The Night of Eating the Lamb

Exodus 12:1-11; 4/12/2026; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

Introduction

Why do we eat lamb?  Is it simply because lamb tastes good, is nutritious, and gives us strength?  The answer is found in the New Testament, in the very words of Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, “My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” (John 6:55). Now, let’s look at the first point:

A reset of time and space

“And He who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new’” (Revelation 21:5).  Before that day fully comes, God has already been at work—renewing, step by step.  He renews lives, and He even renews and restarts time and space itself.  First, the entrance of eternity.  At the very heart of the Christian faith is this: the Word became flesh.  God became man.  Christ Jesus came into our midst, and we have seen His glory.  The Bible tells us, thousands of years ago: “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt.”  Now “the Lord” here refers to the Triune God—ever-present, yet coming from eternity.  In other words, the God who transcends time and space stepped into the time and space of Egypt, to speak to people and to interact with them.  From a timeline perspective, this phrase, “in the land of Egypt.” It suggests that Moses was writing this after the Israelites had already left Egypt— a recollection, a testimony.  It records how God came from eternity into the time and space of Egypt, and proclaimed a message of salvation to His people.

Second, the renewal of the calendar.  Since it is a renewal, then both time and space must be renewed together.  Ever since God chose Abraham, He had already begun reshaping time and space in preparation for the incarnation of Jesus Christ.  God said to Moses and Aaron, “This month shall be for you the first month, the beginning of months for you.”  Before this, the Israelites counted the month of Tishri as the first month of the year.  But after this renewal, everything changed.  If we compare it with today’s solar calendar, the month of Nisan falls roughly between mid-March and mid-April.  And Nisan is a lively and significant month—it includes three major feasts: the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Firstfruits.  In other words, what we are experiencing now is right within the time of these feasts.  As for the renewed Tishri, it now falls around mid-September to mid-October on our modern calendar.  And this is also when the Feast of Tabernacles and the Day of Atonement take place.

Finally, God and man working together.  A new time, a new space, a new pattern of life.  Each household was to prepare a lamb.  As Scripture says, “They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted with fire, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.”  To eat the flesh of Jesus and to drink His blood—this is the foundation and prerequisite for a life that is saved.  From the perspective of progressive revelation, this was also God’s Old Testament preparation for what Jesus Christ would later establish as the Lord’s Supper.  God gave the command: on the tenth day of this month—around what we would call March 25—each household was to prepare a lamb.  According to the law, it had to be a one-year-old male without blemish.  It could be taken either from the sheep or from the goats.  Then, four days later, on the fourteenth day of the first month—around March 29—everyone would slaughter the lamb together.  Now, let’s move on to the second point:

The newly marked doorframe

If we do not understand the significance of the precious blood of Jesus Christ,  we cannot truly grasp the meaning of the lamb’s blood being applied to the doorframe.  First, the choosing of time and space.  God Himself established the calendar for the Israelites, designating the months of March and April—Nisan—as the first month of the year for His people.  In doing so, He created a new timetable for this renewed time and space.  On the tenth day of the first month, each household was to select a lamb according to the father’s household—one lamb per home.  On the fourteenth day of the month, the lamb was to be sacrificed.  Every person, following this new timetable in the renewed time and space, began a new life cycle.  Those who were once merely laborers, carrying bricks, were now living with the vision of the Exodus—they became new creations.  From that point on, Nisan became the Israelites’ new first month.  The first time they observed the new first month on the tenth day, even the act of selecting the lamb was no longer the same.  Now, the Israelites learned to share, and to share with their neighbors according to God’s divine schedule.

Second, the selection of the lamb.  According to the regulations in Leviticus and Exodus, the choice of sacrificial animals had to meet very specific requirements—there was no room for carelessness.  First, the lamb had to be without blemish. This was the most important standard.  Second, it had to be a one-year-old male lamb—sheep or goat were both acceptable.  Third, it had to be the firstborn.  Fourth, the timing had to coincide with the Passover.  On the tenth day, the lamb was chosen and observed for several days.  Only on the fourteenth day, after ensuring it was completely without defect, could it be sacrificed.  Jesus said, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).  When God came to Egypt, the most dramatic act left behind was the slaying of the firstborn.  But God’s true purpose was to claim what rightfully belonged to Him, the firstborn, in order to save humanity, while also giving the Egyptians a chance.

Finally, the selection of the narrow gate.  Let us think about God’s command for a moment—why did He focus on the doorframes of each household in Israel?  It’s because the door represents the greatest sphere of habit and influence in a person’s daily life.  Don’t you agree?  When we come home, the first thing we face is the door.  The door reflects the household’s condition—is it clean and orderly, or dirty and broken?  Now God wants to give us a new door.  Through this door, when we enter, we step into eternal life, living forever in God’s presence.  Without faith, no one can enter the narrow gate, nor receive God’s pleasure.  Those whom God chooses will not despise the taste of the lamb’s blood.  On the contrary, they treasure God’s house, delight in His Word, and are satisfied by the Holy Spirit.  Now, let us move to the third point:

 

The lamb roasted over fire

Have you ever wondered why the lamb was roasted over fire?  Is it just for the flavor? Of course, it tastes good.  But even if it were boiled in water, it would still be extremely sweet.  From the Bible’s teaching, fire represents holiness and purification,  and it can also symbolize judgment.  Jesus Christ is God’s Lamb—He took upon Himself our sins and punishment, and He has purified the Church.  First, each household had to take some of the blood.  When the time came, at twilight on the fourteenth day, the entire assembly of Israel sacrificed the lambs.  Everyone in the land of Goshen was engaged in the same act—applying the lamb’s blood to the door frames and lintels.  Now, what kind of door is worthy of being marked with the precious blood of Christ?  Naturally, it is the narrow gate we are about to enter, right?  From Abraham onward, God’s children have been walking the heavenly path, and at the end of days, we all must enter through the narrow gate.  The only standard for this narrow gate is the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lord—our only sign.  This command is not for one individual, but for the entire Church.  Just as when the Church celebrates the Lord’s Supper, it is the testimony and commitment of the whole congregation before God.

Second, in the house where the lamb is eaten.  Where was the lamb’s blood to be applied?  Would it be painted on the Pharaoh’s palace in Egypt?  Or anywhere else at random?  No! The Bible says it must be applied “to the house where the lamb is eaten.”  That means it can only be applied in the homes of God’s spiritual children—that is, the Church.  The Church is where God’s children dwell.  The exact location doesn’t matter; what matters is that God’s children gather there.  Our Lord’s Supper must also be shared within the Church, for the purpose of remembering Christ’s self-sacrifice, His giving of His life for His sheep.  In the early Church, the Lord’s Supper was often celebrated in the Upper Room on Mount Zion.  The Upper Room foreshadowed the location of the Church—that is, the place where believers gather in the name of the Lord.  It could be simple, it could be poor, but it must be holy and acceptable to God.

Finally, applying the blood to the door frame and lintel.  Each household slaughtered the lamb, poured the blood into a vessel, and then used a cloth or brush to apply it to the door frame and lintel.  When it was done, what everyone saw was a new red door.  It wasn’t just the color on the outside that had changed; the very meaning, the very essence of the door, was completely transformed.  At this moment, did the Israelites truly understand?  I imagine even if they did, their understanding was limited.  Don’t you agree?  After all, the fullness of God’s timing had not yet come, and the mystery of the Incarnation had not yet been revealed.  So, what do we do when we don’t fully understand?  Do we try to figure everything out, demanding every detail?  Or do we refuse to enter the door because we don’t fully grasp it?  God allows us, even in our lack of understanding, to choose faith and patience—to let go and trust Him, letting Him guide our steps through uncertainty.  The question is: are you willing to do that?

Conclusion

Praise the Lord!  Moses said, “Eat the lamb with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; eat it in haste—it is the Lord’s Passover.”  In life, eating is not the ultimate goal.  True purpose comes when we go out, share the gospel, and bear witness.  That is the meaning of our lives.  For when we eat, let us eat the flesh of the Lord; when we drink, let us drink His blood— so that we may share in Him, eternally.

 

Let us pray together……

 

 

1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,

2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you.

3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household.

4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.

5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats,

6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.

7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.

8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.

9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts.

10 And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn.

11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.