The term “Passover” comes from the Hebrew “pasch” and translated into English it means “to pass over”.
So what is the story behind Passover?
The Egyptians had enslaved the Jews and Moses was raised up by the Lord to be the Jews “deliverer”. Moses had announced to Pharaoh that plagues would come over the Egyptian people if God’s people were not freed. Pharaoh refused and so the plagues walloped Egypt.
Because the Jews were inside Egypt, they too would be subjected to the plagues onslaught. The Lord though, would provide a guard against the plagues for the Jewish people. This protection was put in place by taking the blood of a lamb and applying it to all doorposts of their homes. Thus the Lord would “pass over” them and the firstborn male of the house would be spared (the last of the plagues killed the firstborn male of all who lived in Egypt).
Read Exodus 12:12-13:
12 “I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and strike every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, both man and beast. I am Yahweh; I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. 13 The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a distinguishing mark for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will be among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
The blood of the lamb was obviously the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Thus God’s judgment was not delivered to those who were under the blood of the lamb.
God Bless
Brian Mason
Beacon Apologetics 