Freedom from tyranny. Freedom from slavery – slavery to others and slavery to sin. Freedom from the evil of idolatry. Freedom to worship God. Freedom to be called God’s chosen people.
Freedom bought with blood. Passover.
A picture of Jesus.
For over 400 years, the Israelites lived in Egypt, a land filled with idolatry. Pharoah enslaved the Israelites, increasingly making their labor and living conditions intolerable. They cried out to God for deliverance, and God called upon Moses to deliver them.
God brought nine plagues upon Egypt, but Pharoah refused to release the Israelites.
The Israelites prepared for the 10th plague. They found a perfect lamb, a lamb without blemish, and kept it for four days, each day inspecting it. On the fourth evening, they killed the lamb, painted its blood on the two side posts of the doorway and upper post of the house where they would eat it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread.
That night, God passed over the houses that had the blood on the doorposts, but the firstborn males in the houses without the blood died.
God led the Israelites out of Egypt.
Today, the Jews celebrate Passover to remember that God led the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land … to freedom.
Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples in Jerusalem one last time.
After the ceremony and retelling of the reason for the Passover celebration, they enjoyed a festive meal.
Then, the head of the Passover lifted the bread high and said, “This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let everyone who hungers come and eat; let everyone who is needy come and eat the Passover meal,” David Guzik.
I imagine the disciples were stunned when Jesus told them that the bread represented His body.
“As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘Take this and eat it, for this is my body.’” Matthew 26:26
The bread was unleavened, symbolic of being without sin, like Jesus. Jesus is the Bread of Life, John 6:35. His body was broken, pierced and beaten for you and for me.
“And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, ‘Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.’” Matthew 26:27-28
He took the third cup, the Cup of Redemption, which represented His coming sacrifice on the cross. His covenant that would bring eternal life.
Jesus painted His blood on the doorposts of our lives bringing freedom from sin for eternity and life with Him forevermore to all who have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior.
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Jesus gave thanks in gratitude, eucharisteō, for the cup, the cup that He was to bear in a few hours.
Eucharisteō – thanksgiving – always precedes the miracle, Ann Voskamp.
Jesus sang with His disciples. Wouldn’t you like to hear Jesus singing?
Passover celebrations ended with the people singing Psalms 116-118.
Bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD.
We bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, shining upon us.
Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.
You are my God, and I will praise you!
You are my God, and I will exalt you!
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 118:26-29
And they walked to the Mount of Olives as Jesus told them that they would all be scattered because of what was coming but He would rise from the dead and meet them in Galilee.
The miracle – Eucharisteō – He is Thanksgiving!
LORD our God, Your faithful love endures forever. From the beginning of creation, You provided the path to freedom from sin. Thank You, Jesus, for being our Bread of Life and pouring Your blood out as the New Covenant that brings forgiveness for sin and eternal life for all those who will accept You as Lord and Savior. We come in thanksgiving and great joy. We remember Your perfect sacrifice and in gratitude rejoice in the miracle of Your resurrection. For You have conquered death. You are our God, and we will praise You and exalt You. Amen.
Featured Photo by alex ringer from FreeImages
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