Hebrews 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. There is scarcely one revelation of God in the Bible which does not involve mystery — which does not try, therefore, severely try, the submissiveness of our faith. Notoriously is this the case with that revelation which was typified by the Passover. What connection, man asks, can be conceived of, between the Saviour's crucifixion and the absolution of the sinner? What link of intelligible union can exist between the shedding of the life-blood of the Holy and sinless One, and the remission of the long and deep debt of the world's, or of so much as one man's, transgressions? And a thousand suppositions have been hazarded by human speculation, of which the aim and object is to lighten the weight of this doctrine — to make it less of a submission to receive it, by taking out of it the unexpectedness and the peculiarity. Thus we seek to make fewer and to make easier the submissions of faith — not by assuring ourselves more thoroughly of the Divinity of Him who speaks with us — not by a more implicit reliance upon the wisdom, truth, and love of Him who thus, and not otherwise, sends us salvation — but, by offering modifications which may palliate and dilute the difficulty, and in the same degree take from the revelation itself its very salt and life and virtue. There is something of the same trial in every ordinance of worship. What real connection can be dreamed of, we might ask, between the kneeling, elsewhere or here, on a little spot of earth, to think a few thoughts, to speak a few words, alone by myself, or in the congregation — and the influx of grace, or the supply of strength, or the ministry of consolation — not to mention any special outward or bodily relief — which those thoughts have desired, or which those words have asked, of an invisible God in a far-off heaven? The only answer is that which satisfied the man of faith here commemorated — faith, assured of the command, argues not, nor gainsays, "Hath He said, and shall He not do it?" is a self-answering question, when God is the subject. "By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood," and the destroyer "passed over" the houses upon which the sign of faith was. (Dean Vaughan.) 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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