[April 1st, 1855.]
I. What was the Passover?—1. The actual passing over by the angel of the doors of the Israelites. 2. The Lamb slain. 3. The festival.
II. Points of resemblance between Christ and the Passover.
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The Passover was perfect.
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It was crucified. 3. Exposed to the fire. 4. Must be eaten. 5. Its blood applied. 6. It effected deliverance.
III. 1. We are in danger of destruction. The angel of wrath has commission to destroy all the workers of iniquity.
This destruction certain, fearful, and will come as an angel of darkness at an hour we look not for him.
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There is no other means of escape. We cannot bar our doors or windows against the entrance of this minister of wrath. We cannot propitiate him. We cannot resist him. We cannot bear up under his avenging stroke.
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The blood of Christ, as it is the only means, is certainly efficacious. The angel entered no door sprinkled with the blood of the lamb.
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That blood, however, must be applied. It is not enough that it has been shed. If men think themselves secure; if they either think the angel will not come, or that they can by other means escape his anger; or that the mere shedding the blood is enough, they will perish.
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The application of this blood gives not only security but a sense of safety. Doubtless all degrees of confidence were felt by the Israelites. Some slept without anxiety; others trembled at every sound; others pressed their first-born to their bosoms and longed for the morning. So with sinners sprinkled with the blood; all are secure, but the measure of their confidence is very different. The want of confidence arises from the want of faith.
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The Passover secures not only preservation from death but deliverance from slavery and introduction into Canaan. So our Passover delivers us not only from death, but from the bondage of Satan, and brings us to the heavenly Canaan.
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The Passover was to be commemorated as long as the old economy lasted. The death of Christ is also to be commemorated.
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The Passover was celebrated with unleavened bread, with everything indicative of separation from the land of Egypt. So the death of Christ binds us to holiness. What would have been thought of a Hebrew who after such a deliverance, having for its object his redemption from the bondage of Egypt, had clung to his fetters.
This is the special application. We are bound to be holy; to make our life a Paschal feast, a perpetual season of devotion and service to God.
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