PASSOVER
April 6, 2012
7:00PM EDT – April 7, 2012 6:00PM EDTJames Herschel Lyda
People say that we have a new covenant since Christ died. That is true but Christ did not do away with any of the commandments of God. He only fulfilled one, The commandment of the sacrifice of animals. The new covenant is the Holy Communion that Christ Himself offered AT THE PASSOVER. The offering of the bread for His body and the (unfermented) wine as His blood. But Christ Himself kept the passover and on the correct day. He kept the passover in the evening, was arrested shortly thereafter, tried early the next morning and taken from there and nailed to the cross. Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
50 Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. Christ died at about 3:O clock on the day of the passover. This is why it is so important that we keep the exact day.
Exodus 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
Deut. 16: 1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.
Month
From the time of the institution of the Mosaic law the month among the Jews was lunar but was indexed based on the solar location. The cycle of religious feasts depended on the moon. The ecclesiastical year began about the time of the vernal equinox (approximately 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark at the equator) or when spring begins on or about the 20th of April. The commencement of a month was determined by the observation of the new moon. In other words, it began on the first new moon following the beginning of spring. Some interesting side light to this situation. It seems that the world was created in a state of springtime during the Creation. Also after the flood Noah opened the ark to come out into the New World at this springtime of the year. The children of Israel left Egypt in the springtime of the year. Springtime is the renewing of all things in nature, the sign of God’s re-creation of life. This month Abib later became known as Nisan.
Exodus 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:
Since the very beginning God has given us signs so that we could recognize His gift of reconciliation, His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. In the creation he made the two great lights the Sun and the Moon, which represents Christ and his church. He created them on the fourth day (2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.) Also in the passover the lamb was kept up for four days. On the four thousand-year day Christ and his church was born.
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 symbolic of the manner in which Christ was to die. The crown of thorns and the nails in his hands all pierced his body and He was hung on a cross. The blood was placed on the doorposts in the approximate location of the blood on the cross
8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Bitter
Bitterness is symbolical of affliction, misery, and servitude #Ex 1:14 Ru 1:20 Jer 9:15 The Passover was to be eaten with "bitter herbs" #Ex 12:8 Nu 9:11 The kind of herbs so designated is not known. Probably they were any bitter herbs obtainable at the place and time when the Passover was celebrated. They represented the severity of the servitude under which the people groaned; and have been regarded also as typical of the sufferings of Christ.
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.
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.
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.
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.
23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
(We have a table set up with a plate, a bowl and a cup. In the middle of the table we have a meat platter garnished with Romaine lettuce and radishes around the outside of the platter but we have no meat on the platter ( If we had meat on the platter, we would be guilty of crucifying Christ afresh because He was the ultimate sacrifice to end all sacrifices.) We begin by eating the bitter herbs ( Parsley, Cilantro, Radishes, Celery Horseradish, etc.) dipped in salt water while asking the following questions.
Passover Questions?
I. Why is this night different from all others? Exo. 12:26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?
27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
II. Why do we eat such unusual foods? Exo. 1:13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
III. Why do we dip bitter herbs in salt water? To remember the bitterness of slavery in Egypt and their escape through the Red Sea. Exo 1:14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
IV. Where is the Passover lamb? For the dish is empty. The Sacrificial Lamb has already been slain on the cross therefore to plate a sacrifice would be crucifying Christ anew. 1Cor. 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: 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.
Heb. 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
(We eat no meat because after Christ was crucified, the "Ultimate Sacrifice," we are wrong to sacrifice an animal ever again. Therefore the platter is empty signifying that Christ was and is our Passover Lamb.)
Exodus 12:26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?
27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.
32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.
33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.
37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.
38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.
We break and eat the unleavened bread while drinking grape juice. ( It must be juice that does not contain leavening or fermentation because leavening represents sin. ) The children of Israel were commanded to remove all leavening from their homes.
Christ who was our example also kept this very Passover!
Luke 22:7 Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.
8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.
9 And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?
10 And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.
11 And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?
12 And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.
13 And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
This night that was given to the Israelites many years before, showed the exact day and the exact month in which Christ was to be killed on the cross. It showed that He was to be the Lamb of God, without sin or any imperfections. This is one of the most important festivals of which we are commanded to keep forever.
The other important day is mentioned in
Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
But when is the Sabbath? It is not Saturday as some believe. It is not normally Sunday as others practice. But this year it just happens to fall on Saturday. The New Year according to God begins with the month Abib. The month Abib begins on the new moon closest to the Vernal equinox ( spring begins ) This year according to God begins on April 5th at 6:00pm and the day ends on April 6 at 6:00pm. Seven days later on April 12 would be the seventh day or the Sabbath. This changes from year to year because our calendar does not consider the moon signs.
Genesis 1: 1
4 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:But our calendar only considers the Sun which the pagans worship. With our modern calendar’s usage worldwide and our living schedules synchronized to it, it is almost impossible to live according to God’s Holy calendar. But the day is coming in which it will be declared that time will be no more.
Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.