EXODUS 12
21 Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. 24 You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. 25 And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. 26 And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.28 Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. – Exodus 12:21-28
EXODUS 12 HYSSOP & BLOOD IN THE LORD’S PASSOVER
In this detailed instruction of God to the Israelites, we hear of hyssop and blood mentioned. According to some commentary, “hyssop” is a small bushy plant with minty leaves which can be used in cooking. The plant has also been used for medicinal purposes. In Scripture, hyssop is a wild shrub used for purification as mentioned in Leviticus 14:6, Numbers 19:6 & 18. Scripture says how hyssop was used as a sign of spiritual cleansing especially when David mentioned it in Psalm 51:7 when he said “Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Enduring.com also said that in John 19:29 that the wine on the sponge that they gave to Jesus while he was on the cross was on a hyssop branch when they held it to his mouth.
Leviticus 17:11 and 14 tells us the importance of blood to God. The life of a creature is in the blood and God gave it to us so we can atone for your sins. To shed blood, a victim must be killed in place of the sinner. Blood is also used for covenant between two persons resulting in union or relationship. So, we can understand why God required lambs that were unblemished, a year old and male.
REFLECTION
- What is the significance of spiritual cleansing in our Christian lives?
