662. EXO 12:13. THE BLOOD OF THE PASSOVER

Exo_12:13. The Blood of the Passover

"And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt."’97Exo_12:13.

The last of the plagues which God inflicted on the land of Egypt, was the most awful and terrific. Time after time had Pharaoh, though penitential and humbled at the time, risen again to hardness, and reckless despair of the God of Israel. But now the last and most terrible of the judgments of heaven, is to be brought on Pharaoh and the land. The narrative is given; chap. Exo_12:29, Exo_12:30. Oh, think of that ghastly, terrible scene! God had provided for the safety of the children of Israel,’97thus, that the blood of the Paschal Lamb was to be sprinkled, &c. See Exo_12:7.

Now this remarkable and gracious provision is instructive in itself; but it was designed also to prefigure the great scheme of human redemption, by Christ Jesus. The apostle says, "Christ our passover is sacrificed for us."

Look,

I. At the blood referred to.

II. The Divine observance of it. And,

III. The deliverance enjoyed by it. Look,

I. At the blood referred to.

Now, here are several interesting particulars. Observe,

1. It was to be the blood of a lamb.

The lamb was the leading type among the various sacrifices which referred to the Saviour. He is the Lamb of God, so often referred to. "Behold," &c. The meekness and innocency of the lamb, represents the gentleness and goodness of Jesus.

The lamb was to be without blemish, &c.; Exo_12:5. God would have no maimed or inferior offering. See Mal_1:12, &c. See the application to Christ. Heb_9:14; 1Pe_1:19. This was essential to Christ’s atonement.

It was to be its blood; that is, its life. The lamb must be taken, bound, slain, &c. No deliverance without its blood. Observe,

2. This blood was to be sprinkled according to divine instruction.

One of the figures by which man is represented, is that of a House. "Whose house are ye," says the Apostle. A temple’97a palace. Now it is implied that the house is in peril. Such were the dwellings in Egypt, on account of the threatened visit of the destroying angel. We are so, on account of our sins, &c. Now, the blood was to be particularly applied as God had directed. See Exo_12:21, &c.

This application of the blood on the house, was to teach us the necessity of a personal interest in the blood of Christ. No national or family condition can save us. We must be personally saved; for we are personally guilty, &c.

And the manner of application must be observed. As the bitter hyssop was to be dipped, &c. So, by true repentance for sin and godly hatred of it, we must come to the blood of Jesus for pardon and eternal life.

The extensive application of it, as given, Exo_12:7; seems to indicate the power of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, as being efficacious to the whole soul,’97to the understanding, judgment, will, conscience, heart, &c. The whole soul needs it, and it must be applied to every part. Then observe in reference to the sprinkled blood.

II. The Divine observance of it.

"And when I see the blood," &c. Now with respect to you,

God sees the guilt of man.

God sees the punishment due.

He cannot justly remit the penalty, for it is right, &c. "Without shedding," &c.

But he provides the remedy. Substitutes the blood of the lamb; and thus is gracious to the guilty, &c.

Now, mark well,

1. God does not look at the sinner, but at the blood.

If he observed, and marked iniquity, who could stand? Not one who had the least stain upon him. One sin would cry for judgment. So that God looks at the blood of atonement, and not at the imperfect state of the best of his creatures.

2. God does not look at the application even of his own means.

It is not the listening to his own word. It is not the humbling of the soul. It is not the repentance. It is not the faith in itself. No, he looks at the blood only. Here is all the efficacy’97all the virtue, &c.

3. In beholding the blood, God is satisfied. His justice is met. His law magnified.

His truth vindicated. His greatness upheld; and at the same time, his goodness and love preeminently exalted. See the whole as stated by the Apostle. Rom_3:20-26.

Observe, then,

III. The deliverance enjoyed.

"I will pass over you," &c. So it was with Israel in Egypt. Now both in reference to Israel and to us, the deliverance is twofold.

1. Deliverance from the destroying angel. The house escaped the judgment. In your case, man is delivered from the curse of the law. He is justified freely, &c. No condemnation. All peril is gone. All wrath removed. All danger passed by. But,

2. There was deliverance from their Egyptian state.

It was then they became free. Yoke broken. Liberty obtained. Egypt forsaken. So they journeyed on towards the land of promise. So in reference to believers. Faith in Christ’s blood, obtains spiritual freedom. "Translated," &c. "Made free," &c. Now children, &c., of God, and heirs of eternal life. Candidates for immortality, &c. Now observe, how all this was divinely arranged, and infallibly carried out. It was God’s work, and redounded to his glory. So the whole scheme of the sinner’s salvation.

Application

1. There is deliverance from sin and wrath.

2. That deliverance is through the blood of Christ.

We must trust to nothing else. This the one foundation.

3. A personal interest in it is essential.

4. The happiness of the delivered.

5. It is the will of God that all may be saved.

Christ is the Lamb of God for the world.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS