Scripture:
Exodus 12:23 When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.
Observation:
The blood of the sheep or goat painted over the doorframe of every home of the children of Israel was a signal on one hand. It made the statement “a believing family lives here.” And the agent of judgment and of wrath, the destroying angel, would not enter such a home. Also, the blood was that of an animal slain in substitution – its death atoning for the misdeeds of all within the home. The people of Israel were not necessarily any more holy than the Egyptians, but they did have knowledge of God and enough faith to foster obedience at least to this point. No doubt there were some among Israel who did NOT apply the blood to their own destruction. But they had all seen the judgments – the plagues – that had fallen upon Egypt but had bypassed Goshen, their home. God was redeeming His people and the people knew it. But this time was to be more dramatic than any plague to date. For there were neither flies nor frogs nor darkness nor water turned to blood. Yet through the repeated hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, it had come to this – a threat of sudden death, a move of God so destructive yet so selective that it would both show His power and purpose. It was not random – it struck the strength of the firstborn AND it stuck only households without the blood on their doorposts. For God’s judgment did not stop with the stubborn heart of Pharaoh – he was only the leader of the people of obstinacy. The people of Israel had been discriminated against and abused by the entire nation of Egypt and so this ultimate act of God touched each house among them.
Application:
Do I cover my house with the blood of Jesus? Do I rely upon His strong redemption, or try in my own strength to struggle against the oppressor? If so, I should expect to both lose the battle and expose my family to unnecessary peril. Painting the doorpost seemed a silly thing but the children of Israel had seen enough of God’s hand to pay attention and obey. When will I see enough of the dysfunction and destruction of this world to know that I have no place to go than Jesus my Savior? Will I dabble with life decisions that imitate the motives and purposes of this world? Will I settle for material gain and tribal prestige or give God the glory? The blood is there, I need only apply it. Are the judgments of the world going my way? Today they may be, but that is inconsequential. Today’s pride is tomorrow’s shame and vice versa; there is no value in the temporal workings of the systems of humankind. May I learn to let the blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel – the first murdered – speak over me with ever deeper impact. Let me live the crucified life, not joyless but with sobriety that comes with beholding eternity past and future flowing right through me. Let me know that the destroyer is coming whether people would believe it, like it or scorn the idea. Hell is easily seen if I will look. So is heaven. The blood makes all the difference.
Prayer:
Father, I want to be truthful – I don’t want this. But Lord I see that nothing else works. Let me be washed over and over in the blood till I communicate and walk in its power over me and over the ways of this world. In Jesus’ name, amen.
