In Christianity today perhaps too much focus is put on the blood of Christ, that we are saved by Christ's blood "alone", there is "power in the blood" etc, to the exclusion of the other aspect of Christ's sacrifice which is His flesh. Discerning Christians will see that it is not only God's command to apply Christ's blood by faith, but also to eat the sacrifice.
The Significance of the Passover Lamb in Exodus 12 is not only the blood for redemption but also the flesh for eating. The blood of the unblemished lamb (signifying Christ) was put on the houses as a covering, and then the flesh of that lamb was eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (signifying separation from the world (leaven) and sorrow over sin with repentance).
Christ commands us not only to drink His blood but also to eat His flesh so that we may have life (John 6:54). Christ also refers to Himself as the Bread of life (John 6:35) as He is a type of unleavened bread (manna from heaven) that we must eat to have life. Christ's sacrifice on the cross was not all about his shed blood for forgiveness of sins, but also his flesh for eating and having life. It is the flesh with the blood which is the sacrifice, not merely the blood alone.
As seen by Exodus 12:17, the eating is also related to feasting, which involves remembering and celebrating everything that God has done for us. It can be said that the blood deals with the matter of God's judgement and punishment for our sins, so that we are free to eat to have life more abundantly (John 10:10, John 6:54, John 6:35).
The concept of trusting in Christ's blood by faith for forgiveness of sins is well taught and known in Christianity today. However what is not well known is how to eat the bread of life, how to eat Christ's flesh, and how to feast on the sacrifice.
Jesus said: John 6:57 I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me.
The way to feed on Christ is analogous to the way we eat physical food:
Firstly, we should prepare ourselves to eat. We need consecration and confession. We must apply the blood, we have to "wash our hands" by confessing our sins (1 John 1:9). We must unleaven ourselves by consecrating ourselves.
Secondly, we must contemplate what our food actually is, but not merely to study it, our goal is not to be scientists or theologians and study Christ but to eat. People who only study their food and examine it but do not eat go hungry. We must behold and think upon Christ, such as His beauty, His lowliness. We must refrain from worship and exaltation of Christ, because our goal is not to worship but to eat. People who worship their food but don't eat it go hungry. Christ came not to be worshipped or treated as a great king, but to be a humble servant a slave. We must realize that Christ came to our level, and even lower. Our goal is intimacy with Christ and for Him to get inside of us by our eating.
Thirdly, we must eat, and the way to eat is given by Isaiah 55:6 and 1 Cor 1:2.
Exodus 12 King James Version (KJV)
12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,
2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's passover.
17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.
The Significance of the Passover Lamb in Exodus 12 is not only the blood for redemption but also the flesh for eating. The blood of the unblemished lamb (signifying Christ) was put on the houses as a covering, and then the flesh of that lamb was eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (signifying separation from the world (leaven) and sorrow over sin with repentance).
Christ commands us not only to drink His blood but also to eat His flesh so that we may have life (John 6:54). Christ also refers to Himself as the Bread of life (John 6:35) as He is a type of unleavened bread (manna from heaven) that we must eat to have life. Christ's sacrifice on the cross was not all about his shed blood for forgiveness of sins, but also his flesh for eating and having life. It is the flesh with the blood which is the sacrifice, not merely the blood alone.
As seen by Exodus 12:17, the eating is also related to feasting, which involves remembering and celebrating everything that God has done for us. It can be said that the blood deals with the matter of God's judgement and punishment for our sins, so that we are free to eat to have life more abundantly (John 10:10, John 6:54, John 6:35).
The concept of trusting in Christ's blood by faith for forgiveness of sins is well taught and known in Christianity today. However what is not well known is how to eat the bread of life, how to eat Christ's flesh, and how to feast on the sacrifice.
Jesus said: John 6:57 I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me.
The way to feed on Christ is analogous to the way we eat physical food:
Firstly, we should prepare ourselves to eat. We need consecration and confession. We must apply the blood, we have to "wash our hands" by confessing our sins (1 John 1:9). We must unleaven ourselves by consecrating ourselves.
Secondly, we must contemplate what our food actually is, but not merely to study it, our goal is not to be scientists or theologians and study Christ but to eat. People who only study their food and examine it but do not eat go hungry. We must behold and think upon Christ, such as His beauty, His lowliness. We must refrain from worship and exaltation of Christ, because our goal is not to worship but to eat. People who worship their food but don't eat it go hungry. Christ came not to be worshipped or treated as a great king, but to be a humble servant a slave. We must realize that Christ came to our level, and even lower. Our goal is intimacy with Christ and for Him to get inside of us by our eating.
Thirdly, we must eat, and the way to eat is given by Isaiah 55:6 and 1 Cor 1:2.
Exodus 12 King James Version (KJV)
12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,
2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's passover.
17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.
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