When I see the blood I will pass over you

One of the things about reading through the Bible in a year is that you get to revisit the important therms of the Bible in a systematic way. This morning's quote from Exodus 12:23 reminded me of the centrality of the blood in redemption and deliverance. The angel of death was about to strike all the firstborn of Egypt, and the Lord had told the children of Israel to slay a lamb and “strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood” (verse 22), and when the angel saw the blood he would pass over that household and “not allow the destroyer to come into your houses.” It is worthy of note that the parents did the striking, but the whole household would be saved (see Joshua 24:15d). This passage is perhaps the clearest initial picture of forgiveness of sins, deliverance and salvation through blood sacrifice. Things in the Old Testament are said to be a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ (Colossians 2:17).

Isaiah tells us the inconvenient truth that “all we like sheep have gone astray,” and Jesus identifying with us as sheep was “led as a lamb to the slaughter,” and the Lord was in effect laying “on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6,7). The same chapter tells us “He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors,” and in doing so “bore the sin of many” (verse 12). The Name “Jesus” does not appear in this Chapter of course, but in case we are left in any doubt John the Baptist seeing Jesus exclaims “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Also when the Ethiopian eunuch inquires who Isaiah 53 is speaking about, we read that Philip preached unto him Jesus (Acts 8:34, 35).

The sacrificial system of ancient Israel was part of the shadow of things that were to come. The idea is of substitution for sin. The sacrifices of sheep and goats and bulls and lambs foreshadowed the reality of Christ's atoning sacrifice of our sin. It is through His sacrifice that the sins of those who trust in Him for salvation are made holy (justified). That it was shadow and not realty is spoken of clearly in Hebrews. “It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin (10:4), however “Without the shedding of blood there is not forgiveness of sins” (9:22). And “Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). It is a divine exchange, He took on our sin, and gave us His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Father, it is by these tender mercies of Your that Paul admonishes us to present ourselves as living sacrifices, and suggests that this is the only reasonable response to all that You have done (Romans 12:1 NKJV). And so Lord I present myself to You again this morning Lord to use me as You will for Your Kingdom and I will give You all the honour, glory and praise in Jesus Name Amen