The Gospel
Serious stuff
Exodus 12 describes the institution of Passover. How the people were to keep the Passover was strictly prescribed. And deviation was considered a serious breach, and the consequences for doing so were severe. “If anyone east what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel,” (12:19).
Why so serious? Because the Passover is a portrait of Christ. Have you seen the news reports of protesters going into museums and art galleries and throwing paint onto priceless works of art? People were justifiably shocked and angered by this behavior. An analogy would be that these Old Testament types were painting of Christ and to distort that painting of Christ is not only distorting His image and glory it confuses those who look at it and try to understand the good news He brings.
This is why, when Moses struck the Rock the second time, God was so harsh towards him. That Rock was Christ, as John explained. As an image or picture of Christ, the Rock was only to be struck once. Christ is only crucified once. After that first blow with the rod of the Lawgiver that resulted in water flowing from the Rock, Moses was only to speak to the Rock. By striking the Rock a second time Moses was distorting the gospel and painting a picture of Christ being repeatedly crucified rather than a once-for-all crucifixion.
Paul, writing to the churches of Galatia, was harsh in his rebuke because they were turning to “another gospel, which was no gospel at all.”
There are some nonessential issues we can agree to disagree on. Some of those things we may not get exactly right, but we are given grace in our ignorance. But the gospel isn’t one of those. We have to get Christ, His death, resurrection, ascension, and second-coming right. To do otherwise is to deface His glorious image and keep others from seeing Him as He is.
Great message!!