By Bill Brettschneider. April 8, 2011. BLOWING ROCK -- Each Tuesday morning, the Men's Connection meets at Chetola Mountain Resort, Blowing Rock, for breakfast (7:30 am), fellowship and Bible study. Blowing Rock News is pleased to share these weekly meditations, by discussion leader Bill Brettschneider. Photos by David Rogers

Meditations for April 5, 2011

By Bill Brettschneider

Our week began with summer on Monday and winter on Tuesday, from sun and 75 degrees to snow and 30 degrees.  How variable and inconstant the weather; how steadfast and true is Jesus – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)  On that foundation, tried and true, we built our study this past Tuesday as we were blessed by our special guest - Pastor Steve Fenchel, Chosen People Ministries, Brooklyn, NY.

Presenting “Messiah in the Passover,” Steve and his wife Carol gave us a look inside the celebration of Passover in a Jewish home. We became their “guests” at the table set in commemoration of God’s faithfulness in freeing the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt.  We caught a glimpse of the continuity between the Old Testament “deliverance” worked through Moses and our New Testament “deliverance” worked through Yeshua – Jesus Christ.  At the close of our morning together, one of our members mentioned, “I never knew what Passover meant.”  As such, here is a “very brief” account of those events leading up to this celebration.  You are encouraged to read more deeply than this text alone.

At the initiation of His covenant, God promised Abraham that his “descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.  But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.” (Genesis 15:13-14)  Through the life of Joseph (Genesis 37, 39-50) we learn how the nation of Israel came to be in Egypt, a country no their own.  At the end, Joseph looks back knowing that the actions of his brothers were intended to harm him, “but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20)  “The saving of many lives”? – more on that later.

Exodus 1:7 confirms that “the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.” On the heels of that blessing, having survived the famine of Joseph’s time, a change came – “Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt.” (Exodus 1:8)  Thus began the promised 400 years as this new king, fearful of the Israelites, commanded that they be enslaved and mistreated as strangers in Egypt. (Exodus 1:9-14).  Four generations of suffering later, God provides and prepares Moses to deliver His people (Exodus 2-10). Through a series of words and wonders, God works to get the attention of Pharaoh, as Moses repeats the message – “Let my people go” (Exodus 5:1)  God’s actions, visited upon Pharaoh and his people in the form of “plagues”, represent successive challenges to the false gods of Egypt.  At each step, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened until the last plague on the firstborn (Exodus 11).  As Pharaoh had attempted prior to the birth of Moses (Exodus 1:15-22), and as Herod would later attempt at the birth of Jesus (Matthew 2:16), God would now visit upon Egypt the death of the firstborn in each home and stable, in all places from the palace to the prison.

God, faithful to His covenant, made a way for the nation of Israel to“come out” of this punishment visited upon “the nation they serve as slaves.” Each household was to select from their flock, a prime male lamb without defect. They were to keep this lamb in their home for 4 days, carefully observing and inspecting this lamb to ensure there was no blemish or weakness – to ensure that this lamb was perfect.  Then, at twilight they were to hang this lamb on a tree and slaughter it catching the blood in a basin.  With a hyssop branch, this blood was spread upon the doorposts and lintel of each home where the residents had faithfully embraced God’s plan for their salvation.  When death came to the firstborn of Egypt, God confirmed His Person, Plan and Purpose –

On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

The Passover (Exodus 12) -  “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD—a lasting ordinance.” (Exodus 12:14)  From then until today, 1500 years before Jesus Christ, 2000 years since, the Passover has been celebrated recalling the deliverance of the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt.  In the midst of each detail we can “see” Yeshua, the Messiah – the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)

This writer cannot begin to do justice to the message carried by Pastor Steve and Carol.  Consider only the characteristics of Matzoh as encouragement to learn more –

Matzoh – the unleavened bread, used to recall that which was prepared at the Passover (Exodus 12:17-20).

Matzoh has stripes

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Matzoh has holes

Zech. 12:10 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, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Matzoh has no leaven (a symbol of sin that permeates and spreads)

Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

During the celebration of Passover, three whole sheets of Matzoh are placed in the Matzoh Tosh, one sheet in each of the three pockets.  Most Jews have no idea why the Matzoh Tosh has three pockets. Some rabbis teach that these represent Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; others say they portray the unity of worship -- priests, Levites and congregation; still others say they stand for the crowns of learning, priesthood and kingship.  Nonetheless, at the prescribed point in the celebration of Passover, the middle sheet is removed, broken in two and one of those pieces is wrapped in linen, hidden away, and found and brought back later in the celebration.

Consider that the “unity” spoken of is the unity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  From that perspective, can you “see” Christ in the “middle”, broken and wrapped and hidden then returned?

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”  Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:32-35)

God worked through Joseph’s trials for the “saving of many lives.”  God worked through Moses and the Passover for the “saving of many lives” by the blood of the lamb.  God is at work in Jesus – for the “saving of many lives.”  Since the beginning of time, from the moment Adam and Eve were barred from the garden by “cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24), God has been at work to redeem those He created and those He loves.  “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

In the Passover lamb there was hope, temporal.  In Jesus, the “Lamb of God”, there is hope, eternal.  Have you, by accepting and believing in the blood of His sacrifice, been set free from the bondage of slavery to sin in your “Egypt?”  Today is the day, for“everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved” (Joel 2:32)

Do you see that “blank” page between the last word of Malachi and the first word of Matthew?  You may tear it out – there is no separation between the Word of God – no “Old” and “New” – only God’s “love letter” to YOU!  Join us next, Tuesday, April 12, 7:30 AM, for the continuation of our study as we explore the ministry of Jesus – foretold and fulfilled.  Bring your Bible . . . and bring a friend.

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