Godward Thoughts

“While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he?…” 
Matthew 22:41,42

The question that our Lord Jesus puts here to the Pharisees is the most fundamental question concerning Christian thought and faith that can be put to anybody in any age. Jesus Christ Himself is the center of Christianity, so the most fundamental questions of faith are those that concern the Person of Christ. If a man really holds to right views concerning the Person of Jesus Christ, he will sooner or later get right views on every other question. If he holds a wrong view concerning the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, he is pretty sure to go wrong on everything else sooner or later. “What think ye of Christ?” That is the great central question; that is the vital question. Read more »

Observe the sequence: “a lamb” (Exodus 12:3), “the lamb” (Exodus 12:4), “your lamb” (Exodus 12:5). The Passover lamb is a picture of Jesus Christ who died for the sins of the world (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:6–7 ). Do you call Him “a Savior,” “the Savior,” or “my Savior” (Luke 1:47)? Jesus is the Perfect Lamb (1 Peter 1:18–19) who had to die to save us. We are saved not by admiring His example or by studying His teaching, but by applying His blood to our own hearts by faith.

God wanted Israel to remember what His hand had done for them (Exodus 13:3,9,14,16), lest in the future they forget to trust Him and serve Him. The setting apart of the firstborn would remind them that the firstborn sons of Israel had been redeemed by the Lord. The annual Passover would remind them to keep their lives pure. When you consider that Jesus Christ has redeemed us by His blood, surely we should give ourselves to Him and obey His Word.

The younger generation cannot know the works of the Lord unless the older generation tells them. The Word of God must control our lips (Exodus 13:9), our eyes, and our hands (Exodus 13:16), and we must share it with others. The Jews took this literally and wore portions of the Law on the forehead and hand, but the Lord was surely speaking in a metaphorical way.

God frees us from bondage, and He also guides us to the inheritance He has prepared for us. His Word is like that pillar of cloud and fire, and He will show us the way if we will trust Him.