God told the Israelites to put blood on their doorposts so that when He saw the blood, He would pass over their homes and spare the firstborn when He judged Egypt.
The blood was a token upon the houses where Israel lived. That night the LORD passed through Egypt to strike every firstborn and to execute judgment on Egypt's gods. The blood on the doorposts marked the households that God would pass over and protect.
Exodus 12:13 — This verse directly answers the question: the blood was the appointed token, and when God saw it, He would pass over the house.
Exodus 12 records God's instructions to Israel before the Passover. God told them to take the blood of the Passover lamb and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses where they would eat it (Exodus 12:7). Verses 12–13 give the immediate purpose: "For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt." The blood was therefore a token upon the houses. God did not say He would look for Israel's confidence or describe a special form of worship; He said, "When I see the blood," He would pass over that house.
Les Feldick points out that Israel was told to put the blood on the two side posts and the lintel—not just on the door in general. He says that although no Jew in Egypt understood it, God already had the final picture in mind and was drawing an outline of the cross (Clips 0 and 3). He also repeatedly emphasizes that the Israelites were not shaking in fear that night. Because they had put the blood on the door by faith, they knew the death angel would not strike them; they were secure and covered (Clips 1, 2, and 7). Les also stresses that safety was never without the blood. A Jew who simply stayed inside without applying the blood would not have been safe, because God saw their faith when He saw the blood, and the blood itself was what gave them security (Clip 6). He closes by connecting the Passover lamb's blood to Paul's declaration that Christ is our Passover, moving from the example to the doctrinal ground in Romans 3 (Clip 7).
God's own words give the immediate reason: "When I see the blood, I will pass over you" (Exodus 12:13). The blood was to be a token on the houses where Israel lived. That same night the LORD passed through Egypt to smite all the firstborn and to execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt (Exodus 12:12). Les Feldick adds that the deliberate placement on the two side posts and the lintel was drawing an outline of the cross, although no Israelite understood that at the time (Clips 0, 3).
God's instructions were explicit. The blood was to be struck on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the house where they would eat the Passover (Exodus 12:7). Later, the details are repeated: they were to dip a bunch of hyssop in the blood in the basin and strike the lintel and the two side posts, and none of them were to go out of the door of the house until morning (Exodus 12:22). Les Feldick describes hyssop as a common little weed and says these instructions show it was not to be done "any old which way"—God had a specific way the blood was to be applied (Clip 5).
Les Feldick asks this exact question and answers it directly: no, they were not afraid—provided they were people of faith. Because the blood was on the door, they knew the death angel would not strike them. Their faith gave them security, and God Himself looked at the doorposts and saw the blood, which is what He saw as their faith (Clips 1, 2, 6, 7).
Les Feldick says no. He imagines an Israelite who thought he could simply stay inside without putting blood on the door, and asks whether he would have been safe. His answer is that the blood applied was what gave them security and safety; God did not look at the man's intentions alone but at the blood on the doorposts (Clip 6).
Judgment on Egypt and the Cross Outline
Les shows that God's instruction to put blood on the two side posts and the lintel was deliberate—He was drawing the outline of the cross even though Israel did not understand it at the time. He also notes the judgment was against both Egypt's firstborn and Egypt's gods.
Faith-Fueled Security
Les stresses that the Israelite families did not shake in fear because by faith they knew the blood on the door had made them secure. The death angel would not strike a house with blood on the door.
No Fear in the Huts
Les repeats the picture of Israel huddled in their little huts and says they had nothing to fear because the blood was on the door and they were covered.
Specific Placement on the Door
Les emphasizes the blood was to be put on the two side posts and the lintel, using hyssop like a piece of ragweed, and he says this placement formed the outline of the cross.
The Blood as the Token
Les reads Exodus 12:12–13, where God says the blood will be a token on the houses and that when He sees the blood, He will pass over Israel.
Explicit Application Instructions
Les shows the explicit instructions to dip hyssop in the blood and strike the lintel and two side posts, and he notes that no one was to go out of the house until morning.
Safety Only With the Blood
Les argues that even a Jew who stayed inside without applying blood would not have been safe. God saw their faith when He saw the blood, and the blood itself was essential.
From Passover Lamb to Christ
Les connects the Passover lamb's blood on the door to Paul's teaching that Christ is our Passover, and he points to Romans 3 as the doctrinal ground.
Exodus 12:7: And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
This is God's original instruction telling Israel where the blood was to be placed on the doors of their houses.
Exodus 12:12: For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
This verse explains what God was doing on Passover night—a judgment on Egypt's firstborn and on Egypt's gods.
Exodus 12:13: And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
This is the key verse showing that the blood on the door was the token by which God would recognize and spare the house.
Exodus 12:22: And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
This verse gives the explicit mechanics of how the blood was applied, using hyssop, and tells Israel to remain in the house until morning.
God appointed the blood as the token: "When I see the blood, I will pass over you" (Exodus 12:13). Les Feldick emphasizes that safety was never without the blood—a Jew who stayed inside without applying the blood would not have been safe (Clip 6).
God told them to strike the blood on the two side posts and on the upper door post (lintel) of the house (Exodus 12:7). Les Feldick points out that this three-sided placement drew the outline of the cross (Clips 0 and 3).
The instruction is recorded in Exodus 12:22: "none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning." Les Feldick quotes it as part of God's explicit instructions for the Passover night (Clip 5).
Watch the Teaching: Why God Separated Israel: The Meaning of the Blood on the Doorposts