Final answer:
In the Passover story, the death of the firstborn signifies divine salvation and the cost of freedom. This event is commemorated during the Passover seder and resonates with broader universal themes of life, death, and redemption, paralleled in various religious contexts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The death of the firstborn in the story of Passover is a pivotal event that symbolizes divine intervention and liberation from oppression. This detail reminds us of the concept of salvation and the heavy price of freedom. In the narrative, Moses instructs the Jews to mark their doors with a red sign so that the Angel of Death would pass over their homes, sparing their children. This act of marking the doors is a physical manifestation of faith and a means of protection provided by divine decree. The event is commemorated annually during the Passover seder, serving not only as a remembrance of strife and deliverance but also highlighting the enduring themes of life, death, and spiritual redemption.
Furthermore, the death of the firstborn echoes profound themes within various religious contexts, such as the notions of sacrifice and the underlying moral that killing one is as grave as killing all, and saving one is as significant as saving all humanity. It is also paralleled in Christian traditions with stories from the Old Testament that prefigure the death and resurrection of Christ, such as Jonah's ordeal. The concept of the firstborn's death resonates with a universal understanding of the sacredness of life, the horrors of plagues and divine wrath, and the consequences of disobedience from religious texts.