小可愛

I am currently following a bible reading plan which breaks down the OT and NT into chapters for me to read daily so that I would have completed one cycle of the bible by the end of this year. I was reading Exodus and Matthew concurrently when I noticed an interesting parallel.

Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go even after God had sent 9 plagues to the land of Egypt. On the 10th and final plague, God decided to kill off all firstborns - man and animal - in the land. But He instructed the Israelites to mark their doors with the blood of a lamb so that no harm will come upon them.

“On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”
Exodus‬ ‭12:12-13‬ 

That night, all firstborns in Egypt were killed. All except those who had marked their doors with the blood of the lamb. And because of this, Pharaoh finally conceded in letting the Israelites go; They were finally free from slavery. Thereafter, to remember what God had done for them, the Israelites were to sacrifice all firstborns as well (man were to redeem their firstborn sons with an animal sacrifice).

“In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’ And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭13:14-16‬ 

After finishing the portion I had to read for OT, I went to the designated chapter for NT and the scene of The Last Supper unfolded. It was Jesus before he was captured but most remarkably, it struck me that it was also the night before the Passover. And we all know how the story turned out - Jesus was captured hours later and was crucified for our sins. Just as how the households marked with the lamb's blood avoided the plague, sinners covered by Christ's blood (the firstborn of all firstborns) escape from the judgment of God. The blood of the lambs was a symbol of Jesus' blood; the Passover was a foreshadowing to the Holy Communion.

God is so purposeful. I love how He so carefully laid connecting dots for us to figure out. It's like playing hide and seek with a trail breadcrumbs hahaha. Too cute already. The beauty of the bible truly lies in the details and i love discovering them :)