Cover Vs. Cleanse
In the twelfth chapter of Exodus, Pharaoh and the Egyptians were approaching the tenth in a series of plagues which included; water turning to blood, frogs, lice, flies, livestock pestilence, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and the killing of firstborn male children and livestock. The killing of the firstborn would be the worst of all the plagues that Pharaoh’s choices had brought upon him and the Egyptian people. However, following the plague of darkness, Pharaoh had finally decided to let God’s people go, the condition being that they leave their flocks and herds behind. Moses quickly refused to make a deal with the hopelessly stubborn monarch on the grounds that his people would need their animals for sacrifices and burnt offerings. Pharaoh became furious, God hardened his heart, and he would not let them go (Exodus 10:27).
God spoke again to Moses telling him that He would bring one more plague on Pharaoh and Egypt, and afterward he would not only free them from captivity, but drive them out all together. Moses and his people would have to be prepared for this event and closely follow the instructions given to them. In chapter twelve, we read a long list of instructions regarding what is called the Passover. During the final plague on Pharaoh and Egypt, the Lord’s people would be able to escape the killing of the first born son and livestock by following specific instructions, including one which involved the blood of a lamb. The Lord told Moses and Aaron that every man should take a lamb for his household on the tenth day of the month and follow these instructions:
Genesis 12:5-7
“Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.”
Genesis 12:12-13
“For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”
The Lord told them that the blood on the doorposts would be a sign to Him, and when He saw the blood, he would pass over the house and those inside would not be subjected to the plague. The Lord requires obedience from His people. If he had not seen the blood on the doorposts that night, they would have been punished by losing the first born male of their children and livestock. The blood covered them and protected them from the wrath of God. But this was not a one time thing. In verse fourteen we read, “So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.” What would happen if they did not keep this covenant duty? Let the Scripture itself answer:
Numbers 3:19
“But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of the Lord at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin.”
The blood of the lamb, in this memorial covenant duty, did in fact cover the sins of those in the house. By observing the memorial of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage, their sins were covered. God did not see the sins of the house if the blood was on the doorposts. If the blood was absent from the doorposts on that night of memorial in the generations following the Exodus of His people, those failing to obey would bear their sin.
As we know, this blood only covered and did not remove or cleanse the Israelites from their sins. Their sins were not removed, but covered for a time at the observance of a variety of ordinances, offerings, and feast days, including the passover. It was part of the plan of God from early in the Beginnings Period of the world that although the old serpent, Satan, should bruise the heel of the Seed of woman, his head would be crushed by this Seed. This Seed is the Christ Messiah. He crushed Satan’s head when He resurrected, conquering sin, shedding His sinless, perfect blood.
The Hebrew writer explains this perfectly in Hebrews 10:1-10
1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me.
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of Me—To do Your will, O God.’ ”
8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law),
9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second.
10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
The Hebrew writer explains that it was not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Even under the Old Covenant between God and His people, the blood of those sacrifices did not remove or cleanse the people from their sins, it only covered them for a time, until the perfect Lamb should come. In verse nine we read about Jesus coming to do His Father’s will, fulfilling the Old Covenant by nailing it to the cross, in order to establish the New Covenant. Jesus was the perfect Lamb without spot or blemish. The blood of this Lamb does not simply cover sin as the blood of other lambs has done. The blood which flowed from this Lamb satisfies God and cleanses the faithfully obedient of His creation from sin.
When God passed over the house, he saw the blood on the doorposts and not the sin within the house in the generations following the Exodus of His people, but now when God looks at us he doesn't see our sin for a different reason. He doesn't see our sin because the blood that we came into contact with through baptism took away that sin completely. Now, when God looks at His faithfully obedient children, he does not see the sinful past they once lived. He sees the blood that has washed His children white as snow.
The Apostle John tells us “if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)
The blood of bulls and goats covered, but the sinless blood of the Lamb cleanses!
- Eric M. Bullock, Evangelist
