"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)
These words were spoken by the Lord to the children of Israel, on that memorable night in early spring, when He led them forth from the land of captivity and bondage. The blood of which He spoke was the blood of a slain lamb, which was to be sprinkled on the two side posts and on the upper door post of their houses.
That night the destroying angel passed through the land of Egypt and smote the first-born in every house on which the blood had not been sprinkled, so that there was not a house where there was not mourning. But wherever the blood was to be seen, there was life and peace and joy.
There is nothing arbitrary in God's dealings with men, and it was not caprice that moved God to save those who performed the simple ceremony of sprinkling blood on their houses, and to destroy the others. There is no power in ceremonies. Those whose lives were spared, lived because they had a real protection from the plague, and those who were lost, were smitten because they were shelterless.
But since it is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take away sin, it is evidently impossible for the blood of a lamb to ward off death. The blood of those lambs of a year old had no more virtue than so much water; there was something far mare efficacious present as a protection. What that was, we learn in: "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." (1 Corinthians 5:7)
The blood is the life, and it is by the life of Christ that we are saved. "If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Romans 5:10) "God has set Him forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the passing over of sins." (Romans 3:25, margin) "Sin, when it is finished, brings forth death." (James 1:15)
Salvation from death is through salvation from sin; and the believing Israelites were saved from the plague of death because, through the mercy of God, their sins were not imputed to them, but were covered up by the life of the slain Lamb. "But to him that works not, but believes on Him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Romans 4:5-8)
God said that the blood should be for a token upon the houses. "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you 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)
It was a sign, not of something to come hundreds of years in the future, but which already existed; for Christ is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:8)
His is the life that conquers death; when that life is accepted as a hiding-place, death has no power. That was a real thing to the Israelites. It was plainly to be seen that there was death in the land, and a marked difference was put between believers and unbelievers. And just as effective as the blood was against death, so powerful was it against sin.
Now all this was written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4) "Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:8)
We can have the real blood of Christ for our protection as well as the Israelites could; for it is not that which is seen, but that which is unseen, that saves.
The house is that in which one lives. The sprinkling of the blood upon the door, through which the people passed out and in, indicated that they were to be covered with the life. And so by it, and the fact that they were to remain in their houses, and not go out, teaches us that we must "abide in Him." (1 John 2:28)
Just as surely as the Israelites in Egypt were saved, will the life of Christ now save from sin and death every soul that abides in it. "He that keeps His commandments dwells in Him, and He in him." (1 John 3:24)
We read: "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ." (Galatians 2:20)
The story of the Passover was left on record to show us the reality of this experience. Just as the blood was seen on the houses, so the life of Christ is to be seen on us, and we are not to appear. So we come to God, not in our own name, but in the name and person of Christ. If we were to come in our own name, we should be ashamed, because of our sins; but "in Him is no sin," (1 John 3:5) so when we sink out of sight and allow Christ alone to appear, we dwell in safety. Therefore," (1 John 2:28) Little children, abide in Him, that when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.--Present Truth, April 4, 1901--Exodus 12:13.
E.J. Waggoner