It is without question that the crucifixion plan was designed before the foundation of the world, and that Jesus was born, lived, died, and resurrected, according to God’s perfect timing. Daniel’s prophecies, as well as history, confirm all the above.
The clear perfection of God’s time and timing therefore presents to Christians both an invitation and a challenge to prayerfully consider their attitude and response to Old Testament verses that appear time-date-stamped with words like “forever”, or “all generations”, or “from this time forth and forevermore”. It’s of course easy to embrace the eternal PROMISES, but what about the eternal DIRECTIVES, such as this one in regard to observance of the Passover:
Exodus 12:12-14, 16-17
12 “For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.
13 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14 ‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.
17 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you.
17 So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance.
Lest any Gentile believer in Jesus be deluded into thinking they were NOT of the household of Abraham, Paul tells us this:
Ephesians 2:19
Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
AND ALSO:
Colossians 3:11
where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
It would seem logical and appropriate that the believing Church, in embracing the blessings and promises of son/daughter-ship with God, would also embrace the eternal admonitions and mandates as they appear in scripture.
I am personally inclined to believe Jesus proclaiming: “Do this in remembrance of Me” encompasses but also extends beyond Communion and foot-washing to a gentle reminder of the Exodus 12:14 mandate re the everlasting ordinance of Passover observance. He surely and personally modeled that observance.
That special celebratory holiday was/is to serve as a perpetual reminder of God’s supernatural deliverance from impossible oppression. Praying into this, I believe the minimization or absence of Passover observance may steal from us some of the confidence our great God intends us to walk in as the challenging end of this age comes upon us.
Intentional alignment with the fullness of the Word is to our benefit. Convenience or Inconvenience really ought not be a factor. Jesus modeled for us a life of inconvenience, for Kingdom cause.
God’s timing is perfect. Mine, sadly, is not. This should have been published weeks prior to this current Passover season. Meanwhile I believe God honors our response at all times. Prayerfully discovering what one’s personal observance might be, wants to be a product of prayer and study of the Word. The scriptures above are a reasonable start. As a Jew, I can say part of the challenge is also not getting “too Jewish” in our observances. Some of the “traditions” of Passover are literally just that: traditions. Some of those traditions are good. Some are religious baggage. But without scriptural controversy, what is written appears to point to intentional observance, forever, by all who would call themselves children of God. And there will be next Passover. I can humbly assure you our precious Lord will not return in the next twelve months. The parts of the eschatological puzzle are coming together quickly, but it won’t be that quick.
All Scripture NKJV
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