Not so long ago, I thought little of Passover. I knew what it was for. I knew why the Jewish people celebrated it. It couldn't be for Christians today. I was wrong. In our God's good plan, this is a foretelling of the Messiah.
q God’s chosen people were slaves in a far away land
q God wanted to rescue them & bring them to the Promised Land where they would be free to worship him.
q Evil Pharaoh said no!
q God sent 10 signs to prove his power over the Egyptians. He turned water into blood, sent frogs, lice, flies, death to livestock, boils, hailstones, locusts and darkness. Still Pharaoh resisted God. So God sent the final and most terrible of the plagues. The Death of the Firstborn
q The Chosen People were instructed to choose a choice lamb—one that was perfect, healthy, without a spot. They were to sacrifice this lamb, and with its blood, wipe it around their doorframes. Be ready to walk away at any moment, have on sandals, make your bread without any yeast.
“For the LORD will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But when he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the LORD will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and strike you down”. Ex 12:23
God will see the blood and know that the lamb died instead of you! The lamb was the price to pay for redemption
Only recently, did I put pieces together in a thoughtful way.
Why did Israel remember this day thousands of years after?
q The Chosen People were instructed to remember this special day of Rescue every year. Remember when God spared our lives, saved us from slavery, and brought us into the Promised Land. He is our Rescuer!
q A Day of Celebration for being brought out of slavery! Day of Deliverance! An even Greater Rescue was coming. Many years later, God was going to do it again.
Yeshua—Passover Lamb
q Hundreds of years later, the Chose People still celebrated Passover. They were waiting for another Redeemer to come and rescue them. Yeshua celebrated too—he gave thanks and had the Passover Meal with his followers. He was betrayed and lead like a lamb to the slaughter
q He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins -- that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong Isaiah 53 7-9
q Yeshua became the Lamb, the One who was perfect and pure. This time, it’s the Son of God’s blood that was smeared on the wood for our salvation. It’s his blood that sets us free from slavery—the slavery of sin. It’s his blood that allows us to go to the Promised Land—to live the full and rich life that God promises. This time, the chosen people are free forever and ever.
q This is the only way that God could destroy sin and not destroy his children whose hearts were filled with sin.
q Just like the Israelites, we too must trust that the Blood sets us free. Jesus Himself has paid a great price for us. We too, have a great Day of Deliverance—The day that we ask Jesus to set us free from the wrong things we do that displease God, ask Him to be the One who Saves us and sets us free. We too become God’s Chosen, special people.
q Once we are God’s child, we will always be God’s child. We don’t have to ask him to save us again, or fear that we have done something so wrong that we can’t belong to him anymore.
“You are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession” 1 Peter 2:9
q Have you asked Jesus to be your Savior? Are you one of God’s chosen people? Do you believe that Jesus is the Lamb that took care of your sins? “Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world!”
q “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” Jesus says during Passover gathering.
q God tells his Chosen People to never forget the day that He rescued them from Egypt & slavery and brought them into freedom and the Promised Land. This year remember Passover.
3 comments:
I too wanted a visible reminder. I bought a blue & white string bracelet at Glorious Creations found at
http://revivalworship.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=34&products_id=181.
The bracelet has only one strand of blue & it is tied into knots like the tassels on a prayer shawl.
Your mention of decorating your home made me smile as I am in the process of writing a book: A Forgetful People- a study of remembering. It focuses on visual reminders for the woman of the house to see & how these things will minister to her, her family & guests.
I will focus on some of things in my home, but they may surprise you! A Pogo figurine, a crystal frog, a silver box, bees & more. They each have a story & represent God's desire of how He wants us to live.
I was blessed & encouraged through this post. Thank you!
Connie
P.S. I found you via Ann's "Holy Experience".
The verse you have of Psalm 18 - it's one I sing to myself when facing challenges.
I love how Jesus, brings us into the family of God because of the cross - and because of that - the story of Moses and deliverance/rescue is ours, too! Beautiful reminder!
ML is blue cotton memory. Just thought you might want to know. Stopping by from Ann's.
Have a blessed Easter
http://bluecottonmemory.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/unable-to-look-god-in-the-eye/
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