Death is everywhere stamped upon our chapter (Ex. 12). Let us at this moment lay all possible emphasis upon the solemn words of verse 6, “The whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.” Nothing short of this could satisfy the claims of God, and avert the destruction that was approaching. The lamb must die; the blood of the innocent must be shed if the guilty were to be spared.
Death lies upon men everywhere as the fruit of sin; it is sin’s wages, as Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23) tells us. Had sin not intruded itself into God’s fair creation, not a grave would ever have been dug, not a tear of bereavement would ever have been shed. Let us have no misunderstanding as to this. Those who speak of their impending dissolution as “the debt of nature” are simply hiding from themselves the real truth, of their position in relation to God and His throne. No folly could be greater. The presence of death in the world admits of but one explanation—man is a fallen creature, a rebel against his Maker. For those who fail to seek divine grace and pardon the death of the body is but the prelude to “the second death,” the lake of fire (Rev. 20:1414And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Revelation 20:14)). The righteousness of God demands that if any are to be spared the last dread sentence then death must fall upon another instead.
This is what is set forth with all plainness in the ordinance of the Paschal lamb. The angel of death was to pass through the land of Egypt at midnight to destroy the firstborn in every house. No way of escape was possible from so fearful a visitation but the death of the lamb. In every home in which death had done its work upon the sacrifice, death passed the firstborn by. Wherever the people failed to put the death of the lamb between themselves and God, there the stroke fell. Even so is it now. The death of Christ, humbly accepted and appropriated in faith, is our only possible door of escape from the eternal judgment of God. A living lamb would not suffice in Israel; a living Christ could not suffice for us. His personal presence on earth was, an inestimable privilege and blessing for men, but atonement was not effected thereby. He must die ere He could be available, as Savior for the lost. His own words in John 6:5151I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:51) show this conclusively, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” To this may be added His memorable utterance to Nicodemus, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14-1514And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:14‑15)). Happy is the man who can say, “The Savior died for me.” Upon such a one the stroke of divine judgment can never fall.
“The whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.” Not “them,” but “it.” Thousands of lambs were slain that night, and yet in the mind of God there was but One. Christ is God’s first great thought, and to Him every sacrifice pointed. There is no salvation in any other.