Through faith he kept the passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. Hebrews 11:28
The last of the ten plagues that God struck Egypt with was different from the previous nine. In all of the first nine plagues, the Israelites were spared the suffering. The lice and the boils and the darkness did not affect them. But with the final plague, the death of the firstborn, the Israelites were just as much at risk as the Egyptians were: the plague would claim all of the unprotected firstborn. The Israelites were spared the terrible tragedy, but it was not because they were Israelites, it was because they had blood properly applied to the lintel and side posts of their doors. Exodus 12:23 tells us that when the Lord would see the blood, He would pass over the door, and would not allow the destroyer to enter that house. Moses knew the protection that the Israelites enjoyed during the first nine plagues. But now, he would have to make sure his people were protected from the tenth, the worst of the plagues. Through faith, he followed God’s instructions. We relate to this when we consider our salvation. But it applies to not only the day of our conversion but to our daily salvation.
By grace are we saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Each of us who are saved are thrilled at the access we received by faith to all of God’s great provision for us. Our sins are gone. Our guilt is removed. Our judgment is borne by another. And we have the assurance of a home in the glorious abode of our Saviour and Lord, instead of an eternity in the outer darkness of judgment. The wonderful songs of redemption thrill our souls, as we rejoice in what God has done for us. Much like the ancient Israelites, we gladly sing, ‘There to my heart was the blood applied; glory to His Name’. All of this by faith, just like Moses and the Israelites.
Also by faith, we lay hold on the daily salvation that God offers to us. Daily, we claim His strength for our trials, His comfort for our sorrows, His power for our testimony. What happens when we fail to access God’s daily salvation by faith? We suffer the same failures and sorrows and disappointments as the unsaved sinners all around us. Just as with the passover in Egypt, the blood does us no benefit unless we apply it.
We must daily plead the merits of the precious blood of Christ if we are to appreciate all that God’s salvation has for us. – Jim MacIntosh