Last week we looked at the first 9 'plagues' in God's battle with Pharaoh. The 10th 'plague' that God sent against Egypt was the death of the firstborn sons of Egypt, including Pharaoh's own son - also known as The Passover (Hebrew: Pasach).

Read Exodus 12:1-20

• What do you think is the significance of these things:

  • The Hebrew calendar being reset (v2)

  • The lambs/goats chosen must be one-year-old males without defect

  • The animals must be chosen on the 10th day but not killed until the 14th day of the month

  • The blood is to be put on the door-frames of the house

  • The animal is not just killed for blood, but must be cooked and eaten as well.

  • The meal must be eaten in haste and in readiness, with cloak, sandals and staff.

  • The importance of yeast. [1]

• What would have been the effect of eating this meal this night?

• What would have been the ongoing effect each new year of repeating this ritual?

• Have another look at the list of significant details - how (if at all) does each one find its fulfilment in Jesus?

Read Exodus 12:21-42

• What would it have been like to be an Israelite man, woman , or firstborn son that night?

• What was the role of obedience in God's salvation of his people? What does this teach us about our own obedience in our own salvation story?

• How do you respond to the story of Israel's rescue and the protection of God through the blood of the lamb? How do you respond to the story of Egypt's judgement and the death of their firstborn sons? What is the effect of these two sides of the story being interwoven like this?

• Who do you think the "many other people" were in verse 38? What does this little detail here hint at?

• What are you overall reflections from this chapter?

• How do you think the Passover event (and the annual rituals of the festival) served as a foundation stone of the Hebrew people?

• How do you think the Passover story served as a foundation stone for Jesus - and therefore how should we remember it as Christians?

[1] For a New Testament re-examining and re-applying of the symbolism of yeast in the Passover, read 1 Corinthians 5:1-8. But be warned, this short passage may provide as many questions as it does answers!