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Tag: abraham

  • Festival of the Passover

    Festival of the Passover

    No holy holiday surpasses peçach, the festival of the Passover, in the calendar year of the jews. In a previous post, Josiah – a Good King also Dies, we discovered that Passover had been completely forgotten by the Judah. The Law had not been read and Kings before Josiah had done evil in the sight of the Lord.

    פֶּסַח

    We also reviewed the meaning of Passover:

    “a sparing, immunity from penalty and calamity.

    The root word suggests from application of scripture in Exodus 12 that the Lord will pass over or spring over you when executing judgment. He will halt the punitive action in your case.

    A Three-part Festival

    Instructions for the Passover

    Exodus 12:3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they must each select an animal of the flock according to their fathers’ families, one animal per family. 4 If the household is too small for a whole animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people; you should apportion the animal according to what each will eat. 5 You must have an unblemished animal, a year-old male; you may take it from either the sheep or the goats. 6 You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of this month…

    Preparation

    The contemporary photo of an Israeli employee removing prayer notes from the western wall is just one example of a cleansing of sorts, associated with the sacrifice of Passover.

    You must be spotless before the Lord. Not better than everyone else, one who does more good works than (perhaps) the one who does not achieve eternal life. Spotless. Cleansed of sin.

    His place of worship in Jerusalem must be clean to begin the great sacrifice. Everything washed. Pure. This preparation to come before the Lord is symbolic of repentance.

    Are you mostly good?

    Not good enough (for no man or woman is good, no not one).

    lamb bound on the altar of sacrifice

    Yet we no longer sacrifice the blood of a lamb, for the Holy of Holies and the altar has been destroyed.

    Passover Meal

    Exodus 12: CSB/WLC שמות

    … then the whole assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight.

    Exodus 12:6B

    7 They must take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses where they eat them. 8 They are to eat the meat that night; they should eat it, roasted over the fire along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

    Strict regulations also include: (9 Do not eat any of it raw or cooked in boiling water, but only roasted over fire—its head as well as its legs and inner organs. 10 You must not leave any of it until morning; any part of it left until morning you must burn.)

    What about now?

    Beloved follower of the Lord in this 21st century after the Messiah Jesus, I ask you:

    Even IF you strictly observance the Passover today, is your worship any more than symbolism?

    Can the blood of a lamb (no longer sacrificed) atone for your sin? כָּפַר

    11 וְכָכָה֮ תֹּאכְל֣וּ אֹתוֹ֒ מָתְנֵיכֶ֣ם חֲגֻרִ֔ים נַֽעֲלֵיכֶם֙ בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֔ם וּמַקֶּלְכֶ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ בְּחִפָּז֔וֹן פֶּ֥סַח ה֖וּא לַיהוָֽה׃

    Here is how you must eat it: You must be dressed for travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in a hurry; it is the Lord’s Passover.

    Exodus 12:11

    Christian and Jew alike understand the significance of the events to follow the quickly eaten Passover meal and the account of Moses as redeemer from slavery in Egypt.

    Christians ought to understand this same symbolism of the body and blood of the Lamb, the risen Messiah King, as in an upper room in Jerusalem, Jesus shared a last Passover meal with His beloved Disciple family nearly two millennia ago.

    And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

    And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.

    And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.

    Mark 14:22-24 KJV

    Passover Celebration

    14 וְהָיָה֩ הַיּ֨וֹם הַזֶּ֤ה לָכֶם֙ לְזִכָּר֔וֹן וְחַגֹּתֶ֥ם אֹת֖וֹ חַ֣ג לַֽיהוָ֑ה לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם תְּחָגֻּֽהוּ׃

    “This day is to be a memorial for you, and you must celebrate it as a festival to the Lord. You are to celebrate it throughout your generations as a permanent statute.

    • 15 You must eat unleavened bread for seven days.
    • On the first day you must remove yeast from your houses.
    • Whoever eats what is leavened from the first day through the seventh day must be cut off from Israel.
    • 16 You are to hold a sacred assembly on the first day…
    • … and another sacred assembly on the seventh day.
    • No work may be done on those days except for preparing what people need to eat—you may do only that.

    Festival of Unleavened Bread

    … You must observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent statute.

    Thus, we remember how the Lord used Moses to bring Israel out of Egypt, where the Lord led and purified a people chosen to His for entry into a land promised to Abraham as his inheritance. Yet the Lord has used saviors besides Moses to redeem his faithful from the chains of this life.

    Other Saviors Redeeming God’s Faithful

    We know well the saving of the Jews from Pharaoh. Some would look to Moses or Joshua as their redeemer or savior. Certainly Joseph saved Israel in Egypt until in the generations he was forgotten.

    Others see David as Israel’s king triumphant. A few recognize Ezra for bringing back worship in Jerusalem. All of these would give the same glory instead to the Lord God.

    One more mention of the unleavened bread in the generation of Abraham may have missed your notice. You may not believe it, though Moses tells it. Once again, it was served quickly and judgment by the Lord followed.

    The Doom of Sodom

    If any family should have been celebrating a festival of unleavened bread it would be the families of Abraham, who faithful followed the Lord from place to place as the Lord commanded. The Lord’s covenant with Abraham preceded the Law of Moses.

    As you may know, Lot, son of Abram’s brother Haran, also followed the Lord to both Canaan and Egypt before settling in the city of Sodom. It was a walled city with a gate like other cities of its time.

    Genesis 19:

    The two angels entered Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in Sodom’s gateway. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them. He bowed with his face to the ground…

    … He prepared a feast and baked unleavened bread for them, and they ate.

    Have you ever considered it? Lot prepared a feast of unleavened bread for the two angels who saved him from Sodom.

    Lot was unaware of their mission and events which had already taken place between the angels and Abraham.

    The Lord appeared to Abraham

    18 וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיּֽוֹם׃

    Three angels had appeared to Abraham. Lot would only know that his uncle and aunt in their nineties were childless. He had been like a son to them.

    16 The men got up from there and looked out over Sodom, and Abraham was walking with them to see them off.

    17 Then the Lord said, “Should I hide what I am about to do from Abraham?

    Lot, of course knows nothing of the conversation to follow which has already taken place when two angels come to him at the gate of Sodom.

    The Lord had judged Sodom for the sin of all of its residents. Then Abraham intercedes, pleaing for the Lord to spare Lot and his family. Abraham saves them from the sentence of death, all except Lot’s wife who sinned even after the warning of angels.

    22 The men turned from there and went toward Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23 Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

    Genesis 19:15 “Get up! … or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.”

    29 וַיְהִ֗י בְּשַׁחֵ֤ת אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־עָרֵ֣י הַכִּכָּ֔ר וַיִּזְכֹּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיְשַׁלַּ֤ח אֶת־לוֹט֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַהֲפֵכָ֔ה בַּהֲפֹךְ֙ אֶת־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־יָשַׁ֥ב בָּהֵ֖ן לֽוֹט׃

    So it was, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham and brought Lot out of the middle of the upheaval when he demolished the cities where Lot had lived.

    Genesis 19:29 WLC,CSB

    A Savior at the gate of Jerusalem

    As the LORD in Person

    Came to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre,

    As the LORD in Person

    Came to Moses at Sinai,

    The LORD in the Person of the Son With Us

    Came to Jerusalem’s gate.

    —

    The Lord in Person sacrificed

    On a Cross beyond its walls,

    Jesus, Messiah and King

    Risen! in Person,

    Jesus, in flesh and blood shed

    Our King comes on the clouds again!

    Roger Harned

    The Lord will return

    Will you bow down to your Lord and King?

    Or will you yet crucify Him?

    The choice of judgment is yours, yet your redemption or just punishment will be His.

    Is Jesus your Lord? Or will you justify your sin without Him?

    To be continued... [eternally]

  • Hebrews 7- Melchizedek king & priest

    This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and also a priest of God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against the kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him.

    Hebrews 7:1 NLT

    We’ve heard this before

    Who was this Melchizedek?

    The writer of Hebrews is about to give us our more mature teaching of scripture.

    He has rebuked the readers of his letter (most likely Messianic Jews) for their elementary teachings. For after all, they know the Books of Moses and should connect Christ to the promises of their faith.

    In Hebrews 5 he refers to Christ as a high priest like Melchizedek, quoting Psalm 110:4. And he returns to this imagery in Hebrews 6 and now chapter 7 where he makes his case.

    The Mosaic Law points back to Abraham in Genesis. To hear God’s call to the Hebrews, even before they fled Egypt with Moses, hear just a little of this story.

    It started with Abram

    Genesis 12:

    The Lord said to Abram:
     Go out from your land,
     your relatives,
     and your father’s house
     to the land that I will show you.
     2 I will make you into a great nation,
     I will bless you,
     I will make your name great,
     and you will be a blessing.
     3 I will bless those who bless you,
     I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt,
     and all the peoples on earth
     will be blessed through you.

    12:3 וַאֲבָֽרֲכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹר וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָֽה׃

    … And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

    genesis 12:3 NASB masoretic text

    Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev… He then moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the Lord. Several local kings (or tribal princes, if you prefer) waged war against each other. Then one clan captured his relative Lot, whom Abram rescued. The alliance of victorious kings celebrate their victory with the help of Abram.

    Melchizedek, King of Salem

    18 Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said:

    Abram is blessed by God Most High,
    Creator of heaven and earth,

    Genesis 14:18 CSB

    14:19 וַֽיְבָרְכֵהוּ וַיֹּאמַר בָּרוּךְ אַבְרָם לְאֵל עֶלְיֹון קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃

    El Elyon – GOD MOST HIGH has blessed Abram, says Melchizedek, ‘a priest of God Most High.’

    This is the foundation of scripture familiar to the hearers of the letter of Hebrews. Now the author explains.

    The Greatness of Melchizedek

    First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace.

    Good credentials. Yet the author of Hebrews then points out that Moses did not give us any genealogies to tell who this king of righteousness might be.

    Hebrews 7:

    NOTE: Versions in link above: CSB; NKJV; Complete Jewish Bible; NLT; NIV

    3 Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

    Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him.

    Hebrews 7:4

    We worship God, perhaps giving a tithe (tenth), but Abram gave a tenth to ‘the king of righteousness, king of peace.‘ The author then proceeds to quote Mosaic Law which instructs Levite priests to collect a tithe to the Lord. He presents the case for the Law and application, then asks for our mature look at the Messiah as Priest.

    11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?

    Melchizedek belonged to a different tribe than Abraham (and therefore, Levi). Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

    Jesus, Son of Man, descended in the flesh from David and Judah, son of Israel [Jacob], son of Isaac, son of Abraham – Jesus the Messiah is not a Levite priest. Therefore the Messiah is something more.

    And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies:
    “You are a priest forever
    According to the order of Melchizedek.

    Hebrews 7:15-17 NKJV [quote of Psalm 110:4]

    Melchizedek, Priest to GOD MOST HIGH

    וּמַלְכִּי־צֶ֨דֶק֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ שָׁלֵ֔ם הֹוצִ֖יא לֶ֣חֶם וָיָ֑יִן וְה֥וּא כֹהֵ֖ן לְאֵ֥ל עֶלְיֹֽון׃

    And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High.

    gENESIS 14:18 wlc; nasb

    Set aside the former commandment, because it is useless here, states the author of Hebrews. (The Law completed nothing.) 7:19 [NET] On the other hand a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

    Once again, the author points to God’s oath to Abraham from Psalm 110:4.

    110:4 נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה וְלֹא יִנָּחֵם אַתָּֽה־כֹהֵן לְעֹולָם עַל־דִּבְרָתִי מַלְכִּי־צֶֽדֶק׃

    The LORD has sworn, and will not change his mind: “You are a Kohen forever in the order of Malki-Tzedek.”

    Psalm 110:4 Masoretic text & Hebrew Names Version

    The writer of Hebrews points to the priesthood, where Levites are appointed by birth rather than by an oath with the Lord. Jesus was not a Levite and neither was Melchizedek. The oath is a better promise, therefore he makes this case for both.

    21 but he [Melchizedek] became a priest with an oath made by the one who said to him:

    The Lord has sworn
    and will not change his mind,
    “You are a priest forever.”

    22 Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.

    Though the scripture comes from a Psalm of David, the text is not about King David, who also died. The author of Hebrews also notes that Levitical priests die.

    But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save[e] those who come to God through him.

    Hebrews 7:24-25A NLT

    He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

    26 He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin.

    Melchizedek like Jesus

    Some will make a case for the King and Priest of Salem as a “preincarnate” appearance of the Messiah Jesus. Certainly Christ IS our intercessor at the Altar.

    He [Jesus] has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. 27 Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day.

    Certainly both Melchizedek and Jesus may be described as a: “King of peace” שָׁלֵם and “King of righteousness” צָדַק. Malki-Tzedek מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק, transliterated into English from the Hebrew, from מֶלֶךְ (H4428) and צֶדֶק (H6664), meh’·lek – tseh’·dek. He is a King of Justice, of what is right in the place of peace.

    Abram gives him an offering of peace, the spoils of victory over the princes of evil. He stands at the altar of sacrifice on our behalf before the Lord God.

    The author of Hebrews, like David in Psalm 110, makes a case for the Messiah as a better intercessor for our sins.

    a text written later than the Torah, appoints a Son who has been brought to the goal forever.

    Hebrews 7:28c Complete Jewish Bible

    He will continue the case for Jesus as our Priest and intercessor in the next chapter of his letter to the Hebrews.

    To be continued...

  • Hebrews 6-Our Inheritance through Faith & Perseverance

    I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply you.

    Hebrews 6:14; Genesis 22:17

    What an inheritance we expect from God! A blessing passed on from generation to generation, then unto us and eventually to our heirs. No chosen people can claim any inheritance like the Jews.

    From a detailed Commandment and covenants of scripture the LORD makes wondrous promises of inheritance to the generations. Trouble is, none of us are faithful – no not one. For we all sin against God and must often repent. This is reason enough for our sacrifice as part of our worship. It goes back to Genesis, the faith of Abraham in the beginning.

    Faith beyond traditions

    “THEREFORE,” begins the writer of Hebrews in this important transition of his letter, leave elementary school. And learn the important things of our faith beyond the obvious traditions and practices.

    Two dangers confront believers.

    • We stand where we are. We are chosen by God, we are ‘in,’ we were born into the right religion and family line. Heaven is assured for us (but not others) and God blesses me because of who I am.
    • Or we turn back from where we ought to be. Call it ‘intentional sin,’ for we want nothing to do with God. No repentance, ever. And who cares about God’s inheritance?

    The writer of Hebrews begins by asking us not to stand still in our elementary look at religion. We must repent of our ‘dead works,’ which we think ought to earn us a fair judgment.

    Hebrews 6:

    Therefore, let us leave the elementary teaching about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God…

    Hebrews 6:1 CSB

    Why do we need perseverance in our faith? Because just following the rules does not assure us eternal life.

    2 teaching about ritual washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

    Basics. These are the foundation of our elementary school. We know these practices, but these ritual works are not the steps of faith which lead to our inheritance.

    4 For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit… and who have fallen away.

    Listen, here; for you know these who claim to be ‘christians.’

    … they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt.

    Hebrews 6:6B CSB

    Beloved believers, he speaks of Jews who have come to know the Messiah and received the Holy Spirit. Yet they turn away from an inheritance of their eternal promise to stand on their own right works.

    And dear Christian brothers and sisters, who does not know one recrucifying Christ with easy teachings denying Christ’s commandment?

    Many despaired that Jesus did not come to the Jews taking the Throne of the Temple victoriously. Even now many Christians lament the same.

    Christ came not to conquer a throne of Jerusalem, but to conquer sin and death upon the altar of sacrifice. For זָבַח the sacrifice is that which is given, slaughtered in divine judgment.

    God’s love for the world

    Who receives the blessings of God? John’s gospel also points toward this.

    He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be[e] children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born, not of natural descent…

    John 1:11-13a CSB

    God blessed the Jews, but also blesses the gentiles. The writer of Hebrews uses the blessing of God’s rain as illustration. God’s blessing falls upon the good and the evil. (What will you do with this same blessing?)

    7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8 but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

    He says, “We are confident of better things in you. God is not unjust and will not forget your work. He remembers your labors of love toward Him and toward the saints. (NOT Saints, revered examples of the faiths with a capital “S,” but saints, our beloved fellow followers of Christ.)

    Ministering to the saints

    For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

    Hebrews 6:10 NKJV

    We show our love of God through ministering to others who grow in His love. These saints in our midst receive the same rain by which the Lord blesses us.

    Let us not become the thorns to be sifted into the fire of judgment.

    He asks us to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end. Do others receiving rain turn against us? Or do they rail against the Lord, even persecuting some proclaiming Christ even to death? Yes, but death only of this flesh of dust, which has received the water and the Spirit.

    We minister to our fellow saints,serving the Lord’s Holy messengers of the Spirit, fellow failing flesh given eternal life. And the writer gives us the reason.

    12 … so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.

    These saints some churches capitalize, “Saints,” as examples for us. Yet the call of Christ and scripture is to minister to the many ‘saints’ among us. For we are the church, saints in the flesh, are brothers and sisters of the Lord by the Spirit.

    God’s Promise through Abraham

    The writer of Hebrews makes clear that not even all followers of Moses received the promise. He now mentions how God guarantees His promise, referring back to Genesis 22.

    God swore it; Abraham waited; his heir waited. And for what reason did the LORD swear this oath to Abraham of the promise?

    That we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. [v.18]

    We still expect God to act for us NOW. (Nothing has changed since Abraham and Moses.) Yet the LORD has purpose in blessing different generations with His more perfect will of eternal promise.

    How does the writer of Hebrews link Abraham and the Messiah Jesus? Once again, he returns to the most symbolic Holy of Holies, which Moses later built.

    This Hope as an anchor of the soul

    19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

    It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. 20 Jesus has entered there on our behalf…

    As our hopes and fears leave us tossed about in the depth and vastness of eternity; yet like a ship held secure, Christ holds us in place. He makes the most certain intercession for our soul in the Holiest place before God the Father.

    20 Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

    Once again, the writer of Hebrews compares Jesus Christ to Melchizedek. He will follow this mature teaching through scripture in his next chapter.

    To be continued...