In Exodus 12, Moses called the elders of Israel together and gave them the Lord’s instructions for the first Passover. Each household was to take a lamb, sacrifice it, and use a branch of hyssop to apply its blood to the doorframes of their homes. That night, the Lord would strike down every firstborn in Egypt, but wherever He saw the blood, He would “pass over,” sparing that house from judgment. God made a clear distinction between His people and the Egyptians—a line between belief and unbelief. The same distinction is coming again. Just as the blood of the lamb covered Israel, the blood of Jesus Christ covers all who believe in Him. Those who have chosen culture over Christ will face judgment, but those who have chosen Christ will be saved.

Yet our salvation is not a license for complacency. We are called to share the Gospel wherever we go. The tow truck driver, the salesman, the doctor—they are not coincidences in your day. God placed you there to shine His light and speak His truth. You can’t make someone choose Christ, but you can always choose to tell them what He has done for you. You don’t need to be a pastor or a church leader. You just need to be obedient.

Some of us, though, resemble Pharaoh. He heard God’s word but refused to let go. We too cling to sin, stubbornly holding what God is trying to remove from our hands, even as we pray for Him to remove the consequences. If you keep grasping your own life, God will let you have it. He never desired for anyone to perish in hell, but He sends people there who don’t desire to be with Him.

God told Israel to use hyssop to apply the blood. Hyssop, like a sponge and paintbrush, absorbed the lamb’s blood and spread it across the lintel and doorposts. In the same way, faith is the hyssop of the believer. By faith, we take hold of the blood of Christ. Just as Israel was commanded to stay inside their homes, under the blood’s covering, we are called to remain inside the safety of righteousness. Too often we want to peek outside, but abundant life is found in staying covered.

Never forget the day you accepted Christ. Teach it to your children, and to your children’s children. When Jesus returns, which side will you be on—the side of the great cry or the side of the redeemed? If you’re still breathing, you still have time to be saved and to help save others.

Getting Started

  1. Who is one person you see often (like at work or in your neighborhood) that you could tell about Jesus?
  2. Is there something in your life that’s hard to give up, even though God wants you to?

Let’s Get Personal

  1. God told the Israelites to stay inside and not come out. What does it look like for you to live your life remaining in holiness?
  2. The first Passover was meant to be passed down through the generations. How can you be intentional about passing your faith to others?
  3. The blood of the lamb made a clear difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians. How has Christ’s blood made a difference between you and those that have not accepted Him?

Take the Next Step

  1. How can you use your job, school, or everyday routines as opportunities to share the Gospel?
  2. Pray and ask God to remind you daily of the power of the blood of Jesus in your life.
  3. Want to dig deeper? Take a look at the following passages: Exodus 12:21-31; Luke 16:19-31; 1 Peter 1:18-19; John 3:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3; John 3:18; 1 John 5:12; Revelation 20:15; Exodus 4:21; 1 Timothy 2:4; Revelation 1:8; Hebrews 3;15; Psalm 51:7; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Romans 8:1.

Renew Your Mind

For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you.

Exodus 12:23