QT 3/6/2026 Exo 12:43–51, The true Passover lamb is Jesus

Exodus 12:43–51 (ESV) —

43 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it, 44 but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. 45 No foreigner or hired worker may eat of it. 46 It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. 49 There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”

50 All the people of Israel did just as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 And on that very day the Lord brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.

 

NOTE: The restriction on not breaking the bones stands out as unusual. There is no explanation. Later in Roman times, during crucifixion, the bones of the individual were broken to quicken death, since one could push up with their legs to get a breath. Jesus gave up his spirit on the cross. He died without his bones being broken, because he was the Passover lamb for us. To make sure he was dead, the Romans used a technique where they would push a spear under the rib cage all the way to the heart. Accumulated water from the body, and the blood in the heart would come out, indicating that the person was dead. So, the prohibition against breaking the bones of the lamb is a very early reference to the ultimate Passover lamb.

 

PONDER:

1. Have you put your faith in God's provision of a Passover lamb?
2. You don't have to be Jewish or circumcised to receive God's Passover (Gal 5:6 makes that clear).

 

Galatians 5:6 (ESV) — For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

 

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for dying in my place for my sins.  Thank you for choosing to express your love. Thank you that you loved me first, when I was unworthy of your love. Thank you.