CHRIST'S TYPIFIED IN THE PASSOVER (5)
Exodus 12

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XI. The Passover lamb was to be sacrificed by "the whole assembly of the congregation" (v.6). This sacrifice was performed not by each one individually, but by the head of each family representatively. Christ the Passover Lamb was sacrificed by the whole congregation of Israel. This was done in a two-fold manner.

1. Christ was sacrificed by the whole congregation of unbelieving Israel, the physical nation. They all demanded "Crucify Him!" (Mark 15:13f; Luke 23:21; John 19:15). His death is therefore charged to "all the house of Israel" (Acts 2:36; cp. Acts 2:22f; 3:12-15), even though it was performed by their representative heads, the Jewish King Herod and the Roman Procurator Pontius Pilate (Acts 4:27).

2. Christ was sacrificed by the whole congregation of believing Israel, the spiritual nation. This was performed in the sense that all the sins of God's elect were laid upon Him, and He was sacrificed in their place and stead (Isaiah 53:4-8).

Here is represented the application of the blood of Christ the Passover Lamb. As He hangs on the cross of Calvary, see the shed blood of His pierced brow above, of His pierced hands on both sides, and of His pierced feet below . (Those who object that the blood applied below the door would have resulted in its being trampled, in violation of Hebrews 10:29, have failed to consider that this act was prevented by the prohibition of Exodus 12:22b.) And as the blood of the lamb was applied to the houses of the Israelites by the act of "sprinkling" (Hebrews 11:28), so is the blood of Christ sprinkled upon the hearts of believers (1 Peter 1:2; Hebrews 10:22; 12:24).

XIII. The blood was to be applied with "a bunch of hyssop" (v.22). Reference here is probably to the hairy stems of the marjoram plant. This lowliest of the plants (in contrast to the mighty "cedar tree of Lebanon" in 1 Kings 4:33) was used during Old Testament times in a number of ceremonies involving purification: of leprous persons (Leviticus 14:1-6) and houses (Leviticus 14:49-52); of unclean tents, vessels, and persons (Numbers 19:18); of the book of the law, the people, the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry (Hebrews 9:19-22).

The application of the blood to the house with hyssop by the head of the house is typical of Christ applying His blood to the sinner's heart. Those who desire purification by the application of His blood pray to Him, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7).

XIV. "The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are" (v.13). The blood was a sign to God. "And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt."

The blood of Christ is a sign. In the day of judgment, whether in this life or on the final day, death will not enter the heart to which the blood of Christ has been applied. "[H]aving now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him" (Romans 5:9).

XV. After the blood was applied, "none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning" (v.22).

The church of Christ is given the same exhortation today (Isaiah 26:20f): "Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For behold, the LORD comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity." Safety in the day of judgment is found only in the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ.