The Feast of Passover - 2B

Continued from... ... Seven Yearly Feasts of the Lord - Part 2A

In the first part of the discussion on the Feast of Passover, we said that in Jehovah’s bid to save His people, He made provisions to PASS OVER them—and thus the Feast of Passover came to be; a new beginning God gave to the children of Israel. Still leaning heavily on Ralph Mahoney's work on the subject in The Shepherd's Staff, we shall now proceed further... ...

Deliverance From Sin

Just as Passover was the end of slavery, hardship, and poverty for the Old Testament Israel, so when we [Christians, NT Israel] come to our Passover Lamb, Christ, we have a NEW BEGINNING. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor.5:17).

The sins, faults and failures of the past no longer bind us. We are part of a new family, with a new genealogy, with a new covenant, and a better, more wonderful Deliverer than any could ever imagine. Of our Deliverer, the Bible says, “…and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for he shall save His people from their sins” (Mat.1:21). Moses’ deliverance was wonderful; he saved from slavery and its bondage. Jesus’ salvation is more wonderful; He saves from sin and its penalty. Praise Him! We start a new life with a new beginning when we come to Christ.

Before now, we had read in Exo.12:3, “In the tenth day of this month Israel shall take to them every man a lamb… for a house.” Herein, we come upon the concept of Household Salvation. That is, through one man, the Lord can bring salvation unto an entire household/family today just as He brought deliverance to an entire house through the house-head in Egypt.

Thus, we see a wonderful promise for parents and family heads, in that household salvation is a biblical concept. Not only can you enjoy salvation; by acts of faith and obedience, you can bring salvation to your whole household. Let us see two examples in Scriptures.

• To Zacchaeus, the sinful tax collector, the Lord said: “…This day is salvation come to this house…” (Luk.19:9). Zacchaeus faith to follow Jesus brought salvation to his household.

•  To the Philippian jailer, Paul and Silas said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house… and was baptized, he and all his, straightway… and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house” (Acts 16:31, 33, 34).

You can as well ask the Lord to use you to lead your relatives, your parents, or/and your children to saving faith. You must tell them how to receive Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Remember, it was “…a lamb for a house.”

Jesus: Our Passover Lamb

We shall now examine Jesus Christ whom we have said to be our Passover Lamb. How did this title come about? In the first chapter of John Gospel, we read that John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, speaking of our Lord. “…Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jhn.1:29). From this passage we can assume that John was talking to those who came to hear him preach, possibly some who had asked him if he was the Christ.

While we can be forgiven for making such an assumption, we see that there is no room for us to make any assumption as concerning Verse 36 because it is quite clear that in this second instance, John the Baptist was talking to two of his disciples who eventually left him for Jesus.

Examined For Purity

At this point, permit me to go back to 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.” Notice that the Passover lamb was set aside on the TENTH day of ABIB (April). The family-heads with the help of the priests had to examine the lamb fully before they killed it on the FOURTEENTH day of ABIB. The lamb had to be “…without blemish.” And this examination took place within four days, tenth through thirteenth, the Days of Presentation.

Luke 19 records Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem a few days before His crucifixion. At this very same time, the people were bringing their sacrificial Passover lambs to the priests for examination. Jesus, the Lamb of God, was also coming before both people and leaders for close examination before His suffering and glory.

He too, as “…the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,” had to be declared “…holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners…” (Jhn.1:29; Heb.7:26). We shall now proceed to see how our Lord was examined by the Religious Leaders, the High Priest himself, as well as Civil authority.

Recall that the Father testified of His worthiness twice: “…This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mat.3:17; see Mat.17:5 C.p. 2 Pet.1:17). Jesus also spoke of the devil examining Him, “or the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30).

Examined By Religious Leaders

On the tenth day of Abib, Jesus presented Himself for this inspection. This is clear from Mat.22:15-46. To other observers at the scenes of the individual inspection, it looked like folks of contrary religious views attacking Jesus and His ministry; but in that they were looking for an excuse to kill Him, they didn’t know that as the spiritual realm was concerned, they were examining the Lamb of God for the Passover sacrifice. This incredible passage shows Him being examined by the Herodians, Sadducees, Lawyers and Pharisees.

The Pharisees sent disciples of the Herodians to try and trick Jesus as to the issue of paying tribute or tax to Caesar. “When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left him, and went their way” (Mat.22:22).

Then the Sadducees tried to trip him up on the doctrine of the resurrection. “But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together” (Mat.22:34).

“Then the Pharisees took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk…” (Mat.22:15). A lawyer of the Pharisees tried Him on the question of the greatest commandment.

Then they asked who the father of Messiah was. And Jesus in turn asked them: “How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?” (Mat.22:43-45).

The conclusion of this time of testing and examination is found in Mat.22:46, “And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.”

Examined By The High Priest And The High Council

After Jesus was arrested at the place called Gethsemane, we read: “Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people” (Jhn.18:12-14).

It is interesting to note above that the High Priest himself, Caiaphas, concluded that ONE MAN should die for THE PEOPLE. Now, does this sound like the phrase we have become familiar with? That is, “…they [Israel] shall take to them every man a [ONE] LAMB,… a lamb for AN HOUSE.”

How fitting that Israel’s high-priest unwittingly declares Jesus Christ was FIT to be the Sacrifice (Lamb of God) for the House of Israel—Old Testament Israel.

“Then led they [officers of the Jews, the high priest, and the Sanhedrin] Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover” (Jhn.18:28). Note at this point that entrance by Jews into a Gentile court at Passover would have defiled them so they could not eat their Passover lambs which were being examined for the feast at THIS very moment.

Caiaphas wanted evidence to present to Pilate on which they could condemn Jesus. He found nothing, and had to answer Pilate’s enquiry with the rhetoric question: “…If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee” (Jhn.18:29, 30). While some may rush to say, here is proof that Israel’s High Council found blemish in Christ; wisdom cautions us to exercise patience and due diligence in pursuing this matter to its very bottom.

And even when Pilate responded with an instruction that they take Jesus, and judge Him according to the law of Israel; the Jews cried, “It is not lawful for us to put any man to death” (Jhn.18:31). Now we have to pause and reflect a bit, for something doesn’t add up here, with respect to the incredulous statements of Israel’s leaders unto Pilate.

The word ‘malefactor’ in Greek, kakopoios, is also translated evil-doer. With such a name for Jesus, these leaders wanted the Roman governor not to judge, but to execute the sentence they had already illegally passed. Pilate not willing to execute a man whom he had not tried and who was not guilty, so offered to turn Jesus over to them for execution.

Furthermore, we must already know, as students of the Holy Scriptures, that these leaders of Israel had the power to kill anyone breaking their law. Was it not the same Pharisees and scribes that brought an adulterous woman to Jesus for stoning in Jhn.8:1-11? Was Stephen not stoned to death in Act.7:59? Here again was another sin of the Jews. In the case of Jesus they had to lie. But why?

Because they had no true and justifiable reason to have Jesus put to death. Forget the theatrics of the high-priest who had rent his garments before placing a sentence of death on Jesus; he knew they will not succeed if they tried Jesus in the open so they went the route of secrecy, arresting and sentencing Him at night.  Now at dawn, seeing their plans would not wash with Pilate they lied and fearing the people, determined to raise the plea of rebellion against Caesar throwing the responsibility of the Lord’s death upon Pilate.

Then we are told in Jhn.18:32, “That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.” Going backwards to Chapter 12, from Verse 30 through 33, we read: “Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.”

What death? Death by crucifixion! And by crucifixion alone! Though the Jews could stone a person to death for certain sins against the Law of Moses, they did not crucify and they had no power to do so with criminals that were accused of crimes against the State. So knowing they couldn’t point to a single instance of Jesus committing a sin unto death by stoning, they intimidated Pilate by accusing him of not being a friend of Caesar if he let Christ go, even though there was no proof of Jesus sinning against the State.

Examined By Civil Authority

After extensive examination of the Lamb of God, Pilate himself unknowingly pronounces that Jesus is qualified to be the Passover lamb. The first instance was after his first interrogation of our Lord: “I find in Him no fault at all” (Jhn.18:38 C.p. Luk.23:4); a conclusion reaffirmed by Herod: “…Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man as touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod…” (Luk.23:14-15).

The second instance was after the Jews had chosen Barabbas to be released, and after our Lord had been chastised with whips: “…I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him” (Jhn.19:4). The third instance was after the incessant and persistent demand of the crowd that Christ be crucified.

This legal, civil verdict was given at the very time the Passover lambs were being examined and declared faultless by the priests, Pilate declares Jesus faultless three times! Pilate did not understand how important this declaration of innocence was. He did not know that Jesus was the Lamb of God being presented to him for inspection.

Pilate knew little of the divine decree some fourteen centuries before: “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male…” (Exo.12:5). “But if there be a defect [fault] in it… you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God” (Deut.15:21). In his third and final decree, Pilate’s words are absolutely prophetic: “…Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault [blemish] in him” (Jhn.19:6).

Without realizing it, Pilate was declaring the worthiness of Christ, the Lamb of God, to die as God’s Passover lamb for sinful humanity—all Gentiles.

Yes, after four days of careful examination, Jesus was sacrificed. The REAL MEANING of Passover had been achieved. "And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!" (Jhn.19:14). We see that on the Day of Preparation, at the same time the sacrificial Passover lambs were slain and spilling their blood at the Temple altar, they took Jesus out and crucified Him. Passover’s PAST (historic) Aspect remembered the deliverance from Egypt. Passover’s PROPHETIC (future) Aspect was fulfilled on Calvary.

The Significance Of The Blood Of The Lamb

Jesus became a protective covering for all who would receive Him as their Passover Lamb. “…and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you…” (Exo.12:13). “But he paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Pet.1:19 TLB).

First, we shall examine Blood on the Doorposts. “On the evening of the fourteenth day of this month, all these lambs shall be killed, and their blood shall be placed on the two side-frames of the door of every home and on the panel above the door. Use the blood of the lamb eaten on the home” (Exo.12:6-7).

The smearing with blood was done by dipping a branch of hyssop in the blood and then striking the three spots. This typifies the blood of Christ sprinkled for believers: “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Mat.26:28). Also see 1 Pet.1:2, 18-19; Heb.9:13-14, 22; 10:9; 13:20.

Please, do take note that no blood was to be sprinkled on the threshold of the door because the feet must not trample on it; for to do such is a heinous crime. “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Heb.10:29).

It is no accident that the blood on the panel above the door dripping down formed a vertical line—like the center shaft of the Cross. When you connect the blood on the two side-frames of the door with a horizontal line—you have a CROSS! This pointed prophetically to the future, to the coming of the Messiah, the Lamb of God Who would die on a Cross.

“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 [home], and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you” (Exo.12:23). When the Bible said, “God will pass over your home…”—this means that God placed Himself over the Israelite houses as a protective covering. He was sheltering them from the destroying angel that He had sent among the Egyptians.

The blood on the doorposts is then clearly speaking of the Crucified Christ standing at the door of the believer’s home (heart) as a Saviour, Protector and Deliverer. Psalm 91 describes the protection we enjoy when the Blood of the Passover Lamb is applied to the door of our heart. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty… Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler… He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust…”

Everyone who accepts the shed blood of the Lamb and hides behind the Cross will find perfect protection from the Destroyer (Satan). There is PERFECT PROTECTION from the works of the destroyer who is our adversary. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 Jhn.3:8).

Many believers scripturally and rightfully declare, “Satan cannot touch me or harm me as long as I stay under the blood of Jesus. There I have perfect protection from Satan and all his demons.” Every Christian needs to experience their own PERSONAL PASSOVER if they are to stand strong against the adversary of their life.

When God inaugurated the Passover in Egypt, He instructed the children of Israel to eat the Passover feast in haste. This signifies how one must not delay in accepting Christ as one’s personal Saviour when one comes to the realisation of the need for freedom (or liberty) from the bondage (or captivity) of Sin, Satan and his kingdom.

The blood on the doorposts brought God’s presence which rendered the Destroyer powerless in that home. This is stated in Heb.2:14, “Jesus… rendered powerless, him that had the power of death… namely the devil.”The crucified Christ standing at the door of your life renders the devil powerless over you. What freedom! Hallelujah! Truly, “if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed—you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (Jhn.8:36, 32).

CONCLUSION

Thus far we have examined the Passover significance of the Blood of Christ as a covering that protects the believer. The PERSONAL ASPECT of the Feast of Passover must be fulfilled in every believer’s life. Every one of us must see and receive Jesus, the Lamb of God (Jhn.1:29; Rev.5:6-10), a Sacrifice without blemish (1 Pet.1:19), Who takes away our sins.

Passover is the first feast in the Divine Calendar. It happens in the First Month, Abib. The Personal Passover of each person comes at the beginning of his establishing a relationship with God.

We dare not skip over the message of Passover. We must see the awesome purity of God’s sacrificial Lamb. We had said in the previous post that an offering having blemish brings dishonor to the Receiver and a curse on the giver (Mal.1:8,14); hence a person who seeking eternal life, chooses any path other than Christ, is cursed with eternal damnation.

We must invite Christ Jesus to place Himself over us. He becomes the covering, prepared by our heavenly Father, for all who would be right with God through His Blood. Jesus Christ IS the garment of Righteousness that PASSES OVER our head as we “put on Christ” (Rom.13:14). When we have received Him as our Passover Lamb, we can be sure we are safe from the devil and his cohorts. This promise becomes true: “No curse can be placed on Jacob, And no magic will work against him” (Num.23:23 TLB).

At this point, we have effectively come to the end of our investigation into the Feast of the Passover. Therefore we can proceed into that of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It shall fill my heart with joy to see and read your suggestions and questions, so don’t stop yourself from dropping your comments below.

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Shalom!!!