This ancient story comes down the centuries to us with power. The instructions are clear; the process plain. God is preparing to "pass through" the land of Egypt and this is one time when we would prefer that God pass us by altogether. The blood of the lamb is smeared on the doorpost so that God will know which ones are Egyptians and which ones are not.

I was reading this passage to the children and one of them raised a sheepish hand and asked these questions: "If God is God and knows everything, wouldn't God also know which houses were which? Why would God need the blood of the lamb?" The best questions always come out of the mouths of innocents.

Indeed. Why does God require the blood of the lamb? It is a multilayered and deep question. The more we think about it, the more dense it beco…