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For we [believers] have become partakers of Christ [sharing in all that the Messiah has for us]. Hebrews 3:14a AMP

Salvation through the Lamb of God is not a teaching of two or four or six thousand years but it is an eternal reality which has been unveiled to us in time and space through God’s word and the coming of Yeshua into the world.

Pesach and Easter this year coincide. Pesach 2023 (Passover) begins before sundown on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, and ends after nightfall on April 13, 2023. This year Pesach and Easter coincide.

Before the Foundation of the World

May I say that Easter and communion are not just New Covenant and Pesach and the lamb are not just Old Covenant. The picture presented to us as we read the scriptures is that of the eternal realm, beyond our limitation of time and space where Father, Son and Holy Spirit had a plan for mankind — for Yeshua to have a Bride, for Father to have a family — for the redemption and fulfilment for each one us, His created ones, to be satisfied in God alone, through the LAMB OF GOD who “before the foundation of the world… was slain.”

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, (beast) whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13:8 BRG

As each one of us is reading this today, let each one take a moment to say “Thank you Lord that because I have the son, I have life (1 John 5:12) and my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

In the eternal realm, you and I, the believer had already been chosen –

… even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love. Ephesians 1:4 HNV

Our main focus today is finding Yeshua in Pesach and partaking of Him. Yeshua as the “Lamb” was no longer simply in the heart of Father God, but the Lamb in His heart became Yeshua in the flesh, a real person, that many encountered in time and space some 2,000 years ago, for He had come from the eternal realm to visit His Beloved People and mankind in general, a concept so vast that it cannot be so narrowly defined by our theologies.

Yeshua, the Messiah –

… who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake. 1 Peter 1:20 HNV

Our Messiah was foreknown but revealed so that He is no longer a mystery but able to be known by each one of us.

The Messiah through the Pesach is portrayed to us as a lamb as we read in the Book of Exodus. Exodus chapter 12 describes the various steps that needed to be taken by a household of Israelites to prepare for their exodus from Egypt. It was a new year on the Jewish calendar. It was the time of Nisan in which we currently find ourselves.

Exodus explained the details of all that was necessary to be prepared for the exit of the Israelites but three main things were eaten at this special time.

In Exodus 12 we read about the killing of the lamb, the application of the lamb’s blood to the side posts and on the lentil. They had to be clothed, shoes on feet and staff in hand so that when the “destroyer” came to Egypt, they would be able to depart swiftly and not be smitten.

The blood will serve you as a sign marking the houses where you are; when I see the blood, I will pass over you — when I strike the land of Egypt, the death blow will not strike you. Exodus 12:13 CJB

Because of the blood of the lamb, the lives of the Israelites were spared. And today because of the blood of Yeshua, the Messiah, our lives have been rescued.

He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. Colossians 1:13 CJB

In a Seder, the lamb is one of three things eaten at the Passover meal.

The Israelites ate the lamb which was their main meal. At this first Passover, the angel of death “passed over” the homes marked by the blood of the lamb during the final plague.

In addition to the lamb, they were to eat the maror (“bitter herbs”) as well as the “unleavened bread” which is typically called matzah.

They shall eat the flesh in that night, roasted with fire, and matzah. They shall eat it with bitter herbs. Exodus 12:8 HNV

In the Seder – the annual memorial service by which Jewish families commemorate the exodus of the Jews from Egypt — there are many symbols but the main one is the lamb. Some communities like the Sephardic Jews will eat lamb whereas other communities do not eat lamb but might substitute chicken.

This Haggadah (order of service) is available for you to read if you wish to know more.

Messianic Haggadah – available to print/email.

 

Yeshua the Lamb Revealed in the New Covenant

As we contemplate the lamb of Pesach, Yeshua, our Saviour, our thoughts in the New Covenant go to John the Baptist, who was related to Yeshua. John referred to Yeshua as a “lamb” twice.

The next day, he saw Yeshua coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 HNV

This by itself was an earth-shattering statement because the Jews only knew how to have their sins forgiven annually through Yom Kippur when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies. First of all the High Priest would enter with incense and then the second time he would return with the blood to place it upon the mercy seat.

The Kohen shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the LORD Leviticus 4:6 HNV

And so, to have a lamb who takes away the sin of the world – not just annually but completely – was a revolutionary statement.

… and he looked at Yeshua as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” John 1:36 HNV

The light of God had come to John the Baptist to such an extent that he was able to say “Behold the Lamb of God”. Everything that had taken place in the thousands of years before this time was temporary but now the reality of Messiah had come. Yeshua came to visit His people and reveal to them a full redemption.

Therefore, let no one judge you in matters of food and drink or with respect to a festival, a New Moon, or Sabbath days.

These are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the Messiah. Colossians 2:16–17 ISV

The lamb at the time of the Passover had to be without blemish (Exodus 12:5) and we see this fulfilled in Yeshua. 

Your animal must be without defect, a male in its first year, and you may choose it from either the sheep or the goats. Exodus 12:5 CJB

For we do not have a cohen gadol unable to empathize with our weaknesses; since in every respect he was tempted just as we are, the only difference being that he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15 CJB

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 1 Peter 2:22 ESV

The work of the Lord in Exodus and what He did for the Israelites is a picture of what Yeshua has done for us. He has taken us from:

• Slavery to freedom
• From darkness to light
• From death to life
• From brokenness to wholeness

“Therefore, say to the people of Isra’el: ‘I am Adonai. I will free you from the forced labor of the Egyptians, rescue you from their oppression, and redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.

I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am Adonai your God, who freed you from the forced labor of the Egyptians. Exodus 6:6–7 CJB

Time to Partake

Yeshua gave us communion, the elements of the bread and wine so that we could remember Him as often as we come together.

We see Yeshua in the blood on the doorposts and lentil, we see Him in the lamb but most of all the Lord wants us to partake of Him. They did not just get the lamb, cook the lamb but they ate the lamb. Today as we eat the bread and drink the wine we also partake of Yeshua. We eat of Him and He is part of us.

Then Yeshua said to them, “Yes, indeed! I tell you that unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. John 6:53 CJB

This is a divine exchange. We begin by believing. The work of God is to believe.

Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” John 6:29 NKJV

This is the only work we have to do in order to be saved: believe.

We continue by eating his flesh and drinking his blood, feeding the new creation that we have become so that His life living through us transforms not only our own lives but the people around us and beyond.

Pesach is real, Yeshua is real, salvation is real. Pesach is a spiritual doorway where we can come to know Him better. Let us enter in to all that He has for us in this season. Ba Shem Yeshua, Amein.