INTRODUCTION.
The Jewish holy days observed by Jews today are the Passover (combined with the Feast of Unleavened Bread), the Feasts of Weeks (Pentecost), the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the Feast of Booths (Feast of Tabernacles), Hanukkah, and Purim. These last two feasts, Hanukkah and Purim were not commanded in the Law, but were added to commemorate later historical events of importance. All of these feasts except the Day of Atonement are joyful celebrations. The biblical account of Israel’s first Passover is the subject we study this week. In preparation for their deliverance from Egypt, no doubt the fathers in every family had some explaining to do to their children as they watched them preparing to do what God told them to do. Lambs were being roasted outside on open fires. Blood from these unblemished male lambs was to be sprinkled on the sides and top of the door-frames of their houses. The family members needed to know that their fathers had received a message from God that He would actually kill the firstborn in every house that was not marked by the blood on the door-frames. There is no parallel in history to the killing of the firstborn of Egypt, the Passover, and the nation of Israel being born in one day. These facts of history clearly show the hand of God in a dramatic way. Passover pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ as the Lamb of God, slain before the foundation of the world, but crucified at the proper time on the cross.