"Marked by the Blood: God's Instructions for Deliverance"
Text: Exodus 12:1–20, 13–14
Imagine standing at the edge of freedom after generations of slavery. The air is tense. The night is thick with anticipation—and fear. Then, the voice of the Lord speaks—not with chaos, but with clarity. That’s what we see in Exodus 12. Before Israel leaves Egypt, God doesn’t just send them out—He gives them instructions. Detailed, specific, spiritual instructions. Not about what to pack, or how to escape. But about how to remember.
Let’s explore what God said, why it mattered, and what it all points to.
God’s Instructions Before the Exodus (Exodus 12:1–20)
God gives Moses and Aaron a precise plan—not for escape logistics, but for a sacred meal: the Passover. He tells them:
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Take a lamb, one per household, without blemish (v. 3–5).
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Kill it at twilight on the 14th day of the month (v. 6).
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Apply its blood to the doorposts of their homes (v. 7).
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Roast it whole—no breaking of bones—and eat it in haste, with bitter herbs and unleavened bread (v. 8–11).
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No yeast is to be found in their homes for seven days (v. 15).
This wasn’t random. It was a solemn moment. God wasn’t giving instructions on how to pack their bags or what road to take. Why? Because deliverance wouldn’t come by good organization. It would come by obedience to His Word and faith in the blood.
Why Passover Instructions—Not Packing Instructions?
It might seem strange: God didn’t tell them how to load their wagons or how to avoid Egyptian patrols. Instead, He told them how to mark their homes with lamb’s blood.
Why?
Because the Exodus was God’s act, not theirs. They weren't escaping Egypt. God was delivering them. Their role was to trust and obey. The blood on the door was their declaration: “We trust the Lord to spare us.”
This highlights the difference between human striving and divine salvation. You can pack all you want, but without the blood, you're not safe.
The Meaning of Passover (Exodus 12:13–14)
God says in verse 13:
“When I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you.”
The word Passover comes from the Hebrew word pesach, meaning “to pass over” or “to spare.” It refers to the Lord passing over the homes marked by the lamb’s blood, sparing them from the judgment that struck Egypt’s firstborn.
Verse 14 adds:
“This day shall be for you a memorial day…throughout your generations, as a statute forever.”
God wasn’t just saving them that night—He was creating a pattern and a story for all time.
What Does It All Symbolize?
Passover foreshadows the ultimate Lamb—Jesus Christ.
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Just as the lamb had to be perfect, Jesus was sinless.
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Just as the lamb’s blood had to be applied, His blood must cover us (John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7).
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Just as death passed over the homes marked by blood, so eternal judgment passes over those in Christ.
This wasn’t just about leaving Egypt. It was about God’s eternal plan of salvation through substitution and grace.
Why We Must Tell the Next Generation
God repeatedly told Israel to remember and to tell their children (Ex. 12:24–27). Why?
Because memory builds identity, and stories shape the soul. Children who grow up hearing about what God has done are more likely to trust what God can still do.
If we don’t tell these stories, culture will fill the silence with lesser ones. But when we tell them, we plant seeds of faith that can grow into lifelong obedience.
We Must Remember
The night of the Exodus was not about strategy—it was about salvation. Not about rushing out—but about trusting in. Not about packing fast—but about faith marked by blood.
So let us remember:
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The blood still speaks.
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The Lamb still saves.
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And the story still must be told.
“When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”
May we be found under that blood—and may we make sure the next generation knows what it means. Amen.
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