Passover
Pastor David
Today marks the first day of Passover for Jews around the world. It’s a time when they all come together and remember God rescuing Israel from slavery in Egypt thousands of years ago. Ten plagues were sent to Egypt in Exodus 7 through 12, but the Passover remembers the last one where the spirit of the Lord went throughout Egypt and struck down every firstborn not found in a house that had its doorposts painted with the blood of a lamb or young goat (Exodus 12:7). As you read this story you learn that after discovering his own firstborn having been struck down, Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and told them to do what they wanted to do (Exodus 12:31-33). This ended Israel’s 430-year slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:40). Before the first Passover even happened, God established the Passover celebration to make sure his people would remember how he rescued them from the Egyptians (Exodus 12:14-20).
All of these events were a foreshadowing of the future. The lamb/young goat that was killed and whose blood was smeared on the doorposts to save the firstborns from being struck down reminds us of another lamb that was slain and whose blood saves us from the Lord’s wrath. I always find it interesting the way the Lord times things. On the night he was betrayed, Jesus was establishing another practice (communion). The disciples and Jesus had gathered for the same thing many Jews in the world will be remembering today (Passover, Matthew 26:17). When the pastoral staff do these devotionals, they are done about one month in advance. As I type this out, there is still fighting going on between Hamas and Israel. I can’t help but wonder if that fighting has continued as you read this, whether the Jews will begin celebrating Passover thinking back on how God has rescued them in the past and looking for a similar rescue today. Not knowing, understanding or just all out rejecting that God has rescued them for eternity already through his son Jesus.
There isn’t much of a challenge today for this devotional, but there is a call to prayer. As you finish reading this, take a few minutes to pray. If there is still fighting going on in Israel, pray for peace as any time lives are lost (lives that are created in the image of God) it’s a tragedy. But also pray for both Jews and Palestinians to turn to Jesus. Both believe him to have been a good teacher but pray both people groups come to believe he is the one true messiah, sent to save them and bring them into a proper relationship with our Father in heaven!