The head, the legs, and the purtenance (the inward parts) of the Passover lamb were all to be eaten. This would tell us of how we can feed upon Christ, in a spiritual way, as the One whose every thought (His head), every action (His legs), and all the inward motives of His heart were perfectly pleasing to God His Father. It is, however, only through His atoning death that we can do so, and therefore the Passover lamb had to be roasted with fire before they could eat it. How good to know that we do not have to be occupied with ourselves, with all our blemishes, but with Christ that blessed One in whom the Father found all His delight.
None of the roast lamb was to be left until the morning, and if any of it did remain, it was to be burned with fire. They were not to look upon it lightly, and if they ate it the next morning there might have been a tendency to do so. It was therefore to be burned with fire, so that there might not be any lessening in their minds of the awful judgment of sin.
Faith and Christ
Of course, the children of Israel did not understand all this. To them it was a test of obedience. Some people want to understand everything in the Bible before they will believe it. They never can, and it would not require faith if they did. It was not a question of what the Israelites thought about the blood, nor of their opinion of the way the feast was kept; God had spoken and that was enough. He was satisfied with the sprinkled blood, and only the blood made them safe from the judgment which was to fall. They were sinners like the Egyptians, but God did not say, “When I see your good deeds,” or “when I see your good intentions,” or even “when I see your faith.” God said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you” (ch. 12:13). What assurance! Their faith might have been weak, but as long as there was enough faith to believe God and sprinkle the blood, they were perfectly safe. Perhaps you are wondering if you have enough faith. Do not think about this any longer, but think rather of how the Lord Jesus is worthy of your complete confidence. Your faith may be as weak as that of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, but the moment she touched HIM she was healed. It is not a question of the amount of your faith, but is it in HIM — in Christ? If it is, you are perfectly safe for time and eternity. May the Lord help you to forget about yourself and your feelings and look only to Him. Trust in His precious blood alone for your salvation, for God has declared, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
Keeping the Passover
The Israelites were to keep the Passover feast each year at the appointed time. They were never to forget about the blood which sheltered them from judgment. They had to kill another lamb every year for a memorial, but Christ, our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:77Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1 Corinthians 5:7)) has died for sin once (Romans 6:1010For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (Romans 6:10)), and now the work of redemption is eternally complete. But although we are not told to kill a lamb in commemoration of the Lord’s death for us, we who are saved have the privilege of remembering Him in death in the way He appointed. Like the disciples of old we can meet to break bread on the first day of each week (Acts 20:77And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7)). The loaf placed on the table tells us of Christ’s body given in death for us, while the cup speaks of His precious blood shed for the remission of our sins.
Further Meditation
1. What do the head and legs of the roast lamb represent?
2. Leviticus 1-5 shows many more details about the offerings. What other aspects of Christ’s death do they show?
3. When considering the subject of the Lord’s Supper you might be helped by Who Should Partake of the Lord’s Supper? by B. Anstey.