9 May 2017, Ex 11-12 出 11-12 章, First Passover 第一个逾越节

Posted on Apr 28, 2017 in Devotions, Exodus |

Scripture Reading        : Ex 11-12

Theme                            : First Passover

 

Life.

“One more plague!” The words sounded ominous, and they were, for the last plague was death to the firstborn. When you trust in the Lord, it means the difference between light and darkness (10:21–23) and life and death. God made this difference (11:7), and His people must maintain it (Rom. 12:1).

Lamb.

Observe the sequence: “a lamb” (12:3), “the lamb” (12:4), “your lamb” (12:5). The Passover lamb is a picture of Jesus Christ who died for the sins of the world (John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:6–7). Do you call Him “a Savior,” “the Savior,” or “my
Savior” (Luke 1:47)? Jesus is the Perfect Lamb (1 Pet. 1:18–19) who had to die to save us. We are saved not by admiring His example or by studying His teaching, but by applying His blood to our own hearts by faith. The lamb saved the Jews and it also sustained them for their journey. You “feed” on Jesus Christ when you meditate on His Word and make its truths a part of your inner person.

Leaven.

Yeast is a picture of sin: it begins small but spreads quickly; it puffs up; and it works secretly. When you are saved by the blood of Christ, you want to have a life that is pure and free from known sin. The Jews were not saved through them getting rid of the leaven; they got rid of the leaven because God had saved them (2 Cor. 7:1; 2 Tim. 2:19). [1]

 

Praying the Scripture

  1. The plague of first born was the biggest blow to Pharaoh because Pharaoh who was considered the god of gods in Egypt and his firstborn was supposed to succeed his throne in future. This is divine judgment on Pharaoh, the god of all Egyptian gods. The Lord God said that on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. (Ex 12:12) Let’s pray that we truly can sing like Moses “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? (Ex 15:11)
  2. Another reason the Lord punished their male children is because the Egyptians especially Pharaoh gave the order to kill all the male Israelite children earlier. The Bible says, “The LORD will by no means leave the guilty (Nah 1:3) Let’s pray that we confess our sins.
  3. Along with the lamb, the Israelites ate bitter herbs and unleavened bread (Ex. 12:14–20, 39; 13:3–7). Bitter herbs would remind them their bitter bondage in Egypt. The unleavened bread was a symbol of purity. Leaven is an image of sin: it’s hidden; it works silently and secretly; it spreads and pollutes; and it causes dough to rise (“puffed up”—1 Cor. 4:18–5:2). Paul admonishes local churches to purge out the sin from their midst and present themselves as an unleavened loaf to the Lord. Let’s pray we do that.

[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, With the Word Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), Ex 11:1.

 
 

经文：出11-12 章

主题：第一个逾越节

 

生命

“再使一样的灾殃！”，这话听起来极为不祥，这是指的是最后的灾殃 – 灭长子的灾。当你信主时，这就意味着光明与黑暗的分别（10:21-23）、生命和死亡之间的差异。神创造了这个差异（11:7），而祂的子民必须遵守它（罗12:1）。

羔羊

请注意其中的顺序：“一只羊羔”（12:3）、“那羔羊”（12:4）、“你的羔羊”（12:5）。逾越节代表了耶稣基督为世人的罪而死的画面（约1:29；林前5:6-7）。你是否称祂为“一位救主”、“那位救主”或“我的救主”呢？（路1:47）耶稣是一个无瑕疵、无玷污完美的羔羊，祂以死来拯救我们（彼前1:18-19）。我们得救，不是通过欣赏祂的作为、学习祂的教导，我们得救是因信并以祂的宝血浇灌在我们的心中。这羊羔拯救了犹太人，也为他们的旅途提供食物。 当你默想祂的话，使真理成为你内心的一部分时，你就是在以耶稣基督为“食物”了。

酵

酵母代表罪恶：虽然从很小开始，但迅速蔓延、膨胀起来、在暗中工作。当你已被基督的血救赎时，你要过的生活是远离罪恶、是圣洁的。犹太人不是通过自己来除去所有的酵而得救；他们能除去酵，是因为神已拯救了他们（林后7:1；提后2:19）。


用经文祷告

  1. 灭头生之灾对法老的打击是最大的，因为法老被视为埃及地众神之神，而他的长子将来也要继承他的宝座。这是神对法老，埃及地众神之神的审判。耶和华神说：“要败坏埃及一切埃及的众神。我是耶和华。”（出12:12）让我们祈祷，我们可以像摩西由心唱出“耶和华阿，众神之中，谁能像你？谁能像你─至圣至荣，可颂可畏，施行奇事？”（出15:11）
  2. 灭埃及的长子的另一个原因是因为埃及人，尤其是法老，早些时候下令杀死所有以色列人的男婴。圣经说：“耶和华绝不以有罪的为无罪。”（鸿1:3）让我们赶快承认我们自己的罪吧。
  3. 以色列人以苦菜和无酵饼一同吃下羊肉。（出12:14-20；39；13:3-7）。苦菜提醒着他们在埃及奴役的受苦日子。无酵饼象征着圣洁。酵代表着罪：它是隐秘、默默动工、蔓延和污染、使面团发起来（“膨胀”1林前4:18-5:2）。保罗告诫教会从他们中间除去罪恶，并向神献上已成为无酵新团的自己。让我们祷告，我们也能做到。