05.04.

2017 PASSOVERREFLECTIONS:THELAMB(II)

PASSOVERREFLECTIONS:THELAMB(II)
InBlogby Julia BlumMarch 29, 201722 Comments

ThePesachLamb

WehavealreadyspentsometimediscussingthelambfromAqedahstoryfromGenesis22thefirsttimethewordlamboccursinthe
Torah.ThistimewewilldiscussalambinchaptertwelveoftheBookofShemot(Exodus),whichdetailsthestoryoftheExodusfromEgypt.
LiketheAkedah,ExodusholdsauniqueplaceinGodsplanforIsrael,aswellasHisplanforthewholeofhumanity.Readingthischapter
fromthebeginning,weagainfindalamb:thelambthatwastobeslainontheeveoftheExodushadtobeseparatedoutfourdays
beforehand.

OnthetenthofthismontheverymanshalltakeforhimselfalambYourlambshallbewithoutblemish,amaleofthefirstyearNowyou
shallkeepituntilthefourteenthdayofthesamemonth.ThenthewholeassemblyofthecongregationofIsraelshallkillitattwilight.Andthey
shalltakesomeofthebloodandputitonthetwodoorpostsandonthelintelofthehouseswheretheyeatit.[1]

Doubtless,thispassageisoneofthemostcentralintheTorahforallwhobelieveinGodsWord.Itisherethatwefindforthefirsttimethe
imageofthesacrificiallambasabasisforsalvation.TheslainlambinExodus,withwhosebloodthedoorpostswerestained,wasthe
symbol,thepromiseandthebasisforIsraelssalvationfromEgypt.TheLamblookingasthoughithadbeenslain,[2]fromthebookof
Revelation,isthesymbol,promise,andbasisforthesalvationbroughttothewholeearth.EverythingthathappenedtoJesusduringthetime
ofPesachtwothousandyearsagowasthefull,literalmanifestationofthesamescenarioGodgaveusintheBookofExodus.

InmylastpostImentionedthatthisPassoverIdecidedtogivemyreadersagiftofascriptforaPesachplaythatIwrotesometimeago.I
hopedyouwoulddownloadandreadit(youcandownloaditfrommywebsite:http://readjuliablum.com),howeverIwouldliketoaddafew
wordsaboutit.Theevents(fictional,ofcourse)theplaydescribestakeplaceinEgyptrightbeforetheExodus.Themaincharacterisa
HebrewboycalledAviwhohasafavoritepetlamb,whichishisconstantcompanionandfavoriteplaymate.WhentheLordgivestheorder
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throughMosestoseparateoutalambforthesacrifice,Avisfamilysettlestheirchoiceonthatlamb,possiblybecausehewastheverybest,
05.04.2017 PASSOVERREFLECTIONS:THELAMB(II)

orperhapsbecausehewasjusttheonlyonetherewas.TheeveningbeforetheExodus,Avisparentsgotocatchthelambtoslayit,andthe
cryingboychasesafterthem,allthetimeasking,Why?Whyhim?Heissogood,sowhite,socleanandpure!Hisparentsanswer,Thisis
thereasonwearechoosinghimbecauseheisspotless,heistheonethatmustbeusedforthesacrifice.Lateryoullunderstandwhywe
couldnotactotherwiseandthereasonthatheneedstodie.Thatnightwhen,readytoleaveEgypt,allthefamilymembersincludingthe
tearfulboysitatthetablesharingthefirsteverPassoversederinthehistoryofIsrael,suddenlythereiscompletesilence.Then,firstfrom
one,thenfromanotherhousewehearhorrifiedshrieksandwails.Theboy,utterlyfrightened,isheldclosebyhisparentsandwhenhelooks
upintotheirfaces,inquisitivelywaitingforanexplanation,hismotherexplains,Nowdoyouunderstandwhyyourlambhadtodie?Onthis
nighttheangelofdeathisstrikingallthefirstbornsonsofEgypt.Youareourfirstborn,andifnotforthebloodofthelambonourdoorposts,
youwouldhavediedtoo.Withhisdeath,hegaveyoulife.Withtearsinhiseyes,theshakenAvigivesthankstoGodforHisprovisionof
salvation.

IhaverelatedthisscenetohelpusunderstandhoweverythingthathappenedtoJesusfulfilledthescenariolaidoutbyGodduringthetimeof
theExodus.Atonepointintheplay,theboysparentsseemcruelandinhumaneintheeyesoftheirson,buttheyweresimplyfollowingGods
instructions,savinghislifebythebloodofthesacrificiallamb.ThecrucifixionofJesusseemedalsocruelandinhumane,butthroughitGods
planforsalvationwasaccomplishedthroughtheshedbloodofthesacrificialLamb.

Thesilentsufferer

So,GodwillprovideHimselfalambinHissonthisisthethemethatflowsthroughtheAkedah.Thesacrificiallambasabasisfor
salvationistheimagegiveninExodus.TherearealsoseveralplacesinTorahwherethiswordoccursinaveryliteralsenseandhasno
specialadditionalspiritualconnotations.ThethirdtimewefindasignificantmentionofalambintheTanachisinthewellknownfiftythird
chapterofIsaiah,whichlongagobecameastumblingstonebetweenChristiansandJewishpeopletheformerreadingitasaprophecyof
theatoningdeathoftheMessiah,whilethelatterassertthatIsaiahispropheticallydescribingthesufferingofthepeopleofIsrael.Inthe
seventhverseofthischapterweread:Hewasledasalambtotheslaughter,andasasheepbeforeitsshearersissilent,soHeopenednot
Hismouth.Herewebegintohearathirdmotif,withoutwhichtheBiblicalimageofthelambisincomplete:humblyandsilently,thelamb
carriesthesufferingslaidonhimforthesakeofothers.Thesubstitutionarysufferingofthemeekandhumblelambisthethirdmotif
connectedwiththisimagethatwefindintheTanach.

Nowinadeeperandmoremeaningfulway,wecancomprehendtheexclamationofJohntheBaptistinthebeginningofJohnsGospelthe
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exclamationwebeganourquestwith.Inthewords:Behold!TheLambofGodwhotakesawaythesinoftheworld,allthreeofGods 2/3
05.04.2017 PASSOVERREFLECTIONS:THELAMB(II)

mysterieswhichwehaveexaminedarefusedintoaunitedwhole:TheLambofGodmeansthatthisistheSon(Gen.22)andthatHis
substitutionarysuffering(Is.53)willbecomethebasisforsalvation(Ex.12).AllthattheLordspoketoIsraelduringtheirhistoryhasfound
fulfillmentinthesubstitutionarysufferinganddeathofthelamb(youcanreadmoteabouttheLambinTanach(OldTestament)inmybookIf
youareSonofGod...)

[1]Ex.12:37

[2]Rev.5:6

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