Exodus 12:1-13 etc. – DOORS
Doors – I’ve been through thousands of them in my lifetime. I remember the big, heavy wooden church doors of my childhood.
And the screen doors of a favorite cabin in the woods. I recall revolving doors in stores and hospitals, and doors to closets and cupboards.
Of course we use the term “door” figuratively as well as literally.
In its own inimitable way, the Bible has something to teach us about doors. With that in mind, we want to look at four of the many doors that are mentioned in the Bible.
THE DOOR OF OFFERING – Exodus 12:1-13
The place is Egypt.
The situation is that the nation of Israel is in bondage to the Egyptians. Their God-given leaders, Moses and Aaron, have been crying out to Pharaoh, “Let my people go!”
God had hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and Pharaoh had also hardened his own heart and steadfastly refused to let Israel leave. God had sent nine terrible plagues among the Egyptians, and He had one more plague planned. God planned to send his Angel of Death upon Egypt.
God told Israel to select lambs for each household.
These lambs were to be perfect, with no blemish.
They were even to be tested.
At the appointed evening, the lambs were to be slain, roasted and eaten.
The blood of the lambs was to be applied with a plant called hyssop to the top and sides of the door.
When the death angel saw the blood, he would “pass over” that house.
Hence we have the name for the feast that God told the Jews to celebrate yearly, Passover.
Passover is a picture of the work the Lord Jesus Christ did to give us eternal life.
The Angel of Death that came over Egypt was the angel of judgment. According to verse 17 this judgment was over the false God’s of Israel.
Our God is a righteous God, and our God hates and judges sin. Isaiah 59:2, Isaiah 64:6, Ezekiel 18:4
John the Baptist introduced the Lord Jesus in this way,
…Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)
Jesus was the perfect, sinless, Son of God who was offered upon the cross of Calvary as payment for the sins of the world. He is the “Lamb of God.” Isaiah 53:5-6
1 Corinthians 5:7 – …For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
When an Israelite killed his lamb, the job was not done. He had to apply the blood to the door of his house. When the Angel saw the blood, He knew that an offering had already been made for that household and he passed over.
My friend, knowing that Jesus has died as a perfect sacrifice for your sins is not enough. There must be a Door of Offering in your life. The blood of Jesus must be applied to the door of your heart. You must believe that Jesus died for you, was buried and rose again. You must believe that is the blood of Jesus Christ that gives you forgiveness of sin and eternal life. When you do, there will be no judgment of eternal death of you. Instead there will be eternal life! Romans 10:13
THE DOOR OF OBEDIENCE – John 10:9
John 10:9 – I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
According to James Montgomery Boice, when sheep were grazing in the countryside of Palestine the shepherds would build rough sheepfolds.
They would take stones and build a place to keep their sheep during the night, to help protect them from predators.
A narrow opening was made in this sheepfold so the sheep could get in and out, but there was no door. That is, there was no door until the shepherd himself laid down in the doorway and became the door. No predator could get in without getting past the shepherd and no sheep could get out without getting past the shepherd. The sheep were secure. James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of John, An Expositional Commentary, Volume 3, © 1988, 1999 by James Montgomery Boice, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, page 742
Jesus says that He is the door. That implies that he is the only door. In fact He actually says that in John 14:6.
There is a door of obedience whereby we are saved from sin and given eternal life. The door of Obedience is to place your faith and trust in Christ as your door to Heaven. You enter in by faith. Acts 16:31
Actually, the Door of Offering and the Door of Obedience are conveying the same idea. You come to Christ and trust Him by faith that He has died for your sins.
THE DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY – 1 Corinthians 16:9
For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
Paul had an open door for ministry! Opportunity was knocking and Paul was answering.
Sometimes we think that the only ones who ever had open doors for ministry are great nationally known preachers and the Apostles. We are not surprised if Paul had an open door for ministry, after all, He was the great Paul the Apostle!
God opens doors of opportunity for us as well. Galatians 6:9-10
God wants us to look for opportunities to do good to others, especially to fellow believers. This makes sense when we consider the purpose for which God saved us. That purpose is to do good works. Ephesians 2:10
God not only provides open doors of opportunity for good works. He also provides opportunities to speak for Him.
1 Peter 3:15 – But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
As we sanctify or prepare our hearts to love and serve God, He will give us opportunities to share our faith. We must be ready to open our mouths when people give us an opening.
Warning! With opportunities comes opposition.
There will be times because you are doing good and being effective for the Lord that you will run into opposition!
We should take to heart the advice the Lord gave Paul while he was in Corinth. Acts 18:9-10
THE DOOR OF ONENESS – Revelation 3:20
Revelation 3:20 – Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
You might have seen that classic picture of the Lord Jesus knocking on a door. There is no handle on the outside of the door, meaning that the one on the inside had to let him in.
I have used this verse as an illustration that each one of us must open the door of our hearts by faith to receive Christ as Savior. It is our decision.
But I believe that this verse is an invitation primarily for believers.
The Lord Jesus is inside our hearts because we have trusted Him as Savior. But there are rooms that remain shut to Him. He knocks and says, “Won’t you let me in? Won’t you spend time with me? Won’t you get to know me better?”
And the more we spend time with the Lord Jesus, in mediation, in prayer, and in learning His word, the more we will become like Him. The more we abide in Him, the more we will be like Him!
That’s oneness with Christ! 1 John 2:6
Jesus is knocking on the door.
Let’s open it and spend time with Him.