Precedented
April 3, 2020
The word “unprecedented” is being applied frequently and very appropriately to our current situation as the world confronts COVID-19. However, I found myself wondering if there was such a word as “precedented ”. There is, and I believe it also applies.
Precedented (according to dictionary.cambridge.org):
- “An action, situation or decision that has already happened and can be used as a reason why a similar action or decision should be performed or made
- The way that something has been done in the past that therefore shows that it is the correct way
- A decision about a particular legal case that makes it likely that other similar cases will be decided in the same way”
In the 13th Century BCE, in obedience to the word of the Lord through Moses, the entire Hebrew population in Goshen, Egypt took an unblemished lamb into their homes for 14 days. On the 14th night when the angel of the Lord swept over the land in the “Plague of the Firstborn”, each family closed their doors, slaughtered the lamb, put the blood on their doorposts and roasted and consumed the entire lamb. All those who marked their homes and consumed the Lamb were spared from death. God commanded the Israelites to commemorate this event as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come (Exodus 12). It was a precedent that prepared the way for the Jesus the Messiah to fulfill scripture as the True Passover Lamb sacrificed to deliver us from death (1 Co 5:7).
The families took the lambs into their homes and cared for them for two weeks. Then they had to slaughter the lamb and mark their homes with its blood. Then they consumed it all. Could these actions done in the past be a demonstration of what God is asking us to do now as Passover approaches? We’re self-quarantining in our homes as an invisible pestilence sweeps over the world. Travellers are required to self-isolate for 14 days at their destinations. Could it be that just as Jesus did intercession for us on the cross (GHPL Mar 25, 2020) and “canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us”, we (who once were dead) can invoke His blood for our own protection AND intercede for those who are dead in their sins and “don’t know what they’re doing”? (Col 2:13-14, Eph 2:1-5, Lk 23:34)
God looks for intercessors and listens to them (Nu 16:41-50; Eze 22:30-31; Ac 9:10-18, 12:5-11). We have greater authority than the Old Testament intercessors because of Jesus’ victory on Calvary at the hingepin of history (Mt 11:11, Jn 14:12-14, 1 Jn 1:7). Our authority increases as we pray in one accord with the Godhead and each other (Mt 18:19-20, Jn 17:20-23). The Lord is waiting for His temple (you and me, the living stones, 1 Pe 2:4-5) to cry out for the harvest (Rev 14:14-16). As we remember Christ’s death through this Passover season, let’s cry out for the harvest from the field of Islam.
Almighty God, thank You for making a way for us to be spared from the plague of death. We, Your temple, worship You as Lord over all of Creation, including COVID-19. We appeal to the blood of the True Passover Lamb and ask that the angel of death pass over Muslims whom You know as seekers of Truth who will embrace Jesus as Savior and Lord. Rescue them from the dominion of darkness and bring them into the Kingdom of the Son You love (Col 1:13-14).
Could it be, Lord, that You are “seated on the cloud” of the world wide web and distributing the Gospel “to every nation, tribe, language and people” (Rev 14:14, 6)? Resource and empower evangelists to Muslims so they can propel the Good News into every Muslim home You’ve prepared to receive it. We ask for household salvations as families hear the Good News together.