What's on the doorpost of your home?Write [these commandments] on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:9)
From that command sprang forth millions of mezuzahs. This command came after Israel's exodus from Egypt, historically not too long after another command:
Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the homes where they eat the lambs. ... The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. (Exodus 12:7, 13)
For the second time, what was on a doorpost marked a home as belonging to God's people. The word of God was placed on the doorpost like the blood of the lamb before it. But the blood had power that the command did not: to make death pass over, to make God's judgment pass by harmlessly.
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:29)
With God's impeccable timing, Christ's sacrifice occurred during the Passover celebrations when people were already mindful that God's mercy and God's deliverance from death were yet to be fulfilled in the Messiah. Tonight we do not proclaim law, but forgiveness and deliverance through Christ.
2 comments:
You might be interested to learn the following practice. Last night I discovered that a practice in the Eastern church is that after the Thursday night service (which is oddly enough a Friday Matins), candles which are lit and held throughout the service are taken home (still lit). When arriving home, the lit candle is held to the lintel/doorpost marking a cross with the soot. I think this has direct parallels to the verses you quote.
That's cool. And definitely news to me.
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