9 Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire—head, legs and inner parts.
Did you know that BBQ was God’s idea? That’s right. The Passover meat was to be cooked over open flame, not cooked in some other way. We Americans have perfected BBQ. It has become almost a national pastime. We own the fanciest indoor cooking equipment, but we still cook over open flame when we get the chance. As the Lord is giving instructions to Moses about how to properly celebrate the Passover meal, let us not lose focus on what is happening. Each family is to kill a male or female sheep and spread the blood around the door to their home, because the Lord is going to kill all the firstborn children in the land. If there is blood on the doorframe, those in the house are spared. No blood, death. So this is not a potato salad event. This is life and death. The roasting of the meat is the quickest way to cook in that day. They didn’t have microwave or convection ovens. Slice the meat thin and expose it to the flame. There would have been a sense of urgency about this meal. Outside there would have been death and sorrow. But for those who were obedient to the Lord’s instructions, life and safety. I remember getting stuck in a traffic jam in Europe. We were so stuck that people had pulled out their portable cookers and were preparing a meal right on the road! That was one of the craziest things I have ever experienced and one of the worst traffic jams! As they were preparing the Passover, there were specific foods involved, each to remind them of the event. The sacrifice of a lamb without defect with the spreading of its blood for protection was central. Jesus’ blood was shed for us, for our forgiveness and our life. He wasn’t roasted, but he did experience all the punishment that we deserve. He took our heat, so to speak.
The Arnold Journey 