Chapter 12:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Genesis Leviticus
Exodus 12
Concise Complete
The beginning of the year changed, The passover
instituted. (1-20) The people instructed how to observe the passover. (21-28)
The death of the first-born of the Egyptians The Israelites urged to leave the
land of Egypt. (29-36) The Israelites' first journey to Succoth. (37-42)
Ordinance respecting the passover. (43-51)
Verses 1-20 The
Lord makes all things new to those whom he delivers from the bondage of Satan,
and takes to himself to be his people. The time when he does this is to them the
beginning of a new life. God appointed that, on the night wherein they were to
go out of Egypt, each family should kill a lamb, or that two or three families,
if small, should kill one lamb. This lamb was to be eaten in the manner here
directed, and the blood to be sprinkled on the door-posts, to mark the houses of
the Israelites from those of the Egyptians. The angel of the Lord, when
destroying the first-born of the Egyptians, would pass over the houses marked by
the blood of the lamb: hence the name of this holy feast or ordinance. The
passover was to be kept every year, both as a remembrance of Israel's
preservation and deliverance out of Egypt, and as a remarkable type of Christ.
Their safety and deliverance were not a reward of their own righteousness, but
the gift of mercy. Of this they were reminded, and by this ordinance they were
taught, that all blessings came to them through the shedding and sprinkling of
blood. Observe, 1. The paschal lamb was typical. Christ is our passover, #1Co
5:7|. Christ is the Lamb of God,
john 1:29; often in the
Revelation he is called the Lamb. It was to be in its prime; Christ offered up
himself in the midst of his days, not when a babe at Bethlehem. It was to be
without blemish; the Lord Jesus was a Lamb without spot: the judge who condemned
Christ declared him innocent. It was to be set apart four days before, denoting
the marking out of the Lord Jesus to be a Saviour, both in the purpose and in
the promise. It was to be slain, and roasted with fire, denoting the painful
sufferings of the Lord Jesus, even unto death, the death of the cross. The wrath
of God is as fire, and Christ was made a curse for us. Not a bone of it must be
broken, which was fulfilled in Christ, Joh 19:33, denoting the unbroken strength
of the Lord Jesus. 2. The sprinkling of the blood was typical. The blood of the
lamb must be sprinkled, denoting the applying of the merits of Christ's death to
our souls; we must receive the atonement,
romans 5:11. Faith is the
bunch of hyssop, by which we apply the promises, and the benefits of the blood
of Christ laid up in them, to ourselves. It was to be sprinkled on the
door-posts, denoting the open profession we are to make of faith in Christ. It
was not to be sprinkled upon the threshold; which cautions us to take heed of
trampling under foot the blood of the covenant. It is precious blood, and must
be precious to us. The blood, thus sprinkled, was a means of preserving the
Israelites from the destroying angel, who had nothing to do where the blood was.
The blood of Christ is the believer's protection from the wrath of God, the
curse of the law, and the damnation of hell,
romans 8:1. 3. The solemn
eating of the lamb was typical of our gospel duty to Christ. The paschal lamb
was not to be looked upon only, but to be fed upon. So we must by faith make
Christ our own; and we must receive spiritual strength and nourishment from him,
as from our food, see
john
6:53,55. It was all to be eaten; those who by faith feed upon Christ, must
feed upon a whole Christ; they must take Christ and his yoke, Christ and his
cross, as well as Christ and his crown. It was to be eaten at once, not put by
till morning. To-day Christ is offered, and is to be accepted while it is called
to-day, before we sleep the sleep of death. It was to be eaten with bitter
herbs, in remembrance of the bitterness of their bondage in Egypt; we must feed
upon Christ with sorrow and brokenness of heart, in remembrance of sin. Christ
will be sweet to us, if sin be bitter. It was to be eaten standing, with their
staves in their hands, as being ready to depart. When we feed upon Christ by
faith, we must forsake the rule and the dominion of sin; sit loose to the world,
and every thing in it; forsake all for Christ, and reckon it no bad bargain,
hebrews 13:13,14. 4.
The feast of unleavened bread was
1 corinthiansChrist
Jesus the Lord, we must continually delight ourselves in Christ Jesus. No manner
of work must be done, that is, no care admitted and indulged, which does not
agree with, or would lessen this holy joy. The Jews were very strict as to the
passover, so that no leaven should be found in their houses. It must be a feast
kept in charity, without the leaven of malice; and in sincerity, without the
leaven of hypocrisy. It was by an ordinance for ever; so long as we live we must
continue feeding upon Christ, rejoicing in him always, with thankful mention of
the great things he has done for us.
Verses 21-28
That night, when the first-born were to be destroyed, no Israelite must stir out
of doors till called to march out of Egypt. Their safety was owing to the blood
of sprinkling. If they put themselves from under the protection of that, it was
at their peril. They must stay within, to wait for the salvation of the Lord; it
is good to do so. In after-times they should carefully teach their children the
meaning of this service. It is good for children to ask about the things of God;
they that ask for the way will find it. The keeping of this solemnity every year
was, 1. To look backward, that they might remember what great things God had
done for them and their fathers. Old mercies, to ourselves, or to our fathers,
must not be forgotten, that God may be praised, and our faith in him encouraged.
2. It was designed to look forward, as an earnest of the great sacrifice of the
Lamb of God in the fulness of time. Christ our passover was sacrificed for us;
his death was our life.
Verses 29-36 The
Egyptians had been for three days and nights kept in anxiety and horror by the
darkness; now their rest is broken by a far more terrible calamity. The plague
struck their first-born, the joy and hope of their families. They had slain the
Hebrews' children, now God slew theirs. It reached from the throne to the
dungeon: prince and peasant stand upon the same level before God's judgments.
The destroying angel entered every dwelling unmarked with blood, as the
messenger of woe. He did his dreadful errand, leaving not a house in which there
was not one dead. Imagine then the cry that rang through the land of Egypt, the
long, loud shriek of agony that burst from every dwelling. It will be thus in
that dreadful hour when the Son of man shall visit sinners with the last
judgment. God's sons, his first-born, were now released. Men had better come to
God's terms at first, for he will never come to theirs. Now Pharaoh's pride is
abased, and he yields. God's word will stand; we get nothing by disputing, or
delaying to submit. In this terror the Egyptians would purchase the favour and
the speedy departure of Israel. Thus the Lord took care that their hard-earned
wages should be paid, and the people provided for their journey.
Verses 37-42 The
children of Israel set forward without delay. A mixed multitude went with them.
Some, perhaps, willing to leave their country, laid waste by plagues; others,
out of curiosity; perhaps a few out of love to them and their religion. But
there were always those among the Israelites who were not Israelites. Thus there
are still hypocrites in the church. This great event was 430 years from the
promise made to Abraham: see
galatians 3:17. So
long the promise of a settlement was unfulfilled. But though God's promises are
not performed quickly, they will be, in their season. This is that night of the
Lord, that remarkable night, to be celebrated in all generations. The great
things God does for his people, are to be not only a few days' wonder, but to be
remembered throughout all ages; especially the work of our redemption by Christ.
This first passover-night was a night of the Lord, much to be observed; but the
last passover-night, in which Christ was betrayed and in which the first
passover, with the rest of the Jewish ceremonies, was done away, was a night of
the Lord, much more to be observed. Then a yoke, heavier than that of Egypt, was
broken from off our necks, and a land, better than that of Canaan, set before
us. It was a redemption to be celebrated in heaven, for ever and ever.
Verses 43-51 In
times to come, all the congregation of Israel must keep the passover. All that
share in God's mercies should join in thankful praises for them. The New
Testament passover, the Lord's supper, ought not to be neglected by any.
Strangers, if circumcised, might eat of the passover. Here is an early
indication of favour to the gentiles. This taught the Jews that their being a
nation favoured by God, entitled them to their privileges, not their descent
from Abraham. Christ our passover
1 corinthiansfor our souls; without the shedding of it there is no remission; without the sprinkling of it there can be no salvation. Have we, by faith in him, sheltered our souls
from deserved vengeance under the protection of his atoning blood? Do we keep
close to him, constantly depending upon him? Do we so profess our faith in the
Redeemer, and our obligations to him, that all who pass by may know to whom we
belong? Do we stand prepared for his service, ready to walk in his ways, and to
separate ourselves from his enemies? These are questions of vast importance to
the soul; may the Lord direct our consciences honestly to answer them.
Chapter 12:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Genesis Leviticus
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
