Exodus tells us of Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian slavery, becoming the major paradigm of salvation in the Old Testament. We see in Chapter 11 that many of the time would have said “The Egyptians have their gods and the Israelites have a God – What’s the difference?” This is just like the thinking we run into today.

In His overwhelming demonstrations of power, however, God showed that there is a difference.

The final plague in Egypt, took every first-born to the grave. God warned that judgement would fall on anyone, either Egyptian or Israelite, who did not follow instructions.

The first born of Israel would be delivered by means of a substitute. They were to take a lamb without defect for the Passover: this requirement clearly foreshadows the sinless perfection of Jesus, the ultimate Passover Lamb. The sentence of death was satisfied but it fell on a spotless Lamb.

They were to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and the top of the door frames. This pictured Jesus on the Cross, the blood above, where the thorns pierced his brow. The blood on the sides symbolic of the blood from nail-pierced hands.

Each person had to participate in the sacred meal, partake, and obey in order to come under the protection and redemption by the blood of the lamb. God’s Angel of Death would then pass over the house marked in this way. His eye was not on the household, but on the substitutionary blood markings.

No one was saved that night because they were descendants of Abraham, or because they were honest or upright people. Look closely at Exodus 12:13: “When I see the blood, I will pass over”.

The Hebrews were not supposed to open the windows of their houses and tell the Angel of Death how good they were and how much charity work they had done.

Who was saved that night? Those who believed, had faith in the blood, and obeyed the commandments.
It is no different for us today. It does not matter how good we think we are or what our ethnic background is or our church attendance.

My Mother always said, Walking in the door of a church will make you a Christian when walking into a barn will make you a horse.”

Faith in the shed blood of Christ will save us. Nothing else.

Colossians 1 says “Making peace though his blood, shed on the cross”. Charles Spurgeon , the great preacher, said “the pascal lamb was not killed in order to be looked at, but eaten: and our Lord Jesus Christ has not merely been slain that we may hear about Him and talk about Him and think about Him, but that we may feed upon Him”.

The Israelites would have been reminded as they went in their houses that the shed blood of the lamb was their protection. Today we have this cup and the bread to remind us that the true Passover Lamb shed His blood for us.

John 1:29 says, “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world”.

This is amazing grace
This is unfailing love
That you would take my place
That you would bear my cross
You laid down your life
That I would be set free
Oh Jesus, I sing for
All that you’ve done for me.

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
Worthy is the Lam who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy, Worthy, Worthy!