Recently, I walked some seventh graders through the book of Exodus. Because of some specific questions in class, I was reminded of preaching these events many years ago. After preaching an overview sermon of Exodus, I spent some time meditating on the first Passover. What might it look like to meditate on a larger passage of Scripture like this?
First, I spent some time thinking about what it would have been like for Moses to be called to faith and obedience by the angel of the Lord (Exod 3:1–6). I considered parts of the text like his response of fear to gaze on God and how God was faithful to his promises by calling Moses and sending him to Egypt.
Then I switched my focus and reflected on the experience of the people of Israel in slavery. What would it have been like for them to hear about deliverance for the first time (Exod 4:27–31)? Was their faith wavering or strong, family-to-family as they saw the plagues unfold? What were they thinking on the night of the Passover (Exod 12:1–32)—as they ate the lamb, the bread, and bitter herbs and as they put the blood of the lamb on the doorpost and lintel of their home? Did they grasp the sheer mercy of God in their salvation? Did they appreciate the life of a mere animal being offered as a substitute for their firstborn?
Finally, all of these led me to meditate on my own life as a member of God’s new covenant in Christ. I thought about how I ought to—
- Still be even more in awe of God in his holiness;
- Yield in humility before him during prayer and gathered worship;
- Weep at the thought of my own life being spared by the sacrifice of God’s own Firstborn;
- Rejoice in the glory of God’s own Son as my substitute rather than an animal;
- See the wisdom of God in establishing a pattern that would be fulfilled in Christ as the final Passover Lamb;
- Be strengthened in my faith, seeing how God kept his promises, knowing he will also keep the ones he has made to me in Christ;
The fruit of this meditation was me penning the lyrics of a hymn on these things. It was sung a few times at my previous church, set to the tune Aurelia, often sung with “The Church’s One Foundation.” In these lyrics, I tried to the capture of the awe of the first Passover, the faithfulness of our promise-keeping God, and our glorious salvation in Christ.
“Christ Our Passover”
Called through the flaming glory to set God’s people free,
The keeping of God’s promise, for all the world to see,
The prophet warned of judgment against the hardened land,
That held God’s people captive, against His strong command.
The angel of God’s vengeance passed all throughout the land.
Yet for his humbled people, he stayed his wrathful hand,
A lamb would be salvation, its blood a covering;
It served to shield the faithful, its life an offering.
In time God’s loving kindness in fullness was revealed.
By blood his wrath averted, the covenant was sealed –
God gave the perfect off’ring in his eternal Son;
Sin, guilt, and death defeated, salvation fully won!
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