Nothing is arbitrary when it comes to the Word of the Most High Elohim. There are no coincidences. None. Every jot and tittle in the Word is intentional. So, for April’s newsletter, I’m going to give you some examples. And perhaps, in your own scripture studies, you can find your own connections from His Word.
The idea for this newsletter stemmed from a recent conversation I was having with someone about Passover. Wanting to honor Passover, he said he didn’t think the second writings (what was later called the New Testament) gave clear instructions on how to participate now that we no longer sacrifice a lamb or goat, as Yahshua is the final sacrifice for our sins. That got me to thinking. In the first Passover, they were to eat in haste in order to flee from Egypt at Yah’s command.
The first Passover was somber, full of death and sorrow for the Egyptians, and possible unknowing worry for the Israelites. All this because Pharaoh refused to let Yah’s people go. After experiencing nine plagues, Pharaoh still refused to let the people of Elohim go free from slavery and bondage. Yahovah had one more plague- the death of the first born- to put up in the Egyptians.. In order to ensure His people would not suffer the loss of firstborns, Yah gave these instructions to His people: Ex. 12: 7 “And they shall take some of the blood (of the unblemished lamb) and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.” He then instructed them on how they should eat that first Passover meal: Ex 12: 9-11 “Do not eat it raw, nor boiled with water, but roasted in fire, its head with its legs and its inward parts. And do not leave of it until morning, and what remains of it until morning you are to burn with fire. And this is how you eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and you staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Passover of Yahovah.” Then Yah commanded the Israelites to keep this Passover feast: Ex 12: 14 “And this day shall become to you a remembrance. And you shall celebrate it as a festival to Yah throughout your generations- celebrate it as a festival, an everlasting law.”
Let’s focus on these two lines: “And this is how you should eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet.” And “And this day shall become to you a remembrance.”
Can you think of another Passover involving girded loins and remembrance?
Let’s go over to the book of John and the last supper- the early Passover meal in which our Messiah Yahshua partook (He ate the Pesach early because he could not partake on the day of Passover as he would be crucified as our Passover Lamb).
John 13: 3-4 “Yahshua, knowing that the Father had given all into his hands, and that he had come from Elohim and was going to Elohim, rose from supper and laid aside his garments, and having taken a towel, he girded himself.
Connection one: Messiah girded himself after he ate. In other words, he did not eat as the Israelites ate- girded during their meal. He ate in comfort, ungirded until he was done eating.
On to verse 5:
John 13: 5 “After that he put water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the taught ones, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.”
Connection two: In the first Passover, the Israelites were to eat with their sandals on, in haste. During the Messiah’s last supper Passover, he washed the feet of his unsandled disciples.
Now let’s take a look at the command to remember the Passover.
Luke 22: 19 “And taking bread, giving thanks, he (Yahshua the Messiah) broke and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of me.”
Connection three: Yahovah commanded the first Passover to become a “remembrance.” Yahshua gave us this reminder and added, not only remember the Passover, but, do so in remembrance of him, the sacrificial Lamb of Elohim.
You see, Yah does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His holy feast of Passover was not done away. It is to be done so as a festival of remembrance.
There are those who believe that because of the sacrifice of Messiah, that somehow Yah changed His command of “celebrate it as a festival, and everlasting law” taking communion as our remembrance to keeping the pagan festival of Easter, complete with idols of rabbits and rituals of dying eggs.
My friend, we cannot mix the holy with the profane and expect Yah to accept it as honoring him. We are to worship him in spirit and in truth.
“Ok, but, since Yah never changes, why does He no longer require a sacrifice?” While He no longer requires the blood of bulls and goats, He absolutely requires a sacrifice from us.
Now, before you go clutching your pearls, let’s explore.
Hebrews 13: 15-16 “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a slaughter (sacrifice) offering of praise to Elohim, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name. And do not forget to do good and to share, for with such slaughter offerings Elohim is well pleased.”
Connection four: The sacrifice we now give, the sacrifice of praise, must come directly from us, not indirectly through an animal, as we are now the temple of Yah.
1 Corinthians 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is the Dwelling Place (Temple) of the Set-Apart Spirit (Ruach H’aquodesh/ holy spirit- which is the breath of the Almighty) who is in you, which you have from Elohim, and you are not your own?”
Connection five: Yes, that’s right, we are now the temple of the Most High. While there is no longer a physical building temple, the temple did not vanish, it changed locations.
“That’s all well and good, but it’s not like we have to keep those old laws or anything. They were nailed to the cross.’
Chapter and verse, please??
Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to destroy the law (Torah) or the prophets, I did not come to destroy, but to complete.” That word complete is the Greek word Pleroo, which means to teach or to give better understanding of. Nothing in this verse indicates that the law of Yahovah has been done away or “nailed to the cross.”
“But, Messiah came against the Pharisees and their laws.” Yes, he most certainly did. Messiah never came against the Torah (the laws/ commands) of the Most High Elohim. What he came against were the laws and traditions of men, also known as the Talmud. And they crucified him for it.
Mark 7:13 Messiah even warned them, “nullifying the Word of Elohim through your traditions.” Or “Your traditions make the Word of God of none effect.”
Yahovah did not do away with His perfect law, the Torah. But, He did change locations.
Connection six: no longer on stone tablets, the Torah is now written on our hearts.
Jeremiah 31: 33 and Hebrews 8:10 “For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Y’Israel (remember, we are grafted in to the house of Y’Israel through Messiah Yahshuah) after those days, declares, Yahovah, I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.”
In His Service,
Rebecca Hamilton, Founder/ Executive Director
For Every Great Battle, There is a Great Victory!!