passover

 S T A T I O N 6

Take a moment to meditate on the symbolic first Passover.

TRANSCRIPTION

We dipped hyssop branches in bowls of blood. This was the last plague God would bring on Egypt. With three strokes we brushed it onto the doorposts and lintel. Red dripped in thick streaks on thousands of doors, as far as you could see in any direction. The lambs sacrificed that night would be our salvation, death would pass over us because we were marked by the blood.

“His blood be on us and our children! Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

The hammering of nails mixed with agonizing cries split the air. Soldiers grunt as they heave a cross from the ground to stand before the gathered crowd. The Son of God affixed to the beams barely recognizable, torn and shredded from the flogging that came before.

Warm, red blood drips thick down the center beam of the cross, and down the horizontal post on which his arms stretched out. This, this is the ultimate meaning of Immanuel - God with us in our depravity, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins; there is no opportunity for a garden restored, for shalom between Creator and creation. From the moment that peace was broken, a blood sacrifice was made to forgive the first sin of Adam and Eve. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls could only symbolically cleanse people from impurity. But now, once for all time, Jesus has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by His own death as a sacrifice. With His own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—He entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. 

“Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit!”

At this moment, every offense is paid in full. The holiness of God is satisfied by the shedding of His own blood and the unrighteousness of man is covered in grace for those who are willing to receive it. The unblemished Lamb sacrificed this night will be our salvation, death will pass over those marked by His blood. Just think how much more the blood of Jesus will purify our souls so that we can have peace with God! 

Messiah was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for Him.

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved. I gave you Passover as a symbol of my love and the steadfast hope you could cling to as the anchor of your souls until this very moment. Now, my divine blood spilled in its entirety is the price I paid to remove the walls of sin and mistrust dividing us. 

It was intended this way from the beginning - separation was only meant for a time and a season until the perfect opportunity for restoring our communion. Today, you have My very own blood you can choose to brush onto the door of your heart, marking your debt paid in full and tearing down every barrier between us for eternity.