MONDAY April 14, 2025

The Lord’s Passover Lamb

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
John 12:3

Lazarus, Mary and Martha were close friends of Jesus. He often rested and fellowshipped with them in their home in Bethany. Jerusalem was conveniently near, only about two miles away from their home of hospitality.

It was only a few days before Passover, which commemorates the freedom of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The people were instructed to kill a lamb––a male without blemish––at twilight. The blood was to be placed on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the house. Then they were to eat the flesh that night leaving no remains, or it could be burned with fire.

They dressed to prepare to leave Egypt with a belt around their waists, sandals on their feet, and a staff in their hands. When the final plague came upon the land, the firstborn of man and beast would die, but the houses with the blood of the lamb would be passed over. The Passover became a memorial feast that was to be kept by God’s people (Exodus 12).

In Jerusalem, during this week, the Passover was kept. It was recorded by Josephus, a Jewish historian, that up to 256,500 lambs were sacrificed. The lambs were made ready at 9:00am and sacrificed at 3:00pm, which was a foreshadowing of Jesus’ death on the Cross. It is recorded in the Gospels that Jesus was crucified at the “third hour,” 9:00am, and He died by the “ninth hour,” at 3:00pm (Jewish time).

Mary of Bethany discerned by the Spirit that Jesus’ suffering and death were drawing close. In devotion to her Lord, she approached Him and lovingly anointed His feet with spikenard, a very costly perfume, and wiped His feet with her hair. As John the Baptist had already declared: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

The Scriptures declare Jesus to be our Passover. It is through His blood we find forgiveness for sin, and God’s judgment passes over us.

For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us....
~1 Corinthians 5:7~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!