Kingdom Foreshadowed Part 3
At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Foreshadowed,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.
This week, as we continue in our series Kingdom Foreshadowed, we will examine the tenth and final plague: the death of the firstborn and how it connects to the incredible story of the lamb.
Exodus 12:12–14 (NIV)
12 “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. 14 “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD—a lasting ordinance.
Last week, we talked about “Who is the Lord”? What makes him so unique? The idea of Passover in Exodus Chapter 12 is one of the central answers. For Jewish people, the Passover meal is the center of their belief system. For Christians, a revised Passover meal, communion is at the center. Both of these are focused on a lamb.
The story of the lamb is not just a single event but a continuous thread that runs throughout the Bible, showing God’s plan for redemption. This vital narrative starts with Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac. As they climbed Mount Moriah, Isaac asked about the sacrificial lamb, and Abraham replied, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8). This moment points ahead to Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb.
The next significant appearance of the lamb is in the Passover story in Exodus 12:12-14. Here, God instructs the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb without blemish and mark their doorposts with its blood. This act would save them from the plague of death that would sweep through Egypt. The lamb’s blood was a sign of protection, ensuring the Israelites’ safety and deliverance from slavery. This Passover event became a symbol of salvation through sacrifice.
Centuries later, this theme peaks at the Last Supper, where Jesus shares the Passover meal with His disciples. Jesus reinterprets the Passover elements, identifying Himself as the true Passover Lamb. By doing this, He signifies that His upcoming death would bring about the ultimate deliverance from sin and death for all humanity.
John the Baptist’s declaration in John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” captures this important theme. John urges us to recognize and understand Jesus’ role as the fulfillment of the sacrificial lamb. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross was not a random act but the culmination of a divine plan woven throughout the scriptures.
This continuous thread of the lamb underscores God’s unwavering commitment to redeeming His people. It highlights the purposeful design of the Bible, where every event, symbol, and prophecy aligns to reveal the profound truth of God’s redemptive love through Jesus Christ. The story of the lamb, from Isaac to the Passover to the cross, is a testament to the divine plan that unfolds in our scriptures, inviting us to embrace the ultimate sacrifice and redemption offered by the Lamb of God.
We will discuss all this and more this weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, so be sure to join us in person or online.
Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.