Behold, The Lamb of God!

We have entered a new month, April. The close and start of an academic year/a financial year in many parts of the world! This week we are entering into a beautiful Passover season, when we remember the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His Resurrection. Today many Christians celebrate Palm Sunday, which is the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Now how does all this connect?

I believe that this time on, we the church will have a very fresh and mighty revelation of the Lamb of God. Just like John the Baptist had a clear revelation from the Spirit of God which enabled him to cry out in John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God…”, the global bride is going to “behold the Lamb of God” in a mighty way and many will come to seeing the lord through this mighty move.

PART 1 - Israel & the Church are 2 separate entities or 1?

So many in today’s Church unfortunately do not understand the heritage from which they come. Sadly, many subscribe to replacement theology doctrines that assume Israel plays no significant role in the Body of Christ. This theology can creep into the very fiber of a Believer’s doctrinal beliefs, literally replacing the role of Israel with the Church. Some of you may have heard of these theories, while others may not. In order to help you understand more, we have defined this theological belief system in greater detail here…

Replacement Theology:

This school teaches that the Church has replaced the role of Israel in God’s original plan. This belief supports the ideas that the Jews are no longer God’s chosen people, and that His end-time plan no longer has a specific focus or future for the Jewish people.

These thoughts are taken a step further with positions stating that the many promises once made to Israel in the Bible are no longer theirs, but belong instead to the Christian Church. The prophecies by the Jewish prophets in scripture are thought to no longer concern the nation of Israel, but are spiritualized to embody the Church alone.

Jeremiah 16:14-15 “’Therefore behold, the days are coming’ says the Lord, ‘that it shall no more said, “The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,” but, “The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from the lands where He had driven them.” For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers.’”

So how, knowing this, and comparing the scripture to what is happening in this present day, can there still be so many who hold on to these incorrect assumptions?

What many fail to understand is that early Church history shows a resounding connection with the Jewish roots from which it came. Yet, by the end of the 4th century a terrifying twist began to take place, one that would eventually separate the Christian faith from its original Jewish source. In its place had arisen a false doctrine, fueled by antisemitism, creating a chasm where the connection between the two became lost.

When the church at large begins to grasp the fact that we have been invited into the Jewish story by an act of His infinite mercy, we then better understand that by rejecting the chosen people, we are literally neglecting the very seed from which our blessings are revealed. No, God has not rejected His people forever. He is a faithful God—one who always keeps His promises.

READ Romans 11:1, 11-21 “I ask then: Did God reject His people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin…

Having established this basic aspect lets now move into the significance of Passover. In order for us to understand why as believers we should even be studying this, I have to start at the very beginning.

PART 2 - The EVERLASTING NATURE of this - The Mo’edim – Appointed times/feasts of the Lord

“These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times.” —Leviticus 23:4 (emphasis added)

Exodus 12:14 'So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.

In Hebrew, mo’ed means ‘appointed time.’ Greek – Kairos. The word translated as “convocation” is the Hebrew word, מִקְרָא (“Miqrā”) which can mean “rehearsal.” God gave His appointed times as holy rehearsals for a messianic event in the future. Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are annual rehearsals that the children of Israel were to practice so that they would be ready to do the real event when the Messiah appeared.

The 7 Feasts of the Lord - The feasts of Israel are a part of the ceremonial law, looking beyond themselves to the Messiah and his two advents (the incarnation and the second coming). According to Lev 23, there are 7 feasts. The first four spring feasts focus on the first coming of the Messiah. These look at His death, burial, and resurrection, as well as the sending of the Holy Spirit:

Passover/Pesach - 1 Peter 1:18-20 - The Passover commemorates Israel’s redemption from slavery in Egypt. The blood of the slain Passover lamb stood in the place of the firstborn of each family so that the firstborn would not die. This feast is the foundation for the other feasts because of its focus on memorialization and preparation. In the New Testament, we see an even greater Passover Lamb. It was no accident that Christ’s crucifixion occurred at the same time and on the same day as the Passover: He is the fulfillment of this feast. His sinless life and His voluntary sacrifice provide redemption for all who turn to Him. The Passover, then, is fulfilled by Christ’s redemptive death.
Feast of Unleavened Bread/Matzah - 1 Cor 5:6-8 - The Feast of Unleavened Bread took place the day after Passover and lasted for seven days. Similar to the Passover, this is a feast of commemoration, causing the Israelites to remember their deliverance from Egypt. They purged leaven from their midst and sacrificed daily to the Lord. The removal of the leaven represented their separation from the Egyptians, the world. Christ fulfilled this feast by bringing us to salvation, cleansing us from sin, and separating us from the world. Because He sacrificed Himself, we are to lay aside our old selves (symbolized by leaven) and to put on the new self (symbolized by the removal of leaven). The Feast of Unleavened Bread, then, represents our ongoing sanctification in Christ as new creations. (Burial of Jesus Christ)
Feast of Firstfruits/ Yom Habikkurim - 1 Cor 15:20-23 - This feast occurred on the third day of Passover and celebrated the first(grain) harvest of the season. It was a day of thanksgiving to God for the abundance of His provision. Likewise, it was a day of expectation for the harvests to come. As the Passover looked forward to Christ’s redemptive death and the Feast of Unleavened Bread looked forward to our sanctification that proceeds from our burial with Him, so the Feast of First Fruits looked forward to Christ’s resurrection and our new life with Him. Indeed, Christ’s resurrection occurred on the same day as the Feast of First Fruits—the third day of the Passover. The Feast of First Fruits also pointed to the new quality of life we now have in Christ. As we abide in Christ, we participate in His resurrection. Because He rose from the dead, we are able to consider ourselves dead to sin, but alive to Christ (Romans 6:11).
Feast of Weeks/Pentecost/Shavuot - Acts 2:1-4 - The Israelites celebrated Pentecost seven weeks after the Feast of First Fruits. It was a feast of thanksgiving to celebrate the completion of the wheat harvest. In other words, it celebrated the completion of what began at the Feast of First Fruits. Shavuot (Pentecost) (Lev 23:9, 15-21), biblically referred to as the Feast of Weeks, was fulfilled precisely on divine schedule in Jerusalem exactly fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits. Shavuot, 1 of the 3 annual festivals the Jews had to travel to the temple. The others were Passover and Sukkot.
Pentecost pointed to God’s harvest of both Jews and Gentiles together. This began to be fulfilled when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Paul quoted Jeremiah that YAHveh would have a new covenant and it would not be written on stone tablets but it would be written on our hearts and in our minds (see Jeremiah 31:33). When that fire of His presence came this time it was to engrave it on our hearts.

The last three fall feasts focus on the second coming of the Messiah and point to what He will accomplish in the future.
Feast of Trumpets/ Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashanah
Day of Atonement/ Yom Kippur
Feast of Tabernacles/ Sukkot
We will not be elaborating on these. Instead, I would like us to go through in detail the Feast of the Passover.

How is all this related? Let us go to the beginning, the first time Yahweh reveals His Plan!

THE PAST - Let us read Exodus 12.

The original Passover event entails God’s final plague upon Egypt that caused Pharaoh to release Israel from slavery and Israel’s unusual preparation for this night.The Biblical account of this specific moment is described in Exodus 11-12.

The Lord told Moses that He would send one more plague upon Egypt, and after this Pharaoh would let Israel go (Exodus 11:1). The Lord would strike down the firstborn of every household of Egypt from Pharaoh’s palace to the Egyptian slaves (Exodus 11:4-5). But the Lord would “pass over” and spare Israel of this calamity (Exodus 12:12-13). The Lord explained His reason for this when He commanded Moses, “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Israel is My son, My firstborn. I said to you, ‘Let My son go that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn”’” (Exodus 4:22-23).

READ Exodus 12:1-3, 5-7, 11-12 …. It is the Lord’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.”’”

Death would pass over those who put the blood of a spotless lamb on the doorposts of their homes. Celebration called upon each household to:

Select an Unblemished Lamb
Cleanse the House of all Leaven
Offer the Passover Lamb as a Sacrifice ( as a substitute for the first born)
Eat the Passover Meal (Seder)
Eat Unleavened Bread for Seven More Days
Make the First Fruits Offerings

Are we able to see the correlation and what is the significance for us as Christians? It is a sign of deliverance, sign of redemption, sign of saving from the wrath of God!

THE PRESENT

Jesus came to fulfill. He is central. This is a foundational framework when approaching the feasts, especially Passover.

Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

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

Luke 22:7-8, 14-20

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”…14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

Yeshua knew His own death. He knew where His life was leading him. In His final days Yeshua and His disciples went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover. It is NOT a coincidence that Jesus’ last meal on earth was a Passover meal.

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Jesus established the new covenant which was not the abolishing of the old but the fulfilling and building on the old.

THE FUTURE

Jesus is referred to throughout the scriptures as the Passover Lamb and the Lamb of God even prophetically..

Revelation 12:11 says, “…they overcame him [the enemy] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…”.

Revelations 5:6-13 6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, To receive power and riches and wisdom,And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:“Blessing and honor and glory and powerBe to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

Revelations 22:1-3 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.

PART 3 - This Passover week, as we remember the greatest sacrifice, how will we respond?

A life of Sacrifice

There is no resurrection without the cross. What are you willing to lay down at the cross in order to walk in the fullness of the resurrection life?

Matthew 16:24-26 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

A life of Submission

There is no grace without humility. When we humble ourselves and submit to Gods authority, whatever that looks like in terms of our personal desires and ambitions, then the Lord is able to lift you up.

Luke 2:51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.

Matthew 3:13-17 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

A life of Active Sanctification – Now the ball is in our court!

1 Cor 5 :6-7 Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Don’t just run away from sin; pursue righteousness.

1 Timothy 6: 11 “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.”

As you flee from sin and grow in faith, praise God that Jesus has already crossed the finish line!

Hebrews 12: 1-2 “So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end.”It is a season of deliverance, a season of coming out of slavery and going in to our glorious destiny. It is a time to acknowledge what the Lord has done and recognise what the Lord is doing on the earth today. It is a time Fulfilment of His promises. A time of triumph and victory.

A Word for this Passover 5785!

Firstly, I believe we are at a ripened time, a Time when the Lord will manifest the Promises He has spoken over us and to us, but His way and in His Timing. I feel the story below, speaks directly into the timing of discovering the lost backpacks in our lives. Please read this story below, which resonated with much of what I feel for the Body of Christ at a personal and corporate level.
Three Years on a Shelf: A Forgotten Backpack and God’s Perfect Timing
Secondly, this recent 40 days Fasting & Prayer the Lord led Kainos to corporately have was a very significant time. Before we started He led us to the following verses:
Joel 2:1. 15-17 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming…Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.16 Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast.Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. 17 Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

And THEN & AFTERWARDS - this blessing is upon us. The former and latter rain, fresh oil and new wine, restoring the years the locusts have eaten and an outpouring of the Spirit – a Revival!
Joel 2:18-19,21-32 Then the Lord was jealous for his land and took pity on his people.19 The Lord replied to them: “I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy you fully; never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations. Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.25 —the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you.26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. 27 Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed. 28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
Our God is a God of RECOMPENSE. He is bringing Divine Justice & Judgement. Justice to the righteous is judgement to the unrighteous. He will judge our enemies and bring us Justice and provision. Everything the enemy stole, will be returned and restored back to us by the Sovereign hand of God, His Righteous right hand, His outstretched ARM that brought Israel out of Egypt at the first PASSOVER!
Isaiah 35:4: "Say to those who are of a fearful heart, 'Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense (גמול) of God; He will come and save you.'"
Jeremiah 51:56: "For the Lord is a God of recompense; He will fully repay."
Isaiah 40:10: See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.