The Exodus was one of the most important events in Israel’s history. For generations and generations, they passed down the memory of when God showed his mighty power and rescued them out of slavery so he could make them a blessed, holy nation. So the Passover, which Jews still celebrate today, is a celebration of that time and a reminder that God saves.
The most significant part of the story is that Israel was fully spared from God’s judgment. The firstborn of every family in the land of Egypt was doomed to die. But God offered the Israelites a way out! Any house that was covered by the blood of a spotless lamb would be passed over by God’s wrath. Thus Israel was saved by someone else taking their place in death, and thus it is still celebrated as a festival to the Lord, just as the Lord commanded.
Could it possibly be more clear that God has been preparing his people for the incarnate Christ since the very beginning? We also have a spotless lamb that was slain on our behalf—God himself, as a matter of fact—and since his blood covers us, the wrath of God that we deserve passes over us. This story of God’s grace has been his song to us all along.
The book of Hebrews tells us that without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness of sins. God is just; evil cannot be left unpunished. But God is also merciful; he supplies something else to pay that price so that we may have life abundantly with him. He clothed Adam and Eve with the skins of animals that had to sacrifice their lives, he provided a lamb for Abraham to sacrifice in place of his son Isaac, he established a Law that allowed Israel to slaughter lambs for their sins rather than pay with their own lives, and he has now provided himself, Christ the spotless lamb, to die on our behalf so we may have eternal life.
God is just, and yet his grace has abounded for all time. So just as he commanded of the Israelites, let us constantly celebrate his grace unto us and live as his redeemed people! The Lord saves—let us glorify the Lord!
