The Lords Passover
Subject: A Study of the difference between the Lords Passover and what is called in scripture, the Jew’s Passover. Passover of the Jew’s is mentioned in the book of John, 2:13, 5:1, 6:4, 11:55 and 19:42. The Lords Passover is found in Exodus 12:11, 12:27, Leviticus 23:5, Numbers 28:16, and Deuteronomy 16:1.
Most think that the name Jew as mentioned in the prior paragraph is talking about our brother Judah, but it is not. Therefore some groundwork must be established before we can gain an understanding of this important topic. God’s word must establish the groundwork.
The Book of Revelation, revealed to the Apostle John by Jesus Christ himself finds no fault with two churches and we can read of this in Rev. 2:9, and Rev 3:9. Both churches taught “who those were that say they are Jews and are not but do lie”. To grasp an understanding of how a manipulation of an entire race of people occurred is very unsuspecting to say the least. We are told in Genesis 49:10, “ The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come, and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be. How could someone actually steal a prophesy? Lets understand.
First Kings 14:15, “ For the Lord shall smite Israel as a reed is shaken in the water, and He shall root up Israel out of this good land which He gave to their fathers. And shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves ( idolatry ), provoking the Lord to anger.
That scattering did happen. The prophesy in 1st Kings was fulfilled about 740 B. C. when the northern Kingdom of Israel was carried away by the Assyrians. They then became “The Lost House of Israel.” Approximately 100 years later, most of the southern Kingdom, known as “ The House of Judah” was captured by Sennacherib and joined their fellow Israelites in captivity. Both houses were scattered and only the House of Judah never lost their identity.
The inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem had escaped deportation to Assyrians and were later captured by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon. We can read of this account in the book of Daniel, 1:1. The name Jew was given to the remnant of Judah by the gentiles. Compare Dan. 1: 6 with Dan 3: 8 and 12.
In the year 540 B. C., Cyrus, King of Persia overthrew the Babylonian empire. It was this Cyrus that issued a degree that allowed those of the captivity to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Having lived among the Babylonians, the House of Judah, which included the tribe of Benjamin, along with part of the tribe of Levi, to whom the book of Ezra is written, intermixed with the customs and traditions of the people. In the Book of Ezra, 2:42 and 43, we learn that those with Babylonian names had returned with the remnant of Judah and, “could not show their fathers house and their seed whether they were part of Israel”, Ezra 2:59.
The Babylonians had intermixed with God’s people while in captivity and the tribe to whom God had entrusted the priesthood to was lost.
Ezra 8:15, last part of the verse, “ and found there none of the tribe of Levi.”
Is it any wonder when we come to the book of Malachi, one of the restoration books written after the Babylonian captivity and written to the nation 400 years before Christ, we read:
Malachi 1:10, last part of the verse, “ I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.”
By the time of Christ, Matthew 23:2 reads:
“The Scribes and Pharisees sit in the seat of Moses. And Mark 7:13, “Making the word of God of none effect through your traditions which ye have delivered and many such things do ye.”
It is obvious that the religious community had learned how to worship God through tradition and the teachings of men and not in the instructions from God. This is the reason why Christ had to start the building of his church through the Apostle Peter, Matthew 16:18.
Thus the Feasts of the Lord had eventually become the feast’s of those that say they are Jews and are not as we find in Rev. 2:9, 3:9.
The Season of The Passover
But how is the Passover reckoned? Did Jesus parents keep the Passover at the correct time? We learn from the Book of Ecclesiastes 3:1 that there is a time for everything. Lets take a look at what is recorded for us in Luke 2: 41, “ Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. Jesus was 12 years old, and we quote the last part of verse 46, “sitting in the mist of the doctors both hearing them and asking them questions”. And verse 47, “and all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.” Why were the religious leaders astonished at His understanding and answers? Did Jesus understand the season of the Passover? Is that what they were talking about? Scripture doesn’t tell us but His next statement gives us a strong clue. Last part of verse 49, “ Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business”? Isn’t that our duty even today? To search, teach and edify those that are called and interested. Isn’t this the kind of scripture we should be mediating on?
The Jews Passover
Lets take a look at how the Passover of today is arrived at. One goes out at night after the Vernal Equinox that marks the beginning of the Spring season and looks for the first crescent of the moon. If the crescent is sighted before the sixteenth of the month on the Roman calendar, the day of the Passover is then counted. If the crescent of the moon were sighted after the sixteenth, then one would have to wait until the sighting of the next phase of the moon in the following month. Why? We know from Moses writing’s that there is a beginning of months, Exodus 12. The counting would start with the first day of the new year and on the tenth of the month a lamb would be chosen, and on the evening of the 14th the lamb would be slain. The 15th of the month would be a High Day and the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened bread, see Leviticus 23. By comparing Gen. 7:11, 7:24, and Gen. 8:4, we find a five month period lasting 150 days. This tells us that there can’t be any more or less than 30 days in any month. If one would reckon the Passover by the cycles of the moon, one would have to add a 13th month seven times in a 19th year cycle. What would David do with a priesthood of 24 courses in a year of 13 months? The observance of the lunar cycles for reckoning the Passover doesn’t add up. Whenever scriptures speak of new moon, months or Lunar cycle, these are a reference to darkness and are of Satan. Those who say they are Jews today recon the Seventh Day Sabbath starting at sundown. The Sabbath day they observe beginds in darkness. But as the Apostle Paul says, we are children of light, and are of the day, 1st Thessalonians 5:5. We need to look elsewhere if we are to come to a right conclusion.
For Signs And For Seasons
Gen. 1:14, “And God said, let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night: and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and for years”. Verse 15, “And let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth”. Verse 16, “ And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also”.
The Lunar year is approximately 10-11 days shorter than the Solar year. When we use the Solar calendar, we find that the date of the Passover does not change from year to year, the Passover is always observed on the same date every year and begins at the Spring Equinox. This is the time to begin plainting seeds and to farm in Jerusalem as well as arounf the world. God is not the author of confusion,
1st Corinthians 14:33, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace,as in all the churches of the saints.”