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The Importance of the Blood of the Lamb (Exodus 12)
The blood of the lamb of God saves us. Jesus’ life was important. He had to be unblemished to serve as our Passover Lamb. But if Jesus had stayed alive, he wouldn’t have helped us anymore than any Passover lambs would’ve helped anyone if they weren’t sacrificed.
Table of contentsThree Things That Could not Deliver Israel from EgyptFirst, Moses Could not Deliver IsraelSecond, the First Nine Plagues Could not Deliver IsraelThird, the Passover Lamb Could not Deliver IsraelThe Blood of the Lamb Provided Immediate DeliveranceLooking Forward to ChristThe Lamb's Death Is More Important than Its LifeThe Blood of the Lamb's ImportanceThe Blood of the Lamb ProtectedThe Blood of the Lamb Was not to Be Trampled OnThe Blood of the Lamb Must Be Personally AppliedThe Lamb's Sacrifice Becomes PersonalEveryone Needs the Blood of the LambGod Was Willing to Do What He Wanted to Spare People From Suffering
https://youtu.be/yErE5hFzuFA
Charles Spurgeon said, “Morality may keep you out of jail, but it takes the blood of Jesus Christ to keep you out of hell.” Billy Graham said, “Be assured that there is no sin you have ever committed that the blood of Jesus Christ cannot cleanse.”
Charles Spurgeon and Billy Graham had high views of Jesus’ blood. By the end of this post, you too, will have a high view of Jesus’ blood, and if you already have a high view of it, you will have an even higher view.
Three Things That Could not Deliver Israel from Egypt
I want to begin by sharing three things that could not deliver the Israelites from Egypt. Then, I will share the one thing that did deliver them.
First, Moses Could not Deliver Israel
We say that Moses delivered Israel – and God used him to do that – but if you’re familiar with Moses’s attempts, you know how poorly they went.
Exodus 5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”...6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”
Not only was Moses unable to deliver Israel, but he actually made their bondage worse. How did the Israelites respond? They weren’t happy with Moses at this point, as you might expect:
Exodus 5:20 They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; 21 and they said to them, “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
The people were like, “Some deliverer you are. I hope God punishes you for what you’ve done.”
Second, the First Nine Plagues Could not Deliver Israel
What did the first nine plagues accomplish for the Israelites? Were the Israelites any less slaves after the plagues were unleashed than they were before? Were they in any less bondage? Had their oppression been improved whatsoever?
Even though these were the most dramatic plagues the world has ever known, they didn’t change anything for the Israelites.
Third, the Passover Lamb Could not Deliver Israel
Exodus 12:3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household.
The Israelites got a lamb for Passover on the 10th day of the month of Nisan. We could argue that this is when Passover began. They had their lambs from the 10th day to the 14th day, and at any time during those days, were they delivered? No. So, when exactly was Israel delivered? Or I should say, what exactly delivered Israel?
Exodus 12:6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. 7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
The word blood introduces one of the themes of the passage. It occurs six times.
The Blood of the Lamb Provided Immediate Deliverance
Exodus 12:13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I SEE THE BLOOD, I WILL PASS OVER YOU, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.Exodus 12:23 For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he SEES THE BLOOD ON THE LINTEL AND ON THE TWO DOORPOSTS, THE LORD WILL PASS OVER the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.
Not to sound overly simple, but twice, we are told that God had to SEE the blood. It was not enough to see the lamb itself. When God saw the blood, the Israelites were delivered.
Exodus 12:11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover.
The deliverance happened so quickly that the Israelites had to eat the lamb standing up, dressed, and ready to go.
Exodus 12:31 Then he (this is Pharaoh) summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said.
Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron in the middle of the night to tell them to get the Israelites out of Egypt. He didn’t even wait until morning. That’s a quick deliverance!
Notice the incredible contrast from before the lamb’s blood was shed to after the lamb’s blood is shed. Moses, Aaron, the most dramatic nine plagues in human history, and even the Passover lamb when it was alive, couldn’t deliver the Israelites. The Passover Lamb’s blood is shed, and the Israelites are not only delivered but driven out.
Looking Forward to Christ
Passover is not primarily about Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. That’s what the account is secondarily about. The account is primarily about Christ, and the way he delivers us from the enemies we face that are even greater than Egypt, and those are sin and death. The Passover Lamb is merely a shadow or type. If you read the account and fail to see Christ, you are no better off than people who don’t read the account at all.
Exodus 12:35 The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. 36 And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.
The Egyptians were so glad to see the Israelites gone; they were even able to take Egypt’s wealth with them on the way out. This also is not primarily about Israel being given riches after they are redeemed by the blood of the lamb. This prefigures or looks forward to the riches we receive when we are redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Please listen to this…
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE…18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are THE RICHES OF HIS GLORIOUS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS.
You can see how the same happens to us, not physically, but spiritually.
The Lamb's Death Is More Important than Its Life
The lamb's life was important. If the lamb wasn't spotless or unblemished, it couldn't serve as the Passover lamb. But no matter how important the lamb’s life was, it couldn’t save anyone. Only its blood could save.
We don’t have a record of this happening, but imagine a family gets a lamb on the 10th day like verse 3 describes. The lamb is without blemish, a male a-year-old, and taken from the sheep or goats like verse 5 describes. If the lamb isn’t slaughtered, it doesn’t save anyone.
Jesus’ life was important. He had to be spotless or unblemished, a male, a-year-old – which is to say in the prime of his life –to serve as our Passover Lamb. But if his blood wasn’t shed, he couldn’t save anyone. If Jesus had stayed alive, he wouldn’t have helped anyone any more than any Passover lambs would’ve helped anyone if they hadn’t been sacrificed.
I’m thankful for Jesus’ life. I’m thankful for his teaching. I’m thankful for his example. But more than all that, I’m thankful for his death. I’m thankful he was willing to shed his blood for me.
If you understand the importance of Jesus’ blood, you understand why it is so unfortunate when people say things like, "I love the way Jesus lived. He was such a great miracle worker. I am so blessed when I read the accounts of him healing those people. He helped so many. And what about all those wonderful things he taught? We could spend days just talking about his different parables."
But if people stop there – there’s no mention of the cross – they are coming up short. It isn’t Jesus’ teaching, miracles, or even life that paid for our sins. It was his blood. That’s what redeemed us from sin and death.
The Blood of the Lamb's Importance
Take your mind to what we commonly call the Last Supper, when Jesus celebrated Passover and then went out to become our Passover Lamb:
Matthew 26:27 [Jesus] took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is MY BLOOD OF THE COVENANT, which is poured out for many FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
We have Jesus telling us that his blood did two crucial things: instituted the new covenant and forgave our sins. This is why, even though Jesus’ life was so wonderful, throughout the rest of the New Testament,
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The blood of the lamb of God saves us. Jesus’ life was important. He had to be unblemished to serve as our Passover Lamb. But if Jesus had stayed alive, he wouldn’t have helped us anymore than any Passover lambs would’ve helped anyone if they weren’t sacrificed.
Table of contentsThree Things That Could not Deliver Israel from EgyptFirst, Moses Could not Deliver IsraelSecond, the First Nine Plagues Could not Deliver IsraelThird, the Passover Lamb Could not Deliver IsraelThe Blood of the Lamb Provided Immediate DeliveranceLooking Forward to ChristThe Lamb's Death Is More Important than Its LifeThe Blood of the Lamb's ImportanceThe Blood of the Lamb ProtectedThe Blood of the Lamb Was not to Be Trampled OnThe Blood of the Lamb Must Be Personally AppliedThe Lamb's Sacrifice Becomes PersonalEveryone Needs the Blood of the LambGod Was Willing to Do What He Wanted to Spare People From Suffering
https://youtu.be/yErE5hFzuFA
Charles Spurgeon said, “Morality may keep you out of jail, but it takes the blood of Jesus Christ to keep you out of hell.” Billy Graham said, “Be assured that there is no sin you have ever committed that the blood of Jesus Christ cannot cleanse.”
Charles Spurgeon and Billy Graham had high views of Jesus’ blood. By the end of this post, you too, will have a high view of Jesus’ blood, and if you already have a high view of it, you will have an even higher view.
Three Things That Could not Deliver Israel from Egypt
I want to begin by sharing three things that could not deliver the Israelites from Egypt. Then, I will share the one thing that did deliver them.
First, Moses Could not Deliver Israel
We say that Moses delivered Israel – and God used him to do that – but if you’re familiar with Moses’s attempts, you know how poorly they went.
Exodus 5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”...6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”
Not only was Moses unable to deliver Israel, but he actually made their bondage worse. How did the Israelites respond? They weren’t happy with Moses at this point, as you might expect:
Exodus 5:20 They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; 21 and they said to them, “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
The people were like, “Some deliverer you are. I hope God punishes you for what you’ve done.”
Second, the First Nine Plagues Could not Deliver Israel
What did the first nine plagues accomplish for the Israelites? Were the Israelites any less slaves after the plagues were unleashed than they were before? Were they in any less bondage? Had their oppression been improved whatsoever?
Even though these were the most dramatic plagues the world has ever known, they didn’t change anything for the Israelites.
Third, the Passover Lamb Could not Deliver Israel
Exodus 12:3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household.
The Israelites got a lamb for Passover on the 10th day of the month of Nisan. We could argue that this is when Passover began. They had their lambs from the 10th day to the 14th day, and at any time during those days, were they delivered? No. So, when exactly was Israel delivered? Or I should say, what exactly delivered Israel?
Exodus 12:6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. 7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
The word blood introduces one of the themes of the passage. It occurs six times.
The Blood of the Lamb Provided Immediate Deliverance
Exodus 12:13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I SEE THE BLOOD, I WILL PASS OVER YOU, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.Exodus 12:23 For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he SEES THE BLOOD ON THE LINTEL AND ON THE TWO DOORPOSTS, THE LORD WILL PASS OVER the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.
Not to sound overly simple, but twice, we are told that God had to SEE the blood. It was not enough to see the lamb itself. When God saw the blood, the Israelites were delivered.
Exodus 12:11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover.
The deliverance happened so quickly that the Israelites had to eat the lamb standing up, dressed, and ready to go.
Exodus 12:31 Then he (this is Pharaoh) summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said.
Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron in the middle of the night to tell them to get the Israelites out of Egypt. He didn’t even wait until morning. That’s a quick deliverance!
Notice the incredible contrast from before the lamb’s blood was shed to after the lamb’s blood is shed. Moses, Aaron, the most dramatic nine plagues in human history, and even the Passover lamb when it was alive, couldn’t deliver the Israelites. The Passover Lamb’s blood is shed, and the Israelites are not only delivered but driven out.
Looking Forward to Christ
Passover is not primarily about Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. That’s what the account is secondarily about. The account is primarily about Christ, and the way he delivers us from the enemies we face that are even greater than Egypt, and those are sin and death. The Passover Lamb is merely a shadow or type. If you read the account and fail to see Christ, you are no better off than people who don’t read the account at all.
Exodus 12:35 The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. 36 And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.
The Egyptians were so glad to see the Israelites gone; they were even able to take Egypt’s wealth with them on the way out. This also is not primarily about Israel being given riches after they are redeemed by the blood of the lamb. This prefigures or looks forward to the riches we receive when we are redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Please listen to this…
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE…18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are THE RICHES OF HIS GLORIOUS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS.
You can see how the same happens to us, not physically, but spiritually.
The Lamb's Death Is More Important than Its Life
The lamb's life was important. If the lamb wasn't spotless or unblemished, it couldn't serve as the Passover lamb. But no matter how important the lamb’s life was, it couldn’t save anyone. Only its blood could save.
We don’t have a record of this happening, but imagine a family gets a lamb on the 10th day like verse 3 describes. The lamb is without blemish, a male a-year-old, and taken from the sheep or goats like verse 5 describes. If the lamb isn’t slaughtered, it doesn’t save anyone.
Jesus’ life was important. He had to be spotless or unblemished, a male, a-year-old – which is to say in the prime of his life –to serve as our Passover Lamb. But if his blood wasn’t shed, he couldn’t save anyone. If Jesus had stayed alive, he wouldn’t have helped anyone any more than any Passover lambs would’ve helped anyone if they hadn’t been sacrificed.
I’m thankful for Jesus’ life. I’m thankful for his teaching. I’m thankful for his example. But more than all that, I’m thankful for his death. I’m thankful he was willing to shed his blood for me.
If you understand the importance of Jesus’ blood, you understand why it is so unfortunate when people say things like, "I love the way Jesus lived. He was such a great miracle worker. I am so blessed when I read the accounts of him healing those people. He helped so many. And what about all those wonderful things he taught? We could spend days just talking about his different parables."
But if people stop there – there’s no mention of the cross – they are coming up short. It isn’t Jesus’ teaching, miracles, or even life that paid for our sins. It was his blood. That’s what redeemed us from sin and death.
The Blood of the Lamb's Importance
Take your mind to what we commonly call the Last Supper, when Jesus celebrated Passover and then went out to become our Passover Lamb:
Matthew 26:27 [Jesus] took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is MY BLOOD OF THE COVENANT, which is poured out for many FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
We have Jesus telling us that his blood did two crucial things: instituted the new covenant and forgave our sins. This is why, even though Jesus’ life was so wonderful, throughout the rest of the New Testament,