Passover
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must receive and assimilate the word of God so that it shall become
the motive power of life and action. By the power of Christ they must
be changed into His likeness, and reflect the divine attributes. They
must eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God, or there is no
life in them. The spirit and work of Christ must become the spirit and
work of His disciples.
The lamb was to be eaten with bitter herbs, as pointing back to
the bitterness of the bondage in Egypt. So when we feed upon Christ,
it should be with contrition of heart, because of our sins. The use of
unleavened bread also was significant. It was expressly enjoined in
the law of the Passover, and as strictly observed by the Jews in their
practice, that no leaven should be found in their houses during the
feast. In like manner the leaven of sin must be put away from all who
would receive life and nourishment from Christ. So Paul writes to the
Corinthian church, “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may
be a new lump.... For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:
therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the
leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of
sincerity and truth.”
1 Corinthians 5:7, 8
.
Before obtaining freedom, the bondmen must show their faith in
the great deliverance about to be accomplished. The token of blood
must be placed upon their houses, and they must separate themselves
and their families from the Egyptians, and gather within their own
dwellings. Had the Israelites disregarded in any particular the direc-
tions given them, had they neglected to separate their children from
the Egyptians, had they slain the lamb, but failed to strike the doorpost
with blood, or had any gone out of their houses, they would not have
been secure. They might have honestly believed that they had done all
that was necessary, but their sincerity would not have saved them. All
who failed to heed the Lord’s directions would lose their first-born by
the hand of the destroyer.
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By obedience the people were to give evidence of their faith. So
all who hope to be saved by the merits of the blood of Christ should
realize that they themselves have something to do in securing their
salvation. While it is Christ only that can redeem us from the penalty
of transgression, we are to turn from sin to obedience. Man is to
be saved by faith, not by works; yet his faith must be shown by his
works. God has given His Son to die as a propitiation for sin, He has