A Passion for Passover!
We are approaching one of the most deeply spiritual, and symbolic times of the year!
Passover begins on April 8th at sundown.
I believe that we have truly lost something, of its richness and vast symbolism,
if we overlook the significance of " Passover. "
I also believe, it is important to remember the" Jewishness " of Jesus.
Jesus knew the Holy Scriptures.
As a Jewish boy he would have been able to recite huge portions, if not all of the the Torah.
At aged 12, we know, that Jesus was deeply knowledgeable and able to hold his own with the temple teachers. ( Luke 2 v 42-47)
Jesus is known to have quoted from the Old Testament, 78 times during his ministry.
Jesus quoted from the Psalms 11 times, and noteably, from Psalm 22, as he hung on the cross.
Passover, or Pesach is one of the three times of the year when the entire population of Israel would make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
The other two being Shavuot, The festival of weeks, and
Sukkot, The Feast of Tabernacles.
As the pilgrims, walked towards the city of Jerusalem they would sing the,
"Songs of Ascents."
Two of the first things Jesus would have memorized, are the Shema,
Deuteronomy 6 v 4-9.
"Hear, Oh Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God, with all your heart,
with all your soul and with all your strength. "
And the Hallel Psalms, which are found in Psalms 113-118.
These songs of praise, were sung in celebration of the passover, evoking memories of the Exodus from Egypt.
For more depth, I recommend reading,
" Anthems for a Dying Lamb, " by Philip S Ross about the Hallel Psalms,
and, " A long obedience in the same direction " by Eugene H Peterson.
David Pawson the bible teacher, stated that,
" When God wants to speak to our hearts, he speaks in Psalms.
When he wants to address our minds, He speaks in prose."
The bible is brimming with both poetry and prose!
I have to agree with N T Wright, when he expresses in,
" The case for the Psalms. "
" The church's neglect for its original hymnbook is a great impoverishment! "
The Psalms are special, richly varied and steeped in biblical history!
I can feel an impact, deep within my heart as I recite them!
I heard that Billy Graham, read 5 Psalms a day, as his regular practice!
The Hallel Psalms would be sung during the passover meal.
Psalms 113 and 114 before the meal, and 115 to 118 after the meal.
Imagine for a moment, how Jesus must have felt reciting the verses of Psalm 116, knowing what lay ahead!
" The cords of death entangled me,
The anguish of the grave came over me,
I was overcome with distress and sorrow.
Then, I called on the name of the Lord,
Lord save me! "
Jesus would have concluded the meal with the last verses of Psalm 118 v 28-29
" You are my God and I will praise you.
You are my God and I will exalt you.
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good!
His love ensures forever! "
I love the book of Exodus in the bible, it is deeply symbolic and the events leading up to the passover were deliberately dramatic.
These events, were to be remembered, by the whole nation for generations to come.
I was listening to Ray Vander Laan in the " Last Passover, " and it struck me that there are so many parallels between the Exodus and wilderness years of the Israelites, and the life of Jesus.
There are so many that it would take a lifetime to study!
I hope the reader will forgive my limited knowledge, but sense some of my passion for the subject, as I list a few parallels that struck me!
During the Passover the blood covered the door posts as the blood of Jesus, covers our sins.
John 1 v 29
Exodus 12
The passover lamb, Jesus the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Hebrews 9 v 14
Exodus 12
The night of vigil, when the angel of death, passed over, and the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Matthew 26 v 36-46
Exodus 12 v 42
The crossing of the Red Sea can be compared to baptism.
Matthew 3 v 13
Exodus 14
The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness and Jesus spent 40 days and forty nights in the Judean desert.
Matthew 4 v 2
Numbers 32 v 13
God provided for His people with "manna" from heaven, and the Jesus provided by the "Feeding of the 5000. "
Matthew 14 v 13- 21
Exodus 16
Moses delivered the law, and Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5 -7
Exodus 34
The synchronicity, and symmetry of the bible is so fascinating to me, it is so deeply layered.
Of course, the most significant of all is " Passover. "
During the Passover , it is important to reflect on:
Four precious promises of God from Exodus 6 v 6.
The number 4 is a very significant number in Judaism.
These precious promises of God, echo throughout the entire bible.
1. I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.
See also Leviticus 26 v 13.
John 8 v 36
" It is for freedom, that Christ has set us free.
Stand firm then and do not let yourselves,
become burdened again with a yoke of slavery."
Galatians 5 v 1
2. I will free you from being slaves to them.
See also John 8 v 32
Romans 8 v 15
Isaiah 61 v 1
" For Our God is a God who saves,
From the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death. "
Psalm 68 v 20
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, on Palm Sunday, the crowds sang,
" Hosannah! "
Which comes from "Ho shanah," which means " liberate us , " in Hebrew.
The Israelites awaited a triumphant king to overthrow the Romans, not a suffering servant, riding on a donkey!
3. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.
See also Deuteronomy 5 v 15
Isaiah 63 v 12
Deuteronomy 9 v 29
Psalm 98 v 1
Isaiah 41 v 10
" With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
The descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
Psalm 77 v 15
" For the eternal God is your dwelling place.
and underneath are the everlasting arms! "
Deuteronomy 33 v 27
We must always remember the most heart wrenching, and amazing act of redemption! Our Saviour Jesus and His, outstretched arms on the cross."
Hands that flung stars into space, to cruel nails surrendered. "
( The Servant King, Graham Kendrick)
Safely in His Arms by Joshua Aaron.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L7AxaBKq2FY
I heard this new song for the first time this morning and I couldn't believe how well it fits, with Passover, and what we are collectively, going through at this time!
4. I will take you as my own people and I will be your God!
See also:
Hosea Chapter 11, Deuteronomy 7 v 8
Psalm 149 v 4, Ephesians 1 v 5
Psalm 68 v 5, Psalm 149 v 4
Isaiah 63 v 8, Deuteronomy 9 v 29
1 Peter 2 v 9, Colossians 1 v 13today
1 Corinthian's 5 v 20-23
" Do not fear for I have redeemed you!
I have called you by name and you are mine! "
Isaiah 43 v 1
" See what great love the Father has lavished on us,
that We should be called Children of God! "
1 John 3 v 1
First century Christians kept the feasts and I can't help wishing we still did.
In Exodus God tells His people 3 times:
"This day, you are to commemorate for the generations to come,
You shall celebrate it as a festive to the Lord,
A lasting ordinance! "
It was so important it marks the beginning of a new year!
It is very possible that at the moment Jesus breathed His last,
Passover lambs were being slaughtered!
His resurrection exactly, coincided with the " Feast of Firstfruits, " which celebrates the beginning of the harvest!
The harvest has begun!
Will you be, " In that number, when the saints go marching in! "
Jesus came once to redeem us, and pay the price for our sin.
He is coming again in triumph as,
" The King of Glory! "
❤️❤️✝️
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