Entering In The Same Way They Came Out
The journey of God’s people to the Promised Land starts and ends with
Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb of God.
God commanded Israel to partake of Passover when they came out of Egypt (Exodus 12), beginning their journey, and also when they ended their journey in Canaan, the place of their inheritance (Joshua 5). His judgment fell upon Israel’s enemies in order to release them, and it fell upon Israel’s enemies in the Promised Land in order to establish them. Their life and protection were to be found in the blood of the sacrificial lamb. So it is with us who are at the end of this age. God’s judgment is about to be unleashed, establishing His government on the face of this earth forever.
It is only through the blood of Christ that we will be spared. Nothing else will do. The blood of Christ, applied to a repentant heart will be a sign for us. When He sees the blood, He will pass over. No coming destructive plague will touch us when God judges His enemies (Exodus 12:13, James 4:4). As with Israel, the Lord is saying to those who now hold His people in bondage, “Let My people go that they may serve Me.” Right now, they serve those in the majority of American churches who are in spiritual leadership. The Bride of Christ is about to be eternally joined to her Head, but first there is work in His fields that must be brought to completion.
Israel ended the way they started. Their journey is a type, or picture of our journey. Jesus, our Passover Lamb, is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 21:6~ see the Bible study Cornerstone And Capstone and Alpha And Omega). We come out, or begin with Him, and we will finish, entering into our inheritance, with Him. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus is the author (beginning) and perfecter (finisher) of faith. It is a total consumption of the Lamb.
At the end of this age, we are being reminded that He will finish what He has begun (Phil. 1:6). Too much of Christianity in America now depends upon the works and structures of man. We will not enter the place of our spiritual inheritance without a total and complete partaking of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is revealing this to stir us up by way of reminder, revealing the proper order from Scripture. This is why a separation must occur from dead religion that has either added to, or taken away from truth.
Jesus, the Way of Truth and Life (John 14:6) is once again being revealed to His disciples as the only way to enter in (see the Bible study Noah; A Sign Of The End). The Way has been removed through the deception of demonic doctrines, veiling the way into the holy of holies. The Lord is once and for all going to tear this man mad structure down, from top to bottom (see the Bible study The Inner Tunic). That which man has built back up through acceptance of satanic deception to keep God’s people from entering His presence will now be removed in Jesus’ name and His truth. Praise the Lord!
The day after the Israelites partook of Passover, they ate some produce of the new land. The new provision in Christ, His “new thing” is being ushered in. The old way, or the old mixed provision will cease. Man will not let go of his religious order without coercion. This is why the present religious institution in America, and the rest of the world, must be shaken. The chaff will be blown away and the mature grain of the Lord of the harvest will be revealed, all for the glory of the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Revelation 19:5-9- What is on the menu for the marriage supper of the Lamb? Lamb of course… the Passover Lamb of God, Jesus Christ!
5 And a voice came from the throne, saying, "Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great."
6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude and as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
7 "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage [“a wedding banquet, a wedding feast”] of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready [2090]."
8 And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 And he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited [“to call, to call aloud”] to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God."
(NAS)
2090 hetoimazo (het-oy-mad'-zo)
1) to make ready, to prepare, to make the necessary preparations, to get everything ready
2) metaphorically:
a) drawn from the oriental custom of sending persons on their journeys ahead of kings to level the roads and make them more passable
b) to prepare the minds of men to give the Messiah a fit reception and secure his blessings
The Bride of Christ, when she hears that it is time, makes herself ready internally through sanctification. It is a cleansing of the heart by faith (Acts 15:9) in preparation for what is to come.
To get “ready” in verse 7 means “to prepare” (see 2090 concordance definition below). A part of Passover is something called Preparation Day (See details below for this day taken from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary). This day right before Passover included “baking the unleavened bread (leaven represents sin), gathering festive garments to wear for the occasion (verse 8- “fine linen” which represents the “righteous acts of the saints”), and taking a ceremonial bath (cleansing of all unrighteousness- 1 John 1:9, 2 Timothy 2:21).
This all represents the sanctification of the Holy Spirit required before the final day of God’s righteous judgment, the final Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). In Exodus 12:13 the Lord said, “When I see the blood I will pass over you.” He did when they came out and He will when we, like Israel, enter in. He must see the blood over us or the angel of death will not pass by. The blood of the Lamb must be applied through a repentant heart. Christ, our Passover Lamb, was slain on our behalf (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). Through faith, His sacrifice is appropriated unto us.
The “invited” ones in verse 9 are the same “invited” ones in the parable of the wedding feast that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 22:1-14. The same Greek word is used in this passage. They heard the call to come to the wedding feast, but refused to attend. When it was time and the king had everything prepared, as it is now at the end of our spiritual journey, they refused to partake of His Passover “supper” at the place of His choosing to establish His name (see Deuteronomy 16:1-8 below).
According to Thayer’s Definition, the Greek for “invited” also means “to receive the name of.” I believe it implies that another name for the “invited” ones could be “those called by My name”, or “those who have received My name.” We would call them “Christians” today. Being a Christian means that you have received an invitation from Christ.
In a parallel passage to Matthew 22, Jesus speaks in Luke 14:16-24 of a “certain man giving a big dinner.” Verses 17-18 say that “at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses.” Jesus concludes by saying in verse 24, “For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.” Those who are called by His name, and refuse His invitation to come partake of his prepared supper, or to partake in the consumption of the Lamb of God at the end of our journey, will themselves be refused entrance into the Feast by the King. They are the foolish virgins in Matthew, chapter 25.
Preparation Day
The day immediately before the Sabbath and other Jewish festivals. Preparation Day always fell on Friday among the Jewish people, because all religious festivals began on the Sabbath, or Saturday (Matt. 27:62; John 19:14, 31).
With a week of holidays ahead, the Preparation Day for the Passover was especially busy. The details for preparing the Passover supper had to be completed by afternoon. Preparations included baking the unleavened bread, gathering festive garments to wear for the occasion, and taking a ceremonial bath.
But above all, the paschal lamb had to be slain. Slaughtering began an hour or more earlier than for the usual daily evening sacrifice. At the Temple, the priests slaughtered thousands of lambs brought in by the people. Their blood was poured at the foot of the altar. Then the lambs were roasted whole in preparation for the Passover meal in each home that evening.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary; Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
John 19:14-15- The day of preparation proclamation; “We have no king but Caesar.”
14 Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your King!"
15 They therefore cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."
(NAS)
Deuteronomy 16:1-8- The order (Seder) for Passover. They were commanded by God to sacrifice the Passover at the place where He chose to establish His name. It was a place, as the name implies in the original language, where He would permanently dwell, or tabernacle (see meaning for [7931] below). God wills to establish His name within our town of Cedar Springs, Michigan, beginning with the Cedar Springs Mobile Estates trailer park. It will happen when those “invited” to His feast partake of Passover; not the ritual, but the Lord. Praise His name for the unlikely places of His choosing!
1 "Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night.
2 "And you shall sacrifice the Passover to the LORD your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where the LORD chooses to establish [7931] His name. (See the Bible study Establishing The Covenant)
3 "You shall not eat leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), in order that you may remember all the days of your life the day when you came out of the land of Egypt.
4 "For seven days no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory, and none of the flesh which you sacrifice on the evening of the first day shall remain overnight until morning.
5 "You are not allowed to sacrifice the Passover in any of your towns which the LORD your God is giving you;
6 but at the place where the LORD your God chooses to establish His name, you shall sacrifice the Passover in the evening at sunset, at the time that you came out of Egypt.
7 "And you shall cook and eat it in the place which the LORD your God chooses. And in the morning you are to return to your tents.
8 "Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD your God; you shall do no work on it.
(NAS)
7931 shakan (shaw-kan')
a primitive root [apparently akin (by transmission) to 7901 through the idea of lodging; compare 5531, 7925]; to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively): to settle down, to abide, to dwell, to tabernacle, to reside
a) (Qal)
1) to settle down to abide
2) to abide, to dwell, to reside
b) (Piel)
1) to make settle down, to establish
2) to make (or cause) to dwell
c) (Hiphil)
1) to lay, to place, to set, to establish, to settle, to fix
2) to cause to dwell or abide
Partaking Of Passover Today
John 6:51-58- Eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus. A partaking of the Lamb. I believe that consuming the “flesh” of the Lamb means a few different things. One is to partake of the flesh, or Body of Christ, His people. It speaks of the horizontal part of the covenant and our commitment to one another. Generally speaking, this is not happening in American churches. Another is to partake of His sufferings. To identify with Christ is to follow Him to His cross. Two identifying qualities of the true servants of the Lord are the same ones as their Master; suffering and rejection.
51 "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh."
52 The Jews therefore began to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?"
53 Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat [“to devour, to consume”] the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.
54 "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
55 "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.
56 "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
57 "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me.
58 "This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate, and died, he who eats this bread shall live forever."
(NAS)
1 John 1:5-7- The vertical (with Christ) and the horizontal (with one another) aspects of the covenant in Christ. The visible horizontal relationships with one another are the proof of the invisible vertical relationship with the Lord. If we are publicly putting into practice the horizontal with the Body, then you will be putting into practice the private vertical portion with the Lord. You cannot separate one from the other. The public is the manifestation of the private. We are doing to Jesus what we are doing with one another. It’s that simple. (See chapter 3 in my book Walking In The Light.)
5 And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;
7 but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another [partaking, or sharing in the body (i.e. "flesh") of Christ in John 6:53], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
(NAS)
The “Last Supper”, or “The Last Passover”
This portion deals with the preparing of a place for Christ to eat the Passover with us, His disciples. We are now being called by the Lord to consecrate (Joshua 3:5, Exodus 19:10-25), or sanctify ourselves in preparation of our arrival at our providential destination in Christ! The Holy Spirit is preparing us to enter the King’s presence behind the veil. We dare not enter without the covering of the blood of the Lamb!
Matthew 26:17-30- This passage speaks of Jesus eating the Passover Seder (order) with His disciples for the last time in the old realm. It is what we call the last supper. They went to the place He told them to. It was the place of His choosing (see Deuteronomy 16:1-8 above). Could verse 28 be a reference to when He eats it with us, like Israel, in the place of our spiritual inheritance at the end of our journey, in the new order? Is this the “new thing” mentioned in Isaiah 43:19 and Hebrews 10:20 (see the definition for “new” below)? The blood of Christ was not only for protection, but also a sign of His authority. When Israel entered into the Promised Land it was not handed to them on a silver platter. They had to fight in order to take the land.
17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where do You want us to prepare [2090- see Rev. 19:7 above] for You to eat the Passover?"
18 And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"
19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
26 And while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you;
28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
29 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new [2537-“of a new kind”] with you in My Father's kingdom." [See Mark 14:25 below.]
(NAS)
Mark 14:12-16- Another passage explaining the preparation for Jesus to eat Passover with His disciples. This one speaks of a large upper “guest room” (remember Acts 1:13?) furnished and ready.” Concerning the furnishings of the room, Hebrews 9:21 speaks of sprinkling “both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood.” We are the “vessels of the ministry.” Again, I believe, in our personal case, that the Lord has sent us to the trailer park in our town because it is a “prepared place” of “His choosing.” Amen!
12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?"
13 And He sent two of His disciples, and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him;
14 and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is My guest room (2646)in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'
15 "And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready [2092]; and prepare [2090- see definition above] for us there."
16 And the disciples went out, and came to the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
23 And when He had taken a cup, and given thanks, He gave it to them; and they all drank from it.
24 And He said to them, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
25 "Truly I say to you, I shall never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new [2537] in the kingdom of God."
(NAS)
2092 hetoimos (het-oy'-mos);
from an old noun heteos (fitness); adjusted, i.e. ready:
prepare ready
a) used of things:
1) ready at hand
2) opportune, seasonable
b) used of persons:
already prepared
a) to do something
b) to receive one coming
2646 kataluma (kat-al'-oo-mah);
from 2647 [see right below]; properly, a dissolution (breaking up of a journey), i.e. (by implication) a lodging-place:
1) an inn, lodging place
2) an eating room, dining room
2647 kataluo (kat-al-oo'-o);
from 2596 and 3089; to loosen down (disintegrate), i.e. (by implication) to demolish (literally or figuratively); specially [compare 2646] to halt for the night:
to dissolve, to disunite
a) (what has been joined together), to destroy, to demolish
b) metaphorically, to overthrow, that is, to render vain, to deprive of success, to bring to naught, to subvert, to overthrow; used of institutions, forms of government, laws, etc. to deprive of force, to annul, to abrogate, to discard
c) used of travelers, to halt on a journey, to put up, to lodge (the figurative expression originating in the circumstance that, to put up for the night, the straps and packs of the beasts of burden are unbound and taken off; or, more correctly from the fact that the traveler's garments, tied up when he is on the journey, are unloosed at it end)
Gilgal, the place of circumcision and the observance of Passover (Joshua 5).
Gilgal is where the reproach of the enemy over God’s people is removed by the establishing of God’s covenant through the blood of the Lamb (the partaking of Passover). It starts with the inner dealings, or circumcision of the Holy Spirit, reviving our hearts. This prepares the way of the Lord within us. The establishment of His government, His Lordship, over His people is first before we can posses the place of our inheritance.
(The next 4 passages were taken from the Bible study Establishing The Covenant.)
Joshua 5:1-12- The rebellious generation of God’s people that were destroyed had not taught or performed the required circumcision on their children. It was the mark of the covenant on His people. The covenant had to be re-established within the new generation before they could take control of the Promised Land. The Lord had to possess them before they could possess the land. It is the same for us today. The present generation must be circumcised by the Holy Spirit before we will be allowed to enter into the place of our inheritance. Our spiritual forefathers have not carried out the requirements of the Lord on their spiritual children. “Joshua”, or Jesus, is about to remove the reproach (shame and disgrace) of “Egypt” from His children. (See the Bible study The Reason Why for more on this.)
7 And their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along the way.
8 Now it came about when they had finished circumcising all the nation, that they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed [“revived”].
9 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach [“shame, disgrace”] of Egypt from you." So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.
10 While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal, they observed the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho.
11 And on the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain.
12 And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year [the “old provision” was gone because the “new thing” had come!].
(NAS)
1 Samuel 11:14-15- In this chapter, Saul, at the request of the people, becomes Israel’s first king after their rejection of the Lord as King over them (see 1 Samuel 8:7). Samuel calls Israel to gather at Gilgal (see the Bible study Gilgal) to “renew the kingdom.” The Hebrew for “renew” is chadash. It means “to be new, to rebuild, to repair.”
From the passage above in Joshua 5:1-9 and this one I believe that Gilgal represents the place where God “rolls away”, or removes the shame and disgrace of His people through a work of His Spirit within the hearts of His people. Through consecration and the ensuing circumcision, by the Spirit (see Romans 2:28-29), His Lordship (Kingship) is established. Through the internal establishing of the covenant, the kingdom of God is being renewed (see Titus 3:5). It starts internally. The Kingdom of God is within (Luke 17:21).
14 Then Samuel said to the people, "Come and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there." [NIV- “…reaffirm the kingship.”]
15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they also offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
(NAS)
Genesis 17:1-14- God establishing His covenant with Abraham through circumcision. If a person would not get circumcised, it would be considered breaking the covenant. The result would be getting “cut off”, (or cut down) from the rest of the body. That circumcision, or the cutting away of the flesh, is established by the Holy Spirit under the new covenant in the blood of Jesus. An “uncircumcised” male who breaks the new covenant is one who resists the work of cutting (of the covenant) by the Holy Spirit. This is blaspheming the Holy Spirit, the sin that leads to separation from the Body of Christ. These are those who have become “twice dead” (Jude 12). They were dead as an unbeliever, and have now become dead as a believer. They have now become an “unbelieving believer”.
2 Peter 2:20-22 describes them. “For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "A dog returns to its own vomit," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire." The “first state” was as a lost person. The “last state” is turning to Christ (“accepting Jesus”) and then turning away.
The “everlasting covenant” is that which started with Abraham and is then re-entered into by each succeeding generation. It is broken through sin and rebellion against the circumcising work of the Holy Spirit on our inner man. The Lord makes it clear that He is the one who establishes this covenant.
1 Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.
2 "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly."
7 "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting [“perpetual, continuous existence”] covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.
10 "This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised.
11 "And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be the sign [“a signal, a distinguishing mark”] of the covenant between Me and you.
13 "A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
14 "But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off [“to cut down, to cut off a body part”] from his people; he has broken My covenant." [See the Bible study Wholly Illumined No Dark Part.]
(NAS)
Zephaniah 1:7-8- The Lord crying out, preparing His people. Those who will not listen, symbolized by those who are wearing “foreign” or “alien” garments, will be punished. They are those in the wedding feast of Matthew 22 who did not have the proper “wedding clothes” on and were cast out. They did not “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14). Instead, they put on fig leaves, like Adam and Eve, which was a covering of their own making. God’s garment of an animal skin for them was the first picture of the future atonement covering of Jesus. In the acceptance of His blood as the sacrificed Lamb, we are clothed with the proper wedding garments. It’s a spiritual “putting on” of Himself over our fallen fleshly nature. There is no other way. Like the temple furniture and utensils, we must be covered in the blood of Jesus.
7 Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is near, for the LORD has prepared [“to establish, to prepare, to be ready”] a sacrifice, He has consecrated [6942-“to sanctify, to prepare”] His guests [“to cry out, to proclaim, to summon, to invite”].
8 "Then it will come about on the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, the king's sons, and all who clothe [“to put on”] themselves with foreign [“alien, strange, adulterous”] garments.
(NAS)
Sanctification
2 Chronicles 5:11-14- We, like the priests, need to be sanctified (to be made clean through the blood of the sacrifice like the temple furnishings) regardless of our denominations. Sanctification preceded the filling of “the house” with the glory of God. The glory of the Lord will fill us, His temple, after we repent. Unity, one unified voice of praise glorifying God, will only happen by the Spirit of God working in and through His sanctified, obedient vessels of honor. (See the Bible study The Musicians.)
11 And when the priests came forth from the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified [6942] themselves, without regard to divisions),
12 and all the Levitical singers, Asaph [“gatherer”], Heman [“faithful”], Jeduthun [“praising”], and their sons and kinsmen, clothed in fine linen [see Rev. 19:8], with cymbals, harps, and lyres, standing east of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests [see Acts 1:15] blowing trumpets
13 in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the LORD saying," He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting," then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud,
14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.
(NAS)
Hebrews 10:29-31- These verses clearly say that it is through the blood of Jesus, the Passover Lamb, that we are sanctified. According to the verses before these (verses 26-28), willful sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth removes the covering (atonement) of the sacrifice (Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God) for our sins. We insult the Spirit of grace when we do this. The majority of modern teachings on grace say the exact opposite; that you can sin and not affect the new covenant in Christ’s blood.
29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot [2662] the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge His people."
31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands [“might, power”] of the living God.
(NAS)
2662 katapateo (kat-ap-at-eh'-o);
from 2596 and 3961; to trample down; figuratively, to reject with disdain:
1) to tread down, to trample underfoot, to trample on
2) metaphorically, to treat with rudeness and insult, to spurn, to treat with insulting neglect
Christ; The Mediator Of a New Covenant Through His Blood (Hebrews 9:11-28)
“…all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22) This is why we must partake of the sacrificial Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ. He is mercifully reminding His people of this in these last days. We have gotten our eyes off of Him onto many other religious rituals instead. These differences are what define our denominations. We do not serve the same God as some would say. In fact, we serve a god of our own making; the gods of denominational titles and structures. Jesus showed us the way to enter in, receiving the promise of the eternal inheritance; like He did, through His blood.
I believe the Holy Spirit is clearly saying to His people as we near the end of our journey on this side of the Jordan, “Unless you leave your dead religious sects behind and repent, and follow Me fully (the total consumption of the Passover Lamb), you will perish! We are approaching the time of our entering in, behind the veil (see Bible study called Going Behind The Veil). Unless I see the mark of the blood of the Lamb over your heart, I will have to destroy you. Repent quickly. Jesus entered ahead of us, showing the way into the Holy place. It is through His blood, the blood of the Passover Lamb. This is what He is now emphasizing at the end of the age. It is not by denominational titles, or doctrines, but in HIS BLOOD applied to a repentant heart that heard the call to get ready and acted! Like the priests in 2 Chronicles 29:16, we must remove the “unclean things” from the inner part (our hearts) of the dwelling of the Lord while it is still called ‘today.’” (See the Bible study Touching The Unclean.)
Hebrews 9:11-28
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;
12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh,
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
21 And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood.
22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
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The “New And living Way”- A Freshly Killed Passover Lamb
Hebrews 10:1-22- Entering into the holy place by a “new and living way.” The word for “new” means “lately slaughtered, freshly killed, recently made.” I believe this is a direct reference to the latest, or last Passover of the Body, right before we pass through the veil!
4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
19 Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
20 by a new [4372] and living way [“to be among the living”] which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh [“body”],
21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean [the blood of Christ applied to a heart] from an evil conscience [spirit] and our bodies washed with pure water [truth]. [Worshiping in spirit and in truth; see John 4:23.]
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4372 prosphatos (pros'-fat-os)
from 4253 and a derivative of 4969; previously (recently) slain (fresh), i.e. (figuratively) lately made:
1) lately slaughtered, freshly killed
2) recently made, new
Acts 20:32
32 "And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
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Acts 26:17-18
17 delivering you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,
18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me. '
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Hebrews 13:10-13- Jesus sanctifying us through His blood, suffering at Calvary, outside the camp.
10 We have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp.
12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
13 Hence, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
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John 2:13-25- Jesus cleansing the temple during Passover.
13 And the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers seated.
15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the moneychangers, and overturned their tables;
16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, "Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a house of merchandise."
17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Thy house will consume me."
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John 11:55-57- Ceremonial cleansing before Passover.
55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover, to purify themselves.
56 Therefore they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another, as they stood in the temple, "What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?"
57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.
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John 12:1-8- A supper, or dinner, given in Jesus’ honor six days before Passover. Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with very costly perfume.
1 Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
2 So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.
3 Mary therefore took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said,
5 "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to poor people?"
6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.
7 Jesus therefore said, "Let her alone, in order that she may keep it for the day of My burial.
8 "For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have Me."
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John 18:28- The religious leaders were more concerned about being ceremonially unclean than they were internally clean. The Passover Lamb stood right in front of them and they did not recognize Him.
28 They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium in order that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.
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John 18:37-40- Releasing Barabbas at Passover instead of Jesus.
37 Pilate therefore said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."
38 Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no guilt in Him.
39 "But you have a custom, that I should release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?"
40 Therefore they cried out again, saying, "Not this Man, but Barabbas." Now Barabbas was a robber.
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Hebrews 11:28- Moses and the keeping of Passover. His faith preserved his life.
28 By faith he [Moses] kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the first-born might not touch them.
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Keeping The Feast
1 Corinthians 5:6-8- Christ is our Passover. We no longer need to keep the religious ceremony without actual leaven. The reality is found in Him. We are to keep, or observe the feast without the leaven of impurity. Purity and truth are essential factors in keeping the feast today.
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?
7 Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.
8 Let us therefore celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice [2549] and wickedness [4189], but with the unleavened bread of sincerity [“purity”] and truth.
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2549 kakia (kak-ee'-ah)
from 2556 [see below]; badness, i.e. (subjectively) depravity, or (actively) malignity, or (passively) trouble:
1) malignity, malice, ill-will, desire to injure
2) wickedness, depravity;
wickedness that is not ashamed to break laws
3) evil, trouble
2556 kakos (kak-os')
apparently a primary word; worthless (intrinsically, such; whereas 4190 properly refers to effects), i.e. (subjectively) depraved, or (objectively) injurious:
4189 poneria (pon-ay-ree'-ah)
from 4190; depravity, i.e. (specifically) malice; plural (concretely) plots, sins:
1) depravity, iniquity, wickedness
2) malice
3) evil purposes and desires
Old Testament Times Of Revival And The Observance Of Passover
2 Kings 23:21-23- Reforms under King Josiah’s leadership.
21 Then the king commanded all the people saying, "Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God as it is written in this book of the covenant."
22 Surely such a Passover had not been celebrated from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and of the kings of Judah.
23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem.
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2 Chronicles 34:31-35:19- More on Josiah. He repaired the temple and purged the altar of the Lord. He then told the Levites who taught the people to prepare themselves. They were then to slaughter the Passover animals, sanctify themselves, and to prepare for their brethren to do according to the word of the Lord by Moses.
31 Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant written in this book.
32 Moreover, he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand with him. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
33 And Josiah removed all the abominations from all the lands belonging to the sons of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel to serve the LORD their God. Throughout his lifetime they did not turn from following the LORD God of their fathers.
1 Then Josiah celebrated the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover animals on the fourteenth day of the first month.
2 And he set the priests in their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD.
3 He also said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the LORD, "Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built; it will be a burden on your shoulders no longer. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel.
4 "And prepare yourselves by your fathers' households in your divisions, according to the writing of David king of Israel and according to the writing of his son Solomon.
5 "Moreover, stand in the holy place according to the sections of the fathers' households of your brethren the lay people, and according to the Levites, by division of a father's household.
6 "Now slaughter the Passover animals, sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your brethren to do according to the word of the LORD by Moses."
16 So all the service of the LORD was prepared on that day to celebrate the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD according to the command of King Josiah.
17 Thus the sons of Israel who were present celebrated the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days.
18 And there had not been celebrated a Passover like it in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet; nor had any of the kings of Israel celebrated such a Passover as Josiah did with the priests, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
19 In the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign this Passover was celebrated.
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2 Chronicles 30:1-27- Great reforms in Israel under King Hezekiah’s leadership. He told the people that they were in captivity because of their father’s unfaithfulness toward the Lord. He told the Levites in chapter 29 to consecrate themselves and the temple. Hezekiah then made a covenant with the Lord (see my book Profaning The Covenant). This chapter tells of his invitation to all Israel to come celebrate Passover. Some laughed while others humbled themselves and came. Once again, consecration is stressed in this passage with Passover. The Lord responded to Hezekiah “and healed the people.”
1 Now Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel.
2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month,
3 since they could not celebrate it at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem.
15 Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. And the priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves and consecrated themselves, and brought burnt offerings to the house of the LORD.
16 And they stood at their stations after their custom, according to the law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites.
17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, the Levites were over the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to consecrate them to the LORD.
18 For a multitude of the people, even many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than prescribed. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the good LORD pardon
19 everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary."
20 So the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
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Ezra 6:19-22- Ezra was a scribe during the time of Nehemiah when the Jews returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. This Passover celebration happened right before he came on the seen. It was inspired by the completion of the temple through the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 6:14). Again, purification (consecration) of the priests and the Levites occurs. This Scripture tells us that those who partook of this Passover were those who returned from exile, and those who “separated themselves from the impurity” around them. These “separated seekers” ate the Passover.
19 And the exiles observed the Passover on the fourteenth of the first month.
20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. Then they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, both for their brothers the priests and for themselves.
21 And the sons of Israel who returned from exile and all those who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land to join them, to seek the LORD God of Israel, ate the Passover.
22 And they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the LORD had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
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