CHRIST OUR PASSOVER

Wherever the Bible has gone the story of the night when the Passover was first observed in Egypt has been told. Wherever a Jew exists on the face of the earth that night is remembered, celebrated and pointed to as the greatest event in their national history. Of its historical truthfulness there can be no question. It is the most remarkable instance of Divine intervention recorded in the Scriptures. The Children of Israel from being the honored guests of Pharaoh became his slaves. As slaves they desired freedom, but their struggles for freedom only increased their bondage (Exo 1: 13-14), and in their despair they called upon God (Exo 2: 23-25), and God sent a "Deliverer"— MOSES, and through him said to Pharaoh—" Let 'MY PEOPLE' go that they may serve Me." Exo 8: 1. The Children of Israel were not made for Egypt, nor Egypt for them, they were made for Canaan. God intended that they should drink of the water of Jordan and not of the water of the Nile. While they were born in bondage they were made for LIBERTY. God had told Abraham that his seed should be a stranger in a land that was not theirs, where they should be afflicted for 400 years, and afterwards should come out with great substance. Gen 15: 13-14. When the time for their deliverance and return to Canaan had come, God found it necessary to wean them from Egypt by making their lot in Egypt unendurable. To this end He stirred up the heart of Pharaoh to increase their burdens. The deliverance of the Children of Israel from Egypt is a type of the deliverance of the sinner from the bondage of sin and is well worth our study. Egypt is a type of this present "EVIL WORLD." In Moses' day it presented the best specimen of worldly glory and magnificence that the world has ever seen. In it were gathered the world's wealth, art, and commerce. As seen in its ruins there was nothing lacking in that which would gratify the "Lust of the Flesh," the "Lust of the Eye," and the "Pride of Life." The food of Egypt was not only plentiful, but gross and stimulating. It was composed of cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. Egypt was also famous for its fish. Num 11: 4-5. But Egypt was not to be compared with Canaan for beauty or food, for Canaan was a land of figs and pomegranates, of olive oil and honey, of new corn and wine. Deu 8: 8-9. Pharaoh was a type of "Satan." Egypt was full of idolatry, the very stronghold of Satan, and a "hotbed" of every species of sin. Having Israel in his power Pharaoh tried to make it permanent. That is what Satan tries to do with the sinner. It is Satan's "Taskmasters" who make the sinner sweat in hard bondage. Moses was a type of Christ. Notice that God is always "BEFOREHAND" with His salvation. Salvation is no "AFTER-THOUGHT" of God's. God was preparing Moses in the Wilderness for the work he was to do in delivering Israel. The quickest way to get relief is "via" the Throne of God. Israel phoned to God, God phoned to Moses. God always knows where the man needed for the occasion is. In fact, owing to His foreknowledge, He has him ready. When Moses appeared in Egypt and made his mission known there was trouble. He was looked upon as a "labor agitator," and Pharaoh increased the burdens of the Children of Israel. So Satan makes the way rough for the sinner who desires to get away from him. When Pharaoh refused to let the Children of Israel go then God took a hand, and proceeded to bring judgments, in the form of "Plagues," upon Egypt. The purpose of the "Plagues" was to make Pharaoh and the Egyptians see that the God of Israel was stronger than the "gods" of Egypt. The "Plagues" were 10 in number and distributed over about a year. With the exception of the first and the last they were "Natural Phenomena" common to Egypt, the miraculous thing being that they came and went at the command of God and were of great severity. The "Ten Plagues" were judgments against the "gods" of Egypt. (1). "Water into blood," against the Nile, the "Idol River." (2). "Frogs," against the worship of frogs. (3). "Lice," against the earth god "Seb" and the priests, who could not officiate when vermin was upon them. (4). "Flies," against the atmosphere "Shu," son of "Ra," the SUN-GOD. (5). "Murrain," against the "Sacred Bull"— APIS. (6). "Boils," against "Sutech" or "Typhon," to whom victims were offered, their ashes being flung to the winds. (7). "Locusts," against the "Sacred Beetle." (8). "Hail," against "Shu." (9). "Darkness," against the "Sun-God" —RA, of whom Pharaoh was believed to be the child. (10). "Death of the First-Born," against the nation guilty of wholesale infanticide in ordering that all male Hebrew children should be cast into the river Nile. Exo 1: 22.
The first 9 Plagues may be divided into 3 groups of 3 Plagues each. In the first two of each group Pharaoh was warned; in the last no warning was given. The first group only affected the comfort of the people, and were universal upon Egyptians and Israelites alike. The second group affected only the Egyptians, the Children of Israel's cattle were spared for sacrifice. Here property suffered. The third group fell mainly upon the Egyptians, there being no hail in the land of Goshen, and the Children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
.



Larkin, Clarence (2012-06-18). Rightly Dividing The Word [Illustrated] (Kindle Locations 2974-2980). PreservedWords. Kindle Edition.