THE EXODUS by Larry W. Peebles April 20, 2018 18.12
In 1956 the epic movie “The Ten Commandments” was released. The movie starred Charlton Heston as Moses, and Yul Brenner as Pharaoh. The story line follows the life of Moses from his birth through the deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery when Moses was age 80. The journey from Egypt to the Promised Land took 40 years, and is called the Exodus. The movie also contained the story of God giving the Ten Commandments on Mt Sinai. The actors, the imagery and the action made it a grand production when it was released, and it is still considered a classic today. Again this year, the movie was shown during the Passover/Easter season, which has been customary for as long as I can remember. While it may not be the case today, I am grateful that back in those days Hollywood tackled many of the Biblical stories and characters, and made movies that are worth seeing many times over again.
Both the life of Moses and the movie point to Jesus. The Jewish Passover therefore also points to Jesus. This list is not exhaustive, but here are ten similarities or comparisons to prove my point:
- When Moses was born, the Hebrew midwives were under orders from Pharaoh to kill the male infants. (Exodus 1:16). Moses escaped, and was raised as an Egyptian. (Exodus 2:3-6). When Jesus was born, King Herod ordered the male infants be killed. (Matthew 2:13). Joseph and Mary took Jesus and escaped to Egypt. (Matthew 2: 14-15).
- Moses was chosen by God to save or rescue the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. (Exodus 3: 4-10). Jesus was God and chose to save or rescue all mankind from the slavery of sin. (Romans 6:17-18).
- God identified Himself to Moses as I AM. (Exodus 3:14). Jesus identified Himself twelve different times as I AM in the books of John and Revelation. Specifically, in John He said I AM the bread of life… the light of the world… the door… the good shepherd… the resurrection and the life… the way, the truth and the life… and I AM the true vine. He also said “It is I AM; do not be afraid.” John also records “Before Abraham was, I AM.” Then in Revelation He said I AM the Alpha and the Omega… the Bright Morning Star… and I AM the Root and Offspring of David.
- The final plague that came upon the Egyptians resulted in the death of the oldest male child in every Egyptian family, from the greatest to the least (Exodus 11:5). The plague was so severe it led to the release of the Israelite slaves. God gave specific instructions that protected every Israelite family from the plague if they were followed. God called it Passover, as the death angel passed over the Israelite households. Jews have celebrated Passover each year since. Jesus died during the celebration of Passover, sparing all mankind from the consequences of sin and death. The Christian faith celebrates that death and resurrection as Easter or Resurrection Sunday.
- For the first Passover, the children of Israel were to kill a Lamb (Exodus 12:6). When Jesus came to John to be baptized and begin His ministry on earth, John said “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” The Holy Spirit in John recognized the Messiah immediately, and John could not help but speak those words of recognition. Jesus was that Lamb.
- For that first Passover, the children of Israel were to sprinkle some of the blood from the Lamb on the door posts of their household to identify that home as protected by and belonging to the faith. Applying the blood rescued or redeemed them from the death angel. Ephesians 1:7 says- “In Him [Jesus] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” We are rescued today from death and sin by the blood of Jesus, just as those Israelites were rescued at the first Passover.
- The door with the blood of the Lamb on it represented the passage of the Israelites from death to life, from slavery to freedom. Jesus said I AM the door (John 10:9). He in summary established He was the Lamb, it was His blood that was shed, and He was the door through which all must pass to escape the slavery of sin and death.
- After the death angel passed over the Egyptian houses, release from slavery came quickly and the Israelites fled. They were instructed to bake unleavened bread (not take time for yeast to rise) and take it with them. Later in their journey from Egypt into the land God had promised them they were fed supernaturally with unleavened bread from heaven called manna. Jesus said I AM the bread of life (John 6:35). As the creator and sustainer of all life, He identified Himself as the bread of Passover and the life giving bread in the wilderness.
- When the chains of slavery were broken, the children of Israel walked out of Egypt and into a new land to begin a new life. They were given a chance to start over. Jesus told Nicodemus in John Chapter 3 that whoever believed in Him [that Jesus was the Messiah Son of God] would be saved, and could be “born again” into a new life by repenting of sin and receiving the Holy Spirit.
- In stark contrast to the death angel who came at night to the Egyptians to take lives, Jesus came to bring light and eternal life to the world. Jesus said “I AM the light of the world” (John 8:12), and “I AM the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25-26). He brought Lazarus back to life, He rose from the dead after His own crucifixion, and He continues to resurrect the dead back to life today. Each time a sinner turns their life over to Him, and makes Jesus their Savior and Lord, another resurrection (new life) occurs.
Jesus and His disciples, as good Jews, would have celebrated Passover each year they were together. When Jesus gathered His disciples for Passover for the final time (just before His arrest and crucifixion), He gave them a new way to celebrate. (Matthew 26:26-29). Instead of the meat (body) of a lamb, He gave them bread representing the body of The Lamb–His body, the ultimate final sacrifice. Instead of the blood of a lamb on the door post, He gave the disciples wine representing the blood of The Lamb-His blood, from a life perfect and unblemished. His body and blood would be the last time the blood of any lamb would be required as a sacrifice. There could be no greater Lamb than the Son of God, and as a final sacrifice it had the awesome and ultimate power to remove all sin and death that had ever entered the world. The picture of a lamb sacrificed at the first Passover in Egypt was now complete, and did not need to be painted, repeated or celebrated again in the old way. In the Christian faith today, the taking of the bread and wine is called communion, and is practiced as Jesus gave instruction. It should certainly be practiced by Christians at the Passover on the Jewish calendar. 1 Corinthians 11:26 says- “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes [returns again].”
God clothed Adam and Eve in animal skin to cover their original sin. The death of a lamb was required to spare the Israelites from the death angel in Egypt. The life of Jesus, The Son of God and Lamb of God, was required to once and for all time cover the sin and death of all mankind. He laid down his life willingly for you and me. John 3:16-17 says- “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” Jesus is the final Passover Lamb. No greater sacrifice has been made, nor can ever be made. We thank God for His eternal plan of salvation that redeems us back into a relationship where we can “walk in the garden” with Him as Adam and Eve did.
