O WHAT A DAY!
Friday – March 30, 2018 – Nisan 14, 5778
Today is the fourteenth of Nisan, the day of the first Passover observed in ancient Egypt by the Israelites. It is also the day that our Passover, Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, hung on the Cross. Let’s take a meditative time and review this wonderful redemption account without which we would be without hope and then burn in Hell.
Exodus 12:5-6 (KJV)
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
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.
You may recall that the lamb to be sacrificed on this first and subsequent Passovers was to be removed from the flock on the tenth of Nisan. Later in Leviticus twenty-three Passover become one of the Feasts of the Lord to memorialize His salvation. There were other Passovers pointing to this one and beyond to the Cross, starting in the Garden on the day of sin and immediate spiritual death. The sacrifice of the unblemished male lamb (ram) of the first year did not obliterate sin or expunge sin but covered it for a season (one year). In the preceding passage the reference to “a male of the first year” is not saying the ram is one year old but is a first born. Jesus is the first born among many brethren (Romans 8:29). The Blood of the Lamb of God has obliterated sin forever for those who receive Him. Glory be to God! Well, let’s continue with this wonderful redemption Truth in the following passage.
Exodus 12:11-14 (KJV)
11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover.
12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
14 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.
It is important for us to quickly and completely partake of the LORD’S Passover. Our complete redemption cost Him the highest price to affect a jubilee on our behalf not just a Passover, a temporary setting aside. In the King James Version of the Bible when the word “LORD” is spelled in all capitals upper case it is referring to the One we now call Father. At that time He was Jehovah or Yahweh meaning the eternal self-existent One. Our Heavenly Father wanted with all that was within Him to redeem His fallen man. There was no one who was up to the job other than God Himself. Enter the Word, now also Jesus, the Son (large ‘S’ fully Divine) of God. Redemption would cost God His First-born Son and therefore justice demanded the firstborn of Egypt. Egypt is a type and shadow of Satan’s bondage and Pharaoh is a type and shadow of Satan. Just as Pharaoh and his mighty army were completely defeated and drowned in the Red Sea so has Satan and his armies of demons been thoroughly defeated by the Blood of Jesus and the Word of God. As instructed the blood of the unblemished lamb was placed that day around door of the house and the death angel could not enter neither could he touch their livestock. The devil has to pass over us as well when he sees the Blood of Jesus unless we invite him in. The Feast of the Lord called Passover is to be celebrated, it is to be a memorial forever. So why does the Church not memorialize it on or near the 14th of Nisan with Communion?
Psalm 105:36-38 (KJV)
36 He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.
37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.
The children of Israel, a mixed multitude actually, came out of Egypt, out of bondage to Pharaoh (Satan) with silver and gold and none were feeble among them. Do you suppose that we have a lesser Covenant? They were not new creations like us nonetheless they came out with a wealth transfer from the wicked to the righteous and healthy. By faith we are to be wealthy (I am talking real hard currency etc.) and healthy. Jesus asked a very poignant question, will I find faith when I return, right now the simple answer is, NO (Luke 18:8). Now, let us fast forward to the Crucifixion (the last Passover) of the Christ.
Matthew 26:17 (KJV)
17 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
The first day of unleavened bread coincides with Passover. Remember they were to remove all leaven from their houses in Egypt and eat unleavened bread. Leaven is representative of sin. Jesus is the bread of life, He was a sinless man. Notice also that they were to remove all leaven from their homes. Have we done that? Have we removed all sin from our thought lives, words, and ways? This brings us to the first observance of Communion or the Eucharist.
Matthew 26:26-28 (KJV)
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
We are to continually partake of the bread of life, the Word of God. Perhaps there could have been several ways to remember the sacrifice of the Cross but the eating of bread is one part. Food when it is eaten becomes a part of us, indistinguishable from us, fully integrated into our natural composition. So, the spiritual Bread of the Word is to be a fully integrated part of us. Next came the wine symbolic of the Blood of Jesus which sealed the New Blood Covenant. The prior Old blood Covenant was sealed with the blood of innocent animals but our far superior Covenant is sealed with none other than the Blood of the Lamb of God. This Blood brought the complete remission of sin! The bread and the wine are taken through the mouth, our mouth is to be completely sanctified, set apart for Him.
1 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV)
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
Resurrection Sunday is at hand! Total victory is ours in Christ Jesus! Rejoice and be glad!
Until our next publication, I speak blessing into your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV)
24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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