Posted on 03/29/2010 11:58:21 AM PDT by Star Traveler
And it should have stayed "pascha", instead of busy little fingers changing it to Easter. Christians are sometimes so wrapped up in their traditions they willingly are led astray.
OK so I am not going to change your mind. But someday Christians are going to 'rue' the day they got into bed with the pagan origins of Easter.
The Feasts of the Lord--Part III THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD Immediately after the Passover comes a Festival that depicts the next step in the fulfillment of God's master plan. After God, through Christ's sacrifice, has forgiven us of our sins, we must continue to avoid sin, and go on living in the newness of life. How do we live as God's redeemed people? The Feast of Unleavened Bread shows us remarkably how this was accomplished in Christ. Each year as the Israelites observed this Feast, it reminded them of God's deliverance of their forefathers from Egypt. Just as God delivered ancient Israel, He delivers us from our sins and difficulties. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is the fifteenth day of the month of Nisan, which is the day following Passover. It is a seven-day Festival to the Lord (Leviticus 23:6-7, Exodus 12:7-8,14-17). On the fifteenth of Nisan and for the next seven days, God forbid the people to have any leavened bread in their houses. GOD'S COMMANDMENTS FOR THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD Exodus 12: vs.14--And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall deep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. vs.15--Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. vs.16--And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. vs.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 generation by an ordinance for ever. GOD GAVE A CEREMONY OF SEARCHING AND REMOVING LEAVEN FROM THE HOUSE PRIOR TO THE FESTIVAL OF UNLEAVENED BREAD IN PREPARATION FOR THE FESTIVAL (vs.15) Purging Leaven From The House Spiritually, believers in the the Lord Jesus are the house of God (Hebrews 3:6, 1 Peter 2:5). Leaven (sin) is to be cleaned out of our house, which is our body (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19-20). We cleanse the leaven (sin) from our houses (lives) by allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal to us, through the knowledge of Christ and the Scriptures, the sin that is in our lives. It is only through God's Word that we are able to identify sin in our lives. Jesus, who became our leaven (sin), died upon the cross so that whosoever would believe in Him would be cleaned of all leaven (sin). --For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. -2 Corinthians 5:21 Jesus, the Lamb of God, was sacrificed for the forgiveness of our sins, thus unleavening, or cleansing, our lives. Purging Out Of Sin The fifteenth of Nisan marks the beginning of a seven-day feast period when Israel was to eat bread without leaven (sin) in remembrance of their baking unleavened bread in their hast to escape Egypt. The primary theme of this Feast is the purging out of leaven (sin). Historically, there are two notable events that happened on this day- 1. The Exodus journey beginning from Egypt (Exodus 12:41) In Deuteronomy 16:3, the bread is referred to as "the bread of affliction." 2. The burial of Jesus after His crucifixion, who is the Bread of Life (John 6:35). The Festivals are fixed appointments of God specifying what He will perform and the exact time He will perform it. The Jews had to hurry to put the Lord's body in the ground because the sabbath was drawing near. This would mean that Jesus died on the fourteenth of Nisan, the day of Passover. Jesus was in the sepulcher (grave) the day following His crucifixion, which was the fifteenth of Nisan, the first day of Unleavened Bread. THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD IN THE BIBLE -The Feast of Unleavened Bread was so much a part of Passover that the names of Passover and Unleavened Bread were used interchangeably, almost synonymously with each other (Luke 22:1). -The Feast was to be kept seven days (Exodus 12:15-19). The number seven is the biblical number for completion or fullness. The believer who keeps this feast is to keep it fully unto the Lord and set himself aside completely to Him. The Feast of Unleavened Bread speaks of complete separation from all things that are leavened (sinful) and feeding upon Jesus, who is the believer's bread (John 6:32-36). -The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a high sabbath day. During Passover, there is an extra sabbath besides the weekly sabbath. These sabbaths are called high sabbaths. The high sabbath of Unleavened Bread can be seen in John 19:31. -Unleavened bread is used for consecration and separation. It is also anointed with oil. The believers in Christ are to be consecrated and separated to do the work that God has called us to do and to live a life that is holy to Him. If we do this, the anointing of the Holy Spirit of God will rest upon our lives. --The bread represents consecration (Exodus 29:2-23). --It was included in the sacred vow of separation of the Nazarites (Numbers 6:1-21). --It was the food for the priests in the meal and peace offering (Leviticus 2:4, 6:14-18). --It marked Israel's divine separation from Egypt's (the world's) life of slavery and bondage (Exodus 12:17,30-34). --All leaven was to be put away (Exodus 12:15,19-20). When leaven or yeast is placed in an unleavened batch of dough, the leaven puffs up the dough. So also, when we allow sin into our lives, it will puff us up in pride and arrogance (1 Corinthians 4:18). In the Bible, God referred to the leaven of different groups of people. 1. The leaven of Herod (Mark 8:14-15) 2. the leaven of the Pharisees (Mark 8:15, Matthew 23:1-3, Luke 11:37-44) 3. The leaven of the Sadducees (Matthew 16:6-12) The Sadducees did not believe in the supernatural. They denied the existence of the Spirit of God, angels and the resurrection (Mark 12:18, Acts 23:6-8) 4. The leaven at Corinth. The leaven at Corinth was division, jealousy, and tolerance of sexual misconduct (1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 6:9-11,16-18, 2 Corinthians 12:20-21). Spiritually, the Feast of Unleavened Bread is kept in sincerity and truth. Sincerity involves purity and serving God with a pure heart. It involves putting away the sin that is in our lives, and separating ourselves from all evil that has a corrupting influence in our life. Historically, Israel learned that keeping the Feast meant a complete separation from Egypt's religion, bondage, food, and slavery, as well as its worldly glory, wisdom, and splendor. The children of Israel took the dough before it was leavened because they could not tarry in Egypt (Exodus 12:34,39). As believers in the Lord Jesus, we are to flee the world's ways and philosophies that are contrary to the Word of God.
See Post #25 (in another thread) ... for all of the Seven Festivals of the Lord ...
The salvation issue is belief that he is risen Indeed!
Not what its called.
Comprehension of the act and its significance is what allows you to be saved by grace through faith.
Happy Passover all!
And next week, Happy Easter ( Pascha- ) :-)
The pagan celebration of 'Easter' has been around since before the first 'passover'. And just as the 'why' the Heavenly Father 'divorced' the House of Israel as described in Jeremiah 3:8 .... 'He' has not changed and decided later generations can do things their way.
The Feasts of the Lord--Part IV THE FESTIVAL OF FIRST FRUITS In the process of revealing His plan of salvation for mankind, God established His annual Holy Days around the harvest seasons in the Middle East (Leviticus 23:9-16, Exodus 23:14-16). Just as His people harvested their crops around these three Festival seasons, God's Holy Days show us how He is harvesting people for eternal life in His Kingdom. The Holy Days have meanings that build upon each other. Together they progressively reveal how God works with humanity. The fifteenth of Nisan begins the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is a high sabbath. It is a seven day feast to the Lord. The day following the sabbath during Passover is called the Feast of First Fruits (Leviticus 23:10-14). The Feast of First Fruits can be found in Leviticus 23:9-14. vs.9--And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, vs.10--Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: vs.11--And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. vs.12--And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the Lord. vs.13--And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, and offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth art of an hin. vs.14--And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. UNDERSTANDING THE FESTIVAL CEREMONY The observance was carried out in this manner, when the standing ripe harvest of barley and wheat was ready to be reaped. The celebrant would take one sheaf from the standing harvest and bring it to the priest. The lone sheaf was called "the sheaf of the first fruits." The priest was then to take this one sheaf and wave it before the Lord in His house. This was to be done "the day after the sabbath." Prescribed offerings were also to be presented along with the sheaf. THE SHEAF OF FIRST FRUITS IN THE BIBLE God commanded the people to bring a sheaf of the harvest (Leviticus 23:10). Remember, three times a year God commanded the people to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Festivals of Passover, Pentecost , and Tabernacles. All three of these festivals are agricultural harvest Festivals. Passover is the barley harvest. Pentecost is the wheat harvest. Both of these Festivals are first fruits harvests before the final harvest that was to come at the end of the year during the Festival of Tabernacles, which is the fruit harvest. The harvest represents all who would put their faith, trust, and confidence in the Messiah (Matthew 13:39). So, the sheaf is the first of the first fruits. Since a sheaf in the Bible is used to typify a person or persons (Genesis 37:5-11), a sheaf spiritually represents people who accept the Messiah into their hearts. The nation of Israel was familiar with the concept of first fruits or the firstborn. The first fruits were always the choicest, the foremost, the first, the best, the preeminent of all that was to follow. They were holy to the Lord. The concept of first fruits or firstborn is a major theme in the Bible. This can be seen by the following Scriptures: Exodus 34:26, Leviticus 23:20, Numbers 18:12-15, Deuteronomy 18:1-5, 26:2-4, and Proverbs 3:9. EVERYTHING ON THE EARTH, BOTH MAN AND BEAST, WAS TO BE PRESENTED BEFORE THE LORD AS FIRST FRUITS TO HIM --The firstborn of both man and beast were sanctified (made holy) and presented to the Lord (Exodus 13:2,22:29). --The first fruits of all the earth were presented to the Lord at His altar in praise and thanksgiving (Deuteronomy 26:1-11). THE THEME OF THE FESTIVAL OF FIRST FRUITS IS RESURRECTION AND SALVATION There are several important events that happened on this day in the Bible. 1. Noah's ark rests on Mount Ararat (Genesis 8:4). 2. Israel crosses the Red Sea (Exodus chapter 14). 3. Israel eats the first fruits of the Promised Land (Joshua 5:10-12). The manna that God gave from Heaven during the days in the wilderness ceased the sixteenth day of Nisan after the people ate of the old corn of the land. The day following was the seventeenth of Nisan, the day when the children of Israel ate the first fruits of the Promised Land. 4. Haman is defeated (Esther 3:1-6). In the Book of Esther, Haman plotted to kill all the Jews in Persia and Media. Haman had ten sons. By this, we can see tht Haman is a tye of the false Messiah (antichrist). A decree was sent out on the thirteenth of Nisan that all the Jews would be killed. Upon hearing this news, Esther proclaims a three-day fast, which would be Nisan 14-16. On the sixteenth of Nisan, Esther risked her life when she came to King Ahasuerus. The king asked her, in effect, "Tell me, what do you want?" Esther replied, "If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him." This was the sixteenth day of Nisan. At the banquet, the king again asked Esther what she wanted, and she asked the king to come to another banquet to be held the next day, the seventeenth of Nisan. On this day, Haman (a type of the false Messiah or antichrist, as well as of satan) is hanged. 5. The resurrection of Jesus (John 12:24, 1 Corinthians 15:16-20). The Lord Jesus celebrated the Festival of First Fruits by offering Himself as the first fruits to all future generations (Matthew 27:52-53). JESUS IS THE FIRST FRUITS OF THE BARLEY HARVEST 1. Jesus is the firstborn of Mary (Matthew 1:23-25) 2. Jesus is the first-begotten of God the Father (Hebrews 1:6) 3. Jesus is the firstborn of every creature (Colossians 1:15) 4. Jesus is the first-begotten from the dead (Revelation 1:5) 5. Jesus is the firstborn of many brethren (Romans 8:29) 6. Jesus is the first fruits of the resurrected ones (1 Corinthians 15:20,23) 7. Jesus is the beginning of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14) 8. Jesus is the preeminent One (Colossians 1:18) Jesus is indeed the Most Holy One of God and is sanctified by the Father. Jesus is the first, the choicest, the preeminent One. He is both the firstborn of God and the first fruits unto God. Jesus is the sheaf of the first fruits. FIRST FRUITS IS PROPHETIC OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST The Festival of the sheaf of the first fruits is prophetic of the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus prophesied that He would rise three days and nights after He was crucified upon the cross (Matthew 12:40, Luke 24:46). This was foreshadowed to happen in the Old Testament by type and shadow (Genesis 22:1-6, Exodus 3:18, 8:27). Since Jesus was crucified on the day of Passover, the fourteenth of Nisan, and He arose from the grave three days and nights after He was crucified, Jesus arose from the grave on the seventeenth of Nisan, the day of the festival of First Fruits. This day would be the day after the weekly sabbath during the week of Passover (Mark 16:1-6). In fact, Jesus is called the first fruits of those who rise from the dead. -But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. --1 Corinthians 15:20-23 THE SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING OF FIRST FRUITS A sheaf in the Bible is used to typify a person or persons (Genesis 37:5-11). Christ will return to earth (Zechariah 14:4) during His second coming as King over all the earth. He also will bring the sheaves (the believers in Jesus as the Messiah) with Him (Psalm 126, Mark 4:26-29, Jude 14). The 144,000 Jewish witnesses who witness of Christ during the tribulation are first fruits to God during the tribulation (Revelation 14:1-4). The following are Scriptures in the Bible concerning first fruits. 1. Israel was God's firstborn (Exodus 4:22). But, the first will be last and the last will be first (Mark 10:31). Therefore, the Gentiles became the first to receive the Messiah (Isaiah 60:1-3, 62:1-3, Acts 15:14-16). At the end of this present age, the Jews as a corporate people will accept Jesus as Messiah as well. 2. The Gospel was preached to the Jew first and then to the non-Jews (Romans 1:16). 3. We are called to seek first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). 4. Jesus was alive the first day of the week (Mark16:1-6). 5. Jesus was the first to rise from the dead (Acts 26:23). 6. The early believers were a kind of first fruits (James 1:17-18). 7. Those who arose from the dead with Christ during His resurrection became the first fruits of all those who would rise from the dead (Matthew 27:52-53, Ephesians 4:8, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). 8. Jesus first loved us, and He is to be our first love (1 John 4:9, Revelation 2:4). 9. Jesus is the first (Alpha) and the last (Omega) (Revelation 1:8, 17, 22:13, Isaiah 41:4, 44:6, 48:12). Few people understand that God follows a systematic plan, symbolized by His Holy Days, to save all humanity by offering all people eternal life in His Kingdom. In this world we are simply at the beginning of the harvest from the Kingdom of God.
See Post #25 (in another thread) ... for all of the Seven Festivals of the Lord ...
“The day before Pesach is the Fast of the Firstborn, a minor fast for all firstborn males, commemorating the fact that the firstborn Jewish males in Egypt were not killed during the final plague.”
I was always taught it was in honor of the innocent Eqyptian children who were killed so that we could be free -— it not being their fault that the Pharoah was a putz.
Praise YHvH for re-aligning easter with Passovershalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
in these End Days for our understanding.
Despite Man's attempts to separate YHvH's Passover from
Yah'shua's resurrection on the Feast of First Fruits,
the calendar re-aligned with the year 2000 and leap year.May everyone have a Blessed and joyful Pesach tonight.
17 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, "Take this and share it among yourselves;May all come to know YHvH's salvation
18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes."
19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
through His Lamb of G-d at Pesach.
I have always gotten a big kick out of the people that observe the resurrection of Jesus Christ with a HAM dinner...
Could Pharaoh really help he was a putz, IF the Heavenly Father hardened his heart? Was not the point that the Heavenly Father does the 'saving'?
Since easter is not of the Heavenly Father/Christ I doubt seriously He had anything to do with the aligning... Yes he allows but He also is absent from the beginning in presiding in or over 'easter' festivities. Because it was NOT a new thing for the 'soul/flesh' to return to the Maker that sent it, Enoch, Elijah, and Moses has already left this earth without leaving their flesh remains.
And Paul does not keep Easter, he says in I Corinthians 5:7-8, what to do/keep. But the peoples just as was before have to do things their way.
The Messiah of Israel will be setting up the "order of things" during the 1,000 year reign, on this earth, over all the nations of the world, at that time -- when He is seated upon the Throne of David, in Jerusalem (which is not too far away now).
So, I'll be following what the Messiah of Israel sets up and mandates for all, at that time. I won't have any problem with it.
We'll see what He does then.
Oh my, think we ought to go there? It will be 'divine' lessons to change hearts and minds that the vacuum cleaner of the scraps of the earth was never intended for food.
That is your choice to 'wait' to see, but Christ said when He walked in a flesh body, I have foretold you all things.... Yes, some people are going to be taking classes for a thousand years to get it right.
By Eliyahu Kitov
It is an ancient and widespread custom for the firstborn to fast on the day before Passover. This commemorates the miracle which spared the firstborn Jewish sons from the plague which struck down the firstborn sons of the Egyptians.
By right, this fast should be held on the anniversary of the day on which the miracle occurred: on the night of the fifteenth of Nissan. However, since the fifteenth is already Passover, and we do not fast on Festival days the fast is pushed back to the fourteenth.
There is an additional reason why we fast specifically on the fourteenth. The firstborn of the Jews were saved in Egypt because they humbled themselves before G-d, admitting and declaring that all greatness, power, and sovereignty are His alone.
This stood in contradistinction to the Egyptians who, filled with foolish pride and egotism, declared: "I am, and besides me there is none other."
Thus, the fast on the fourteenth of Nissan commemorates the fact that the firstborn of Israel humbled themselves on that day and accepted the yoke of G-d's sovereignty. Abstention from food and drink is a sign of a heart subdued before G-d.
There are different customs that are associated with this fast. Some maintain that every firstborn, male and female, whether the firstborn is that of the mother or of the father, must fast.
If there are no children, then the oldest member of the household must fast. They base this on the fact that there was no Egyptian household that was spared from the plague, every household in Egypt was struck whether there was a firstborn son or not. We commemorate, therefore, that all of the Jewish households were miraculously spared.
Others maintain that the obligation to fast applies only to firstborn males.
If the fourteenth of Nissan falls on a Shabbat, the fast is observed on the previous Thursday [the twelfth of Nissan], for if a fast is suspended because of Shabbat, it is not held on a Friday. However if the fourteenth of Nissan falls on a Friday, the fast is held on that day. There are some who are lenient, however, and maintain that in this case one does not fast.
There are those who hold that the firstborn sons who are fasting should not fast for the entire day, in order not to enter the Festival suffering, and thus should eat a small amount before the Festival begins.
This fast is treated leniently. Thus, if there is a festive meal held that is connected with a mitzvah, for example, the celebration of a circumcision or of a siyum (the completion of a tractate of the Talmud) the firstborn son participates in the meal rather than fasting.
It is therefore customary to arrange for a siyum to take place in the synagogue after morning prayers on the fourteenth of Nissan. The firstborn sons who are present participate in this festive meal and, having broken their fast, may continue to eat for the rest of the day.
So I expect to see Pharaoh II rear his ugly head... because the peoples are still play the part of Jeremiah 3:8- and right now BamBamKennedy is our Pharaoh, or at least reenacting that role.
OK.
I was discussing it from a Jewish standpoint, not Christian.
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