Faith, Family, and Actions

Exodus 12:3–10 (NASB95)

3“Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. 4‘Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb. 5‘Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6‘You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. 7‘Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8‘They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9‘Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. 10‘And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire.

Commentary – Faith, Family, and Actions

God’s instructions for the first Passover in Exodus 12:3-10 reveal the heart of biblical faith as something lived out together. Each household was to select a lamb or young goat, and if a family was too small, they were to join with their nearest neighbor. This was not a private ritual. It was a meal that brought families and neighbors together, binding the entire nation in a shared act of worship and remembrance. The Passover meal was meant to be eaten as a community, reinforcing that faith is not merely an individual journey but a shared experience. Worship is something we do together, as families and as a people, reminding us that God’s deliverance is for all who belong to Him. 

Have you ever heard someone say that organized religion or going to church is not something they need or that it is not required? Exodus would challenge that point of view. It is true that our personal relationship with Christ is of vital importance. But that relationship is lived out within a community of faithful believers. That pattern dates back to the first Passover. 

The command to slaughter a lamb carried a deeper meaning in Egypt. The Egyptians revered rams and lambs as sacred animals, especially in connection with their gods Khnum and Amun. Khnum was believed to be the creator god, shaping life on his potter’s wheel, and Amun was worshipped as king of the gods, often depicted as a ram. These animals were so sacred that harming one was considered a grave offense, sometimes punishable by death. For the Israelites to slaughter a lamb and mark their doors with its blood was a bold act of faith. They were publicly rejecting the gods of their oppressors and declaring their allegiance to Yahweh. This was not a hidden or safe act. It was a visible, risky step that could have provoked the anger of their Egyptian neighbors. God had shown His power through the plagues, giving the Israelites every reason to trust Him. Now He called them to act on that faith, to put belief into practice even when it meant standing out and risking everything. 

This moment in Israel’s story draws a clear connection between faith and works. Up to this point, God had provided evidence for faith through His mighty acts. Now, He required His people to respond with obedience. The Israelites were not saved by their courage or their actions alone, but their faith was made real by what they did. They had to trust God enough to obey Him, even when it meant defying the culture around them. True faith is never passive. It moves us to action. The Israelites’ willingness to obey, even at great personal risk, shows that saving faith is always active and visible. 

The blood of the lamb served as an outward sign of this faith and obedience. God instructed the Israelites to put the blood on the doorposts and lintel of their homes. This was not a magical ritual. It was a public declaration that they belonged to Yahweh and trusted His promise of protection. The blood marked their homes as places of faith, setting them apart from the Egyptians. It was a sign that God’s judgment would pass over them, not because of their merit, but because they trusted in His word and acted on it. 

The New Testament draws a direct line from the Passover lamb to Jesus Christ. John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Paul wrote that Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. Peter described believers as redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb unblemished and spotless. In Revelation, the Lamb who was slain is worshipped as worthy to redeem people from every nation. Jesus fulfills the Passover by offering Himself as the perfect, sinless sacrifice. His blood marks believers for deliverance, not just from physical death, but from sin and judgment. The Passover lamb points us to Christ, whose sacrifice brings true and lasting salvation. 

For the church today, the story of the Passover lamb calls us to live out our faith in community and with courage. Faith is not just a private conviction. It is something we share with others, especially in our families and church. God still calls us to trust Him enough to act, even when it means standing out or risking misunderstanding. Our faith is shown in what we do, not just what we say. The blood of Christ marks us as His people, and our obedience becomes a testimony to the world. Let us remember that faith is active, communal, and always points to the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. 

In His Service, 

Ryan Goodnight