REDEMPTION BY BLOOD

EXODUS 12:11-32 REDEMPTION BY BLOOD The first nine plagues in Egypt were miraculous events given as signs to awaken Pharaoh and all of Egypt to the fact that there is One God who rules over the affairs of men. All of Egypt was guilty because by men, do kings rule. Not only the nation ruled by the kings, but kings rule by the willingness of the people to be ruled. The final plague of the death of the firstborn was a judgment. A miracle compresses the normal processes of nature into a moment. In a similar way, judgments compress into a short time the results of wrong-doing. "Be sure your sin will find you out," is a principle we cannot avoid. The judgment of Egypt compressed into one night the severe results of sin. When the Lord Jesus Christ was on the Cross at Calvary, the judgment of sin was laid on Him. "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." The compressed judgment of a world of lost sinners was placed on the perfect innocent Lamb of God who provided our redemption with His death and shedding of blood. God hid the suffering Savior in darkness that did not allow us to see the actual terribleness of sin. Egypt was judged by the death of the firstborn. Israel was judged by the death of the paschal lamb. The world has been judged in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross when "Christ died for the ungodly." "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

When the Passover lamb was slain in the evening, the blood was caught in a basin and applied to both sides and the top lintel of the door with hyssop as God instructed. The families of obedient Israelites, in faith, stood with shoes on their feet and ate the roast lamb and unleavened bread in readiness for leaving Egypt as God said. "When I see the blood, I will pass over you," was the word from God they trusted. The actions they took indicated the faith in God they had. Quiet families eating in the night of oppressive silence would have enhanced the foreboding sense of fear as the Egyptians wondered what was going to happen next. Some of them must have copied the Israelites and chose to join them in the exodus from the land.

Safely behind closed doors with the evidence of obedience and faith in God, the people of God ate the roast lamb, bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The lamb had been slain, the blood had been shed, the blood had been applied outside to the doorframe, and inside they all waited for the call to leave. Deliverance was promised and they believed it would come. "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast." At the Lord's Supper we remember the fitness of the sacrifice, the perfections of our Lord Jesus Christ when we remember Him. We also make a public proclamation of His death so those who observe the feast and those who participate in the feast of remembrance realize the death of Christ has taken place. Judgment has fallen on Christ on our behalf.

With the blessing of redemption and the joy it gives, we appreciate the fact that the Righteous God is satisfied with what Christ has done. Like the Israelites who were "bought back" from captivity by the sacrifice of the lamb, so our redemption has been made by the sacrifice of Christ. His perfect life was substituted for our sinful lives taking the penalty of our sins away and restoring us to God. We trust Him and accept His gift of eternal life Christ paid for with His life. We begin a new relationship with God as His redeemed people. This cuts us off from the world and sets us apart to God. The world is crucified to us and we are crucified to the world. "Old things have passed away. Behold all things are become new." Now the life we live, we live unto the "Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me."

To some the shedding of innocent blood seems completely unfair. What is really so serious about sin is the life of that one can't be spared. The terribleness of sin and of death is not by most people readily grasped. The velvet bands of sin seem so easy, sinners don't know they are held fast Until they seek to ease their conscience by breaking them with their own power. They realize then the binding power of sin they have absolutely no power over. For many then it is too late and they perish without accepting payment for sin. God had made provision for salvation when Christ came to die for them.

A life given for another is acceptable by God for His gracious forgiveness. When we have accepted the Lord Jesus, He gives us His spiritual richness. Like the lamb that died for the firstborn, God's Lamb was sacrificed in our place. We live now in Christ forever; we are made children of God by His grace. Unlike the Passover lamb, our Lamb is the same in His humanity as we are. He laid down His life in grace, and rose again by His own mighty power. Now we are freed from that bondage by grace, raised to live in Christ by faith. This new life we live had its beginnings when our Lamb took the sinner's place.

Israel was told to remember the night when the blood to the door was applied

Believers are told to remember our Lamb and show how the Savior died. They were to gather once a year as a nation so deliverance they would never forget We gather to remember our Savior each week, if we miss, we have much to regret. Because this is our Lord's command, "Do this until I come." When the True Lamb of God took our place, the Passover type was done. Our freedom is not just from the world, we are free to walk with Christ in the light. As we journey from here to heaven, our future shines evermore bright.

"Father, the blessings of our joy of deliverance takes me further to the joy of anticipation. Sitting with these loving believers on the floor and listening earnestly to Thy Word was a little view to me of the joy the Lord must get from His own children. May Thy Spirit empower me to bring some joy to my Savior I pray, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."