PASSOVER AND REDEMPTION

Today is Passover—the day when God brought Israel out of slavery in Egypt and when our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. “Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Corinthians 5:7, ESV)

What happened at the first Passover?

“You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you from there.” (Deuteronomy 24:18, ESV)

We see that on that day God redeemed Israel from Egypt. What ransom did He pay?

To better understand how redemption works, I will begin with another, less familiar example—the redemption from Babylon:

“Thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you… For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you… I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life…’” (Isaiah 43:1–6, ESV)

Here God speaks about redemption from the former Babylonian empire, where the Israelites had been exiled during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. He conquered the land, destroyed Jerusalem and the temple of God. Because they forsook the LORD and chose other masters and other gods, they willingly became their slaves.

But to redeem a slave from a master, a price must be paid. Therefore, when God brought them back to their land after 70 years, He again had to redeem them—this time from the Persian Empire (which had conquered Babylon). What did He pay?

As we read, God gave Egypt, Cush, and Seba to Cyrus, king of Persia. He says of Cyrus:

“I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward, says the LORD of hosts. Thus says the LORD: ‘The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours…’” (Isaiah 45:13–14, ESV)

We see that Cyrus did not receive direct payment for releasing the captives, but he received a far greater ransom—the riches of Egypt and Cush.

Thus, we see that in redeeming a slave, a real price must be paid.

What price, then, was paid to redeem Israel from Egypt? Aside from the plagues, Egypt seemed to receive nothing for letting Israel go. Yet God repeatedly says that He redeemed them. What was that ransom?

Our true Passover Lamb—Christ.

The Passover lambs sacrificed before Christ were only pointers to the true sacrifice. It is similar to deferred payment in a transaction: the deal is made, but the payment is transferred later, at the appointed time. Egypt—the ruler of this world—received its ransom.

We also were slaves.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34, ESV)

“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures…” (Titus 3:3, ESV)

Christ redeemed us from this slavery:

“…the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28, ESV)

And that slavery is not necessarily to some obvious sin—it can simply be emptiness, a meaningless way of life:

“…knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:18–19, ESV)

So Christ has set us free from the slavery of sin. However, this is not the kind of freedom many imagine. Absolute freedom does not exist. We are either slaves of sin or slaves of Christ.

“…he who was called in the Lord as a free man is a bondservant of Christ… You were bought with a price.” (1 Corinthians 7:22–23, ESV)

“So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” (Luke 17:10, ESV)

At the same time, we become children of God—if we abide in His Word. If not, then we are no longer children:

“If you are left without discipline… then you are illegitimate children and not sons.” (Hebrews 12:8, ESV)

Perhaps our freedom is expressed only in this—that we can now choose whom we will serve:

“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15, ESV)

That is the extent of our freedom—to choose whom we will serve: Christ or the ruler of this world. There is no third option.

Thus, Christ died for us and paid the greatest possible ransom for us. Now we have the freedom to choose whom we will serve.