Reading: Exodus 12:1-14
God kills all the firstborn of Egypt. Before that, God commands each Israelite family to sacrifice a lamb and put its blood on their doorposts and lintel and says “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt” (Ex 12:13). Israel is also sinful; in Egypt they also serve idols (Joshua 24:14); they complain bitterly to Moses (Ex 5:20); because of their sins they too deserve death. Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death”.
Therefore when God comes to Egypt to kill sinners, the Israelites also deserved to die. But in His great mercy, God passed over their houses and spared their lives. God wanted Israel to remember this always; therefore He instituted the Passover memorial feast which Israel celebrates on the night before the exodus. We observe several things about the Passover feast. First, it is a reminder of God’s wonderful grace for saving Israel from death in Egypt and His miraculous work to set them free from the house of slavery. Secondly, the Israelites had to learn that by means of the sacrifice and blood they were delivered from death. Thirdly, the Passover lamb was a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ who would one day shed His precious blood and save His beloved people. The blood of the lamb in Egypt does not save people; but only Jesus Christ’s blood saves. In passing over the houses in Egypt, God already saw Jesus Christ’s blood and on this basis saved Israel.
The blood and death of Jesus Christ saves all the believers, including you and me. Christ’s blood takes away God’s wrath over our sins so that we will not perish with the rest of the world. God commands Israel to celebrate the Passover feast each year so that God will always be thanked and praised for His extraordinary grace. Just before Jesus Christ died He instituted the Lord’s Supper to replace Passover. We too thank and praise God for His extraordinary grace in Jesus Christ for saving us from death and giving us eternal life.
Key text: Ex 12:13 “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”
Question: What comfort do you receive from Exodus 12:1-14?