2023 Jan-Feb Zion's Fire Magazine

Portraits of Passover: Painted in Red

The Plan & Purpose of Passover

The Plagues of Passover

The Presentation of Passover

The Passion of Passover

June 22 – July 3, 2023

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Zion’s Fire Magazine

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© Copyright 2023 by Zion’s Hope, Inc., P.O. Box 783369 Winter Garden, FL 34778-3369

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JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023

Portraits of Passover: Painted in Red

David Rosenthal

The parallels between the Jewish Passover in Egypt, the death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, and the ordinance of communion are profound – and they are painted in red for all the world to see.

INSIGHT FEATURE

The Plan & Purpose of Passover

Marv Rosenthal

While Passover has been celebrated since the time of Moses, in reality there was only one Passover. It occurred almost 3,500 years ago in Egypt when lambs were sacrificed and their blood applied to each doorpost and lintel.

INSIGHT FEATURE

The Plagues of Passover

David Ettinger

An aspect of the Passover story is the 10 plagues. Sometimes the account of the plagues gets glossed over as high drama, but is crucial to Christians’ understanding of who God is.

The Presentation of Passover

Kevin Howard

The ancient feast of Passover carries a powerful message for today. The holiday forms the primary background for understanding the events of the Upper Room, the symbolism of the Lord’s Table, and the meaning of the Messiah’s death.

INSIGHT FEATURE

The Passion of Passover

Marv

Rosenthal

The messianic hope of a deliverer was deeply ingrained in the Jewish heart, and accentuated at Passover when deliverance was the dominant theme. In Jesus, messianic hope reached fever pitch as He now stood upon the Mount of Olives.

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This issue of Zion’s Fire is devoted to a biblical theme that is vital for God’s people but is often misunderstood or overlooked. We’ve entitled it Portraits of Passover, as it brings together an insightful collection of articles that highlight important aspects of the oldest, continuously observed holiday on Earth.

The biblical feast of Passover, and more specifically, the Passover Seder dinner –which has been at the heart of the Jewish Passover observance for millennia – utilizes symbolism, prayer, and recitation to recount the dramatic true story of the Hebrews’ enslavement in Egypt and reflect on God’s miraculous deliverance of His chosen people.

It’s a story about God’s wrath, redemption, and reputation. In the historic narrative, God pours out His judgment on Egypt through ten horrific plagues, not only for the purpose of redeeming His covenant people from enslavement but to defend His holy name through the demonstration of His supremacy over all the gods of Egypt.

As a servant of the Most High God, Moses was instructed to enter the palace of Pharaoh – the most powerful ruler on Earth in that day – to announce God’s singular demand. On multiple occasions, Moses declared: “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go” (Exodus 5:1). But God caused the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart to increase. And with each ensuing plague, the agonizing impact of God’s judgments on Egypt increased as well. Not until the last plague, however, would Egypt experience the full fury of God’s wrath.

Immediately prior to the unleashing of His tenth and final plague, God required the

Hebrews to sacrifice a pure, spotless lamb on behalf of each family. Its blood was to be applied to the doorposts and lintel of each home. Wherever the blood was applied, the death angel would “pass over” and the firstborn of the family would mercifully be spared. Conversely, in Egyptian homes where the blood was not applied, the firstborn of each household would perish.

Pharaoh himself was viewed by the Egyptians as a deity; thus, the tenth and final plague initiated by God upon Egypt would leave no doubt in the minds of the Egyptians and the Hebrew slaves as to which deity was truly sovereign. The “son of a god” would die on that fateful Passover night – and it

Wherever the blood was applied, the death angel would “pass over” and the firstborn of the family would mercifully be spared.

Written by David Rosenthal

would be the firstborn son of Pharaoh.

It is no exaggeration to say that Passover is foundational to our understanding of the sacrificial death of Christ, and the entire redemptive narrative within Scripture. If that sounds like hyperbole, consider the fact that the events of Passover – which took place more than 3,000 years ago in Egypt –were clearly intended to be a foreshadowing of Israel’s future Messiah, revealing what He would accomplish at His first coming more than 1,000 years later.

The parallels between the Jewish Passover in Egypt, the death of Jesus Christ, and the ordinance of communion are profound – and they are painted in red for all the world to see. Just as the death angel in Egypt “passed over” those who applied the blood of a lamb to their physical lintel and doorposts, so too will eternal death “pass over” (have no effect on) those who spiritually apply the blood of the spotless Lamb, Jesus Christ, to the “doorposts” of their heart. It is the blood of the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

As “a son of a god” (Pharaoh’s firstborn son) died under divine judgment at the time of God’s deliverance of the Hebrews in Egypt, so too would “the Son of God” (Yahweh’s firstborn son) die to bring redemption to the world.

Israel’s ancient prophets foretold of a Child that would be born and a Son that would be given (Isaiah 9:6). This Son would be a suffering Servant who would be despised and rejected of men, and wounded for the transgressions of His people (Isaiah 53). As the perfect, sinless Lamb of God, Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for the sin of humanity, that we might be made righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). He took our sin upon Himself and paid our debt by shedding His blood on the cross of Calvary.

As difficult as it may be to comprehend, God chose not to spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all (Romans 8:32). Isaiah prophesied in regard to this shocking truth: “… it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin . . . ” (Isaiah 53:10).

Nearly 750 years after Isaiah, as Jesus hung on the cross and bore the weight of

the collective sins of humanity, He confirmed the accuracy of Isaiah’s prophecy as He cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

A day earlier, as Jesus sat down with His disciples in the upper room, only hours before His crucifixion, He said to them: “With desire [with great passion] I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:15). In essence, Jesus was saying He greatly desired to commemorate the Passover events that took place in Egypt many years earlier (which were a type or illustration of Him), before He himself would become the ultimate Passover Lamb that would be sacrificed for the redemption of the world.

But in the very next verse, Jesus went on to say: “For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it [the Passover] be fulfilled in the kingdom of God” (Luke 22:16). These words spoken by the Lord himself seem to indicate that a complete fulfillment of Passover will not occur until He returns a second time to offer deliverance to the remnant of His people in an ultimate, end-time scenario.

At His first coming, the Passover Lamb was rejected by the very people He came to deliver. At His second coming, however, the remnant of His people will embrace Him and the deliverance He will offer. At that time, He will establish His Millennial Kingdom in Jerusalem, and He will ascend the throne to fulfill His destiny as Israel’s long-awaited Passover King.

Ponder the powerful words of the prophet Zechariah:

And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, [crucified], and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn (Zechariah 12:9-10).

One day soon, Israel will finally embrace her Passover King. What a triumphant and glorious day that will be!

The parallels between the Jewish Passover in Egypt, the death of Jesus Christ, and the ordinance of communion are profound –and they are painted in red for all the world to see.

Of the many words which could be used to describe what took place in Egypt 3,500 years ago, none fits better or is more comprehensive than the one word, “redemption.”

While the Jewish people have celebrated the Passover annually since the time of Moses, in reality there was only one Passover ... All subsequent observances over the centuries have been memorials of that one and only true Passover.

Passover occurs in the spring, on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan (which occurs in March or April). It is said in the Bible to be the beginning of the year (Exodus 12:2), or what we would today call the new year.

While the Jewish people have celebrated the Passover annually since the time of Moses, in reality there was only one Passover. It occurred almost 3,500 years ago in Egypt. It was there, at that time, that a lamb was sacrificed and the blood was applied to each doorpost and lintel. When this was done in faith and in obedience to God’s command, that home was passed over and the life of the firstborn was spared (Exodus 12:13). All subsequent observances over the centuries have been memorials of that one and only true Passover.

In precisely the same way, there was only one occasion when the Messiah’s flesh was pierced and His blood spilled on the cross of

That burning bush typified Israel. Through the centuries, she would experience the hot flames of satanic fury often manifested in the form of vehement anti-Semitism. She would burn, but would not be consumed. And as God spoke to Moses from the midst of a burning bush, He has spoken to the world amidst the fiery trials of Israel. She alone from among the nations of the world was the depository of God’s Word to humanity. And she alone among the nations travailed to give birth to the Son of God. When holy men penned God’s Word as they were borne along by the Holy Spirit, they were Jewish men with names such as Moses, Isaiah, John, Peter, and Paul. And when a woman gave birth to the Messiah, it was a Jewish woman named Miriam (anglicized to Mary).

God would tell Moses He, the Lord, had seen the affliction of His people down in Egypt; He had heard their cry for help; and

In precisely the same way, there was only one occasion when the Messiah’s flesh was pierced and HIS BLOOD SPILLED ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY FOR THE SIN OF THE WORLD.

And the Lord said, “ I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians ...”

Calvary for the sin of the world. The Lord’s Supper is an ongoing memorial of that once-and-for-all sacrifice for sin.

The events leading up to the Passover are among the most dramatic in all of Scripture.

The children of Israel were enslaved in Egypt. Pharaoh was a harsh taskmaster. The status of the Hebrews seemed hopeless. It was at that hour of history that God spoke to Moses from within a burning bush. It was a desert area; the bush was dry and sapless. Everything normal and natural argued for the speedy consumption of that thornbush. But such was not to be. The bush burned and was not consumed (Exodus 3:2). Not without reason, therefore, Moses turned aside to see this unusual sight. And from the midst of that burning bush, God would speak to His servant.

He knew their sorrows. And now, He was coming down to deliver them out of Egyptian bondage and bring them into the Promised Land (Exodus 3:7-8).

At that moment, the Hebrews were a motley group of unorganized and uneducated slaves. They knew nothing of nationhood yet. That would happen at Mount Sinai with the giving of the Mosaic Law. They carried about, under their nails and in their hair, the mud of the slime pits of Egypt. There was nothing innately desirable about this group of unkempt slaves who had not been faithful to their God, and had all but forgotten Him.

It could have been argued that He owed them nothing, that He was no one’s debtor; but not the true and living God. He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to them He had solemnly promised their seed

would be as the sand of the seashore and the stars of the heavens without number (Genesis 15:4-5; 22:17).

God is a covenant-keeping God. What His mouth speaks, His right arm of power performs. Therefore, the Hebrews – however unattractive and undesirable they may have appeared at that moment – were still “His people.” He was aware of their affliction and, by His reckoning, it was time for them to pack their bags and head for home after more than 400 years as slaves in Egypt; and so He said to Moses, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people” (Exodus 3:7).

Cecil B. DeMille, in his epic The Ten Commandments, while using the best cinematography and special effects of his day, did not overstate the reality of the exodus from Egypt; nor could men and women today with all of our technology in a remake of The Ten Commandments overstate the miraculous nature of the exodus.

The eternal God was at work. He hardened Pharaoh’s heart so he would not let the children of Israel go. And then, plague after plague was unleashed with deadly accuracy against the idolatrous land of Egypt. Each of the plagues was directed against an Egyptian deity, until, at last, the firstborn of each home in Egypt would perish where a lamb was not slain and the blood was not applied to the doorposts. The plague reached even to the palace of Pharaoh. Since the pharaoh of Egypt was worshiped as a god, a god’s son would die.

Finally, in desperation, Pharaoh consented to let the children of Israel go. Under Moses, the servant of the Lord, it is estimated that more than a million-anda-half slaves, with all of their possessions, marched past the Sphinx of Egypt into the desert.

What a scene that must have been to behold! What insanity by human standards! A million-and-a-half or more emancipated slaves marching off into the desert!

Unlike most ancient cities, there was no great wall surrounding the nation of Egypt. None was necessary. The inhospitable desert provided the best protection. And here were the Hebrews, walking right into it –men, women, children, and livestock.

Water, food, shelter, clothing – from where would these most basic necessities come? These Hebrews, as they were known at that time, knew little about where they were going or how they would get there. Moses, however, knew the One who was leading them. They would cross the Red Sea; they would wander in the wilderness for 40 years; and ultimately, under Joshua, they would enter the Promised Land.

Of the many words which could be used to describe what took place in Egypt 3,500 years ago, none fits better or is more comprehensive than the one word, “redemption.” The events were real, the miracles genuine – all wrought by the God of the Hebrews, who was greater than all the gods of Egypt.

A motley crew of slaves was redeemed so they could worship and serve the true and living God. But such redemption was not without cost; blood had to be shed to secure their redemption.

All of those lambs sacrificed in Egypt (one per household) and in generations to follow each year, pointed to the one true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Writing to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul noted for all of time that “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). “Low in the grave He lay!” u

Article by Marvin J. Rosenthal 1935–2022

Of the many words which could be used to describe what took place in Egypt 3,500 years ago, none fits better or is more comprehensive than the one word, “redemption.”

The plagues represent God’s assault upon the false gods of Egypt; His declaration that He is the superior ruler of the universe.

The God of Power

One of the major components of the Passover story is the 10 plagues with which God afflicted Egypt. Sometimes the account of the plagues gets glossed over as mere high drama, but the account is crucial

to 21st century Christians’ understanding of just who God is.

Yes, the Passover is a glorious display of God’s mercy and redemption: as He redeemed Israel from Egypt, so Christ (symbolized by the slain Passover lamb) redeems all who believe in Him from the bondage and eternal consequences of sin.

But in the plagues, another attribute of God was revealed: His power. In the 10 plagues, God’s might and sovereignty over all creation was on full display. And as it was so long ago in Egypt, so it will be again at the end of the age when our all-powerful God will pour out His fierce anger upon a wicked, unrepentant Earth during that time the Bible calls the Day of the Lord.

Quick Background

The background, of course, is Israel’s 400-plus years of Egyptian bondage, and how God chose to terminate it. For the God of Israel, it was not enough to simply emancipate His people, but to show both them and the Egyptians – particularly Pharaoh – exactly who He was: the Sovereign Creator of the universe who is God over all – including Egypt.

By way of identifying Himself this way, He instituted a series of plagues to bring home His point. These plagues were: blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and the death of all the firstborn.

The Word “Plagues”

The Hebrew word for “plagues” used here is nega, which can be translated “disease,” “affliction,” and “wound.” But there is another sense of nega which means “to strike” or “to afflict.” In modern English, the word “plague” carries with it the sense of communicable diseases and epidemics. This is not necessarily the sense here.

Rather, when we read of the 10 plagues, we should think more in terms of “judgments.” These are not so much the “10 plagues of God,” but the “10 judgments of God.”

The Target

Furthermore, these were not just some haphazard concoction of afflictions being hurled at the Egyptians. The God of Israel had a very specific purpose, including an assault upon the false gods of Egypt. God would not only display to the Egyptians He was the superior ruler of the universe, but that their false deities were worthless, powerless, and pointless.

Written by David Ettinger

For the God of Israel, it was not enough to simply emancipate His people, but to show both them and the Egyptians –particularly Pharaoh –exactly who He was: the Sovereign Creator of the universe who is God over all – including Egypt.

… when we read of the 10 plagues, we should think more in terms of “judgments.”

THE GOD OF ISRAEL HAD A VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSE, INCLUDING AN ASSAULT UPON THE FALSE GODS OF EGYPT.

For the God of Israel, in essence, the plagues served as an attack on the entire Egyptian worldview.

In essence, the plagues served as an attack on the entire Egyptian worldview. Everything which helped the Egyptians make sense of the world came crumbling down around them. Also, these attacks on Egyptian deities would be much more obvious and specific to Egyptians living at that time than at any other time of history. Let’s take a brief look at the 10 plagues and the deities the plagues targeted.

WATCH VIDEOS

For further study on this subject, watch these videos from Dr. Michael Weis:

Parallels Between the Plagues of Exodus and the Day of the Lord –Part 1 & Part 2

PARALLELS - PART 1

PARALLELS - PART 2

1. Blood (Exodus 7:14-25)

More than one deity was targeted here: Hapi, the god of the Nile, and Khnum, the god of water and life. As blood filled the Nile, many Egyptians were no doubt wondering why Hapi and Khnum were not rectifying the situation.

2. Frogs (Exodus 8:1-15)

As frogs consumed the land, the god Heqet was in view. Heqet was the wife of the above-mentioned Khnum, and was usually depicted as a frog. Heqet was the goddess of childbirth, but she was ineffective in stopping the spread of all those reeking amphibians!

5. Livestock (Exodus 9:1-7)

The plague of livestock was an assault on the credibility of Apis, the male god of fertility, often represented as a bull. This plague also could have targeted Nut, a sky goddess depicted as a cow.

6. Boils (Exodus 9:8-12)

This was an attack on Qudshu, goddess of sex, indicating that the boils likely afflicted the genital area.

7. Hail (Exodus 9:13-35)

This was an attack on Seth, god of wind and storms.

8. Locusts (Exodus 10:1-20)

This plague was an attack on Serapis, the god of protection of the land; Isis, the goddess of life associated with flax and making clothes; or Min, the god of fertility and vegetation, whose job it was to protect the crops. Most likely, the attack was on all three false deities.

3. Gnats (Exodus 8:16-19)

God told Moses to “Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt” (v. 16). The gnats were probably mosquitoes, and were an attack on Geb, the god of the land, specifically the dirt.

4. Flies (Exodus 8:20-32)

The Hebrew word for flies literally translates into “swarms.” This was an attack on Khepri, the Egyptian god of creation, the movement of the Sun, and of rebirth. Khepri had the head of a fly.

9. Darkness (Exodus 10:21-29)

This was an attack on major deities associated with the Sun and sky: Re, Ra, Amon Re, Atum, and Horus.

10. Death of the Firstborn (Exodus Chapter 11)

This terrible plague was an attack on Pharaoh himself, who was regarded as not just a human king, but a god, as well. That his firstborn son died proved he was no match for the God of Israel.

Lesson of the Plagues

The 10 plagues, or judgments, of Egypt prove God is the Creator of all things and that all of His creation is at His disposal to do with as He pleases. May we stand in awe of the God who created us, and acknowledge His power, glory, and goodness! u

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P

assover carries a powerful message for today. The holiday forms the primary background for understanding the events of the Upper Room, the symbolism of the Lord’s Table, and the meaning of the Messiah’s death.

Passover is an ancient feast, one that spans some 35 centuries of human existence. Set in the time of Egypt’s great pyramids, the Passover story is impassioned by fiery accounts of: a death sentence for human infants; a baby floating in a basket; Jewish slaves; a burning bush; Egyptian sorcerers; confrontations with Pharaoh; divine plagues; a pursuing army; the parting of a sea; and the birth of a nation at the foot of a thundering wilderness mountain.

The Biblical Observance

The Meaning of Passover

For more than 400 years, the Jewish people had lived in Egypt (Exodus 12:40). The time had come for God to bring them back to their land as He had promised (Genesis 46:3-4; 50:24). In Exodus 11, God detailed – through His servant Moses – the tenth and final judgment which would befall the Egyptians and their false gods. At midnight, the Lord would pass through the land and kill the firstborn of each family and all the cattle.

With this final, climactic plague, God would dramatically free His people from the bondage of Egypt.

In Exodus 12, God outlined explicit steps to be taken by those who trusted in Him so that they, unlike Pharaoh and the Egyptians, would not be struck down by the final plague. They were to select a year-old male lamb in its prime. It was to be a perfect lamb without any flaw or defect. It was to be taken out of the flock on the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Nisan and kept until the fourteenth day of the month. This would allow time for each family to observe the

lamb and confirm that it was fit. This would also allow time for each family to become personally attached to their lamb so that it would no longer be just a lamb (Exodus 12:3), but their lamb (Exodus 12:5). This would deeply impress upon them the costly nature of the sacrifice. An innocent one was to die in their place.

On the evening of the fourteenth, as the warm afternoon sun was setting, the lambs were to be publicly killed by “the whole assembly.” All the people were to be responsible for the death of the lambs. Yet, in contrast, each family was to individually apply the blood of their lamb to the doorposts of their own home as a visible sign of their faith in the Lord (Exodus 12:13). At that moment, the innocent lamb became their substitute making it possible for the Lord’s judgment to “pass over” them. And so the Lord instituted Passover as “a night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out from the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:42).

In the fourteenth day of the first month at evening IS THE LORD’S PASSOVER.

– Leviticus 23:5

THE MEANING OF PASSOVER

The Time of Passover

By biblical definition, Passover is a one-day feast that is immediately followed by the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread. Both feasts today are usually blurred together as a single entity and simply called “Passover.”

God ordained Passover to be observed each year on the fourteenth day of the Hebrew month Nisan (March-April), the day God delivered His people from Egypt (Exodus 12:6; Leviticus 23:5; Numbers 9:3; 28:16). His deliverance was so mighty and awesome that Israel’s religious calendar was forever altered. In commemoration of this miraculous deliverance, the month of Nisan – also known as Abib before the Babylonian captivity (Exodus 13:4; 34:18) –became the first month of the religious year from that time forward (Exodus 12:2; Numbers 9:5; 28:16).

The Record of Passover

By all biblical accounts, the lamb was the core requisite for Passover (Exodus 12; 34:25; Deuteronomy 16:1-7). It was the centerpiece of all that was accomplished. If there was no lamb, there would be no de-

For more than 400 years, the Jewish people had lived in Egypt. The time had come for God to bring them back to their land as He had promised.

THE TIME OF PASSOVER

By biblical definition, Passover is a one-day feast that is immediately followed by the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread. Both feasts today are usually blurred together as a single entity and simply called “Passover.”

THE RECORD OF PASSOVER

By all biblical accounts, the lamb was the core requisite for Passover (Exodus 12; 34:25; Deuteronomy 16:1-7).

The lamb embodied the holiday, and without it, the holiday was meaningless.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PASSOVER

There was only one Passover when the Lord passed through in judgment. Every observance since then has been a memorial commemorating that occasion (Exodus 13:3).

THE SERVICE OF PASSOVER

God commanded Passover be observed as a memorial (Exodus 12:14).

liverance. So central was the lamb to Passover observance that the term “the Passover” came to be used interchangeably of the lamb as well as the holiday (Exodus 12:21; Deuteronomy 16:2-6; see also Luke 22:7; 1 Corinthians 5:7). One could not exist without the other. The lamb embodied the holiday, and without it, the holiday was meaningless.

In all, God required three symbolic foods to be eaten that Passover night – the lamb, matzah (unleavened bread), and bitter herbs (Exodus 12:8). The sacrifice was to be a young lamb, depicting innocence. It was to be roasted with fire portraying the judgment that would befall it instead of the firstborn. Matzah (unleavened bread) was to be eaten, symbolizing the purity of the sacrifice since leaven, with its souring characteristic, was often a symbol of sin (1 Corinthians 5:6-8). Bitter herbs were to be eaten as a reminder of the suffering of the lamb.

The Importance of Passover

Several important facts must be understood regarding the observance of Passover. There was only one Passover when the Lord passed through the land in judgment. Every observance since then has been a memorial commemorating that occasion (Exodus 13:3).

Passover holds great distinction among the religious feasts of the world. Passover is the oldest continuously observed feast in existence today, celebrated for some 3,500 years. Passover was celebrated in the Sinai wilderness one year after Israel left Egypt (Numbers 9:1-14); it was celebrated as the Jewish people came into the land of Israel (Joshua 5:10-12); it was celebrated in the days of King Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 30) and King Josiah (2 Kings 23:21-23; 2 Chronicles 35:1-19); it was celebrated after the return from Babylonian captivity (Ezra 6:19-20); and Passover was celebrated extensively in the days of Jesus (John 11:55). Even today, more Jewish people keep Passover than any of the other Jewish

holy days. It is a strong, cohesive force within the fabric of Jewish culture and community.

The observance of Passover was so important that God graciously gave an alternate date for those who were unable to observe Passover on Nisan 14. Those who had become defiled by touching a dead body or were away on a long journey could celebrate Passover thirty days later on the fourteenth of the second month (Numbers 9:1-14; see also 2 Chronicles 30:2, 15). None of the other divinely appointed feasts had this accommodation.

The Service of Passover

God commanded Passover be observed as a memorial forever (Exodus 12:14). He also declared it was to be kept as a service (Exodus 12:25). This service was to incorporate the lamb, the matzah, and bitter herbs, and to raise questions in the minds of the children so the Exodus story could be rehearsed from generation to generation (Exodus 12:26-27). The Lord, however, did not detail the order of the service, only that it was to be kept.

Several centuries before Christ, a somewhat traditionalized Passover service began to emerge. This ritual Passover service was called the Seder (pronounced SAY-der) from the Hebrew word meaning “order.” It prescribed the traditional order of the Scripture readings, prayers, symbolic foods, and songs in the Passover service. The basic order of the Passover Seder today remains much as it was 2,000 years ago even though the service continues to be embellished with more songs and the traditions of the Middle Ages.

The Modern Observance

The Passover Seder

Before the arrival of Passover, painstaking preparation takes place within the Jewish home to rid it of all leavened bread and related products. Houses are scrubbed, pockets turned inside out and laundered, cooking utensils are scalded, and every day dinnerware and flatware are replaced with the finest Passover china, silver, and crystal.

The Passover service itself is usually quite lengthy as the Passover story unfolds through the many prayers, songs, and narrative

readings from the Haggadah (a booklet that sets forth the order of the Seder). The Seder sometimes lasts until midnight or even the early hours of the morning before tired family members wander off to bed.

As the family is seated, special seating arrangements are observed. The leader sits at the head of the festive dinner table. The youngest sits at his right side in order to fulfill a special role later in the Seder service. To the left of the leader, the guest of honor is seated, or sometimes the place setting is reserved for the prophet Elijah.

The mother of the house ushers in the holiday by lighting the Passover candles. She then covers her eyes with her hands and recites a Hebrew blessing over the candles thanking God for the special occasion:

“Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has set us apart by His Word, and in whose Name we light the festival lights.”

The First Cup

The Lord used four expressions to describe His promised deliverance from Egypt: “I will bring you out”; “I will rid you out of their bondage”; “I will redeem you”; and “I will take you to me for a people” (Exodus 6:6-7). Since wine is often a symbol of the joy of harvest, four cups of wine are taken during the Passover service to reflect the fourfold joy of the Lord’s redemption.

To begin the service, the father pours the first cup of wine and asks everyone to rise from the table. The father then lifts his cup toward Heaven and recites the Kiddush (“prayer of sanctification”) to set the day apart to God:

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who createst the fruit of the vine. Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, Who hast chosen us for Thy service from among the nations.

… Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who hast kept us in life, Who hast preserved us, and hast enabled us to reach this season.

It was the Messiah, as the leader of the Seder service observed in the Upper Room,

who said the Kiddush: “And he took the cup, and gave thanks” (Luke 22:17).

The Washing of Hands

The second ceremony of the Seder is known as the “washing of the hands.” One of the family members brings a pitcher of water, bowl, and towel to each person at the table to wash his hands. The ceremony is a symbolic act of purification as they prepare to handle the food.

It was probably this ceremony in the Seder that the Messiah used to teach His disciples an object lesson. “He [Jesus] riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded” (John 13:4-5). His object lesson demonstrated that He was about to become the suffering Servant of the Lord, and as such, He would be the One to cleanse them.

The Green Vegetable

After the hands are washed, the karpas (green vegetable) is dipped into the salt water and eaten. The green vegetable is a reminder that Passover occurs in the springtime. The salt water is a reminder of the tears of pain and suffering shed by the Jewish people in slavery.

The Middle Matzah

Written

by

Kevin L. Howard

Four cups of wine are taken during the Passover service to reflect the fourfold joy of the Lord’s redemption.

Next, the leader removes the middle matzah from the linen bag to break it in half. Half is replaced, and half is carefully wrapped in a linen napkin and hidden away in the house while the children cover their eyes. It reappears later in the service to illustrate a very important truth.

The Four Questions

At this point, the youngest child is called on to recite his diligently rehearsed part. The child asks the traditional Passover questions to fulfill Exodus 12:26: “When your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?” Beaming with joy and accomplishment the child will ask:

Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights, we

WHY IS THIS NIGHT DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER NIGHTS?

SEDER PLATE SYMBOLIC FOODS

eat either leavened or unleavened bread, but on this night, only unleavened bread? On all other nights, we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night, only bitter herbs? On all other nights, we do not dip even once, but on this night we dip twice? On all other nights, we eat either sitting or reclining, but on this night, we eat reclining?

Often the youngest child will recline upon the leader. This was the context of the apostle John reclining upon Jesus at their Passover supper. John recorded: “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23). This would indicate that John sat to the right of the Savior and was the youngest at the meal, a position consistent with early Church tradition that John was the youngest apostle. John would have the honor of asking the questions that night.

The Second Cup

Next, the second cup of wine is poured, and in response to the four questions, a lengthy narrative recounting the Passover story begins. The story relates the entire panorama of the beginnings of the nation: the calling of Abraham in Ur; God’s promises to the patriarchs; the story of Joseph and his brothers; the enslavement of the Jewish nation; the deliverance brought at the hand of Moses; and the giving of the Law at Sinai.

As the ten plagues are described, a tiny bit of wine is poured out for each plague. This expresses the sorrow felt for the suffering of the Egyptians. As the Passover story unfolds, the Seder tray and its symbolic elements are carefully explained and woven into the telling of the Passover story.

Before the second cup of wine is taken, the first half of the praise psalms, known in Judaism as the Hallel (Psalms 113-118), is recited responsively. Hallel is a Hebrew word for “praise.” This word has made its way into many languages in the form of halleluyah, meaning “praise Jehovah.”

According to the Talmud – which records the ancient rabbinic commentary on Jewish practice – the Levites would chant this group of Psalms while the Passover lambs for each family were being sacrificed.

The Dipping of the Matzah

In preparation for the meal, all wash their hands a second time for ceremonial cleansing.

Then the upper matzah and the remainder of the middle matzah are broken into pieces and distributed to everyone. Each person must eat a piece of matzah dipped in the horseradish and haroset (an apple mixture). This is a reminder of the sweetness of God’s redemption in the midst of their bitter slavery.

Each person then puts a filling of horseradish between two pieces of the matzah. This is called the “Hillel Sandwich.” It is named in honor of the brilliant and revered first-century rabbi who taught that enough of the bitter herb should be eaten to bring tears to the eyes. In this way, each participant can personally identify with his forefathers who were slaves in Egypt.

It was this ritual which gave rise to another important event in the Last Supper. The Messiah foretold that one of the disciples would betray Him (John 13:21-27). Peter motioned to John who was reclining against Jesus to inquire of whom this was spoken. Jesus replied that it would be the one to whom He gave a dipped sop (broken piece of matzah). Jesus dipped the matzah and gave it to Judas Iscariot.

Scripture is not clear as to the seating arrangement. It could be that Judas was sitting to the left of the Lord in the seat of honor and quite naturally would have received the matzah first according to tradition. It could also be that Jesus reached across the circle to begin with Judas. However, if tradition was kept, everyone received a dipped piece of matzah that night. Perhaps this is why the disciples were still not clear as to who would be the betrayer. In either case, Judas left the service and went out to finalize the betrayal. This ceremony occurred before the meal, and Judas was not present later when Jesus instituted Communion after the dinner.

The Dinner

Next, the dinner is served. In the day of Jesus, it would have consisted of roasted lamb, served with bitter herbs and matzah.

Roasted Egg — Beitzah

Shankbone — Zeroa

Parsley — Karpas

Salt Water — Representing “tears” of the Israelites when they were enslaved.

Apple, Nuts — Haroset

Today, however, the meal is far more varied and sumptuous. A traditional Passover meal may include delicious Jewish dishes of gefilte fish, matzah ball soup, glazed chicken, matzah nut stuffing, potato kugel, honeyed carrots, stewed fruit, and sponge cake. In every way it is a meal fit for a king!

The Afikomen

After the meal, the children are sent out to find the broken half-matzah that was wrapped and hidden. It is known as the afikomen. The children search high and low with great excitement for they know that the one who finds it will receive a reward. From a remote corner of the house, shouts of delight announce that the desired treasure has been discovered. Rabbinic law requires that a small piece of the afikomen be broken off and eaten by everyone at the service as a reminder of the Passover lamb.

The Third Cup

Next in the ceremony, the third cup of wine – called the Cup of Redemption – is poured and sipped.

It was here in the Passover Seder that the Messiah instituted the Lord’s Table. Luke reveals that it was “the cup after supper” (Luke 22:20), the third cup or Cup of Redemption, that Jesus chose to be a reminder of His work on the cross.

Passover is closely associated with fervent hope for the coming of the Messiah. After the third cup, a child is sent to the front door to hopefully welcome in the prophet Elijah. It is hoped the prophet will step though the doorway, drink his cup of wine, and announce the coming of the Messiah. This tradition is actually rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures, as Malachi prophesied: “I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD” (Malachi 4:5).

Many believe Elijah will be one of the two messianic witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11 since one of them will perform the miracles of Elijah. Although Scripture teaches Elijah will return in the future, it does not name the two witnesses, and one cannot be absolutely dogmatic about their identification.

The Fourth Cup

The fourth cup of wine, called the Cup of Acceptance, or Praise, is poured and taken. It was this cup the Messiah said He would not drink until He drank it with the disciples in the Kingdom (Matthew 26:29). He knew the hour of His acceptance by His Jewish nation was yet future, and therefore His joy would not be full until then.

The Closing Hymn

At the conclusion of the service, a hymn is usually sung or recited. This was also the tradition in the day of Jesus. Matthew states: “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out” (Matthew 26:30). Perhaps because Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience, he knew they would know the name of the hymn since, by tradition, every Seder ends with the latter half of the Hallel (Psalms 115-118).

How ironic that just hours before Jesus was betrayed and went to the cross, He sang the prophetic words of Psalm 118:

The stone which the builders refused is become the headstone of the corner. This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD . . .

O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blesseth is He that cometh in the name of the LORD: (Psalm 118:22-26).

The Messiah sang these words just hours before He fulfilled them in becoming the stone that was refused by the religious leaders (see also Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; and Acts 4:11).

How utterly tragic that the majority of the Jewish nation did not realize the truth of this psalm, that the Messiah would first be rejected and suffer before He would reign on David’s throne. How doubly tragic, since Psalm 118 was generally viewed as messianic and was even sung to Jesus proclaiming Him the Messiah at His so-called triumphal entry. Matthew recorded:

At the conclusion of the service, a hymn is usually sung or recited. This was also the tradition in the day of Jesus.

AND WHEN THEY HAD SUNG AN HYMN, THEY WENT OUT.

–

Matthew 26:30

How utterly tragic that the majority of the Jewish nation did not realize the truth of this psalm, THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD FIRST BE REJECTED AND SUFFER BEFORE HE WOULD REIGN ON DAVID’S THRONE.

The second person of the Godhead - the Soncame to earth as the Messiah.

HE WAS BROKEN (DIED), WRAPPED, AND HIDDEN AWAY (BURIED), AND BROUGHT BACK

AT THE THIRD CUP OF WINE (RESURRECTED).

And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna [Hebrew for ‘Save now’] to the Son of David [a messianic title]: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord . . . (Matthew 21:9).

The Fulfillment

Because the entire Passover service is woven with rich symbolism, it must be asked: “Why three matzahs?” One rabbinic tradition holds that they represent the three groups of Jewish people: the priests, the Levites, and the Israelites. Another tradition holds that they represent the three patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Yet another tradition is at a loss to explain why the middle matzah must be broken. Why must the Levites be broken and not the other groups? Or, why must Isaac be broken and not Abraham or Jacob? Rabbinic tradition is silent on such an important issue.

Neither explanation fits the symbolism behind this “breaking” ceremony. In reality, the triunity of the Godhead is being symbolized – three persons within the oneness of God, just as three matzahs are in the onenes of the linen bag. The second person of the

Rabbinic consensus usually explains that it means “dessert” because it is eaten after the meal when the dessert would normally be eaten. Amazingly, afikomen is the only Greek word (the common language of Jesus’ day) in the Passover Seder. Everything else is Hebrew. It is the second aorist form of the Greek verb ikneomai. The translation is electrifying. It simply means: “He came.”

Many traditions have developed around the afikomen. Moroccan Jews save a piece of the afikomen for use when traveling at sea throughout the year. They believe if a piece of the afikomen is tossed into the stormy waves, it will still the waters. It is easy to see the origin of this tradition as Jesus spoke and calmed the stormy Sea of Galilee.

It must be asked: “How could the afikomen, if it speaks of Jesus, make its way into the Jewish Passover when the majority of the Jewish people today do not accept Jesus as the Messiah?” The situation in the first century must be examined to shed light on this question.

At the Feast of Weeks (also known as Shavuot or “Pentecost”) in Acts 2, 3,000 Jewish people from many different countries believed on the Lord. The total count was

. . . in Acts 2, 3,000 Jewish people . . . believed on the Lord.

Godhead – the Son – came to Earth as the Messiah. He was broken (died), wrapped, and hidden away (buried), and brought back at the third cup of wine (resurrected on the third day).

At first glance, this assertion may appear to be a fanciful attempt to Christianize the Jewish Passover, but the evidence overwhelmingly argues to the contrary. First, the afikomen was not present in the day of Jesus. It was a later addition to the Passover. The last solid food taken that day was the lamb at the dinner. Rabbinic tradition holds that the afikomen now represents the lamb, and therefore everyone must eat of it.

Secondly, there is much debate among the rabbis concerning the meaning of the word afikomen. The problem is compounded since afikomen does not exist in the Hebrew language. It is just not there!

actually much higher since the 3,000 did not include the women and children. These Jewish believers would have taken the message of the Savior with them to their Jewish brothers and sisters as they returned to their homelands. Many undoubtedly came to the Lord as a result of their testimony. In Acts 21:20, James and the elders told Paul: “Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe.” They were talking about the Jewish believers in Jerusalem and numbered them in the thousands. Some estimate that by the end of the first century there were one million Jewish believers in the Messiah. While this was certainly not a majority within the nation, it was a large enough number to send shock waves throughout synagogues everywhere concerning the messiahship of Jesus.

Another first-century event not only set

the stage but mandated a change in the Passover observance. The Roman war machine rolled into Israel and, in AD 70, leveled the breathtaking Temple. This was a disaster of the highest magnitude since the majority of the Levitical law was based upon the Temple and its sacrifices. Without the Temple, there could be no more sacrifices, without the sacrifices, there could be no more Passover lamb, for the Lord had strictly commanded: “Thou shalt, therefore, sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there” (Deuteronomy 16:2). Without the Passover lamb, the future of Passover observance was threatened. The Jewish people faced the dilemma of ceasing to observe Passover or changing it to be observed without a lamb.

Also, Jewish believers had already broken away from the sacrificial system, believing that the Messiah had made a once-andfor-all sacrifice upon the cross. They were already celebrating Passover without the lamb, choosing to incorporate the broken matzah (the afikomen) into the service at the precise point at which the Lord Jesus had said: “This do in remembrance of me.” It is not difficult to imagine this tradition being borrowed by others seeking to switch to a “lambless” Passover without their even understanding the full significance behind the ceremony.

Ultimately, Passover foreshadowed the Jewish Messiah and the true Passover Lamb. The Hebrew prophet Isaiah spoke of the Messiah in terms of the Passover lamb and of the greater redemption He would bring (Isaiah Chapter 53). He would be the innocent, pure Lamb upon whom the judgment of God would fall in place of the people. He would be the One who, with great bitterness of suffering and death, would shed His blood to provide the greater deliverance from sin.

How tragic that in millions of Jewish homes today the most obscure ceremony in the Passover (the afikomen) is the one that gives it its greatest and most powerful meaning. The afikomen (the “He came”) has been an annual reminder that the Messiah –the true Passover Lamb – has already come.

And so, year after year, the small voices of children drift through the night: “Why is this night different?” And the message of the afikomen echoes back in reply: “He came,” for it was on this holiday that the true Passover Lamb was crucified, buried, and on the third day rose again to provide the greater redemption, the deliverance from sin. It is only in Him that the Passover message finds its fullness. The Lamb still cannot be separated from the holiday.

There is no question Jesus is the Passover Lamb. Scripture records it. History echoes it. Yet one final Passover question remains, and it is the most important of all: “Is He your Passover Lamb? Have you placed your trust in the Messiah and His sacrifice as your only hope of Heaven?”

Even as the ancient Israelite was required to individually apply the blood to his door, so too today men and women must individually make a decision concerning the Lamb of God. There is still no deliverance without the Lamb! u

And so, year after year, the small voices of children drift through the night: “Why is this night different?” And the message of the afikomen echoes back in reply: “He came,” for it was on this holiday that the true Passover Lamb was crucified, buried, and on the third day rose again . . .

CAME ” HE ”

THERE IS STILL NO DELIVERANCE WITHOUT THE LAMB!

From the top of the Mount of Olives, Jesus would have a panoramic view of the spectacular and familiar surrounding landscape.

Five miles to the south and snuggled in the Judean hills lay Bethlehem – the city of His birth. Nearby was the village of Bethany where He had spent pleasant moments of fellowship with Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha. The home of the parents of young John Mark, where in a few days He would eat the “Last Supper,” was less than a mile away. And the serenity of the Garden of Gethsemane beckoned in the pleasant April breezes.

However, Jesus’ attention that day would most likely have been riveted westward toward the city of Jerusalem below. The massive walls surrounding the city were designed to keep the enemy out. On this occasion, though, Jerusalem’s gates were open wide to welcome perhaps as many as a million of Israel’s scattered sons and daughters. It was Passover, and in obedience to the Law of Moses, Israelites from all over the nation – and those from surrounding nations – had returned to worship during the seven days of festivity. Dominating the scene, as if framed by the walls, was the enlarged and beautified second (Herodian) Temple. As the warm sun reflected off of its marble and precious metals, it stood majestically as if it were a silent sentinel, waiting for the return of the One whose glory in long centuries past it had housed.

Had you been on the Mount of Olives in that day, you would have been unimpressed by the small band of men and women who had gathered at Jesus’ side. Some were Galilean Jews, unlearned and held in contempt by the “sophisticated” citizens of Jerusalem; others were dressed in the garb of common people – plain and simple.

In marked contrast to His followers, Jesus would have drawn your attention like

a powerful magnet. It wasn’t His clothing or physical features – though He was a King, there was no appearance of royalty – but something … something inexplicable in His bearing. It possessed a confidence, a certainty, an assurance that somehow, some way, He was in control; He was in no way being controlled by the events now beginning to rapidly unravel.

The Message

More than three years had now passed since Jesus began His public ministry. Central to His message was His oft-repeated statement, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). Inherent in this message were three interlocked parts: 1) Repentance was the one requisite for the establishment of a literal, physical, visible, and political kingdom over Israel; 2) He alone as the Son of David had the right and the power to establish such a kingdom; and 3) the oppressive yoke of the Romans over Israel would have to be broken to gain autonomy. Jewish hatred of the Romans was justified and all but universal. The Romans were harsh and absolute rulers. The messianic hope of a deliverer was therefore deeply ingrained in the Jewish heart, and accentuated at Passover when deliverance and freedom were the dominant themes. In Jesus, the messianic hope building like a great crescendo reached fever pitch as He now stood upon the Mount of Olives just outside the eternal city.

The command of Jesus to two of His disciples to fetch a donkey only confirmed and added fuel to the excitement and anticipation of the moment. These men were well versed in the Holy Scriptures of Israel. Immediately the words of the

The Romans were harsh and absolute rulers. The messianic hope of a deliverer was therefore deeply ingrained in the Jewish heart, and accentuated at Passover when deliverance and freedom were the dominant themes.

Article by Marvin J. Rosenthal 1935–2022

prophet Zechariah would have come to mind:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass (Zechariah 9:9).

... behold, thy King cometh unto thee:

HE IS JUST, AND HAVING SALVATION; LOWLY, AND RIDING UPON AN ASS, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

– Zechariah 9:9

In the minds of Jesus’ followers, there could have been but one thought: Now, at last, He is going to lead us in rebellion against the hated Romans! The timing was perfect. There was manpower in abundance with the scattered Jewish people congregated in one place. Now seated upon a donkey, Jesus started down the Mount of Olives, through the Kidron Valley, up the far side and through the Eastern Gate. The gathering crowds, throwing their garments and palm branches along the way, cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9).

“Hosanna” literally means, “save now” or “deliver now.” The people were quoting directly from a psalm which to this very hour is an official part of the Passover ritual:

Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord (Psalm 118:25-26).

requisite was met, it would be evidenced at the Temple. However, what Jesus found were changers of money and sellers of animals:

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves (Matthew 21:12-13).

What caused His righteous indignation?

The people’s cry for salvation and deliverance at this point in time had within it no concept of Jesus’ substitutionary death or resurrection–they understood none of these things.

The people’s cry for salvation and deliverance at this point in time had within it no concept of Jesus’ substitutionary death or resurrection – they understood none of these things. Their cry was for deliverance from the long-despised Romans and for autonomy and glory under their longawaited Messiah.

The Reason for His Actions

But why did Jesus enter the Temple on this occasion? There can be but one proper response: If the kingdom were to be established, the nation must manifest the fruits of repentance. The Temple was the heartbeat of the Jewish nation, and if this singular

Men and women journeying to Jerusalem from foreign countries to worship God needed to exchange the currency of their homeland for Israeli currency. The Jewish leadership set up, in essence, the “First National Bank of Jerusalem” at the Temple and was charging exorbitant rates to their fellow citizens who had returned to worship God. The problem was compounded by the fact that a sacrificial animal, without spot or blemish, had to be sacrificed by each family. Those who had to travel great distances could not carry animals with them – they had to be purchased in Jerusalem. The Jewish leadership went into the animalselling business and was charging exorbitant prices for “acceptable” animals for sacrifice. Is it any wonder the Lord called the Temple a “den of thieves”? As a result, the leadership despised Jesus and plotted His death. Those working in darkness do not want their deeds brought to light.

The singular requisite for the establishment of the kingdom was repentance. Tragically, it was not forthcoming. In great sorrow, Jesus said, “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes” (Luke 19:42).

A Questionable Triumph

We call Palm Sunday “the triumphal entry.” However, Jesus wept. He had come to His own, and they did not receive Him (John 1:11). In His eternal plan, He would now become the Passover Lamb and die for the sins of the world.

Today, the Eastern Gate through which Christ entered the city that fateful day is closed. It was sealed by the Turks in the sixteenth century, when entrance through it was forbidden, and it remains closed to the present hour. A tradition that one day a Jewish deliverer would enter the city through that gate may have prompted the closing. It is fascinating that the Bible predicts the closing of the Eastern Gate:

Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. Then said the Lord unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut (Ezekiel 44:1-2).

Jesus ascended to Heaven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9), and it will be to this same mount He will return (Zechariah 14:4). He will descend the Mount of Olives a second time, cross the Kidron Valley, and ascend the hill toward the holy city. As Christ approaches the dual opening of the now-closed Eastern Gate, the concrete will crumble before Him, and Psalm 24 will be fulfilled:

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory (Psalm 24:7-10).

Passing through the gate and walking about 150 yards, Jesus will enter the rebuilt Temple and offer Himself to the Jewish people a second time, fulfilling His words:

… Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord (Matthew 23:39).

At that time will be fulfilled the words of the prophet Zechariah:

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son … In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness (Zechariah 12:10; 13:1).

The “genuine” triumphal entry awaits the Lord Jesus Christ’s return to Earth and His capital, Jerusalem. Clearly, global and Middle Eastern events are moving rapidly toward this divine appointment. For Israel, this will be a day of indescribable glory. It will be the day when the command will go forth, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in!” u

We call Palm Sunday “the triumphal entry.” However, Jesus wept. He had come to His own, and they did not receive Him. In His eternal plan, He would now become the Passover Lamb and die for the sins of the world.

Jesus ascended to Heaven from the Mount of Olives, AND IT WILL BE TO THIS SAME MOUNT HE WILL RETURN.

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This summer, our Zion’s Hope ministry team and volunteers will join together to share the light of the Gospel with Jewish and Gentile people throughout Israel during our Servant’s Heart missions program. Several important ministry projects will take place during this time as our team seeks to bless the people of Israel through oneto-one engagement, food distribution to the poor, care for

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