THE FAMILY ALTAR
April 18.
"Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us." 1 Cor. 5:7.
Paul here leads us back to that wonderful night in Egypt
when the angel of the Lord went forth and slew every first-born
son in the land of Pharaoh, but passed over the houses whose
doors were marked with the blood of the paschal lamb. Now the
hour of liberty had struck for the captive children of Israel. With
songs of rejoicing they went forth from their house of bondage
and began their march to the Promised Land. Israel's redemption
through the paschal lamb was prophetic of the greater redemption
that came to God's people when Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed
for us. "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin
of the world," was John the Baptist's joyful message. "Worthy
is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wis-
dom, and honor, and glory, and blessing," is the jubilant and
adoring song of the saints in heaven. "Delivered for our offenses,
raised again for our justification !" is the exulting message of this
blessed Eastertide for all our ears and hearts. "Therefore let us
keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of
malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity
and truth." (V. 8.) May every day in our life thus prove a holy,
blessed Easter Day! When sickness comes to us or to one of our
loved ones, let us rejoice that we have in Christ our Paschal Lamb,
who bore our griefs and carried our sorrows and still bears them
with us. When our sins accuse us and our conscience weeps within
us, we have in Christ our Paschal Lamb, upon whom was the
chastisement of our peace and with whose stripes we are healed.
When sorrow and grief for our departed near and dear ones fill
our hearts, we can find heavenly comfort in the thought that they
are before the throne of the Lamb, who leads them unto living
fountains of waters, and wipes away all tears from their eyes.
When death comes to us, and the terrors of the grave affright us,
Christ, our Passover, will lead us safely through the raging billows
and bring us rejoicing to the promised land of eternal life.
Come, let us sing the song of songs!
The saints in heaven began the strain,
The homage which to Christ belongs:
"Worthy the Lamb, for He was slain!"
Slain to redeem us by His blood,
To cleanse from every sinful stain,
And make us kings and priests to God:
"Worthy the Lamb, for He was slain!"
