The blood of the Lamb is typical of the blood of Christ. John the Baptist was speaking to a group of people one day, and as Jesus was approaching he said, "Behold the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). And he could have added "and without the shedding of blood is no remission," for Jesus Himself, when He took the cup, gave thanks and gave It to the disciples, saying, "Drink ye all of it; for this is My blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matt. 26:27, 28). "For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (I Pet. 1:18, 19). His blood is the anti-type of the shed blood of the lamb.

This is a glorious truth to mankind and opens the way for a world lost in sin and without hope to approach God through redemption that is Divine. We can praise Him evermore for this glorious revelation.

The blood of the lamb is typical of the blood of Christ in six particulars.

The blood of the lamb was necessary to save Israel from the power of the death-angel. God said, "Israel shall take to every man a lamb" and "shall kill it," and "they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the first born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast, and against all the princes (Marg. version) of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. 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" (Ex. 12:7, 12, 13). Only the blood applied could save Israel from the dread-power of the death angel. To fail to obey God in this one point meant the smiting of the firstborn. The blood of Christ, likewise, is necessary to save sinners from the penalty and power of sin. "It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul" (Lev. 17: 11). For "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission" (Heb. 9:22); and "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7). Only the blood of Christ applied can save the sinner from sin and its dread-power. To fail to hear God's Word on this one point means eternal death.

The blood of the lamb was shed at the command of God. God said, "Take to them every man a lamb," "and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month (Ahib): and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening" (Ex. 12:3, 6). Christ's blood, also, was shed at the command of God. "It pleased the Lord to bruise him" (Isa. 53:10), He was "striken, smitten of God, and afflicted (Isa. 53:4); His blood was shed, God smiting, for "the remission of sins." Christ shed His blood, not because sinful man overpowered Him, but because God smote Him. His hour had come. God's will must be done.

The blood of the lamb was to be of a spotless victim. "Your lamb shall be without blemish" (Ex. 12: 5). The least flaw would make it unfit, and it must be cast aside. Perfection is what God requires. The blood, shed for the remission of sins, was of the spotless Son of God. "Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (I Pet. 1:18, 19). He is the One in "whom God is well pleased." He is the Holy One, and Just.

The blood of the lamb was applied by means of hyssop. "Ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood" (Ex. 12:22). Hyssop was one of the most common things around them, and free to everyone. Christ's blood can be applied only through faith. God set forth Christ "to be the propitiation through faith in His blood" (Rom. 3:25). We are "justified by His blood" (Rom. 5:9) through faith. Everyone can have faith. It is free. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved" (Acts 16: 31).

The blood of the lamb, applied as God commanded, was the only defense for Israel. "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" (Ex. 12:13). It was not their good works, not their morality, not their philosophy that saved Israel that night, but the blood applied. The blood of Christ, applied through faith, is the only defense for the believer. "It is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul" (Lev. 17: 11). Without the shedding of blood and the application of the same through faith (Rom. 3:25) there is no remission. "And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7). It is not our good works, not our morality, not our philosophy that saves, but the blood applied. "To place anything, however good, on a level with the cross, or to seek to supplement the crimson drops of Calvary by human deeds is a flagrant offense and a shameful sin." "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8, 9).

With the blood of the lamb applied Israel trusted with boldness in the promise of God. "The children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron" (Ex. 12:28); and having done all that the Lord commanded, they trusted calmly in His promise, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you," knowing that they should be free from the plague (Ex. 12:13), but Egypt, trusting in her own gods, had not promise, and "at midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon and all the firstborn of cattle (Ex. 12:29). With the blood of Christ applied, the believer enters with boldness to the throne of grace. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith" (Heb. 10: 19, 22). The believer can trust with boldness in the promises of God; cleansed from sin through His blood (I John 1:7), "God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil.4:19).

"Oh the fulness of His grace,
Rich and boundless, great and free;
Making sinnners, poor and lost.
Heirs of God with Him to be.
Human lips would fail to tell
Half the sweet and wondrous story.
How He brought us by His grace
All the way from sin to glory;
And when we reach that glory bright.
And our faith is changed to sight,
Then these tongues will sweetly
Sing all the praises of our King."