Whatever your tradition or knowledge about the Last Supper you can appreciate and enjoy the rich symbolism within the Passover that lead up to the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Never before in history has this story been more applicable and poignant. We can all glean golden nuggets to enhance our spiritual walk.
I will be using some Hebrew, but always translated. I will be using the Hebrew name for Jesus which is Yeshua. The Haggadah is a book that each person uses to participate and mine is 41 pages. It includes a meal and ceremonial items. It usually takes about 2-3 with community although it can continue until the wee hours of morning depending upon the community.
I will be highlighting parts of the Haggadah, but feel free to download the Haggadah for use or to study. The observance is called a Seder which means order. Whether you choose to do a seder on your own or incorporate some of these biblical truths into your Resurrection Day celebration is up to you. We all should be growing and drawing closer to our Bridegroom, for He is coming quickly.
Why Celebrate Passover?
Because it is Written!
The name for the Haggadah comes from the words “to tell” in the biblical passage above. This is a special word that means more than “to say”. It implies that the telling is for informing someone and that they understand the meaning. The word remember (zakor): The verbal retelling does not really get at all of what this word means. It refers to the act of imitation.
Even when what fate serves up is meager, we must pay for it. On your own you are helpless, and God owes you nothing. When you receive, haspa'at panim, it is given with measure, exact and weighed. The manna in the desert is an example it was weighed, one omer for each head. A lizard does not know where the sunlight comes from and so he takes freely but develops pride, heard-heartedness, and brazenness; he is never thankful. As Pharaoh said, "Who is God that I should obey Him?" He grabs, he steals, he robs, and he believes he can conquer worlds. Just as the episode of the quail in the desert when the Israelites feverishly fell upon the birds and grabbed heap upon heap, in this sense of abandon and vulgarity and measurelessness leads to the grave, to lust, haughtiness and stubbornness.
This historical Seder is the symbol of an intimate and personal drama in which you are involved, of a great experience that lies at the very root of your existential awareness. The story of the Exodus is related not only to historical events but also to a living reality, namely, the individual in his greatness and misery, as a symbolic narrative of human destiny. In reciting the Haggadah one is not reminiscing about an ancient past, about people and occurrences enveloped in the midst of the millennia, but rather is telling a personal story, pouring one's out heart, confessing something intense, passionate, and crucial that happened to oneself. At this level, one is preoccupied not with the story, but with the living present; not with others, but with oneself and one's own exciting life. One's own destiny becomes visible and iridescent through the prism of the charismatic destiny of the people.
We all have a story of personal freedom, our adventure to attempt to raise ourselves from a natural, determined, and mechanical existence to a state of autonomy and freedom. Everyone is in bondage to the unalterable order of things and events, to Pharaoh. One is born into a slave world, into an environment of rigid causation and regularity. One is thrust into an alien, indifferent, alas cruel world, where you are not the master but the slave to events not of your making. Only an act of sheer heroism can free you free yourself from this order and mold a new inner experience.
Our Passover Lamb
This is one of the Lord’s Mo’adim or appointed times commanded to be celebrated throughout our generations in Leviticus 23:2. Three appointed times the men of Israel were commanded to go to the Temple to pay homage to the Lord-the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover included in this 7 day period), Shavout (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). These three times were known as chaggim (holidays). Just because we live far from Jerusalem or are not Jewish, our Messiah is, so take part and enjoy!
Passover (Pesach) Feast of Unleavened Bread make this feast (7-day) the epitome of what all five sacrifices under the Levitical system, and ultimately Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus the Messiah) would represent.
Yeshua would be the unblemished male Olah (burnt) offering who would voluntarily lay down His life for us and “go up” with His “rest” lingering with us while we await His return.
- He is our Minah offering-the “bread of life”, uncorrupted by sin, salted with His covenant with us, is over example of thankfulness and forgiveness, even through death on the cross.
- He is the Shalmim offering (peace offering) freely given whereby we have sweet fellowship with Himself because we are forgive by His righteousness.
- He is our Hatat offering (sin offering) a sinless man who became a curse (sin) for us, that we might live!
- And finally, the Asham offering (guilt offering)-the man with no blemish, who took away our serious sins/trespasses against holy things, that we might have access to the very Throne of G-d and blessing us abundantly!
Why Us?
Because We Have Been Grafted In!
Rabbi Sha’ul (Apostle Paul) states in Ephesians 2:12 before Messiah Yeshua Gentiles, “excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants and promise.” Now, however, “the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Messiah Yeshua through the Gospel.” Ephesians 3:6
Baruch HaShem Adonai
(Blessed is the Name of the Lord)
“Who am I to be part of your people, the ones that are called by Your Name?
Could I be chosen as one of your own, could it be that our blood is the same?
How can a stranger a remnant of nations belong to the royal line?
You showed your grace when the branches were broken and I grafted into the vine.
How could you show me such bountiful mercy, by taking the life of the Lamb?
Your love is greater than I can imagine, I praise you with all that I am!
Praise to Yeshua, the veil has been parted and what once was secret is known;
Now I can cry to you, Abba, my Father, and praise you as one of your own!
The Seder
The word “Seder” is a Hebrew word that means “order”. In Exodus 12:16 is the instruction to “hold a sacred assembly”. This term refers to a meeting for the purpose of rehearsing. This rehearsing will continue until the return of Messiah.
The Mitzvah (instruction) for Passover is to discuss for the purpose of understanding. So, we follow the Haggadah, as it provides a convenient guide to “order” out discussion.
As we proceed through the Seder, listen for the contradictions. The story of Pesach is both the commemoration of slavery and the celebration of freedom. See if you can recognize the elements that represent either slavery or freedom.
The Seder is arranged in four parts. Each is marked by a cup of wine, representing one of the four parts of the covenant. The wine is the blood of the covenant and a symbol of joy. The 4 cups of wine represent the four verbs of redemption in Exodus 6:6-7- I will bring you out, I will free you, I will redeem you, and I will take you.
- Sanctification
Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.
Together everyone says: He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom G-d made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption-1 Corinthians 1:30
- Deliverance
I will free you from being slaves to them,
Together everyone says: Now the Lord is in the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom-2 Corinthians 3:17.
- Redemption
I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.
Together everyone says: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us-for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree-that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith- Galatians 3:13/14.
- Completion
I will take you as my own people, and I will be your G-d. Then you will know that I am the LORD your G-d, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.
Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him- Ephesians 1:4.
Removing the Leaven
What is leaven (chametz)? “Matzah was used in the sacrificial system of the Temple. Offerings had to be absolutely pure, and anything leavened (chametz) was considered impure because it had fermented, or soured. (The word chametz literally means ‘sour.’) ... This includes yeast baking powder, and baking soda. The following five grains, and anything make from them, are considered chametz: wheat, barley, spelt, rye, and oats. Use of these grains is prohibited on Passover, except for the making of matza.”
Why is Matzah OK? It is made only of flour and water and must be baked within 18 minutes of mixing so that it has no time to rise. Matza flour is acceptable for use in baked goods during passover because it is “...made from matza that has been previously baked and is therefore no longer subject to fermentation.”From The Jewish Book of Why, by Alfred J. Kolatch
Leaven was a symbol of fermentation and corruption as is man’s inclination to sin.
Any chametz, leaven, found in the home on the last day of preparation is swept up into a dust pan with a feather and taken outside the home and burned.
The Passover Meal
Human economic behavior fluctuates between two poles: economic activism and trust in God. God feeds and sustains all living creatures. Feeding is an act of grace on the part of God; thus, the bread you eat is not won by you nor does it belong to you. It is given to you as a gratuity by God, who, in His infinite charity, feeds everybody and everything. We all eat our of God's hand. Eating means receiving alms-bread from the Almighty.
"You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing with favor." Psalms 145:16
God feeds and cares for all or gives bread or sates all living things we do not mean food in the literal sense but rather the essence of life itself, which the Lord allows to flow in creation. The rotation of the planets, the radiance of the sun, the evaporation and condensation of water, the growth of plants, the hum of the wings of flies and birds, the intelligence of humans, the movement of limbs, the circulation of blood, the entire topsy-turvy drama, is the doing of He Who sustains all. The animals enjoy this influence, which flows from the Infinite to His creatures.
The Act of Eating:
Beast or Divine Worship
Man has the choice to eat either in hiding, alone, like the beast in its lair, or in community, before the Lord. When eating rises to great service, to an experience of God found and held not by reason but by feeling the discomfort and embarrassment of those who have not and inviting them to join those who have, a new community is born, a community which consists of master, mistress, servant and pauper. The birth of this community hallows the meal and endows it with sanctity. There is no division into host and guest, master and servant, into giver or recipient.
A Covenantal meal is distinguished between eating as a beastly-brutish function and as a human spontaneous performance. This is a Covenantal feast unifying the dimensions of time, past, present and future. The covenant redeems you from your historical loneliness. Besides social, metaphysical loneliness, you suffer from historical solitude. You are rooted in eternity, embracing the beginning and the end of all time. You hate being alone in time, like a particle of sand floating with the tide, coming from nothingness and heading nowhere. You search for direction every hour, extending into infinity both in retrospect and anticipation. You are eager to find tangible company in the here-and-now, but also stranger historical companionship with the there-and-then. The fellowship for which you search you will not find in social intercourse, but in the communion of times, when you reach out your hands beyond the hour, away from date-enclosed existence, into the open stretches of "once upon a time" and "it will come to pass". You must be able to put your arms around the historical continuum into which you are thrust. Covenant is always established through a meal. The later symbolize and celebrates the fellowship of generations, of past, present, and future, and relatedness of a single person to a community stretching beyond the boundaries of your transient existence. Each meal is transposed into a covenantal feast at which the covenant is renewed and reconfirmed.
Time
Everything exists in time but only a human being is capable of experiencing time. God endowed man with time-awareness, the ability to sense and feel time. Unfortunately, not every human being takes advantage if the unique human endowment to experience time-to live time rather than to live in time. Slaves lack time experience.
Time awareness has three components:
- Retrospection: Without memory there is no time
- Experience or exploration of things yet unborn or events not yet in being
- Appreciation or evaluation of present moment as one's most important possession
This Seder is not a historical review if bygone events that have completely vanished. It is much more than that; it is a drama charged with emotion and tenseness, participating in the past. Past events which are not re-experienced belong not to history, but to archaeology. Archaeology involves past events that occurred once upon a time, disappeared, and while they may be reproduced by memory-are no longer alive. They are not re-experienced; there is no retrospection of the archaic. Memory is not just a storehouse from latent impressions; there is a living memory, which reproduces and re-experiences the past.
To live in time and feel its rhythm, one must also move from memory of the past to the unreality of the future. One must go from things and events that were and are no longer, toward that which will be real someday, even though it is not yet real-from reminiscing to anticipating. In order to connect with retrospection with anticipation, memory with expectation, the hind field with foresight-one must cherish the present fleeting moment as if it represented eternity. Every minute is valuable, each second is precious.
Time is of critical importance, not years or months, but seconds and split seconds. This time-awareness and appreciation is the singular gift granted to free man, because it is his time, and he can utilize it to the utmost or waste it. A free man does not want time to pass; he wants time to slow down, because to him time is a treasure. To the slave however, time is a curse, he waits for the day to pass. The slave's time is the property of his master. No matter how hard he may try to be productive in time, he will not reap the harvest of his work; therefore, he is insensitive to time. His sense of the movement of time, the passing of hours, days, weeks, is very dull. Life. to a slave is motionless. The slave is in a terrible situation where he can no longer contribute to society and nobody wants him. Life becomes motionless, life meaningless. The slave lacks great excitement of opportunity, of tense expectations and fears of failure.
The first commandment of the Jews liberation was the commencement to mark time.
"This month shall be to you the beginning of months". Ex. 12:2
Community
The loving community exists at two levels. At one level, you share your material possessions with other members of the community who are less fortunate. This is the helping or sharing community. At the second level you give the spiritual goods with which God has blessed you with. You let other members of the community get a glimpse of the beautiful treasures he has acquired through painstaking effort, diligence, and complete devotion. In the same manner that the Torah requires the economic man to open his storage room or his safe deposit box and let others share his savings, so, too, does the Torah require of spiritual man to open his mind, his heart, his existence. Invite others!
A new fellowship is formed around the paschal lamb; a new community springs into existence. Being together, living with each other, sharing something many posses in common was made possible by the ceremonial of the paschal lamb.
Only people who recognize themselves as created in the image of God, people who transcend themselves, who are capable of thinking in terms of others, in terms of an existence above and beyond their natural one-only they are able to perform the forward movement, to surge toward another person, extend their concerns, and create a covenantal community. The slave is in fear for his life and always ready to flee.
A slave is a frightened personality living in time without experiencing the movement of time, one who is imprisoned within himself, unable to share his existential experience with others.
What unites people partaking together in a common meal? Not the physical act of eating, but a sense of solidarity and empathy. An invitation extended to an acquaintance to me at a meal is indicative of a sense of responsibility and sympathy I feel with respect to the invited guests. I want thou to share my joy and the pleasure I derive from partaking of the food given to me by the Almighty.
What are your thoughts about Passover?
The Seder Plate
Karpas (vegetable hors d’oeuvre): usually parsley, cucumber, or celery, symbolizes the coming of spring and new life. Also symbolic of the hyssop, which was dipped in the blood of the Paschal lamb to mark the doors of the Israelites in Egypt, so it is also a symbol of redemption.
Zeroa (Roasted shankbone of a lamb): this is in remembrance of the Passover lamb.
Betzah (Roasted Egg): represents the Chagigah, or festival offering, a memorial of the sacrifice of the Passover lamb. Some also consider it a symbol of mourning, which reminds us of the destruction of the second Temple. The egg is symbolic food eaten by mourners.
Maror: Usually fresh grated horseradish or white bottled horseradish is used. It symbolizes the hardship and bitter servitude, which the Jewish people experienced as slaves in Egypt.
Bitter Herbs: This vegetable is usually romaine lettuce, watercress, radish, or some variety that would have a tendency to become bitter. It’s meaning is similar to the Maror. The verse “They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs,” (Numbers 9:11) is the basis for this symbolism. The verse refers to bitter herbs in the plural, so this second type was introduced.
Charoset: symbolizes the mortar used by the Israelites in building for Pharaoh. The foods used to make Charoset are symbolic:
Red wine: blood of Israelites spilled in servitude
Cinnamon sticks: straw to make bricks
Apples: Song of Songs 8:5:, “Under the apple tree I roused you;
It was there you mother conceived you, There she who bore you conceived you.”
This is a reference to a tradition that when Pharaoh ordered male Israelites to be killed, the Israelite women went out into the apple orchards to give birth to their children to hide them from the Egyptians.
Almonds: symbol of redemption because the Hebrew word for almond (Shaked) is a pun on the word “diligent work”, for it is a tradition that ultimate redemption will only come about through diligent labor on our part to improve the world.
Honey: even the most bitter of circumstances can be sweetened our hope in God.
Other Symbolic Objects
Salt Water: For dipping greens, symbolizing the tears, slavery, pain and suffering. It also is served to remind us of the covenant G-d made with us. Ancient peoples used it as a preservative, it typifies abiding, friendship, and purity.
Three pieces of Matzah: Represents: 1) The 3 patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; 2) the 3 casts of Cohanim (priests), Levites, and ordinary Israelites and other meanings of three. There is another meaning recognized by Believers of Yeshua HaMashiach. Listen during the Seder to find out what it is.
Matzah is the Bread of Poverty!
Whatever we posses, even of it is just the bread of the poor, or poor bread, is too much for us, and we invite all to come and share with us: "Let all who are hungry come and eat".
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22:17
This is the poor bread that our forefathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry enter and eat; let all who are in need come and celebrate the Passover. In Egypt ate matzah but also shared it. It is for this reason that the matzah is broken into two pieces. Therefore, we eat the poor bread as does a pauper, who eats a broken piece.
Although it may seem redundant we issue two invitations: Let all who are hungry enter and eat; let all who are in need come and celebrate the Passover. Let all those who are in need-but not in need of bread. Whoever is in need of bread, is hungry. Refers to one who is alone, who has lots of matzah and wine (food and wealth) but no home or family. The invitation is addressed to those who are unfortunate and lonely.
"For they baked unleavened cakes of dough which they had brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, nor had they prepared for themselves any victuals." Ex 12:39
Genuine redemption always comes suddenly, unexpectedly, at a time when the people are ready to give up hope. Sometimes historical situations continue to deteriorate, people pray and cry, begging for mercy-but there is no answer to their prayer, only silence. At the moment the crisis reaches its maximum and threatens the very existence of the community, when people give up, the geulah suddenly comes and takes them out of the land of affliction. It comes in the middle of the night and knocks on the door when no one expects it, when everyone is skeptical about it, when everybody laughs off the possibility of redemption.
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Matthew 25:1-13
Eating the matzah is more than a symbol of redemption, liberty at a political or personal level but it is also a confrontation with the revelation of God.
This matzah, why do we eat it? Because our ancestors dough did not have time to become leavened because the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared to them and redeemed them!
Matzah: The Food of Faith
Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thy espousals, when thou went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. Jer 2:2
Matzah symbolizes the trust, boundless and unqualified. Matzah is an act of surrender and unconditional commitment to God, blind obedience to Him a and compliance with His Word. It defies all rational standards. It as the naive approach of a child, a commitment based not on rationally explicable reason, but on an inner, intuitive, emotional, and inexpressible experience.
We hold certain truths which are beheld prior to the prior piecemeal ripening and gradual growth of the knowledgeable person. Our experience is represented by the matzah, which did not ferment, which was not subjected to the "process" of gradual rising and ascending. In Hebrew semantics matzah signifies the unfinished, incomplete, immature, raw, underdeveloped and instantaneous. It suggests a naive child.
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, Matthew 18:2
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receives me. Matthew 18:5
Chametz represents rising and elevation, for it swells and rises, and lifts itself up, which is not the case with matzah which does not rise at all.
Matzah is called the Food of Faith for it is a matter of nullification, as one nullifies his intellect and does not seek reasons, but rather believes the truth with pure faith...
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Luke 22:42
Matzah is the symbolic transcript of the intimate experience of childlike clinging to and longing for God, of finding Him at the level of naïveté, faith, and feeling.
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. Hosea 11:1
Matzah: The Food of Angels
Matzah is likened to the manna that fell from heaven, the food of angels, it is said. Matzah does not have a taste and we can imagine whatever taste we desire it to be.
Alien Communion?
Note: In the ancient world, other nations usually explained their origins as a product of a love affair between a god and human; these nations or peoples viewed themselves as descendants of gods, princes, and kings. We are different in that God drew us close to His service and we became a covenantal nation. "In the beginning our forefathers were idol worshipers and pagans". We are of humble origins. Morality and new spiritual values are not due to our effort or greatness. God came to us and invited us to join Him. The initiative belonged to Him, through His hesed, lovingkindness and act of grace. We are undeserving and unworthy.
I am inserting this due to the increased media coverage that as in the Days of Noah humans are mating with the Nephilim of Genesis 6 creating reptilian creatures and other abominations.
The First Cup: Sanctification
“I will bring you out”
Kiddush (Blessing)
As He began his final Passover Seder, Yeshua shared a cup with His disciples (talmadim), and said to them:
“Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of G-d comes.” Luke 22:17-18
Blessed are You, O LORD our G-d, King of the universe, Who chose us from among all peoples to make us a nation of priests before You. In love, You have given us, Abba, our Father, Sabbaths for rest and Holy days and Festivals for rejoicing. We thank You for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which we keep in remembrance of Your gift of deliverance and freedom from Egypt, the bondage of sin.
[All raise cups]
Leader: Ba-ruch a-tah Adonai E-lo-hei-nu, Mel-ech ha-olam,
borai p’ri hagafen.
All: Blessed are You, O Lord, our G-d, King of the universe,
Who creates the fruit of the vine.
[Drink the 1st cup, saying "La Chaim!" -"To Life!"]
What Really is Slavery?
Slavery has two different aspects, one juridic-political ad the other typological-personalistic. Under the first, slavery is identical with an institution based upon the totalitarian conception of private property-that is, that the institution of private property is all-inclusive, embracing inanimate and animate things as well as human beings. The body of a human slave, with all his skills and talents, belongs not to the slave, but to someone else. Under the second aspect, slavery represents a class of people who think, feel, and act in a distinct manner, thus reflecting a peculiar personality.
A slave is never confronted with two alternatives. He makes no decisions; someone else always does it for him. He has no faith in himself, and is psychologically unable to cope with situations. A slave is unable to seize initiative; he lacks the urge and drive to do things, and he cannot intervene in certain situations in order to improve his lot and better himself.
It is quite well known that people who are not free-slaves, or people in prison or concentration camps-develop certain delusions. They see things not the way they are in reality, but the way they would somehow like the world to be.
The slave lives in fear. "For it would be better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness". Ex. 14:11-12 Why the despair? The Jews were downtrodden and fearful. A slave is afraid even when his fear is unjustified.
A slave is afraid not only of those who are stronger than he, or those who have jurisdiction over him; the slave is afraid of contradicting anyone, of antagonizing even a stranger. The fear might be unjustified, but it is the motivating force in his life.
Imagine someone says, "I am a slave to Abraham," or "I am Abraham's slave". Saying I am a slave of Abraham emphasizes only the juridic-social aspect. He belongs to Abraham legally, but spiritually he is a free man; he has his own mind and an independent approach to reality. However, when he states that he is Abraham's slave he identifies his whole personality with Abraham. Serving Abraham is not just incidental; it is the whole purpose of his life.
God endowed man with the most cherished of all gifts, freedom, yet He willed man lose that precious freedom and submit to Him, to the moral law that God of Judgement commanded man. Genesis. 2:16
Modern man is not free. A frightened person cannot be free. Terror and fear mean captivity for man. Man rids himself of his fear by faith in God and surrender to Him. It is a great price. One must fear God.
If one does not inquire, if one expects God to reveal Himself to man without an all-out effort to find Him, one will never meet with God.
"But from there you will seek the Lord and you hall find Him, if you search after Him with all your heart and all your soul."
"His habitation you shall seek and there you shall come" Deut. 4:29
"You shall come to Me from distant lands, and you shall keep inquiring where is the road leading to God's habitation". Deut. 12:5
The searching for the sanctuary, the curiosity to know the sanctuary, is itself redeeming and sanctifying. This curiosity hallows the pilgrimage and makes it meaningful. If one does not search for God, if you do not keep in mind where is the road leading to the Temple, then you will never find the Temple. One the first night of Passover we tell the story of a long search by man for God, of God responding to the inquisitive search, of God taking man, who longs for Him, into His embrace. At the Seder we try to stimulate the naive curiosity of the children and thereby make them God-searchers. The quest for God, along with the acceptance of the commandments, is true spiritual liberation.
The most amazing thing about the Exodus, far greater than the signs and wonders, is the transformation of a nation of slaves who lived in a boundless state, who preferred a dissolute life who did not understand the meaning of laws and strictures, of obeying laws when no taskmaster threatens you. As slaves, they understood only one thing: you must obey the taskmaster, because if you do not, he will beat you with his baton. The slave does not understand the commands of God nor does he want to. He is only "interested in the fleshpots, cucumbers, watermelons, and onions". Ex. 16:3
For when you were the servants of sin, you were free from righteousness. Romans 6:20
A slave can be taken from his master in two ways: If the master went to war and was defeated the slave belongs to the victor, who can keep him as a slave or set him free. Conquest establishes possession.
If a master owns only the fruits of the slaves labor and not his body, the slave can free himself by taking on sanctification by the blood of the lamb.
A person who is in the image of God the soul becomes holy and pure cannot become a slave. A person can only have one Master and not two.
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. Matthew 6:24
The night-of-watching is grounded not in the miracles through conquest accomplished with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, but rather in acquisition through revelation from the still, small voice such as when God spoke to Elijah in the Book of Kings. Only after that miracle took place did the redemption through conquest and the miracles of a mighty hand and an outstretched arm begin.
Maggid (The Story of Passover): Ex. 3-12
The story of Passover is a story of miracles, a story of redemption, and a story of mighty power of G-d to overcome evil.
The Lord had promised the land to Avraham (Abraham), Yitchzak (Issac), Jaacov (Jacob). Yet here were their children in Egypt (Mizrayim). The Pharaoh who had come to power feared them. These foreigners in our midst are prospering and have grown numerous, he thought, Suppose they join with our enemies and turn against us! Pharaoh decided to exert greater control over this people, imposing harsh and bitter slavery upon the Israelites. Still G-d blessed His people in strength and number.
Pharaoh grew more frightened and ordered every baby boy among the Israelites to be drowned in the Nile River. One Israelite couple hid their little boy for three months. Finally, entrusting his future to G-d, they set him in a basket and placed him in the river. His sister, Miriam, watched as he floated downstream. Coming upon the basket, Pharaoh’s daughter took pity on the child and chose to raise him as her own son. She called him Moses, meaning “drawn fro the water.”
Moses grew and became aware of the travail of his people. One day, he lost control of himself and killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. Fleeing the palace and the eye of Pharaoh, Moses became a Shepherd in the land of Midian, far from the cries of his suffering brothers.
The Lord, however, saw the affliction of the children of Israel and heard their groaning. He would raise up a deliverer to lead them our of bondage. It was then that He appeared to Moses in the midst of a bush that burned with fire, yet was not consumed. Moses drew close and listened as G-d commissioned him to go to Pharaoh. Fearful and reluctant, still Moses agreed to bring God’s message to the kink of Egypt, “Let my people go!”
The Cup of Plagues
The removal of each drop indicates the diminishing of our joy due to its cost upon the Egyptians. The plagues show the inability of Pharaoh to maintain order. Rather, it is G-d who really controls the forces of nature. The timing of the plagues was approximately in accordance to what was going on in nature at the time.
|
June-August |
Nile turns a dull red |
|
September |
Frogs appeared |
|
January-April |
Cattle are sent to the field (green grass) |
Exodus 9:31 it appears that flax was in bloom (end of January or early February). Thus it would seem that Moshe and Aaron first appeared to Pharaoh in late spring or early summer and continued with the plagues through the summer, fall and late winter of the next year. The Exodus occurs in the spring so it appears to have taken a full year to weaken Egypt ‘s gods and Pharaoh’s heart.
Blood
“The Nile River was a major god. Defilement of it by changing it to blood made it loathsome to its worshipers. Orisis was often considered the name for the Nile-god because it was such a common god. But the Nile-god also had its own name, which is also the Egyptian name for the river-Hapi.”
“When Hecataeus of Miletus called Egypt ‘the gift of the Nile,’ he characterized the land accurately.” For all of Egypt depended on the water and fish that this god could give them. Thus defilement of the Nile posed a real challenge to the supposed authority of the important Nile gods (demons).”
With the launch of Precision Medicine there has never been a time in history when every wants your blood. The schemes they have designed to get you to give your blood range from medical care to family history. Your blood is holy unto God. That is your personal genetic makeup given to you by God. He wants you to protect it. If you voluntarily submit your blood for genetics it will not be confidential. It will be bought, traded, and shared with people and entities that you do not know. Preserve your most precious asset, your blood.
Frogs
“The goddess Heqt, a female deity with a frog head’s head was the sign of fruitfulness and of resurrection. It is a little difficult to ascertain just how the multiplication of frogs was an affront and challenge to this goddess. However, according to Dr. D. Freidman, this plague may have demonstrated some of G-d’s humor. It is as if G-d were saying to the Egyptians, “You want frogs? You want to worship frogs? OK, I’ll give you frogs!” Then the whole land became full of them.”
While there is nothing on the radar in the news about frogs specifically fruitfulness and resurrection are very much being researched and developed. Let's say I hand you a glass of water. You take a sip. I have a DIY gene editing set up in my garage. TODAY, I can take your viable genes from your cup and make sperm and ova, incubate them in my garage, and create a child by you! This is possible right now!
Resurrection experiments are being conducted everywhere. Man in his arrogance is looking for ways to penetrate the barriers God established. Who knows how far God will allow our research to go? Scientists are very sure that they can unlock the secrets to immortality, without God.
Lice (Bothersome Insects)
“The affect of this plague on Egypt is a little more difficult to determine. It is especially hard to be precise of the exact translation. The difficulty is reflected in BDB which offers a host of meanings such as mosquitoes, lice, and gnats. It is interesting to note that the Lord instructed Moshe to strike the “dust of the earth” which, in turn, then became bothersome insects. Some people considered the earth to be the “father of the gods.” Moreover, a special sacredness was attached to the black fertile soil of the basin of the Nile, called Chemi, from which the ancient name of the Egypt is supposed to be derived. Thus when Moshe turned the dust into bothersome insects, he was mocking the earth’s ability, in and of itself, to produce good things.”
In the Hebrew, this word is just very small fill in the blank. This plague may not really be lice. Today animated nano-technologies or even smaller are being deployed everywhere. This may come back to 'haunt' us.
Swarms
This is another difficult translation. The Hebrew means “a mixture” of noxious animals, wild beasts, such as lions, wolves, beasts and leopards, of serpents and scorpions. More than likely this attack was aimed at an Egyptian god of some sort.
Of all the ancient plagues the one surging into our lives and I believe are a serious threat are SWARMS! From swarms of civilian and military aerial drones to swarms of insects we are being inundated and it is going to get allot worse. Even tactical plans and operations are planned considering swarm behavior.
Animal Disease
“Animals were afflicted with some kind of grievous disease. We do not know the exact nature of this plague, but we do know that the Egyptians worshipped at least three animals as gods: Hathor-a mother goddess in the form of a cow, Apis-a bull god, another fertility symbol, and Mnevis-the sacred bull of Heliopolis. Thus, this plague was a direct attack on the demons associated with these gods. Moreover, we also know that the cow was a sacred animal in Egypt.”
Biological warfare has been going on for centuries. The US saw a surge of animal diseases when Plum Island became operational as a warfare laboratory, but at least it was somewhat contained because it was off the Continental United States. Now it is moving to Kansas, in the heart of America and farming and ranching country. No longer do the weaponized bugs just target animal populations, they are zoonotic, which means they target animals and humans. Once National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) is fully function we will see 'accidental' plagues rise.
Boils
“The Hebrew word would better be translated as “hemorrhoids.” Naturally they were not worshiped. But because the Egyptians could not cure themselves of them, the god Imhotep-the god of medicine, was rendered a fraud!”
Certainly today we have made a god of medicine. Skin afflictions are an interesting phenomena as they really are a consequence of impurity. Our skin is our largest organ and we pollute it by processed foods, GMO, chemically treated, not nutrient dense, basic dead 'food'. We drink water laced with a plethora of chemicals. If you read the small print on your water bill, most say the water should not be consumed. We then later on synthetic and chemical products onto our skin, thinking ...a little here and there doesn't matter, but it does. Ever our air is tainted with chemicals, heavy metals, radioactivity, and EMF/RF. We can reduce our exposures to all of these, but do we?
Hail
“The Egyptian “gods” of the heavens were also mocked by the inability to stop the raging hail sent by the true Lord of the heavens. Thus, Nut-the sky goddess, Isis-the goddess of life, and Seth-the protector of the crops were affected.” It appears as though the Eternal One was going toe to toe with demonic powers and principalities in His plan of redemption for the Hebrew people.”
The size and intensity of hail is increasing in part due to geo-engineering. Legend states that the hail stones that fell during the plagues were up to 100 pounds. Legend also states that God has one portion of heaven stockpiled with hailstones for the End Days. That does not bode well for us. The punishment for idolatry is stoning.
Darkness
More than likely confronting the Egyptian sun god Ra.
Scripture talks about a day when there will be a famine, but not for bread, but for hearing the Word of the Lord. Most of us can see the spiritual darkness which is creeping across the land. Will the spiritual darkness get so thick that it can tangibly be felt. I believe so. And as spiritual darkness is increasing so is earth's light. Since 1970 earth has lost 30% of the light she receives.
Death of First-Born
“Against all the gods of Egypt shall I mete out punishment.” (verse 12)
The last plague is death and if you take time to note we are surrounded by death. It is not only spiritual death and physical death but community death, moral death, ethical death, family death, relationship death, economic death, cheap goods death, dead food, dead sea, dead water, death all about. The Bible is very specific on how many will die as things heat up. Are your prepared for your eternal journey?
The Second Cup: Deliverance:
“I will free you”
Birkat HaMazon-(Grace After Meals)
The Final Call-Yossi Rubenstein (men in Talliyot are praying)
When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, O LORD like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him. (Psalm 126)
Blessed are You, O Lord, our G-d, King of the universe, Who provides food for all;
Whose abundance and goodness and mercy endures forever.
Blessed are You, O Lord, Sustainer of all mankind.
May He who established harmony in the universe bestow His peace upon us, upon Israel, and upon all mankind.
The Third Cup: Redemption:
“I will redeem you”
The Fourth Cup: Praise:
“I will take you as my own people”
Our Seder is now completed
May our service be acceptable to You, O LORD our God, And may we be granted the blessing of celebrating Passover for many years to come. Pure and Holy One, dwelling on high, Raise up Your people with love and lead us to Zion in joyful song.
Chad Gadya
Chad Gadya is sung at the conclusion of the Seder for it gives us time to reflect how much we have spiritual changed from last year, inspiring us to turn the Jesus and follow Him, this coming year. There is deep symbolism in this poem, it is beyond the scope of this article but it is in the Haggadah.
And why are you singing Chad Gadya?
Spring isn’t here yet....
Passover has just arrived.....
And what has changed for you?
What has changed? [mah hashtanah]
I have changed this year.
For on all the nights, all the nights [she bekhol halelot],
I asked only four questions [arbah kushiot].
This night I have another question:
How long will the cycle of horror last?
The pursuer and the pursued?
The striker and the stricken?
When will this madness end?
And what has changed for you?
What has changed?
I have changed.
It is Finished!
The Levitical priests would exclaim in the Torah at the sacrifice of the Lamb!
So too, Yeshua, our Passover Lamb, exclaimed from the Cross!
This night-of-watching is grounded not in the miracles through conquest accomplished with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, but rather in acquisition through revelation from the still, small voice such as when God spoke to Elijah in the Book of Kings. Only after that miracle took place did the redemption through conquest, miracles of a mighty hand, and an outstretched arm begin through nature, such as the Ten Plagues or the splitting of the Red Sea.
You can participate in the performance of "hidden miracles" within your person with the redemption of your soul by accepting the shed blood of Jesus, repentance, accepting Him as Savior, renewing the spirit, and cleansing your heart.
____________________________________________________________
Author Information
Celeste has worked as a contractor for Homeland Security and FEMA. Her training and activations include the infamous day of 911, flood and earthquake operations, mass casualty exercises, and numerous other operations. Celeste is FEMA certified and has completed the Professional Development Emergency Management Series.
- Train-the-Trainer
- Incident Command
- Integrated EM: Preparedness, Response, Recovery, Mitigation
- Emergency Plan Design including all Emergency Support Functions
- Principles of Emergency Management
- Developing Volunteer Resources
- Emergency Planning and Development
- Leadership and Influence, Decision Making in Crisis
- Exercise Design and Evaluation
- Public Assistance Applications
- Emergency Operations Interface
- Public Information Officer
- Flood Fight Operations
- Domestic Preparedness for Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Incident Command (ICS-NIMS)
- Multi-Hazards for Schools
- Rapid Evaluation of Structures-Earthquakes
- Weather Spotter for National Weather Service
- Logistics, Operations, Communications
- Community Emergency Response Team Leader
- Behavior Recognition
And more….
Celeste grew up in a military & governmental home with her father working for the Naval Warfare Center, and later as Assistant Director for Public Lands and Natural Resources, in both Washington State and California.
Celeste also has training and expertise in small agricultural lobbying, Integrative/Functional Medicine, asymmetrical and symmetrical warfare, and Organic Farming.