This is the last of the four
faiths regarding Moses that we find in Hebrews chapter 11, verse
28, through faith, he kept the Passover. Through faith, he kept the Passover. He knew exactly what he was doing. and the sprinkling of the blood,
lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them." Faith and
the Passover. Of this, Moses was sure the only
way that he and the rest of the nation of Israel would not perish
under the wrath of God, the just wrath of God, was because of
the Passover. Now, do you and I understand
that with regard to ourselves? Would we have this same faith
that Moses did? We're going to go into the history
of the Passover in Exodus chapter 12, but let me remind you, the
first Corinthians chapter 15, verse three, the gospel is called
how that, how that. Christ died for our sins according
to the Scriptures. And he was talking about the
Old Testament Scriptures. And this is not manifested any
more clearly than in this thing called the Passover. If I had
One passage that I could preach from and then die tonight, I
believe this would be it. That's how much I love this passage
of scripture. Would you turn over to Exodus
chapter 10? Egypt is in shambles. No nation can stand before the
God of Israel. He sent nine plagues. And they
have utterly devastated the land. Pharaoh, through his wicked obstinance, God hardening
his heart. The scripture points out that
so many times God hardened his heart. God does that. God hardened
his heart. And when God hardened his heart,
he hardened his own heart as well. in wicked obstinance and
defiance to God. He still would not let the people
go. Look in verse 27 of chapter 10.
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart. And he would not let them go. After all he had seen, after
all he'd experienced the devastations of these plagues, the Lord hardened
his heart and he refused to let the people of Israel go. And
Pharaoh said unto him, get thee from me, take heed to thyself.
See my face no more, for in the day that thou seest my face,
thou shalt die. And Moses said, thou hast spoken
well. I will see thy face again no
more. And the Lord said unto Moses,
chapter 11, yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh
and upon Egypt. Afterwards, he'll let you go
hence. When he shall let you go, he
shall surely thrust you out of his hands altogether. Speak now
in the ears of the people and let every man borrow of his neighbor
and every woman of her neighbor. jewels of silver and jewels of
gold. Now, I think it's interesting to note, I dare say that many
of the children of Israel become friends with some of the people
in Egypt. They crossed each other's path. They knew each other. They
were well acquainted with each other. And all of a sudden, they
come up to their neighbors and said, let me have your silver
and gold. And they gave it to them. Let me have your jewels.
And they gave it to them. I don't think anything like this
has ever happened in the history of mankind, do you? Verse three, and the Lord gave
the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the
man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of
Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people, they'd seen
what the Lord had done through Moses. And Moses said, thus saith the
Lord, about midnight, will I go out into the midst of Egypt. And all the firstborn in the
land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that
sits upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant
that's behind the mill, and all the firstborn of the beasts.
And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt,
such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. This is going to be more severe
than the nine plagues. But against any of the children of
Israel shall not a dog move his tongue. A dog's not gonna bark
against one of them. Against man or beast that you
may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the
Egyptians and Israel. Now this is the verse
Paul referred to in 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 7 when he asked
the Corinthians this question and I want you to think about
it and I want to think about it. Who maketh thee to differ
from another? You believe the gospel. You see
Jesus Christ as altogether lovely. You love Him. You believe Him. You rely on Him only as everything
in your salvation. Who made you to differ? Why is it that you believe the
gospel? Because somebody made you to
differ. Somebody distinguished you. Somebody discriminated with
you. This is what is called discriminating
grace. And that's a good term. That's
exactly what this means. discriminating grace. Now any
other kind of discrimination is bad. Any kind is bad. This kind's the only hope we
have. That God would distinguish us from others. What do you have
that you didn't receive? Do you have faith? What a blessed
privilege. Who gave it to you? You received
it, didn't you? It's not something you did on
your own. You received it. I love the way he says this.
Against the children of Israel shall not a dog bark, against
man or beast, so that you might know how that the Lord doth put
a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. Verse eight. And all these thy servants, he's
speaking to Pharaoh, And all these thy servants shall come
down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, get thee out,
and all the people that follow thee. And after that, I'll go
out. Not until you're made to say,
get out. Please get out. And he went out
from Pharaoh in a great anger. And this is kind of signature
of Moses. He had a temper and he was angry at this time. He
went out in a great anger. And the Lord said unto Moses,
Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you that my wonders may be multiplied
in the land of Egypt. And Moses and Aaron did all these
wonders before Pharaoh and the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart
so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of
the land. And the Lord spake unto Moses
and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying, this month shall be unto you the beginning
of months. It shall be the first month of
the year to you. Now, the calendar was changed
for this event. That gives us some idea of the
significance of this event. The calendar was changed for
this event. Now, this month was formerly
the seventh month, roughly our September, but now it's called
the beginning. Do you know understanding the
Passover is where life begins? Insofar as our experience goes,
understanding the Passover is where spiritual life begins. Now, there is so much debate
about when life begins. At what point does a fetus become
a person? That's a raging debate. Well, the Lord said before, I
formed thee in the belly. I knew thee. Does that answer
that question? Spiritual life, insofar as our
experience goes, is when we keep the Passover. by faith in Christ. That's why he says this is going
to be the beginning of months when we, by faith in Christ,
keep the Passover. Now we could say that life began
in the book of life. That's what it's called, isn't
it? The book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of
the world. And the Lord did say in Jeremiah 31 verse 3, behold,
I have loved you. with an everlasting love. Do you know you've always been
a person to the Lord, a person that he loved, a person that
he knew? You see, there's no time with him. Before I formed
thee in the belly, I knew thee. And we could easily say that
life began before the foundation of the world when the names of
the elect were written in the book of life. But we, as a result
of Adam's fall, were born into this world dead in trespasses
and sins. The wicked are estranged from
the womb. They'll go about as soon as they
be been born, speaking lies. David said, behold, I was shapen
in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. Born bad,
born sinful, born dead. in trespasses and sins without
spiritual life. And we do not have spiritual
life until we, by faith, keep the Passover. That is when, in
our experience, we have spiritual life. That is why the calendar
was changed for this, to let us know, when does a man have
life? When does a man have spiritual
life? When he believes the gospel. when he keeps the Passover and
all that the Passover represents. Let me give you some of the different
words. This word beginning is translated,
this shall be unto you the beginning of months. It's the head of months, the
person of months, the chief of months, the best of months, the
highest of months, the supreme of months, the summit of months,
the total of months, the sum of months, the commencement of
months, the foremost of months, the principle of months, the
source of months. This shall be the beginning of
months. This is when you live, when you
keep the Passover. Now he says in verse 3, Speak
ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth
day of this month, this beginning of months, they shall take to
them every man a lamb according to the house of their fathers,
a lamb for an house. Now, a very specific time is
given when this lamb is to be taken. Doesn't it say Christ
came in the fullness of time? At the time God ordained? And
it's a lamb. I have no doubt it was a lamb
that the Lord slew. when he made coverings for Adam
and Eve. It was a lamb that Abel brought
that God had respect for. I think that's one of the most
glorious things. God had respect to Abel and his offering. And if you look to Christ only,
guess what? God has respect for you. through your offering. Isn't
that an amazing thing to think of? God respecting me through
the blood of Christ. Every believer is respected by
God. And this lamb was for every individual
according to their eating. Christ died for every single
elect sinner. None of them shall be lost. You know, every time I speak
of Christ's atonement for his elect, I can't help but feel
contempt. And I don't know of any other
word to use, but contempt for that teaching that would say
he could die for you and you'd end up in hell anyway. I have
nothing but contempt for that because the only hope I have
is that Christ died for me. And if he can die for me and
I can wind up in hell anyway, you've taken away the only hope
I have. each one for his own eating. Verse five, your lamb shall be
without blemish. And you know that talks about
the perfection of his life. He never sinned. In thought, in word, in deed,
in motive, the spotless, holy Lamb of God. He never sinned. Your lamb shall be without blemish,
a male of the first year. You shall take it out from the
sheep and from the goats. And you shall keep it into the
14th day of the same month. Have you ever wondered why 14?
I have 14 days. What is the significance of 14
days? Now remember in the Bible, there's
significance to everything. There's significance to every
number. Well, what's 14? Two times seven. Seven, perfection, the two natures
of Jesus Christ. The divine nature, perfect. The holy nature, perfect. The
human nature, perfect. Christ Jesus, the God-man, fully
God, the divine nature, and fully man, just as much a man as you
and I are. Oh, how glorious. 14 days, and
for that, the Father watched him. The Father looked at him
for the 33 years he lived on this earth and saw his perfection. and you shall keep it into the
14th day of the same month, and the whole assembly of the congregation
of Israel shall kill it in the evening." Now, what were you
to do with that lamb? Kill it. What good would the life of Christ
do for me or you if he didn't die? It wouldn't do us any good
at all. It would be of no benefit to
us at all if he did not die. Now, why would a perfect lamb
die? Why would the God-man, fully
God, fully man, perfect, why would he die? Isaiah tells us he was wounded
for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. All we, listen
to this confession of sin by Isaiah, all we, like sheep, have
gone astray. We've everyone turned to his
own way, and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all. That's why he died. He bore our sins in his own body
on the tree. Now remember, they said, kill
it. If there wouldn't have been a death of the Lord Jesus Christ,
there'd be no resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what
does the resurrection tell us? He was delivered for our offenses
and raised again for our justification. When Christ was raised from the
dead, everybody he died for was justified, stands before God
without guilt, without sin, because of his work. And notice he says,
kill it in the evening. Kill it in the evening. Disciples first observed the
Lord's table, it was right after the Passover, in the evening.
And they observed the Lord's table in the evening. I've had
people say, why don't y'all have the Lord's table on Sunday mornings
where more people are here? Well, the Lord said, do it, we
ought to do it just the way the Lord did it. And it was the evening,
so I make no, that's when to take the Lord's table. They did
it in the evening, we want to do it that way too. But verse
seven, And they shall take of the blood.
They kill the Passover lamb after watching it for 14 days. They
shall take of the blood and strike it on the two side posts and
on the upper door posts of the houses wherewith they shall eat
it. And they're going to go in that
house with the blood over the door. And they shall eat the
flesh in that night, roast with fire. Now that represents Christ
being roasted under the wrath of God. The only thing that gives
a sinner any hope is Christ crucified. Not just Christ, and I say that
reverently, but not just Christ, Christ crucified. That's our
message. Eat this lamb, roast with fire. And unleavened bread, verse 8,
unleavened bread. You know, Paul said a little
leaven leavens the whole lump. And he's talking about works
there. You put works in salvation. Just a little leaven of works.
You make the whole thing of works. So it's to be utterly unleavened
bread. And with bitter herbs. They shall
eat it. Oh, the bitterness of salvation
by works, the bitterness of salvation by being dependent upon what
I do. That's a bitter thing. And when
we believe the gospel, we understand the bitterness of being of salvation
by works. What's contrary to that. We don't believe that, but we're
aware of it. Verse eight, eat not of it raw. Once again, we
eat Christ crucified. Him roasted under the wrath of
God, don't eat of it raw, nor sodden it all with water, don't
water it down. When we speak of the atonement
of Christ, oh, speak in clear terms, don't water it down in
any way, who he is and what he actually accomplished. You know,
I heard a preacher recently say, Christ died for all who will
believe. Well, yeah, I agree with that, but so would Billy
Graham. So would any other free will
preacher. That is watering down the gospel. Don't say it like that. Don't
water it down. Eat not of it raw nor sodden
with water, but roast with fire his head with his legs with the
pertinence thereof. And you shall let nothing remain
into the morning. Eat all of it. Every doctrine
of Christ is to be received and rejoiced in. It doesn't matter
what it is. If it's in the word of God, it's
of critical importance. Somebody says, well, that doctrine
is not so important. It's okay for us to disagree
on that. No, it's not. Anything God reveals is to be
eaten and digested and becomes part of you. The doctrine of
Christ, eat all of it. His legs, with the pertinence
thereof, you shall let nothing of it remain into the morning.
That which remains of it into the morning, you shall burn with
fire. And thus shall you eat it, with your loins girded, your
shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand." Now, while
you're eating this glorious Passover meal, you're eating it in a traveling
posture. This world is not my home. You know, when you're eating
the Passover, that's when you really enter into, this world
is not my home. It's just temporary. And I'm
just passing through eating the Passover. And notice what he
says next. Usually eat it in haste. Hurry
up. Don't wait for anything. Don't
wait till you have more understanding. Eat it right now. Don't wait
till you have a more clear doctoral understanding or you have more
clear views or you feel like you have more victory in your
life or you have power over some sin and you think you quit. Don't
wait till you do anything. Eat it right now. Don't put the cart before the
horse. Don't think, well, I can't eat it unless I fill in the blank
and give some kind of evidence that I have a right to eat it.
Don't. Eat it right now. The gospel is to be believed
right now. Don't wait for anything. Eat
it in haste. For it's the Lord's Passover. Salvation is of the Lord. This is the Lord's Passover. Verse 12, for I will pass through
the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the firstborn
in the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And against all the
gods of Egypt will I execute judgment. I am the Lord. You know that There was the smiting of the
firstborn in every house in Egypt. Either the actual firstborn person
or the lamb. But in every house, there was
the smiting of the firstborn. And this is what God calls the
execution of judgment. Don't miss that. He says, I will
execute judgment. I am the Lord. And when the Lord
Jesus Christ was dying on the cross, this was the execution
of judgment. This is glorious. This is how
God made a way. I hope nobody in here ever gets
tired of hearing this or think I already know that. Just how
God made a way to be just and justifier of him which believeth
in Jesus. Do you ever get tired of that? Don't think I already know that,
doc. I've got that down pat. No, you don't. This is glorious. I will execute judgment. That is why The Lord could say
of that self-condemned publican in the temple, I say to you,
that man went down to his house justified rather than the other. Now, all the false gods of Egypt
are seen to be for what they are in the Passover, I am the
Lord, absolute, unpeachable authority. I am the Lord. Now here we have
the gospel promise in verse 13. Let me say this before I read
it. This ought to be a favorite scripture of every one of us. It surely should. Verse 13. And the blood shall be to you
for a token upon the houses where you 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." Now, what
was God looking for? He did not say, when I see your
faith, He did not say when I see your repentance. He did not say
when I see your sorrow over sin or your efforts to not sin or
your sincerity. Not when I see your doctrinal
understanding. He didn't even say when I see
your love. He said, when I see the blood. That's all God was looking for.
When I see the blood, I will pass over you. Now, I thought about this. This
was a big group of people, at least two million. You reckon
somebody on that very day, and I would never say anything to
excuse sin or disobedience. We ought not ever sin again. Do you believe that? We ought
not ever commit another sin again. Amen. Everybody here agrees with
that. We ought not. But in that big
group of people, don't you know that there was somebody that
very day that committed some horrible, wicked sin? Outwardly, I'm not just talking
about in the heart that we do every day. I'm talking about
something just horrible. We, I won't even mention it because
as soon as I mentioned it, I know where our minds will go, whatever
bad thing it might be. But let's say somebody committed
some horrible sin that very day. If they were in the house with
the blood over the door, were they safe? Absolutely. God said, when I
see the blood, I will pass over you. If you are in a house with
the blood, he passed over in mercy and grace. Who had to see the blood? He didn't say when you see the
blood. You couldn't see it, could you? You're in the house. He said, when I see the blood. Now I'm sure in those houses
there were different degrees of confidence. In one house you
had, I'd say Moses. Let's say Moses. I bet he wasn't
worried a bit. The Lord says he's going to pass
over in mercy where he sees the blood. We're in good shape. I can just see Moses just sitting
there waiting for it to happen, and he had much confidence. And
then there's somebody else in the house that was scared to
death. They were nervous. They perhaps had sin on their
heart and conscience, and they were nervous. Is he going to
pass by me? Now, let me ask you a question.
Was the person who had complete confidence any more secure than
the person who didn't have this complete confidence? No. No. And the one who had such
shaky confidence wasn't less secure than the man who had full
confidence. Why? Because God said, when I see
the blood, I will pass over you. That is The gospel. You know what I'd do? I'd stay in the house. For the
rest of my life, I'd stay in the house. When God sees the
blood, story over, final chapter, you are passed by in mercy and
grace. When the Lord said it is finished,
it was finished. What's he talking about it? Your
salvation. It is Stay in the house. Now look down at verse 28. And the children of Israel went
away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so
did they. And it came to pass that at midnight,
just like the Lord said, the Lord smote all the firstborn
in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh that
sat on his throne, and to the firstborn of the captive that
was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the cattle. And
Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all of his servants, and
all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in
Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
And he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said, rise up and
get you forth from among my people, both you and the children of
Israel. Go, serve the Lord as you have said, and take also
your flocks and your herds as you said, and be gone and bless
me also. And the Egyptians were urging
upon the people that they might send them out of the land in
haste, for they said, we'd be all dead men. And the people
took their dough before it was leavened, their netting trowels
being bound up in the clothes upon their shoulders. And the
children of Israel did according to the word of Moses. And they
borrowed the Egyptians jewels of silver and jewels of gold,
raiment. Now this is where all the materials of the tabernacle
would come from. All these jewels and gold they
were getting. And the Lord gave the people
favor in the sight of the Egyptians so that they lent unto them such
things as they required and they spoiled the Egyptians. And the
children of Israel journeyed from Ramses to Sukkoth about
600,000 on foot that were men besides the children. And a mixed
multitude went up also with them. Who were they? Well, they were
the Egyptians who put blood over the door. They saw their only
hope at that time was to be in one of these houses with blood
over the door. They're called the mixed multitude. And a mixed
multitude went up also with them in flocks and herds, even very
much cattle. And they baked unleavened cakes
of dough, which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was
not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and couldn't
tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any middle. Now
the sojourning of the children of Israel. who dwelt in Egypt
was about 430 years, just like God told Abraham it would be.
And it came to pass at the end of the 430 years, even the selfsame
day it came to pass, salvation in a day, that all the hosts
of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. And it's a night
to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out of
the land of Egypt. This is the night of the Lord
to be observed of all children of Israel in all generations. When does life begin? Spiritual
life. It really is this simple. When
by the grace of God, I keep the Passover. I enter into the house
with the blood and I don't go out. May God give us all grace
to do just that. Truly let's pray. Lord, how we thank you for our
Passover Christ, Jesus, your Passover. And Lord, how we thank
you that you promised in your word that when you see the blood,
you pass over us in mercy and grace. Lord, cause us to be like
Paul. Oh, that I may win Christ and
be found in him in the house with the blood over the door.
Bless this word for your glory and for our good in Christ. And
we pray. Amen.