Imagine it. Sparkling blue waters gently lapping the shore of a gleaming white sandy beach, palms waving overhead, a warm breeze… Sounds good for a vacation right now! It could be a scene from the beautiful tropical nation of Samoa, in the South Pacific.
But if you had visited Samoa on two particular days in December 2019, you would have found no one on the beaches, no one working in the plantations, and no one in the markets or shops or schools. Instead, if you had driven around the seemingly deserted villages you would have seen red flags or pieces of red cloth everywhere – wrapped around posts or trees, or attached to houses.
Why would this be? It was because Samoa was in lock down! The reason? Death was stalking Samoa, in the form of a deadly virus – measles! Dozens were dying, especially infants and young children. You can imagine the sorrow of the bereaved families. As the tragedy unfolded, funeral directors put out an appeal for more tiny caskets.
The Samoan government declared a state of emergency. It issued a lock down order for two days, the 5th and 6th of December. The message went out, “if you have not been vaccinated, stay in your home and display a red cloth or flag outside.” The people did this, and stayed indoors “waiting for their turn to be saved”, as one journalist put it. Vaccination teams gathered early on each of the two mornings and fanned out across the villages. They knew what to look for – the red flags! And in they went to each household with their life-saving vaccine.
Did you know that, many centuries ago, a people were put into lock down in Egypt? The Israelites were kept in slavery by the Egyptians, who persistently defied God’s command to free them. God planned to judge Egypt by slaying the firstborn child in each household, and to deliver His people Israel. On one specified evening each family of the Israelites was to slay a lamb and apply its blood to the doorway of their house. They were to go into their homes and stay there. For God had given His word: “When I see the blood”, He promised, “I will pass over you” (Exodus 12:13). That is, they would be safe from God’s judgment. The firstborn child would not be slain. So you see that they, too, were commanded to display a “mark of red” – this time, blood! In contrast to the Samoan flags, it was a sign of safety. If you are not familiar with this fascinating piece of history, you can read about it in Exodus chapter 12 of the Bible.
God’s beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ shed His blood on the cross for the forgiveness of sinners like you and me. What love!
Can you see the links between these two events? In each case the people had to admit to their dire need, and take action. In Samoa, families had to display the red flag. They were dependent on the government to keep its word and send the life-saving vaccine. Similarly, the Israelites had to apply the blood, dependent on God’s promise that they would be safe. In each case, the simple condition was laid down – to display the red marker. For Samoa, no flag, then no life-saving vaccine! For Israel, no blood applied, then no safety for the firstborn child.
What a vivid picture of God’s glorious way of salvation. God’s beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ shed His blood on the cross for the forgiveness of sinners like you and me. What love! The message couldn’t be clearer. Obey God’s command to repent of your sin and accept salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus, or perish under His righteous judgment.
The dear Samoan people had to “wait for their turn to be saved”. But the remedy for the deadly disease of sin is immediately and freely available. You dare not wait; your eternal destiny is at stake. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1.7).
That has to be the best news of all. Dear reader, make sure that you are safe under the blood of Christ. Make sure that you are displaying the right “mark of red”!
L M Thomson
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