The Blood Of The Lamb

Introduction:

Last Sunday we learnt that under the present times of crisis in the world, we Christians have a hope to cling on. The Almighty God is our refuge, strength and ever-present help. We can cling on to His promises of protection and provision in the uncertain times.

We are still in the season of lent and today we are going to focus on another sure way of protection against the deadly deceases and viruses. In the scripture passage, we see how the Lord set up a freedom for Israelites from the bondage of Egyptians under the leadership of Moses.

1. Feast of the Passover in OT:

The Lord gave specific instructions on the release from the bondage. We will consider following points:

a. King Pharaoh hardened his heart after several plagues. It wasn’t him that hardened his heart but Romans 9:17-18 says, For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.” The sovereign God hardened Pharaoh’s heart to His power in him. The more he hardened, the more God demonstrated His power of destruction.

b. The Israelites were at the breaking point of suffering, but God calls their darkest day as their first month of their year (Ex. 12:1), a time of celebration of the Passover lamb.

c. God instructed that each household must select a lamb of sacrifice that animals must be year-old males without defect, they may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight (12:6).

d. On 14th day, they were to slaughter the lamb, eat the meat and take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses. They had to eat the meat of the lamb.

e. Verses 12-13: “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB WAS GOD’S GUARANTEE OF PROTECTION AGAINST THE DESTRUCTIVE PLAGUE.

f. God did exactly what He promised in verses 29-30. The firstborns of Egyptians were killed by the Lord on that night and the Lord passed over the houses of Israelites while killing the firstborns.

2. Jesus- Our Passover Lamb in NT:

John 1:29, 36- The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

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I Cor. 5:7- Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. ??? ???? ?????? ???? ????, ???? ??? ??? ?????? ??, ??? ??? ??? ???????? ?? ???. ??? ?? ???? ?????????? ?????????? ?????? ?? [???? ???] ??????? ?????? ??.

I Peter 1:18-19- For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ??? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?? ????? ????????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???, ???? ???? ???? ???? ??? ???, ?? ??????? ??, ???????? ??? ??????? ????? ???? ??, ????? ???????? ??????, ????? ?????? ??????? ????? ??.

In the book of Revelation, about 30 times John calls Jesus “LAMB”.

Rev. 5:12- In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” ???? ???? ????? ???????? ??????, “?? ??????? ???? ???????? ?????? ???? ?? ???????, ???????, ?????, ????????, ???, ????? ???? ?????? ??????? ????? ??.”

As our Passover lamb Jesus was sacrificed on the cross on our behalf and His blood was shed for our redemption.

There are similarities between the OT lamb and NT lamb- Jesus Christ:

a. Both were perfect (without any defect/ sin)

b. Both were to be killed and sacrificed. The reason is that breaking of God’s commandment brings spiritual death. Even the first commandment (don’t eat the fruit of knowledge) had the same consequence- death. In the OT, the animals would die in man’s place and in NT Jesus died in our place.