HEB 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

>>Our text is so rich with matter that no human being will ever unfold it all., See the first key phrases: 1). "through faith", 2). "he kept the passover" is also very significant., 3). The expression, "the sprinkling of blood," is very significant;, and 4). the moving force behind it all is also very important, "lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them."

>>The Lord had told Moses in EXO 11:6-7 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.

7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.

>>The difference God placed between Israel and Egypt was not based upon any worthiness on Israel’s part, but it was based solely upon the blood of the Passover Lamb, and the sprinkling of the blood.

ROM 3:21-25 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

>>The Israelites were sinners as well as the Egyptians, and their deliverance could not be at the expense of God’s Justice.

>>A Holy God can never ignore sin; "God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." 2PE 2:4.

>>The very elect " . . . were by nature the children of wrath, even as others," EPH 2:3.

>>God made no exception for His own beloved Son, He entered into death when He was made to be sin for us.

2CO 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

>>There was no difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians by nature of original, and actual sin, therefore, we must understand the Lord is a Righteous God. " . . . that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation," EXO 34:7.

>>From the side of fallen man there could be nothing but a fearful looking for of judgment, Justice must be satisfied and sin must receive its wages.

ROM 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

>>The Passover Lamb spoken of in our text points unto this blessed GIFT OF GOD through His Substitute, Jesus Christ our Lord!!!

PSA 85:10-11 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

>>The sentence of death was executed, but it fell upon ONE who was "without blemish" who died in the place of those we read about in ISA 1:5-6 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

>>The "difference" between the Egyptians and Israel was not found in their moral values, but in the sprinkling of the blood of the Passover Lamb.

1CO 5:7-8 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

>>Now since our text is in Hebrews eleven — which is the chapter of all the monuments of faith, we must understand the significance of its first key phrase

HEB 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

>>The Passover sacrifice was to be slain, and its blood was to be sprinkled on the two side posts, and the lintel of the door.,

>>Strict obedience of faith to this command was vital

HEB 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

>>Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin, This is the propitiation or the appeasing of God’s wrath upon sin.

>>However, until the sprinkled blood of the Passover Lamb could be seen, on the two side-posts and lintel of the door — by the obedience of faith, there was still no salvation.

>>In like manner today it is not enough to know that the precious blood of Christ was shed for remission of sins, The blood must be applied to our daily life — in a manner in which it may be seen.

EXO 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

>>When God sees the blood sprinkled upon door posts of our heart, put into action by faith, Then, and only then He looks upon the imputed, and imparted righteousness of Christ wherein justice is satisfied.

>>Then it is not merely out of mercy, but justice demands our acquittal, To punish twice for the same crime would be unjust. — Herein lies the foundation of our faith.

ROM 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek [and why was he not ashamed of the gospel of Christ?].

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

>>It is not our being offspring of Abraham — It is not in our Pharisee self-righteousness — it is in that personal application of the sprinkled blood of Christ.

ROM 8:10-13 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

>>Applying — or the sprinkling of blood upon the door posts of our hearts in the first place is an admission of guilt — It admits what we read in ROM 3:23-27 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

>>Such admission from the heart is what surrenders control of our hearts and lives unto our Redeemer — as our Worthy King.

>>Thereby we become submissive unto the conditions upon which we are to receive the promises — that are contingent upon the obedience of faith.

>>We can see by Joseph's command to his brethren that the hope of Israel was based upon the centuries old promise God made unto Abraham.

GEN 50:24-25 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

>>The children of Abraham lived with unwavering faith in this promise as their expectation for four hundred and thirty years

EXO 12:40-41 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.

41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

>>Yet receiving the fulfillment of this promise was contingent upon their obedience unto God's command found in our text.

HEB 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

>>Without the shedding of blood there is no remission — and without obedience of faith in applying the shed blood — there is no deliverance from the destroyer.

EXO 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

>>The mere fact that the Lord provided cities of refuge in Israel — was no consolation for those who failed to flee unto them.

NUM 35:26-27 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;

27 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:

>>The only security we have for our soul is the shed blood of Christ — and the outworking of that security is only found in our abiding in Christ.

JOH 15:3-5 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

>>The context of our text teaches so plainly how the promises of our deliverance are contingent upon the obedience of faith.

HEB 11:28-30 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

>>See how their passage through the Red Sea was contingent upon obedience of faith!!

EXO 14:14-17 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea [God is greatly honored before the world by our obedience of faith].

17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

>>This explains the Hebrew eleven account of their passage by the obedience of faith.

HEB 11:29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

>>Even after they had entered the Promised Land — The armies of Israel can only prosper by the obedience of faith.

HEB 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

>>All the ways of the Lord by-which He leads us through our wilderness journey — serve to teach us our dependence upon Him

PSA 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

>>Rahab was a resident of Jericho — a city that God had destined for absolute extinction — and a harlot therein — living in total violation of God law

>>However, because of faith in the Almighty power of God — a desire to become a servant of the God of Israel — and putting her faith into action — she and her whole house were spared from the destruction of her city.

HEB 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

JAM 2:24-26 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.