January 29 Readings: Exodus 10-12, Matthew 19:1-15, Psalms 18:5-11, Proverbs 3:16-18

Links to today's readings: Exodus  10-12, Matthew 19:1-15, Psalms  18:5-11, Proverbs 3:16-18

There are few places where foreshadowings of the work of Christ are clearly seen than in the Passover in Exodus 11 and 12. There is so much in the story of the death angel passing over that directly prophecies Jesus' Passion - his death, burial and resurrection and their effect on us. Today, I am simply going to list some of those truths. 

1. 11:1 The last and the greatest of the plagues was death. The greatest enemy we face is death, both physical death and spiritual/eternal death. 
2. 11:4-5 Death affects all people, high to low, rich and poor, regardless of wealth, talent or other human issues. It is appointed to each of us to die once. All of us are under the same sentence of death. 
3. 11-12 God has made a way of salvation for us. The distinction between those who live and those who die is whether they follow the way of salvation God gives. 
4. 11:9 God displayed his wonders in Egypt through the salvation of Israel while he poured out judgment on Egypt. Nowhere is God's glory and power more fully dTisplayed than in the salvation of the lost by his love and power. 
5. 12:1 Israel's calendar was to begin at the passover. Life only really begins when Jesus Christ redeems us from our sins. 
6. 12:1-7 A blood sacrifice is required to shield the Israelites from death. Jesus died as our Passover Lamb, bearing our sins and dying in our place. There is no salvation, no forgiveness outside of the blood of Christ, our eternal sacrifice. 
7. 12:5 The sacrifice must be unblemished. Only the sinless Son of God was able to atone for our sins, since he had none of his own to die for. 
8. 12:7 The blood must be applied to the house to be effective. It was not enough that the sacrifice was made, the blood must be applied. Yes, Christ died for our sins, but that blood must be applied when, by repentance and faith, we come to Christ for salvation. It is not enough that Christ died for all. It is not even enough to believe that Christ died for you. I must repent and believe in Jesus that the blood might be applied to my "house." 
9. 12:10 The Israelites were to consume all of the sacrifice; no leftovers. We receive Christ as Lord of all. Jesus is not to be a part of our lives, but to be life itself!
10. 12:13 The distinguishing mark between those who would die and those who would live is the blood on the doorposts. We are not better than others - self-righteousness has no place among the saved. We are different only because of the Blood applied to our lives!
11. 12:14-16 The Passover was to be continually and faithfully memorialized among God's people. We ought to continually celebrate what Jesus has done for us by his death, burial and resurrection. Glory to God for his Son our Savior!
12. The blood WORKED. There is no record of a single death among Israel. Those who are covered by the blood live. We can rejoice that Jesus saves, he transforms and he never casts us away. Those of us covered by the Blood of Christ live!

There are so many points that could be made. These are just some highlights.

We praise you, our Father, that you were willing to give your Son as the sacrifice for our sins; that you were willing to apply his blood to us so that the death angel might pass over us and we might live; that you have given us a path of salvation to free us from what our sins deserve. You are worthy to receive all praise!