Christians Celebrating Passover

     It is extremely exciting for me to see more and more Christians celebrating the Passover Feast. That wasn't the case when my heart was first awakened to the seven appointed feasts of the Lord over five years ago.
     It was then that Mark and I decided to begin a deep study on how Scripture said they applied to us, as Christians. When speaking of the Feasts, the Lord said, "Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as an ordinance forever". It quickly became apparent that all of the seven feasts pointed not only to the historical experiences of the nation of Israel, but to those who called themselves "the children of Abraham". Since Abraham is the father of our faith, too, then these Feasts of the Lord must also have great significance for us.  
     As we approach the first of the Feasts, I would like to share a basic understanding of Passover and why it has such special meaning to both the Jewish and Christian faiths. In Leviticus 23, God commands Moses to tell the children of Israel, "The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts... to be proclaimed at their appointed times... and to be followed by all generations."  Since we have been adopted and grafted into His chosen people, we are also the children of Israel.  I am encouraged that so many Christians are now seeing the picture that these feasts show us of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and are agreeing to approach these sacred times as humble seekers of God's revelations.

     We know that this approaching Passover "season" and the feasts of Pesach, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits have all been incorporated into the celebration of Passover, and reference to Passover means all three of these feasts.  In 2018, Passover will be celebrated from sundown Friday, March 30th, to sundown on Saturday, April 7th. If you are celebrating as a church or a small gathering, I pray that God will recognize your desire to please Him in this effort and that He will bless your assembly.

     We all know the Passover story from the Sixth chapter of Exodus.  We know the story of the Lord sending Moses to lead the children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land, and we know that Pharaoh refused to let them go.  After sending the nine plagues that did not touch Pharaoh’s heart, the Lord said the firstborn males of every house would die unless the door frame of that house was covered with the blood of a perfect lamb.  That night the Lord “passed over” those homes that were covered with the blood of the lamb, and Pharaoh, losing his own son, let the people of Israel go.  Passover was to be a lasting ordinance (and memorial) for generations to come.

     The Passover Seder meal commemorates the Israelite’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt nearly 3500 years ago..  Jesus honored the Passover while on earth, and I believe that it was at this Seder meal that He spoke the words in today's closing verse.  But what significance does it have for us?  First, we have to understand the significance of what was served at this Seder and why Jesus wanted to experience this meal with His disciples.

     First, there must be served a perfect lamb, without blemish.  It must be sacrificed and served in remembrance of the blood of the lamb that allowed them to leave Egypt.  You may be aware that Egypt has always symbolized bondage and slavery to sin.   During this very Seder meal, Jesus reveals that He is the Sacrificial Lamb that delivers us from the bondage of sin.

     The only type of bread eaten during the eight days of Passover was unleavened bread or Matzah.  It was made with flour and water only, no leaven or yeast, in remembrance of their hasty departure from Egypt.  They had to have a form of sustenance that would last and not spoil.  They were specifically instructed that the bread was to be striped and pierced during baking.  This is a picture that should remind us that Jesus was striped (scourged) and pierced for us; and that He is the "living bread from Heaven."

     Also, in the Jewish Seder, there is a ritual in which the matzah or unleavened bread is broken, hidden, found, bought for a price, and then eaten to end the meal.  This is not only a picture of the Jewish experience during their captivity in Egypt and their Exodus ... read the actions again that are taken with the bread ... but Jesus is also telling His disciples (and us), "I was broken, hidden, found, bought for a price."  When he breaks the unleavened bread in Luke 22:19, and says, "“This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me", He is saying "I did that for you, and I am the only sustenance you need."  

     The Passover meal also included bitter herbs, so that the Jews would remember the harshness and bitterness of slavery, so that their freedom (symbolically, from sin) would taste sweeter.  Jesus wished His disciples (and us) to see that our freedom from sin is sweeter, too.  We no longer have to taste the bitterness of sin because of what He did for us on the cross.  But the presence of the bitter herbs at the Passover meal should be a reminder of the temptation of sin.  It is real and distasteful.

     Finally, the Passover meal always included wine, four cups to be exact, in remembrance of the redemption from Egypt (Exodus 6:6-8) in which God told the Israelites, ""I will lead you forth... I will deliver you... I will ransom you... I will take you to Me....".

     In this particular Passover Seder, Luke 22:20 reveals that "Likewise He also took the cup after supper (The Third Cup), saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you."  This cup of wine was to be drunk in remembrance of that third part of the covenant God made with them when He brought them out of Israel ... I will ransom you.   Jesus is showing them (and us) that yes, God ransomed them from Egypt and the Pharaoh; but now He, Jesus, is the new covenant that ransoms. His blood ransoms us, and He says it right there in the Scripture!

     So the Passover Seder, which had been observed for nearly a century and a half, and religiously observed by Jesus, who was a Jew, is a picture of the Lord's Supper that night in the upper room before His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection a few days later.  The celebration of the Feast of First Fruits completes the picture.

      The Lord instructed the Israelites on how to conduct the Feast of First Fruits: the people offered the first ripe sheaf (their first fruit) of barley to the Lord as an act of dedicating the harvest to Him.  On Passover, a marked sheaf of grain was bundled and left standing in the field.  On the next day, the first day of Unleavened Bread, the sheaf was cut and prepared for the offering on the third day.  

On this third day, which was the actual Feast day, the priest waved the sheaf before the Lord.  They then began counting 50 days until Pentecost, which is the next feast to be celebrated.  

     It is easy to see the picture of Jesus in the Feast of First Fruits.  It is a picture of Jesus’s resurrection, which Christians celebrate as Easter, (with all of its Constantine influences).  His resurrection is the first fruit of God’s redemption of mankind …. and we see a picture of “things to come” … the harvest and promise of the future resurrection of believers.  

     So we now have the historical significance of the Passover Seder.  We have the meaning behind Pesach and the Exodus; we know the significance of the unleavened bread and the first fruits of the harvest.  We see the picture of what God did for the Israelites, and what Christ has done for us, in the Seder Meal and what is eaten.  And we see the picture of His death and resurrection in that somber assembly at the Last (Passover) Supper.  And most importantly, I hope we see that we are called to observe these Feasts by our Lord, in remembrance of what He has done for those He calls His own, both Jewish and Christian.   Jesus may have instituted the Lord's Supper from rituals of the Passover Seder, but neither negates the other.  I believe that it pleases the Lord for us to be obedient to His command to observe the Feasts; to see that they point to Christ; and to worship His Son's death, burial and resurrection as the fulfillment of the promises of these Feasts.  

     In the spirit of praise and worship, I say "Pesach Same'ach (Happy Passover), and I hope you will be blessed by observing the first of the Lord's ordained Feasts!

Next post I will share how our Home Church celebrates this solemn, yet joyous occasion.

Luke 22:14-16      When Jesus arrived at the upper room, He took His place at the table along with all the apostles. Then He told them, “I have longed with passion and desire to eat this Passover lamb with you before I endure my sufferings.  I promise you that the next time we eat this, we will be together in the banquet of God’s kingdom realm.”

 

What To Make Of September 23, 2017

     I have really hesitated whether to even write or comment on all the uproar over the prophetic implications of today's date.  I would venture that "September 23, 2017" has become the hottest Google search item in the last few weeks.  Why wouldn't it be, when headlines like the following are all over the internet?  Will The World End on September 23, 2017?  The Apocalypse Will Begin on September 23rd! And my favorite ... The End 2017: Watch This Video Before It's Too Late!
     I want to be clear that there are many serious-minded Bible scholars who reverently look to the Book of Revelation as they proclaim their prophecies.  I do not mean to mock them.  But there are as many New Agers and Astrology enthusiasts who mix their theories with just enough Bible components to cause confusion and inaccurate predictions.  It is my goal to present a simplified, yet informative overview of the topic.
     Let's talk about what CAN BE verified and SHOULD BE considered.  First of all, it is important to note that Astronomy and Astrology are not the same thing.  Astrology is the study of the relationship between planets and celestial objects and human affairs.  In other words, a person looks to the planets and stars for their identity, instead of to God, the Creator of the heavens.  God is missing from the relationship equation.  Astronomy, on the other hand, is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. What is the difference, and is there a relationship to God in Astronomy?  If you are studying the planets and stars (instead of worshipping them), then [if you are willing], you can hear the voice of God ... When God created the heavens and the earth, He said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years," -- Genesis 1:14.

     So, fast forward to all the conversation about what is going on in the heavens right now, and specifically, surrounding September 23rd.  Astronomers point out that during this time frame, (on September 23, 2017), the moon appears under the feet of the Constellation Virgo. The Sun appears to precisely clothe Virgo, and the nine stars of the constellation Leo, along with the three planetary alignments of Mercury, Venus and Mars, combine to make a count of 12 stars on the head of Virgo.  Many Bible prophecy "experts" see this phenomenon as the fulfillment of Revelation 12:1-2:  And a great sign [warning of an ominous and frightening future event] appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child (the Messiah) and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.  They believe that this signifies the Second Coming of Jesus, connecting this verse with Jesus's mention of birth pangs and His warning of the signs that proclaim His return and the beginning of the Tribulation in Matthew 24: But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble].
     Now, consider all the speculations over the hurricanes, the earthquakes, the weather phenomena, the flooding in Europe, and all the conspiracy theories about the "rogue" planet coming perilously close to earth. This phenomenon is known variably as "Planet X" or "Niburu", which some theorize could be what the Bible calls "Wormwood", which makes its appearance when the third angel sounds his trumpet in Revelation 8: and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water—the name of the star is Wormwood.  All these events coming together at this time is fueling lots of conversations among Christians and non-Christians, alike.
      I will tell you that there are many different concepts floating around about these prophecies, and by no means, is the Church in agreement.  Chief among the points of contention is when one believes the Rapture of the Church takes place.  There are many who are believing that if this is indeed the beginning of the Tribulation, then the Body of Christ will be raptured any moment.  Others aren't so pre-occupied with declaring the day or the hour, because as Jesus said, But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  BUT, let us not forget that God, Himself, said in Genesis, Chapter 1, that the sun, moon, and stars, [and constellations] are to be useful signs for marking the seasons.  So, is there any Biblical justification for tying seasons to Jesus's return?
     Let me begin by saying in Genesis 1:14, that word "seasons" is the Hebrew word môed", meaning "a festival; an assembly convened for a definite purpose; the appointed place of meeting".  It is very important to note that this is the same Hebrew word God uses when He speaks to Moses about His established Feast Days.  It is also valid to point out that the "season" of the Spring Feasts of the Lord coordinate with the First Coming of Christ -- He died on the Feast of Passover (as our sacrificial lamb, delivering us from the bondage of sin); was buried on the Feast of Unleavened Bread (born without sin, He is our Bread of Life); He rose on the Feast of Firstfruits (as the first fruit of the Harvest of Souls); and 50 days later, on what we call Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks of the Whole Harvest) He sent the Holy Spirit to write God's Laws on the hearts of new Believers, for a harvest of souls.
     If you need it summarized more than that, here it is in a nutshell .... Christ died on Passover, was buried on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and was resurrected on the Feast of First Fruits!  To carry on His Plan of Salvation, God sent the Holy Spirit to write His commandments on the heart of Believers on the day of the Feast of Pentecost, which commemorated the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai nearly 1500 years before.  Now that Law is written on our hearts.  That all happened [precisely, I might add] in the season of the Spring Feasts.

     Therefore, we should also be mindful of the "season" of the Fall Feasts, because God, Himself, said He made the seasons as useful signs. So, what do the Fall Feasts foreshadow?  The Bible tells us that the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) celebrates the return of the King (as Messiah) and the Rapture of the Church of Believers.  It is known as the "Day of the Lord".  The next Feast day is the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and it is a day of repentance and recognition that Jesus sacrificed His life for ours.  It most likely also represents a future Day of Judgment for all mankind.  Finally, the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) shows us that Yeshua is our Tabernacle (our sanctuary) as we celebrate our deliverance from this sinful world.  It is also a "feast of ingathering" of the fall harvest, which is symbolic of Yeshua's gathering the faithful to Himself in the Millennial Kingdom.  So you can see, that the Fall Feasts are a time of rehearsal for His Second Coming, and a time of great expectation.  So in light of all the focus on this September, the question becomes, "Will He come on this year's Fall Feasts?"
     But that is always the question ... Yes, we don't know the day or the hour (as Jesus makes clear), but I believe we are to know the seasons, so that we will not be caught unawares. That's why we read in 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4,  For you yourselves are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
     So, here is another link to the "signs in the heavens" and the pregnant woman in labor (as represented by the constellations of Virgo and Leo at the present time).  You can see how everyone is getting excited about what they see going on in the heavens.  For the first time, in a long time, both the heavens and the Feast Days are aligning.  But here is what you need to know about my personal opinion ... I put more stock in the Return of Jesus according to the Feast Days than I do according to the stars and the constellations.  And in 2017, the Feast of Trumpets (in which the angels will announce His Second Coming) is the ONLY Feast of The Lord in which the arrival is dependent upon the confirmed sighting of the new moon [in Jerusalem] before it can officially begin. For that reason, there are always two days alloted and considered to be "one long day".  In 2017 this Feast is held on the 21st and 22nd of September. So, if you are reading this blog on the 23rd, we may be witnessing the constellations of Virgo and Leo coming into alignment, but the Feast of Trumpets has passed.
     Does this mean that all this hoopla is over nothing?  Not necessarily. There are certainly signs in the heavens that match Biblical descriptions.  But we must not get so focused on them that we take our eyes off God's "appointed times" that have already signified [so accurately] Christ's First Coming.  Let us earnestly contemplate the blessings of having God show us His planned redemption for those who have faith in His Son. And let us search the Scripture for all the references to the Feasts and how Jesus celebrated them.  They are appointed times, set forth by Jehovah God, for all His people to meet with Him and see that each holy Feast Day is a picture of Jesus and His redemptive work on behalf of all mankind.  Let us look upon these Fall Feast Days, and their prophetic nature, with praise and thanksgiving.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4   "Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God".

1 Corinthians 15:19-20

If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.

Ascension (John Singleton Copley, 1775)

     Today, I decided to take a look back at what I've written over the past 5-6 years about this momentous Day, and to compose an anthology [of sorts] of the important points I have wanted to make about the Resurrection of Christ.  Combined, this provides an overview of my theology and my faith. Here's to our hope of being raised in the imperishable image of our Lord!

     Today is the holiest day in Christianity. Known as Easter, it has come to mean the celebration of the resurrection of Christ three days after His crucifixion. It is the oldest Christian holiday and the most important day of the church year because of what Christ did for us.  His willingness to pay the debt owed by all mankind throughout history, for the sins we have committed, culminates at the Cross.  He endured God's wrath [that we deserve] so that we could be forgiven our sins and reconciled with God, our Father in Heaven.  Christ's crucifixion and resurrection constitutes the single most important event upon which Christianity is based.

     All Christians should acknowledge that this day is in celebration of the restoration of our relationship with God.  Christ's resurrection represents so much:  He had finished the work His Father sent him to do; His death on the Cross completed His task, namely establishing the Kingdom of God on earth, and seeking and saving those who are lost.  Through these acts, Jesus provided atonement for the sins of all who would ever believe in Him (Romans 3:23-25).  None other than God in the flesh could accomplish such a task.

     But there's more!  Also completed was the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecies, symbols, and foreshadowings of the coming Messiah. From Genesis to Malachi, there are over 300 specific prophecies detailing the coming of the Anointed One, all fulfilled by Jesus. From the “seed” who would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15), to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, to the prediction of the “messenger” of the Lord (John the Baptist) who would “prepare the way” for the Messiah --- all prophecies of Jesus’ life, ministry, and death were fulfilled and finished at the Cross.

     While I believe that all of Christianity worships this holiday in sincere faith, I am also convinced they do so influenced by Satan's deception.  Let me explain:  I have searched the Bible for any mention of a holiday called Easter ... I can find none.  But in 325 AD, Emperor Constantine, at the Nicean Council, ordered all Churches to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on "Easter Sunday".  The early Church had celebrated the Resurrection during the Passover, beginning on the 14th day of the Hebrew month called Nisan, which could fall on any day of the week.  But the Churches near Rome had abandoned the practice because they hated the Jews, blaming them for the death of Jesus, so they fixed the date to the first Sunday after the first full moon of Spring, which coincided with the ancient Roman celebration called ‘Easter’, after the pagan goddess of Spring, Eostre. 

     It is important to note that during the first couple hundred years of the Early Church, believers followed the Jewish traditions of the Lord's Feasts.  But Constantine's Satan-induced hatred of the Jews caused the Jewish influence (in the form of the Feasts) to be erased from the Church.  Here is a direct quote from Constantine himself:   “And truly, in the first place, it seems to everyone a most unworthy thing that we should follow the customs of the Jews in the celebration of this most holy solemnity, who, polluted wretches! having stained their hands with a nefarious crime, are justly blinded in their minds. It is fit, therefore, that rejecting the practice of this people, we should perpetuate to all future ages the celebration of this rite, in a more legitimate order, which we have kept from the first day of our "Lord's" passion even to the present times. Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.” (Council of Nicea, pg. 52.)

     The consequences of this hostility towards the Jews has meant that nearly 2000 years after its establishment, the Church has lost the truth about God's commandments as to how we are to celebrate His Son's resurrection. And with this deception, we pay no attention to the Biblical connections.

     I understand that there are many Evangelical leaders who do not see the pagan influences in our celebration of Easter. And I want to make it clear ... I rejoice with my Christian brothers and sisters when they celebrate the reason for Easter.. that Christ died on the Cross for us, so that our sin debt would be paid and we can be found acceptable in the sight of our Holy God... and that He was resurrected as the first among us who believe in God's power to do so.  His resurrection is a mirror of what we will one day experience!  Hallelujah!

     I simply choose to see more in this celebration than what the Church has traditionally taught.  I have been blessed to have the Holy Spirit reveal that God's Feasts show His plan for mankind's redemption, and that the Feast of Firstfruits was God's instituted "rehearsal" for the harvest of Jesus's soul and His resurrection, and the promise that we will one day be a part of God's end-time harvest.

      This recognition in no way undermines the faith of those who want to celebrate Easter.  For me, I just see no Scriptural reference to a holy day celebration called "Easter" in Scripture; but I do see references to the Feast of Firstfruits and its implications of Christ's [and all Christians'] resurrection in Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Numbers, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Nehemiah, Proverbs, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Romans, 1 Corinthians, James, and Revelation.

      The regulations for Firstfruits were outlined by God in Leviticus 23.  I would venture to say that most Christians skip this chapter of the Bible, labeling it as laws that pertained [only] to the ancient Israelites; too restrictive; too discriminatory; or just plain unnecessary for the modern Believer.

     But if you do a deep study of the Word, you will find so much significance for this season of worship.  Firstfruits was essentially the beginning of the grain harvest in Israel, and on this particular day a specific sheaf of barley, which had been marked for this occasion, was to be brought to the priest at the Temple, who would wave it (or exhibit it) before the Lord for acceptance. (Can you see Jesus hanging on the Cross?)  It was representative of the barley harvest as a whole and served as a pledge or guarantee that the remainder of the harvest would be realized in the days that followed.

     Accompanying this time of worship were other offerings to the Lord ... an unblemished male lamb, a drink offering of wine, and a meal offering of the barley flour mixed with olive oil (an unleavened bread).  Are you starting to get the picture?  During this holy season of worship, Jesus, our High Priest, can be seen in all the pictures of the Passover week ... as the sacrificial lamb; in the wine offering which represents His blood spilled for us; in the unleavened bread (leaven represents sin in the Bible and Jesus was without "leaven"); and as the climactic event, He is the First to be raised from the dead.  He is representative of the harvest of Believers as a whole, and His resurrection serves as a guarantee that all those who believe and trust on Him will be harvested to resurrected glory as well.  He is the beginning (Firstfruit) of God's final harvest of all mankind. 

     And for those who still struggle with the prophetic meaning of this holy day, consider this: after his death and burial, Christ rose again on the third day of the Passover season, on the very day of the Feast of Firstfruits.  Do you think that this was coincidental?  I am just overwhelmed with "the picture" of His salvation plan that God has given us through His Feast Days.  If we truly meditate upon them, we will realize that they are more than just ancient rituals.  They point to Christ at every turn!

     In the final analysis, I am eternally grateful for Jesus's sacrifice for me; I eagerly look forward to the Father's reaping of souls and I thank Him for showing us the picture of what that harvest will look like through the resurrection of His Son ... the Firstfruit of all who will follow Him.  And this is what I wish for everyone who believes.... that on this holy day, we will know that Jesus's triumphant and glorious victory over death is ours, as well.  We can count on it!  Just as He was resurrected to new life, so shall we be.  And that certainty will give us hope so that we might endure suffering, persecution, and danger.  Just as He did.  We are living in perilous times, and our faith will be tested.  Do not fear!  We know our destination! When Jesus rose from the dead, He showed us that God has the power to resurrect us, too!  No matter what God has in store for us, we can lay claim to His promise.  On this day, we celebrate the blessed guarantee that those who believe in Christ will be victorious over Death and will be resurrected unto Eternal Life.  It is with a humble and grateful heart, that I proclaim, He Is Risen!

     

Why I Celebrate the Festival of Passover & What It Means To Me

     The Festival of Passover will begin on the evening of Monday, April 10 and will conclude at evening on Tuesday, April 18.  Within these Holy days, God ordained the Feast of Pesach, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Fruitfruits -- all in commemoration of what He did in delivering the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt AND as a foreshadowing of the work He would do through His Son, Jesus Christ, in delivering us out of a life of bondage to sin. Within these eight days of Passover, Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected, and each Feast speaks of Him and His redemptive work on our behalf.
     And yes, God ordained these Feast Days, and they are His Holy Days, not just Jewish holidays, as the Church has mistakenly believed. In Leviticus 23, God proclaimed them as My Feasts and that they would be a perpetual statute among all your generations in all your dwelling places.  And because we are the spiritual descendants of Abraham, these Feasts not only have meaning to us, but I believe that we are to celebrate them, too.  After all, Abraham is the "father" of our faith, and as Galatians 3:29 says, If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. 
     But I want us to understand that God consecrated these specific holidays; set them apart as times to remember what He has done, what He continues to do, and what He will complete at the end of this Age.  Therefore, it is important that we know what each Feast Day means and what it tells us about the God we serve.

     The eight days that make up the Festival of Passover actually incorporate three separate Feasts, all under the umbrella of "the Feast of Passover". The first day of the Festival, and the first of the Feasts, is called Pesach, which means "spare" or "exempt" in Hebrew, and which our English Bibles translate as "pass over".  Therefore, it has become known as the Feast of Passover in our time.
     It is the foundation of all three Feasts, and commemorates the Lord's direction to the Israelites to sacrifice an unblemished and spotless lamb, applying it's blood to the side doorposts and top lentil of each home. [It is important to note, that this application made the motion of the Cross]. The Lord promised to pass over homes where the blood of the lamb had been applied.  The lambs were the substitutes for the people, sparing them [and saving them] from death and judgment by the Lord.  Each house marked by the blood of the lamb would be a haven of salvation, a place safe from the judgment that was about to come upon Egypt. Those Egyptian homes, where there was no application of the blood, would suffer the judgment of the Angel of Death at Midnight.
     We know the rest of this story... the Israelites were spared, while the first born in every Egyptian home died that night, causing Pharaoh to issue a decree that the Israelites be released and allowed to leave.  For the Jewish people, the focus of the Passover observance is remembering YHWH's deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. "Remember" -- that is the key word for this celebration.
     For us Christians, who are Abraham's seed of the New Covenant, the Feast of Passover is a call to remember the Redemption we have received through Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.  He is our Passover who takes away the sin of the world.  We are redeemed with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. Just as the first Passover proved to be the Power of God to release the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, Jesus is the Power of God to release us from the penalty of our sin into Repentance, His love, Life, and Freedom and Liberty. Jesus IS the manifestation of the Passover Lamb, and He was crucified on the Feast of Passover.
     The second feast of the Passover Festival is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasts seven days.  Historically, it is a call to remember the quick exodus from Egypt, when the Israelites were instructed to make bread without leaven (yeast) because they didn't have time to wait for it to rise. In addition, yeast, or leaven, in the Bible always referred to any corrupting influence in the nation of Israel.  In this instance, God was telling them to leave behind the unholy influences of Egypt -- the worship of false Egyptian gods, and the rituals and traditions that had corrupted Israel's relationship with their God during their 430 years of captivity. They were to spend that week in worship and reflection for what God had done for them, and for their relationship with Him that they were privileged to know.  They were to remove any leaven [or sin] that was corrupting their present  relationship; it was to be a time of absolute separation from leaven in any form.
     For today's Christian, this time is a Call to Purity, to an "Unleavened" life.  Jesus knew no sin, nor was any deceit found in Him.  He was unblemished and spotless.  He was made sin for us so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Him.  For us, it is a time to call to mind what God has done in each of our lives.  We should each have a personal testimony of God's salvation and our relationship to Him.  As we reflect on how He has delivered us from sin, we can ask His help in removing any leaven from our life that is separating us from Him.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a time of renewal and revival in our daily lives.
      The third feast of this Holy Festival is the Feast of Firstfruits.  This feast occurs during the week of Unleavened Bread on the Sabbath after Passover.  In the Old Covenant, it acknowledged the Lord as the giver of the harvest, and commemorated Adam's son, Abel, bringing the first of his flock as an offering to the Lord.  It was an expression of dependence on [and gratitude to] the Lord.  Offering the first fruits of the harvest [whether grain or livestock] was a way of sanctifying the entire harvest to the Lord, seeking the blessing of God on the harvest so that it could be used and enjoyed by Israel as its people lived out their lives as the people of God. It was a way of connecting to God, and seeking His fruitfulness over the entire harvest as it grew to maturity.  It all belonged to Him and was a gift from Him.  In essence, it was a harvest celebration, but it was more as we will see.
     As Christians, this Feast speaks volumes of Christ as the first of God's Harvest of souls and is a shadow of what Christ has done and the promises He has yet to do. The Feast of Firstfruits points to Christ and His redemptive work. First of all, Jesus's resurrection occurred on the very day of the celebration of the Feast of Firstfruits.  He is the offering presented to the Heavenly Father as the first fruit of the harvest.  But just as important, He is the guarantee that more resurrections will follow.  In His first fruits offering, we see the blessing and the setting apart [or sanctifying] of the entire harvest to the Father, and a preview of what the resurrection will be like for every Believer.  Because He overcame death and lives today, every born-again follower of Christ is connected to Him and His power.
     The Feast of Firstfruits is the call to remember our hope of Resurrection.  Christ is the  first fruits of the resurrection and a living hope for all of us!  We have hope in knowing that we will be resurrected into eternal life with Him in the future.  But for now, we have the hope in His resurrection power in our daily lives.  The very power that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us now, in the person of the Holy Spirit. And by celebrating the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Firstfruits, it is a call to remember all that my God has done in my life, and promises to do today, and into eternity.  He has provided a way for me to be delivered from the bondage of sin; to live a life of righteousness and holiness; and to call upon the power that is my salvation in order to effect this world until He returns and I am resurrected into His perfection for eternity.
     There is a fullness and expectancy that accompanies the celebration of the Festival of Passover.  It is Biblical and it is holy.  It is a remembrance of things God has already accomplished for us and a hope of what is to come.  I know that this is all new for us Christians, but I truly believe that it is pleasing to God when we make the effort to follow His command to celebrate His ordained Feasts.
     It doesn't have to be elaborate or follow the Jewish rituals.  Our Home Church will gather together on the Sabbath day of April 15th to honor all three Feasts, sharing a feast of lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs (in the form of horseradish) as detailed in Exodus 12:8.  We will share in other favorite dishes and the four cups of wine that were featured in Jesus's last Passover meal to commemorate the promises God made to the Israelites ... the Cup of Sanctification – ( I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will free you from their bondage); the Cup of Judgment -- (I will rescue you with an outstretched arm, and by mighty acts of judgment); the Cup of Redemption (I will take you to Me for a people). At the last Passover Supper, Yeshua took this third cup, and said, “This is my blood which is poured our for the forgiveness of sins.”  Then we will partake of the fourth Cup, which Jesus said He would not drink until He drinks it with us in His Father's Kingdom.  This is the Cup of the Future Kingdom, a kingdom of truth, peace, and freedom -- (I will be to you a God).
     We are not concerned with following any strict program of Jewish rituals, because we are not called to become Jews.  But we are called, as spiritual descendants of Abraham, to remember what YHWH did in the lives of our spiritual forefathers and to thank Him for Christ's redemptive work in our own lives. This is the fourth year we have celebrated Passover, and with each year, I am blessed with a growing intimacy with the heart of my Lord. I invite you to join me in being obedient to Him and gathering your family to thank Him for the rich heritage that is ours, and for the growing knowledge and intimacy that He shares with us.  Happy Passover!

1 Corinthians 5:7-8   "Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth". 

   

Isaiah 12:3

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

     We are in the midst of the Fall Feasts of the Lord.  The beginning of this week was Rosh Hahsanah, or the Feast of Trumpets.  October 11-12 is Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, and the following week (October 16-23) is Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles.  As I have continued to point out, the Lord's Feasts have great significance for both God's Chosen People, the Jews, and us Christians, follows of Yeshua, the coming Messiah.  God established His Feasts as a memorial to His faithfulness throughout history to the nation of Israel as His Chosen People, and to all people who would believe in Him through all the coming generations.  

     The first four feasts have already been fulfilled, the first two by Jesus Christ on the actual feast days according to the Hebrew calendar. He was sacrificed on Passover, and resurrected on the Feast of First Fruits. The third Feast of Unleavened Bread carried great significance in light of His sinless life and His sacrifice, while the fourth Feast, Shavuot, or the Festival of Weeks, was again fulfilled on the exact day on what we now call Pentecost.

     The Fall Feasts look forward to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy concerning Yeshua’s End Times’ return when He will come with trumpet blasts to usher in a new age of purified fellowship with Him in His new kingdom on earth.  And we are now in the midst of that sanctified season.  And for that reason, I think it is incumbent upon us to do a quick review of the holy significance of these two weeks in October.

     The Feast of Trumpets is a time of new beginnings.  There is even some speculation by Bible scholars that based on the view that John the Baptist was born in the spring, around Passover, and his birth preceded the birth of Jesus by 6 months (Luke 1:36), it’s possible to place the birth of the Messiah on the Feast of Trumpets.  That would definitely be representative of a new beginning for mankind!

     In 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 we read about the great trumpet (Shofar) that will sound in heaven when the dead who are in Yeshua will rise from their graves, and those who are still alive will go to meet Him in the air. This event precedes the return of the Messiah. The book of Revelation also talks about trumpets sounding in heaven as a series of judgments are poured out on the earth. All of this is to prepare the earth for the Messiah’s return. It is a warning—a wakeup to the earth and the inhabitants therein to get ready!  Does it mean that the Rapture of the Church will take place on this Feast Day?  It is possible, and Scripture hints at it.  But the Bible also says that the Church will be raptured when “the full number of gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25).  If so, the rapture of the Church could happen on any given day, although Acts 15:13-18 makes it clear that the rapture will have to precede the beginning of Daniel’s 70th Week.  Since no one knows the day or hour, I prefer to see the Feast of Trumpets as a time of prayer and repentance and acknowledging not only God’s grace, but His calling by the shofar to get ready for a new beginning in the history of mankind.

     Ten days later is Yom Kippur. Translated into English as the “Day of Atonement,” Yom Kippur was the only time of year the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place of the Temple to atone for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the entire nation. This was done by sacrificing a bull and a goat and sprinkling the blood of these animals on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. Also on this day, two goats were brought before the High Priest. He would lay hands on them and symbolically transfer the sins of the people into them. The first one was the sacrifice—the one that provided atonement for the people’s sins. The second, however, was the scapegoat. This one was released into the wilderness to wander and eventually die, removing sin from the camp. The blood of the first goat brought forgiveness. The second brought sanctification.

     Prophetically, The Day of Atonement will be the day in which God’s judgment will be rendered, the books will be closed and everyone’s fate is sealed.  It will be a solemn day of acknowledging our sins and seeking God’s forgiveness and mercy.  

     We need to understand that the shedding of blood has always been required for the forgiveness of sin, and it always will be. That is why the Messiah had to die and shed His blood for us. That is the good news. We have a Redeemer who exchanged His blood for ours. The debt we owe, for both intentional and unintentional sins, was paid by Yeshua through His death on the cross. All we have to do is accept His sacrifice on our behalf.

     The third and final Feast in this month of October is Sukkot, otherwise known as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths. Sukkot, which begins five days after Yom Kippur, is a seven-day period during which Jewish People look back into the history of Israel and remember their forty-year period of wandering in the wilderness.  To us Christians, the Feast of Tabernacles represents the Lord’s shelter in the world to come and His great Tabernacle that will exist in Jerusalem in the Kingdom Age.  The Lord will establish His Tabernacle in Jerusalem and the world will come each year to appear before the King and worship Him (Zechariah 14:14-17).  

     But there is another picture that presents itself during this final Feast.  Historically, it was also a  celebration of the fall harvest and the Lord’s bountiful provision.  Prophetically, it is a picture of the harvest of souls that will come at the End of this Age.  It should be easy to see that events that were external and physical in the Old Testament are often internal and spiritual in the New Testament.  There is a sense in which these holy days also reflect the life of every believer. 

     Jesus came to offer us new beginnings (Feast of Trumpets), and to live in our hearts at our new birth.  As He required the shedding of innocent blood to reconcile Himself with Israel (Yom Kippur) so He shed His own Blood to reconcile Himself with us. As He dwelt with the Israelites in the wilderness of Midian (Tabernacles), so He dwells with us in the wilderness of Earth. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” He promised (Matt 28:20).  Even so, Come Lord Jesus! (Rev. 22:20).  As we celebrate these Fall Feats of the Lord, you can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah.