Good Morning! Today's reading covers some of the darkest bits in the whole book. But, I'll leave most of that for a Sunday or Wednesday. The Passover is just too big of a deal to attempt to cover in a blog post. So, I'll just run a quick question: Why do you suppose the lamb had to be roasted over a fire as opposed to boiling?
That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.9 Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. Exodus 12:8-9
Two quick possible responses:
1. Boiling soaks in the elements of the water, the meat obsorbs whatever is arround it. Meanwhile fire does the opposite, it shrinks, burns out everything that isn't the meat. The Hebrews only were required to do it in this manner once a year. Peraps a yearly reminder to burn out, Egyptian influence? Darkness?
II. The command to cook on the fire was related to this specific incident to reflect community, solidairty, and invitation to the Egyptians. In those days it was hard to cook a whole lamb over the fire (in the house) and the event occured accross the Hebrew comminty at the same time, check verse six. Perhaps, 600,000 families doing all of this at the same time showed both the Hebrews and the Egyptians a picture of the power that exists in an oppressed group?
I'm not claiming either of these are right...I have concerns about both. Maybe you have a better guess...er...interpretation?
Keep Reading.