The Holy Days of Passover and Easter
Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>
"When your children ask you, 'What does this ceremony mean to you?' then tell them."
SPRING HOLY DAYS AND THE SPLITTING OF TIME
Spring is such a beautiful time, with new life budding all around us, and Passover and Easter observances to remind us of the wondrous
gift of new life and freedom in Jesus Christ. Easter, of course, reminds us of the resurrection of our Lord, and Passover is a
remembrance of God's people being freed from slavery, as recorded in the book of Exodus.
The Passover split the time line, as God commanded the year to begin anew (Ex. 12:2). On what we now call Easter, when "Christ our
Passover Lamb, (who) has been sacrificed" (1 Cor. 5:7b, NIV) rose from the grave, the time line split again, and the world went into AD,
Anno Domini: "The Year of Our Lord".
JESUS FULFILLS AND EXPLAINS THE PASSOVER
A big part of Passover is preparation. A search is made of every room in the home, and all yeast is removed -- every crumb. Eating only
unleavened (without yeast) bread represents the speed of God's deliverance of His people from Egypt (they didn't even have time to allow their bread to rise), and is a picture of searching our hearts and ridding our lives of sin. "Therefore let us keep the Festival,
not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Corinthians 5:8,NIV).
In the afikomen ("that which comes after") ceremony of Passover, the middle of three flat breads, called matza, is removed, broken, wrapped in linen, and hidden; just as the Body of Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity, was removed, killed, wrapped in linen and buried. Children look for the hidden matza, find it, and restore it, just as Jesus was restored to life. Until the afikomen is restored, the Passover seder cannot continue. Jesus taught about this in Luke 22:19: "He took bread, gave thanks and broke it...saying, 'This is My Body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
PASSOVER IN THE COMING KINGDOM OF GOD
Jesus will celebrate Passover again in the Kingdom of God with at least some of His disciples!! Jesus said, "I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on UNTIL THAT DAY WHEN I DRINK IT ANEW WITH YOU IN MY FATHER'S KINGDOM."! (Mt. 26:29). Isn't that awesome?
WHO IS THIS JESUS?
The God who commanded the Red Sea to allow His people to cross (Ex. 14:21) is the same God who commanded the sea to be calm, and the wind and waves obeyed Him (Mk. 4:35-41). The God who miraculously fed the multitudes in the wilderness (Ex. 16:4-5) is the same God who
miraculously fed the multitudes in town (Lk. 9:13-17). The Passover cup of Redemption is the blood of the Lord Jesus, poured out for the
forgiveness of sins (Mt. 26:27-29). Jesus, who raised from the dead on Easter morning, has become "the Firstfruits of those who have
fallen asleep" (1 Cor. 15:20), paving the way for all in Him to be passed from death unto life.
SHOULD I CELEBRATE PASSOVER OR EASTER?
It is not commanded for us to keep the Old Testament feast days, or the Christian holidays, and it is not forbidden. We have freedom in Christ. "One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully
convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord..." (Rom. 14:5-6, NIV).
However you choose to observe, or not observe the holidays this spring, take time to remember the blessed sacrifice of our Lord. May you have an altogether lovely and holy season.
"Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?"--Charles Wesley
Add Kathy Frazier's
"Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved." Acts 16:31, NASV
Kathy Frazier [email protected]