Hebrews 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. I. SHOW WHAT IS THAT BELIEVING. MANAGEMENT OF THE SACRAMENT OF CHRIST'S BODY AND BLOOD, WHICH IS THE BEST SECURITY FOR A SINNER AGAINST THE DAY OF WRATH. We will be helped to a view of this by considering the ordinance pointed at in the text. 1. The Christian and communicant that would manage this ordinance so as he may be secured against the day of wrath, must have his bunch of hyssop ready; that is, he must have faith, by which alone that blood can be sprinkled on the soul. 2. He must believe his own desert of wrath, that he himself deserves to fall amongst them that fall. 3. He must, with an eye of faith, discern the sacrifice and the virtue of it, seeing that in the ordinance which a carnal eye cannot. And here faith will say two things — (1) Faith will look in through the ordinance, and seeing Christ in it, will say, "There is a hiding-place from wrath (John 1:29). (2) Faith will look more narrowly yet, even through the hiding-place itself; and where the fearful unbeliever sees many faults the believer will see none, but say, "He is able to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). In a word, he will believe — (a) That Christ is the appointed: Refuge against wrath; and — (b) That He is a safe Refuge, and that there is no other. 4. He must dip his bunch of hyssop in the bason where the blood of the Lamb is. Christ is our Paschal Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7); the covenant is the bason wherein the blood of the Lamb is poured (Hebrews 13:20), and the cup the New Testament. The believing communicant will lay hold on the covenant made by sacrifice, that he may be safe in the day of wrath (Psalm 1.3-5). 5. He must sprinkle this blood, make an effusion of it; apply it by faith, and receive the atonement. 6. He must sprinkle it on the lintel and side-posts, only not on the threshold. Look with an eye of faith on it as precious blood, and sprinkle it over your whole man, above you, on every side; only not under your feet. Despise it not (Hebrews 10:29). 7. He must not sprinkle it only on the back of the door, but on the outside, the lintel and side-posts, that the angel may see it. The Lord is coming to call the land to a sad account, and to examine every one. On with your mark this day, on your foreheads. 8. He must feed on the body and blood of Christ. (1) On a whole Christ — Christ in all His offices. (2) With the bitter herbs of repentance and sorrow for sin. (3) Ye must eat in a departing posture; turning your backs on the world and your lusts, and setting your face stedfastly to Immanuel's land. II. SHOW WHAT SECURITY THIS WILL BE AGAINST THE DAY OF WRATH. 1. Thus ye will be secured from eternal wrath. 2. In a day of wrath upon the land; though the storm blow never so hard, ye shall have a manifold security. Though ye must not promise yourselves security from trouble, yet — (1) Ye shall be kept from mixing with the generation under God's wrath. Build ye the partition-wall, and God will build the protection-wall (Psalm 12:7). (2) "It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger" (Zephaniah 2:3). (3) Ye shall not be straitened for provision, though it be a scarce time (Psalm 142:5). (4) Though the weight of common calamity should bruise you, yea, and crush you, "there shall no evil touch you" (Job 5:19). (a) No evil that is an only evil; mercy shall always be predominant in thy cup. (b) The evil shall be taken out of the evils that come on thee. (c) The evils that may come on thee shall be turned to good (Romans 8:28). III. COMFIRM THE DOCTRINE. 1. He that thus manageth this ordinance, unites with Christ, the Peace-maker. Christ is his; his security is in Him, for Christ is in him (Galatians 4:19), He cannot die. His blood is sprinkled on His people, and that marks them for the Lord. 2. He gets all this sealed under the broad seal of Heaven in this ordinance. Herein the covenant of peace between God and sinners is sealed in both hands; and all these, and much more, are promises and articles of the covenant. And what greater security can ye imagine in this world? IV. THE APPLICATION. Use 1. For information. (1) The slighters of this ordinance are great fools and despisers of their own mercy. (2) The mismanagers of this ordinance are great fools, who sit down at the Lord's table but communicate not believingly. They do the outward work, but it is not in faith; they bring no faith, no discerning, &c.; and so instead of securing themselves against the day of wrath, do mark themselves out for wrath. Use 2. Of exhortation. (1) Ye that are not communicants, ye are in hazard of the day of wrath as well as others, though ye sit not at the table. Will ye by faith embrace the sacrifice exhibited there; receive and sprinkle the blood, the covenant sealed there. (2) Communicants, manage this work so as ye may be secured against the day of wrath. All of you, flee into Christ Jesus as the city of refuge; and make sure work, and lay down your measures for time and for eternity. (a) Let not the thoughts of wrath prevail to darken your view of the love of Christ in the gospel and in this ordinance. Particularly assure yourselves if ye be willing to be the Lord's, and take Him for your God, the white side of the cloud is to you; and that though God were to destroy the whole land from off the face of the earth, if there were but one soul who would take shelter in the covenant of peace, he should be welcome. (b) As ye give yourselves to the Lord, so give your families too. Take all yours that way, and lay them over on Him, and leave them with Him for the evil day. (c) Let it be your main concern to get strength to be carried cleanly through; that ye be not led away with the sins and snares of the evil time, and so fall from your stedfastness. (d) Be not peremptory and particular as to what otherwise may be your portion of common calamity; but leave that on the Lord. (T. Boston, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. |
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