The first Passover observance, as described in Exodus 12:1-14, contains powerful lessons for Christ’s followers. Christ changed the symbols for the New Testament Passover to bread and wine (Luke 22:13-20), but the lessons of the first Passover, given by God to Moses, still apply and have great meaning. In fact, they can give us added appreciation for the greatness of Christ’s sacrifice.

Christ changed the symbols for the New Testament Passover to bread and wine.

The symbolic lessons are still applicable for the New Testament age because God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). These lessons are for us now as well as for many billions who never knew God and will not until the Millennium and Last Great Day are fulfilled.

Let’s review five very important lessons of the Passover that relate to Christ’s ultimate sacrifice.

A lamb without blemish

First, the Israelites had to choose a lamb without blemish, meaning without spot, undefiled and perfect (Exodus 12:5). This lamb represented the future sacrifice of Christ, who was perfect, without spot or blemish, particularly in the spiritual sense. Thus He was a perfect sacrifice for mankind’s sins.

This is made clear in 1 Peter 1:18-19: “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

The male lamb also had to be in his first year. This is the lamb’s prime time of life. We see that Christ Himself died at age 33 in His prime—an innocent sacrifice given at a time when human life is at its best.

Protection of God

Second, Israel had to eat the lamb within their homes, with the blood applied to their doorways (Exodus 12:7, 13). In their homes, they were protected from the 10th plague, death of the firstborn.

Likewise, those within the House of God—His Temple and His Church, which includes all who have the Holy Spirit—will be protected from the second death. If we continue in the faith and are led by the Holy Spirit, then Christ’s sacrifice will enable us to receive the gift of everlasting life.

Christ gave all

Third, they could eat the lamb only after it was roasted by fire, accompanied by unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Exodus 12:8). The roasting by fire symbolized Christ giving all of Himself for man. It was eaten with unleavened bread because Christ was perfect and sinless; thus the bread had to be unleavened (symbolically without sin).

The bitter herbs reminded Israel how they suffered in slavery in Egypt . Their bondage was indeed bitter, but it also pointed to the “bondage of sin,” which they were leaving and which we came out of and are to stay out of.

Christ truly died for all

Fourth, the “roasting with fire” pertained to the whole lamb (Exodus 12:9). This pictured the total and complete sacrifice of Christ.

Christ gave His lifeblood and was then resurrected to be our Savior in order for us to have the gift of eternal life.

The lamb was to be completely consumed. Any uneaten part was totally burnt with fire (Exodus 12:10). No part of the lamb could thus be subject to decay or corruption, just as Christ’s body was not to be corrupted (Acts 13:36-37). “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; but He whom God raised up saw no corruption” (Acts 13:36-37).

Don’t look back

Finally, the Israelites had to be fully prepared to leave Egypt and the only world they had known (Exodus 12:11). They would now have to look to God and live by His laws and not look back at Egypt. For us, the meaning is clear—come out of this world and never look back (2 Corinthians 6:17; Luke 17:28-33).

Christ gave His lifeblood and was then resurrected to be our Savior in order for us to have the gift of eternal life (Romans 5:6-10). As Passover approaches, we need to review the myriad lessons to remember what Christ sacrificed for us to become a part of God’s family.