The Law Of Peace
 
Be As  EZRA

The Exodus

The Spring Feast, Crucifixion and Resurrection: A Calling To Repentance

Purim has ended and we look forward to celebrate Passover, but this is only a stepping stone to perhaps one of the most significant moments in history.

As we do, lets go over some of the pivotal biblical moments that will augment the significance of the resurrection for the purpose of spiritual preparedness. The acceptance of and the resurrection of Christ is the above all what defines believers , while the advent of the arrival of the Messiah is still relevant to Jews who have not yet discovered that our Savior has already come. Yeshua became the sacrificial lamb for our sins and a representation of curse and sin for our salvation through his death and the conquering of death through his resurrection.

1 John 3:8

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

King James Version (KJV)

There are so many parallels between the reasons and causes behind the events in the biblical writ and the reality of today. The world, because of the entrance of sin in the garden of Eden is governed by the devil. God’s love for us has afforded redemption and release from the bonds of sin and death.

The disadvantage that most of the newer generations have in recognizing the darkness of the world they are living in at the present is that they have nothing to compare it to. For some of us who remember life 20, 30 years ago or more, it is becoming clear that our society is out of touch with the goodness of God.

Perhaps we are to blame to some, if not to full extent for this breaking away from all things of the Lord.

As time progresses, we are witnessing a growing sense of conceit in the human family. The era of advanced science, knowledge and technology is destroying the fundamentals of  human characteristics. The Word of God does not discredit nor does it oppose the practice of sciences and knowledge, it does however warn that we should not lean on our own understanding. The notion that to Believers oppose knowledge for fear that it will discredit the existence of God is false. It is Science that opposes the knowledge of God for fear that they may not fully understand or grasp the depth of the knowledge there of. We tread dangerously close to arrogance, relying on ourselves. Worse still, more and more people are embracing secularized principles and apply them to the Church as if political correctness would make them better believers. This is the infiltration of the church by the world, the creation behind the great falling away and the theme found in the seven churches that Yeshua addresses in the book of Revelation. The false church vs. the bride of Christ.

The principles and standards that God has set before us however do not comply with the world’s views. We cannot embrace her views because they go against the very nature of our creator. We are called to treat each other with love, correcting each other in love and admonition of the Lord. To correct in ourselves the spirit of rebellion that we allow to occupy the areas of our lives. It is pertinent the we go into searching of our own souls and purging them of disobedience before we assist our brethren in their plight for emancipation. We may never reach perfection, that is why our peace is in the righteousness of the Lord and must humble ourselves before him.

We cannot on our own charge take on others peoples troubles, without our own deliverance, still we can take our supplications before the Lord and allow our faith in him to grant of both favor and salvation. Without the renewal of the mind and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us, it cannot be accomplished.

James 2:26 Context

23And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

This is a quality that all of God’s chosen have shared, they trusted the Lord blindly and did not allow doubt to enter their hearts and minds in the face of great adversity that was being manifested in the physical realm. Their faith moved mountains, conquered over giants and carried them through sea and wilderness, as they witnessed the hand of the lord deliver them from their enemies.

Therefore understanding obedience and deliverance is essential to further communicate full respect to the significance of the spring feast of the lord. That we may come to know a fresh perspective on this season and be mindful of the Lord and what he has done for us.

Remembering what God has done for us

The distinction of God’s divine appointments are not to be taken lightly, there is much to be said about their role in his plans for our lives. However, they also are instrumental in shaping our world leading to a culmination of affairs that will later give way to manifestation of His glory.

The celebration of Passover is a yet another reminder of the importance of sacrifice. The sacrificial lamb and the redemption of the first born are intertwined, yet separately they contain valuable insight of God’s plan.

The selection of the unblemished lamb was to ensure an acceptance of the sacrifice suitable unto the Lord. The same criteria Yeshua fulfilled and the example set before us. In our flesh we are incapable but for the grace and righteousness of God in us through obedience.

Exodus 3:20

“And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.”

Pharaoh refusal to accept God’s authority might have originated out of both his fear and loathing for the Hebrew people. God’s chosen thrived even as they faced hardship in Egypt. In acknowledging him he would not be able to retain his authority as god among mortals.

It was for this reason that he would have rather had destroyed the Hebrews than to allow them to depart. He hardens his heart to the will of God because it was God’s will that he do so in order to show the Israelites (his children) that he alone was God and all powerful.

Just as Moses was appointed by God to lead his people out of Egypt, Pharaoh too was given rise to bring to fruition God’s plan.

All authority is given by God to serve his purpose, the determining factor is whether or not his people will turn to him for deliverance.

When you read Exodus 3:20, God reveals to Moses and illustrates how he will bespeak his majesty and power before Pharaoh. That even though Pharaoh’s magicians would later exhibit their powers, they would fall short due to their limited abilities granted to them by their gods.

In Exodus 3:20 God promises to do great things and to display them before the enemies of the Israelites.

All that is required from Moses is obedience and faith in him. Moses did displease the Lord with his procrastination and his lack of self confidence of his abilities to speak.

In doing so he co-assigns Aaron, which is a foreshadowing of an event in the more distant future when Joshua is appointed.

There was no need for Moses to doubt, God would provide all that was needed to know and to say. Somehow human frailty incurs many regrets and doubts, but we must remember that those are fiery darts that the enemy of Christ will try to instill in us to thwart our faith. Even through his insecurity and fear, Moses remained humble and obedient. The issue of Moses’ reserved demeanor, his shyness conflicted with the ordination given to him by God. That although his faith rested in the Lord he held back. We too must be careful not to let this linger, instead we should ask the Lord to help us conquer our fears of addressing others or situations that make us uncomfortable and unable to comply with God’s plan.

To doubt the Lord through weakness of faith is not to trust that he is capable of helping us, especially when the word says the Lord always keeps his promises.

Deuteronomy 31:6

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD they God, he it is that doth go with thee, he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

He will never abandon us, his presence is among his people even when all seems lost and there appears to be nothing one can do. Often when the bible encourages us to have faith and to fear, not we discover that the moments that follow are dreadful and almost seemingly impossible to overcome.

It is in the face of these afflictions and sorrows that our humility and trust wins favor with the Lord, that even in these difficult moments our heart is faithful to him. Grace and mercy comes into our lives when we choose to focus on him.

This was certainly true for Moses and the Israelites as they approach the shore of the Red Sea with Pharaoh and his chariots at their backs.

It might have seemed as their exodus was to come to a complete dead end, only to face recapture and enslavement or death.

Jeremiah 30:10

Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet and none shall make him afraid.”

In Jeremiah 30:10 we are given insight to a future captivity of Israel and Juda. Word of the Lord is clear, that he will do so to bring about and cause them to return to the promised land.

While the enemy of Christ utilizes affliction upon the children of God to prosecute them or to cause them to err or fall away, we must remember that God allows this tumultuous times to come into his children’s lives to strengthen their bond with him and purge from among them pride and disobedience through purification.

It further explicates the limitation of the human condition, evoking faith to carry us through the anguish of this life.

This is why we honor his name with all our hearts and seek to please him in keeping with his commandments. He who is always faithful in every aspect of our life with those around us especially those we share our lives with. Treating each other with love and respect through the practice of his commandments that were created for a statute and higher standard for life.

It is right to give thanks and praise onto the Lord our God.

He has ordained the observance of occasions to Glorify his name; to remember what he has done for his people Israel. He speaks to Moses to prepare his people and gives them instructions on how to celebrate the Passover meal of the pascal lamb. His instructions are clear on what they should do and to make haste because their deliverance was at hand. Telling them also that they should place blood above their doors so that the angel of death may pass over them.

The Lord makes a straight-forward distinction between them and the Egyptians so that they may be known to be children of God for their belief in him as well as in keeping his commandments and gave them this symbol of the blood above their doors as a symbol of their preservation and later the blood of our salvation.

We are his people, his beloved children, to first the Jew and then the Gentile. We too have been made distinct in that we are now saved by the ultimate sacrifice of the blood of Yeshua the son of God.

Above our doors should rest his ultimate symbol of our salvation, under his headship and in the leadership of our families of our belief and obedience to him.

Exodus 12:1-19

Exodus 12:17-19

“And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by and ordinance for ever.”

18. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.

19. Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.

The haste in which the Passover seder had to be prepared gave a richer significance to the issue of leavening. They were also instructed that no one of their household should eat leavened bread or they would be cut off from the body of Israel. To be prepared and ready at a moments notice to depart. The seriousness is powerful. Would you ready to depart at a moment’s notice? Would the leavening of sin in your life cut you off from the body of Israel?

On one of the different occasion were people instructed not to consume a forbidden food, the fall from grace of Adam and Eve, occurred do to their disobedience in eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

In that scenario it is discernible that what the Lord forbid aside from the an actual piece of fruit was perhaps more malevolent. The fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Before this pivotal moment, there was no sin, no evil in the world. They were naked and did not feel shame, they were without blemish and wholesome. We are referred as trees as well in that we will be known for our fruits. We should not seek to understand the world or allow the world to deceive us through her seductions and empty promises. Resisting temptation is not a battle of wits, neither should you feel compelled to challenge it. There is an enemy of Christ who resides in it that will stop at nothing to destroy you. The word of God specifically tells us to do so. That while we should have faith in God who delivers us from the devil, we should not go venturing into the darkness.

There is a sense of awareness when we sin, we understand that what we are doing is not pleasing to God, yet we exercise our free will and are determine to do what we feel or think is best for us.

If we were really to take the time to think , we would come to the realization that what we are doing is wrong, therefore to react in impulse is our vehicle for sin, rather than utilize the consciousness of a biblical mindset.

Here, we see a direct command from the Lord to eat unleavened bread ,which was eaten in haste, in commemoration of our deliverance from the bondage of Egypt.

The leavening of sin and disobedience, of human pride and ire; all things that contaminate and swell, spreading throughout a family or community. Sin corrupts all and consumes all that it comes in contact with. It destroys everyone who commits it, hurts those around us and breaks covenant with God. This leavening has the ability to separate us from the body of Israel, his people. This is not limited to the Israelites, exodus 12:19 is clear that it applied to those who were from outside the borders. This means that we are all held accountable for any separation that happens between ourselves and the Lord when we fail to meet his commandments and choose to sin against him.

In the crucification we are redeemed, the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God who through his death and resurrection has closed the gap and has granted us repentance and absolution. That is why we celebrate the passover, to commemorate his wonders and to give thanks for our deliverance. Reminding us to keep a humble heart and to fear the Lord as we await departure.

Humility is important in order to remain amendable and faithful unto the Lord.

What greater joy than to be granted freedom from bondage and justice for the oppression of the world!?

In Egypt his glory was manifested in the physical realm, because of Moses’ great faith and his willingness to become a vessel for God’s will.

How also shall we be obedient? To celebrate the Passover was mnemonic to the Jew of their deliverance of the bondage under Pharaoh.
Jesus would later fulfill the promise in full at resurrection, setting all the captives of the world free from sin and death.

He has ransomed us from the devil who seeks to devour the children of God, to sway them from God’s righteousness.

The Gentile however, having been made equal to God’s original Chosen through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God is called to rejoice in his freedom from sin and death as well.

Gods mandate to celebrate the Passover is specific in what it entails and what he requires. The conveyance of his will to his children has never been diminish or substituted, only completed at the cross.

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