ON THE VANGUARD

DON’T GO OUT
“Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning.”
Exodus 12:22

Growing up, my parents laid out rules for us children to follow. There were the wise rules like no ball in the house, which I managed to break often, causing dishes to break. There were rules about throwing a ball at the house, which I also managed to not only break, but also break windows as a result of not obeying. There were other rules concerning what to never say, whether in private of in public unless I felt my mouth needed to be cleaned out with Ivory because of it. We even had rules concerning watching television, both involving when to watch and what to watch. And there were rules concerning curfew once the time finally came. The rule I recall often hearing, though, not because I broke it but because of safety, was to never go outside if mom and dad were gone. As we grew in age we also grew in responsibility, which allowed for mom and dad to leave us alone at the house while they ran errands or took a stroll in the neighborhood. Because of their love for us they gave the warning about staying inside where it was safe (unless I was playing with a ball).
What could be looked at as restrictions was rather looked at as a boundary. Within this boundary was safety. To go beyond this boundary, which in our case meant going outside, could result in an injury, kidnapping, or a host of other possibilities. The fear of any of these things happening should have been enough of a reason for me to obey. Honestly, though, I did not always obey and in a few cases managed to get caught. Yes, it is true. I was a little rebel. Because of this I have had my share of punishments for being caught outside or stepping beyond the boundary line.
In Exodus 12 we read of God giving a boundary. It is on this evening of the final plague that we read of the preparations that needed to be taken by the Israelites. God commanded that each family take a male lamb which met the requirements of being one year old and without defect. The lamb would then be slaughtered for the meal while the blood was placed on the doorframe. This action is seen in Exodus 12:22 which reads, “Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning.” With the death angel only a few hours away, the blood was to be a sign that inside that house was one who feared God. When the angel came to the door, it would pass over the house, and thus we have the beginning of the celebration of Passover.
But a boundary was established also in this verse. The boundary to obey was to not come out of the house till morning. As long as the person stayed inside the home where the blood was found, they were safe. If they stepped outside of their home they would come out from under the protection God was offering. To then come out from under the protection of the blood allowed them to be fair game to the angel that passed through bringing death.
The lesson that we can gain from reading of this account is simple. God gives boundaries for us not as a way of restricting us, but rather for our safety. This is something that I did not realize as a child when given boundaries by my parents. It is something I understand more so now having children of my own, however. But there is a deeper lesson here as well. That lesson is to stay inside. Just as the Israelites were commanded to stay inside the house where the safety was, we are advised to stay in the protection of God. In sin we step out from under His covering, therefore becoming fair game for the death angel. Again let me remind us that Romans 6:23 tells us the wages of sin is death. To come out from under His protection removes us from the safety He offers. So then the warning and message is simple. Let us remain within His boundary. Let us abide where His safety is. Let us heed this warning and not go out.