This feast holds special significance to Israel and the Church at large in that it is the beginning feast and a major connecting line to the final feast of tabernacles. It holds towering historical and spiritual interest to believers at large. It is a feast many have read about in scripture because of the fascinating story, but I dare say, the major spiritual import has not been fully comprehended by the Church. This foundation feast is more than a story; it is a spiritual reality which points to Christ. Unearthing its rich import lies with understanding the path that leads to the unveiling of Christ. The journey to the fullness of Christ begins with this feast.
Let us study the literal details and from there journey into the spiritual reality hidden therein.
“Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, "This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: 'On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man's need you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire — its head with its legs and its entrails. You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover.” Ex 12:1-11
On the tenth day of the first month
(Abib) the Israelites will caught a lamb without blemish for the Passover and
the priests shall examine the lamb to ensure that the lamb is without blemish
of any kind and on the 14th day of the same month, at twilight, the lamb will
be killed for the Passover and Israel will celebrate the feast of Passover.
Jesus was arrested just as the
Passover lamb was caught. The lamb was to be examined for four days to ensure
that the lamb is without blemish. Jesus went through four judgments to prove
His innocence. He went through the judgments of Annas, Caiaphas the High
Priest, Herod and Pilate. And Pilate declared, “I find no fault in Him at all.”
“Pilate said to Him, "What is
truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said
to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.” John 18:38
And after that they crucified Him
just as the Jews kill the Passover lamb. So Jesus is our Passover.
Paul said in 1Corinthians chapter 5
that Jesus is our Passover.
“Therefore purge out the old leaven,
that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ,
our Passover was sacrificed for us.”
1Cor 5:7.
Christ is the one the prophets spoke
of.
“Philip found Nathanael and said to
him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets,
wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” John 1:45
Anyone who has received Jesus into
his life has celebrated Passover. He still needs to celebrate the rest of the
feast in their fulfillment not in shadows.
It is very interesting to note, when
the Israelites ate the Passover before leaving Egypt, they ate it with bitter
herb, in such manner with their loins girded, their shoes on their feet, their staff
in their hand and they ate it in haste.
When we receive Christ as our
Passover, the experience may not be sweet to the flesh (bitter herb) because we
must forsake those things that are comfortable and appealing to our flesh and
take up the cross and follow Jesus. We shall stand on the truth, our mind made
up (loin girded) and in readiness to leave worldly life (shoes on your feet).
When one gives his life to Jesus he has nothing to do with worldliness anymore.
He is not to return to Egypt (worldliness) again.
”And Moses said to the people,
"Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which
He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you
shall see again no more forever.” Ex 14:13
We are not to look back at Egypt
(Sin) again as becoming children of God.
When we give our lives to Jesus, and
surrender all to Him, it is just a starting point of this great journey
(conforming to the image of Christ). Salvation experience is not an end itself;
it is a beginning to a journey. When Israel celebrated Passover in Egypt it was
a beginning of a journey. Crossing of
the red sea, wilderness experience, Sinai experience and many other spiritual
experiences was ahead of them before entering Canaan rest.
After we receive Christ as our savior,
there are other spiritual experiences ahead of us before arriving at the full
measure of the stature of Christ which is the terminus of the spiritual voyage.
Some of these spiritual experiences may likely not be comfortable to our flesh.
It will demand giving up of our will, natural pleasure and so many things that
appeal the flesh.
To be continued
Culled from the upcoming book – Divine Predestination by Douglas Arukwe
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