The Tower Of Babel & The Ladder To Heaven

 There are a few stories in the Old Testament that we tell our children often. The tower of Babel is one that explains why there are different languages in our world. However, there is more to that story than linguistic division.

Genesis 11:1-9- And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

The tower of Babel was the most infamous city under a man named Nimrod. He wanted to unite humanity under one ruler- himself.

Genesis 10:8-10- And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

The goal of this tower was to reach up to God in heaven. It was obviously the devil trying to accomplish his original scheme to "be like the Most High", and he was using mankind to help him.

​Looking at this through a theological standpoint, the Tower of Babel was man’s attempt to reach heaven through his own works. He was doing this for his own glory, and it failed miserably.

Another story that we don't generally connect with the tower of Babel is the story of Jacob's dream.

Genesis 28:10-19- And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

Jacob dreamed of a ladder that reached to heaven. ​There are two curious things about this story. The first, Jacob was made these promises by God because he was Abraham and Isaac's son. It wasn't because he was deserving. The second, it was a promise of a physical land given to his lineage- the same promise given to Abraham and Isaac.

This was God showing Jacob that heaven could only be reached through God’s way. Jacob called the place Bethel, the house of God.

​Many years passed after that promise, and the Jewish people did receive the land that was promised. However, they didn't get to go to heaven. When they died, if they were considered righteous, they went to Abraham's bosom; if they were unrighteous, they went to hell. Both of these places were in the middle of the earth as told by Jesus in Luke 16.

Jesus came to this earth to provide the way that was shown to Jacob. He is the only way through which we can enter heaven.

John 1:51- And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Jesus was cluing Nathanael in on who He was and what His purpose was. 

Luke 19:10- For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Christ's main purpose was not to deliver the Jews from their enemies. It was not to set up His millennial kingdom. The purpose of His first coming was ALWAYS to die for sins. 

John 18:11- Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

Hebrews 9:13-14, 22, 28- For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

The sacrifices of the Old Testament could temporarily "purify" the flesh by covering the person's sin; it could not take the sin away completely. But the blood of Christ is powerful enough to remove sin completely!

Every attempt man has tried to get himself to heaven through his own merit has failed. God provided a way for any man to "make it" to heaven, but it can only be accomplished through His son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14:6- Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus- The Messiah Prophesied In The Old Testament

There are many times that Jesus asks the religious leaders of His time, "Have ye never read?"

Did you ever wonder why He would ask them that? They had the writings of Moses, the prophets, the chronicles of the kings of Judah and Israel. So, why would He ask if they had ever read the Scriptures?

It's because they weren't reading just the Scriptures. They were reading rabbinical discussions regarding the Scriptures instead of studying the actual Tanakh- the Torah (Teaching/Law), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings- Psalms, Proverbs, etc).

Had they studied the actual Scriptures, they would have found many prophecies relating to God coming in the flesh and His death and His resurrection.

I Corinthians 15:1-4- Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

"According to the Scriptures" is in there twice because Paul is pointing out that His death was prophesied in the Scriptures and His resurrection was prophesied in the Scriptures.

It is important to note that God did not send an angel to die for mankind. He sent a member of the Trinity. The word of God made flesh. The son of God born as a human.

I Tim 3:16- And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. Anyone who denies that is considered a devil in the book of I John.

Galatians 4:4- But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Jesus Christ was made of a woman. That wording is significant. It means that all His human DNA came from Mary. He was 100% God and 100% human. And He came to live under the Old Testament Law.

Isaiah 7:14-16- Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

God had Isaiah prophesy that a virgin would conceive supernaturally and birth a son. Isaiah's prophecy included that both the kingdom of Judah and the kingdom of Samaria would be no more- forsaken of both her kings. They would once again be one nation of Israel, albeit they would once again be in subjection to foreign occupation.

Matthew quotes the first part of this prophecy in his telling of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 1:23- Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

One of the portions of Scripture that Jesus Christ uses against the religious leaders comes from Psalms and it was regarding His divine humanity.

Psalm 2:7- I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 

No Jewish father would call his son Lord unless that son was something extraordinary. Jehovah is declaring that He will have a begotten son.

Beget means to bring into existence by the process of reproduction. For this person to be God's begotten He had to have God's DNA. And we are told that Jesus Christ is the only begotten of God.

John 3:16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The only way to obtain everlasting life is to believe in the only begotten Son of God. By doing that you become an adopted son of God (Romans 8), but Jesus is the only one who can claim to have been begotten by God.

Isaiah 9:6- For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

The child that Isaiah is referencing here is called a son who is also the mighty God and the everlasting Father. He could only have those titles if He was born of God's seed.

Psalm 110:1- The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Again, Jehovah is calling someone Lord. He wouldn't call just any mere human Lord. But, He would call His only begotten Son that!

Jesus brings this up to the religious leaders of His day and they couldn't answer it.

Matthew 22:41-46- While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

This question shut the religious leaders mouths. They couldn't answer why a king would call his son by the title of lord. The KJV translators used "LORD" (in all caps) to represent the Hebrew Tetragrammaton (YHWH), following the Septuagint and New Testament practice, but occasionally used "IEHOVAH" (Jehovah) when the context demanded it.

No wonder the religious leaders wouldn't answer the question. They'd have to admit that the promised king from the lineage of David was more than just a human descendant!

Proverbs 30:4-5- Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Agur prophecies in Proverbs and asks What is the creator's name and what is His son's name? And then he answers those questions in the very next verse without realizing it!

John 1:1-3, 14- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus Christ has always been, He just didn't always have a body. Before His incarnation He was the Word of God. He helped God create the heavens and the earth!

Even King Nebuchadnezzar knew enough of the Jewish prophecies to understand that God had a son!

Daniel 3:24-25- Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Moses prophesied the incarnation of God.

Deuteronomy 18:15-19- The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

The Israelites in the wilderness only saw the effects of God on the mountain. When they heard His voice they lost all composure. They begged Moses to speak to God on their behalf, and God accepted that. Then God told Moses that He would send a prophet like Moses- one that would speak with God face to face and tell the people what God expected of them. But those religious leaders weren't reading Moses, or they would have listened and obeyed!

They weren't reading the Psalms or they would have noticed when they were fulfilling them while Jesus Christ was hanging on the cross!

Psalm 22:1, 7-8, 16-18- My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

They should have been able to hear and see what was happening, but they were blind because they didn't really search the Scriptures.

Matthew 27:35-43- And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

They weren't reading the Prophets or they would have understood who Jesus Christ was and why He was there. 

Isaiah 53:3-5, 7-9,11- He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

He had to die. He was prophesied to bear their iniquities. Yet they couldn't see it!

Isaiah 52:13-15- Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Simon Peter pointed this out in his epistle.

I Peter 2:24- Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Mark 15:16-19- And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band. And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.

These men were mocking Jesus Christ as the king of the Jews, but they didn't realize they were fulfilling prophecy.

Even Jesus' death was prophesied. The Jews would stone people to death; the crucifixion was a Roman punishment, and yet it was prophesied that He would be pierced outside of Jerusalem.

Zechariah 12:10- And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Zechariah prophesied that the inhabitants of Jerusalem would look upon the person they pierced.

Isaiah 49:16- Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

Jesus Christ's hands were pierced by nails when He was secured to the cross.

Zechariah also prophesied about how much Jesus Christ would be betrayed for.

Zechariah 11:12- And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

Matthew 26:14-16- Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Shouldn't the chief priest, the one who was suppose to study and teach the Scriptures, have recognized something eerily familiar was going on?

Zechariah 13:6- And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

The religious leaders knew just enough to be used of God to unwittingly prophecy.

Mark 15:31- Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

Jesus Christ could not save Himself, because if He did He wouldn't be able to save others. The plan was always for God to provide a perfect sacrifice for the sin of mankind! Abraham, himself, prophesied this.

Genesis 22:7-8- And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

Abraham told Isaac that God would provide Himself a lamb to be used for the sacrifice, but the wording also means that God would provide Himself AS the lamb to be sacrificed for the sin of the whole world.

The author of the book of Hebrews made the point that the Old Testament priesthood was flawed. They were sinful men offering subpar sacrifices that could only cover the sin. There needed to be a perfect priest who could offer a perfect sacrifice which could completely FORGIVE sin!

Jesus Christ lived a perfect life, and He laid His life down willingly as a perfect priest to become the perfect sacrifice.

Hebrews 9:11-14, 22, 24-28- But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Hebrews 7:22-27- By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

The author shows us that Jesus didn't stay dead. Because He had no sin, He wasn't subject to the wages of sin. He was able to resurrect from the dead and take His blood to heaven and, as a prefect priest, to present it before the throne of God for the sin of the world.

John 1:29b- Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Revelation 1:18- I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

The lamb of God that was prophesied by Abraham came to die as promised. He suffered the death that was prophesied throughout the Prophets. And He came back to life with a glorified body to await the second part of the prophecy- He will reign on the throne of David forever.

Psalm 2:6-12- Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Isaiah 9:7- Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Jeremiah 23:5- Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

Micah 4:7b-  and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.

So what should you do with this prophecy?

Acts 13:38-39- Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

You can accept His sacrifice as the payment for your sin. The Old Testament gave many commands for which sacrifices to bring for what trespass. But there was no sacrifice that could cover adultery and murder- those required the punishment of death.

Jesus Christ's blood, however, is more powerful than those Old Testament sacrifices because it can REMOVE the penalty of sin on the human soul. The only question that remains is the same exact one that Pilate asked from the judgment seat, "What will YOU do with Jesus Christ?"

Proverbs 8:35-36- For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

There is no other way to be FORGIVEN. God will not accept anyone else's attempt to pay for their sin.

Acts 4:12- Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

He sent His son. And if you reject Him then you DAMN your soul eternally.

Easter Song

My Confidence & Cares (poem)

It is His will that I should cast 
My care on Him each day. 
He also bids me not to cast
My confidence away. 

But Oh! how foolishly I act,
When taken unaware,
I cast away my confidence,
And carry all my care.

-Judson Cornwall

How To Make Sourdough Sandwich Bread

 I have been making this recipe for months, and it is so good! My grandson does not like bread, but he asks for a piece of my "sour bread with butter" almost every day when I make it!

My "process" is slightly different than hers, so, I've included the recipe she gives and the steps I take.

Ingredients by weight:

• 650 grams warm water
• 20 grams salt
• 1,000 grams flour
• 50 grams olive oil
• 30 grams honey
• 300 grams sourdough starter

First, get your filtered water measured. Add salt to your water and put on the stove top to heat.

Next, add olive oil, honey, four, and starter to a large mixing bowl.

Add in your warm salt water and mix well, scraping the sides of the  bowl with a scraper to form a well blended ball of dough in the middle of the bowl. Watch for small balls of flour that didn't mix into the dough well, use your fingers to  break them up and mix them in.

Cover with a damp cloth and let sit for 30 minutes. I put mine in the microwave (DO NOT MICROWAVE) so that my kids don't knock it over.

Stretch and fold the dough every 30 minutes, looking for little flour balls that didn't mix in well. You will notice that at first the dough is very sticky. After the fourth session of stretch and fold, the glutens are doing really well and it isn't as sticky.

You'll stretch and fold the dough four times, and cover with a damp cloth for 30 minutes in between each session.

After the fourth session of stretch and fold, you will cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise for 3 hours.

Now, you will divide your dough into two sections. Form each section and place into a greased bread pan. You will let these alone for 2 1/2 hours so that the dough can rise again in the pans.

You can now bake your bread in a 400* oven for 30 minutes. Both pans can go in at the same time.

Once the bread has finished baking, you will remove the pans from the oven and dump the bread out to cool on a raised wire rack.

Do not cut for at least an hour or the bread will get gummy.

Store in a large ziplock bag to keep bread soft.

The Road to Hell (video sermon)

Christ Our Passover Lamb

“And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:1-13)

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul exhorts them to “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” (I Corinthians 5:7) So, the Passover lamb of Exodus chapter twelve is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”(John 1:29)

In fact, the Lamb of God, is one of the central themes of the Bible. Revelation 13:8 speaks of “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” From Genesis through Revelation, the Lamb of God shines forth as God’s provision for covering the sins of man. In Genesis 3:21 the Lamb is first typified when God provides a covering for Adam and Eve in their sins. The Lamb is prophesied in Genesis 22:8 when Abraham tells his son Isaac that “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” In Exodus chapter twelve we see the Lamb applied when the Israelites strike the blood of the Passover lamb on the side posts and the upper door posts of their houses. Isaiah 53:7 gives us the Lamb personified, showing us that the Lamb of God would be a man. He is identified in John 1:29 when John the Baptist looks to Christ and says, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” The Lamb is then crucified in all four gospel accounts. Finally, the Lamb of God is glorified in Revelation 5:12-14. So Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, is the redemption theme of the Bible. With this in mind, let us take a closer look at our text from Exodus chapter twelve.

I. A NEW BEGINNING . . . Notice in verse two that God says, “This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.” From this time on, Israel’s entire future was changed. God considered the Passover to be so important that he chose to begin the year with it. Abib was established as the first month on the Jewish calendar for all future generations. “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.” (Deuteronomy 16:1) So, the Passover brought a new beginning.

This is also true of Christ our Passover. The Bible says in II Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” The day you were saved God passed over your sins and they became a thing of the past. You became a new creature in Christ. You were born again by God’s Spirit. Now, looking back, the day you were saved clearly stands out as the greatest day of your life. It is more special to you than any birthday, any wedding day, or any graduation day. This is the day you received a new life in Christ, a new beginning. This is your Passover.

This should also remind us that Jesus is to be first in all things, not salvation alone (Matthew 6:33; 22:37-38).

II. THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS . . . “Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel . . . they shall take to them every man a lamb . . .” (Exodus 12:3)

Notice that God’s message of redemption was preached. God told Moses to speak to all the congregation. Perhaps there were other methods of passing the message along, but God chose preaching. “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” (I Corinthians 1:21) Like Christians today, the Israelites heard the good news, they believed it, and they acted on it. They were saved as a result of truly believing a preached message. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

III. THE LAMB WAS SET APART . . . “. . . In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb . . . And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month” (Exodus 12:3, 6)
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The lamb was to be set apart for the Passover four days ahead of time. II Peter 3:8 informs us that “. . . one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” With this in mind, it seems no mere accident that God’s plan of redemption through Christ was set in motion 4,000 years before Calvary! We know this is true for Revelation 13:8 speaks of “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” The foundation of the world was 4,000 years (or four “days”) before Jesus died on Calvary.
Furthermore, Jesus himself was set apart from the general public a few days before Calvary. He was anointed for his burial, he made the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, he spent some very special time with his disciples, and he administered the Last Supper all in the few days preceding his crucifixion.

IV. THE LAMB WAS SHARED WITH OTHERS . . . “And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.” (Exodus 12:4)

How’s that for a nugget? A small family was supposed to share their lamb with their neighbors!

In comparison to the manifold grace of God, are we not all small? Are we not all unworthy and “too little for the lamb”? Let us be witnesses for our Lord and give the good news of redemption to our fellow man. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

V. THE PERSONAL LAMB . . . Notice in Exodus 12:3 we read about “a” lamb. We then read in verse four about “the” lamb. Then, in verse five, the Lord makes it very personal by saying, “Your” lamb. So, Exodus 12:3-5 are progressive, making redemption more personal with each verse.

Is this not the way we perceive Christ in life? At first, as a small child, we only know Jesus as “a” man. Then we come to understand that he is more than just another man. We realize that Jesus Christ is a special man, unlike all other men. He is “the” Son of God, “the” Saviour of the world, “the” Lamb of God. However, this still is not enough for salvation. Jesus must become “your” Lamb. His blood must be applied to “your” sins.

I have never asked one person if they know Jesus as “a” Saviour, nor have I asked anyone if they know Jesus as “the” Saviour, yet I have asked many people, “Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as YOUR personal Saviour.” Do you, friend? Perhaps you acknowledge Christ as “the” Saviour, but have you made him “your” Saviour?

VI. A PERFECT LAMB . . . Verse five from our text says, “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year . . .”

It wouldn’t do for an Israelite to run outside and grab the first lamb he saw. God demanded a perfect lamb, one without blemish and one less than a year old. The lamb had to be healthy and strong. That is, God required the very best.

I Peter 1:18-19 tells us that Christ fulfills this type perfectly: “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but not Jesus. Man at his best state is altogether vanity, except Jesus. There is none that doeth good, no not one, except Jesus. Jesus Christ is the perfect sinless Lamb which qualifies for taking away the sin of the world.

A lamb of the “first year” would be a strong and healthy lamb, one on which age had taken no toll. The same is true of the Saviour at thirty-three years of age. Thirty-three is an ideal age for a man, not too young and not too old. A man of thirty-three is old enough to have experience in life and be established, yet he is still strong enough to be active and provide for his own. So, it was at this age that our Lord laid down his life as a strong and healthy lamb of the “first year”.

VII. A SHEEP OR A GOAT? . . . Exodus 12:5 contains what first appeared to me as a strange command. Concerning the Passover lamb, the Lord said, “ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats.” Why, I wondered, would God permit his people to use a goat for the Passover? Christ is never likened unto a goat in the New Testament. In fact, goats are only mentioned six times in the New Testament, and two of those occurrences picture unsaved people (Matthew 25:32-33). Puzzled I was, for a while, and then it “hit” me. Jesus Christ meets the needs to two kinds of people: saints (sheep) and sinners (goats).

The saint needs Christ, the Good Shepherd, for his daily needs (Philippians 4:19), so Christ identifies with his people by being a “Lamb” as well as the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:11). “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) Christ was “like as we are.” He not only paid for our sins, he also humbled himself and identified himself with us, setting the perfect example for us to follow. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” (I Peter 2:21)

The sinner, on the other hand, needs salvation. He needs someone to identify with him and bear the burden of his sins. In Leviticus chapter sixteen Aaron was commanded to bring two goats before the Lord. One was to be offered as a sin offering, while the other was to be set free into the wilderness. So, the goat of Exodus 12:5 does picture Christ in regards to the sin offering that Christ became for us! Paul states it best in II Corinthians 5:21: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Like the scapegoat of Leviticus, we have been set free, because Christ humbled himself, took our place, and bore our sins. So, thanks be to God, he included the goat!
VIII. GOD DELIGHTS IN HIS SON . . . Exodus 12:37 tells us that some 600,000 men on foot left Egypt on the night of the Passover. This figure does not include children and women, so it is safe to say that over 2,000,000 Jews left Egypt that night, probably many more. This would give us at least 150,000 Jewish homes, conservatively speaking.

With this is mind, notice how God refers to the Passover lamb in the singular sense. In Exodus 12:4-11 God uses the word “it” thirteen times in reference to over 150,000 lambs! Not one time did God say, “they” or “those lambs.” God was thinking only of the individual need of his people, which was one lamb per household.
Today there is only one Lamb. “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God . . . For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:12, 14) The Bible says in I Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

IX. ALL HAVE SINNED . . . Rather than have the Passover lamb killed by the priests, God commanded that “the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.” (Exodus 12:6) God chose this method because He knew that one dreadful evening the whole nation of Israel would be guilty of killing His Son. In Matthew 27:25 the Jews cried out, “His blood be on us, and on our children.”
Consequently, for this present age, God has withdrawn himself from Israel until she acknowledges her offence and believes on Christ (Hosea 5:15; Romans 11:26).

But the Jews also said, “We have no king but Caesar,” (John 19:15), and it was Caesar’s soldiers who nailed Christ to the cross. So, in reality, everyone had a part in the death of Jesus Christ, because everyone can benefit from it by receiving forgiveness of sin.

X. WHY IN THE EVENING? . . . The Passover lamb was to be killed in the evening for a couple of reasons. One is the fact that the Bible acknowledges the days of Christ on earth as the last days or the last times. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.” A similar statement is made by Peter, immediately following his comments about the “lamb without blemish and without spot.” I Peter 1:20 says, “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” So, in the “day of man,” Christ was offered in the “evening.”
Another reason for the lamb dying in the evening is because this was the time of day that Jesus died. In fact, he died at the same time that the evening sacrifice was made, the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.). Some even believe his words “It is finished” (John 19:30) coincide with the slaying of the evening sacrifice that day.

But there is more here than this. From Mark chapter fifteen we learn that Jesus was nailed to the cross at the third hour (verse 25) and that he remained on the cross until the ninth hour (verses 33 through 37). So, on that particular day, Jesus Christ was the morning and evening sacrifice. In fact, since he was on the cross from morning till evening, it would be correct to say that he fulfilled Psalm 44:22: “Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.”

XI. “WHEN I SEE THE BLOOD” . . . In Exodus 12:7 God commands the Israelites to strike the blood of the lamb on the two side posts and on the upper door post of their houses. Later that night the death angel would come through and “pass over” those who were protected by the blood (verse 13).

Now this is a remarkable thing in the Bible. Only God knew this at the time, but every Jewish family in Egypt had a picture of Calvary right on the front of their house! There was blood on either door post, picturing the two thieves, and there was blood above the door, picturing Christ on the cross!

Furthermore, please notice that God required no blood to be placed under the door on the threshold. This just wouldn’t do because Hebrews 10:29 says, “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” We belong under his feet, but he doesn’t belong under ours!

Suppose a Jewish family was somewhat liberal and didn’t believe in using literal blood, so they splashed water on the door posts instead. Would they have been saved? No, because God said, “when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” What if they believed in transubstantiation and attempted to drink the blood instead? Would they have been saved? No, because God said, “when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” He didn’t say, “When you drink the blood . . .” What if a child didn’t actually see their father strike the blood on the doorposts? Would the child still be saved? Yes, because God said, “when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” It wasn’t necessary for everyone to see the blood. It was only necessary for God to see it.

Friend, it isn’t necessary for you to see the blood of Christ. It is necessary for you to have FAITH in the blood of Christ: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” (Romans 3:24-25) Has the blood of God’s Son been applied to YOU. Have you been cleansed from all your sins in the pure blood of the Lamb?

Christian, please consider this. Those Israelites down in Egypt had blood on the front of their houses, visible for everyone to see. In fact, it was so obvious that one couldn’t miss it! They surely looked foolish, but they were saved. They may have been labeled “fanatics”, but they were saved. They may have been accused of being “too old-fashioned”, but they were saved. It wasn’t possible to be redeemed by the blood and keep it a secret! If you are really saved, really washed in the blood of Christ, it will show. “But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” (I Corinthians 8:3)

XII. ROAST WITH FIRE . . . In Exodus 12:8-9 God commanded that the Passover lamb be roasted with fire. It could not be sodden in water. Through the Bible, fire is often God’s means of accepting sacrifices, so fire is required here, picturing God’s wrath toward sin.
Some of the final words of Jesus on the cross were, “I thirst” (John 19:28). He received no water when he thirsted, just as the rich man in hell received none (Luke 16:24-25). Christ took our punishment for us, his soul being made an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:10), so there was no water given.

XIII. EATING THE PASSOVER . . . In Exodus 12:8 we read that the Israelites were told to eat the flesh of the Passover lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. As everything else we’ve seen, this also is instructive.

Eating the flesh pictures the believer feeding on the spiritual things of Christ, rather than the carnal things of the world. “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.” (John 6:56-57) Just as Christ’s spiritual life was maintained through constant communion with the Father above, our spiritual life is to be maintained through constant communion with Christ. We must feed on spiritual things if we are to be spiritual and walk in the spirit. We must pray, read our Bibles, and we must apply the word of God in our daily walk. Job said, “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12) The word of God is essential for our spiritual well being. Jesus once said, after saving a soul, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” (John 4:32) He fed on serving God and saving souls. This brought him spiritual nourishment.

It wasn’t enough to see and roast the Passover. They had to eat it in order to reap the true benefit.

The Israelites also had to eat the Passover with unleavened bread. The Bible explains this picture in I Corinthians 5:7-8: “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. 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.” Eating the Passover with unleavened bread pictured serving Christ in “sincerity and truth.” Malice and wickedness have no place under the banner of Christ. God wants clean and honest people who are sincere in their service to him. Christianity is not “show business” or politics. It is a serious business which requires the dedication of serious sold-out Christians. As we feed on Christ, let us also feed on the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

“Bitter herbs” were also required in the Passover meal. It seems at first glance that such a requirement would ruin the sacred meal, but not so. Bitter herbs were the perfect ingredient for reminding the Israelites of the bitter lives and hard bondage from which they were about to be delivered (Exodus 1:14). In the years to come, they would be reminded over and over of the great deliverance which God had wrought.

When serving and obeying God becomes “bitter” (Revelation 10:9-10), let us be thankful and remember the bitterness and bondage that we once knew before God’s work of grace changed our hearts forever.

XIV. ONE BODY . . . The Jews were told in Exodus 12:9 that they were to eat the lamb with the whole body in tact. A bone could not be broken (12:46) and the body parts could not be divided.

This, of course, pictures the perfect body of Christ which could not be broken (Psalm 34:20). Jesus was to crucified, rather than stoned, so as not to break his bones. He was to be buried and resurrected in the same body, so it was necessary for God to keep it in tact.
Furthermore, since we are “members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones” (Ephesians 5:30), the body had to remain unified because the bride is unified (Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 3:15; I Corinthians 12:20). The Passover lamb could have no broken bones when it was slain nor when it was eaten because Christ is one undivided body.

XV. LET NOTHING REMAIN . . . Verse ten from our text says, “And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.” The Israelites were to consume all of the lamb, allowing nothing to be wasted.

Ah, what a spiritual truth we have here! Let us not pick through the things of Christ and select only that which we like. Jesus is “altogether lovely” (Song of Solomon 5:16). God forbid that we should refuse any portion of him and cling to this hopeless world! It isn’t possible for one to get “too wrapped up” in Jesus Christ as some suggest. He is worthy of every ounce of devotion we can offer, and there is no part of Christ which cannot benefit us if we receive him wholeheartedly.

Notice our text says that they couldn’t allow any part of the lamb to remain “until the morning.” The “morning” in Bible prophecy is the millennial kingdom of Christ, the new day when Jesus rules the earth in righteousness (Psalm 30:5; 49:14; Hosea 6:3; Malachi 4:2). The lesson here is obvious. A person who neglects salvation today will find God’s grace expired when Christ returns. “Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.” (Proverbs 1:28) Friend, now is the accepted time; this is the day of salvation (II Corinthians 6:2). Receive Christ now, and receive him wholly.

XVI. BE READY AND STAY READY . . . As a final consideration, please notice that in Exodus 12:11 the Jews were given specific instruction on how to eat the Passover: “. . . with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste . . .” The whole verse speaks of preparation. We read some similar words in Ephesians 6:14-15 in regards to the Christian soldier: “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” God wants a prepared, disciplined and zealous people who are ready and willing to answer the call of Christian duty.

God delighted in Gideon’s three hundred soldiers who kept themselves alert and prepared for battle (Judges 7:6-7), and he delights in those today who stand ready to fight the good fight of faith.

At a moment’s notice the Israelites were to leave Egypt that night and not look back. Friend, do you manifest that same degree of faith and dedication to your Captain? Are you ready to join in the royal march, or is there some carnal desire bidding you to lay down your staff and cast your eyes upon Egypt? “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)

James L Melton