The Tenth Of Nissan

Several days before they were set free from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites were given a special instruction from God.

(Exodus 12:3-6) Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household. (4) And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. (5) Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, (6) and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.

The 10^th of Nisan is the day in which the Israelites had to separate the Passover lamb. The lamb was going to be examined during those days to make sure that it was without blemish or defect. And on the 14^th of Nissan, the Israelites had to sacrifice that lamb. Its blood had to be placed on the doorposts of their houses.

(Exodus 12:7-12) Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. (8) They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. (9) Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. (10) And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. (11) In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover. (12) For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD.

The blood was the sign that indicated who believed in YHWH, God of Israel. It would also serve as a sign for the Angel that would pass by every house taking the life of the firstborn. Whoever had the sign of the blood of the lamb would not suffer the death of the firstborn.

(Exodus 12:13-14) The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. (14) “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.

MESSIANIC FULFILLMENT

It’s not by chance that the day in which Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem was the 10^th of Nissan.

(John 12:1) Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

(John 12:12-15) The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. (13) So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (14) And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, (15) “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

At this time, the people proclaimed him as “the Son of David”; in other words, they were recognizing him as the Messiah of Israel. This angered the Pharisees; but still they could find no fault in him. From the 10^th to the 14^th of Nissan, Jesus was under scrutiny. Everyone examined him, and no one found fault in him. He is the Lamb of God who has no blemish or defect.

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

ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND

There is another reason why the 10^th of Nissan is also an important date in the history of Israel: this was the day in which the Israelites entered the Promised Land. A few days after they entered, they celebrated Passover (Joshua 4:19-24).

It is time to leave the desert behind and enter into the promises God has for us.

God will open the way, but we must walk towards them.