On that same night I will pass through Egypt… and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 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 destruction will touch you when I strike Egypt.” Exodus 12:12-13

This evening Passover begins. It’s the commemoration of God delivering His people from the plague where the first-born all died except for His people who marked their doors with blood.

From Genesis through Revelation, blood is a major part of the picture of redemption. In Genesis 3, God, Himself shed the first redeeming blood when Adam and Eve sinned. He sacrificed an animal to provide skins to cover them.

Throughout the Old Testament with the constant sacrifices of bulls and goats and sheep, God taught His people that something had to die in our place for our sins. Passover was one special time each year that memorialized the first time God passed over and did not judge those whose door was covered with blood. Jesus died on the Passover, because God intended to use the imagery of that historical event to teach us what Jesus had come to do.

About 3400 years ago, Israel was in slavery in the land of Egypt. God sent Moses to Pharaoh and demanded that he let God’s people go. But Pharaoh laughed and mocked even the idea of a God of Israel. “Who is this god, that he should tell me what to do?” (Ex 5:2)

So God introduced Himself over the next few weeks. He brought 9 plagues upon Egypt to prove His existence and His superior power over Pharaoh and all things Egyptian. The suffering in Egypt was so profound that even Pharaoh’ priests literally begged him to listen to Moses (Ex 10:7). But Pharaoh still refused.

So God told Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that…he will willingly drive you out.” (11:1)

Then God instructed Israel to prepare a special meal… a Passover meal. And the main course was lamb. The blood of that lamb was to painted on the doorposts of their homes. When God saw the blood of the Lamb, He “passed over” those homes (hence Passover) … He did not judge those in that home. The blood of the lamb covered that household.

Fast forward 1300 years and John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and declared: “Look! Over there, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John was saying that Jesus had come to be our “Passover lamb”. His blood was shed specifically to cover our guilt. And when God comes again in judgment, He will not judge those of us whose lives are covered (protected) with Jesus’ blood.

The blood of Jesus was shed so that all of us, though we are guilty of sin, can rescued. So that people who the rest of the world would abandon as lost causes… as too evil to ever change, have the opportunity to choose to find shelter under Jesus’ blood…to be buried with Him in the waters of baptism… rising up a New Creation. That’s the Passover story and that’s why it matters to us.