We read in Ex. 12:6: “Now you shall keep it (i.e. the lamb) until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight”.
Beloved, the lamb was to be kept for five days from the tenth of Abib to the fourteenth day. The number fourteen is double perfection, seven being the number of perfection. This is in fulfilment of our Lord Jesus dying for us only when He was matured enough to do so – Heb. 5:8-9,
“…though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”
Gracious death
Yes, our lovely Jesus had to go to Jerusalem in the Triumphant entry and be killed five days later, at the ninth hour or 3pm to fulfil this Scripture. You know, five is the number of grace, and beloved, it took grace for Him to die for us – Heb. 2:9,
“But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”
And my friend, our dearest Jesus died in the evening to prophetically fulfil the time Israel was to kill the Passover lamb i.e. at twilight on the fourteenth day of Abib. Hallelujah!
The Blood on a wooden Cross
Further, God instructed Moses and Aaron that Israel was to “take some of the Blood and put it on the two door-posts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it (i.e. the lamb) ” – Ex. 12:7.
Beloved, the smearing of the blood of a lamb on the wooden doorposts and lintel gives a picture of the Cross. In other words, the smearing-act was prophetic of the Blood of Jesus to be on a wooden Cross.
So, this was a prediction of how in future Jesus was to die i.e. on a wooden Cross. Therefore, the dying of Jesus on the Cross fully fulfils this ordinance that Israel observed for the first time in Egypt.
Protection in the Kingdom system
Protection in the Kingdom system is not automatic. The smearing of the blood on the door further speaks of confessing the death of Jesus, with our mouth because that is the door to our lives.
So, we are to speak forth the spiritual fact of the Blood being on us and our households or families. Yes, do not take it for granted that you are ‘born again’ as a result of the shedding of the Royal Blood of Jesus.
Rather, speak forth that the Blood is on you and your household. In the Kingdom system of Jesus, God wants us to remember the Blood that was shed for us all the time.
The suffering of Jesus on the Cross
Now, verse 8 says “Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it”
In this verse, the suffering of our Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ is prophesied about. He is not just to shed His Blood, but also be burned in the fires of affliction.
Yes, He is to suffer all the punishment for our sins on our behalf in the fires of affliction. And it is important to note that the traditional way that the people of Israel roasted four-footed animals was on a pole and the animal looked as crucified on that pole.
So, on the Cross, Jesus was afflicted with our sins and all its derivatives like sickness, poverty, curse, confusion, death and hell. And we are to accept His suffering for us by eating it up using our mouths.
Yes, the way to appreciate what Jesus suffered for us is by practically believing with our hearts its results of righteousness, health, riches, blessing, peace, glory, perfection, life and ‘Heaven’ in our daily lives.
But, it is with our mouth that we are to eat this roasted flesh of Jesus. This involves speaking forth the death of the Lamb of God to yourself and to other people who ‘do not know’ about the suffering of Jesus for mankind on the Cross.
Suffering in the Kingdom system
Beloved, suffering with Christ is part of the Kingdom system of Jesus. The ‘eating’ of the suffering of Jesus is to be with unleavened bread i.e. with uncontaminated revelation of the Performance of Jesus for mankind. And, we should also eat it with bitter herbs.
In other words, we must remember the bitterness of death that our Lord Jesus, who knew no sin, had to taste for us on the Cross.
So we should be ready to suffer like Him even when we are right or righteous. This is because Jesus was righteous or right, yet He suffered.
My friend, the kind of suffering which is of the Kingdom is suffering for being right or doing or saying the right things that glorifies Jesus. That is how Jesus suffered – not suffering as an evil doer or a disobedient person.
Yes, this is the bitter herbs that you and I should munch or mix the suffering of our Lord Jesus with.
You know, the suffering of the Lamb of God in the fires of affliction on the Cross, will bring Kingdom-suffering to us as well.
Kingdom-suffering
Kingdom-suffering is suffering for upholding the righteousness of Jesus, which brings about the Kingdom or Royalty, Rule and Realm of God on earth.
In other words, it is suffering for standing by the Person, Principles and Performance of our Jesus Christ.
This will happen (e.g.) as we go out to others with this good news of Jesus taking-our-suffering-place on the Cross – 1 Pet. 4:1a, “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourself likewise with the same mind…”.
Again, Apostle Peter says: “For to this you were called, because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” – 1 Pet. 2:21.
My friend, do not shy away from the roasted flesh or suffering of Jesus on the Cross.
Rather, partake of it by eating it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs e.g. by suffering for uncompromising proclaiming the Performance of Jesus on the Cross and its resulting glories.
