Passing over death

Exodus 12:12-14; 4/19/2026; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

Introduction

Can death actually be crossed over?  Is it death that somehow passes us by…or is it that the children of God are the ones who pass through death?  life really comes down to just two words: life… and death.  So after we cross over death, what will we encounter?  Let’s look at the first point.

 

The death of the firstborn

Before this happened, Moses had already given a warning.  The Bible says, “Moses said, ‘This is what the Lord says: About midnight I will go throughout Egypt.’”  First of all, God spoke beforehand.  We often have an assumption—that God does not take life.  But who said that?  Clearly, that’s not what the Bible says.  In Scripture, it is not uncommon to see God taking life, or even commanding the Israelites to do so.  Of course, God does not delight in killing.  Before striking the firstborn, God warned again and again— all the way through the ten plagues.  To give warning beforehand and to take life carelessly—these are completely different in nature.  Even God Himself, who has absolute authority, when it comes to human life and death,acts with great care and caution.  And the reason is simple: behind every human life is the image and likeness of God.

Secondly, the firstborn of man and livestock.  We might ask, why did God strike the firstborn and the firstborn of the animals?  This actually has a lot to do with how the Egyptians viewed the firstborn.  In their eyes, whether human or animal, the firstborn had a kind of sacred status.  They even treated the firstborn as gods— as idols to be worshiped and honored.  But it’s not only the Egyptians. In many human cultures, the firstborn is given special meaning and responsibility.  For example, in Chinese culture, it’s very similar.  Every family places unique expectations on the firstborn son.  When it comes to inheriting the family and taking on responsibility, the firstborn often carries both duty and authority.  And of course, those expectations continue to change over time.

Finally, the defeat of the gods of Egypt.  So when God struck down the firstborn—both of people and livestock— He was also judging and breaking the false gods of Egypt.  When the Egyptians saw that the firstborn had died, they realized that their so-called gods could not protect them at all.  And in just one night, a system of idol worship built over generations collapsed completely.  But the purpose of this judgment was salvation.  Otherwise, if a life is not cleansed, it cannot receive or carry the power of the gospel.  In the same way, if there are still “gods of Egypt” at work in our lives, it is hard for us to truly believe in Jesus.  Anything in us that goes against the heart of Christ— those thoughts, those desires—they are idols of this world, they are deception… or simply put, they are rubbish.  Now, let’s move on to the second point.

 

The passing over of the blood

Why did they need to put the lamb’s blood on the doorframes?  Isn’t God all-knowing? Does He not already know who belongs to Him?  First, this is God’s command.  The blood on the doorframe was something the Lord instructed them to do.  He said, “I am the Lord.”  The name “YHWH”—the four Hebrew consonants יהוה— is the divine name of God.  Many scholars believe it may be pronounced “Yahweh,” though we cannot be completely certain.  In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, it is rendered as Kyrios, meaning “the Lord.”  The emphasis here is clear: the sovereign Lord of the universe has come into Egypt and is giving commands to His people Israel.  And in the same way, He also gives commands to us— to love one another, not to stop gathering together, to pray, to ask, and to give thanks.  Do you hear it?  God is asking for a response from us.  Do you have it?

 

Secondly, this is the work of God.  The Bible gives us a very vivid picture.  God says, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”  What He means is this: My command is not meaningless. It has real significance.  God is all-powerful. He does not need help to see the blood, right?  Even if it is dark at night, even if the color on the door is hard to notice, even if the smell of fresh lamb’s blood is faint— none of that is the issue.  The point is this: when someone obeys God, he becomes a person in covenant with Him.  The suffering and burdens of Egypt are now in the past—they have become something new.  In Christ, He has given His life for us, and death has been removed from us.  That is already a reality.  So the question now is this: Are we willing to live for God?

Finally, this is the promise of God.  The precious blood of Jesus Christ, is the sign that God sees.  All who are connected to the blood of Christ will not be touched by destruction.  This is God’s eternal promise—a covenant He has established with us forever.  Why does God speak this way to us?  Through John, He says: “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) This is God’s promise.  The Bible contains more than 7,000 promises from God— promises of peace, joy, eternal life, provision, fulfillment, faithfulness, and love.  So why does the church constantly encourage us to read the Word, pray, and worship more and more?  Now, let’s look at the third point.

The commemoration of the Passover

What does the Passover mean?  It refers to the time when God struck down the firstborn in Egypt, but passed over the houses of the Israelites.  Why did that happen?

First, to remember this day.  Human beings are forgetful— we easily forget pain once it has passed. Isn’t that true?  A woman goes through great pain in childbirth, but after some time, she may still be willing to have another child.  Even historical events like the Cultural Revolution are not far in the past, Old tendencies in human nature can come back, and people may once again fall into new forms of personality cults. The reason is simple: we do not remember well.  That is also why Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper.  He encouraged His disciples to “do this in remembrance of Me.”  In the same way, our weekly Sunday gatherings, our daily devotion and prayer, our singing and worship— all of these are to remember the love of Christ.  Remembering His love is like putting the blood on the doorframe as a sign.  So ultimately, this is a choice between life and death.

 

Secondly, the feasts of the Lord.  What are the feasts of the Lord?  And why should they be kept?  The feasts of the Lord are, in essence, appointed times between God and His people—times to meet with Him.  This is most clearly expressed in Leviticus 23: the Sabbath, the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles.  Each of these feasts carries a specific meaning for God’s people.  In the New Testament, believers are called to keep the Lord’s Day. Why?  Let me ask: is there anything more important than coming to meet with God?  Our studies, our work, our exams, our training— all of these may seem very important.  But our choices reveal our true values.  So the question is this: what place does the Lord—who gave His life for you—have in your heart?

 

Finally, an everlasting ordinance.  Faith is not something we do for a season, nor is it just to attend church for a purpose— to show up, check in, and then move on.  When I was pastoring in Europe, I often met people who were constantly moving from place to place.  One Sunday, people would come from Germany.  Next week, others might come from Belgium or Luxembourg.  There was a constant flow and change.  Many came seeking things that would meet their needs in life— residence, identity, work, or even relationships.  And once they achieved their goal, they would move on again like migratory birds, flying toward somewhere unknown.  The key is: The church is the eternal dwelling place of our lives, where we meet with God in His eternal kingdom and together keep His everlasting ordinance.

Conclusion

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; everything has become new.  If God has already brought us through death, why should we still long for the whips of the Nile in Egypt?  In the wilderness, they ate manna—simple, plain, without rich flavor.  It was a season of testing that lasted for a generation.  But what about you, dear brothers and sisters?  Where is your heart truly attached?  Where does your spirit truly belong?

 

Let us pray together……

 

12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.

13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

14 “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.