| Examining the Passover Lamb |
We have previously discussed the fact that the seven feasts of the LORD have prophetic significance. The Ekklesia (the called out assembly of God's people) should be aware of their importance. Being "holy convocations", the feasts are "holy rehearsals" for special events connected directly to the Messiah, Jesus. The feasts are part of the example, shadow and pattern of heavenly things shown by God to Moses on the mount (Ex. 25:40, Heb. 8:1-6). So there is a precise pattern to follow for the feasts.
There is also precise timing given for the feasts. There are specific dates given by the command of God for all of them according to the lunar calendar. Part of the creation was manifested for the purpose of precise timing:
"And God said, "Let there be lights (cheerfulness, joy, candlestick, to become light, to shine) in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs (signal, banner, monument, miracle, distinguishing mark), and for seasons (appointments, fixed times and place of meeting, assemblies, to summon, to betroth), and for days, and years." Gen. 1:14
Fulfilments of prophecy do not happen at just any time, but at the precise timing of God. So it is also with the feasts. Although the Gentile Church, in an effort to separate itself from the Jews and from the Torah, tried to change the timing of the feasts by using the solar calendar instead of the lunar calendar of the Hebrews, God's exact timing prevails. The Ekklesia should be made aware of this precise prophetic timing, and the glory it brings to the Father, Son, and Spirit.
The first of the spring feasts of the LORD is Pesach (Passover), on the 14th day of Nisan. Nisan is considered by God to be the first month of the year. "Nisan" translates from the Hebrew as "their flight". The month of Nisan is associated with deliverance (see Neh. 2:1, Est. 3:7), and Pesach is a feast of deliverance. It marks the event leading to the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt. They used the blood of a lamb applied around their doors to protect them from the angel of death sent by God to plague Egypt. Following that last plague, the Hebrew slaves were released by Pharaoh.
In this same manner, the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus, delivered us, and continues to deliver, from the slavery of sin, and death. When the Church continues to separate the crucifixion of Christ from the feast of Pesach, it causes people to miss the incredible details of fulfilment which God precisely timed and set in place to declare to all generations, both Jew and Gentile, His miraculous salvation and deliverance prophesied beforehand through His feast. Let us marvel at some of the prophetically precise details and timing within the feast of Pesach:
Nisan 10-
- The High Priest would travel to Bethany, or Bethlehem, to carefully choose from thousands, the one lamb to be sacrificed for the nation on Pesach.
During this same time, Jesus was in Bethany with the family of Lazarus.
- The High Priest would set apart the lamb he had chosen for the Passover.
Mary anointed, or set apart, Jesus with spikenard.
- The High Priest leads the chosen lamb into Jerusalem, where crowds proclaim and sing from Ps. 118:26, "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD."
Jesus entered Jerusalem as crowds waved palms and declared the same verse.
Nisan 10 through14-
- The Passover lamb is examined for any faults. It must be without blemish.
During this same time, Jesus was questioned and examined by all of the following: scribes, priests, elders, Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians (Mk. 11 and 12), Herod, and Pilate (Lk. 23), at which time Pilate announced:
"I, having examined Him before you, have found no fault in this man..." Lk. 23:14
Nisan 14-
- The Passover lamb chosen for the nation, is sacrificed at approximately 3 PM with the Levites singing from Ps. 116-118:
"The sorrows of death compassed me...and the pains of hell: I found trouble and sorrow... I am Thy servant...Thou hast loosened my bonds...
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner..."
At approximately 3 PM, on Nisan 14, Jesus died on the cross. He might even have been able to hear from Calvary the above singing of the Levites at the temple as He died.
The historian Josephus gives an account of a typical Passover sacrifice of thousands of lambs at the temple, one for each household, which preceded the sacrifice of the one lamb chosen for the nation. He describes the blood and rinsing water flowing into the aqueducts from Jerusalem, through the Kidron (to grow dark, to mourn) Valley, and into the Hinnom (lamentation, the river that separates Mt. Zion from the "hill of evil counsel") Valley, which in the Greek is called "gehenna", or "hell". In this valley, idolatrous sacrifices were made, including, historically, the burning of children, and where the garbage of Jerusalem was burned continually. The blood of the Pesach lambs, mixed with water, flowed down into these valleys.
On the cross, Jesus' body poured out blood and water from the piercing in His side.
Knowing some of these details associated with the first spring feast of Pesach, and their miraculous fulfilment through the events of the days leading up to, and including, the crucifixion of Jesus, gives us greater understanding of the precious atoning sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Who but God could sovereignly and precisely direct this eternal Passover deliverance for all men.
To Contact/Give:
PO Box 155
Christmas, Fl. 32709
FaceBook: Kenneth E. Stevenson
PayPal available
Reference: "Wake Up! God's Prophetic Calendar in Timelines and Feasts"
Lamm & Vanbeckervoort
Published by Stichting Zoeklicht (foundation)
copyright 2017
No comments:
Post a Comment