[188]On the night that Jehovah led the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt he caused a lamb to be slain and its blood sprinkled upon the doorposts of the house and the people to eat that lamb, and arranged that at midnight the death angel would pass through and smite the firstborn of every house where the blood did not appear upon the doorposts. The firstborn here pictured the church, about which we shall see later, and which first must be saved before the blessing can come to the world in general. The lamb pictured the one who should be the ransomer or redeemer of mankind. The blood pictured the life poured out to provide a redemptive price.--Exodus 12:3-17. [189]When Jesus appeared at the age of thirty years, John the Baptist pointing to him said: "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world". (John 1:29) And we read in the Bible concerning Jesus, that he is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world". (Revelation 13:8) These Scriptures and others show that the sacrifice of the lamb foreshadowed the sacrifice of the great One who should become the redeemer of mankind and take away the sin of the world. [190]A few days after this passover in Egypt, the Israelites were all delivered when God commanded Moses to smite the waters of the Red Sea and they passed over on dry land; and when the Egyptians attempted to follow they were swallowed up in the sea and drowned. The deliverance of Israel here pictured the deliverance from the great enemy, Satan and death, of all the human race that will ultimately be obedient to God's holy will. [191]After the children of Israel were on the other side of the Red Sea, they marched on in the desert; and when they came to Mount Sinai God made with them a covenant, which is known in the Bible as the law covenant. In connection with this covenant animals were sacrificed. This covenant was instituted at the hands of Moses as a mediator. Moses here was a type of Christ Jesus, who in due time will make a covenant on behalf of all mankind for their deliverance. [192]In connection with the law given to the Israelites at this time, God instructed Moses to erect in the wilderness a tabernacle, which was to be used by the Israelites in connection with their ceremonies of sacrifice. One day of each year was known as the atonement day, and what was done on that day particularly foreshadowed the great sin-offering to be made on behalf of mankind.