The “destroyer” was going to pass through the land of Egypt to kill the firstborn of every house. He was representative of Jehovah, an angelic being who had the power to destroy with death. Hence sometimes this “destroyer” is called, “the angel of death.” This angel of death passed over the houses in Egypt that were marked with blood. The blood would signify to him that a death had already occurred in that house and so he would move on without inflicting judgment. However, no one had died except a lamb! A “yearling male” (12:5 jnd).

The firstborn of each Israelite house was safe, irrespective of their state or feelings. Imagine two different Israelite houses on that night in Egypt. In one, there was a boy who was afraid that he might die when the angel passed over; perhaps the angel wouldn’t see the blood, or perhaps his parents had not applied the blood correctly or sufficiently. In another house there was a boy who had full confidence that the angel would see the blood and pass over. In the morning light, both boys were very much alive. The destroyer did not look at the heart’s state of the boys that night, with one in fear and trembling, the other confident and happy. He looked at one thing and one thing only: the blood. Our salvation is not due to our inward state but rather to Christ having made a propitiation for our sins.

During the night those in these Hebrew houses were also doing something else. They were feeding upon a roasted lamb (12:8). This would give them energy for the journey which lay ahead of them. This Lord’s Day, let us once again appreciate the blood of the Lamb, and feed upon His grace in order to sustain us for the coming week.