Messianic Musings ~ Choosing the Passover Lamb

This coming week we are going to be reading a portion of scripture that may be very familiar. It details Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem prior to the celebration of Passover.  Growing up as a Christian, we celebrated this day as Palm Sunday. It was followed by Holy Week - a week set aside to remember Jesus' last days prior to His crucifixion.  Then the joyful celebration of Easter!

As I read the Messianic commentary on this passage my eyes were opened to something I never saw before.  Looking at the events of Holy Week from a Jewish perspective and the actual Passover preparation gave me a much deeper appreciation of God's timeline. One aspect of Passover really caught my attention.

The lamb was a focal point in the Passover celebration. Going all the way back to the night of the exodus from Egypt God gave very specific instructions how the lamb was to be prepared: "Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month (Nissan) each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household" (Ex. 12:3).  It also tells us in this passage that the lamb was to be without defect and was to be chosen four days prior to the celebration of Passover, which would be on the 14th of Nissan. During these four days the lamb would be inspected to insure it was free from defects, broken bones or other impurities. They wanted to ensure that it was the best of the kosher offerings.

As believers in Jesus as the Messiah we know that Jesus was the Lamb of God. John the apostle tells us: "The next day john saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"(John 1:29).  Now let's look at our passage in Matthew 21:6-11. These verses recount Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, on a road strewn with palm branches. This was very different from the times that He had come before this to visit the temple or teach His disciples. This was a public presentation. He was greeted with the words: "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna is the highest!" (Matt. 21:9). As my commentary pointed out this occurred four days prior to Passover, the 10th of Nissan! "On this day Jesus was presented publicly to Israel as if to say "See if I am the kosher Lamb of God, your Messiah!" (Matthew, presents Yesua, King Messiah, Kasdan, pg. 234).

Sometimes as Christians I think we can miss out on the wonders of God because we simply are not familiar with the Jewishness of the events that we read about in the Bible. In the big picture the timing of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem did not seem significant to me but as I studied it in light of Passover I was amazed by God. He is so purposeful in what He does. His plan is not arbitrary or random. The LORD gave Moses the Passover requirements in 1446 BC. Jesus entered Jerusalem in the donkey in 30 AD. That is almost a 1,500 year span!! God is so purposeful in what He does. His plan is not arbitrary or random. How thankful I am that I have committed my life to a God who knows the end form the begining, who is the Alpha and the Omega!!

"Open my eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of Your law." (Psalm 119:18, ESV)

Messianic Musings ~ Which Way is Up?

Let's say you were  taking a trip to our capital city, Washington D.C. and you lived in Florida. You might say something like  'I am going up to D.C.'   What about if you lived in NYC? Then, of course, you would say something like 'I am going down to D.C.'  Have you ever noticed in the Bible that whenever anyone was going to Jerusalem they would always be going up to Jerusalem? If you were to look at a map of Israel you would see that Jerusalem is very close to being in the middle of the county. Has this ever struck you as odd?

In Matthew 20:18 Jesus tells the apostles "We are going up to Jerusalem..". In this verse Jesus is using a common Hebrew idiom of making aliyah (pilgrimage) by going up to the Holy City.  In the Jewish calendar there were three great Holy Days. At these times, the Jews living outside of Jerusalem would make a pilgrimage up to the Holy City to worship the LORD.  They would not always be traveling physically north but they would be making a spiritual aliyah, of drawing close to God's presence. Prior to the time when believers were indwelt with God's Holy Spirit, the only way they could encounter Him was within the walls of the temple where the Ark of the Covenant resided.

In your Bible if you were to look at Psalm's 120 to 134 you would notice that these Psalm's are labeled 'Songs of Ascent'.  In Hebrew the word for ascent is ma'aloth. This word means 'to go up'.  These songs were sung as the pilgrims made their way to worship the Lord at the place where His presence dwelt in the Holy city of Jerusalem. Imagine what it would have been like for them, with each mile they walked they drew closer to the presence of the Lord!!  

Here are some of the words they would have worshiped with:

"I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:1-2)

"I rejoiced with those who said to me, 'Let us go up to the house of the LORD."  That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel." (Psalm 122:1,4)

"Let us go to His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool - arise O LORD, and come to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might." (Psalm 132:7-8)

"Praise the LORD all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD." (Psalm 134:1-2)

As I read the words of these Psalms my heart filled with thankfulness and joy. We no longer need to make a physical aliyah to draw near to God. How very blessed we are that God is always present in our day.  Are we really aware how special this is? Each one of us is on a spiritual aliyah. There is truly nothing that can keep us from Him - the choice is ours.  I pray that you would take time away from the business of the day to purposely draw near to God and rejoice in His presence.

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage." Psalm 84:5