Continuing now with the prophetic implications of the festival of Passover…
The English Standard Version renders Exodus 12:6 as 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.[a]” Footnote a says that the word “twilight” literally means “between the two evenings” which evidently means between the time that the sun begins to set at or about noon and its actual setting at dusk. The Orthodox Jewish Bible confirms this meaning by translating the verse as “And it will be with you for mishmeret (examination, checking for blemishes) up until the fourteenth day of the same month; and kol Kehal Adat Yisroel shall slaughter (shachat) it in the afternoon [before dark].”
This is important to understand because the Scriptures testify that Jesus was in fact crucified on the Preparation Day of Passover (Nisan 14) and that the crucifixion occurred just after noon and that Jesus died right at 3:00 P.M. See John 19:14 and Luke 23:44 and remember that the “sixth hour” means 12:00 noon and the “ninth hour” means 3:00 P.M. Thus the lamb of God who was chosen on Nisan 10 was in fact slaughtered in the afternoon (between the two evenings) on Nisan 14. Since Jesus was our Passover Lamb everything had to occur exactly as prophesied.
Another important aspect of this crucifixion is that Jesus’ legs were not broken whereas the others crucified that day had their legs broken in order to quicken their death. John, an eyewitness, testifies,
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. (John 19:31-37 KJV)
John references Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12, and Psalm 34:20 with respect to none of Christ’s bones being broken. Also notice that John specifically tells his readers that he saw these events, that he speaks the truth, and that all these things occurred in a particular way so that “the scripture should be fulfilled.” He says these things as if he were testifying in a court of law for one reason… that we might believe!
Moses next commands concerning the Passover, “And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” (Exodus 12:7 KJV) Concerning this blood God says, “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:13) Then when Moses instructed the elders of Israel concerning this command he said,
Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. (Exodus 12:21-27 KJV)
Consider the application of the blood of the Passover lamb upon each home. First one had to splash blood upon the lintel of the door which is the load bearing beam across the top of the door. Next he had to apply the blood on each of the two posts that supported the lintel. Walk over to a door and do this. If you put the blood in the middle of the lintel and then draw your hand to the left doorpost at about your shoulder’s height and apply the blood, and then move your hand over to the right doorpost and do the same, you will see that you have just created an imaginary “cross.” Now remember that God commanded every person to make this sign of the cross with the Passover lamb’s blood upon their houses so that the death angel would pass them by, so that they would be “saved” from death. Clearly this prophetically speaks of applying the blood of Jesus to our sinful souls (the doors of our lives) so that we too will be saved.
