The Perfect Passover Lamb

Apart from Jesus, I have no idea how anyone would would be able to place fear any place other than at the their own feet. I would be absolutely consumed by fear, anxiety, trepidation, hopelessness… But friends, I have a friend who is like no other. BECAUSE of Jesus, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know, He holds the future and life (this life, this life in the now) is worth the living JUST BECAUSE HE LIVES!

This week my heart is preparing to celebrate the GREATEST moment in all of history! This moment began with the horrible ravages of all of mankind laid firmly on the shoulders of the PERFECT PASSOVER LAMB – Jesus (1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 2:22). He came to offer His life as a ransom for ANYONE who would call on His name (Matthew 20:28)! He suffered a brutal betrayal and crucifixion – for Me, for You, for anyone who would call on the name of Jesus! He died. He was placed in a tomb. But the story does NOT end there my friends!

You see, the greatest moment in ALL of history is the day HE conquered death! Jesus ROSE from the grave! He is no longer dead but HE LIVES!

He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Matthew 28:6

My hope rests on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness! I am ready, any day, to give a reason for the hope that I have! THIS Jesus is the reason for all my HOPE!

PASSOVER

Today begins Passover. For those of you who don’t know about Jesus, you may have heard about Moses. You may have heard about Moses and the Passover that occurred when the Israelites sacrificed perfect lambs (or goats) and “painted” their doorposts with the shed blood. A plague was about to push through the region and this was the Lord’s command to keep His people safe.

Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 23 When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. Exodus 12:22-23 NIV

This blood was their protection, resting in a covenant the Lord made with His people.

THE ANSWER IS JESUS – He is the Passover Lamb

Jesus was sent to this earth to be a living representation of the LIVING GOD. He was the SON of God – sent as the answer to the SIN problem that first entered in the Garden (Adam & Eve). SIN separates us from God. Sin creates a wall between us and the Creator of the Universe. God is a holy God and in His presence sin cannot reside (1 Peter 1:16). But our Loving Father set a plan in place, one set even before the creation of the world. The plan was Jesus!

In the very beginning the Living Expression was already there.
And the Living Expression was with God, yet fully God.
They were together—face-to-face, in the very beginning.
And through his creative inspiration
this Living Expression made all things,
for nothing has existence apart from him!
Life came into being because of him,
for his life is light for all humanity.
And this Living Expression is the Light that bursts through gloom—
the Light that darkness could not diminish!
Then suddenly a man appeared who was sent from God,
a messenger named John.
For he came to be a witness, to point the way to the Light of Life,
and to help everyone believe.
John was not that Light but he came to show who is.
For he was merely a messenger to speak the truth about the Light.
For the Light of Truth was about to come into the world
and shine upon everyone.
He entered into the very world he created,
yet the world was unaware.
He came to the very people he created—
to those who should have recognized him,
but they did not receive him.
But those who embraced him and took hold of his name
were given authority to become
the children of God!
He was not born by the joining of human parents
or from natural means, or by a man’s desire,
but he was born of God.
And so the Living Expression
became a man and lived among us!
And we gazed upon the splendor of his glory,
the glory of the One and Only
who came from the Father overflowing
with tender mercy and truth!
John taught the truth about him
when he announced to the people,
“He’s the One! Set your hearts on him!
I told you he would come after me,
even though he ranks far above me,
for he existed before I was even born.”
And now out of his fullness we are fulfilled!
And from him we receive grace heaped upon more grace!
Moses gave us the Law, but Jesus, the Anointed One,
unveils truth wrapped in tender mercy.
No one has ever gazed upon the fullness of God’s splendor
except the uniquely beloved Son,
who is cherished by the Father
and held close to his heart.
Now he has unfolded to us
the full explanation of who God truly is! John 1:1-18 TPT™

Today we celebrate Passover. Jesus was sent as the PERFECT sacrifice to be a covering for our sin. In the Old Testament, the only response to the issue of sin was a blood sacrifice – from the blood of a perfect lamb. The instructions on how to “cleanse” the people from sin were very detailed and could ONLY be accomplished by a priest AND had to be done yearly (Hebrews 10:1-3)!

In the Old Testament the bloodshed was necessary because God told us in Leviticus 17:11, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.” Atonement is a cleansing, a removal of sin. So, animal sacrifices were a temporary means by which atonements could occur that would “cleanse” people of their sins. They were fulfilled in Christ and with him, no further animal sacrifices were necessary.

– Why did God require animal sacrifices in the Old Testament?, CARM, Matt Slic

Jesus! He came as the high priest, making a way for us to come before a holy God. HE became the sin, at the same time that HE became the sacrifice. And in that – we have been made clean (should we choose to accept and believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and give our lives over to His lordship – Romans 5:1)

So then, we must cling in faith to all we know to be true. For we have a magnificent King-Priest,[a] Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who rose into the heavenly realm for us, and now sympathizes with us in our frailty. He understands humanity, for as a Man, our magnificent King-Priest was tempted in every way just as we are, and conquered sin, So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness. Hebrews 4:14-16 TPT™

Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. Hebrews 4:14-16 MSG

Since we have a great High Priest, Jesus, the Son of God who has passed through the heavens from death into new life with God, let us hold tightly to our faith. For Jesus is not some high priest who has no sympathy for our weaknesses and flaws. He has already been tested in every way that we are tested; but He emerged victorious, without failing God. 16 So let us step boldly to the throne of grace, where we can find mercy and grace to help when we need it most. Hebrews 4:14-16 VOICE

THIS high priest stepped into His rightful authority.

THE VEIL WAS TORN

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split… Matthew 27:50-51 NIV

Matthew’s many uses of “and behold” (Matthew 27:51) typically introduce something surprising in the narrative (e.g., Matthew 2:13; 3:16–17; 17:5; 28:20). The passive-voice construction “the curtain of the temple was torn” (Matthew 27:51) implies that God himself tore the veil. This is confirmed by description of the damage: “from top to bottom.” Note also the extent: “in two.” This singular cultic artefact is now irreparably damaged — it can no longer perform the function for which it was intended. This means that there is no longer a physical barrier to God, suggesting that the theological necessity of it is thereby removed. The angelic guardians are disarmed, and reentry into the Edenic presence of God is again permitted for the first time since the fall.
– “The Veil Was Torn in Two”, Desiring God, Daniel Gurtne

The curtain was torn in two. Where once only a priest could come before God on behalf of the sins of the people, JESUS now stands face to face with the Father. With acceptance of His free gift (Ephesians 2:7-9), we are also offered access into the holy of holies, we are offered access to GOD. No longer does tradition and religious order (God ordained) keep us from intimately coming before the Father.

And then he said, “God, I will be the One to go and do your will.” So by being the sacrifice that removes sin, he abolishes animal sacrifices and replaces that entire system with the new covenant. By God’s will we have been purified and made holy once and for all through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus, the Messiah!

Yet every day priests still serve, ritually offering the same sacrifices again and again—sacrifices that can never take away sin’s guilt. But when this Priest had offered the one supreme sacrifice for sin for all time he sat down on a throne at the right hand of God, waiting until all his whispering enemies are subdued and turn into his footstool. And by his one perfect sacrifice he made us perfectly holy and complete for all time!

The Holy Spirit confirms this to us by this Scripture, for the Lord says,
“Afterwards, I will give them this covenant: I will embed my laws into their hearts and fasten my Word to their thoughts.”

And then he says,
“I will not ever again remember their sins and lawless deeds!”

So if our sins have been forgiven and forgotten, why would we ever need to offer another sacrifice for sin?

And now we are brothers and sisters in God’s family because of the blood of Jesus, and he welcomes us to come right into the most holy sanctuary in the heavenly realm—boldly and with no hesitation. For he has dedicated a new, life-giving way for us to approach God. For just as the veil was torn in two, Jesus’ body was torn open to give us free and fresh access to him!

And since we now have a magnificent King-Priest to welcome us into God’s house,
Hebrews 10:9-21 TPT™ (emphasis is mine)

FINAL THOUGHTS

Today, let’s mediate on the story of Passover. Let’s meditate on how Jesus is the perfect Passover Lamb, who has come to abolish the sins of the world.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 1 John 1:29 NIV

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2 NIV

Consider taking communion – as a family, on your own, with a friend over zoom… HE is the perfect sacrifice! And His blood sets us free! Plead His blood over this plague, over your home, over your family. HE is enough!

[You can use whatever you have on hand – bread, crackers, wine, water, juice. Communion is done in remembrance of Him.]

Praying alongside of you today as we plead the shed blood of Jesus Christ over our homes and our families. Bask in the beautiful richness of Passover as we think afresh on it today!