September 1, 2014
Exodus 21:2-6
(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)
There are two instances in the Bible when Blood was spilled upon the doorway:
• The first time was the Passover – when God redeemed Israel from slavery in Egypt. The blood of a slain lamb was put on the side posts and lintel of the door of Jewish houses. When the angel of death was sent to kill all the firstborn of Egypt, he passed over the homes so marked with the blood.
• The second time was when a slave declared his willingness to serve his master forever! This is told in our featured scripture, Exodus 2:2 through 6:
If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he
shall go out free and pay nothing. If he comes in by himself, he shall go out
by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If
his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters,
the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by him-
self. But if the servant plainly says, “I love my master, my wife, and my
children; I will not go out free,” his master shall bring him to the judges.
He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost; and his master shall
pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.
I have found a third instance where Blood was spilled upon the doorway. It is figurative, and shown in John 10:9 where Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” Jesus Christ is the door – the only entrance (John 14:6) to eternal life!
It is by His passion – His extensive suffering at the hands of sinful men, including being crucified on Calvary’s cross – that Jesus’ body was so broken that the blood spilled out! As it says in I John 1:7, “…the blood of Jesus Christ…cleanses us from all sin.” It is the only substance that takes away our sin and allows us entrance into the very presence of the Father (see Hebrews 4:16; 10:19 through 22). And so, if He is the door, He Himself was covered with His own blood. – Blood was spilled upon the doorway!
What does it mean that Jesus said, “I am the door…”? Besides what I have shown above – that He is the only entrance into eternal life – the second part of John 10:9 states, “If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” This implies three things:
• “…he will be saved…” – saved from what and to what? The natural state of sinful man is alienation from the holy God. It is written in Isaiah 59:2, “…your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” Paul wrote in Colossians 1:21, “…you…once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works….” But, he adds in verses 21 through 23, “…yet now He has reconciled [you] in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and irreproachable in His sight, if indeed you continue in the faith….” However, if one does not choose reconciliation to the Father through Jesus Christ, he or she will continue in that alienation and separation – right into eternal hell!
And it just isn’t the future that such alienation affects. The unsaved person too often has a life that is in ruins – even by society’s standards! After all, the devil is that one’s spiritual father (see John 8:44), and Satan only comes “…to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” (John 10:10). In contrast, Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10).
• “…he…will go in and out…” – implying freedom! In John 8:34 and 36, Jesus tells us, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin….Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” Oh yes, you do have freedom outside of Christ – freedom to sin! Paul wrote in Romans 6:20, “…when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.” But in verse 23 he says, “…the wages of sin is death…” – both physical and eternal! It is either freedom to only sin, or freedom to do the will of God! You choose!
• “…he will…find pasture.” This speaks of God’s abundant provision! As Paul wrote in Philippians 4:19, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (See also Matthew 6:19 through 34).
So Why Should You Love Your Master? Because He has loved us first, and bestowed upon His children such abundant gifts – starting with the greatest gift of all – eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Let us go to the doorpost, and have our ear holed through to show our eternal loyalty and service to the One who is truly to be our Master!