"REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB"
EXODUS 12:1-13
INTRO: On the night of Israel's deliverance from bondage, there was one last
plague that must fall. This plague was the slaying of the firstborn. In
this tenth and final plague we see beautifully portrayed for us the
mission and purpose of our LORD Jesus Christ on the cross! In
Revelation 13:8, He is referred to as "...the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world." The only possible escape that night in Egypt
from the consequences of that final plague was the application of the
blood of the Lamb. And the only escape from the judgment of hell is
the blood of the Lamb!
The Israelites were delivered from a cruel bondage of almost 400 years
in a single night. On the evening before their deliverance every
housekeeper was commanded to kill a lamb and sprinkle the
doorposts and lintel with the blood. This was to be a sign to the death
angel to pass by. There is a legend that on that night of the Exodus a
young Jewish maiden-the first-born of the family-was so troubled on
her sick-bed she could not sleep. "Father," she anxiously inquired,
"are you sure that the blood is there?" He replied that he had ordered
it sprinkled on the doorposts and lintel. The restless girl would not be
satisfied until her father had taken her up in his arms and carried her
to the door to see for herself. And alas, the blood was not there! The
order had been neglected, and before midnight the father made haste
to put on his door the sacred token of protection. This legend may be
false; but it teaches a heavy and solemn warning to the sinner who
may be near eternity and is not sheltered under the atoning blood of
Christ. Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; and just as
death came to every home in Egypt that had not the blood that
terrible night, so death is on every soul that is not covered by the
blood of the Jesus Christ(Elon Foster. 6000 Classic Sermon
Illustrations. p. 86)!
I want us to focus our attention this morning on the Lamb by
considering this subject, "Redeemed By The Blood Of The Lamb".
(1) THE LAMB’S PROVISION
EXODUS 12:3-4—“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.
And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his
neighbor 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."
A. THE APPOINTMENT OF THE LAMB. The lamb was a DIVINE
appointment. It was not man's idea but God's idea. God did not appoint a
number of ways to escape but only appointed the lamb as the way of
escape.
There is only one way of salvation(John 14:6; Acts 4:12). God has
appointed no other! Throughout Scripture, the lamb is found as that
which Godhas appointed to protect men from the Judgment of God. In
Genesis 22, the sacrifice of Isaac is recorded. It was the lamb that saved
Isaac from death on the altar. Here in Exodus 12 and again in Isaiah 53
the lamb is shown as the provision for man's salvation! In the NT, John's
gospel loudly proclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the
sin of the world." (John 1:29). In 1 Peter 1:19we read, "the precious blood
of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” And in
Revelation, Christ is spoken of as a Lamb some twenty-eight times. It
begins with the Lamb that was slain(Revelation 5:6) and ends with the
Lamb on the throne(Revelation 22:1, 3). So from Genesis to Revelation,
we learn that God appointed a Lamb, Jesus Christ to provide salvation for
mankind (John G. Butler. Moses: The Emancipator of Israel. p. 302).
B. THE APPLICATION OF THELAMB(Exodus 12:3b—“They shall take to
them every man a lamb...") The lamb was for everyone! Everyone that
wanted to escape the death of their firstborn had to take to them a lamb. If
lamb was not used for protection then death would surely fall on that
house! The truth for us today is that every soul needs the Lamb, Jesus
Christ. He alone is the soul’s protection. He is our Passover! Without
faith in Him and His shed blood we would all perish in our sins!
It makes no difference who a person is, who he knows, or where he is from;
what matters is: IS HE COVERED BY THE BLOOD! Romans 3:21-25tells
us—“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being
witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which
is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is
no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being
justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth tobe a propitiation through faith in his blood, to
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God.”
The hymn-writer wrote:
"What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can
make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is the
flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know, Nothing but the
blood of Jesus." (Robert Lowry. Nothing But The Blood. All-AmericanChurch
Hymnal. John T. Benson Publishing Company, Nashville, TN. p. 376).
If you are saved today, it is because you have accepted by faith the only
payment for sin which Jesus shed on the cross, his precious blood!
(Hebrews 9:22)
C. THE AVAILABILITY OF THELAMB(v4). Since the lamb was to be eaten
by the people, it was understandable that a small household would not
need a whole lamb to eat. Thus the need for sharing of the lamb. This
sharing of the lamb emphasizes the fact that the lamb was available for
everyone. No one would have to die because they could not find a lamb nor
could not afford one. Every situation was covered (John G. Butler. Moses:
The Emancipator of Israel. p. 303).
Salvation is the same way. Christ is available to "whosoever will"! He is as
near as a whispered prayer(Romans 10:13). God has made a provision so
all men might be saved. The fact that many do not get saved is not a result
of a lack of God's provision, but a lack in heeding God's plan of salvation!
We have considered THE LAMB’S PROVISION but let us also see…
(2) THE LAMB'S QUALIFICATIONS
EXODUS 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"
God laid down very specific qualifications for the lamb that was to be chosen as the Passover lamb. The Lamb...
was to be without blemish or spot, that is perfect.
was to be a male, a male progeny.
was to be one year old, that is, in its prime.
In all these qualifications, the Passover lamb was a picture of the LORD Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God Himself. Three qualifications are mentioned and these three speak of three aspects of our LORD Jesus Christ:
A. HIS SINLESSNESS (v5a—“Without blemish..."). The lamb could not have
any physical flaw if it were to acceptable to protect the Israelites from the
death angel. This speaks of the sinlessness of Christ. If a person is going
to die in another's place for their crime, he cannot be guilty of that crime,
or he will have to suffer for it himself. Our LORD Jesus could not be guilty
of sin if He was going to die for our sin and save us from eternal
condemnation (John G. Butler. Moses: The Emancipator of Israel. p. 304).
The WORD OF GOD repeatedly shows us the sinlessness ofChrist:
Paul said, "for he hath made Him to be sin for us, WHO KNEW NO SIN; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him"(2 Corinthians5:21). "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, YET WITHOUT SIN” (Hebrews 4:15). "For such a high priest became us, who is holy, UNDEFILED, SEPARATE FROM SINNERS, and made higher than the heavens." (Hebrews 7:26).
Peter said, “But with the precious blood of Christ, as ofa lamb WITHOUT BLEMISH AND WITHOUT SPOT”(1 Peter 1:19)."WHO DID NO SIN, neither was GUILE found in his mouth."(1 Peter 2:22).
John said, “Andye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; AND IN HIM IS NO SIN."(1 John 3:5).
If Christ was not sinless, He could not save us; and, furthermore, He would
be one of the biggest deceivers that ever set foot on earth (John G. Butler.
Moses: The Emancipator of Israel. p. 304)! But thank God, He never sinned
and all His ways are perfect!
‘
B. HIS SONSHIP (v5b—“…a male…"). It could not have been a female for God
specified a male! Jesus Christ is the Son of God, not the daughter or
mother of God. The push todayto change hymnbooks and messages and
creeds and Bibles to unisex is just another way of rejecting the true Lamb
of God (John G. Butler. Moses: The Emancipator of Israel. p. 304). If the
lamb is not a male, it cannot save; for God appointed a male lamb to
protect from the judgment of the tenth plague. And He appointed His Son
to be the One to save sinners from Hell, the everlasting punishment for sin!
(John 3:16; 1 John 4:8-10; 5:11-13).
C. HIS STRENGTH (v5c—“…of the first year…”). This meant that the lamb
was to be in the prime of life, not old or worn out or ready to die. The
psalmist speaks prophetically of Christ dying in “the midst of my days”
(Psalm 102:24). Christ was only in His thirties when He was crucified.
We have noted THE LAMB’S PROVISION and THE LAMB’S QUALIFICATIONS but let us also note…
(3) THE LAMB'S SACRIFICE
EXODUS 12:6-7—“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. 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"
A. THE DATE OF THEKILLING (v6a—“…the fourteenth day…”). The date of
the killing of the lamb in Egypt was incorporated into the Passover
celebration. Christ was the fulfillment of the paschal lamb. If you study
closely the closing chapters of the Gospels, you will see that the Lamb of
God died at the very time that the paschal lambs were being slain in the
temple"(Arthur Pink).
Christ came to earth and died for our sins in the fullness of time(Galatians
4:4-5). That is, at God's specified time. Not a moment early or a second
late.
B. THE DOERS OF THEKILLING (v6—“…the whole assembly of the
congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening...”). The Scripture shows us
that all Israel was indicted for the crucifixion of Christ (John G. Butler.
Moses: The Emancipator of Israel. p. 306). (Acts 2:23—“Him, being
delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have
taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.”). But it does not
stop with them. In the gospel message, all are guilty of crucifying Christ.
Our sins put Him on the Cross! We are all guilty!
C. THE DISALLOWING IN THEKILLING (v46—“Neither shall ye break a bone
thereof"). The psalmist in prophesying of Christ said, "he keepeth all his
bones; not one of them is broken" (Psalm 34:20). At the crucifixion, Satan
did his dead level best to keep the Word of God from being fulfilled. But
John 19:31-33 tells us, "The Jews therefore, because it was the
preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath
day(for that sabbath day was an high day), besought Pilate that their legs
might be broken...Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first and
of the other that was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and
saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs." Not a bone was
broken. Scripture was fulfilled, inspite of Satan's attempt to thwart it!
REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB because of THE LAMB’S PROVISION, THE LAMB’S QUALIFICATIONS, THE LAMB’S SACRIFICE and finally let us consider…
(4) THE LAMB'S BLOOD
EXODUS 12:13—“And the blood shall be to you a token upon the houses
where you are: and WHEN I SEE THE BLOOD, I will pass over you,
and the plaque shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite
the land of Egypt"
A. THE PROMINENCE OF THEBLOOD (vv. 13, 23). The prominent thing
God was looking for in the deliverance of Israel was the blood. Nothing
mattered as much as the blood of the lamb. The killing of the lamb meant
nothing if the instructions regarding the lamb's blood were disregarded.
The blood of Christ is absolutely essential in the salvation of our souls
(Hebrews 9:22)! In every age, there have been those who have mocked the
importance of the blood, but apart from it we are doomed to a devil's Hell!
B. THE PLACE FOR THEBLOOD (vv. 7, 22). The various locations of the
blood on Israel's houses point to Christ on the cross. The blood on the
lintel(the upper part of the door) pictures the blood from the thorn-
crowned brow of our LORD. The blood on the two side posts pictures the
blood from the hands of Christ nailed to the Cross. But notice, the blood
was not placed on the threshold of the door which would speak if the feet of
Christ on the Cross. This was so the blood would not be trampled
underfoot in gross disrespect (John G. Butler. Moses: The Emancipator of
Israel. pp. 307-308). We read in Hebrews 10:29—“Of how much sorer
punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden
under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant,
wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto
the Spirit of grace?”
C. THE PUTTING ON OF THEBLOOD(v22). Hyssop was a small plant with
stiff branches and hairy like leaves which would make a good brush
applicator of the blood. With hyssop being a small plant, it speaks of
humility. With it being used to apply the blood it speaks of faith. Both
humility and faith are essential in applying the blood in the salvation of our
souls. In humility we must recognize our sinfulness. And by faith, we
receive Christ as savior and thereby appropriate the blood of Christ as the
cleansing needed for our sins (John G. Butler. Moses: The Emancipator of
Israel. p. 308)!
D. THE POWER OF THE BLOOD. There is great power in the blood. It had
power to protect the firstborn and power to stop the judgment of God!
The blood has:
Power To Provide Life(Leviticus 17:11). Blood gives us life physically, but it can also give us life spiritually. Atonement speaks of salvation. When we are saved, we are given a new life(2 Corinthians 5:17;Ephesians 2:1).
Power To Provide Redemption(Revelation 5:9). To redeem means "to buy back, to purchase." Israel'sredemption depended upon the blood. Our redemption depends upon the blood. It cost plenty to purchase our salvation. The price was very high! Peter said man cannot be redeemed with "silver and gold” (1 Peter 1:18) and Christ stated the wealth of the world cannot redeem us(Mark 8:36). But Christ's blood can! Peter calls it precious blood(1 Peter 1:19). The word “precious" means "costly". It is costly. It is worth more than all the riches in this world!
Power To Provide Justification(Romans 5:9). Israel was saved from divine wrath by the blood; just as the saved soul is. Justification means "to declare righteous." We are not righteous in ourselves, but through the blood of Jesus Christ!When God forgives through the risen, glorified Jesus, He not only forgives, but He justifies. It is impossible for an earthly judge to both forgive and to justify a man. If a man is justified, he does not need to be forgiven. Imagine a man charged with a crime going into court, and, after the evidence is all in, he is pronounced not guilty, and the judge sets him free. Someone says, as he leaves the building, "I want to congratulate you. It was very kind of the judge to forgive you." "Forgive? He did not forgive me; I was justified. There is nothing to forgive. You cannot justify a man if he does a wicked thing, but you can forgive. God not only forgives but He justifies the ungodly, because He links the believer with Christ, and we are made "accepted in the Beloved." --H. A. Ironside (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version 3.0f. Copyright 1990-1998, by Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved).