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Many people today do not think of Moses as a prophet yet all of the Mosaic Feasts (7 in all)are foreshadows of all the things which Jesus has done or will do. The first to be fulfilled was Passover. Many Christians and Jews DO NOT fully understand the all of the ties between Passover and Easter (sometimes called Resurrection Sunday).
- John seeing Jesus coming unto him, said,
"Behold the Lamb of God,
which takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29
Purge out therefore the old leaven,
that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened.
For even Christ our Passover (lamb)
is sacrificed for us: 1 Corinthians 5:7
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Jesus In the Passover
The New Testament frequently identifies Jesus with this sacrificial lamb as our ultimate substitutionary sacrifice Jesus is our sign for the judgment of G-d to "pass over" our homes.The Passover celebration itself centers around a ceremonial meal called a Seder, which consists of eating symbolic foods and drinking symbolic wine, interspersed with a stylized narrative of the Exodus, according to the Seder liturgical manual called the Haggadah (which means "narration"). It is not a passive ceremony, but involves everyone present. Passover is a time of celebration, so the table is set festively. There are candles, which must be lit, by a woman, by nightfall. A special blessing is pronounced in connection with the lighting of the candles. (Here again we see something interesting; few things in Judaism require a woman to perform them, but it is a woman who lights the candles to get everything started. So it was necessary that the Savior of the world should be born of a woman, without the involvement of a man.)
When everything is ready, a glass of wine is poured and the Kiddush recited. This cup is called the "Cup of Sanctification," and signifies that everything is "in order" (the word "Seder" means "order" in Hebrew). On the table will be six symbolic foods which will be eaten at the appropriate time as the story of the Exodus unfolds. Also on the table are three matzos, wrapped in white linen. The head of the household takes the middle matzo and breaks it in two and hides half of it! This hidden matzo is called the afikomen; we'll hear more about it later.
The youngest child present who is old enough to read will then ask "the Four Questions," which he or she has memorized (often in Hebrew) ahead of time. The gist of the questions in English is:
-
On all other nights we eat bread or matzo, but tonight only matzo. Why?
On all other nights we eat vegetables and herbs of all kinds, but tonight only bitter herbs. Why?
On all other nights we do not dip vegetables even once, but tonight we dip twice. Why?
On all other nights we eat in an upright or reclining position, but tonight we recline at the table. Why?
-
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
the disciples came to Jesus and asked,
"Where do you want us to make
preparations for you to eat the Passover?"....
While they were eating, Jesus took bread,
gave thanks and broke it, and
gave it to his disciples, saying,
"Take and eat; this is my body."
Then he took the cup, gave thanks and
offered it to them, saying,
"Drink from it, all of you.
This is my blood of the covenant(1),
which is poured out for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
- Matthew 26(Verses 17, 26-28)
After this, the Seder tray is removed, and the regular meal is served. This is a large family feast, something like Thanksgiving (but of course, entirely kosher and without leaven!) When there was still a temple in Jerusalem, this meal centered around the Paschal Lamb which had been sacrificed at twilight. Now, however, the meat dish is more likely to be chicken or beef. The original sacrificial Lamb is represented by the shank bone on the Seder tray. To quote Sigal again: "Originally, the entire Paschal lamb was consumed by the participants, who became one with it in psychic or figurative communion, the lamb thus serving a vicarious expiatory purpose." In other words, by consuming the lamb, the participant recognizes himself as the one who should have died, but the lamb was his substitute. The New Testament frequently identifies Jesus with this sacrificial lamb as our ultimate substitutionary sacrifice.
After the meal
After the meal comes the hidden matzo or afikomen. It is broken in two pieces It is usually left to the children to find it, and once it is found, the head of the house may have to buy it back with money. The Seder cannot continue without it. Once it is retrieved, a small piece is given to each participant. The wine goblets are filled, and grace after meals is recited. To one who has trusted in Jesus as Messiah , the significance of the afikomen is startling. The three matzot suggest the Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The middle matzo would then be the Son (Jesus), whose body was broken(crucified) , wrapped in white linen and hidden (buried) and found (resurrected), to be partaken of by all who will. The matzo is a fitting picture, as it is:
- without leaven, signifying sinlessness,
pierced with holes (John 19:37 - "they shall look on him whom they pierced") and
Striped (Isaiah 53:5 - "By his stripes we are healed.")
The fourth cup of wine is called the "Cup of Praise," or Elijah's cup. In many homes, not only a cup of wine but a full place setting is left, in case Elijah the prophet should come, in fulfillment of Malachi 4:5: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." The youngest child is sent to the door to see whether or not Elijah has come this year. Jesus did not drink this fourth cup at his Seder. When he drank the third cup he said "I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom." There was no more need to wait for Elijah to announce Messiah. Jesus had said that John the Baptist had already come in the spirit of Elijah ( and Elijah himself had appeared on the night of the transfiguration), and Messiah had already come. But most Jews, (and most people in general) do not recognize these facts. When the child does not find Elijah at the door, it is assumed that another year must pass before Messiah can come, and so the head of the family will say "Next year in Jerusalem," in hope that Messiah will come next year and fully restore the kingdom-temple and all -- and Passover can be celebrated the way it used to be. What they are really looking for is the second coming of Messiah. When the time is right, he will return in triumph to establish his earthly kingdom as described in Revelation 20.
Just as the little children find the "hidden matzo" at the end of the meal it is the Lord’s plan for His chosen people to embrace His son in these last days. Some found Him when He came the first time and now is time for the children to look for Him.
- Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
- Psalms 2:11-12
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Wise men still seek HIM!!!
Will you be ready when He comes again?
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