What Does the Covering of Blood Mean

Thank you Michael for covering the pulpit last week and covering Exodus 11. It’s always comforting to know that when I leave town that the preaching of God’s word is taken care of.

This morning we are going to look at the verses that come just before the actual final plague. It is interesting that there is so much build-up prior to the death of the first born. We often forget that these plagues took place over the span of several months.

Read Exodus 12:1-28

The Covering of Blood Protects the Obedient (v. 1-13)

As I mentioned before, the previous chapter simply prophecies of the coming plague. However, In the verses we’ve just read we see more detailed instruction for the people of God. There are several important aspects regarding the blood itself. This is not just any ordinary blood. It is supposed to be a young lamb that is a year old. The lamb is to be without any sort of blemish. And the people of God were to sacrifice their lambs all at the same time.

From there they were to put the blood of this lamb on all three sides of the door to the house. Then they were to roast the lamb and eat it with unleavened bread. They weren’t to leave any of it behind. To leave some for the morning would have been to prove that they didn’t trust God with providing them a meal the next morning.

We also see instruction that the Israelites were to be fully clothed as they ate the meal, prepared to flee Egypt as soon as Pharaoh gave them the go ahead.

In verse 13 we finally see that it is the blood that is a sign on the houses of those who belong to the Lord. The details of this instruction all come together at this point. All of the land will experience the horror of the firstborn in the house being put to death but not those with blood on their doorposts and lintel.

The instruction that we see here is significant because those who received this instruction had to actually apply the blood to their door post in the way that they were told to. Otherwise, the Lord would not pass over them but the first born would be put to death.

The obvious comparison here is made to the blood of Jesus as Paul writes about in Romans 5:9.

Romans 5:9 ESV

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

It is because of the blood of Jesus, who was indeed without blemish, that we too can be passed over and avoid the wrath of a holy God. We are fully deserving of His wrath, yet we have been covered by His blood.

The Covering of Blood is Worth Remembering and Celebrating (v. 14-20)

The next section begins specifics on a celebration or feast that the people were to observe each year. It would take place over seven days. This was a time to remember that God spared His people because they were obedient from both the tenth plague as well as from their enslavement in Egypt.

I want to spend a moment reminding you that there are reasons that we do everything. But it is important that we never forget the reason why we do these things. There are traditions within Christianity that I’m afraid so many have done away with because they’ve failed to remember why the tradition took place in the first place.

We will observe the Lord’s Supper tonight, which was commanded by Jesus. As we partake in the Lord’s Supper, I will remind us why we do it as well as discuss the importance of communion.

The passover was something worth celebrating because it was a vital part of the story of the people of Israel. It is important that we celebrate significant events. That is why baptism is such a big deal to me. This is why we celebrate when someone is saved or when they make a significant decision to take the next step in their journey with the Lord.

But I want to turn our attention to one aspect of the Passover memorial that is easily overlooked.

The Covering of Blood Sets God’s People Apart

For seven days, seven being the number of perfection, the people were to eat bread that has no leaven. Why is it that the bread had no leaven? The people needed to be prepared quickly for this feast and were not able to spend the necessary time waiting on the bread to rise with this yeast. The Lord even goes as far as to state that anyone who did eat leaven in their bread would be cut off from the people because this would show a lack of faith in the Lord.

But more than all of that, there are passages of scripture that make mention of the leaven as a negative thing.

Matthew 16:6 ESV

Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Matthew 16:11 ESV

How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

1 Corinthians 5:6–8 ESV

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

It was not normal to leave out leaven from the bread and it reminded the people of God both of what their fathers had experienced leading up to the exodus as well as a reminder that they were different and were not to be tainted by the world. Instead, we are to be holy as our God is holy. It is the covering of the blood of the unblemished lamb that sets us apart.

Finally, what happens when the people are told about what is going to happen?

The Covering of Blood Brings About Worship (v. 21-27)

Finally, this information is communicated from Moses and Aaron to the leaders in Israel and ultimately to the people. They respond simply in worship.

This is why we sang “O Praise the Name” this morning. As we consider the truth of the gospel, the fact that the Lord has passed us over, we ought to come to a point of worship. We should bow our heads in humility and think of the mercy that He has shown us and well as show a great deal of excitement because we live victoriously through His blood.

We respond in two ways.

We pray for the souls of those who have not yet been covered by the blood of the lamb.

We worship as we consider the reality of what it means to be covered by the blood.