Passover in Jerusalem
How This Passover Was Different From All Others. The Events people witnessed, leaving the world completely changed. The nitty gritty so often over looked.
Numbers 15
15 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, 3 and you offer to the Lord from the herd or from the flock a food offering or a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or at your appointed feasts, to make a pleasing aroma to the Lord, 4 then he who brings his offering shall offer to the Lord a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil; 5 and you shall offer with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, a quarter of a hin of wine for the drink offering for each lamb. 6 Or for a ram, you shall offer for a grain offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil. 7 And for the drink offering you shall offer a third of a hin of wine, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 8 And when you offer a bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or for peace offerings to the Lord, 9 then one shall offer with the bull a grain offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with half a hin of oil. 10 And you shall offer for the drink offering half a hin of wine, as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
11 “Thus it shall be done for each bull or ram, or for each lamb or young goat. 12 As many as you offer, so shall you do with each one, as many as there are. 13 Every native Israelite shall do these things in this way, in offering a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 14 And if a stranger is sojourning with you, or anyone is living permanently among you, and he wishes to offer a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord, he shall do as you do. 15 For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the Lord. 16 One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”
17 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land to which I bring you 19 and when you eat of the bread of the land, you shall present a contribution to the Lord. 20 Of the first of your dough you shall present a loaf as a contribution; like a contribution from the threshing floor, so shall you present it. 21 Some of the first of your dough you shall give to the Lord as a contribution throughout your generations.
22 “But if you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments that the Lord has spoken to Moses, 23 all that the Lord has commanded you by Moses, from the day that the Lord gave commandment, and onward throughout your generations, 24 then if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, all the congregation shall offer one bull from the herd for a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the rule, and one male goat for a sin offering. 25 And the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the people of Israel, and they shall be forgiven, because it was a mistake, and they have brought their offering, a food offering to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord for their mistake. 26 And all the congregation of the people of Israel shall be forgiven, and the stranger who sojourns among them, because the whole population was involved in the mistake.
27 “If one person sins unintentionally, he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. 28 And the priest shall make atonement before the Lord for the person who makes a mistake, when he sins unintentionally, to make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven. 29 You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the people of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them. 30 But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.”
32 While the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation. 34 They put him in custody, because it had not been made clear what should be done to him. 35 And the Lord said to Moses, “The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” 36 And all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, as the Lord commanded Moses.
37 The Lord said to Moses, 38 “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. 39 And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow[spy out] after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. 40 So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. 41 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the Lord your God.”
Scripture with an extra sensory device. We understand, in this Scripture, the aroma of the Holy Days was very pleasant. In the painting, we see people eager to be part of the festival.
With the people enjoying, as written in Psalms, and in this Chapter, festival clothing. The Priests probably looked splendid. Ciaphas' house and is ossuary have been found. His house was very close to the Temple.
We know this from Chapter 18 of John's Gospel.
13 First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.
28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters.
The house of Caiaphas and his ossuary.
Passover was a huge event. Surely Annas, Caiaphas Nicodemus and plenty of others really looked forward to Passover each year. How was that Passover for Caiaphas and Annas? Pesky Jesus Christ Lord had been disposed of. The Roman Empire would continue to turn without a bump. Except in a mere sixteen years, people would begin to be put to death for proclaiming a mere carpenter's son as the Messiah, Son of GOD.
It would very much appear that the grave did not hold Jesus and His Name would be proclaimed for many years, secretly, with many changed lives, until Constantine would appease the growing number of Christians to allow Christianity to be the Religion of the Roman Empire.
Catacombs are the billboards of yesterday. Christian Art has been discovered only in recent decades. What an amazing time we live in. I grew up thinking Pontius Pilate was a myth. And the census of Augustus driving Joseph to bring Mary to give birth to Jesus Christ in Bethlehem is now discovered.
The Catacombs have major art. They are now famous for Christian burials begining in the 2nd century. The white tombstone is the Funerary stele of Licinia Amias, one of the most ancient Christian inscriptions. Upper tier: dedication to the Dis Manibus and Christian motto in Greek letters ΙΧΘΥC ΖΩΝΤΩΝ / Ikhthus zōntōn ("fish of the living"). The other art is Jesus as Shepherd and the Eucharist. Peter's home in Capernaum was covered with praise inscriptions as well.
Why was this such a time of great change? Only a carpenter's son was condemned after Pontius Pilate declared him to be innocent. We know from written history, other political zealots had declared themselves to be the Messiah of God.
Jesus was unusual for the lame walking, the blind seeing, the deaf hear and the poor had good news preached to them.
Jesus Heals, painted by James Tissot
And so, more than likely, Annas and Caiphas were ready to jump back into the swing of things as business as usual. My husband, likes, without theological background or seminary, to call this the Zombie Passover. And the painter James Tissot would agree. Actually, this would have caused me a very great upset to see. The Disciple John, the beloved disciple, believed he had seen evil and that Good Friday, day, changed him and his writings more than the other disciples who had hidden.
Passover was not the joy they had known - instead they had major looming problems.
Matthew 27:51-54
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and e went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
Bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life, Painted by James Tissot
And the graves were opened - "Graves" or sepulchres were most commonly made, among the Jews, in solid rocks or in caves of rocks. The rending of the rocks, therefore, would lay them open. The graves were opened by this earthquake, but the dead in them did not rise until after his resurrection.
So what did the Temple government look like upon The death of Jesus Christ the LORD and His Resurrection?
Today in Jerusalem, this is a model of the 2nd Temple with a close-up of Solomon's Porch.
Acts 5:12-16 ~ American Standard Version
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. But of the rest durst no man join himself to them: howbeit the people magnified them; and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of them and women; insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some one of them. And there also came together the multitudes from the cities round about Jerusalem, bring sick folk, and them that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
Quite a change. From hiding behind locked doors, the disciples are preaching Jesus Christ the Savior in the 36 acres of the Temple Court.
John 20:19-20
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
The Pharisees are having a bad week. Jesus didn't just disappear, instead multitudes have come... not to the Sea of Galilee, or the wilderness, but to the Temple to hear more about Jesus. Those miracles and signs haven't stopped either. Some of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council for the Temple, want to go over and hear too.
Ian Wilson's book, "The Historical Jesus" tells of a letter from the first century Anno Domino. This famous letter - Rabbi Lyracathra, of Lystra, Israel, writes he cannot keep the Jews from being interested in the multitudes of healings done in Jesus' name, after the man has died. He wonders how Judiasm will continue when these signs cannot be contained.
Thanks be to God. Thank You for Your steadfast love and Your miracles You give us in the highest name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
When did the Sacrifices stop? Remember as Jesus Christ died on the cross He said Forgive them. It is God's nature to be forgiving, and not to accept injustice. In 70 A.D., the time of Jesus' natural life span, Jerusalem was destroyed.
Luke 19:44
and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.
The Truth is our world is shaped today by the work Jesus did. In dying, according to Mayo Clinic doctors, of a broken heart brought about by the extreme agony of the beating, the mocking, the desertion. One of the miracles of the cross, we overlook, is God helped Jesus die quickly on the cross.
We forget the agony of a Father for His good son. His beloved Son. The earthquake. The darkness.
And we remember Easter lilies and colored eggs.
The world is shaped today from Jesus Christ. Who was there in the beginning of time, according to God's Word; He shouted with joy at creation. Knowing He would experience these things, chose to wade into the fray.
I had an Easter table discussion as to why so many Easter sermons are so uninspiring. From people all over Texas, we sat and thought about worship. Worship is uninspiring because we fail Him. One more thing to feel guilty about. Worship is uninspiring because we expect something from HIM like emotional support. And fail to realize we are called to do some digging to find our gratitude to give Him.
We expect our worship to be always pleasing to us and not a gift to give the Father.
Worship is uninspiring because we are given the message preached over and over again. The major points are thumped and we miss the sweetness and preciousness of the love. We fail to do our own work to be impressed by the wonders that exist. And we overlook because they are messy or unbelievable.
Basically we should show up to worship because He is the center of our lives. Our eternal lives. When we show up to worship Him to do the work, a miracle occurs, so unseen its over looked. We think, "Okay I went," but actually we are fed. When you are desperately hungry, it's hard to see that a small portion of HIM has helped. Sometimes it takes others seeing in you, that you have been fed.
Jesus also said something important as the Lord our God. And this reaches through the millenniums to influence our Easter week of 2013.
Matthew 16:16-18
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.t
A Huge Thanks to the Radio Programmers of America. The television does not have many Easter programs. Sometimes its even tough to find some the best done Disney films. We need some more Christian Disney Films. But traveling across Texas (we missed Easter at our Church), the radio stations were filled with the American Freedom of Religion and Free Speech proclaiming the Good News. Even the secular stations on the FM dial had all different types of people proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord.
If you are called upon to give Testimony to Jesus. Try not to repeat the same old message. Most people have the basic message. You have to go deeper than who Jesus is. It's like going beyond hello and how are you. People want to know the deep down way Jesus is loved by you and why.
I've given my "how I came to believe" story many times. I have to say what's relevant today to me, is the mercy of the LORD. When I am not as I should be, He does not walk away. Believing in me, encouraging me. I see the signs around me - the people who have tears of joy of pregnancies prayed for by people trying to help, and His mercy reaches out with a miracle. By our 93 year old friend, who has fully recovered, to be bright eyed and interested in those around him. The brightness of those eyes. In his wife, who fought the hospital system and still had the energy to give to those around her. In Rusty, told his brain tumor was fatal and found a message from MD Anderson of clear and stable. In the cancer of the 9 month old, her family prays hard, and she had surgery to find she is healing. Our neighbor down the street, sending out an email blast, two of her loved ones have diagnosis of bi-polar but by seeking treatment, learning how much He loves them, they are on the right path for quite some time now.
Jesus Christ shapes the world. Then and now. The purpose of life is to grow up and go Home. We all have an invitation to leave this planet. There just happens to be someone who loves You and wants you there for eternity. The great mystery of life is this - this message - called the Gospel - is the Truth.
If you look at the Gospel of the disciple who "walked along the road" with Him, you see this:
1 John 4:8b
God is love.
1 John 4:16
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Romans 10:9
If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Acts 2:24
But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
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2 comments:
its was to informative, honestly some of it I dont know that is why im so thankful to the author of this post.
Thanks!
family international children of god
Thank you very much for your kind comment! Much Appreciated. Be blessed.
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