Freedom Through the Blood
Book of Exodus Chapter 12
Those ten plagues had crippled the economy of Egypt and had God stopped at this point those children of Israel would have remained as slaves of Egypt.
All those ten plagues had affected the Egyptian people much more than this rich king who was full of pride and arrogance.
There would be one more plague, but this one would be vastly different from the others.
The Passover deals with the "Judgment" of God, but also the Deliverance of God!
God began a principle in the Book of Genesis that will be followed throughout all the Bible.
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
In the Book of Genesis we know that the sin of Adam and Eve brought the curse of destruction to this world we live in.
We are seeing the results of this curse increasingly today, in what many call climate change which is the reality of that curse upon this world.
Before Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, God made clothes for them from the skins of animals.
This demonstrated the principle of forgiveness through the shedding of blood.
Later we saw that it was Abel's sacrifice that was accepted by the Almighty God.
Gen 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
This principle of "Freedom" through sacrifice is repeated throughout the Bible.
We see it here in the Book of Exodus as the "freedom" of the children of Israel would require a Blood Sacrifice.
Before these children of Israel could be set free, they had to pave the way for a new beginning.
This thing of escape from the tyranny of the world would be documented on a new calendar which the Jews still use today.
What do we know now that we have accepted the work of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation? Sin has an extremely high cost!
*****Exo 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
Exo 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
The Passover deals with the "Judgment" of God but also the "Deliverance" of God.
This "Judgment" will be upon all those who cannot accept the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!
This "Judgment" will be upon all those who are evil oppressors, those who are ungodly, and those who are unrighteous in this world.
The "Deliverance" will take place to all who believe in and diligently follow the Word of God and the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!
We should notice that the beginning of this new calendar for the children of Israel did not begin on the day of the Passover but fourteen days before the Passover.
We should understand this gap as a type of "grace".
My new calendar began when the day I was "Born Again" to a "New Life", and regenerated by the Holy Spirit coming to live within me.
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Notice I have no righteousness of myself, but now because the Holy Spirit lives within me I have the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
All the sins of my past are forgiven! My new life had its beginning when I realized I was a sinner and in need of a Savior.
For the children of Israel, their new life would begin from the month in which the Passover occurred not the day of the Passover.
The Passover was the most significant event in the history of Israel and is still celebrated today.
Those who practice true Judaism still observe the Passover today, but they have no place to offer their sacrifice.
The Passover marked the very night that God "delivered" the children of Israel from the tyranny of Egypt, which is a type of the world we live in today, where we see persecution increasing and the taskmasters still delivering their slave tactics.
This first new month was called Abib which corresponds to March and April on the Roman Calendar.
The word "Abib" means "a young head of grain", "an ear of corn".
The beginning of a new life for the nation of Israel was marked by a new calendar.
The life of Jesus Christ was also marked by a new calendar.
When the Lord Jesus arose to New Life and left that borrowed tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, to a life to live eternally in a New Heaven it astounded the world so much that the world measures its seasons and its history from the date of the Birth of Jesus Christ.
This should be enough proof for all the world that the Lord Jesus Christ is a real Savior, a real "Deliverer"!
****Exo 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
Exo 12:4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
We next see that Israel is now called a congregation, a Holy Community by the Lord God Himself.
A congregation is the people of God who gather to worship Him or to hear the Word of God!
We also see that each household, each family, was to celebrate the feast of the Passover.
Each family or group of people were to secure one lamb on the tenth day of the month of Abib.
This lamb was to be singled out from the flock and appointed to death four days before it was to be sacrificed.
For four days they were to keep this Lamb separate and feed and care for this lamb.
When the Lord Jesus was beginning His ministry John the Baptist said:
Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Joh 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
Notice also each person was to eat the Passover meal for them self.
This is the same way we take Jesus today, individually, then the family, and then all the congregation.
This describes the worship of the Church, the Body of Christ.
We then share what we learned in the Congregation, take it home to our families and then as individuals we become Ambassadors for Christ.
This lamb was to be without blemish, or we would say perfect.
*****Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
Any animal less than perfect offered for sin would be an abomination to the Lord.
An animal that had no reason for their life to end so abruptly, which represents pure innocence.
Each sinner represents one who is guilty of breaking all the laws of God.
Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
The acceptance of the yearling goat was allowed for those who were poor, who might have an animal more for its milk rather than its market value of wool for clothing.
A male animal would be considered superior to the female animal in this sacrifice for sin and therefore more appropriate for a sin offering!
Lev 1:10 And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.
This Lamb was to be a type of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Lev 21:21 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
The Lord Jesus Christ would be both High Priest and King of Kings.
This lamb was to die in the fulness of its strength!
Before we move on let us see another important thing.
Verse three said "a lamb".
Verse four said "the lamb".
Verse five says "your lamb"
If you do not have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, then He is not your lamb!
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
*****Exo 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
A few things we should note here is the things of this fourteenth day.
1) When we read the whole congregation, we should think there was some great gathering of the people.
We should understand this as the head of each household.
In type we know the whole nation is seen as a nation of priests, just as each Christian is to be a priest to his own family.
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
It is the family that was begun first in the Book of Genesis with Adam and Eve being the first family and Adam being the first head of that family and the priest to his own family.
2) We should also understand that it was not just the chief priest and the elders and not just the scribes and the Pharisees who put Jesus to death, but also by the vote of the people.
Mar 15:9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
Mar 15:10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.
Mar 15:11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.
Mar 15:12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?
Mar 15:13 And they cried out again, Crucify him.
Mar 15:14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.
Mar 15:15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.
In fact, I also have to take my own responsibility for the death of Christ Jesus, because it was because of my sin and the sin of everyone that caused our Savior to be put to death.
3) On this fourteenth day the Lord Jesus died between the evenings.
Between the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the month of Abib (Nisan)
If we study the Scriptures, we will see that the Lord Jesus died at the exact time that the lambs at the Temple were being slain which would be at our three o'clock, or the nineth hour.
This would have been just before that soldier pierced the Lord with his spear because the Lord Jesus gave His life, no one took it from Him.
Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
When we consider this and then add to it all the things that happened.
It was finished: No more would lambs need to be destroyed for the forgiveness of sin.
It was finished: The veil was rent we can go before the Lord at any time without the assistance of some priest.
It was finished: The earthquake declared the power of God.
It was finished: It was the end of His suffering for our sin.
It was finished: The Lord Jesus was forsaken by His Father and that was now over, and His fellowship was restored.
It was finished: Satan was forever defeated.
It was finished: It was finished, Jesus had made "atonement" for all our sins.
One man wrote: Though millions of sacrifices had been offered; yet nothing was done to purchase redemption before Christ’s incarnation… so nothing was done after His resurrection, to purchase redemption for men. Nor will there be anything more done to all eternity.
Like our lesson states "Freedom Through the Blood".
It is all about the blood of the Lamb!
*****Exo 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
In the twelfth chapter of Exodus we never see lamb in the plural because there was only one Lamb that could accomplish what God required!
As the blood is to life, it is also the essence of sacrifice! Essence meaning the nature of our being that distinguishes it from all others.
God did not make any of us alike! Until the sin of Adam and Eve, we all became sinners.
It was the blood applied on the outside of the house that kept those saved on the inside of the house!
Notice the blood was applied in the shape of the bloody cross of our Savior.
It was an act of "faith". If you believed God would save you behind the blood applied to your house, then you would be saved.
If you did not have this "faith" and did not apply the blood, then you would see the death of your first-born child and the first born of your animals.
Heb 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
The Lord Jesus Christ was our substitute:
Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
So many things we see in this passage from the Book of Exodus.
Once the blood was applied it was safe to eat the Passover meal!
We must make sure that we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.
We must make sure our families are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.
We must make sure our homes are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.
We must make sure the place we gather to worship is covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.
When the Blood of Jesus is applied to our homes it becomes a public profession of faith!
Our "faith" is to be in the promises of God just as He promised the Children of Israel at this first Passover.
*****Exo 12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Exo 12:9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
This lamb sacrificed for freedom was to be eaten.
It was to be roasted and not boiled and eaten by those inside the house.
A journey lay before these of God's people and this food would give them strength.
Jesus said:
Joh 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Joh 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
It was to be eaten with unleavened bread.
The Leven represented sin and there was no sin in the house that is washed in the Blood of Jesus.
Joh 6:48 I am that bread of life.
Joh 6:49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
Joh 6:50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
Joh 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
The "bitter herbs" would forever remind them of the bitter days of their slavery in Egypt,
This is a picture of our own slavery to sin.
Our hearts are always to be broken over sin.
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
For the children of Israel this lamb was to be prepared in a peculiar way and this way was never to be deviated. These are God-given instructions!
God given instructions are never to be changed!
One of the many things we see in these things is that the Church is to be family-centered!
Few are today.
Most of the Churches of today try to please those sitting in the pews when God instructs them to preach the entire Word of God.
We must accept the Lord Jesus Christ exactly as He was prepared and offered by Jehovah God!
There is no other way to be saved, Jesus said so Himself!
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
None of this food was to remain in the morning.
*****Exo 12:10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
What we see is that the "death" of this sacrificial lamb has become the food for life!
That lamb was to be eaten the same night it was slain.
The rising sun was to see no part of the slain lamb.
No part of Christ is to be left out! We accept Him as He is, the truth of eternal salvation!
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
In like manner the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ is complete, it is not a progressive thing over the period of our lives!
Our salvation is not in the process of being accomplished, it has been accomplished.
It is accomplished immediately upon accepting the work of Christ for our salvation!
One man wrote, "For God's suffering Lamb the dark night of "Judgment" is no more, and He lives on High eternal sunshine of Divine favor and love".
And how shall we eat the Lamb of God?
*****Exo 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.
We must clearly understand that today, not tomorrow, but today is the day of salvation!
2Co 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Upon hearing the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ we are to immediately accept Him, repent and rush away from this world and begin our New "Born Again" life.
Our new life marching toward the Promised Land of the New Heaven!
We must wear the right clothes and not get entangled in this world again, this world has no benefits!
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
We must wear the right shoes.
Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
We must lean on our Savior for we cannot travel alone. Just as Moses had the staff of God, the Lord Jesus Christ is our staff.
Psa 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
We are only pilgrims passing through this wicked land.
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
We are always to know that the Lord Jesus could return at any moment, and we must expect it!
We must understand that the Lord Jesus Christ is the substitute for our own "Judgment"
*****Exo 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
Exo 12:13 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.
As we have studied this Pharaoh understood when Moses laid down the staff, he carried it was in defiance of the false gods of Egypt and Pharaoh accepted that challenge and Pharaoh chose the wrong side.
Pharaoh finally accepts the defeat of his gods when he said, "Go then, serve Jehovah; and bless me also".
The children of Israel gave the glory to Jehovah at this time, but they were a rebellious bunch.
They did not behave as if they owed any gratitude to Moses or Aaron.
Deu 32:16 They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.
Deu 32:17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.
Deu 32:18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.
The "Judgment" of God is harsh on those who reject Him!
God was speaking to the children of Israel through Moses and God said:
1) I will pass through the land of Egypt as a destroyer in "Judgment".
I will enter every house of the Egyptians and kill the first-born child of both man and beast.
2) God said: "I will do the same to your houses and if I do not see the blood on the door posts of your houses, I will do the same to you.
You will escape this plague if I see the blood.
3) God said again: Against all the gods of Egypt, I will execute "Judgment".
Animal worship was an important part of the religion of the Egyptians and some of these Jews never forgot this and it caused problems all the days of Israel till God dispersed them through all the nations of the earth.
The blood that was placed on the door post and over the door should remind us of a bloody cross.
This blood was not a token to the Children of Israel, but to God for them!
The Destroyer would Passover each home where the blood could be seen!
This method of deliverance involved the sacrifice of innocent life.
This is the only method for complete deliverance!
This method requires faith in the Almighty Covenant Keeping God!
Mar 14:22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.
Mar 14:23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
Mar 14:24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
Mar 14:25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
The Lord Jesus Christ is that Lamb of God who was sacrificed for each and every sinner and will save each and every believer!
Amen.
