Passover

 Passover

The whole assembly of the community of Israel must slaughter their lamb or young goat at twilight. They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the sides and top of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the animal. . . . On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the LORD! But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you.

EXODUS 12.6-7,12-13

Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.

1 CORINTHIANS 5.7

When you open an umbrella and walk in the rain, the rain keeps on falling, but you are protected and kept dry by the umbrella. God was preparing to “rain down” judgment on the Egyptians, causing the death of the firstborn son in every home where the true God was not feared and obeyed. But he provided a way for his people to be protected from this storm of death — a covering. He instructed the Israelites to kill a lamb and mark the doorframes of their houses with the lamb’s blood. Death would “pass over” those houses marked with blood.

The phrase pass over has a deeper meaning than just the idea of skipping over something to avoid contact. The Hebrew word used here means spreading the wings over and protecting. This word tells us that God not only passed by the houses of Israelites but that he stood on guard, protecting each family behind the blood-marked doorways. The feast of Passover celebrates God’s protection through the blood of the lamb.

God is still providing his people with the protection we need from eternal death. Out of his love and mercy, he protects those whose lives are marked by the blood of the true Passover Lamb — Jesus. He protects us when we put our faith in the power of his blood to shield us from judgment.