Devotional for Thursday, March 17, 2022
Morning Exodus 12:1-13
Noon Psalm 15
Evening Deuteronomy 16:1-7
The word Passover comes from the Hebrew word pesaj, which literally means "to overlook" or "pass over '' and figuratively, "to preserve" or "to show mercy". The Israelites were to take a one-year-old male lamb without blemish, examine it for four days to make sure it was flawless, and finally, kill it on the night that the angel of death was to kill the firstborn.The blood of the lamb would then be sprinkled on the doorposts and God would pass over that house. God spared the children of Israel, not because they were better than the children of Egypt, but because a lamb without blemish died in their place and His blood covered their doorposts. Both Israelites and Egyptians deserved God's justice, but the Lord in His mercy passed over the homes of those Israelites who with obedient faith, covered the lintels of their houses with the blood of the flawless lamb they had slain with their own hands. Following the historical event of the first Passover, the purpose was to commemorate the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt and celebrate God's loving work for his people.
Written by Juan Daniel de la Vega, translated by Maria Elena Cardona
Morning Exodus 12:1-13
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's passover.
12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
Noon Psalm 15
1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Evening Deuteronomy 16:1-7
1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.
2 Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there.
3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.
4 And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning.
5 Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee:
6 But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.
7 And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents
Prayer Guide: [Cuba-Cascajal] and [Panamá-Santiago]
March's challenge: Do everything possible so that your life can be a visible testimony to all men as Christians living in the likeness of Christ. Everyday, praise your Creator. Keep a constant praise on your lips. Listen to Christian praise and worship music with your family. Go to Church, not only to be a spectator, but a worshiper. Worship as you pray, worship as you read the Bible, worship in your illness, always worship.
Annual Bible reading: 1 Samuel 12, 13, 14
