TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Exodus 10:1-12:13
Matthew 20:1-28
Psalm 25:1-15
Proverbs 6:6-11
Yesterday, we spent a while talking about the New Testament passage. Today, we’re going in depth on the Old Testament teaching on the Passover.
Exodus 10:4 — We are finishing up the last three plagues of Egypt. God performed 56 miracles in the Old Testament by one count (definitions vary, so we’re going to go with the Blue Letter Bible’s [BLB] count). Twenty-five of these miracles occur under Moses and Joshua’s ministry (circa 1400 BC), seventeen occur under Elijah and Elisha’s ministry (circa 850 BC), and fourteen occur throughout the rest of the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus performs thirty-six, and Peter & Paul are present in eighteen (circa 30 AD). Of the one hundred ten miracles recorded (by BLB’s count) in the Bible – ninety-six miracles occur in three separate, roughly fifty-year-long, windows of interaction, and all are about 700 years apart. Of the roughly 6,000 years of biblical and modern history, 87% of the documented miracles occurred in 2.5% of the time and are associated with the ministries of just seven people. The remaining 13% of miracles occur in 8% of the time (approximately 500 years) between Samson (circa 1075 BC) and Daniel (circa 540 BC). In roughly 90% of the centuries, God has not documented the use of miracles even once to communicate to people. In today’s reading, we are witnessing the first intense series of God’s miraculous workings, which is why the LORD said to tell what He would do to your sons and to your son’s sons (Exodus 10:2).
Exodus 10:11 — Pharaoh was willing to let the men go as long as he could keep their children. I don’t need to make the application for you.
Exodus 12:2 — Only two events have shaken the calendar. The offering of the first Passover lamb re-ordered the months in the calendar. The birth of the last Passover Lamb broke the calendar in half.
Exodus 12:3 — Everyone needs The Lamb. The Lamb had to be without blemish (Exodus 12:5, 1 Peter 1:19). The Lamb had to be killed (Isaiah 53:7, Acts 8:32, Revelation 5:6) by all of Israel (Exodus 12:6, John 11:50, Luke 23:18). The blood of The Lamb became the marker of salvation (Exodus 12:7, Hebrews 9:14, Romans 3:25, Ephesians 1:7, Revelation 7:14, Revelation 12:11), and those who will be saved had to eat the flesh of The Lamb (Exodus 12:8, John 6:54 and 56). Anyone not covered by the blood of The Lamb would die (Exodus 12:13, Revelation 21:27).
While you and I may not meet on this earth, I trust we will meet at the Marriage Supper of The Lamb (Revelation 19:9)!
Matthew 20:12 — No matter if you’ve been a believer since a child, or you’re in the twilight of your life – we are all equal before The Lamb because it is not by our works that we are saved but by His (Matthew 20:15); it’s because The Lamb was crucified (Matthew 20:19) as a ransom for us (Matthew 20:28) that we can have eternal life!
Psalm 25:1-4 — Our memory song for today is a classic camp song, sung during the Share-A-Thon of Crosstalk Affiliate WDFB 88.1 FM, Danville, KY.
Proverbs 6:6-11 — Wasting time is a sin. Rick Grubbs of Redeeming the Time has made it his mission to help us not waste time (Ephesians 5:17).
By the way – kudos to BlueLetterBible for holding to the inerrancy of Scripture! This is something to check in commentaries – if they compromise on inerrancy, they have taken the first step toward atheism. We’ll talk about the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy later.
Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.
