When our meal was finished, my husband read from the Scriptures the account of the first Passover and the children's eyes grew wide when I told them that while the houses of the Egyptians were filled with wrenching cries of sorrow, all was so quiet in the homes where the angel of death had passed over that not even a single dog barked. A clear, undeniable distinction was made. Exodus 11:7
Our son went on to read about the Passover when our Messiah sat down to the meal that He had earnestly awaited to share with his disciples. As we listened to him read, wondering once again about all that He must have been going through that evening, when the time came, we shared the unleavened bread and the wine in remembrance of Him.
Matthew 26:26-30 tells us,
Now as they were eating, Jesus took the bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives."
This song was our choice.
Some may wonder why we would choose to celebrate Passover being that we weren't brought up Jewish. I explained for the benefit of the children that night that it is because the Bible tells us that when we accept Yeshua's (Jesus') gift of atonement, we become grafted into Israel. Romans 11:17
Concerning Passover, Exodus 12:14 states,
"And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever."
YHVH goes on to repeat this command in verses 17 and 24. We learn through Hebraic teaching that His repetition cannot and should not be ignored. And just to make sure we got the message, He clears up any confusion as to who should be observing His instructions when He says in verse 49,
"One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you."
Those who would become known as Israelites as well as the Gentiles.
Many Christians around the world are realizing that Yeshua didn't come to somehow make new the law of His Father. In fact, the sermon on the mount revealed that He increased the responsibility of His followers to walk according to the written Torah. Everything He did, He did in accordance to it. Neither did He come to start a new religion. There remains one law for Israel and for the Gentile. A law that does not save us, only faith in the atoning blood of the Messiah can release us from the penalty of the law of eternal death, but once we have been set free, we are to "establish it" in our lives. Romans 3:31 He then fulfilled His promise to send a Helper, His Father's Spirit, to ensure that we could. John 14:16, 15:26, and 16:7
YHVH gave seven feasts to be observed each year. He did not call them Jewish feasts. He said in more than one place, in Leviticus 23 alone, that, "These are My feasts." Seven annual feasts that were to be observed throughout all generations.
So, since it wasn't my custom to spend loads of time reading the front of the Bible, that most refer to as the Old Testament, how did I come to see the importance of things like His Feasts that include Passover? Because verses like this became too difficult to ignore or explain away.
"Jesus replied, 'And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God.' "
Matthew 15:3
Saturday morning I awakened to the start of the blood moon which resulted in a time of surrendered prayer. It wasn't until after breakfast that I decided to check my e-mails and found that a couple of dear sisters had sent me some correspondence that made the lingering memory of Passover even more Beautiful! Within their correspondence was an article that I knew I wanted to share with you.
For those of you who have come out from pagan holidays and the traditions of men, and have endured the hostility that often accompanies that decision, and for those of you who honestly believe that Jeremiah 16 is being fulfilled in our day, let the following article serve as a means of edification.
Your Father in heaven sees and hears all that you are going through to walk upon the ancient and narrow way. He knows the heart ache you have felt as a result of each person who mistakenly thinks you have become a heretic and have fallen from grace, and in so doing have walked away from you. He wants you to know that 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 was meant for people like you. Pray for and show unconditional love to those who judge and persecute you without understanding. One day they will know fully, even as they are fully known. Both now and in the days to come, let Ephesians 4 be said of you.
In Messiah's Love ~ Your sister,
Sue
The article I promised
