Do you think some Israelites couldn't bring themselves to kill the Passover lamb?

Question

In Exodus 12, God commands the Israelites to separate a lamb from the flock and give him special care for four days and then slaughter him, spread his blood on their doorpost, cook him, and eat him. Do you think any of the Israelites became so attached to their lamb during the four-day period that they backed out when it came time to kill him? I know I would.

Both historical documentation and your own opinions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Answer 1

Natan's story related to Bathsheba not a lamb. If killing an animal to eat and obeying G*D to save your life is not enough for you, I can't imagine what is. These people were farmers, they were used to killing their own animals to survive. I take it you are a breathatarian ? Only breathing air to sustain your life. Or is it that you rather pay someone to do your killing for you so YOU can eat meat and vegetables ?

Answer 2

They did this ONCE, in order to protect themselves from the Angel of Death, at the tenth plague.



No. I don't think they were so attached to this lamb, since, you know, they did this sort of thing all the time. That's what farmers and ranchers do...they raise animals, then slaughter them.



They didn't become attached to their food. People don't do that, usually.



YOU would become attached because you are removed from the whole slaughtering process. That's a modern thing.





*edit* your connection with Nathan and David puts your question at 1000 years AFTER the time you asked about.



Do you realize how much life and people and cultures change in 1000 years?



Think about it: Many cultures today didn't even exist 1000 years ago!



Your support doesn't make any sense. You can't support one argument by using an argument that's completely unrelated. That's sort of like saying that Marijuana should be legalized because graffitti is harmless...????

Answer 3

If it was hard for any of them, I'm sure they overcame their feelings.



The offering of the passover lamb was one of the first commandments given to the Jewish people. After all those miracles, I'm sure they were happily and willingly able to do whatever G-d asked.



Offering the lamb was also a smack in the face for the Egyptians, who worshiped sheep as a gods.

Answer 4

That's an excellent question. In fact, I wrote a short play about it, called Shua: the Lamb of Freedom.



There is no Biblical report that any Israelite refused to kill their lamb. Remember, they were a largely agricultural society, which meant that they were used to farming and butchering--unlike people in cities today who only see their meat wrapped up in plastic in the supermarket. Killing an animal for its meat was highly common; we have several Biblical accounts of killing lambs or cattle for dinner. Although it may have been harder for the Israelites to kill a "pet" lamb, they knew from their own culture that lambs were meant for meat as well as for wool.

Answer 5

NO, no Israelites became so attached to the lamb that they could kill it. If you really understood the significance, you wouldn't think of "backing out". It wasn't a pet. It was also a very common source of food as it is clean meat, unlike pigs.



Before Christ, the Jews had to offer Lambs as a sacrifice for the forgiveness of their sins. It had to be a perfect male lamb, without any spots, injuries or blemishes, and had to be a yearling. [It was foreshadowing Christ]



The reason it's called Passover to this day, is because the death angel "passed over" all of Egypt, every house. Where ever the blood of the lamb was on the door posts and lintel he "passed over" that house and everyone was safe. In every home in all the land of Egypt, the firstborn of every family died, -- firstborn cow, sheep, goat, donkey, horse, and all the livestock died, from the Pharaoh to the poorest slave.

They were to eat unleavened bread -- without yeast -- because they had to be ready to take their entire family and leave before the bread would rise.

It is the most amazing Holiday. Jews and some Christians celebrate it around the world, and it looks the same in Israel, Poland, USA, and Hong Kong, Romania, Australia, etc, -- eating the same food, roasted lamb shank, horseradish, salt water, and they sing the same hymns that they sang 5000 years ago.

Christ was killed on Passover at the exact same time that lambs were being slaughtered in the temple, and He was our Passover lamb. His blood was the sacrifice which allows the death angel to Pass Over us.

The matza bread wafer is "hidden" away for three days -- Christ was three days and Three nights in the tomb

The matza bread is wrapped in a special white cloth -- the white grave clothes used to wrap Jesus body.

The matza bread is Pierced and broken. -- Prophesy from Hebrew book of Isaiah 53 which points to Christ's body, pierced and broken.

When Christ was on the cross, the lambs were being killed, there was an earthquake and the veil of the Temple was torn from top to bottom, opening up the most holy place, reserved only for the High Priest, giving us full and direct access to God, so we don't have to go through any priest or mediator now. Christ's death on the cross paid the penalty once for all mankind, for all time. Yeshua ha Maschiah. Jesus is the Messiah. He is Risen.



I highly recommend that you take part in a Jewish Seder Meal. Some Jewish synagogues have special open Seder meals, and some Christian churches also have Seder Meals performed by Messianic Jews -- Jews who embrace their culture and history and the law of God, and accept Yeshua as the Messiah.

Answer 6

Yes, it was probably emotionally difficult for most of them to kill their lamb.