on those who have the blood of the lamb out there and on show for all the world to see.
The Passover Lamb was a type for the coming Christ the first part of the type was that Christ was sacrificed for our sins the second part of the type is that the blood of Christ will protect the saints from Gods judgment at the end of this age
Exodus 12:1313And 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.
Token in verse 13: is defined as (in the sense of appearing); a signal (literally or figuratively), as flag, beacon, evidence, mark, sign

The children of Israel had to literally put the blood of the lamb right there on the outside of their homes right on their front door. They could not hide it somewhere inside their homes it was to be outside and on show. Because ultimately the Lamb was a type for Christ, even back then through the blood of the lamb they were giving God a "sign" they were giving "evidence" that they believed that the blood of the Messiah would cover their sins even if they did not understand the full significance of what they were doing.

This is fully consistent with the lack of understanding the Old Testament saints had of the sacrifice of Christ.
Today Christianity's most ardent cry is that Christ died for your sins, yet all through out the Old Testament this was a "mystery" God had revealed clues but the full understanding of what these prophecy's meant was hidden from man and were not revealed to man until taught by the Lord Christ himself after he had been resurrected.Why could Philip in Acts 8 teach the eunuch from Ethiopia the meaning of Isaiah 53, because Christ after his resurrection had taught his disciples "beginning at Moses revealed all things regarding himself". Luke 24:27, 45-47

Christ is our Passover not just the lamb that was slain for our sins but also our Passover which is our protection from the judgment and wrath of God.Just as the blood of the lamb protected Israel from Gods judgment upon the idolatry of Egypt so it is for us that the blood of Jesus Christ will protect us from the future judgment of God against the ungodly.

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

This is what Christian Salvation is all about. Salvation basically means to be made safe, to be rescued and to be delivered. If a house is on fire and a fireman comes in and rescues you from the burning blaze you have been made safe, you have been saved you have been rescued.
The end of this age will culminate in God executing His judgment upon the earth and ultimately the pouring out of Gods wrath, on those who have refused to acknowledge the supremacy of God and his Son Jesus the Messiah and repent. Those who in their lives have repented and followed Christ those will be saved from the wrath to come.

To be continued….

[John Alton]

Christ Our Passover - Part 2

The Song of Moses

There are parallels in Exodus and Revelation regarding this song.
The song of Moses was first sung the day after the Egyptian army was destroyed while crossing the red sea and Israel were safely on dry land and free from any persecution
and again in the book of Revelation when the saints have been safely gathered together and are finally free from the sin and the ungodliness of this age when the saints are clothed in righteousness and have the word of God written in their hearts through and through.

Exodus 15:1 1Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

Exodus 15:7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

The song of Moses was sung the day after the Egyptian army was destroyed.
In the song of Moses from Exodus 15, Israel rejoices over Gods deliverance from the armies of Egypt.
This is also the first time that Gods wrath is mentioned in the scriptures.
Two prior occurrences of wrath refer to the wrath of men.
It was Gods wrath that destroyed the Egyptians because they rose up against God, they defied God. That is blasphemy, for which they would not repent.

God has purchased Israel and will bring them into their inheritance which is the land.
Exodus 15:16-18 16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
18 The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.

Many times in scripture mountains are used as metaphors for countries, countries are made up of people and it is the people that are Gods inheritance. The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof God does not need to inherit land he already owns it but he will inherit people who choose him through faith. From what I can see in the scriptures God inherits people and we the people inherit land.

Exodus 15:13 13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

To redeem is to buy back, they were redeemed "bought back" by the blood of the Passover Lamb

Ex 15:16b says "till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.[emphasis mine]"

We have also been bought back by the blood of Christ

1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Israel was purchased and now we the Gentiles have also been purchased, bought with a price, and the price was Jesus the Christ, who is the Lamb of God.

Peter also refers to being bought.
2 Peter 2:1b even denying the Lord that bought them

The song of Moses in Revelation
Israel was finally free from the oppression of Egypt once the Egyptian army was destroyed.
God's judgment was carried out upon Egypt in the killing of the firstborn,
and through his wrath their army was destroyed in the sea.

Israel celebrated Gods victory and their deliverance in the "Song of Moses"

There is a parallel to this in the book of Revelation.

In the events that transpire in the book of Revelation there will be seven trumpets that are blown and with each trumpet God executes judgment on the world for their unbelief,
all Gods people will be spared from this Judgment because they have the seal of God upon them
just as Israel was spared from the 10 plagues poured out upon Egypt.
The sounding of the seventh trumpet is the signal for the return of Christ.
All Gods people are then gathered together and are now safely out of harms way and then the fullness of Gods undiluted wrath will be revealed upon the un-godly.

The "Pass over" was judgment against Egypt and the gods of Egypt, likewise the judgment and wrath of God is against the idolatry and the ungodly in the world.


Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Here at the time immediately prior to Gods wrath being revealed,
when Gods people have been gathered together the Apostle John saw those who had not bowed before the image
and they sang the song of Moses which praised God for his deliverance

Revelation 15:1-4
1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

This song was first sung the day after the Egyptians were drowned in the red sea.

Israel passed through the sea safely on dry land their oppressors the Egyptians pursued after them and were drowned.

We the saints will be safely gathered together when God reveals his final wrath on the world because that is what salvation is all about it is to be safe from Gods wrath.

(Romans 5:9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.)

At the culmination of this age and the tumultuous events that will bring about the final salvation of those
who have repented then once again the saints will sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb because
the lamb is a type for Gods plan of salvation which is in two parts and includes:

• Part one. The remission and forgiveness of sins
• Part two. The blood of the lamb covers those who believe to protect them from Gods judgment.

Hidden from Gods Wrath

The children of Israel were protected from the destroyer by the blood of the lamb.

Zephaniah 2:3 3Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

Those who seek God first, and are meek to receive His word, those will be hidden in the day of Gods anger

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Saved: Strongs concordance gives these definitions "safe"; to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively):-heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.

We are safe, protected from the wrath of God by the blood of the Lamb of God.
We will be saved from the wrath of God through the blood of Christ.

It is through the blood of Christ that we are justified, and it is because of that justification that we will be spared the wrath of God.
We are covered by the blood of the Lamb of God, just as Israel was covered on the night of the Passover by the blood of the Passover lamb.

Revelation 6:15-17 15And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

In that day men will try to hide themselves but will not be able to but for those whose trust is in the Lord, it is the Lord who will hide them.

Man in his pride always tries to do it himself, first they try to save themselves by their works and vanity then they try to hide themselves instead of repenting and accepting Gods authority.

Man by his intellect always reveals his own folly.

Psalm 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

What truth and what comfort. The lord will hide those that are his.

This Psalm shows the twofold nature of many scriptures, they were true in King David's life but they are also true of future events.

Psalm 91:1-16

1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. [Salvation which is to be safe from the wrath of God]

Again the truth expressed in this Psalm shows the two fold nature of many scriptures
just as the Passover lamb was an actual lamb that was slain annually yet the greater truth of the Passover lamb
was the coming Messiah who as the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.
So it is with this psalm, David many times saw Gods deliverance both in his personal life and in his reign as
King over the Nation of Israel yet the greater truths will be revealed in the end times when God will
hide under his wing those that love and trust Him those who are covered by the blood of the lamb.

Just as God saw the blood of the lamb upon the houses of the children of Israel and "Passed Over" that house sparing that household from Gods judgment
so in the final execution of Gods judgment God will figuratively see the blood of Christ on those who
repent and faithfully follow Christ.

In the final conclusion of this study we will look at what does this mean for us today
To be continued...

[Wolfgang Schneider]

It seems to me from considering the passage in 1Co 5:7-8, that the point made by the apostle Paul is about "cleaning house" and not so much about the passover lamb in the OT being a type of Christ, etc ... Unfortunately, the words "Christ our passover" are seldom viewed in their immediate context in that passage.

As in OT days, the passover sacrifice with the then following feast of unleavened bread was reason for the Israelites to "purge out the old leaven", so now the sacrifice of Christ ought to be reason for us "to clean house" as well and "to keep the feast ... with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth"!!

1Co 5:7-8 (KJV)
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.

Just a few added thoughts which hopefully prove helpful.
God bless you
Wolfgang

[Ken LaPrade]

Thanks, John, for the great reminders here. Understanding this background facilitates seeing the consistency of the original Passover truths in relation to several truths in I Corinthians. For example, we believers as "many" are symbolically united as "one bread" (10: 17) as we partake of Christ and stand apart from idolatry (as seen in the context.) I believe the further context of "discerning the Lord's body" (11: 28-30) is related to this. We are to "examine" how we treat each other as members of each other in order to avoid the type of judgement suffered in Corinth for negecting a true walk of love (letting their appetites get out of bounds.) God bless. Ken

[Eileen Davies]

ditto. thank you john

[David Bailey]

keep it coming...I like it...DB