A Life in Exile

The ties that bind the Old Testament to the New are strong, and this is a convincing argument for the validity of Scripture. In a recent sermon on that very subject, a local pastor shared that the fulfillment of prophecy is one of the most powerful answers to skeptics. And who is the fulfillment of that prophecy? Jesus.

The Problem

The sin that separated man from God in the Garden manifested itself through the trials of Israel in Egypt. Separated from the Land of Promise, the Hebrews had been enslaved under the rule of the Pharaohs for four hundred years. Just as God had promised that the offspring of the woman would crush the head of Satan (Genesis 3:15), Moses was a prototype of the eventual offspring who would open the way for men and women to gain freedom from their spiritual slavery.

Yet, Moses was no Jesus. At no point did Moses sacrifice himself for the people. He simply led the way out to God. There were things even Moses couldn’t provide for the people, and that’s why they needed a lamb.

The impending arrival of the destroyer of the firstborn would affect the Israelites as well as the Egyptians. No one would be spared because all are under God’s wrath—but for one distinction—the blood of a sacrificial lamb. This would become the night when everyone would know that God made a distinction between Egypt and Israel. It had nothing to do with Moses, but everything to do with the required sacrifice of a lamb.

The Lamb

The twelfth chapter of Exodus gives us all the details, and it is here we read God’s instructions to the people on what they would need to do to avoid death. They were to kill a lamb for each household (though small ones would share). The blood was spread on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where it was eaten. They would cook the meat and eat it, while dressed in clothes to travel, for travel they would, that very night, urged by Pharaoh himself to leave the land.

As a cap note to the story, Moses adds instructions given to him and Aaron by the Lord. These instructions were not just for that one night, but for what would become an annual commemoration of the event in what we know as Passover.

He makes it clear that no foreigners should eat the meat, but circumcised slaves can. Then he adds these words:

It is to be eaten in one house. You may not take any of the meat outside the house, and you may not break any of its bones. The whole community of Israel must celebrate it.

Exodus 12:46-47 CSB

So, not only is it only for Jews, but the lamb has to be eaten in the house with no bones of the animal being broken. What an interesting regulation. Sounds strange until we understand why.

The Messiah

Over thirteen hundred years later, another lamb is sacrificed, but this one is in the form of a man on a cross. See if you catch the connection.

Since it was the preparation day, the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special day). They requested that Pilate have the men’s legs broken and that their bodies be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been crucified with him. When they came to Jesus, they did not break his legs since they saw that he was already dead. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth. For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken. Also, another Scripture says: They will look at the one they pierced.

John 19:31-37

The day on which Christ would die was not just any Friday before any Sabbath, but it was a Friday before the annual Passover commemoration. Christ, the Messiah, was also Christ, the Passover Lamb.

Because the Jews were in a hurry to start their special commemoration, they asked for Pilate to break the legs of the men on the crosses, so they would finish dying quickly and allow for burial before the sun set. There were three men that day on crosses—two had their legs broken. Jesus, however, had already died, because he gave up his spirit willingly, as John records in the thirtieth verse. Therefore, because he was dead, there was no need to break his legs.

The Fulfillment.

The timing of Christ’s death was no accident. It was purposefully done, his spirit given up, at just the right time to avoid having one broken bone. Why? Because Jesus came to fulfill not only the Father’s will, but to fulfill all Scripture. And he did.

Peter, who witnessed the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, ties it all together in his letter to believers.

For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times for you. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

1 Peter 1:18-21

The Glory.

John receives a glimpse into the ultimate purpose of the Lamb, slain for us.

This is the Christ, the Lamb, in whom we find freedom from sin and death. This is the Lamb who is worthy of our lives.

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Learning from the Past post, click HERE, or start the series from the BEGINNING.