March 13, 2021
The Ultimate Passover Lamb
God commanded that the priests and Levites should receive a portion of many of the offerings. The Lord provided for these servants through the offerings the Israelites brought.
God also warned Israel against adopting the detestable spiritual practices of the Canaanites. He wanted a people committed to Him and His Word.
“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.” –Deuteronomy 18:15
Moses declared that one day, the Lord would raise up another prophet to guide the people (Deuteronomy 18:15). Peter later connected Moses’ words to Jesus as he addressed Jerusalem’s religious leaders (Acts 4:22-24). Jesus, God’s Son, is the greatest prophet ever!
God commanded the Israelites to establish cities of refuge for people who accidentally killed someone. Cities of refuge recognized the seriousness of ending someone’s life. But they also provided a “cooling off” time for family members who might try to take vengeance in the heat of the moment.
Finally, the Lord encouraged judges to remain impartial. They needed to apply God’s statutes fairly to everyone and not show favoritism.
On the last night before Jesus’ death, He celebrated the Jewish Passover meal with His disciples. Passover commemorated God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt (Exodus 12). Jesus was about to become the ultimate fulfillment of Passover by dying on the cross.
In Egypt, the Israelites put the blood of a lamb on the lintel and doorposts of their homes to save them from a plague God brought against the Egyptians. But the blood of Jesus, God’s perfect lamb, would save the world from sin (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7).
Jesus took bread and wine, two elements of the Passover meal, and gave them new meaning. The bread represented His body broken for His people, and the wine represented His blood He shed for them.
Make It Personal
- Why is the fair application of God’s commands so important? Ask Him to help you see areas of your life where you might display partiality.
- Ponder for a moment the depth of love Jesus displayed by dying on the cross for us.