The Passover
The
Passover is just a day away and I want to take this time to refresh our memory
about that day and what it’s about. From back when the Israelites were freed from
Egyptian slavery to the time when Jesus became the sacrificial Lamb for us. Exodus 12:1-30 tells us about the time
when God first had His people begin to observe this miracle of their
deliverance from slavery. What occurred then was also a foreshadow of what was
going to take place in the future, which Jesus came to fulfill.
We can still relate this story to
ourselves even unto this day. This was to remain a memorial (verse 14) for us and an ordinance
forever because of the significance that it showed not just for those that
experienced it first hand or it wouldn’t have been important for God to make it
a memorial forever, it was for us at this time of year to reflect on what God
has done for us and continue to do.
Let us look at some of the verses and see
how they may be used for us this very day. One that we can look at is verse 11 were God’s people (us today)
needed to be ready at any moment to do what God asked of them to do. We need to
be ready throughout our lives to respond to God’s calling wherever and whenever
He calls on us to act. You could even compare their loins girded, shoes on
their feet and a staff in their hands with having our loins girded with truth,
shoes of the gospel on our feet and the staff in our hands to lead or show the
way for others, leading them to God and our messiah Jesus. From this verse we
learn that we need to be ALWAYS PREPARED.
Verse
13 we see the blood of the lamb is used to keep at bay death and even to
this day the blood and sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God is what keeps the
penalty of sin which is death at bay. Jesus was the future lamb; the lamb back
during the first Passover foreshadowed what would come pass when Jesus
fulfilled This Feast Day. He would come and delivery God’s people from the slavery
of sin and with his blood he would keep them safe from the death providing them
a way to forever avoid the cost of sin.
With the passing of the Passover begins
the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Even the Feast of Unleavened Bread has
significance for us and also was to be observed forever. Leaven for the most
part is used to represent sin and as Jesus lived a sinless life the Feast of
Unleavened Bread is a reminder to us to remove sin from our lives and that we
should do what we can to keep our homes (bodies) clear of leaven (sin).
Feast Days are not just for us to simply
observe them, but to take time and remember what God has done for us in the
past, present and what He will do for us in the future. These are times of
fellowship and celebration to call to mind and to take time to relate things
the Lord has done for us and others. Let us enjoy these days with our families
and friends.
Matthew 26:26-28
“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and
gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the
cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this
is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for
many for the remission of sins.”
Mark 14:22-24
“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. And he took the cup, and when he
had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said
unto them, This is my blood of the new testament,
which is shed for many.”
Luke 22:17-20
“And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take
this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of
the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 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. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the
new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.”
Leviticus 23:1-8
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,[2]
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of
the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my
feasts.[3] Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the
sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the
sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.[4] These are the feasts of
the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.[5]
In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover.[6] And on the fifteenth day of the same
month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat
unleavened bread.[7] In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation:
ye shall do no servile work therein.[8] But ye shall offer an offering
made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy
convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.”
Isaiah 66:23
“And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one
sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.”
Zechariah 14:16 “And
it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which
came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King,
the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.”
Matthew 5:17-18
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil.[18] For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in
no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
1Corinthians 5:7-8
“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.”