Exodus Lesson 3 Passover

Did God know before hand what the Pharaoh would do? Who was responsible for the Pharaoh’s action God or Pharaoh? What was God’s purpose in allowing Pharaoh to refuse to allow God’s people to leave?God knew beforehand what Pharaoh's decision would be and God would use Pharaoh's refusal to display his power to both the Egyptians and Israelites. Pharaoh's decision was that important and God knew what the decision would be.
Pharaoh was free to decide, yet God said 'I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go' (Ex 4:21). At what point would God harden Pharaoh's heart? The Bible shows us.
The first time Moses presented God's message to Pharaoh, Pharaoh's response revealed his attitude. 'Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go' (Ex 5:2). Instead of releasing the Israelites, Pharaoh increased their workload by requiring them to gather their own materials while maintaining their production quota (vs 4-19). That was Pharaoh's choice and the Bible does not say that God forced the decision on him. The Pharaohs believed they were the descendants of God and had God-given authority to rule, so why should this Pharaoh listen to someone else who claimed to speak for God? There was no reason he should, from his perspective.
Before Moses' second confrontation with Pharaoh, God again told him, 'I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you' (7:3-4).
In Pharaoh's court, Moses threw his staff down and it became a snake, but the Egyptian magicians performed the same signs. 'Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said' (7:13). We will see later where God hardened Pharaoh's heart, but this verse simply says Pharaoh's heart 'became hard.' Because this verse does not specifically credit God, we can conclude that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. Because his magicians could perform the same miracle, Pharaoh decided that Moses had no special authority.
We see the same response after Moses turned the water into blood. The 'Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh's heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said' (7:22). Pharaoh hardened himself against Moses' demands.
After the plague of frogs, Pharaoh apparently softened. 'Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, ‘Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord'' (8:8). So Moses prayed and the plague stopped. 'But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said' (8:15). Pharaoh clearly hardened his own heart.
After the fourth plague, 'Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go' (8:32). After the fifth plague, 'his heart was unyielding' (9:7). After the seventh plague, 'He and his officials hardened their hearts' (9:34). Yet two verses later, God said, 'I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials' (10:1). From that point on, the Bible says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart (10:20, 27; 11:10; 14:4).
When a person's heart becomes hardened, his thinking and attitudes are firmly set. For a man to harden his heart does not mean he changes his mind; instead he defends or reinforces his position so he will not change. Pharaoh was free to decide for himself. After his decision was clear, he refused to change his decision and eventually God made it impossible for him to do so. As we said earlier, God had an important reason for doing this, because it set the stage for a miraculous exodus.

Give the literal story of the Passover.
The story of Passover began with the arrival of Jacob and his family in Egypt to be with son Joseph who had become Viceroy of all Egypt.
When Joseph and his brothers died and the children of Israel multiplied in the land of Egypt, King Pharaoh chose to forget all that Joseph had done for Egypt - transforming it into the wealthiest country in the world at the time.
He decided to take action against the influence and growing numbers of the children of Israel.
He summoned his council and they advised him to enslave these people and oppress them before they grew too powerful.
Pharaoh embarked upon a policy of limiting the personal freedom of the Hebrews, putting heavy taxes on them and recruiting their men into forced labor battalions under the supervision of harsh taskmasters.
The children of Israel were forced to build cities, erect monuments, construct roads, work in the quarries and hew stones or burn bricks or dies.
But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the children multiplied. Finally, when King Pharaoh saw that forcing the Hebrews to do hard work did not succeed in suppressing their growing numbers, he decreed that all their newly born male children be thrown into the Nile River. Only daughters should be permitted to live.
Jacob's great-grandson, Amram, who married Yocheved, had a daughter Miriam, later to become a great prophetess, and a son named Aaron who later became the High Priest. When Yocheved bore a third child, she placed him in a basket which she hid amongst the reeds at the edge of the Nile River in order to escape the king's soldiers who were snatching all the male babies and casting them into the Nile.
When Pharaoh's daughter came to bathe in the Nile she discovered the baby and, seeing his unusual radiance, recognized that this child was someone very special.
She called him Moshe and decided to raise him herself in the palace. She hired the baby's mother Yocheved to be his nurse, who also taught him about his rich Jewish heritage.
When the children of Israel could no longer endure their terrible suffering at the hands of their cruel overlords, their cries for help coming from the very bottom of their hearts, pierced the heavens.
God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and decided to deliver their descendants from bondage.
Moshe was 80 years old and his brother 83 years old when they entered the palace of King Pharaoh. Pharaoh asked the two brothers what they wanted.
The message sounded like a command: 'The G-d of Israel said, 'Let My people go, that they may serve me.'' Pharaoh refused, saying that he had never heard of the G-d of the Israelites.
He further accused Moshe and Aaron of a conspiracy against the government and of interfering with the work of the Hebrew slaves.
At Moshe's suggestion, Aaron then performed the miracles G-d had enabled him to perform, but Pharaoh was not greatly impressed, for his magicians could do almost as well.
When Pharaoh continued to refuse to liberate the children of Israel, Moshe and Aaron warned him that God would punish both him and his people. First, the waters of the land of Egypt were to be turned into blood.
This was followed by the plague of frogs which covered the entire land.
The third plague had lice crawling forth from the dust to cover all of Egypt. Although Pharaoh's advisors pointed out that this surely was Divine punishment, he hardened his heart and remained relentless in his determination to keep the children of Israel in bondage.
The fourth plague consisted of hordes of wild animals roving all over the country destroying everything in their path. Only the province of Goshen, where the children of Israel dwelt, was immune from this as well as from the other plagues.
As with the previous plagues, Pharaoh promised faithfully to let the Jews go on the condition that they would not go too far. Moshe prayed to G-d and the wild animals disappeared. But as soon as they had gone, Pharaoh withdrew his promise and refused Moshe's demand.
Then God sent a fatal pestilence that killed most of the domestic animals of the Egyptians.
In the sixth plague, boils burst forth upon man and beast throughout the land of Egypt.
Now Moshe announced to the king that a hailstorm of unprecedented violence was to sweep the land; no living thing, no tree, no herb, was to escape its fury; safety was to be found only in the shelter of the houses.
The next time Moshe and Aaron came before Pharaoh, he appeared somewhat relenting, and asked them who was to participate in the worship the Israelites wanted to hold in the desert. When they told him that everyone without exception, young and old, men and women, were to go, Pharaoh suggested that only the men should go and that the women and children, as well as all their possessions, should remain in Egypt.
Moshe and Aaron could not accept his offer and Pharaoh became angry and ordered them to leave his palace. Before leaving, Moshe warned him of new and untold suffering. But Pharaoh remained adamant, even though his advisors counseled against further resistance.
As soon as Moshe left the palace, he raised his arms toward heaven and an east wind brought swarms of locusts into Egypt, covering the sun and devouring everything green that had escaped the hail and previous plagues.
Then followed the ninth plague. For several days all of Egypt was enveloped in a thick and impenetrable veil of darkness, which extinguished all lights kindled. The Egyptians were gripped with fear and remained glued to their places wherever they stood or sat. Only in Goshen, where the children of Israel dwelt, there was light.
Finally at midnight on the 15th of Nissan all firstborn in the land of Egypt began dying, from the firstborn of King Pharaoh unto the firstborn of the cattle, exactly as Moshe had warned.
There was a loud and bitter wail, for in each house a loved one lay fatally stricken. Then Pharaoh called for Moshe and Aaron during that very night and said to them: 'Arise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel; and go, serve G-d as you have said, and go, and bless me also.' At last the pride of the stubborn king was broken and he realized that there indeed was a God.
Meanwhile, the Jews had been preparing for their hasty departure. With beating hearts, they had assembled in groups to eat the roasted paschal lamb, together with the unleavened cakes (matzoh).
The sun had already risen above the horizon when, at the word of command, the whole nation of the Hebrews poured forth from the land of Egypt.
Thus the children of Israel were liberated from the yoke of their oppressors on the 15th day of Nissan, in the year 2448 after the creation of the world.
There were 603,550 men between 20 and 60 -- military age -- who, with their wives and children and flocks, crossed the border of Egypt as a free nation. Many Egyptians and other non- Israelites joined the triumphant children of Israel, hoping to share their glorious future. The children of Israel did not leave Egypt destitute.
In addition to their own possessions, the terrified Egyptians had bestowed upon them valuables of gold, silver and clothing in an effort to hasten their departure. Thus, G-d fulfilled in every detail His promise to Abraham that his descendants would leave their exile with great riches.
Leading the Jewish people on their journey during the day was a pillar of cloud, and at night there was a pillar of fire, giving them light. These Divine messengers not only guided the children of Israel on their way, but also cleared the way before them, making it both easy and safe.
After three days, Pharaoh received word of the progress of the children of Israel. The unexpected direction of their march made him think that they were lost in the desert. Pharaoh now regretted that he had permitted them to leave. He mobilized his army and personally took the lead of his choicest cavalry and war-chariots, in hot pursuit of his former slaves. He reached them near the banks of the Red Sea and pressed them close to the water, in an effort to cut off their escape.
Moshe led the Israelites onwards until they came to the very borders of the Red Sea. The pillar of cloud now changed its position, retreating from the front to the rear of the Hebrews, floating between the two armies.
Then God spoke to Moshe: 'Lift up your rod, stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it; and the children shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground.' Moshe did as God ordered and a strong east wind rose and blew all night and the waters of the Red Sea were divided and gathered into a wall on either side, leaving a dry passage in the midst. The Israelites marched at once along the dry path which extended from shore to shore and reached the opposite side in safety.
The Egyptians continued their pursuit, but Moshe stretched forth his staff and the waters resumed their usual course, closing over the whole army of Pharaoh.
Thus, God saved the children of Israel from the Egyptians and Israel saw His great power; they recognized G-d and believed in Him and in His servant Moshe -- the first redeemer of Israel.
This is the story of Passover -- or Pesach -- which recounts the birth of the Jewish people as a nation -- a nation called by G-d 'a beloved treasure' -- whose ultimate goal is to be a 'light unto the nations.'
This will become evident in the immediate future when Moshiach -- the final redeemer -- gathers us together from throughout the world and brings us to the promised land of Israel, 'and all the earth will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the sea.'

Who was required to place the “blood on the door post”? What was the result of this offer? What aspect of the Passover do you see as grace and what aspect do you see as faith?
In Exodus 12:23: ‘For when the Lord goes through to smite the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the lintel and the two door posts, and the Lord will protect the door and not let the Destroyer enter and smite your home.’3 Mekhilta Bo' 7 cites Isaiah 31:5: 'Like the birds that fly, even so will the Lord of Hosts shield Jerusalem, shielding and saving, protecting (pasoah) and rescuing.'4
The blood on the door post saved the Israel people from death. But wherever he saw the blood on the door post, he was to 'pass over.' The sprinkling of blood on the door post was the method God instructed. The Word of God struck the blow at our sin; he gave us Jesus Christ our sacrifice.
That Jesus Christ was killed during the Passover ceremonies, “for Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). As the blood of the lamb on the door post caused the judgement of God to pass over those Israelites, so the blood of Jesus causes the judgement of God to pass over everyone who trusts in Him. As it was done then, by trusting God's word without trying to reason out how and why blood on the door post could save from judgement, so faith works today! By REPENTANCE, we return to the God whom we forsook; by FAITH we come to Him, through Christ the one and only way.
Paul wrote in another letter:
Ephesians 2:8 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, Ephesians 2:9 – not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Do you see a relationship between John 3:16 and the story of the “Passover”? Find the New Testament verse that says “Christ our Passover and the verse that says “behold the Lamb”. Give the references. Is there a relationship between these verses and John 3:16?
God sent His deliverance through a man named Moses. Born the son of Hebrew slaves but through divine providence raised in the luxury of Egyptian royalty. When He fled Egypt for killing an Egyptian, he lived for 40 years in the wilderness as a shepherd. So when God sent him back to Egypt to deliver His people from the grips of Pharaoh, Moses was very familiar with both the government of Egypt as well as the region in which he would lead them for the next 40 years.
Because Pharaoh had hardened his heart to determine not to let God's people go, over a period of approximately ten months God brought upon Egypt ten plagues which not only inflicted the people and their land, but defied their false gods as well. They worshiped the Nile which was turned to blood and became foul. The frog was an object of worship as well as the fertile soil; all three becoming a curse to the Egyptians through the first three plagues (Exe. 7-8). The God of Israel was God even in Egypt. The tenth plague was not a plague per se, but the final stroke by which the first born of all Egypt would die, not sparing even the first born son of Pharaoh.
While Egypt suffered the loss of their first born, Israel would observe what is called the first 'Passover' (Exe. 11-12). According to their families they were to take for themselves an unblemished lamb and slay it. This lamb would be called the 'Passover' lamb. They were to take the blood of this lamb, which was caught in a basin, dip into it with a bunch of hyssop and apply the blood to the lintel and two door posts of the outside entrance to their homes.
'For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two door posts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you' (Exe. 12:22).
That first Passover, observed by the children of Israel the night before they came triumphantly out from their bondage in Egypt, prefigured what God would eventually accomplish for all mankind through the death of His own 'first born' Son, Jesus Christ. When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward Him he exclaimed, 'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world' (Jn. 1:29). For it is through Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross that God delivers all who believe in Him from their own personal bondage to sin and death (divine judgment). As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth, 'For Christ our Passover has been sacrificed' (1 Cor. 5:7b).
The sacrificial Lamb, whose sprinkled blood protected Israel, pointed to Him whose precious blood is the only safety of God's people; the hyssop (as in the cleansing of the leper, and of those polluted by death, and in Psalm li.7) was the symbol of purification; and the unleavened bread that 'of sincerity and truth,' in the removal of the 'old leaven' which, as the symbol of corruption, pointed to 'the leaven of malice and wickedness.' More than that, the spiritual teaching extended even to details. The lamb was to be 'roast,' neither eaten 'raw,' or rather not properly cooked (as in the haste of leaving), nor yet 'sodden with water' --the latter because nothing of it was to pass into the water, nor the water to mingle with it, the lamb and the lamb alone being the food of the sacrificial company. For a similar reason it was to be roasted and served up whole-- complete, without break or division, not a bone of it being broken, just as not even a bone was broken of Him who died for us on the cross. And the undividedness of the Lamb pointed not only to the entire surrender of the Lord Jesus, but also to our undivided union and communion in and with Him. So also none of this lamb was to be kept for another meal, but that which had not been used must be burnt. Lastly, those who gathered around this meal were not only all Israelites, but must all profess their faith in the coming deliverance; since they were to sit down to it with loins girded, with shoes on their feet and a staff in their hand, as it were, awaiting the signal of their redemption, and in readiness for departing from Egypt (Alfred Edersheim, Old Testament Bible History).
As the destroyer 'passed over' every home of the Israelite on which he saw the blood of the lamb, so God will 'pass over,' (not execute judgment) the one who has put his faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ on the cross on his behalf. Jesus said, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life' (Jn. 5:24).
'The Lamb, Blood on the doorpost, Death of the First-Born, Deliverance out of the Hostile Country, and the continuance of this Feast throughout Israel's history, all seem to have been intended of God to be a grand Historical Picture of Christ the Passover Lamb, and our Deliverance out of a Hostile World by His Blood' (Henry H. Hally, Hally's Bible Hand Book).
Jesus Christ died on the cross the very day Israel observed the Passover Feast, which they had done every year since the deliverance of their ancestors from their bondage in Egypt. But unlike every Passover prior, this time God provided His own unblemished Lamb, and three days later this 'Lamb of God' rose bodily from the dead. Scripture says, 'He was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification' (Rom. 5:10). We who were once enemies of God because of our transgressions and sins are now, through faith, reconciled to God through the death of His Son. 'For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus' (Rom. 3:23-24).
Phrases connecting the lamb to Christ refer back to the Old Testament. The Children of Israel were cruelly oppressed slaves in Egypt. God commissioned Moses to bring them out of Egypt to Canaan. God told Moses to ask Pharaoh to release the slaves, which Pharaoh was reluctant to do. So God sent seven plagues upon Egypt, each one more devastating than the previous. The last of the plagues was the death of the firstborn of all of the children and animals in Egypt. But God spared the Israelites from the plagues. In order for them to be spared the final plague, the children of Israel were commanded by God to take a one year old male lamb without any defect and sacrifice it. The blood of the lamb was to be spread over the doorframes of the house where they then ate the lamb. That night the Lord passed over Egypt and killed the firstborn of every household except those homes that had blood over their doorframes. An innocent lamb was sacrificed and its blood was shed to spare them from death. Later according to Old Testament law, animals were used as a blood sacrifice for sins. This ritual was used to demonstrate to the Israelites the seriousness of their sins. The blood was shed to pardon the sin. But the blood from animal sacrifices could not actually remove the sin. A lamb without defect was one of the acceptable animals that was used for this purpose (Leviticus 4:32). It was necessary for the Israelites to go to the priest time after time to sacrifice animals to pardon their sins. God sent Jesus into the world to be a one-time sacrifice for all sins. Hebrews 9:24 says, 'For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence.' When John the Baptist baptized Jesus, John witnessed the Holy spirit descending on Jesus declaring Him to be the Son of God. John knew that Jesus was the Messiah that had been prophesied in the book of Isaiah 53:7, 'He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.' There are over 100 prophecies in the Old Testament predicting the coming Messiah. The Jews were awaiting His arrival. John recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, and the person that would fulfill the role as the lamb sent by God to be both the Passover Lamb and provide the blood sacrifice for sin. During Jesus' 33 years of life on earth, living and experiencing everything that man experiences, He lived without sin. This made Him the pure and spotless lamb that was without defect - a perfect sacrifice. Hebrews 2:17 says, 'For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.' Jesus Christ, by dying on the cross, nailed all of our sins to the cross (Colossians 2:14), cleansed us from a guilty conscience (Hebrews 10:22), freed us from condemnation and from the grip of sin over our lives (Romans 8:1-2), and assured those of us who believe in Him to have everlasting life with Him in heaven (John 3:16).
Remember what you learned about typology evaluate the event of the Passover as typology. Who is Moses a type of? Who is the Pharaoh a type of? What is Egypt a type of? What is the exodus event a type of? What is Israel a type of? What is the promise land a type of?
Moses is a type of Christ.
MOSES
JESUS
An evil king/Pharaoh tried to kill him as a baby: Exodus 1:22
King Herod tried to kill baby Jesus: Matthew 2:16
He was hidden from the evil king/Pharaoh: Exodus 2:2
An angel said to hide the child from the evil King Herod: Matthew 2:13
Moses was sent into Egypt to preserve his life: Exodus 2:3-4
Jesus was taken into Egypt to preserve His life: Matthew 2:13-15
He was saved by women: his mother: Exodus 2:3; Miriam 2:4; Pharaoh's daughter 2:5-10
Saved and helped by His mother, Mary: Matthew 2:14
Pharaoh's daughter adopted Moses: Exodus 2:10
Joseph adopted Jesus: Matthew 1:25
Moses became a prince of Egypt: Exodus 2:10
Jesus is the Prince of Peace: Isaiah 9:5; Matthew 28:18; Luke 2:14
Long period of silence from childhood to adulthood
Long period of silence from childhood to adulthood
Moses had a secret identity
Messianic secret = Jesus the Son of God
He tried to save a Hebrew kinsman: Exodus 2:11-12
Jesus came to save His Hebrew kinsman first: Mark 7:26-28
Went from being a prince to a pauper: Exodus 2:15-19
Went from being God to being man: John 1:1-3; Mark 6:3
Saved women at a well: Exodus 2:15-19
Saved a woman at a well: John chapter 4
Became a shepherd: Exodus 3:1
He is the Good Shepherd: John 10:11
Moses' mission was to redeem Israel from slavery to Egypt
Jesus' mission is to redeem mankind from slavery to sin
Moses was loved and supported in his ministry by his sister Miriam [in Hebrew, Miryam]
Jesus was loved and supported in his ministry by His mother Mary [in Hebrew, Miryam]
He was often rejected by his own people
Jesus was often rejected by His own people
Moses will give God's law on the mountain of Sinai: Exodus 20:1-31:18; 34:1-35
Jesus will give the new law from the Mt. of Beatitudes: Matthew chapter 5
Moses spent 40 days fasting on the mountain: 24:18;34:28
Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert wilderness: Matthew 4:2
Moses performs signs/ miracles
Jesus performs signs/miracles
Moses offered his life for the salvation of his people after the sin of the Golden Calf: Exodus 32:33-33
Jesus offered His life for the salvation of the world: Isaiah 53:12; Romans 5:12; 6:10; 2 Corinthians 5:15-21; Colossians 1:19-20; 2:14-15; 1 John 1:7; 2:2; etc.
Moses is the prophet of the Old Covenant Church
Jesus is the prophet, priest, and King of a New and everlasting Covenant = the universal Catholic Church [note catholic means universal]
Israel a Type: Abram and Sarai took refuge in Egypt during a severe famine (12:10). At the time of a later famine (41:54), Abraham's grandson Jacob took his family to Egypt, where he was reunited with his favorite son Joseph (Gen. 46).
·When they were getting near Egypt, Abram made plans with Sarai on what they would say to the Egyptians. When Pharaoh's officers praised Sarai to Pharaoh, she was taken into Pharaoh's house (12:11-15). Similarly, when Jacob and his family reached Egypt, Joseph explained to them his strategy for introducing them to Pharaoh, telling them what they should say (46:31-34). Joseph brought five of his brothers to Pharaoh (47:1-4).
·The Pharaoh in Abram's time gave Abraham many gifts (12:16), including an abundance of livestock. The Pharaoh in Joseph's time allowed the family of Jacob to live in the best of his land and put them in charge of his cattle (47:5-6).
·God plagued Pharaoh and household with serious diseases because Pharaoh had unwittingly taken Abram's wife (12:17). God brought a series of plagues upon the Pharaoh of the Exodus when that Pharaoh continually refused to allow the Israelites to leave (Exod. 6-12).
·The Pharaoh in Abram's time sent Abram and Sarai away when he learned that Sarai was Abram's wife (12:18-20). The Pharaoh of the Exodus sent the Israelites away after the plague of the firstborn (Exod. 12:31-32).
·Abram and Sarai left Egypt with the wealth they had gained there, accompanied by Abram's nephew Lot, and then worshipped God. (13:1-4). The Israelites left Egypt with the wealth the Egyptians gave them, accompanied by a mixed multitude (Exod. 12:35-38). They later worshipped God at Mount Sinai.
This list shows that a number of details of Abram's sojourn in Egypt and subsequent departure prefigure analogous details from Israel's history. It also appears that Gen. 12:10-13:4 has been written in such a way as to emphasize these parallels, thus presenting Abraham as a type of Israel.

Pharaoh: A type of the largely Gentile Church that is actually led by a Jew!
The word ‘Egypt’ becomes a symbol of captivity, as seen in Hosea 8:13. Egypt represents a state of bondage such as holds the sinner prior to his conversion (Galatians 4:2; Romans 6:17; 1 Corinthians 10:lff);
Exodus Event is a type of baptism/passover.
The Exodus event refers to God’s rescue of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (the biblical Hebrews) from their political plight of oppression and slavery in Egypt. God’s righteousness extends to the very reason God gets involved in this particular political situation in the first place: God established a covenant with Abraham that also extends promises to his descendants (Genesis 12:1-3), and God does not break covenant promises. That’s righteousness!Part of the promise extends to God’s protection of Abraham’s descendants so they can be established as a blessing to other people. As in the Exodus, that often has meant that God had to show up in powerful ways to remind us all what “justice” and “faithful relationship” have to do with one another.Pharaoh and the Egyptians treated the Hebrews unjustly, seeing them as a people to be exploited rather than as fellow human beings made in God’s image who are to be honored as such. The latter was the intention of the relationship in which our God of justice engaged us from the very beginning of humanity.That same God—who sees all, hears all, knows all and remembers all—saw and heard the groaning and misery of the people of the covenant, remembered the promise to Abraham, and acted to bring justice (faithful relationship between people) to an unjust situation (Exodus 1-14). It was indeed with “an outstretched arm and a mighty hand” that God brought the Hebrews out of Egypt, and their descendants didn’t forget how God remembered them. The Exodus experience as it became memorialized in the annual Passover celebration became the foundation of Judaic identity.Jesus of Nazareth was born into that Judaic identity, an identity whose very foundation is an awesome experience of remembrance, liberation and justice. Those themes resonated in some powerful ways with Jesus, even from the beginning of his public ministry. As he announces the purpose of and the power behind his ministry, Jesus uses the sacred writings of his people (Isaiah 61) that speak of remembrance, liberation and justice. These verses that speak of the servant of God, on behalf of God, remembering and releasing God’s people from their oppression and affliction (Luke 4:18-19). Jesus inherited birthmarks of Judaic identity and carried them into the ministry he lived out among God’s people, as the servant of God’s people.As that servant, his purpose was the teaching, exampling and imploring of justice, dikaiosune, the faithful living out of relationship with one another. In the parameters of that paradigm, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would not have been enslaved or oppressed by Egypt in the first place and would not do the same to themselves or others. Enslavement or oppression of any kind is against the wholeness and well-being of the oppressed individual or community, which is against the will of God for any of us—according to the values of God’s kingdom, as taught to us by God’s servant Jesus.The Exodus event was God showing up and showing out for the people God already had made promises to, and everyone else getting to watch and take notes. God was righteous in the keeping of those promises to the covenant people and acted with justice by seeking to right a wrong relationship that happened to them through injustice.
There are three possible reasons why God is so determined that Israel will have Canaan: that the Canaanites need to be kicked out; that God promised Abram, Isaac, and Jacob that their descendants would have Canaan; that and a nation must have land to be stable.
The Canaanites are desperately wicked, and God, being a just god, has decided to destroy them. This is the region that Sodom and Gomorrah were in before they were destroyed. God has promised to give this land to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s descendants, however, and if the land is abandoned, it will not be a lush and prosperous land anymore. God wants the Israelites to come and be his implements of justice on the Canaanites so that then the Israelites can take possession of the land.
As was mentioned above, God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their descendants would eventually own Canaan. Israel is the nation that is descended from them, that Israel should get Canaan.


Who are God’s people in 5:1? Who are God’s people today? Who are God’s people in Revelation 21:3? Is there a relationship between then and now? Explain in 250 words or less.
The Israelites were God's chosen people.
Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6). The “no one” He referred to includes Jews and Gentiles. Jews are not saved because they are God’s chosen people, but because they believe in Jesus Christ as their true Messiah. There are many Messianic Jews who have accepted Yeshua (the Hebrew word for Jesus) as their Messiah. However, there is no doubt that the Jews are still God’s chosen people. “For you are a holy people unto the LORD your God: the LORD your God hath chosen you to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers…” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8).From all the nations and people on the earth, why exactly did God “choose” the Jews? John Gill, in his “Exposition of the Entire Bible” says the Jews were “chosen for special service and worship, and to enjoy special privileges and benefits, civil and religious; though they were not chosen to special grace…or eternal glory.” The Jews were chosen to be a blessing to all the nations of the earth (Genesis 12). The Jews were chosen to be a light to the Gentiles. So then, are all Jews “saved” just because they are Jews?According to many modern rabbinical scholars the Christian concept of salvation from sin has no equal in Judaism. Judaism does not believe that man, by his nature, is evil or sinful and therefore has no need to be “saved” from an eternal damnation. In fact, most Jews today do not believe in a place of eternal punishment or a literal hell. The Hebrew root word for “sin” is chayt, which literally means to “miss the mark.” It is a term commonly used in archery, of one who “misses the mark” of the bulls eye. When a Jew misses the mark, and occasionally falls into the sin of failing to fulfill the laws of God, the belief is that one can obtain forgiveness through prayer, repentance and doing good deeds.The Book of Leviticus (17:11), the third Book of the Torah, clearly gives the prescription for forgiveness. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” The Temple sacrifice was always the centerpiece for Jewish atonement. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the Levitical High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies in the Temple and sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the Mercy Seat. Through this yearly act, atonement was made for the sins of all Israel, but the Holy Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, and for almost 2000 years Jews have been without a Temple, a sacrifice, and a means of atonement.The Brit Chadasha (The New Covenant or New Testament) teaches us that the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ, came to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24) precisely at the time preceding the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. “But when Messiah arrived as a High Priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more complete Tabernacle, not made with hands—that is, not of this creation—and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered into the Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been made common, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Messiah, Who through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?” (Hebrews 9:11-14).The New Testament teaches that all of us, Jews and gentiles, have “missed the mark.” (Romans 3:23) All of us are under the consequences of sin, and “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) We are all in need of salvation from our sin; we are all in need of a Savior. The New Testament teaches that Jesus the Messiah is “the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father”, but through Him. (John 14:6) And most importantly, “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which it is necessary for us to be saved.' (Acts 4:12).For the Jews, Jesus the Messiah has come as High Priest, and through His once-for-all sacrifice for sin offers complete atonement to all people. For there is “no distinction” between Jew and gentile. (Romans 10:12) Yes, the Jews are God’s chosen people, and through them come the Jewish Messiah to bless all the nations of the earth. And it is only through Jesus that Jews can find God’s complete atonement and forgiveness.While individual Jews must come to Christ for salvation, God is still not finished with Israel as a nation. The Bible tells us that in the end times, Israel will finally recognize Jesus as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10). Jeremiah 33:8, Ezekiel 11:17, Romans 11:26 predicted that in the end times Israel would be regenerated, restored, and regathered in their homeland. This regathering already took place in 1948 when Israel was recognized as a sovereign country by the United Nations
Rev 21:3 KJV)And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.Here we read in this verse that God is now dwelling among His people for eternity. No longer is there any type of separation between God and His people. This dwelling among them is now a permanent thing. John heard a great voice out of heaven which is building upon verse 2 which calls the body of believers a holy city and here we have a further explanation of who that city is, it is the people of God. This verse is rooted in a verse back in Leviticus. (Lev 26:11-12 KJV) And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. {12} And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. In Leviticus, God had already written that He would tabernacle among the people of Israel but in Rev. 21:3, we have the ultimate fulfillment of that promise which is for eternity.
Explain Rom 9:17 in relationship to questions 1-7.
Rom 9:17 (KJV)For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.(Exo 9:15-16 KJV) For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. {16} And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. When God was ready to raise His hand against Egypt for not letting His people go, He specifically named Pharaoh as being raised up for this purpose. Pharaoh was considered a god and Egypt the mightiest nation on Earth at that time. If Pharaoh and Egypt would be defeated, then the conqueror would be feared all over the Earth as the word spread. The name of God was feared among the nations after Egypt was destroyed by the plagues and the death of Pharaoh in the Red Sea. So basically in this verse God is telling us that He can raise up a mighty nation for the purpose of bringing it down according to His mighty power and no one can stay His hand from doing it if that is His will.

Explain Heb 11:28 in relationship to questions 1-7.
Heb 11:28 (KJB)
Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

Here Moses believed the promise of God that He was going to destroy the firstborn of all the houses in Egypt, including Pharaoh. God gave him instructions that they were to sprinkle lamb’s blood on the side and upper doorposts of their homes. Those houses which did not have any blood on it were visited by God Himself who said He was going through all the land of Egypt and those houses without blood, the firstborn was to die in the tenth and final plague. God also changed the first month to Abib and it was now the first month of their calendar. (Exo 12:2 KJV) This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. They kept the first passover the night before they were freed from Egypt and that passover looked forward to the time when the Lord Jesus Christ would become the passover for all Christians. (1 Cor 5:7 KJV) 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: The Lord also kept the passover the night before He was crucified and on the heels of the Passover, He celebrated the Lord’s Supper. Now we celebrate the Lord’s Supper since the passover was only a shadow of things to come. Since Christ already came, the passover was now abolished with the rest of the ceremonial law.

Explain 1 Peter 1:2 and Rom 8:29 in relationship to questions 1-7.
1 Pet 1:2 (KJB)
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied..

Here Peter is telling us that the Christians are elect or chosen beforehand by the foreknowledge of God. God already knew before the foundation of the world who He was going to choose for salvation. When a person’s time to become saved came, the Holy Spirit would indwell them and they would become instantly sanctified or set apart from the world and for the Work of God. This sanctification would cause a true believer to become obedient to the Word of God and the ceremonial sprinkling means that they were cleansed from their sins which would give them the ability to serve the Lord in true purity of spirit. Peter goes on to desire grace and peace upon them. Both Gentile and Jewish believers would respond to this as the Gentiles would respond to Grace and the Jew would respond to Peace (Shalom). Peter was praying that the Grace and Peace would continue to grow in their lives as they face persecution. One can tell how close they are walking with the Lord when facing persecution. If a person is scared, they are not walking closely. If a person is calm and resting in the Lord, they are walking closer.

Rom 8:29 (KJV)For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.The foreknowledge of God has always been a debatable subject, especially for those who hold to the Arminian view where the idea that God predestines someone is reprehensible. The Bible is very clear on this subject and the only way someone can be confused on this is by intentionally twisting the meaning of the words. This verse is one of the most twisted by the free will camp. I have read people claim that the way is predestined but not the person. I have also heard that this verse is not teaching salvation by predestination. Both of these are seriously wrong. First of all, the question must be asked. When did God first know us? He first knew us when He wrote our names in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world.(Rev 13:8 KJV) And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.(Rev 17:8 KJV) The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.If you notice in these two Revelation verses, we read that the names of the Redeemed were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and it was done before the world was created. The word “predestinate” is the Greek word “proorizo” which carries with it the meaning of “selected beforehand, appoint or determine beforehand.” Now this verse states that we are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. The word “conform” in the Greek carries with it the meaning of “having the same form.” Now how can a person be conformed to the image of His Son unless they first become saved. We read above in Revelation that we are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the world was formed. This means the Elect of God was predestined to become saved at some time in their life and that salvation is to image the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is the “firstborn” among the brethren. This means that He was the first to rise from the dead to never die again. While we are on this earth, we image Christ in our souls when we are saved because we receive our resurrected souls. In our soul existence we too will never die. The physical body will die but the resurrected soul lives on eternally. On the last day when we receive our new bodies we will then be like Christ, in that we will never die again. So before one can be conformed to the image of Christ, they must become saved, and the Elect of God are the ones who were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. We also image Christ in his characteristics because we are given the mind of Christ when we are saved.

Do a sermon or lecture outline of the Passover event with at least an introduction, 3 points (each with minimum of 2 sub-points) and a conclusion.
Ans.I The Passover in Old Testament IsraelA As you know, Israel lived in Egypt for 430 years – many of those years they were in bondage. God sent Moses to lead them out. As they prepared to leave the land they were going to leave under blood.Already before Moses arrived in Egypt God told him what was going to happen. God told Moses to tell Pharaoh,
(Ex 4:22-23) 'Israel is my firstborn son ... Let my son go, so he may worship me ... but you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.'
You know what else happened – the ten plagues: the water of the Nile changed to blood, the frogs, the gnats, the flies, the plague on the livestock, the boils, the hail, the locusts, and the darkness. However, the death of the firstborn was the worst of the judgments. As a firstborn, I've never cared for that last plague – it always struck too close to home; I'm sure every firstborn here feels the same way. Terrible, terrible destruction was visited by the Lord upon the land of Egypt before Pharaoh would finally let God's firstborn son go to worship Him.B The firstborn of every family and even the firstborn of the cattle were to be struck down by the Lord's Angel. But there was an exception – the exception was those people who by faith did certain things.Those people whose firstborn was not taken were to take a male lamb – an unblemished lamb, a lamb without defect. The lamb was to be slaughtered and its blood was to be collected. In those days there was a trench outside of the door and in the trench there was a collection pot. And it was designed so that water would not run into the house. When you slaughtered the lamb you were to slaughter it at the door of your house so that blood ran into the trench and from there into the collection pot. You were then to take a bunch of hyssop, which was a local plant, and you were to dip it in that collection pot at the front door of your house, and you were to smear the blood above the door posts and on the sides of your door. When the Angel of the Lord saw that blood he would pass over that house and household and not visit death upon the firstborn.Some would dismiss this story of the Passover and the blood as a kind of superstitious ritual. But it was nothing like that. It was an act of faith. It was an act of faith that said 'We believe that what God says is true. And that God will spare those who trust Him.'It is pretty clear from reading the story that not all Israelites believed this. There were some who did not and their firstborn died.C As part of the Passover, the Israelites were to also eat the lamb in family units. With it they were to eat bitter herbs – representing the bitterness of their bondage and slavery – and unleavened bread – representing that they were leaving the old leaven or life of Egypt behind. And they were to eat it not at the kitchen table, but at the counter; not seated, but standing; they were to eat it dressed and ready to go, camel and donkey and cart loaded – representing the haste with which they left Egypt so that there was no time to sit down for a family meal.II The Passover at the Time of JesusIn most of the history of the Old Testament the Israelites observed the Passover in one form or another. By the time you get to the New Testament and to the days of Jesus the Passover was still celebrated but had also developed certain practices.By the time Jesus was walking the earth, the Jews did not smear blood on the doors anymore. That had gone away. They did sacrifice a lamb. But not necessarily in the same way. Now it was more of a national festival. So the priests would gather at the Temple and the high priest would slay one lamb on behalf of the whole nation. Those Jews who could make it to Jerusalem also slaughtered a lamb. And, they didn't necessarily do it in family gatherings as was done in the past; rather, they did it in a grouping of 10-20 people; you needed at least 10 and could have no more than 20. The reason was that you had to eat the entire lamb and could not have any leftovers like we have after Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners. This meant that Jesus and His 12 disciples constituted a family unit; they qualified to have a lamb for His last supper.In connection with this, very often at the time of Jesus there was also another practice – the 'crowned sacrifice.' The lamb was to be killed in a certain way. His throat was to be cut and the blood was to be collected in a bowl. And then he was gutted, the intestines taken out. He was roasted vertically on a pomegranate stick. And the intestines were draped around the head while the roasting process was being done. That is called a 'crowned sacrifice.' This way every part of the lamb was consumed. Because as you read with me in our Bible reading, every bit was to be eaten or burned – the intestines, the fat, everything (Ex 12:10).They still used bitter herbs and unleavened bread.They also drank four cups of wine during the Passover meal. The first was called the 'cup of blessing,' the second was called the 'cup of wrath,' the third was called the 'cup of redemption,' and the fourth was called the 'cup of the kingdom' – this fourth cup is the one Jesus said He would not drink until He came again in the power of His kingdom (cf Lk 22:18).III The Passover as Fulfilled in ChristA So, what does all of this have to do with Jesus on this Good Friday?I want to bring you back to the book of Exodus and remind you of the regulations regarding the celebration of the Passover. And then I want to show you how they were fulfilled in and through Christ.First, we notice in verse 3 that the animal chosen for the Passover was selected on the tenth day of the month and was introduced to the community.I want you to take note of the timing of this. On the tenth day of the month the lamb was brought out. Now, do you remember when Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph on Psalm Sunday? The dating of His entry into the city was the tenth day of the month, precisely the time that the priest introduced the Passover lamb to the people. Like the lamb, Jesus was introduced to the people. And He spent time that week going in and out among them in the Temple courts and meeting the blind and lame.I want you all to start thinking of the words of John the Baptist: 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (Jn 1:29). Jesus is the Passover lamb. He is the reality and all other Passover lambs are the shadows.B Second, we are told in verse 5 that the lamb must be 'year-old males without defect.'In fact, the lamb was introduced to the community so that all the people would notice that it was without defect. All the people had a chance to look the lamb over, to make sure, to become convinced, that this lamb was pure, without defect, without flaw, that it fulfilled the Law of God.Again, I want you to think of Jesus. He was challenged and tested frequently. By the elders and chief priests and scribes. By Pilate. By Herod. By Annas. By Caiaphas. He was even tested by Judas. And in every case they found nothing wrong with Him. In order to crucify Him they had to trump up charges against Him. Why? Because He was a lamb without blemish.Again, I think of the words of John the Baptist: 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (Jn 1:29). Jesus is the Passover lamb. He is the reality and all other Passover lambs are the shadows.C Thirdly, on the day of preparation for the Passover, on the fourteenth day, the high priest took the lamb that had been tested and checked over and approved by all the people and brought him to the altar and tied him to the altar at 9 o'clock in the morning. From 9 o'clock in the morning until 'twilight' the lamb was staked out in preparation for slaughter. This meant that in the days of Jesus the Passover lamb was brought to the altar at 9 in the morning and was slaughtered at 3 in the afternoon.Now, on the other side of the wall from the Temple at 9 in the morning, at the very time the priest was staking out the Passover lamb on the altar, Jesus was led out to be crucified on a vertical stake.Again, I think of the words of John the Baptist: 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (Jn 1:29). Jesus is the Passover lamb. He is the reality and all other Passover lambs are the shadows.D Fourthly, the actual killing of the lamb was to be done by the high priest. And it was be done with the recitation of a very carefully worded document that ended with these words, as he drew the knife across the throat of the lamb: 'It is finished.'At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, at the very moment when the high priest cut the throat of the lamb in order to collect its blood and said the prescribed words ending with 'It is finished,' Jesus on the other side of the wall was breathing His last and said 'It is finished.'Again, I think of the words of John the Baptist: 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (Jn 1:29). Jesus is the Passover lamb. He is the reality and all other Passover lambs are the shadows.E Lastly, I want to remind you that Jesus, too, was a 'crowned sacrifice.' Remember the crown of thorns so cruelly thrust upon His head?Again, I think of the words of John the Baptist: 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (Jn 1:29). Jesus is the Passover lamb. He is the reality and all other Passover lambs are the shadows.IV The Passover and UsA I want you to be clear about this: the Passover reminded Israel, and on this Good Friday it reminds us, that deliverance is costly. It costs blood. Look at the price Israel had to pay – the blood of its lambs. Look at the price God had to pay – the blood of His only begotten Son. Israel saw all this blood – an unbelievable amount of blood. Blood everywhere. Flowing on the ground into the trench and the collection pot and then smeared over the door and on the sides of the door. Even at the time of Jesus the blood was visibly gathered in front of the people. The throat cut, the blood collected, the hyssop dipped.To be saved and delivered and rescued is a costly undertaking. B Second, the Passover reminded Israel, and on this Good Friday it reminds us, that we have been saved and delivered and rescued. You need to realize and recognize there has been deliverance from bondage. In recognition of this, Israel had to eat and taste the bitter herbs.Israel had been delivered from its bondage to Pharaoh and Egypt. We have been delivered from our bondage to sin. If you are in Jesus Christ, then you have been set free – free from sin.C Third, the Passover reminded Israel, and on this Good Friday it reminds us, that the blood of the Lamb covers us from God's searching judgment. Egypt was not covered and lost its firstborn. What a sad night in all the Egyptian households! But Israel was covered. The Angel of death and wrath, the Angel of God's holy judgment, did not strike any home covered with the blood of the lamb. The blood of the Lamb, the Lamb of God, also covers us so that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). There is power, power, wonder-working power in the precious blood of the Lamb.ConclusionCongregation, the Passover Lamb has been slain. He was brought out four days early so He could be tested and found to be without defect. He was staked out that morning at 9 o'clock. He was killed at 3o'clock in the afternoon. By His providence, God arranged history so carefully.Jesus is the reality the shadows, the rehearsals, prophesied. He is the Lamb which all the earlier Passover lambs looked forward to. It cost Him His blood and His life but we are set free from bondage and we are covered from God's holy wrath.