He Is Near (15 maart 2019)

CHRIST, OUR PASSOVER

The time is coming for the holiday in which we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. Did you know that this event had been foreshadowed by God within the
Bible for centuries, and even millennia before His birth?

God often teaches us about spiritual things in the Kingdom of God by using the physical
things we experience in our lives within this physical world as metaphors, especially events
that have taken place throughout history. This is an illustration of the multiple levels on which
the Word of God teaches simultaneously.

Have you ever wondered why most Christians celebrate the eggs, and chocolate, and baby
animals, and spring flowers, and a giant rabbit on a day we are supposed to be celebrating the
greatest act of Jesus Christ, which allows for our salvation and eternal life? Do those actually
have anything to do with Christianity? What about the day on which people traditionally
celebrate those things, Easter, is this celebration really biblical? You may be surprised at the
answer to those questions.

Let’s start at the beginning, long before Jesus was on earth. To set the scene, Moses, a
descendant of Levi, son of Jacob, is about to lead the Israelites, all descendants of Jacob as
well, out of their enslavement within Egypt. God commands Moses to establish the
observance of an ordinance among His people before they leave:

(Exo 12:1) And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
(Exo 12:2) This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month
of the year to you.

This first month month on the Hebrew calendar, Aviv or Nisan, is based on the spring
equinox in the northern hemisphere, which occurs in March, generally on the twentieth or
twenty-first day of the month. Through biblical study, we find that the first day of Aviv is
supposed to begin on the first day after the equinox event, contrary to how man has come up
with his own traditons of the Hebrew New Year. This is the month in which the barley crop
becomes ready for harvest, and the Hebrew name, Aviv, indicates this fact.

(Exo 12:3) Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month
they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for
an house: (4) And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next
unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating
shall make your count for the lamb. (5) Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the
first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

These are very specific procedures God spelled out that were to be followed to prepare for the
next stage of this ordinance. Now remember that all these things that happened before Christ
were given to us as examples of how to be proper Christians, especially into the final
generation.

(1Co 10:11) Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for
our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Something to keep in mind is that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God. This may help you to
begin to see where this is going.

(Joh 1:32-36) And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a
dove, and it abode upon him. (33) And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with
water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining
on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. (34) And I saw, and bare record
that this is the Son of God. (35) Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
(36) And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

(Exo 12:6) And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole
assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. (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. (8) And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened
bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. (9) Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water,
but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. (10) And ye shall
let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye
shall burn with fire. (11) And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your
feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover.

This lamb was to be readied in order to be eaten during the celebration that was to take place
on the fourteenth day of the month, which would be known as Passover. Let’s find out why
it’s called the Passover.
(Exo 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. (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. (14) And this day shall be unto
you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye
shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

Forever. These instructions are supposed to be followed until the end of time by God’s
people. God is sparing those households that are obedient to Him from certain death, and that
death would pass over all those who were faithful to God in this. Those who have not
received these instructions or who choose not to follow them will suffer.

This is the message throughout the Bible: that, if we trust God and have faith in Him over
anything or anyone else, He will always take care of us. Sometimes we may not understand
why He would have us do certain things, or why we would even have to go through trials in
our lives, but it is always for our benefit in the end.

(Exo 12:15) Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away
leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the
seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

In the Old Testament times, the focus was on the physical aspect of religion. God expected
everyone to follow tangible rules to show their obedience. There was to be no leavened bread
in your home at the time of this celebration if you were a faithful Israelite.

Today, as we read above, we are to continue observing what we see here, but instead, we are
now to follow it in a spiritual manner.

(Exo 12:16) And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day
there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that
which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. (17) And ye shall observe the feast
of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of
Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. (18)
In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread,
until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. (19) Seven days shall there be no leaven
found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut
off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. (20) Ye shall
eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

You can begin to see just how seriously He takes this leavened and unleavened bread. With as
much emphasis He puts on this subject, I wouldn’t recommend dismissing it.

Now, as I mentioned a little bit earlier, we are now to observe ordinances on a spiritual level,
rather than physically, though we are ordered to observe Passover forever. So how does this
work?

Let’s start by looking at the leavened bread:

(Mat 16:5-12) And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take
bread. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of
the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no
bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye
among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither
remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the
seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that ye do not
understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware
of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

So, what is the leaven we are to beware of today? It is the doctrine of the Pharisees and
Sadducees. The Pharisees and Sadducees are known to have added a lot of fluff and junk into
the Israelite religion, and Jesus is warning the apostles, and us today, to stay away from those
things that have nothing to do with God, and to stick with His Word. It is even worse if that
leaven is related to pagan religions. So during this Passover week, it would certainly be a bad
thing for us to have in our homes items related to celebrations in pagan religions. Even more
importantly, as the term house represents our heart and where our focus is, we are not to be
partaking in rituals and pastimes that are against God during this time.

Research the origins of the rituals related to the celebration of the goddess Ishtar (Ashteroth),
which have been carried over to the modern celebration of Easter. They are not at all
innocent; in fact they are very evil.

But since we are now to observe ordinances of God on a spiritual level, how do we apply the
rest of God’s commands?

(1Co 5:7) Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are
unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: (8) Therefore let us keep the
feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the
unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

So now we begin to see the whole picture. Paul tells us here that Christ is our Passover, and
that we are to continue to keep the feast of unleavened bread, and to purge the leaven out of
our lives, and to celebrate with unleavened–the Truth of God, with nothing added in to fluff it
up. But, if Christ is the Passover, does that still mean we are to slay a lamb for the feast?
Well, what did we read a little earlier?

(Joh 1:35) Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples. (36) And looking
upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

Jesus is that unblemished Lamb and He has already been sacrificed for us, once and for all
times! And He rose from the grave, death having passed Him over to show us what would
await the faithful after our bodies were done. But what about the feast? Jesus instructed us
about this shortly before His crucifixion.

(Mar 14:22) And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to
them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. (23) And he took the cup, and when he had given
thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. (24) And he said unto them, This is my
blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
(1Co 10:16) The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of
Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (17) For we
being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

When we take communion, as Christians, we are partaking of that feast of the unleavened
bread that God mandated in Exodus 12, but we now observe it under the new covenant.

I might also suggest that, in place of Lamb’s blood, you can anoint your home, and your
family and self with olive oil, which is elaya in Greek (in Hebrew, El and Ya are two names
of God). And, with your families, you should read about our Passover in the Bible, just as we
are told to do in Exodus, but then make the connection with the Lord, Jesus Christ.

(Joh 6:47) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (48) I
am that bread of life. (49) Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. (50)
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
(51) I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he
shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of
the world.

So, we are to believe in Jesus Christ and know that He is our Lord and Savior, Who died for
our sins. We are to participate in the feast of communion to demonstrate our faith in
obedience to the ordinance God demanded us to observe. As a result, we will have everlasting
life and we will not perish with those who are not living according to God. When we do this,
we become spiritual Israelites, whether we were of the family of Jacob (Israel) or not. If you
are a spiritual Israelite, you are one of God’s people, and the ordinance of Passover applies to
you. And after all, if you are one of God’s people, you want to make God happy, don’t you?

Of course you want to please God. And the way to do that is to study His Word, which will
bring you closer with Jesus, and learn how to live by His ways. This is what He has wanted us
to do all along. It doesn’t matter how badly you think you’ve messed up, it’s not too late to
turn around and repent and come back to God!

God Bless