Exodus 12:3 meaning
In a pivotal moment as the Israelites prepared to leave Egypt, God instructed each household to select a specific lamb for sacrifice. This act was a symbolic gesture, representing both their faith and the beginning of their deliverance from slavery. The requirement for the lamb to be unblemished emphasized the need for purity, foreshadowing its later significance in biblical theology. If a household was too small for a lamb, they could share with their neighbor, illustrating the communal nature of this sacred event. The regulation to keep the lamb for several days before slaughter further deepened the Israelites' connection to the sacrifice, promoting reflection on their plight and God's impending salvation.
This moment is captured in Exodus 12:3, where the clear directives serve to unite the people in anticipation of God’s judgment and mercy. Each household’s observance was essential for distinguishing them from the Egyptians during the final plague. This ritual not only ensured their physical safety but also laid the foundation for future generations to remember God’s deliverance, establishing a tradition still honored today.
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Deeper Commentary Covering this Verse:
- Exodus 12:1-20 meaning. In preparation for the coming of the last plague, the LORD gave explicit instructions to Moses and Aaron about how to commemorate their deliverance by their LORD. It consisted of celebrating the Passover of the LORD when He would "pass over" the houses having the blood of a sacrificed animal on the door frame and not inflict the death of the firstborn on the household. They were to eat the Passover meal as a family. Along with this, they were instructed to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread after removing all leaven from their homes. They were to eat the unleavened bread for seven days, beginning and ending with a communal feast. The Passover and Unleavened feasts were to be celebrated every year from then on. It was to be a way for the people to be reminded of the LORD's deliverance. The Feast of Unleavened Bread continues in the Church in the form of the LORD's Supper, in which New Testament Christians are to remember that He delivered us from the power of sin and death.
Other Relevant Commentaries:
- Exodus 12:37-41 meaning. Verses 37 – 41 summarize the exit from Egypt. Verse 37 itself is a turning point in the book of Exodus. Instead remaining in bondage in Egypt, the Israelites are now beginning their journey to freedom out of Egypt. With them go various other enslaved ethnic peoples, along with a great many livestock. They left so quickly, they could only make unleavened bread for food. The Israelites had been in Egypt for 430 years.
- Exodus 12:29-36 meaning. Verses 29-36 relate the coming of the tenth plague and its immediate aftermath. The time for judgment (on Egypt) and deliverance (for Israel) had come. The LORD Himself went through the land of Egypt at midnight and killed all of the firstborn, even Pharaoh's. Pharaoh woke up, saw what had happened, and called Moses and Aaron and told them to leave Egypt with all their families and flocks. He also asked Moses for a final blessing.
- Exodus 31:12-17 meaning. The LORD gives a strong reminder that, in spite of their spiritual duty to build the tabernacle and the furnishings, the craftsmen are required to observe the Sabbath and cease their work. Anyone who did not observe the Sabbath would face dire consequences.
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