Reading for August 15th

 Read Exodus12.1-13. In 12.1-28: The Lord provides instructions for the annual festivals of Passover and Unleavened Bread. The flow of the exodus story is interrupted by instructions for celebrating the two festivals of Passover and Unleavened Bread. The immediate purpose of the Passover is to mark every Israelite home with blood as that it will be protected from the effects of the tenth plague, the death of the Egyptian firstborn. After Israel leaves Egypt, the annual festivals of Passover and Unleavened Bread will enable future generations. to remember and identify the story of the Exodus as their own (vv. 14-17). In verse 2: This month begins the new year, it occurs in the springtime (March-April) and is called either Abib (13.4; Deut 16.1) or Nisan (Esth 3.7) in later biblical traditions. Older biblical traditions begin the new year in the fall (23.16; 34.22). In verse 7: The smearing of the lamb's blood on the door posts and lintel or upper door frame will mark the house as Israelite and thus protect it from the plague, which will kill all the Egyptian firstborn (vv. 12-12, 21-22). In verse 8: Unleavened bread or biscuits without yeast, is quickly baked bread, or biscuits without yeast, is quickly baked bread. Verses 33-34 provide the connection with the exodus: The Israelites had to hurry out of Egypt and so could not wait for their bread dough to rise. The bitter herbs recall the bitterness of Israel's slavery. In verse 9: The lamb is to be roasted rather than eaten raw or boiled to ensure all of its blood is drained. The blood is the essence of life and must be returned to the deity and not eaten in recognition that life belongs to God (Gen 9.4; Lev 17.10-14)/ In verse 13; The verb pass over ("pasuah," also in vv. 23, 270 is the basis for the festival's name, Passover ("pesah," v. 11). Comments or Questions.