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The Blood of Deliverance The Blood on
the Lintels 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.—Exodus 12:13 Homer Montague In the biblical account of the Exodus, ten plagues came upon the Egyptians to compel them to release the nation of Israel from bondage. Prior to the last plague during which the firstborn of Egypt were destroyed, God gave detailed instructions to Moses and Aaron for the Israelites to follow so they would be protected from this great calamity. On the tenth day of the first month a lamb was to be chosen for each household; on the fourteenth day at evening each Jewish family was to slaughter an unblemished yearling and spread its blood on the two door posts and lintel of their home. This would ensure that the destroying angel would pass over their dwelling and all the firstborn therein would be spared (Exodus 12:3-7,12). This final plague of judgment that would befall the Egyptians and their so-called deities would be devastating, especially since Pharaoh was considered to be a god; even his son would die during the plague (Exodus 11:5; 12:29). When Jacob and his family arrived in Egypt many years earlier, Joseph wisely had them continue in their same employment as herdsmen rather than place them in positions of prominence in the royal court. Furthermore, he said, “Every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians” (Genesis 46:34). Perhaps this attitude prevailed because the Israelites killed and ate their flocks while the Egyptians adored these creatures (see Matthew Poole, Commentary of the Holy Bible, vol. 1, p. 103). If the Egyptians did consider livestock as sacred, at the time of the Exodus the Jews would need to exercise courage by slaughtering the lambs the Egyptians venerated. And by applying the blood to the doorposts and lintel as directed, the Israelites would give evidence of their faith in God’s power to deliver them. After receiving instructions from God about the Passover, Moses told the Israelites what to do: “Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you” (Exodus 12:21-23). Hyssop Hyssop was the instrument to apply the blood upon the doorposts and lintel. Although the specific reason for its use is not detailed in the biblical account, it is later connected with the rite of purification for lepers or for a plague (see Leviticus 14:4-6,49-52). This might suggest to the Israelites a symbolic cleansing from their defiling experiences in Egypt because of the blood applied on their behalf. After the Exodus, God established a system of sacrifices with Israel that involved daily offerings as part of the Law Covenant: “Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even” (Exodus 29:38,39). Additionally, the Jews gained further understanding about the meaning of and necessity for the atonement sacrifices to typically cleanse them from their sins when God explained why eating blood was prohibited: “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” (Leviticus 17:11). The injunction prohibiting the Israelites from leaving the house during the night also speaks to their acceptance of the value of the blood outside their dwelling place. To depart from the safety of their homes during the night would show a loss of faith and a lack of obedience to God. They would then expose themselves to the same punishment of death as would befall the Egyptian firstborn for whom the plague was intended. A generation later, Rahab the harlot and her family were protected in Jericho by a scarlet cord in the window of her home (Joshua 2:12-21). As the rest of people in the city died, all in Rahab’s home were saved because of her public identification with Israel’s God (Joshua 6:22-25). That red cord served the same purpose as the blood on the doorposts and lintel during the time of the Exodus.
As a remembrance of the deliverance of the firstborn that was effected thousands
of years ago in Egypt and the subsequent liberation of the entire nation, Jews
around the world continue to commemorate this event: “This day shall be unto you
for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep
it a feast by an ordinance for ever” (Exodus 12:14). As a nation, however, they
failed to realize the Passover, as well as other features of the Law Covenant,
was designed to bring them to an acceptance of Christ as the Lamb of God, the
true Passover who was sacrificed on their behalf to take away sin (John 1:29; 1
Corinthians 5:7,8; Galatians 3:24). Christ’s Atoning Blood Consecrated believers during this Gospel age have appropriated to themselves the value of Christ’s atoning blood and have entered into a covenant relationship with God: “… to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:23,24). As members of the antitypical firstborn, the spirit begotten alone have been passed over from the plague of Adamic condemnation resting upon the remainder of mankind. The blood of sprinkling represents the merit of the ransom sacrifice that has been imputed on behalf of the church, thereby providing each believer justification by faith in Christ and the cleansing power of his blood. The vast majority of the human family have not devoted their lives in consecration to follow Christ during this present age. Thus they are not pictured in the firstborns but rather in the rest of the nation liberated by the Exodus. Like the general population of the Jews who received their deliverance after crossing the Red Sea, these members of the human family will be given an opportunity for deliverance from sin and death under the reign of Christ and his church, during the kingdom of righteousness when Satan is bound (Revelation 20:1-4,6).
“We are not merely to believe that Jesus lived, that
Jesus died. We are especially to believe that He died
sacrificially,
‘the Just for the unjust,’ and are to accept our share of the redemption which
He secured by His precious blood. The sprinkling of the blood upon the doorposts
in the type implied public confession of the precious blood of the Lamb of God,
in His death and in its efficacy for us, which is thus signified. It will be
remembered that the Israelites were enjoined against going out of the house
during the night; for when the Lord would pass through to smite the Egyptians,
He would see the blood upon lintels and doorposts, and would not suffer the
destroying angel to come into their houses (Exodus 12:1-13). The injunction that
those under the door sprinkled with blood should not go out from under it during
that night had special application and force with respect to the first-borns.
Antitypically it signifies that if any of us who are of the First-borns should
go out from under the blood, in the sense of denying the merit, the efficacy, of
the blood of Jesus, the penalty of such a course would be death—the Second
Death—hopeless extinction.—Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31.” —Pastor Russell’s Sermons,
p. 561. The Cities of Refuge The importance of this lesson is emphasized by God’s provision for six cities of refuge in the land of Israel. If a man slew another man accidentally, he could flee to one of these cities for safety. The elders of that city would protect him until he was tried before the congregation who would determine his innocence or guilt. If found guilty, he would be handed over to the slain man’s next of kin (the avenger of blood) and be put to death. If found innocent, he would be required to remain in the city until the death of the high priest. However, if he left that city of refuge prior to that time, the avenger of blood was free to take his life (Joshua 20:1-9). Antitypically speaking, Christ has become the refuge for spirit-begotten believers during this Gospel age. Should consecrated Christians abandon trust in the precious blood that purchased them from sin, they will be liable to destruction: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. … Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:31,38).
During the Messianic kingdom, the human family will learn righteousness by
internalizing the principles of truth that will prevail. Their “city of refuge”
will be The Christ, head and body. When the kingdom reign comes to an end,
mankind will be able to render perfect obedience to God. During the little
season of testing, Christ will have completed his mediatorial priestly function
and, as the heavenly Father’s agent, will apply strict justice to test the human
family’s willingness to live righteously. Those who are obedient to God will
gain everlasting life, but those who come short of this perfect standard will be
cut off forever (Matthew 25:40-46). Common Union in the Blood of Christ One final antitypical lesson concerning the blood of the Passover lamb concerns Jesus’ instructions to his disciples during his final night on earth. Following the last supper and the breaking of bread symbolizing his perfect, sinless flesh that would provide justification for his followers, he introduced a new symbol: “And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:27,28, NASB). By accepting this invitation to drink of the cup, Gospel age believers may have common union or joint participation in the blood of Christ. Thus they affirm a desire to participate in the sin-offering which will end when the church class is completed and qualify them to become a part of the Mediator which will operate during the next age. Actual atonement will be achieved for mankind when the benefits of Christ’s blood are applied for the human family during the Millennial kingdom. If faithful, the consecrated will assist the Lord in restoring mankind to human perfection when the Spirit and the Bride say “come” and invite all who are athirst to drink freely of the water of life available in the kingdom (Revelation 22:17). Paul wrote, “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church” (Colossians 1:24). The fact that there are opportunities for suffering for his body’s sake implies that it was the divine intention to give the church a share in the experiences that would develop them so they can serve as part of the royal priesthood to provide blessings to mankind during the kingdom. Those who lay down their lives on behalf of the brethren in the service of the truth prove the sincerity of their sacrificial walk. What a magnificent opportunity has been provided for the church, the antitypical firstborn, to assist Christ Jesus in blessing all the families of the earth in God’s kingdom! |