How does Exodus 13:10 connect with Jesus' command to remember His sacrifice? Scripture Foundation “Therefore you must keep this statute at the appointed time year after year.” (Exodus 13:10) Context of the Exodus Command • The verse concludes God’s instructions about the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 13:3-9). • Israel was to re-enact these events annually, teaching every generation how the LORD saved them “with a strong hand” (Exodus 13:9). • The memorial involved specific, tangible actions—selecting a lamb, removing leaven, eating in a prescribed way—so that deliverance would never become a vague memory. Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread: Shadows of the Cross • The slain Passover lamb prefigures the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7). • The blood that shielded Israel from judgment foreshadows Christ’s blood that covers believers (Romans 5:9). • The haste of departure and unleavened bread point to a new, holy walk, free from the “leaven” of sin (1 Corinthians 5:8). Jesus’ Command: “Do This in Remembrance of Me” • At the Last Supper—during Passover week—Jesus took bread and cup and said: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25) • He established an ordinance, just as God had done in Exodus 13: “keep this statute…year after year.” • The focus moved from Egypt’s rescue to the greater redemption accomplished at the cross. Parallels Between Exodus 13:10 and the Lord’s Supper • Continual Observance – Exodus: “year after year.” – Jesus: “as often as you drink it” (1 Corinthians 11:26). • Concrete Symbols – Exodus: lamb, unleavened bread, bitter herbs. – Jesus: bread (His body), cup (the new covenant in His blood). • Teaching the Next Generation – Exodus: “When your son asks you…” (Exodus 13:14). – Jesus: the church proclaims His death “until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). • Remembered Deliverance – Exodus: freedom from Pharaoh’s slavery. – Jesus: freedom from sin’s slavery (Romans 6:18). Practical Takeaways for Believers Today • Regular participation in the Lord’s Supper is obedience to Christ’s command, echoing Exodus 13:10’s call to faithful remembrance. • Each observance renews gratitude for the once-for-all sacrifice that secures eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12). • As Israel’s yearly feast shaped their identity, the Table shapes ours—reminding us we are a redeemed, set-apart people (1 Peter 2:9-10). • Remembering is not mere nostalgia; it fuels present holiness and future hope, for “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). |
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