Because of his faith, Moses was the first to keep the Passover Feast. He commanded the people of Israel to sprinkle blood on their doorways. He did it so that the destroying angel would not touch their oldest sons (Hebrews 11:28).

God is King. The unseen God is king. My God is King. Moses believed this.

This faith is on display once more in our text. God had been demonstrating his kingship throughout Egypt with a series of plagues. Now it was time for the show down. The last plague was about to take place, the death of the firstborn sons. The death of Pharoah’s son was proof that the Egyptian gods were no match for the God of Israel, that he was indeed king.

It was time for Israel to put their faith in this God. They, too, would be subject to the destroying angel, unless they killed the Passover lamb and sprinkled its blood on their doorposts. God himself would stand in the way of the destroying angel, protecting those behind the bloodstained doorposts. Israel, too, needed to trust that God was King, that he was stronger than the enemy.

Our author is inviting us into this story, to this kind of faith. He has already mentioned the sprinkling of blood. In 9:11-22, he compared Christ’s sacrifice to the sacrificial rituals of the old covenant. The blood of animals protected Israel from God’s judgement, yet it was insufficient. Christ’s blood is far superior and cleanses us permanently.

Our text specifically mentions the smearing of blood on the Israelites’ door posts to avoid the death angel’s work. This act was an act of faith in an as-yet-unseen event. This first Passover was an act of faith that God would save Israel. She was yet in Pharoah’s clutches. All subsequent Passovers looked back to the event of the angel of death passing over the homes sprinkled with blood; that God himself stood guard protecting his covenant people. But this first Passover was an act of faith, that redemption was at hand.

Our celebration of the Lord’s Supper looks both backward and forward. We look back at the Christ on the cross, believing that his blood covers our sin. Our author recognizes that the reality of cleansing and the experience of it do not always come together. Thus, he often writes about the cleansing of the conscience. Even if we don’t feel cleansed, we are. We believe it in faith. We look back at the cross, we see God’s love for us there. His firstborn, his only son, dying for us. He died; we live. As God passed over the Israelites who lived behind the blood, so we live shielded by the blood of Christ. Christ is that Lamb, he is our Passover, he was sacrificed for us.

The Lord’s Supper is also an act of faith looking forward. Salvation is much more than just forgiveness. It is full restoration of the entire cosmos. Life in this world can often be discouraging. We see the evidence of poverty all around, we are diagnosed with disease, loved ones die, disagreements sever relationships, even marriages, wars bring destruction. Its difficult to imagine a world without all this pain. But in faith, we participate in the Lord’s Supper in anticipation of the day when Christ will return and set everything right. Our tears will be dried. Our sorrows will be no more. Shalom will fill the cosmos and our hearts. Our Christ, though unseen to our physical eyes, is King. He is stronger than the enemy. He has overcome. He will see this done.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.