Part of that is obvious. The other part, to me, had remained hidden. I suspect I have the pagan holiday, Easter, to thank for that. While knowing it to be pagan, it was nevertheless a distraction from the real issue.
The first passover was when God redeemed the Israelites, His chosen people, out of the power and land of Pharaoh. God sent ultimate destruction on every aspect of the Egyptians lives, but it was not until blood was shed that Pharaoh lost. (Exodus 12)
God was going to kill the firstborn of every man and beast in Egypt, except those who believed His Word, and killed a lamb, smearing it's blood on the door. The Israelites were saved by the sacrifice - not only their firstborn, but the entire people.
But what is the significance of the firstborn?
"Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast: it is mine." Exodus 13:2 (only males, Exodus 13:12)
As a token to the Lord, and an eternal reminder that it was only He, by the miraculous death of all Egyptian firstborn, who brought them out of Egypt, God lay down in the Law that every firstborn male, man or beast, was to be His - either by death in sacrifice, or redemption of money or offerings.
In order that the male human firstborn did not have to be literally sacrificed on the altar, God required that the Levites be called apart from the rest of the 12 tribes, and that their inheritance be dispersed between the other 11 tribes, while they lived a life in complete service to God.
"And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine" Numbers 3:12-13, 18:6
When numbered, if the number of firstborn exceeded the number of Levites, a price of redemption for every male that exceeded the Levites had to be paid.
In Numbers 3, the count of Levites (all males from a month upward) was 22,000. The count of all other firstborn was 22,273. For each of the extra 273 firstborn, a price of 5 shekels had to be paid, making a total of 1,365 shekels. The money was given to the Levites, and as as they were the Lord's, the money was literally going to the Lord.
Back with Abraham, before this "law of the firstborn", God tested Abraham's faith by commanding him to sacrifice his first and only begotten son.
For his heart-breaking faith and obedience in not withholding his son, his only son (Genesis 22:16), a great promise was given to Abraham. Essentially, that his seed would fulfill the prophecy which he spoke to Isaac, that "God will provide himself a lamb".
But "the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins". The sacrificial system of the Israelites was not permanent. Thus, on the first night of the Passover, not Easter, the Lord provided Himself a perfect lamb without blemish, that all- not onlythe firstborn and the Jews- but all might be saved both from this world, and God's wrath, by simply trusting in that same sacrifice.
"Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it." Psalm 119:140 "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of the earth, purified seven times." Psalm 12:6
"But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" 1 Peter 1:19
Was this what Jesus really meant, when He said "take, eat: this is my body" (Mark 14:22)? The Israelites had to eat the lamb that they sacrificed on that first Passover. "...it is the Lord's passover". They ate the flesh of the lamb who's blood was shed for their salvation.
"This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many." And thus, the passover was complete.
"It is finished".
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