How Long Must It Be Eaten?
The instructions for the first Passover meal, given in Exodus 12, include precise guidelines not only for selecting and preparing the lamb but also for how long it could be eaten. This limit was not arbitrary—it carried symbolic, ritual, and practical significance central to Israel’s identity and God’s deliverance.
1. The Time Frame: It Must Be Eaten in One Night
God commanded that the Passover lamb must be eaten on the night of the Passover—the same night the Lord passed through Egypt. The meal was not to stretch into the next day.
Key Instruction
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The lamb had to be eaten the same night it was slaughtered (Exodus 12:8).
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Nothing was to remain until morning (Exodus 12:10).
This means the entire meal—lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread—was restricted to a single night, emphasizing both urgency and obedience.
2. No Leftovers: Burn What Remains
If any portion of the lamb remained uneaten, it could not be saved for the next day. Instead:
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Whatever remained by morning had to be burned with fire (Exodus 12:10).
This rule ensured purity in keeping the sacred meal and prevented the Passover sacrifice from becoming common food.
3. Why the Time Limit Was Important
A. Symbol of Urgency
The Israelites ate the Passover meal in haste—belt fastened, sandals on, and staff in hand—ready to leave Egypt immediately. Eating it in one night symbolized the rapid deliverance God was about to bring.
B. Respect for the Sacrifice
The Passover lamb represented a holy act of substitution. By limiting the meal to one night, God ensured the sacrifice remained:
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Sacred
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Unspoiled
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Handled with reverence
Allowing leftovers into the next day could diminish the meal’s sanctity.
C. Unity in Observance
Because every household followed the same time limit, the nation participated in a shared, synchronized act of remembrance. This ensured Israel experienced the Passover as a collective moment of salvation.
4. The Night Belonged to the Lord
The restriction highlighted that Passover night was not ordinary time. It was:
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A night of judgment on Egypt
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A night of protection for Israel
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A night to be kept and remembered for generations
By eating the meal only during that night, Israel marked it as a God-appointed moment of deliverance.
Conclusion
The Passover lamb had to be eaten in one night, with nothing carried into the next morning. This instruction reinforced the urgency of the Exodus, preserved the holiness of the sacrifice, and unified the people in a single act of obedience. The time limit transformed the meal from ordinary food into a sacred memorial of God’s saving power.
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