Death and destruction have passed over!
When the Lord passes through to strike Egypt and sees the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over that door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. Exodus 12:23
It was an unusual day. Who would have thought that it would be 70 degrees on January 2nd in Wisconsin!? There I was in my office and my wife said that we were under a tornado warning. I said it was impossible to have tornadoes in Wisconsin during January. But sure enough, just as I finished saying those words, the tornado sirens blasted. My wife and I scurried to grab out two young children and head straight to the basement for shelter. The tornado passed right over the house we were living in. We are grateful it did not touch down. We found comfort in the basement and in the fact the storm passed over us!
This about the scarry moment for Israel. They were going to be in the middle of a storm of death. The destroyer was going to go through Egypt and every firstborn male would die. Israel was in the target zone of this destroyer. Yet the Lord gave them protection. The blood of the lamb covered their doors. This would be a sign for the destroyer to pass over. Blood gave them comfort in the face of death.
Today we celebrate Maundy Thursday. This is the day Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples. As they commemorated the day death and destruction passed over their ancestors, Jesus, the Lamb of God was about to fulfill the sign of the Passover. It is Jesus blood that covers our sins and causes death and destruction to pass over us. But on this night, Jesus gives us a special comfort. The very body and blood of the Lamb is given to us in bread and wine. In the Lord’s Supper, we have the ultimate comfort from death and destruction. The Lamb himself says that his body and blood with the bread and wine forgives our sins. Life comes with forgiveness and therefore death and destruction have passed over. Find comfort in the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, including yours!
Dear Lamb of God, grant us comfort in the face of death and destruction. Your blood has been shed and your body is given. Continue to shelter us with your sacrament until we celebrate with you in the glory of heaven! In your name we pray. Amen!