Passover

Overview

• Testament: Old
• Book: Exodus 12
• Summary: The tenth plague — death of every firstborn in Egypt. Israel is spared by the blood of a lamb on their doorposts. God “passes over” their homes.

Details

God instructed each Israelite household to select a lamb without blemish on the 10th of Abib (April). On the 14th, they killed it at evening, applied its blood to their doorposts and lintel, and ate the lamb with bitter herbs and unleavened bread, ready to depart.

At midnight, the LORD struck every firstborn in Egypt — from Pharaoh’s son in his high castle to the captive in the dungeon. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and released Israel.

God established the Passover as a perpetual feast — a memorial of His deliverance. This event became the central feast of Israel and the ultimate foreshadowing of Christ, the Lamb of God.

Key People Involved

• Moses — Communicated God’s instructions
• Israelites — Kept the first Passover
• Pharaoh — Lost his firstborn, released Israel

Important Verses

• “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” — Exodus 12:13
• “And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses, and they killed the lamb at even.” — Exodus 12:21

Cross-References

• Matthew 26:17-19 — Last Supper at Passover
• Mark 14:12-16 — Passover preparation
• 1 Corinthians 5:7 — “Christ, our passover, is sacrificed for us”
• 1 Peter 1:19 — “Precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish”
• John 1:29 — “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”
• Revelation 5: — The Lamb who was slain