Christ our Passover? Part 1

“Christ Our Passover”?

Consider The Evidence!

Chapter 35 Preview: That the Christian (Nazarene) Passover must be celebrated should be common knowledge, yet that knowledge is quite rare, and of those with that understanding, most have been misled when it comes to the chronology. Even fewer consider what Passover is! When and how should we celebrate the it? While translators and teachers bear much of the blame, anyone with a good lexicon simply does not have much of an excuse for following blind guides—provided God’s Spirit fans the flames of their curiosity.

This sequel should be read after: Did the Lord’s Supper Replace the Passover?

INDEX

The following explanation of the Passover is what I like to cover in our living room assembly on or near the Passover. (The prophetic significance of all seven Holy Days is covered in Israel’s Holy Days).

Exodus 12:6 ... and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at evening. WEB

It is amazing how many simple truths go completely overlooked by literally billions of people. Really, we only have one textbook to master and God gives us far more than a semester to get thru it!

There are several very significant translational inaccuracies concerning the Passover in most Bible versions. Coincidence? Not likely!

Satan must have a belly laugh whenever he considers how easily he has persuaded most of Christianity into believing in Good Friday (off site) and Easter rather than believing in Passover and the Resurrection (all different days) and how easily he has confused many others into believing such things as “the Passover is a day” or that “Passover was both killed and eaten on the 14th of Abib” or that “the Passover sacrifice of the Lamb of God occurred early on the 14th after sunset” rather than late on the 14th just prior to the Holy Day.

As a result many celebrate a form of “the Lord’s Supper” while neglecting the Passover. Others celebrate a form of the Passover while neglecting the Yeshua’s Supper. Others attempt to combine both events into one evening—varying times on the 14th or the 15th or daily, weekly, seasonally or annually.

We need to consider all of the evidence before reaching a conclusion. We also need to let iron sharpen iron as Proverbs 27:17 says. How does iron sharpen iron? Simple: you take two rough pieces of iron and rub them together. You get some sparks and some heat and some noise and when done properly the rough edges are worn off of both pieces.

Passover changes from age to age. There are actually three different phases of the Passover mentioned in the Bible. We will cover each of these stages of development of the Passover themes—the Exodus Passover, “Christ Our Passover” and Ezekiel’s Passover:

The Exodus Passover

Here is the event that caused the Passover to be celebrated.

[Incidentally, have you heard about the “death angel” who supposedly passed over “the land of Egypt”? Actually, God did not sub out the work to some unnamed angel, He either plagued Egypt and saved the firstborn of Israel Himself or was aided by the One who became the Messiah. The “destroyer” of Exodus 12:23 looks to me as if it may be a reference to the destruction rather than the action of a separate “associate”. The Hebrew word translated “destroyer”:Strong’s 07843 shachath (shaw-khath’), with its Hiphil verb stem, could just as easily be translated as “destroy”.

Odds are very good that God has not shared His name with THE Destroyer: Abaddon or Apollyon, of Revelation 9:11.

Exodus 12:11-27 ... it is [Yehovah’s] Passover. 12 For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am [Yehovah]. 13 The blood shall be to you for a token on the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be on you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. 14 This day shall be to you for a memorial, and you shall keep it a Feast to [Yehovah]: throughout your generations you shall keep it a Feast by an ordinance forever .... 21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel [there was no priesthood yet], and said to them, “Draw out, and take lambs according to your families, and kill the Passover. 22 You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two door posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. 23 For [Yehovah] will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two door posts, [Yehovah] will pass over the door, and will not allow the ‘destroyer’ [or destruction] to come in to your houses to strike you. 24 You shall observe this thing for an ordinance to you and to your sons forever. 25 It shall happen when you have come to the land which [Yehovah] will give you, according as He has promised, that you shall keep this service. 26 It will happen, when your children ask you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 that you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of [Yehovah’s] Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians, and spared our houses.’ WEB

Long story short, God spared the lives of the firstborn of Israel in the Exodus Passover.

“Christ our Passover” “A Night to be Much Observed”!

Passover being “much observed” really means a night watch, watching, or vigil [Strong’s 08107]. The Interlinear Bible translates it as “celebrate”. Rather than watch the New Year come in on January 1, or have candle light vigils at other times of the year, why not celebrate this night?

Exodus 12:42-43 It is a night to be much observed to [Yehovah] for bringing them out from the land of Egypt. This is that night of [Yehovah], to be much observed of all the children of Israel throughout their generations. 43 [Yehovah] said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover ....” WEB

While it is difficult to view the murder of our Savior as a victory, that is in fact what it is. Passover was meant to be celebrated—“the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians”.

Any child knows what it means to have a “high hand”.

Yet we cannot help but look back on the sorrow. That is why we also have Yeshua’s Supper prior to Passover!

This is one event that you dont want to miss. It seems to be a little known fact but Jesus (actually Yeshua, off site) was slain at the exact time that the Jews were slaying Passover Lambs—on the Passover, just before the Holy Day! The Jews certainly did not want to be crucifying anyone on the Holy Day—they wanted everyone dead before sunset (John 19:31). We’ll consider the chronology.

Passover has nothing to do with a set day of the week, such as the fabled Good Friday (off site). This very date, the 14th of Abib had been celebrated for centuries and it is not coincidental that Yeshua died on this date. The KJV calls this time a “night to be much observed”. Seldom is the connection made between the night that the firstborn died and the night that THE Firstborn died. The churches (off site) where I was was once welcome did teach about this night but rather than explain that it marked the killing of the firstborn of Egypt, they taught that it commemorated Israel leaving Egypt—but that was the next day! The fact that Yeshua died at this time was greatly overshadowed by the crucifixion commentary at Yeshua’s Supper that they mistakenly call the Passover. The confusion is largely due to a poor rendering of Exodus 12:42 coupled with not reading Numbers 33:3 below. Here is an excerpt from The New Testament Passover, which explains that this night is actually the night that all of the firstborn of Egypt were killed:

Exodus 12:42 It is a night to be much observed [1] unto the LORD for bringing [8687] them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations KJV.

[1] Strong’s 08107: 1) night watch, watching, vigil

“‘Bringing’, in this instance, uses the hiphil verb stem. This means that ‘bringing’ refers to the ‘cause’ that enabled the exodus to become possible and NOT the physical exiting of Israel.

Exodus 12:17 And ye shall observe the Feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. KJV

“The hiphil verb stem used here means that ‘brought’ can only refer to the ‘cause’ of their being able to leave and not to ‘when’ they left.

Numbers 33:3 And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the Passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. KJV

“The ‘qal’ verb stem of ‘went out’ requires that the verb must be understood to refer only to the physical exiting of Israel. In addition, please review other ‘morrow’ scriptures and you will find that it simply means ‘the next day’, or ‘the morning after an event’. This does not necessarily have to mean the next calendar day and in this particular verse it simply cannot, due to the verb stem of #3318 which places the physical exodus on the 15th.)”

[For simplicity, when you use a lexicon that includes verb stem numbers, simply look at the verbs listed with that number]

The word “observed” in “a night to be much observed” is better translated as “watching” or “vigil”.

Yeshua “the firstborn of many brethren” was killed on the 14th of Abib in the afternoon at the same time of day that the sacrificial lambs were being killed in the temple.

There is more about this Passover to come later in this chapter. However there is one more phase of the Passover yet to come. Ezekiel explained the continuity of the Passover into the Everlasting Kingdom:

“Ezekiel’s Passover”

The last nine chapters of Ezekiel describe a time in the coming Kingdom in which sacrifices very similar to the first covenant will be reinstated. The Passover at that future time will truly be part of a “New Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31). This is a most unpopular prophecy, and is seldom quoted, yet the ending chapters of this “longest prophecy in the Bible” parallels the New Jerusalem of Revelation! In this prophecy we see the Passover being kept with no mention of a Lord’s Supper. Could it be that the opportunitys that we have in this so-called “church age” are unique opportunities? Much of the reason for these New Covenant sacrifices making a comeback remain a mystery to me, yet the most basic component of a sacrifice is simply to lose something of value and then to learn from the experience. Each year the sacrificial lambs were kept in advance by those who were to sacrifice them. Surely having such a cute little fuzzy animal around for a few days before killing it would bring on some sorrow. Imagine your children playing with this little lamb and then you come around and tell them it is time for it to die. Imagine this every year. I suspect that this sense of loss as well as perhaps other factors that were not taken seriouslyt in the first go-around will actually work under “millennial” conditions.

The account in Ezekiel of the Passover begins just after the twelve tribes of Israel are given the land of Israel to reoccupy. Here is the instruction that will be given when the Passover is made mandatory for all twelve tribes of Israel under the “New Covenant” with Israel:

Ezekiel 45:1, 16-23 Moreover, when you shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, you shall offer an offering to [Yehovah], a holy portion of the land; the length shall be the length of twenty-five thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand: it shall be holy in all its border all around .... 16 All the people of the land shall give to this offering for the prince in Israel. 17 It shall be the prince’s part to give the burnt offerings, and the meal offerings, and the drink offerings, in the Feasts, and on the new moons, and on the Sabbaths, in all the appointed Feasts of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meal offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel. 18 Thus says the Lord [Yehovah]: In the first month, in the first day of the month, [New Year’s Day] you shall take a young bull without blemish; and you shall cleanse the sanctuary. 19 The priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it on the door posts of the house, and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the posts of the gate of the inner court. 20 So you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who errs, and for him who is simple: so you shall make atonement for the house. 21 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the Passover, a Feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. 22 On that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering. 23 The seven days of the Feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to [Yehovah], seven bulls and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a male goat daily for a sin offering. WEB

This is reminiscent of the time when the Feast of Tabernacles will be celebrated all over the globe:

Zechariah 14:16-21 And it shall be, everyone who is left from all the nations which came up against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, [Y]ehovah of Hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be, whoever will not go up from the families of the earth to Jerusalem to worship the King, [Y]ehovah of Hosts, there shall even be no rain on them .... 20 In that day there shall be on the bells of the horses, HOLY TO [Y]EHOVAH. And the pots [for sacrificing] in the [temple] of [Y]ehovah shall be like the bowls before the altar. And every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holy to [Y]ehovah of Hosts. And all those who sacrifice shall come and take of them, and boil in them. And in that day there shall not be a ‘trader’ [Canaanite] in the house of [Y]ehovah of Hosts any more. LIT

People will not be celebrating the “Lord’s Supper” at this time.

1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread, and drink from this cup, you commemorate the death of our Master, UNTIL HE RETURNS. YMES

There is another prophecy that explains that the Exodus from Egypt, in the coming Kingdom, will be so entirely supplanted by a coming end time Second Exodus, and the realization of the Jeremiah 31 New Covenant, that the Exodus from Egypt will seldom even come to mind!

Jeremiah 23:7-8 Therefore, behold, the days come, says [Yehovah], that they shall no more say, ‘As [Yehovah] lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; 8 but, as [Yehovah] lives, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the NORTH COUNTRY, and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ They shall dwell in their own land. WEB

Rather than view this as a contradiction, view it as enlightenment! Given that the exodus from Egypt will seldom come to mind but that an Exodus Passover tradition is to be mandatory annually, we are left to conclude that it is the coming exodus of the “house of Israel out of the NORTH COUNTRY” that will be annually commemorated! From this we can further deduce that some profound events will occur in a future year on the 14th of Abib to begin that future exodus!

“On the tenth day of the first month”

If a Passover Lamb was not “kept” until the Fourteenth day then it would NOT have been sacrificed according to God’s specific instructions. Scenarios where it was killed prior to the 14th (i.e the 13th) are simply wrong.

Exodus 12:3-6 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth day of this month, [Abib] they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household .... 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 and you shall ‘keep’ [04929: or “preserve” or even “watch”] it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at evening. WEB

We see that God commanded Israel to take a lamb on the tenth day of Abib and separate it from the flock until the fourteenth day. Why was the Lamb separated from the flock for four days? This was not an arbitrary period of time with no numerical significance! This four day period precisely fits into Yeshua’s Passover week.

First, let’s trace the chronology to arrive at the dates. When John said “six days before the Passover” he was referring to the Holy Day—the First Day of Unleavened Bread. Remember that the Passover is not a day, rather it is the sacrifice immediately preceding the 15th of Abib. So we are looking at Abib 9,10,11,12,13 and 14, with the 15th being the first Holy Day of Unleavened Bread:

John 12:1 & 12-13 Six days before the Passover, [Abib 9] Yeshua came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Yeshua raised from the dead. 12 The next day [Abib 10], a great crowd that had come for the Feast, when they heard that Yeshua was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took boughs of palm trees, and went out to meet Him. They cried out, “Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Master, the King of Israel”! YMES

Contrary to the Palm Sunday tradition, Yeshua’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem was on a Sabbath [Abib 10]. This is not surprising since everything of consequence happens on a Sabbath or a Holy Day or on a day of numerical significance. The accounts of this special day are found in Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11 and Luke 19:28-48.

Yeshua was set apart by His prophetic entry into Jerusalem riding on a colt. This day was the first day of the four day holding period for the Passover Lamb. Previously I had thought that the religious hierarchy that selected Him for slaughter had themselves set Him apart. But He was not set apart by them but for us! They had Him killed, but He was not their Passover—He is our Passover! Yeshua was set apart for us by our sins.

Mark provides the best chronology:

Sabbath, Abib 10:

Mark 11:1-11 As they approached Jerusalem, near Bethphage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, 2 and told them, “Go into the village ahead of us, and as soon as you enter it, you’ll find a colt tied that no one has ridden; untie him, and bring him here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this’? Tell him, ‘Because our Master has need of him’. Immediately he will send him here”. 4 They went, and they found the colt tied, by the door, outside* on the street. As they were untying him, 5 some of those standing there, said to them, “Why are you untying the colt”? 6 They said to them, “Yeshua had commanded them”; so they permitted them. 7 They brought the colt to Yeshua, and tossed their garments on him, and Yeshua sat on him. 8 Many spread their garments on the road; while others cut branches from the trees, and strewed them on the road. 9 Those before Him, and those who following Him shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of Yehovah. 10 Blessed is the advancing Kingdom of our father David. Hosanna in the highest heavens”. 11 Yeshua entered Jerusalem and the temple, and looked at everything. When evening arrived, He went out to Bethany with the twelve. YMES

Those of us who understand that the Passover sacrifice was always killed on the afternoon of the 14th literally acknowledge that Yeshua is our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7). Yet so many believe that Yeshua’s explanation of the Passover, at His last Supper, overshadows His actual sacrifice! But no amount of explaining or symbolism could supersede the actual sacrifice—if it could then Yeshua died in vain! To say that He may have been coincidentally killed at the same time the Jews were “mistakenly keeping their 15th Passover”, and perhaps allude to some nebulous symbolism, is to forsake the very essence of the sacrifice that leads us to eternal life! The Passover sacrifice occurred at precisely the appointed time. God did not have to settle for a second best date due to an alleged error of the Jews. Dont blame the error on the Jews! They got that part right. The timetable that They worked out together “before the world existed” (John 17:5) was not carelessly altered. The Passover sacrifice of the lambs in ancient Egypt truly foreshadowed the sacrifice of Yeshua at the exact time of day that the blood of the Lamb of God was ultimately shed for the sins of the world. Would anyone argue that the blood on the “the lintel and the two doorposts” does not represent the blood that drained from Yeshua’s body and down the “cross members” of the cross—shed for each household?

(Incidentally, this chapter has nothing to do with calendar issues. People have enough trouble figuring out what happened on the 14th without regard to when the 14th is! So even if you think that the equinox factors into the Passover or that invisible conjunctions or molads are better than the actual visible new moon, it will have no bearing on this article. That only factors in when the exact timing of the God’s appointments are really important to you.)

Sunday, Abib 11,

On this day Yeshua cursed the fig tree:

Mark 11:11-14 Yeshua entered into the temple in Jerusalem, and looked at everything. When evening arrived, He went out to Bethany with the twelve. 12 The following day, as He left Bethany, He was hungry, 13 and He saw a fig tree at a distance with leaves on it, and He came to it to find something to eat. When He got to it He found nothing on it but leaves; because it was too early for fruit. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!”. His disciples heard Him. YMES

That same Day, Yeshua booted the bankers. Continuing in Mark 11:

Mark 11:15-17 They came to Jerusalem and Yeshua entered the temple of Yehovah and He began to throw out everyone who bought and sold in the temple, and He overturned the counters of the bankers* [1] [2855], and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 He allowed no one to carry goods thru the temple. 17 As He taught them, He asked, “Isnt it written, My house will be called the house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves” YMES

This is the account of the second time that Yeshua cast the bankers out of His Father’s Temple. Yeshua also threw them out to mark the beginning of His Ministry (John 2:11-17). Perhaps this second occurrence was a sign that the Temple would be overthrown twice more—once in 70 AD and one time yet to occur?

Monday, Abib 12:

Continuing from the same verse in Mark 11, we see that Yeshua returned to the fig tree the next day and the tree was nearly decomposed, clear down to the roots!

Mark 11:18-21 The leading priests and the law professors heard Him, and they began searching for a way to destroy Him; they were afraid of Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. l9 That evening, they left the city. 20 In the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots. 21 Simon remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi; look, the fig tree that you doomed* [2672] has withered away”. YMES

Tuesday, Abib 13, from Mark’s account:

Again, the day referenced is the first Holy Day of Unleavened Bread, as is elaborated on later:

Mark 14:1-2, & 10-11 It was now two days before the Feast of the Passover and the [Feast of] Unleavened Bread, and the leading priests and the law professors sought how they might seize Him by deception, and kill Him. 2 For they said, “Not during the Feast, because there might be a riot of the people .... 10 It was two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the law professors were contemplating a means to take Him by deception, and kill Him. 2 But they said, “Not during the Feast, because there might be a riot among the people .... 10 Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the leading priests, in order to betray Yeshua to them. 11 When they heard him, they were thrilled [5463]; and they promised to pay him off. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Him. YMES

Wednesday, Abib 14:

It was on the Preparation Day for the Passover that Yeshua died for us. The next verse in Mark 14 explains that the disciples were planning on having a regular Passover that year.

Mark 14:12 On the First day of Unleavened Bread, when the Jews sacrifice* the Passover [Preparation Day], His disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to go, and prepare for You to eat the Passover? YMES

But at this time on the timeline the four day holding period for the Lamb of God had expired.

Prophetically, using the ancient millennial week concept, the four days that the lamb was withdrawn from the flock might also represent the four “millennial days” from Adam that the identity and even the existence of the Son of God was, for the most part, completely unknown to the human race—He was removed from His flock. The beginning of Yeshua’s ministry in the great temple in Jerusalem was the beginning of the end of the separation of the veil that separated man from God. If the incident in the temple did not signal that the Messiah must soon atone for our sins, then the parable of the vineyard should have. It was at this point in time that “He began to speak to them in analogies* [3850]” (Mark 12:1) saying “This is the heir; come, let’s kill him, and his inheritance will be ours”. (Mark 12:7) He told them that “The stone that the builders rejected, has become the cornerstone” (v.10) and they knew exactly what He meant because “They looked for an excuse to apprehend Him, but were afraid of the people; for they knew that He spoke this analogy* against them...” (v.12)

The rest of this two part chapter largely deals with that fateful Wednesday.

Thursday, Abib 15 First Day of Unleavened Bread: Day #1 in the grave.

Friday, Abib 16 Day #2 in the grave.

Sabbath, Abib 17 Day #3 in the grave. Yeshua was resurrected at the end of the Sabbath.

Sunday, Abib 18 Yeshua’s body was discovered missing on an annual day somewhat erroneously known as “the first day of the week”, or the day of the wave sheaf (Leviticus 23:11). The typology of the wave sheaf was fulfilled when Yeshua was reunited with His Father later this day (v.17) as the “sheaf” was waved or presented to the God of heaven. In the YMES, “the first day of the week” is corrected to say “the First of the Sabbaths”.

John 20:1,17 & 19 On the First *of the Sabbaths* [4521, sabbaton], in the morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb, and she saw that the stone had already been removed from the tomb .... 17 Yeshua said to her, “Dont touch Me; for I havent yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brethren, and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God’” .... 19 On the evening of the First *of the Sabbaths*, the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Yeshua came, and stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you”. YMES

... Wednesday, Abib 21 Last day of Unleavened Bread. Yeshua’s disciples were again gathered in the upper room for the Holy Day:

John 20:26-27 After eight days [including the Preparation Day], the disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Yeshua came, while the doors were locked, and stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you”. 27 He said to Thomas, “Put your finger in here, and look at My hands; and reach out your hand and put it into My side, dont be unbelieving, but believing”. YMES

The Rest of the Story!

Anciently, Israel had an opportunity to enter God’s rest and it also happened on “the tenth day of the first month”:

Joshua 4:19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho. WEB

[Remember that Joshua, Yeshua and Jesus are all really the same Hebrew & Aramaic name.]

This is the day that Israel entered into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. You can read the whole account in the book of Joshua, but let’s skip to the book of Hebrews. Israel could have had perpetual “rest” in the Promised Land, but it never happened. Instead they had continual warfare and finally defeat.

This time, instead of focusing on the “Sabbath” part of this very meaty passage, let’s focus on the “rest” part:

Hebrews 4:1-10 Let’s *use great caution* since there is a firm promise of entering into His *resting place*, because some of you might find yourselves *left behind* [5302]. 2 For the Evangel* [1] was given to us, as well as to them [ancient Israel]; but the voice* they heard didnt profit them, because it wasnt mixed with faith by those who heard it. 3 But we who have believed will enter into *the resting place* [2663]. But as He said, “As I have sworn in My wrath, they wont enter into My *resting place*”; even tho, the accomplishments* [2041] of Yehovah were predestined* [1096] from the foundation of the world. 4 As he said about the Sabbath, “Yehovah ceased on the seventh day from all His works”. 5 Here again, He said, “They wont enter into My rest”. 6 *As it was, some could have entered*; [a second opportunity for the Kingdom!] but those who heard the Evangel* *first announced*, didnt enter, because they didnt believe. 7 So He renewed* [3825] *the previously designated* [3724] specific* [5100] day, after a long period of time. As was mentioned above, David said, “Today, if you hear His voice, dont harden your minds”. 8 For if Yeshua* [2424], the son of Nun, had given them rest, he wouldnt have spoken afterwards of another* [243] day. 9 So there remains* [620] a *Sabbath-rest* [4520] for the people of Yehovah. 10 For He who entered into His rest, rested from His own works, as Yehovah did from His. YMES

The point I’d like to make is that everything went sour after Israel crossed the Jordan river on the tenth of Abib under the leadership of Joshua. But there is another Joshua who was set aside on the tenth day of the first month as our sacrificial Lamb! “Yeshua” literally means “Yehovah is salvation” in Greek and “Joshua” means “Yehovah is salvation” in Hebrew.

Yeshua’s sacrifice on the fourteenth of Abib—all by itself—is the reason that we can enter the new “rest” in the Kingdom of God! But it gets better because the old “rest” was for a lifetime, but the new “rest” is for all of eternity! This time God is “playing for keeps”!

“The veil ... was torn”

If there were ever a time when it could be said: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”, this would be it. Because the Savior died as a hero, our lives can be spared.

John 15:13 There is no greater love than this, than for a man to lay down his life *for the sake of* [5228] his friends. YMES

Precisely when Yeshua died on that fateful evening as our Passover, the veil that Yeshua was born to remove was torn away:

Matthew 27:50-51 Then Yeshua cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Instantly, the curtain of the door of the temple was torn in half, from the top to the bottom, and the earth shook, and the rocks were split. YMES

In 2027 AD we will reach another millennial milestone. Two more millennia will have elapsed and the seventh will begin the 7,000 year plan of God to create for Himself literal Sons. The first four days are prophetic of the Messiah being withheld from His future brethren:

Romans 8:29-30 He knew in advance, indeed He predestined them to be similar to the image of His Son; that He might be the firstborn of many brethren. 30 Those whom He previously sealed, He called; and those whom He called, He justified; and those whom He justified, He glorified. YMES

[Incidentally, there can only be one firstborn in a family.]

Again, Yeshua was the fulfillment of the wave sheaf (Leviticus 23:11-15) that was waved on a “Sunday” during the seven days of Unleavened Bread. The priest holding the sheaf toward heaven typified Yeshua’s brief visit to His Father in heaven to be accepted as “the firstfruits”. His “formal” return to heaven was after fourty days.

1 Corinthians 15:22-23 For as it was with Adam, all men die, so also by the Messiah they all live. 23 But everyone in his order; Messiah was the firstfruits; afterwards, those who are the Messiah’s, at His coming. YMES

Incidentally, the “two loaves” of Leviticus 23:17 are the “Firstfruits to the Lord”. Biblically, both Yeshua and Israel are identified as “firstfruits”.:

Jeremiah 2:3 Israel was holiness to [Yehovah], the first fruits of His increase; all who devour him shall be held guilty; evil shall come on them, says [Yehovah]. WEB

So the two loaves represent the two houses of Israel that will become one again. (Ezekiel 37:21-22)

Knowing that Yeshua is “the first fruits”, we might associate His “bruised” body (Isaiah 53:10) with the “meal offering” or the bread that symbolized His own body. Perhaps the “frankincense” indicates that He was born for this “offering”. Might not the “oil” represent the oil that He was anointed with? After all, Messiah (Strong’s 5547) means “anointed”.

Leviticus 2:14-16 If you offer a meal offering of first fruits to [Yehovah], you shall offer for the meal offering of your first fruits grain in the ear parched with fire, bruised grain of the fresh ear. 15 You shall put oil on it, and lay frankincense on it: it is a meal offering. 16 The priest shall burn as its memorial, part of its bruised grain, and part of its oil, along with all its frankincense: it is an offering made by fire to [Yehovah]. WEB

Verse 8 adds: “and it shall be presented to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar”.

Wasnt Yeshua essentially “presented to the priest”—Caiaphas—and then sent to “the altar” to be sacrificed?

Hidden in the Greek it actually equates the Yeshua’s cross with an altar: “... He was *placed on the altar* [399] for the sins of many ...” (Hebrews 9:28 YMES)

Matthew 26:65-66 Then the high priest tore his clothes, and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need witnesses? Look, you have heard His blasphemy! 66 What do you think?” They replied, “He deserves* death”. YMES

Some assume—because they believe that the Passover is a day rather than a sacrifice—that the Passover lambs must have been killed at the end of the thirteenth of Abib, as the sun was setting toward the beginning of the Fourteenth Day. In essence they assume that “Passover Day” needs its own Preparation Day, resulting in a Preparation Day for the Preparation Day! Because of this misunderstanding, many Christian Passover observers commemorate their “Passover” immediately following Abib the thirteenth, just after the sun sets (having prepared for that on the 13th). If due to groupthink (off site) you have always believed that Passover is a day, rather than an event that was part of the Preparation for Unleavened Bread, then stop right now and check your own lexicon to see what Passover is! (An excellent free Online version is linked below.)

“Prove all things”

Proving all things does not mean reading one opinion over and over without having the courage to consider alternative scenarios. In fact you cant claim that you have proven anything unless you have unbiasedly considered the alternatives. Only allowing yourself to consider one possible outcome is rightfully termed brainwashing! It is quite possible to go into a study believing that the facts will bear out your existing beliefs, but a truly honest and open minded person will be able to—with sufficient study—discern his error when confronted with the facts. A truly converted person will be willing to acknowledge an error without allowing personal embarrassment to hinder them. When it has to do with sin, a converted mind shouldnt waste much time deliberating!

A further caution would be that you cant truthfully say that you have considered any alternatives if you only view those alternatives thru the brightly colored glasses of an opponent. The opponent of an idea will almost certainly present the other viewpoint(s) in such a way that you would never believe that the view had any credibility. Exceedingly rare is the person who is willing to fully explain differing viewpoints of a topic and remain completely objective. Why take a chance? Why not go directly to the people most “invested” in the other viewpoint.

For that matter, would many passionate proponents of any cause necessarily want to give “equal time” to something he believes to be wrong or even dangerous? Would he likely acknowledge any point of credibility in an opposing point of view and see if they have some ideas of merit?

Allow proponents of new (to you) ideas a legitimate opportunity to present their case rather than allow a “prosecuting attorney” to characterize the “defendant” in a dim light on any issue that could potentially change your destiny! I’m not talking about fence sitters “who are always learning, but never coming to a *correct knowledge* [1922] of spiritual truth”, why would you want to even listen to someone who is so “fair” to differing sides of an issue that they havent taken a personal stand on the issue? When an issue has to do with whether or not you are going to please God, then you owe it to yourself not to trust anyone else to decide what is right to do or believe. Many teach that personal responsibility is dangerous when it comes to proving religious tenets, and they would suggest or “demand” that you place your trust in a human “religious authority”. Yet the whole reason why you were born is for God to see how you will respond to the trials of life. This life is a testing ground. God will greatly compensate people in His Kingdom who dont want to shirk the most important decisions of their lives by passing the buck!

“keep it until the fourteenth day”

The word “keep” has been treated strangely in regard to the Passover.

The very Scriptures referred to by those commemorating the Passover on the 14th, are Scriptures that have been mistranslated in most English Bibles.

Most Passover observers further assume that “keeping” the Passover means eating the Passover! I believe that making assumptions like that may diminish your reward!

There are three aspects of the word “Passover” and the applications are determined from the context:

The 1c reference is in regard to the terms “Passover” and “Unleavened Bread” being used interchangeably for the “Festival” of Unleavened Bread. While there is a distinction, the vernacular included the Preparation Day/Passover sacrifice with the seven days of Unleavened Bread that followed, in essence an eight day period.

The Scriptures are quite plain that the Passover (the “animal victim”) was to be sacrificed on the fourteenth (Preparation Day), however it was very LATE on the fourteenth and the lamb was actually eaten on the fifteenth—the first Holy Day of Unleavened Bread!

What exactly does it mean to “keep the Passover”?

Numbers 9:1-14 [Yehovah] spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Moreover let the children of Israel keep the Passover in its appointed season. 3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at evening, you shall keep it in its appointed season—according to all its statutes, and according to all its ordinances, you shall keep it.” 4 Moses spoke to the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover. 5 They kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at evening, in the wilderness of Sinai. According to all that [Yehovah] commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did. 6 There were certain men, who were unclean because of the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day. 7 Those men said to him, “We are unclean because of the dead body of a man. Why are we kept back, that we may not offer the offering of [Yehovah] in its appointed season among the children of Israel?” 8 Moses answered them, “Wait, that I may hear what [Yehovah] will command concerning you.” 9 [Yehovah] spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Say to the children of Israel, ‘If any man of you or of your generations is unclean by reason of a dead body, or is on a journey far away, he shall still keep the Passover to [Yehovah]. 11 In the second month, on the fourteenth day at evening they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break a bone of it. According to all the statute of the Passover they shall keep it. 13 But the man who is clean, and is not on a journey, and fails to keep the Passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people. Because he didnt offer the offering of [Yehovah] in its appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. 14 “‘If a foreigner lives among you, and desires to keep the Passover to [Yehovah]; according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its ordinance, so shall he do. You shall have one statute, both for the foreigner, and for him who is born in the land. WEB

All of the above references to “keep” deal with SACRIFICING the Passover lambs—not with eating the Passover!

Notice in verse 7 that the “offering” was so important that the question of a back up plan is asked:

Numbers 9:7 Those men said to him, “We are unclean because of the dead body of a man. Why are we kept back, that we may not offer the offering of [Yehovah] in its appointed season among the children of Israel? WEB

Verse 13 also confirms that the topic is the “animal victim” or “the offering”.

However the root word given, 07126 sheds some interesting insights.

Why is this important? Two reasons. The sacrifices were intended to bring the participants closer to God. But there is another reason. Notice that Yeshua’s exact words, translated correctly are:

Matthew 26:18 He said to them, “Go into the city, to such a man, and say to him, ‘Our Rabbi says, My time approaches; NEAR* [4314] YOU [4571] I’ll institute* [4160, 2d1] the Passover with My disciples’”. YMES

The Yonug’s Literal Translation, acclaimed for literalness, also correctly says “NEAR THEE”.

On Yeshua’s final Passover He was not with His disciples but He was relatively “near” them! Without any doubt, our Passover “NEAR THEE” is the Passover Victim—Yeshua, the Passover Lamb on the cross! (off site)

Now for Part 2