The Abrahamic Advantage: Passover(Pesach)

credit: Chabad.org

The eight-day festival of Passover is celebrated in the early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan (April 10–18, 2017). It commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. It is observed by avoiding leaven, and highlighted by the Seder meals that include four cups of wine, eating matzah and bitter herbs, and retelling the story of the Exodus.

In Hebrew it is known as Pesach (which means “to pass over”), because G‑d passed over the Jewish homes when killing the Egyptian firstborn on the very first Passover eve. Read more here.

As the Jews and the rest of the World prepare to celebrate the Pesach(or Passover) or Easter, it is important to understand the significance of the Passover.

According to the Bible and Torah, G-d emancipated the Hebrews from Egypt after the last plague, namely the destruction of the Firstborns of Egypt, and we understand why He did that. Since Yisrael was G-d's firstborn and Pharaoh was holding on to His Firstborn, his own firstborns received YWH's retribution - like for like.

Those of us who have come to maturity through faith in the Moshiack, namely Jesus the Son of David, also know that He(Jesus) was the Lamb of G-d who took away the Sins of the Whole World, as was introduced by John, the son of Zachariah - the Priest.

credit:tedmontgomery.com

Today, my discourse is on an important subject. "Why Did Jesus Die on a Tree?"

The scripture makes us understand that "Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree"(Galatians 3:13). So, in that He died on the Cross(made of a tree) he bore our shame and sins on it, as it is written "...who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed"(1 Peter 2:24)

The Angel Gabriel already declared to Daniel that the "...shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and ...."(Daniel 9:26

I declare to you today, that the reason Jesus came, lived, died and rose again was so He could usher in "everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy" (Daniel 9:24).

At this juncture, I like to depict a little chronicle or chronology of events leading up to the Messiah (aka Moshiack)

1. The Creation and the Rest(Shabbat)

· G-d created the world in 6 days and entered His Rest on the 7^th(Zayin)

2. The Creation of Man & the Paradise

· Man was created on the 6^th Day and was put in the Paradise(Rest)

Jesus declared “the Shabbat was made for Man, and not Man for the Shabbat”

3. The Fall and the Beginning of Work – Sorrows

· The Fall of Man introduced Sin, Work & Corruption

· The Curse is the Work

4. The Patriarchs and G-d

5. Abraham, the Covenant & Promise

· G-d promised Abraham the Rest – Shabbat

· G-d established an Order: Slavery, Jubilee and Promised Land

6. The Sojourn, Slavery and Bondage

· Israel become a slave in Egypt and Work was multiplied on his back

7. The Prophet, Jubilee, Promised Land & Kingdom

· G-d called Moses to liberate Yisrael from under the Curse of Work

· Moses established the Law, Ordinances, Levitical Priesthood, Shabbat and Jubilee

8. The Prophet & The Kingdom

· Yisrael clamored for a King and Kingdom

· Samuel was instructed by G-d to establish a Kingdom

· Saul failed G-d

· Kingdom was established in David, the son of Jesse

· Solomon, the Temple Design & the Shabbat

9. The Kingdom was Lost

· The Idolatry – Jeremiah prophesied of Kingdom loss

· Kingdom was lost under King Zedekiah

10. The Birth of the Messiah

· Jesus was born to be King of Israel

· Three Kings from the far east came to honour Him

11. Jesus declares the Jubilee

· “The Spirit of the Lord G-d is upon me…to release the prisoners…”

· Jesus established “New Works” – Works of Release, faith, and Love

12. What are the Works of G-d

· When queried on the true Works of G-d “What should we do to inherit the Kingdom…? Jesus replied: “The Works of G-d is to Believe in Him whom He has sent”. Hence, the New Works of G-d is to BELIEVE in the messiah for EVERYTHING that pertains to life, godliness and living, such as Health & Lifestyle, Fashion, Business/Economy, Relationship & Marriage, Family, Governance, etc.

· The Samaritan woman declared that the Messiah will “tell us ALL things”

13. The Passover is Fulfilled – Jesus is Crucified

· The Temple is destroyed – “Destroy this Temple and in 3 days I will build it” (Jesus words, because the Temple signified His Body)

· The Unification is realized – The Parting of the Temple Curtain or “Veil”

· Jesus descends to Hell and defeats Satan – takes the keys of Hades from him

14. The Resurrection & the Birth of the Church – the New Creation

So G-d created Man on the 6th Day and Man never worked but simply found himself in the Paradise(Eden) where he did nor performed NO WORK. He lived in the Shabbat or the Rest of G-d.

But when he sinned, he lost that Rest(where everything worked for him) and he began to operate in the lesser - that is the realm of WORK.

But G-d instituted the Shabbat for Yisrael to show us that His ultimate dream for Man was to enter into His Rest.

Man needs no work to operate, he simply needs his child-like faith - to BELIEVE all that G-d has SAID.

It was in this regard that Satan deceived man by making him to DOUBT G-d's testimony.

What is the Testimony of G-d?

"And this is the record, that G-d hath given us eternal life, and this life(eternal life) is in His Son. He that hath the Son(of G-d) hath life, and he that hath not the Son of G-d hath not life.(1 John 5: 11 -12)

IFor "In Him was life; and the life was the light of men"...John 1:4. "...that was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the World (John 1:9).

G-d is always against WORK. The Opposite of WORK is LOVE. G-d is LOVE. See I John 4:8.

Simply BELIEVE in Moshiack-Jesus, that you may ENTER into His Rest.