De-creation finishes with the death of the firstborns. Recreation can be seen as the fruit of the true and better firstborn’s coming. It is significant that God chooses to strike down the firstborn sons. Israel is referred to as YHWH’s Son by the prophet Hosea.[1] Pharoah seeks to destroy God’s first-born so God kills the firstborns of Egypt. Jesus is described as the first born and moreover as God’s only begotten son. He will use the Passover meal before his death to present himself as the one whom the meal points to. He is the substitute who bears the death penalty on the Cross, just like the lamb in the Passover meal took the place of the sons.
Whilst God protects Israel from the plagues, it is fascinating that on this specific occasion he requires the Israelites to do something. The killing of the lamb and smearing of its blood represents a sacrifice that covers them, offering shelter, turning away God’s wrath. Ezekiel 20:4-10 tells us that the Israelites were not innocent and blameless. They had entered into idolatry, worshipping Egyptian gods. Atonement was needed.[2] They deserved death as well. As Alexander observes:
Israelites were inherently no different from the male firstborn of the Egyptians. Without the atoning blood of the sacrifice, they too would have been struck dead by the destroyer.”[3]
The requirement for a communal meal and insistence that the memorial was only for the circumcised reminds us that this was also about declaring themselves part of the covenant people and therefore under the protection of God’s covenant.
[1] Hosea 11:!.
[2] C.f. Jeffrey, Ovey and Sach, Pierced For Our Transgressions, 34-38
[3] Alexander, “The Passover sacrifice”, Pages 1-24 in Roger T Bexkwith and Martin J Selman (eds), Sacrifice in the Bible (Carlisle. Paternoster, Baker. Grand Rapids, MI.: 1995), 17.
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