Exodus 12:3
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:
EXODUS 12:3
This verse commands the congregation to take a lamb on the tenth day of the month and prepare it by family, or household. It sets the stage for the Passover—the central event by which Israel will be saved. The communal dimension is emphasized: even in a dispersed family or domestic unit, the lamb is to be taken by “every man” to ensure participation across households. The lamb becomes a symbol of substitutionary atonement—a way of marking the doorposts and choosing life over death. The instruction anticipates the need for a precise, communal response to divine deliverance, underlining that salvation is not merely personal but enacted within a community of faith and covenant.
The Passover lamb embodies the sin-bearing substitute that points forward to ultimate redemption in Christian theology. The emphasis on family and house illustrates how grace is extended through ordinary households, transforming domestic life into a context of worship and remembrance. It also highlights obedience in detail—following God’s precise instructions as a path to safety and identity.
Practically, this invites families and small groups to adopt regular practices of remembrance that center on God’s saving acts. Consider adopting a Passover-inspired meal or symbolic ritual that marks a season of deliverance in your context—whether from personal struggles, relational brokenness, or systemic injustices. The key is participation: involve children and guests, tell the story, and connect the ritual to daily life. Such acts nurture gratitude, deepen faith, and reinforce communal identity around God’s redemptive work.
Cross-References: Deuteronomy 16:1-8; Luke 22:7-20; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8