Exodus Chapter 12
As the Lord guided Moses in preparation for the Great Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, there was one important ordinance instituted that has become a distinctive tradition of the Jewish nation — Passover.
The Pharaoh had steadfastly refused to free the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt despite nine great plagues upon Egypt. Acting upon instruction from the Lord, Moses and his brother Aaron had brought plagues of blood, frogs, lice, flies, murrain on livestock, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness.
The plagues had been devastating upon Egypt, but had instituted great respect in Moses by the remainder of the Egyptians and Israelites. The Land of Goshen, home of the Israelite nation, had been spared from the devastation. Exodus 11:3.
The lord now instructs Moses that there is one final, great plague for Egypt to force the Pharaoh to free Israel. However, prior to the plague, Moses is to instruct the Israelites in a new ordinance that they must thereafter observe. It will not only protect them from the final plague, but it is to become a tradition. At the Lord’s specific instruction, Moses institutes the Passover.
It had an initial specific purpose (to protect the Israelites from the final plague), but was to become an annual major religious event each year of their lives.
The Lord instructed that time of year would mark the beginning of a new year — "it shall be the first month of the year to you." Exodus 12:2. The Lord was very specific in his instruction regarding the annual religious event. Each Israelite family, on the 10th day of this month each year, were to take an unblemished male lamb for each house of their fathers, keep it until the 14th day and then kill it in the evening. Exodus 12:3-6.
The blood of the dead lamb was to be wiped above and on the side posts of the door to the home wherein the lamb was then eaten. Exodus 12:7.
They were then to roast the lamb and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The lamb was specifically to be roasted, not eaten raw or boiled in water; and roasted as a whole without removing its head, legs or the lambs insides. They were to eat all of the lamb without leaving remainder. Leftovers were to be burned before morning. The meal was to be eaten hurriedly, with their loins girded, shoes on their feet and staff in their hand. Exodus 12:8-11.
"It is the Lord’s passover. For I will pas through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment; I am the Lord." Exodus 12:11-12.
As the Lord indicated with the death plague, he would "pass over" the houses with the doors marked with the lamb’s blood, thus sparing those familes the death of the first born.
"And this day shall be unto you for a memorial.; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." Exodus 12:14. The Lord instructed the Israelites to eat unleavened bread for seven consecutive days. The Lord instructed that this annual celebration shall mean the observation of the Lord’s bringing the Israelites out of the land of Egypt. The annual event was to be in accordance with the instruction laid out by God in Exodus 12:17-20.
Moses then called a meeting of all the elders of the tribes of Israel, and passed on the Lord’s specific instructions on the passover observance. The Load later instructed the Israelites on the annual observance and how servants, strangers and visitors to the home were to be included. Exodus 12:21-27, 12:43-50..
The word of the Lord’s passover instructions was quickly spread among the Israelite nation. They all prepared for the final great plague. When Moses warned the Pharaoh of the upcoming death plague, the Pharaoh grew angry, but his heart remained hardened against the Israelites.