The 8th chapter of Deuteronomy contains important instructions from God to His old covenant people. He is preparing them for the land He has been saving for them. He delivered them from Egyptian bondage and slavery and has been taking them to the place that He promised to Abraham and his seed. Four different times in this chapter God emphasizes the importance of remembering what they have come from and what they have come through, and it culminates in this well-known verse:
But thou shall remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. (Deut.8:18)
Note the word “remember.” What is it that we are to remember? Three things…we are to remember who, we are to remember how, and we are to remember why. The who is obvious… The Lord God is our deliverer, but equally important is how. And this must not be overlooked. To understand this, we look back to the night of deliverance.
Exodus 12 is the account of the first Passover. Israel’s instructions were to take a firstborn male lamb without blemish, and to sacrifice it at evening. The blood of that lamb was to be applied to the door posts and lintel of each house. The meat was to be prepared and eaten a certain way. Israel was instructed to eat with their clothes and shoes on, ready to travel. The Lord told them that this was to be a new beginning for them, a fresh start. He had worked miracles leading up to this, but that night was to be the end. He declared that it would be the night when he would pass judgment on the gods of Egypt.
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. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and you shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations: ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever. (Ex.12:13-14)
“When I see the blood.” That night was the night they went free. Prior to this God had shown His might and they had seen His power, but they only went free when the blood was applied.
He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. (Psa.105:37)
Over 1 million people left Egypt that night. They were all delivered from death, and were healthy, strong and rich! On their departure God gave them favor with the Egyptians, and they were loaded up with Egyptian wealth…the back wages for years of slavery. God continued to meet their personal needs and brought water from the rock, manna from heaven, and gave them protection from the sun and from the night. Then, after ministering to them He gave them very specific instructions on building the tabernacle in the wilderness, which is found in Exodus 25-31.
The tabernacle shows the pathway from fallen man to the presence of God. In the holy of holies was the ark of the covenant, which was the dwelling place of God. But to approach that place the first thing to be encountered was the brazen altar—the place of death, suffering, and execution. It was a place of blood. The first thing that man saw as he approached God was the blood, and the first thing that God saw when man approached was the blood. There was no other way into His glorious presence. At that brazen altar the Passover was sacrificed each year in addition to other sacrifices throughout the year. The Lord wanted them never to forget that it was the blood of the lamb that set them free.
As I write this article, we are approaching Easter, while dealing with the outbreak of the coronavirus. In light of the current situation, we find many parallels to this account in Exodus. However, the greatest take-away from this story of Israel’s deliverance is this…because of the Blood we can expect to be protected from this epidemic.Because of the Blood we are protected from any physical ailment or infirmity, we are protected from any shortage or lack, and we are protected from any sort of destruction in our families BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD!
Keep your mind and attention on this statement…When I see the Blood! Refuse to live in fear of the unknown, for God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a SOUND MIND. If you dwell on the threats and the “what-ifs” you could lose your mind, but if you intentionally remember the BLOOD of the covenant, it will keep your mind sound.
The Blood has been shed, and Christ has redeemed you from the curse of poverty, sickness and spiritual death. He has blessed you with life, strength, healing and wealth. Don’t make the mistake Israel made and fall into the trap of thinking that now you have to figure it out. Continue to MAGNIFY THE BLOOD. Continue to build and maintain the house of God that you are connected with, and God will build and maintain your house.
Remember Romans 8:31-32 & 37, What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Have a BLESSED EASTER! HE IS RISEN!
Phyllis and I would love you to join us for our upcoming online Easter service! If you’re not occupied during the 10:00 AM CDT hour, you can join us a couple of ways.
We thank God for you and for His keeping power made available through the precious Blood of Jesus!