Hello everybody! It's been quite some time since I last posted any updates. I have been very lazy- I have been meaning to write but I just couldn't bring myself to do so.And then came this virus called COVID-19 that brought chaos, bringing economies into turmoil, causing people to panic and be fearful. Everywhere we turn our eyes, we see news about people getting sick, people dying, hospitals overflowing with sick people, and almost everything was turned upside down for all of us. For weeks now we have been stuck in our homes, waiting and praying for this pandemic to end. And finally, after weeks of procrastinating, here I am, finally sitting down to write something.
Passover, or Pesach, as it is known in Hebrew, commemorates the Israelites' departure from ancient Egypt after after being slaves there for more than four hundred years. After being enslaved for so long, they yearned for freedom and cried out to God, and God heard and answered their prayers. The story of Passover tells us a story of deliverance, and it gives us hope that people can be brought to freedom from any kind of bondage.
So what happened during the time of Passover? Moses, as instructed by God, spoke to Pharaoh and asked that he allow the Jewish people to go, but Pharaoh did not want to let go of them. As a result, God sent plagues to Egypt, the plagues getting worse each time, but His people were kept safe in an area called Goshen. Finally, on the tenth and most severe plague, God instructed them to slaughter the Passover lamb, and they were to sprinkle the blood on their doorposts like the picture below.
Passover, or Pesach, as it is known in Hebrew, commemorates the Israelites' departure from ancient Egypt after after being slaves there for more than four hundred years. After being enslaved for so long, they yearned for freedom and cried out to God, and God heard and answered their prayers. The story of Passover tells us a story of deliverance, and it gives us hope that people can be brought to freedom from any kind of bondage.
So what happened during the time of Passover? Moses, as instructed by God, spoke to Pharaoh and asked that he allow the Jewish people to go, but Pharaoh did not want to let go of them. As a result, God sent plagues to Egypt, the plagues getting worse each time, but His people were kept safe in an area called Goshen. Finally, on the tenth and most severe plague, God instructed them to slaughter the Passover lamb, and they were to sprinkle the blood on their doorposts like the picture below.
During this plague, all of the firstborn in Egypt were killed, but whenever the angel of death would see a doorpost covered with blood, he would pass over that door, sparing the firstborn of that household. When this happened, Pharaoh finally relented, and the Jewish people finally left Egypt, freed from slavery after such a long time.
So how is a story that happened thousands of years ago still be significant during this time? Did you know that Jesus died during the Feast of Passover? Did you know that one of His titles is Lamb of God? You see, after God delivered His people, He commanded them to celebrate the occasion yearly, to remember what God did for them, and they were commanded to pass it on from generations to come, and thus, it is still being celebrated to this day, in all parts of the world where there are Jewish people. In fact, Passover this year happens from April 8 to April 16, which coincides with the Holy Week as we know it.
What usually happened during Passover then? In the time of Jesus, the priests were to slaughter a lamb without blemish as a sacrifice, and it was during this time, that the Lord Jesus, was sacrificed as the Lamb of God, who was nailed to the cross for us, so that, when we are covered by His blood, we are protected from any kind of plague, we are delivered from any kind of bondage, we are healed from any kind of sickness.
When He was nailed to the cross and shed His blood for each and everyone of us, if we receive Him and make Him our Lord, then eternal life can be ours, and we can stand secure in His hands, no matter what comes against us.
So I would like to encourage all of us that during this time, as we are staying in our homes waiting for the pandemic to end, let us take time to reflect, to think about God's goodness and faithfulness to us. He has kept us safe so far, and I believe He wants all mankind to cry out to Him for deliverance. So instead of being fearful, let us turn our fear into faith, let us raise our hands in surrender and worship, and He will heal our land.
Lastly, I would like to share another image. Did you know that the symbol on the door looks like the Hebrew symbol for life? So again, as we look at the sacrifice of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, let us remember that by believing in Him, He gives us an abundant life, and we are to live that life giving Him glory by doing good, by sharing His love to others in any way we can. Happy Passover then, or Hag Pesach sameach, as they say in Hebrew!
Comments
Post a Comment