Supper’s Ready

Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go, select lambs for your families, and slaughter the passover lamb.”
— (Ex 12:22, NRSV)

THE CARICATURE STORY …

In an old caricature meme of Papa (Pope Francis) he said, “A good cartoon makes you laugh. A great one makes you think.” We always hope to create good cartoons, but our deep desire is to create some great ones — cartoons to help you think.

The caricatures in this cartoon are not of famous people. They are friends of ours. Their “characters” tell an almost-true story. It’s fiction, of course.

It takes place in ancient Egypt, centuries after the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob first went there. They spent much of their time in slavery, and now, it is time for the Lord to get them back into the Promised Land.

It is the night of the first Passover. Dad has been at the office all day, slaving for Pharaoh. Mom has been at home slaving over a hot, wood-burning stove. And Junior, their firstborn son, does not like the rumors he’s hearing about this night. He has a lot to lose.

While Mom and Junior know what’s going on, it appears as if dear, old Dad is in the dark. He sees the bucket of blood and hears his wife say matter-of-factly that Dad has to put the blood over the door.

It’s humorous because we all know what’s going on. But try to imagine what the Jewish people in that day must’ve thought. There had never been a Passover. All these lambs and goats had to be slaughtered (probably millions of them) and cooked and eaten that night.

What!?!?

BIBLE STUDY …

So let’s ask a few basic questions that will help you become more familiar with your Bible. Before you try to answer our questions, however, read the portion of the story for this study.

Read Ex 12:1-28. Then answer the questions below to your satisfaction.

Retell the story quietly to yourself. Tell it in your own words.
What was God’s purpose? What was He trying to accomplish with this Passover meal?
Because God is God, He could have achieved His purpose any way He wanted. Why do you suppose He chose to connect forever the freedom of the Jewish people with a special meal?
Does this story remind you of any other Bible stories, particularly in the New Testament? If so, what story (stories) might it remind you of?
What lesson(s) might a person learn from this Bible story? (Ex 12:1-12)

IT IS WRITTEN …

The Passover story is very important to our Christian faith. It foreshadows the Passion of the Christ.

The Passover story is one of hundreds of examples where an Old Testament story foreshadows a coming New Testament event. This foreshadowing is called a “type” or “typology.”

Perhaps you have heard a teacher say something like, “The Old Testament conceals the New Testament, and the New Testament reveals the Old Testament.” It means that we can learn the real, true meaning of many Old Testament stories and events in the New Testament.