The New Start (1)

In Joshua 4:19 sees the Israelites coming out of the Jordon on day 10 of month 1, the begining of the feast of the passover. Passover is the sacrificial lamb being slain. It was eaten by people ready to move, bags packed and shoes on their feet. Exodus 12:11

The passover lamb could have been either a sheep or a goat but had to be without blemish, spotless, the best of the bunch not the worst. Exodus 12:5. The lamb/kid would be kept until day 14 then slaughtered. All the congregation slaughtered their sacrificial offering together at twilight Exodus 12:6. An act done together not as individuals, this is community not individualism.The command of God was to "take some blood and paint the doorposts of your house". The house where they are going to eat the passover was then covered by the blood. It was the blood that saved them just as Christ's blood saves us "one man died for all."

The sacrifice was for the people not for God. We have been covered by the blood of Jesus not so that God could get a kick but that we have a way of escape. Just as the Israelites found that their escape was because of the blood (they had been spared the angel of death).

What must it have been like to witness all the plagues then have this command to prepare this lamb and eat it as if it were your last meal. Tomorrow is a day of the unexpected. If we were part of that group of people at that specific time would we have packed our bags or would we have argued the theology?

They were invited to feast on this lamb/kid from twilight till morning 6pm -12 midnight then discard the remains by burning with fire. There is a sense in which anything offered to God in this way can not be carried over. The offering is for the now not something that we do just so we can gain some kind of acceptance from God. The Israelites had to eat ready to move, their bags packed, sandels on their feet, belt on their waist, staff in their hand. They had to be ready to move out, there may not be another chance. This is not meant to scare us into the kingdom but encourage us to the fact that God wants more, God has more and makes a way available through the Jordon via the cross of calvery, which is always available.