THE EASTER/PASSOVER CONNECTION

IN MY JOURNEY WITH GOD IN THIS SEASON OF MY LIFE, I HAVE SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THE BOOKS THAT JEWISH BELIEVERS CALL THE TORAH. I BELIEVE THAT THESE BOOKS ARE SO VERY IMPORTANT IN UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE COME FROM, AND ALSO THAT THESE BOOKS GIVE US A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF GOD, HIS COMMANDMENTS, AND HIS CHARACTER. THE TORAH GIVES US TRUTH, WISDOM, AND THE INSTRUCTION ON HOW WE ARE TO LIVE IN THE WAYS OF GOD. THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE THE LAWS OF GOD. IT IS SPECIFICALLY IN EXODUS THAT WE FIND THE STORY OF PASSOVER. THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAD BEEN HELD CAPTIVE IN EGYPT FOR APPROXIMATELY 210 YEARS WHEN GOD HAD MOSES ISSUE THE FINAL PLAGUE AGAINST PHARAOH THAT WOULD SET THE PEOPLE FREE. THE CURSE WOULD KILL THE FIRST BORN SONS OF EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN EGYPT. GOD HOWEVER DIRECTED THE ISRAELITES TO SACRIFICE A ONE YEAR OLD LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH, PREPARED IN A SPECIFIC WAY, APPLYING IT’S BLOOD TO THE TOP AND SIDES OF THE DOORFRAME OF THEIR HOUSES. THIS WOULD ENSURE THAT THE DESTROYER WOULD “PASS OVER” THOSE MARKED HOUSES AND NOT KILL ANYONE WITHIN. THE PEOPLE WERE TO CONSUME THE LAMB IN A VERY SPECIFIC WAY IN TERMS OF HOW IT WAS PREPARED, COOKED, AND EATEN ALSO. ONCE THIS CURSE HAD COME TO FRUITION, PHAROAH TOLD MOSES TO TAKE HIS PEOPLE AND GO. THEIR JOURNEY AND THEIR TRIALS ARE WELL DEFINED IN THE REMAINING PAGES OF EXODUS AND BEYOND.

SO, I AM A CHRISTIAN ! WHY SHOULD THIS MATTER TO ME ? I AM NOT JEWISH, AND SO IT SEEMS LIKE AN INTERESTING PART OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, BUT HOW DOES IT TIE IN WITH EASTER ? ACTUALLY, THE TIE IN IS INCREDIBLE. I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU, THAT LIKE THE JOURNEY FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE OUT OF SLAVERY IN EGYPT, WE AS CHRISTIANS HAVE ALSO BEEN FREED OF SLAVERY. IN ORDER TO ESCAPE THE DESTROYER BRINGING DEATH TO ALL IN EGYPT, THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH WAS KILLED, AND THE BLOOD ON THE DOORFRAME PROTECTED THOSE WITHIN FROM THE FINALITY OF DEATH. IS IT JUST COINCIDENCE THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST RECOGNIZED JESUS AS “THE LAMB OF GOD” ? PETER ALSO CALLED JESUS “A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH OR DEFECT”. YOU SEE, JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD THAT HAS FREED US FROM THE SLAVERY AND DEATH OF SIN….HE IS LAMB WHOSE BLOOD WE HAVE APPLIED TO OUR HEART TO BE PURIFIED AND CLEANSED SO THAT THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD PASSES OVER US, GIVING US THE PATH TO ETERNAL LIFE AND RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER ! WOW ! THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE SACRIFICED HIS SON SO THAT YOU AND I MIGHT HAVE….LIFE WITH HIM. I BELIEVE THAT THE PASSOVER LAMB IN EGYPT WAS A FORESHADOWING OF JESUS, THE TRUE LAMB OF GOD.

THE CONNECTION IS SO INCREDIBLE. IT TIES US TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN SUCH A RELEVANT AND IMPORTANT WAY. IF WE LOOK BACK TO THE TIME SHORTLY AFTER JESUS HAD RISEN, AND THEN ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, THE APOSTLES WERE MAINLY SHARING THEIR BELIEF IN JESUS AS THE MESSIAH WITH FELLOW JEWS. IT WAS ONLY WHEN PETER HAD RECEIVED A VISION REGARDING THE COMMON AND UNCLEAN AND WAS THEN PROMPTED BY THE SPIRIT TO MEET WITH CORNELIUS THE ROMAN CENTURION, THAT THE MESSAGE OF JESUS WAS TRULY SHARED WITH EVERYONE. JESUS HAD COME FOR EVERYONE. HIS MESSAGE IS FOR EVERYONE. JEWS AND GENTILES ARE BOTH OF THE SAME VINE, WITH THE GENTILES GRAFTED IN, BOTH BEARING FRUIT THROUGH OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

IT STRIKES ME SOME TIMES HOW HARD IT IS TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW MANY JEWISH PEOPLE DO NOT SEE JESUS AS THE MESSIAH. IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS SO CLEAR IN READING THE TORAH, AND PROPHETS, AND THE WRITINGS, THAT THE MESSIAH THEY SPEAK OF IS CLEARLY JESUS. FOR MANY REASONS, THE CONNECTION HAS NOT BEEN MADE FOR MANY OF THEM. I TRULY BELIEVE, AS GOD HAS PROCLAIMED, THAT SOME DAY MANY EYES WILL BE OPENED, AND THE FATHER THAT WE SHARE WILL BRING GENTILE AND JEW TOGETHER INTO HIS KINGDOM TO LIVE IN PERFECTION. IN THE MEAN TIME, I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND ALL THAT THE TORAH AND MANY OTHER BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT HAVE TO SHOW US AND TEACH US.

HOW MUCH MORE INCREDIBLE IT MAKES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND HIS KINGDOM. JESUS SETS US FREE FROM SO MANY THINGS. HE CAME TO FULFILL THE LAW, AND TO SHOW US WHY WE NEED TO LIVE AS HE LIVED. JESUS WAS A JEW, BUT HE CAME TO DELIVER LOVE, HOPE, AND SALVATION TO ALL WHO WOULD BELIEVE IN HIM, AND ACCEPT HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR. EVERYONE ! HE IS THE LAMB OF GOD WHO SACRIFICED HIMSELF THAT I MIGHT BE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. OH WHAT HE WENT THROUGH FOR ME AND YOU. THE SUFFERING, THE PAIN, THE REJECTION…..AND THE PLACE OF DEATH….AND THEN, THE GLORY OF HIS RESURRECTION ! I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT THE TRUTH IS SIMPLE. HE IS RISEN !! SEEK HIM TO BE YOUR LORD, SAVIOR, AND KING. SEE WHY PASSOVER AND EASTER ARE SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU JUST CAN’T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET THEM FILL YOU HEART AND LIFE ! PEACE AND SHALOM :) JA

THE NEXT DAY JOHN SAW JESUS COMING TOWARD HIM AND SAID “HERE IS THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD” John 1:29

THEREFORE , THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE IN CHRIST JESUS, BECAUSE THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST HAS SET YOU FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. Romans 8:3

"“HE IS NOT HERE, FOR HE IS RISEN” The Garden Tomb sign near Jerusalem, where many believe Jesus was buried. Hallelujah, the tomb could not hold Him. He is Risen !