Can we keep God’s Feast days today?

A frequent opposing view received regarding the Celebration of the Feasts of God is, to say that “we cannot do it outside of Jerusalem, even if we wanted to do them”.

Verses such as the ones given below are invoked for such reasoning
Deu 16:5-7 Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee: But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt. And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.
Deu 12:8-14 Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes. For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you. But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD: And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you. Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.

The above verses speak of gathering to “The Place” God chooses, namely Jerusalem to hold the feasts and make sacrifices. Leviticus 17:3-9 also reiterates the fact that all sacrifices should be brought to the Tabernacle of God and could not be made anywhere we please.

Once the Temple and the Priesthood ceased in 70AD, the sacrifices were brought to a halt. But does the ceasing of the sacrifice mean that the remembrance is also cast away? The Feast Days, and especially the three main Feasts of Passover/Unleavened Bread, Pentecost/Harvest and Tabernacles/Ingathering were pilgrimage feasts.

Exo 23:14-17 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.
Luk 2:41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
Act 20:16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

Once in exile, at the time of Babylonian Rule(586BC) and Roman Rule(70AD) where Jerusalem was destroyed along with the Temple of God, people could not make this pilgrimage or make any sacrifices. So did the Feasts come to a halt with the Sacrifices?

First of all, we must understand that the Feasts (mentioned at length in Leviticus 23) are all remembrances.
Exo 12:14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial (Zikrone-Remembrance); and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
Exo 20:8-11 Remember (Zakar) the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial (Zikrone-Remembrance) of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

The Laws (which included the Feast days) were to be kept even in Exile, and especially in Exile as a sign of repentance.
Deu 30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
Est 3:8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.
Dan 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Dan 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

The Law of God exempted any that were far away to come to Jerusalem from making the pilgrimage. But we see that even the Congregation of Corinth was asked to keep the remembrance from their home in Corinth.
Num 9:10-14 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it. But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.
1Co 5:7,8 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Just as there are instances where Paul made his way to Jerusalem to keep the Feasts, he also spent time away from Jerusalem, where he would have kept the remembrance without going to Jerusalem.
Act 18:21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
Act 20:16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.
Act 18:11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Act 19:10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

The Sin of Jeroboam
In an earlier study we looked at the Sin of Jeroboam, how people were quick to keep a man made feast while disregarding the Feasts of God. We can give our excuses for not remembering God’s Appointed Times, but God sees our hearts – whether we do these out of “love or legalism” or whether we do not do it out of “stubbornness or Antinomianism”. May He be the judge!

Conclusion
Even though we cannot physically go to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast Days of God or do any of the Sacrifices, the remembrances can be done on the days God has appointed. God’s Law encapsulates what sort of lifestyle we should adapt to, once we are reborn through the redeeming sacrifice of Messiah Yeshua. We do not earn our Salvation/Righteousness through the Law, but learn how to live in Holiness unto Him who saved us to the very end. May all of us who live in Exile awaiting the Kingdom of God be able to turn towards Him in all obedience remembering His Holy Days which He has instituted for our own good!

Our Resurrection in Christ as seen in Exodus 15:22-27

The Resurrection of Christ is spoken many time in many ways in the New Testament writings and also in the prophets. But do we see this spoken of in the “Torah” – The Five Books of Moses. Christ Himself called the disciples walking to Emmaus “fools” for not knowing this fact.

Luk 24:25-27 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

I believe there are many hints given about Yeshua in the Torah, but we are going to look at one significant occurrence today.

The Text in question
Exo 15:22-27 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

At first sight we see nothing significant here. But let’s look at a few other details and ask some questions from the Book of Exodus before examine the above text.

The Three Day Journey in the wilderness
The 3 day journey in the wilderness mentioned in Exodus 15:22 is not the first time we see it in Exodus. There are at least three times that this exact phrase is mentioned – once by God Himself and twice by Moses & Aaaron. The three day journey in the wilderness(Midbar) is also connected to a sacrifice made unto YHVH, which we do not see afterwards in the text in Exodus 15.

Exo 3:18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness(Midbar), that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.

Exo 5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert(Midbar), and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.

Exo 8:27 We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness(Midbar), and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.

So the first question we should ask is where was the sacrifice done that God and Moses had mentioned would be done, as soon as they had gone three days into the wilderness. The Wilderness began after they left Egypt by crossing the Red Sea. They had journeyed three days into the Wilderness, but there was no sacrifice made. Or is there a hint of a coming sacrifice mentioned here?

Water filled with Bitterness
Water is most often seen as a metaphor for Life – John 4:14, 7:37-39, Rev 21:6, 22:17. But in this text, the Waters of Life are filled with Bitterness.
Exo 15:23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.

Bitterness (Marah in Hebrew) also means Rebelliousness in Hebrew. Thus the bitterness can be equated to the wickedness of the people.
Jer 2:19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts
Jer 4:18 Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart.

So metaphorically they journey into the wilderness by being redeemed from Egypt by the Blood of a Lamb and reach the Waters of Life which are filled with Rebellion and Wickedness, so that they see the Waters of Life, but they cannot drink it because it is Bitter. They have Life, but not something that they can consume.

The Sacrifice on the Third Day and the Tree that removed the Bitterness
After receiving Redemption, Israel can see Life on the other side, but they still cannot consume the Life as it is filled with their own rebellion. What was the Sacrifice that was supposed to be done on the third day as mentioned in Exo 3:18, 5:3, 8:27, and where was it?
Exo 15:25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

Would Christ’s Death have been of any value if He had not risen from the Dead?
As Paul mentions in 1Cor 15:4, Christ rose on the Third day according to the Scriptures. His Death can be clearly seen in the Passover Sacrifice that led the Israelites out of Egypt. But where do we see His Resurrection on the third day mentioned in the Scriptures? I believe the passage in question points us towards this future event. The Tree which is a metaphor for the cross as seen in Acts 5:30, 10:39, 13:29, 1Peter 2:24, Gal 3:13 was cast into the Life filled with our Rebellion and Wickedness so that His people redeemed from the slavery to Sin would enjoy fullness of Life. Christ’s Death would not have its full meaning if He had not risen from death on the third day. Yeshua did not give us just this life, but the life beyond the grave, as He Himsel said “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”.

“I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee“.

So even today, God tells us that He will not put the punishment proclaimed on Egypt on us, and that He will heal us completely from our fallenness and give us Eternal life, as He is the one who heals us from our disease which is Death.

Conclusion
Exodus 15:22-27 shows us that the people who were redeemed from Egypt by the Blood of the Lamb had a Sacrifice which was done on the Third day of their journey in the Wilderness so that they could be satisfied of their thirst. The Tree which was cast into the water to make the Life which was bitter and rebellious, sweet and enjoyable was the resurrection of our Lord, which completed our redemption by giving us Eternal Life after the price for our sins were paid on Passover. The Passover Sacrifice on the cross/tree was completed on the Third Day as that is when the Water/Life which could not be enjoyed (which was bitter) was made sweet, so that His people were quenched of their thirst. As Paul mentions in 1Co 15:13-17 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

Thank God for redeeming us from Egypt/Sin and completing His Sacrifice on the Third Day by the Resurrection, showing us the tree which was cast into the water on the third day, to remove the bitterness from Life, so that we could enjoy Abundant Life in the World to come!

Passover and the Cup of Wrath

All of us believe that Christ died for our sin and that He was crucified for our iniquities. He is our Passover Sacrifice as mentioned by Paul in 1Cor 5:7. It is rare for a Christian to think about the suffering He went through, and not feel his or her eyes tear up. But looking past the physical torture He endured, I wondered why Mark mentions Pilate marvelling about Yeshua dying so soon. Was the pains of crucifixion not enough? I believe that the agony of the cross was only the tip of the iceberg.

God’s Fury and Wrath
A Holy and Just God cannot let sin go unpunished as the Apostle Paul says in Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness”. His Wrath is equated to a cup in many passages that He would let those who dwell in iniquity, drink.

Rev 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Jer 25:15 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
Job 21:20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
Psa 75:8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.
Isa 51:17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.
Rev 14:9,10 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Yeshua and the Cup
If all who dwell in iniquity would need to drink of the Cup of Wrath/Fury of the LORD, should we also not drink from the same? But it says that Christ bore our grief, carried our sorrows, that he was wounded for our transgressions, and was bruised for our iniquities. He was chastised to bring us “Shalom”(Isa 53:4,5). Then it is a simple fact that He would have had to drink the Wine of Wrath and Fury which proceeded from the Father, in our stead. In fact we see the “Cup” playing a significant part in His Death on Passover.

Yeshua asked that the Cup pass from Him if it is the Fathers Will
Christ in His human form, struggles with having to drink the Cup of Wrath which was rightfully ours, but bows to the Father’s Will.
Mat 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Mat 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

Yeshua said that He will surely drink of the Cup that God has given Him
By the time He gives himself to the band of men headed by Judas, He is firm in His decision of Drinking the Cup that the Father has handed over to the Son.
Joh 18:11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

Yeshua did not drink of the vinegar that would numb the pain
Christ refuses to drink the wine which would help with the pain as given below.
Mat 27:34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
Mar 15:23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.

But why did He then take the Vinegar at the Moment of Death?
Joh 19:28-30 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

As we see above Yeshua knows that He has exhausted the Wrath of God on the Cross, and knowing this He receives the Vinegar just before He breathes His last breath proclaiming “IT IS FINISHED”!

What is Finished?
The words “It is Finished” being said after He tastes the bitter Vinegar, in my mind brings us back to the Cup of Wrath which the Father had handed the Son, the Cup that He had set out to drink, and was His ultimate goal on this earth. He had drunk it to the last drop… the last drop that was meant for me and for you – We are surely alive, because “It – the Cup of Wrath/Fury is Finished”.

The Passover and the Parable of the Sower

Christ speaks of only one parable in this way – “Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?” (Mar 4:13) – The Parable of the Sower, then surely is one of the most important parables to understand among all the parables our Saviour spoke of. Not only is the form of the Kingdom explained in this parable, I believe there is an underlying connection even to the Passover, in it.

The Parable
Mat 13:3-8 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

The Explanation
Mat 13:18-23 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Even though this parable is known as the parable of the sower, it would be apt to call it the Parable of the four soils.
The Sower = The Son of Man
The Seed = The Word of God/The Word of the Kingdom of God
The Way side = Hears the Word, but has no effect to it
The Stony place = Springs up, but falls away as the Word does not take root
The Thorny place = Unfruitful as they are choked by the cares of this world
The Good Soil = Fruitful in different degrees

Even though only one soil / group of people become fruitful, there are two other kinds of soils that appear to be part of the harvest. The parable immediately following this is about the wheat and the tares, and gives us further details on this parable. There are people who appear to be part of the Kingdom of God, but will eventually are revealed to be just Tares or according to this parable – seed fallen on the stony or thorny ground.

But what do these four groups of Soil/People have to do with the Passover?

Who can join in for the Passover
Exo 12:43-49 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger (Nekar) eat thereof: But every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. A foreigner (Toshav) and an hired servant (Sakeer) shall not eat thereof. In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. And when a stranger (Ger) shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. One law shall be to him that is homeborn (Ezrach), and unto the stranger (Ger) that sojourneth among you.

On Passover, the nation of Israel left Egypt with God’s Salvation on full display. And among this group were 4 types of people as shown below

The Nekar – is a stranger / a person who is unknown by God
The Toshav – is a visitor who comes and goes but has no reason to stay
The Sakeer – is there for some incentive
The Ger – is a person who sojourns or wants to become part of the people even though he/she is not homeborn (Ezrach) the Ger and Ezrach are considered the same with God’s Law governing both of them.

The Connection between the Four Soil Types and the 4 people groups
Just comparing these 4 types of people can shed light on who and what they are ; what their attitudes towards God are and who they are in relation to God’s Kingdom.

Seed by the way side : Those who hear the word of the kingdom, does not understand and the wicked one catches it away from the heart. They can be equaled to the Nekar / Stranger a person who is unknown by God. A good Example would be Pharaoh who had no need for the message of the Kingdom. The Word did not take root in his heart and all of Egypt who did not join Israel.

Seed in the stony places : Those who hear the word of the kingdom, receives it with joy, has no root, endures for a while but falls away because of tribulation and persecution. They can be equaled to the Toshav / Lodger who is a visitor who comes and goes but has no reason to stay. For Example, people who fell along the way to the Promised Land, because of their troubles such as Korah. They received the Word but had no root as they did not know God or His wishes. People such as Korah rebelled because of the troubles along the way as they rejected Moses.

Seed among the thorns : Those who hear the word of the kingdom, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and they become unfruitful. They can be equaled to The Sakeer / Hired servant who is there for some incentive. These unlike the Stony soil, endure for longer and appear to be a plant, but has no fruit. These could be equaled to Achan for example. They appear to be entering the promised land but finally is found to be Tares among the Wheat just like the plants among stony soil as the thorns or the cares of the world had more bearing on them than the Word of the Kingdom.

Seed into the good ground : Those who hear the word of the kingdom, understands it, bears fruit and brings forth hundredfold, sixty, thirty. These can be equaled to the The Ger / Sojourner, who is a person who sojourns or wants to become part of the people even though he/she is not homeborn (Ezrach) the Ger and Ezrach are considered the same with God’s Law governing both of them. The Ger and Ezrach are the only ones considered part of the fruitful harvest and are not looked at as separate harvests but one in the same. Whether you were Jew or Gentile the Good Ground was prepared by the Sower and would ultimately be fruitful because of the Seed which was planted. A good Example is seen of these 2 groups that are considered one under God, in Caleb and Joshua – One from Judah and one from Ephraim – the Two Houses of Israel. One may have been dispersed among the Gentiles and one exist still in the Land – but both would be one stick in the Hand of God, when His Kingdom is Established under Prince – The King of David – Our Messiah.

Conclusion
As Christ proclaimed, the secrets of the Kingdom exist inside the Parable of the Sower / Four Soils. The Kingdom has wheat that will be collected into the Barn and Tares that cannot be distinguished from the wheat, which will be burned. So do we see that one soil brings a crop while two other soils appear to be creating a crop but are found out to be tares. The same categories can be applied to the story of the exodus and the participants of the Passover – some appear to have received salvation, but are tares that would be burned. The other part is the Word which fell on the Good Soil – Like Joshua and Caleb will inherit the Promised Kingdom whether Homeborn or Sojourner ; Jew or Gentile.

Obedience and Unleavened Bread

As we enter the season of Passover and our redemption from slavery to sin (John 8:34) through the blood of the spotless lamb of God (1Pet 1:19), Yeshua – our Savior who died on Passover, we step into the days of Unleavened Bread. 7 days of not eating anything that has Leaven (Yeast) in it, reminds us of purifying ourselves from all things that should not be in our lives as born-again believers. A life which is not puffed up with pride or any other foreign organisms.

Leaven is equated to a lot of things in the Bible

1Co 5:6-8 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Luk 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Mat 16:12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

While Paul equates Unleavened Bread to Sincerity and Truth, which is the antithesis of a sinful life, we can also see an interesting connection between Commandments of God and Unleavened Bread when we look at the Hebrew Language.

In Hebrew, a Command is called a “Mitzvah” and the Plural form of it, which is “Mitzvot”. Unleavened in Hebrew is “Matzah”, and it’s plural form is “Matzot”. As we see above, both words carry the same consonants, other than the vowels that change the pronunciation of the two words. So what can we glean from this connection in the Hebrew? The Commands lead to an Unleavened Life! This idea actually agrees with what John says in 1John 3:4 “for sin is the transgression of the law.” If sin is transgression of the Law, Keeping the Law would be a life void of sin. Keeping “Mitzvot” would lead to a life that is “Matzot”. As we celebrate Passover and our Salvation from sin and death, we enter into the week of Unleavened Bread, which depicts an unleavened life void of sin and immersed in obedience to God. A life which is “Holy” after receiving the righteousness of God, as we see many times in the New Testament

2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
1Th 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

And that is how a sinless life is connected to walking according to the instructions of God, and Unleavened Bread is connected to Obedience! Shalom!

The meaning of the word “Hebrew” and Crossing Over

Estimated Reading time – 10 to 20 Minutes

God’s chosen people identified themselves as Hebrews both in the Old Testament(Jon 1:9) and in the New(Philip 3:5). Abram was the first person to be called a Hebrew, even though he was from Ur of the Chaldaeans(Gen 11:31). So what does “Hebrew” really mean?

The word Hebrew in its simplest sense means “one from beyond”.

H5680 – עברי – ‛ibrı̂y – Hebrew
Brown-Driver-Briggs Dictionary Definition:
Hebrew = “one from beyond”

Abraham’s route from Ur to Canaan

This makes sense, as the first time we see the word “Hebrew” used is when Abram is called a “Abram the Hebrew”. This may have referred to the fact that Abram came from the other side of the Euphrates River and settled in the plains of Mamre. A closely connected word to “Ivri”/”Hebrew” in the Hebrew language is “Eber” which means beyond/across. So one who comes across or comes from beyond is a Hebrew.

H5676 – עבר – ‛êber – Eber
Brown-Driver-Briggs Dictionary Definition:
region beyond or across, side, opposite side

Another word connected with “Ivri” (Hebrew) is “Avar” which means “pass over”. All of these words are connected as the root (Ayin-Bet-Resh עבר) in Hebrew stays the same.

H5674 – עבר – ‛âbar
Brown-Driver-Briggs Dictionary Definition:
to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress
to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over, to pass beyond, to pass through, traverse, passers-through, to pass through, to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by, passer-by, to be past, be over, to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance, to pass away, to emigrate, leave (one’s territory), to vanish, to perish, cease to exist, to become invalid, become obsolete (of law, decree), to be alienated, pass into other hands, to be crossed, to impregnate, cause to cross, to cause to pass over, cause to bring over, cause to cross over, make over to, dedicate, devote, to cause to pass through, to cause to pass by or beyond or under, let pass by, to cause to pass away, cause to take away, to pass over

It should be noted that the story of Abraham is connected to the word “Abar” Pass-over, as we see it is one of the first things mentioned about him.

Gen 12:4-6 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. And Abram passed through(H5674 – עבר – ‛âbar) the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.

Israel crosses the Jordan on dry land

So it is now abundantly clear why Abram was called a Hebrew. This characteristic of “passing over” becomes part of the Hebrew experience, and is seen as part and parcel of the journey of God’s people as seen below.

Jos 24:2,3 And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.
Jos 24:6 And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.
Jos 24:8 And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.
Jos 24:14,15 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Israel crosses the Red Sea

In the above passage Joshua makes a distinction between Abram before he passes over, to the life he is called to live after he crossed over. Abram served other gods beyond the river, but when he passed over, he was committed to God. This repeats again with Israel as they cross the Red Sea towards freedom and Israel as they cross the Jordan towards the promised land. Passing over was a distinct feature of God’s people. Passing over the waters as much as it is a physical act, it also signifies a symbolic act of leaving the past behind and starting afresh. This is enacted in the Baptism/Mikveh that each of us go through as young believers as well.

When God speaks to Moses about the passover sacrifice, He Himself says that He will Pass Over the land using the same word (H5674 – עבר – ‛âbar) which is connected to “Ivri” Hebrew, as seen below.

Exo 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite 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.
Exo 12:23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

We see the same word (H5674 – עבר – ‛âbar) which is connected to “Ivri” Hebrew, used again in the Song of Moses, after the Hebrews cross the Red Sea.

Exo 15:16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.

Essentially, the Hebrew is a person who has passed from death to life; from a life of sin to a life of righteousness through God’s Commands; from obeying false gods to obeying the one true Creator of the universe.

Yeshua speaks of this fact, saying that whoever hears Him and puts his/her trust in YHVH, would pass from death to life:

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

What is the evidence that one has passed from death unto life and become a true Hebrew? John explains it in the following way.

1Jn 3:14-24 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

John explains that the evidence that we have moved from death to life, shines through the love of God which is in our lives. A love that is ready to give even our own life for others. A love that is not in word but in deed, but according to the commandment that Yeshua raised to the next level – “Love one another(Lev 19:18), as I have loved you”(John 15:12). Through God’s love, we show whether we are truly a Hebrew or not. Whether we have truly crossed over from Death to Life. Let us strive to be like the great Hebrews of old such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua and many more ; not forgetting Yeshua – A Hebrew of Hebrews, who gave His life so that we may cross over. Like the patriarchs, we may all have our shortcomings. But we should never forget the most important characteristic of a Hebrew – a willingness to cross over from our lives in slavery and death to a life in Covenant and Loving Obedience to God and Love towards everyone who has crossed over and is in the process of crossing over to God’s camp.

Passover and the Abomination of the Egyptians

Passover is intricately connected with the Blood of the “Lamb”, whether it be the remembrance of salvation through the Passover in Egypt or the fulfillment of Passover in Messiah who shed His blood on Passover day(John 19:14) as our Lamb(1Pet 1:19).

But most of us do not see the significance of God’s command to sacrifice a Lamb, especially when the Israelites were under the rule of the Egyptians.

Let’s look at the first hint given in Genesis when Joseph met his brothers for the first time:

Gen 43:32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

But why was it an abomination to the Egyptians to eat with Hebrews? No reason is given here. Many of us conclude that it would have been a cultural practice where the Egyptians saw themselves superior to the Hebrews. But this was not the reason it was seen as an abomination. Let’s look at the next hint:

Gen 46:33,34 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

Now the reason starts to become clearer, as it is mentioned herding sheep was seen as an abominable act to the Egyptians. This is why the Hebrews were settled in Goshen, away from the Egyptians. But why did the Egyptians see shepherds as an abomination? Let us look at the next hint:

Exo 8:26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?

When Moses speaks to Pharoah and asks him to let the Hebrews go, so that they can sacrifice to YHVH, the Pharoah tells Moses to do their sacrifices inside Egypt. To which Moses replies in the above manner seen in Exo 8:26. The phrase “Abomination of the Egyptians” does not mean that they saw sheep as an unclean/abominable animal. On the contrary, they worshiped it. The phrasing is written in the perspective of the Israelites and not the Egyptians. Meaning the sheep was a sacred animal which was an abomination that the Egyptians were involved in, in the eyes of God and His people. We see evidence for this in the following verse.

2Ki 23:13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

In the above verse we see that the “Abomination of the Zidonians” was “Ashtoreth”. The “Abomination of the Moabites” was “Chemosh”. The “Abomination of the Ammonites” was “Milcom”. These were all pagan gods that were abominations in the perspective of God and His people. In the same way, the “Abomination of the Egyptians” was the “sheep”. There is historical evidence that the sheep was venerated by the Egyptians, and this makes perfect sense of the first hint we saw in Gen 43:32 as they saw Hebrews as a people who raised, kept and killed sheep as livestock. This is why shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians as seen in Gen 46:33,34.

Pagan gods with the likeness of Sheep in Egyptian History
Khnum and Anum were the two main deities of the Egyptians that had a connection to the Sheep.

Khnum was one of the earliest-known Egyptian deities, originally the god of the source of the Nile. The worship of Khnum centered on two principal riverside sites, Elephantine and Esna, which were regarded as sacred sites. At Elephantine, he was worshipped alongside Anuket and Satis as the guardian of the source of the Nile River.

Amun is a major ancient Egyptian deity which was later fused with the Sun god, Ra, as Amun-Ra or Amun-Re. Amun-Ra held the position of transcendental, self-created creator deity and was positioned as King of Gods developed to the point of virtual monotheism where other gods became manifestations of him. With Osiris, Amun-Ra is the most widely recorded of the Egyptian gods and was depicted at one point as a ram-headed deity.

Prior to entering the Temple of Amun in Karnak, there is a long row of Sphinxese depicting the ram of the god amun with the king standing under its paws beneath its chin.

The first plague that came upon Egypt may have also targeted Khnum, as he was regarded as the guardian of the Nile.

Conclusion
One can only wonder whether the Hebrews were making bricks for such temples that depicted the sheep as a god figure. In such a background, now we can understand the true circumstances of having to sacrifice sheep to YHVH. Now we can understand why Moses goes to say “would they not stone us” if they sacrificed inside Egypt (Exo 8:26). The stakes were very high, as God was commanding the Hebrews to take a stand against the gods of Egypt. When they sacrificed the lambs at Passover, they would have had to have complete faith in God. If they were wrong, the Egyptians very well could have stoned them the next day for desecrating their land.

By asking to make a public display of the blood of the lamb, God was saying there is no other who can protect the Hebrews other than YHVH. And on the other end God was asking His people to put their faith in Him. To rise up against the abominations of Egypt and show that they are ready to follow God instead.

And there lies the parallel for us, as we enter the season of Passover. As we remember the death of Yeshua on Passover day according to the Gospels, let’s remember that we are also called to rise against the abominations of our past and put complete faith in him. Let us put our slavery to death behind us, and walk towards the Land God has promised His people. Amen.

Evidence that Passover was celebrated by the Early Church

In a time where Good Friday and Easter is celebrated by Christians worldwide, rarely do we hear of a celebration of Passover. But this was not always the case. Writings of Early Church Fathers prove that the 14th Day was even celebrated in the 2nd Century BC. Specifically between the year 150 and 155, there was a discussion between the Church of Rome and Church of Asia about the celebration of Passover and the completion of a fast which was practiced in their day. Eusibius of Caesarea, who was a scholar and historian of Christianity, and who was known as the “Father of Church History” records this as seen below.

In his account, we see Polycrates – a Bishop of the Asian Church testifying that Passover was to be celebrated on the “14th Day of the moon” when the “leaven was put away” and that the Apostles Philip & John among others observed Passover on that Day handing it down to everyone in the Church of Asia. Polycrates also mentions that a multitude of Bishops gave their consent to the same letter addressed to the Church of Rome.

Victor the head of Rome would try to excommunicate the Church of Asia (this would subsequently come to pass in 1054 as the East-West Schism) but was rebuked by others who felt it was necessary to keep the peace. Finally the 2 centers would agree to disagree, but with the rise of Rome, Asia would be sidelined till 200 years later Constantine the great would rule after the Council of Nicea, against the Passover and in favor of Easter (Eusebius, Life of Constantine Vol. 3 Chapter 18). Even in the 2nd century, when Polycrates made his case, It is unclear whether the Church of Rome understood what Passover meant and what the significance of the Sunday after Passover (The day of Firstfruits) was.

Considered passages from Church History of Eusebius – Book V

For the parishes of all Asia, as from an older tradition, held that the fourteenth day of the moon, on which day the Jews were commanded to sacrifice the lamb, should be observed as the feast of the Saviour’s passover. (Chap 23. Ver 1)

But the bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates, decided to hold to the old custom handed down to them. We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord’s coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and, being a priest, wore the sacerdotal plate. He fell asleep at Ephesus. And Polycarp in Smyrna, who was a bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, bishop and martyr from Eumenia, who fell asleep in Smyrna. Why need I mention the bishop and martyr Sagaris who fell asleep in Laodicea, or the blessed Papirius, or Melito, the Eunuch who lived altogether in the Holy Spirit, and who lies in Sardis, awaiting the episcopate from heaven, when he shall rise from the dead? All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven. (Chap 24. Ver 1-6)

And when the blessed Polycarp was at Rome in the time of Anicetus, and they disagreed a little about certain other things, they immediately made peace with one another, not caring to quarrel over this matter. For neither could Anicetus persuade Polycarp not to observe what he had always observed with John the disciple of our Lord, and the other apostles with whom he had associated; neither could Polycarp persuade Anicetus to observe it as he said that he ought to follow the customs of the presbyters that had preceded him. (Chap 24 Ver 16)

Those in Palestine whom we have recently mentioned, Narcissus and Theophilus, and with them Cassius, bishop of the church of Tyre, and Clarus of the church of Ptolemais, and those who met with them, having stated many things respecting the tradition concerning the passover which had come to them in succession from the apostles, at the close of their writing add these words: “Endeavor to send copies of our letter to every church, that we may not furnish occasion to those who easily deceive their souls. We show you indeed that also in Alexandria they keep it on the same day that we do. For letters are carried from us to them and from them to us, so that in the same manner and at the same time we keep the sacred day.” (Chap 25:1,2)

Conclusion
We see that there is significant evidence to say that the Passover preceded any other tradition and that it was handed down by the apostles as per witnesses from the Church of Asia. Even though all traces of the Passover would cease to exist in Christianity with the rise of the Roman Church, the history books are clear – Passover was the day celebrated by the Apostles such as John and Philip after the death of Yeshua and was the only tradition handed down to them in commemoration of the Passover of our Lord.

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The full account – Church History of Eusebius – Book V

Chapter 23. The Question then agitated concerning the Passover.

1. A question of no small importance arose at that time. For the parishes of all Asia, as from an older tradition, held that the fourteenth day of the moon, on which day the Jews were commanded to sacrifice the lamb, should be observed as the feast of the Saviour’s passover. It was therefore necessary to end their fast on that day, whatever day of the week it should happen to be. But it was not the custom of the churches in the rest of the world to end it at this time, as they observed the practice which, from apostolic tradition, has prevailed to the present time, of terminating the fast on no other day than on that of the resurrection of our Saviour.

2. Synods and assemblies of bishops were held on this account, and all, with one consent, through mutual correspondence drew up an ecclesiastical decree, that the mystery of the resurrection of the Lord should be celebrated on no other but the Lord’s day, and that we should observe the close of the paschal fast on this day only. There is still extant a writing of those who were then assembled in Palestine, over whom Theophilus, bishop of Cæsarea, and Narcissus, bishop of Jerusalem, presided. And there is also another writing extant of those who were assembled at Rome to consider the same question, which bears the name of Bishop Victor; also of the bishops in Pontus over whom Palmas, as the oldest, presided; and of the parishes in Gaul of which Irenæus was bishop, and of those in Osrhoëne and the cities there; and a personal letter of Bacchylus, bishop of the church at Corinth, and of a great many others, who uttered the same opinion and judgment, and cast the same vote.

3. And that which has been given above was their unanimous decision.

Chapter 24. The Disagreement in Asia.

1. But the bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates, decided to hold to the old custom handed down to them. He himself, in a letter which he addressed to Victor and the church of Rome, set forth in the following words the tradition which had come down to him:

2. We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord’s coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and, being a priest, wore the sacerdotal plate.

3. He fell asleep at Ephesus.

4. And Polycarp in Smyrna, who was a bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, bishop and martyr from Eumenia, who fell asleep in Smyrna.

5. Why need I mention the bishop and martyr Sagaris who fell asleep in Laodicea, or the blessed Papirius, or Melito, the Eunuch who lived altogether in the Holy Spirit, and who lies in Sardis, awaiting the episcopate from heaven, when he shall rise from the dead?

6. All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven.

7. I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater than I have said ‘We ought to obey God rather than man.’ Acts 5:29

8. He then writes of all the bishops who were present with him and thought as he did. His words are as follows:

“I could mention the bishops who were present, whom I summoned at your desire; whose names, should I write them, would constitute a great multitude. And they, beholding my littleness, gave their consent to the letter, knowing that I did not bear my gray hairs in vain, but had always governed my life by the Lord Jesus.”

9. Thereupon Victor, who presided over the church at Rome, immediately attempted to cut off from the common unity the parishes of all Asia, with the churches that agreed with them, as heterodox; and he wrote letters and declared all the brethren there wholly excommunicate.

10. But this did not please all the bishops. And they besought him to consider the things of peace, and of neighborly unity and love. Words of theirs are extant, sharply rebuking Victor.

11. Among them was Irenæus, who, sending letters in the name of the brethren in Gaul over whom he presided, maintained that the mystery of the resurrection of the Lord should be observed only on the Lord’s day. He fittingly admonishes Victor that he should not cut off whole churches of God which observed the tradition of an ancient custom and after many other words he proceeds as follows:

12. For the controversy is not only concerning the day, but also concerning the very manner of the fast. For some think that they should fast one day, others two, yet others more; some, moreover, count their day as consisting of forty hours day and night.

13. And this variety in its observance has not originated in our time; but long before in that of our ancestors. It is likely that they did not hold to strict accuracy, and thus formed a custom for their posterity according to their own simplicity and peculiar mode. Yet all of these lived none the less in peace, and we also live in peace with one another; and the disagreement in regard to the fast confirms the agreement in the faith.

14. He adds to this the following account, which I may properly insert:

Among these were the presbyters before Soter, who presided over the church which you now rule. We mean Anicetus, and Pius, and Hyginus, and Telesphorus, and Xystus. They neither observed it themselves, nor did they permit those after them to do so. And yet though not observing it, they were none the less at peace with those who came to them from the parishes in which it was observed; although this observance was more opposed to those who did not observe it.

15. But none were ever cast out on account of this form; but the presbyters before you who did not observe it, sent the eucharist to those of other parishes who observed it.

16. And when the blessed Polycarp was at Rome in the time of Anicetus, and they disagreed a little about certain other things, they immediately made peace with one another, not caring to quarrel over this matter. For neither could Anicetus persuade Polycarp not to observe what he had always observed with John the disciple of our Lord, and the other apostles with whom he had associated; neither could Polycarp persuade Anicetus to observe it as he said that he ought to follow the customs of the presbyters that had preceded him.

17. But though matters were in this shape, they communed together, and Anicetus conceded the administration of the eucharist in the church to Polycarp, manifestly as a mark of respect. And they parted from each other in peace, both those who observed, and those who did not, maintaining the peace of the whole church.

18. Thus Irenæus, who truly was well named, became a peacemaker in this matter, exhorting and negotiating in this way in behalf of the peace of the churches. And he conferred by letter about this mooted question, not only with Victor, but also with most of the other rulers of the churches.

Chapter 25. How All came to an Agreement respecting the Passover.

1. Those in Palestine whom we have recently mentioned, Narcissus and Theophilus, and with them Cassius, bishop of the church of Tyre, and Clarus of the church of Ptolemais, and those who met with them, having stated many things respecting the tradition concerning the passover which had come to them in succession from the apostles, at the close of their writing add these words:

2. “Endeavor to send copies of our letter to every church, that we may not furnish occasion to those who easily deceive their souls. We show you indeed that also in Alexandria they keep it on the same day that we do. For letters are carried from us to them and from them to us, so that in the same manner and at the same time we keep the sacred day.”

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God’s Appointed Times – A graphical study

Learning about YHVH‘s Appointed times was the turning point in my life, in which I saw a pattern that God had laid out. Seeing that Christ died on “Passover“, being buried at the beginning of the “Week of Unleavened Bread“, Resurrecting on “Firstfruits” and the Disciples receiving the Holy Spirit on “Pentecost” (which is another of God’s Feast days from Lev 23) started a curiosity in me, which has fueled my passion of study and research. The Icing on the cake was that there were more feast days which were yet to be realised, but of which we had all heard in some sermon or bible study. The Feast of “Trumpets” signified His 2nd Coming, The “Day of Atonement” signified judgement and “Tabernacles” signified His 1000 year reign. “I was blown away”. Putting all of this together with Scripture to back it up, I hope the below Graphical Study Board will help you see God’s Plan and His Word in new Light. Click on below image for enlarged view.

Click on image for enlarged view

Good Friday or Passover?

As some celebrate Passover, millions of people are preparing to celebrate Good Friday. What is Passover and what is Good Friday? Is Passover for the Jews and Good Friday for the Christians? Where does these days originate from? Did Yeshua(Hebrew name of Jesus) die on Good Friday? or did He die on Passover? are both these days the same? Does it even matter which day we celebrate it on, as long as we remember it? We will delve in to the subject of Yeshua’s death today, and try to answer some of these questions. Keep an open mind, and let God’s Word show you the truth as some of the things you read here might probably shock you.

What is Passover?
Passover in one sentence, was the “Act of God”that brought Israel out of the bondage of Egypt bringing them salvation from slavery to Pharaoh, through the sign of the Blood of a Lamb. From Exodus 7-10, God brings 9 plagues on Egypt and Pharaoh, through Moses. After enduring much destruction and pain, Pharaoh would still not let “Israel – God’s People” go. Finally, God tells Moses that He will bring one more Plague on Egypt(Ex 11:1-6). In Ex 12:21-30, Moses explains that Israel had to kill a Lamb, and apply it’s blood as a sign so that death would not come into their houses. God also said that this is His Passover(Ex 12:11), not Israel’s passover. And that it was an Ordinance/Appointment Forever(Ex 12:14).

A few Biblical Facts before we proceed
1) A Biblical day consists of 12 Hours of Day and 12 Hours of Night (John 11:9)
2) The Biblical day is from one Sundown to the next Sundown (Lev 23:32, Neh 13:19, Judge 14:12,18, Luk 23:54, Joh 19:31) Calculating the start of the day from midnight was a later adaptation from the Roman time system
3) We know that Yeshua for a fact died on the Evening of the Passover. (John 18:28, 19:14)
4) Yeshua died around the 9th Hour of the Passover day (3pm in Modern day time)
(Mat 27:46-50, Mar 15:33-37, Luk 23:44-46)
5) Yeshua said that He will be in the Tomb for 3 days & 3 nights (Mat 12:40, 17:23, 20:19, 26:61, 27:40,63,64, Mar 8:31, 9:31, 10:34, 14:58, 15:29, Luke 9:22, 18:33, 24:7,21,46, Joh 2:19)

Good Friday
Even though it is never mentioned as such in the Scriptures, almost all Christians have been taught that Yeshua died on a Friday. Is this belief Scriptural? What is the reason for this belief? Let us see.

Death before the Sabbath
In John 19:31, we see that the Jews asking Pilate to bring the bodies down from the crosses before the Sabbath.
In Mark 15:42,43, we see that evening had come, and it was close to the Sabbath when Joseph of Arimathaea went to see Pilate.
In Luk 23:52-54, we see that Joseph laid Yeshua’s body in the Tomb and the Sabbath was about to start (Remember, that according to the Biblical day, the Sabbath would be from Sundown to Sundown. So at Friday Sundown, it is the start of the Sabbath).

So according to these 3 verses, we understand that Yeshua died before the Sabbath. There is no argument between any Historians or Biblical Scholars, that the day which is called “Saturday” in modern times, is the day which was called “Sabbath” in Yeshua’s time. (Check any Biblical Encyclopedia). So accordingly, it made perfect sense to proclaim that “Friday” as the day Yeshua died. Let us also check the other facts concerning His death before we conclude that it is, in fact Friday.

Yeshua rose after the Sabbath According to Mt 28:1-6, Mar 16:2-4, Luke 24:1-3, Joh 20:1,2
The women came to the tomb on the day after the Sabbath, to see it empty.

So According to these verses, we see that Yeshua had risen when the women went to the Tomb on Sunday. So accordingly, we celebrate His “Rising from Death” on Sunday.

He said He would be in the tomb for 3 Days & 3 Nights according to Mat 12:40
If He died on a Friday around 3pm, and was buried before Sundown, before the Sabbath started, and He rose before Sunday Morning, Where are the 3 Days? Friday eve to Sunday Morning is only 1½ Days. Even if we took the whole day of Sunday, it would still be 2 Days. According to a Friday Evening Death and a Resurrection before Sunday Morning, Yeshua seems to have not accomplished what He said He would. And I believe, that He never said anything contrary to what He did. Some say that it doesn’t matter. If it matters to you that you know the Truth, read on. And you will see why it is important to understands the Feasts/Appointments God gave to Israel. (We will do a separate study on the Feasts of God in the near future, where I will cover all of the feasts mentioned in Lev 23, including Passover.)

A very brief look at the Feast/Appointment of Passover which God gave Israel
1) God told Israel to Kill the Passover Lamb on the Evening of the 14th day of the 1st Month (Ex 12:2,6, Lev 23:5, Num 9:3)
2) God told Israel to eat the Lamb with Unleavened Bread and Bitter Herbs
(Ex 12:8, 13:3, Num 9:11)
3) God told Israel to eat bread that is Unleavened for 7 days after the Passover
(Ex 12:15, 13:7, Deut 16:3)
4) God told Israel that the 1st day and 7th day of this week of Unleavened Bread were days where you rest from your regular work (Ex 12:16, Lev 23:6,7,8, Num 28:18,25) Special Sabbath*

Every year on the 1st Month according to God’s Calendar:
14th Day – Passover (Lamb was killed and meal was taken in the evening)
15th Day – 1st Day of Unleavened Bread – Special Sabbath*
16th Day – 2nd Day of Unleavened Bread
17th Day – 3rd Day of Unleavened Bread
18th Day – 4th Day of Unleavened Bread
19th Day – 5th Day of Unleavened Bread
20th Day – 6th Day of Unleavened Bread
21st Day – 7th Day of Unleavened Bread – Special Sabbath*

What day would Passover fall on? Was it Friday?
God’s Calendar has no connection to the Roman Gregorian Calendar of today. (We will delve into the nitty gritties of God’s Calendar when we study the Feasts of God). God’s Calendar works from new moon to new moon. The word that is translated in the Old Testament as “Month” actually means “New Moon” in Hebrew. (H2320 – חדשׁ – chôdesh – kho’-desh – From H2318; the new moon; by implication a month: – month (-ly), new moon) What this would mean is that when God said “First Month”, He meant “First New Moon”. And as the New moon does not appear on a fixed day, the 1st day of the 1st Month of God’s Calendar could fall on any day, meaning it could fall on a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Because of this, the 14th day could be any day of the week. Effectively, Passover could fall on anyday. For Example, Sunday this year, Wednesday next year and Friday the next. It would not fall on a fixed day of the 7 day week.

*What is this Special Sabbath
Because the 14th Day, which is Passover would fall on any day of the week, the 15th Day which could be any day of the week as well, would be a Sabbath which could fall on any day rather than the fixed Sabbath which always falls on Saturday. For this Reason, These days were called Special Sabbaths.

Another look at the death of Yeshua
So with all of this information, which I know is a bit too much to take in one go, (But remember, that if we grew up knowing these things, it would be simple for us) let us try to take another look at Yeshua’s Death. We know a few new facts about Yeshua’s Death.
Yeshua died on a Passover (14th Day) which can be any day of the week, and the next day (15th Day) would be a Special Sabbath Day. (Eg. If Passover fell on a Wednesday, the next day which is Thursday, is a Sabbath).

The key to it all
In John19:31, The Jews asked for Yeshua’s body to be removed before the start of the Sabbath. And it highlights an important fact here. John writes, “for that sabbath day was an high day”. The word “high” used here, is translated from Strong’s Greek Concordance – G3173 – μέγας – megas – meg’-as – meaning big, exceedingly, great (-est), high, large, loud, mighty, strong. This Greek word is translated as “Great” in almost all instances of the New Testament. This would effectively make this a “Great” or “Big” Sabbath, different from the 7th day Sabbath.

So what does all of this mean?
It means that according to the Old Testament Feast we checked, The day after Yeshua’s death would have been a Sabbath that did not have to fall on a fixed day like the regular Saturday Sabbath. The week which the Passover was held, would always contain 2 Sabbaths. One would be the Regular Fixed Sabbath. The other would be the 15th day which could fall on any day from Sunday to Saturday. This way, He would die on the Passover(which could fall on any day), before the High Sabbath(which is not a fixed Sabbath, and would always fall on the day after Passover) and He could rise after 3 Days & 3 Nights after the Fixed Saturday Sabbath.

How Yeshua died before the High Sabbath. How His body was in the Tomb for 3 Days and 3 Nights. And how He rose after the Fixed Saturday Sabbath.
Since Passover could fall on different days of the week each year, in that Particular year in which Yeshua died, for all the Scriptures to not have any inconsistencies, Passover would have fallen on a Wednesday.

Wednesday – 14th of 1st Month – Passover (Yeshua dies and is buried before eve)
Thursday – 15th of 1st Month – 1st day of Unleavened Bread – High/Special Sabbath
Friday – 16th of 1st Month – 2nd day of Unleavened Bread
Saturday – 17th of 1st Month – 3rd day of Unleavened Bread – Fixed /Regular Sabbath
Sunday – 18th of 1st Month – By the time the women came, Yeshua had risen

Wednesday Sundown to Thursday Sundown – 1st Day (1Day + 1Night)
Thursday Sundown to Friday Sundown – 2nd Day (1Day + 1Night)
Friday Sundown to Saturday Sundown – 3rd Day (1Day + 1Night)

Click on the image to enlarge

Good Wednesday instead of Good Friday?
Am I saying that we should start commemorating Yeshua’s death on Wednesday instead of Friday. Not at all. I am merely showing how all the Scriptures are working together to reveal the truth. He could not have died on a Friday. But is Wednesday better than Friday? No. The better question to ask would be, whether we should Celebrate Passover instead of Good Friday. It is better to remember His death on the day He died, which was the Passover, than on Friday. (Passover does not fall on Wednesday every year)

But Isn’t it a Jewish Feast?
No one can own the Passover, but God Himself, as He said “it is my Passover”(Ex 12:11, Lev 23:2). It was given to “God’s people -Israel”, not only to the Jews. It is generally called “The Jewish Passover” only because the Jews are the only people commemorating it.

Greatest reason to Commemorate Passover: Yeshua, our Passover Lamb
When God commanded Israel to commemorate Passover, it was partly about the salvation that they got from Pharaoh and slavery in Egypt as well as, a future Redemption that He had planned. Yeshua would become a Passover Lamb, so that whoever was covered with His blood was “Passed over” by Death. Is this a making of my imagination? A forced connection? I will showcase the facts for you, that you can make up your own mind.

1) The Lamb had to be without spot or blemish (Ex 12:5)
Yeshua was a Lamb without Spot or Blemish (1Pet 1:19)
2) The Lamb was to be killed in the evening of Passover (Ex 12:6)
Yeshua died on the evening of Passover (Mat 27:46-50, Mar 15:33-37, Luk 23:44-46)
3) According to the size of the Lamb any number of households could get together to share one Lamb (Ex 12:3,4)
Yeshua would be the Lamb which could die for the Sin of the whole world(John 1:29)
4) The Blood of the Lamb was a token for Israel to be saved from Death (Ex 12:13,23)
Yeshua saved us from death through His Blood (Rom 5:9)
5) The Lamb’s bones were not to be broken(Ex 12:46)
Yeshua’s bones were not broken, and John specifically mentions this, saying this is the fulfillment of this scripture (John 19:33,36)

Just as Israel was redeemed of Slavery from Egypt and Pharaoh through the Blood of the Passover Lamb, we are also redeemed through the Blood of the “Passover Lamb – Yeshua” from the slavery to Sin and Satan. God did not give the Feasts/Appointed times in Lev 23 for no reason. Each of these appointments are Prophetic Shadows of Yeshua. (We will do a separate study on the Feasts of God in the near future, where I will cover all of the feasts mentioned in Lev 23, including Passover and How Yeshua fulfilled each of these Appointed times to the T.)

Some say that Passover was only a Commandment given to Israel. That as Christians, we do not need to keep a Jewish Passover. First of all, I would ask such people to understand the definitions of Israel, Jews & Christians. Then they should notice what God said in Ex 12:11 and repeated in Lev 23:2, That the Passover is HIS. Not Israel’s or of the Jew’s.

Finally, I would also like to leave a question with you? Was the Ten Commandments given to Christians? or Israel? Who told us that we could choose what to Accept out of His Commandments & what to Reject? Remember that Passover was also a Commandment of God(Lev 23). And no, Paul did not say it was alright to discard God’s Passover. (We will study on this at a later date as well).

Jews who do not accept Yeshua as Messiah keep the Passover in commemoration of the redemption from slavery of Egypt. The Jews who believe in Yeshua (Messianic Jews) commemorate the Passover in remembrance of Yeshua, the Passover Lamb who redeemed all from Sin. Shouldn’t we, as Christians who believe in Yeshua keep the Passover instead of Good Friday in remembrance of Yeshua in the same way? Yeshua did not celebrate Good Friday. But He did commemorate Passover.

In conclusion, I hope that you have understood the Fact that Yeshua could not have died on a Friday. He died on the Passover day, as the Passover Lamb. The Passover does not belong to the Jews, but to God Himself. Passover and Good Friday is not the same, as one is instituted by God and the other by man. On the question whether it matters to God or not, I would say, if it does not matter, why would He have instituted these specific days? Start reading and searching. May He show you the Truth. And hopefully, this study has helped you to see through the common misconceptions we are surrounded with.

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