First Fruit (resurrection)

http://www.truthnet.org/Feasts-of-Israel/6-Feast-Firstfruits/Index.htm

Firstfruits requires the Temple, and since the Temple is no longer available, Firstfruits is not celebrated in the same sense as it was in the past. In the Temple days both the people and the priest would celebrate First Fruits. The priests would set aside a portion of their barley field to be the sheaves used for the harvest on Nisan 16. This barley field was cultivated solely to be used for the first fruits harvest. The Sanhedrin, the ruling council of seventy who headed the nation, would have been responsible for the field. 

In the evening of Nisan 15, at the start of Nisan 16, three Sanhedrin came from the Temple to cut the First Fruit Barley harvest. With three sickles and three baskets the men would prepare to cut down the harvest to be presented in the Temple. The bundles of barley had already been prepared for the Sanhedrin members chosen to harvest the crop. As the Sun was setting, and the new day began, (Nisan 16) the men ask questions to those present.

Has the sun set?

With this sickle?

Into this basket?

On this Sabbath?

Shall I reap (now)? 

On the positive response from the crowd the men would repeat the harvesting two more times as a safeguard. The reaping would continue until 2/3 of a bushel was reaped. 

THE PRESENTATION OF FIRSTFRUITS 

The three baskets of Barley were then taken to the Temple to be threshed with rods, as opposed to ox powered sledges, to preserve the barley heads. The barley was then parched in a flame and winnowed in the wind to remove the chaff. The barley was then milled and sifted until it was very fine. According to the Talmud the inspectors should be able to stick their hands into the barley flour without any flour sticking to the hands when they were removed. (Menahot 8:2) 

On the morning of Nisan 16 the work of the barley harvest firstfruits were presented to the Lord in the Temple. One “Omer” (5 pints) or barley was mixed with ¾ pint of olive oil, along with some frankincense. This was the firstfruits offering. The priest would wave this before the Lord, burning some and giving the rest to the Levites. 

FOR THE FAMILY 

The priest would celebrate the feast of first fruits for the whole nation; and each individual family would also celebrate since Israel was a farming community dependent on the land to produce its wealth. Israel’s farming families would prepare for the yearly Firstfruits celebration at the same time they were preparing for Passover. When families came to Jerusalem they were prepared to celebrate three festival days, Passover, Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits; since they were celebrated in the one week period, 14^ththrough 21^st of Nisan. First the family would set aside a portion of the crop to be marked for firstfruits by tying a cord around the area to be harvested for the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When the crop was harvested the family would take it along, with their lambs, to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts. 

On the 16^th of Nisan people in Jerusalem would have just finished celebrating Passover and would now begin to celebrate Firstfruits. The Israelite male was called to Jerusalem to celebrate these feasts. He would have come to the Temple with his lamb, a second lamb after the Passover lamb, and the “first fruits” of his field. As he approached the Temple he would have heard the Levitical choirs lead worship with Psalm 30: “I will extol You, O’ Lord, for you have lifted me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me…” As the masses poured into Jerusalem the Temple the scene would have continued throughout the day. 

The lamb would have been brought into the Temple by the Israelite and the priest would slay the lamb as the Israelite watched the preparation of his sacrifice. If he was poor he could offer two turtledoves. (Lev. 5:7; 12:8, 14:22) 

Leviticus 1:10-17
¹⁰ If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats, he is to offer a male without defect. ¹¹ He is to slaughter it at the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides. ¹² He is to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat, on the burning wood that is on the altar. ¹³ He is to wash the inner parts and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of it and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. ¹⁴ If the offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to offer a dove or a young pigeon. ¹⁵ The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off the head and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar. ¹⁶ He is to remove the crop with its contents and throw it to the east side of the altar, where the ashes are. ¹⁷ He shall tear it open by the wings, not severing it completely, and then the priest shall burn it on the wood that is on the fire on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 

After the priest returned from the sacrifice of the man’s lamb the man would have presented to the priest his offering of barley, the measure of an omer (5 pints). He would then say, ‘I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the country which the LORD swore to our fathers to give us. 

As the priest received the basket of grain he would then begin to wave it before the Lord, and the Israelite would now say ‘My father was a Syrian about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. ⁶ But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. ⁷ Then we cried out to the LORD God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression. ⁸ So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. ⁹ He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, “a land flowing with milk and honey”; ¹⁰ and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O LORD, have given me.
 

The priest would then set the basket down in front of the altar and cast a handful of grain into the fire. The Israelite would then worship the Lord as prescribed in Deuteronomy 26. The Israelite would then have left courts and returned to his waiting family.

FIRSTFRUITS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT 

Romans 8:23
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.Galatians 5:22-23: The fruits of the Spirit are defined by Paul:

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

Romans 11:16
If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. 

1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.1 Corinthians 15:19-21 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 15 (Whole Chapter) 

1 Corinthians 15:23
But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 

James 1:18
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.Revelation 14:4
These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.

2016-2017 feast dates

https://messianicsabbath.com/2013-feast-dates/

2016-2017 Feast Dates

Following are dates of the Biblically commanded Fall Feasts for 2016 and Spring Feasts for 2017.*  These are not only Jewish Holy Days.  In Leviticus 23:2 Yehovah tells us, “These are My appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.”  They are Yehovah’s specially appointed times available to all His followers.  Mark your calendar and plan ahead to participate with Yehovah on His Holy Days!

On the Hebrew/Biblical calendar a day begins and ends at dusk (See Genesis 1).
Accordingly, each of these Feasts begins and ends at sundown.

• Feast of Trumpets:  October 2-3, 2016
• Day of Atonement: October 11-12, 2016
• Feast of Tabernacles/Shelters/Harvest: October 16-23, 2016
• The Eighth Day: October 23-24, 2016
• Passover: April 11-12, 2017
• Feast of Unleavened Breads: April 12-19, 2017
• Feast of First Fruits: April 15-16, 2017
• Counting the Omer: April 15 – June 3, 2017
• Feast of Weeks/Pentecost: June 3-4, 2017

A Chronological Look at How Jesus Spent his Last Week Leading up to Passover

http://jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/v18-n08/03

Saturday and Sunday

Jesus drew near to Jerusalem,1 arriving at Bethany six days before Passover,2 on Saturday. Jesus was anointed at Simon the leper's house.3 On Sunday, a great crowd came to Bethany to see Jesus.4

Monday

The next day5 Jesus entered Jerusalem,6 visited the temple7 and returned to Bethany. It was Nisan 10, when the Passover lambs were selected. Likewise, the entry into Jerusalem was the day when Jesus presented himself as Israel's Paschal Lamb.

Tuesday

On the way from Bethany to Jerusalem, Jesus cursed the fig tree,8 and in Jerusalem he challenged the temple practice of selling on the premises.9 Some religious leaders began to plot ways to kill him. That evening Jesus left Jerusalem, presumably returning to Bethany.10

Wednesday

On the way to Jerusalem, the disciples saw the withered fig tree.11 At the temple in Jerusalem, Jesus' authority and wisdom was questioned by some religious leaders.12 That afternoon Jesus went to the Mount of Olives and delivered his discourse to those assembled.13 Two additional things occurred on that day: (1) Jesus predicted that in two days he would be crucified at the time of the Passover;14 and (2) Judas planned the betrayal of Jesus with some religious leaders.15

Thursday

Jesus and his disciples prepared the Passover lamb,16 and they had their seder meal together.17 Jesus shared heartfelt words with his disciples and offered an intercessory prayer in their behalf.18 They arrived at the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus suffered in agony awaiting what was to come.19 Later that night Jesus was betrayed and arrested.20 He was tried first by Annas and later by Caiaphas and other religious leaders.21

Friday

Early in the morning, Jesus was tried by the Sanhedrin, Pilate, Herod Antipas, and Pilate again.22 He was led to the cross and crucified at 9 a.m. and died at 3 p.m. and was buried later that day.23 Jesus died at the time when the Passover lambs were being sacrificed.

Saturday

Jesus' body was in the tomb during the Sabbath, and the Pharisees hired Roman guards to keep watch of the tomb.24

Sunday

Christ was resurrected from the dead.25 His was the first of many resurrections to come, in which it was a type of first fruits offering. (First fruit offerings were made on the day after the Sabbath.)26

End Notes

1. John 11:55
2. John 12:1
3. Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; John 12:1–8
4. John 12:9–11
5. John 12:12
6. Matthew 21:1–9; Mark 11:1–10; Luke 19:28–40; John 12:12–19
7. Matthew 21:10–11; Mark 11:11
8. Matthew 21:18–19; Mark 11:12–14
9. Matthew 21:12–13; Mark 11:15–17; Luke 19:45–46
10. Mark 11:18–19; Luke 19:47–48
11. Matthew 21:20–22; Mark 11:20–26
12. Matthew 21:23–23:39; Mark 11:27–12:44; Luke 20:1–21:4
13. Matthew 24:1–25:46; Mark 13:1–27; Luke 21:5–36
14. Matthew 26:1–5; Mark 14:1–2; Luke 22:1–2
15. Matthew 26:14–16; Mark 14:10–11; Luke 22:3–6
16. Matthew 26:17–19; Mark 14:12–16; Luke 22:7–13
17. Matthew 26:20–30; Mark 14:17–26; Luke 22:14–30
18. Matthew 26:30–35; Mark 14:26–31; Luke 22:31–39; John 15:1–18:1
19. Matthew 26:36–46; Mark 14:32–42; Luke 22:39–46; John 18:1
20. Matthew 26:46–56; Mark 14:43–52; Luke 22:47–53; John 18:2–12
21. Matthew 26:57–75; Mark 14:53–72; Luke 22:54–65; John 18:13–27
22. Matthew 27:1–30; Mark 15:1–19; Luke 22:66–23:25; John 18:28–19:16
23. Matthew 27:31–60; Mark 15:20–46; Luke 23:26–54; John 19:16–42
24. Matthew 27:61–66; Mark 15:47; Luke 23:55–56
25. Matthew 28:1–15; Mark 16:1–13; Luke 24:1–35
26. Leviticus 23:9–14; 1 Corinthians 15:23

The Seven Festivals of the Messiah

The Seven Festivals of the Messiah

By Eddie Chumney

CHAPTER 1

THE APPOINTED FEASTS

UNDERSTANDING THE FEASTS

      The festivals of the L-rd found in Leviticus (Vayikra) 23 were given to us by G-d so His people could understand the coining of the Messiah (Mashiach) and the role that the Messiah (Mashiach) would play in redeeming and restoring both man and the earth back to G-d following the fall of man in the Garden of Eden (Gan Eden). Although most non-Jewish Bible believers have heard of the feasts, the deep meaning and the importance of these feasts are almost universally not understood.
      The apostle Paul (Rav Sha'ul) wrote to the Gentile believers in Colossae that the feasts of the L-rd, the new moon, and the Sabbath (shabbat) days were a shadow of things to come to teach us about the Messiah (Mashiach) (Colossians 2:16-17). Yeshua (the Hebrew name for Jesus, which means "salvation") was the substance or fulfillment of the greater plan that G-d revealed and foreshadowed in these seven important festivals. To all the readers who are familiar with the festivals, you will be fascinated to discover that the first four feasts or festivals, which are Passover (Pesach), Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzah), First Fruits (Bikkurim), and Pentecost (Shavuot), primarily teach about the significant events m the first coming of the Messiah (Mashiach) and why these events were an important part of G-d's redemption of man. In addition, you will discover that the last three feasts, which are the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah; also known as Rosh HaShanah), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles (Sukkot), give fascinating insight concerning important events that surround the second coming of the Messiah (Mashiach).

WHY STUDY THE FEASTS?

      Many non-Jewish Bible believers wonder why they should study and observe the feasts. I believe there are two good reasons. First, although all Bible believers love G-d with all their heart and seek to serve Him daily, most Bible believers do not have an in-depth understanding of the Bible and do not understand the deep depth of the personal relationship that G-d desires us to have with Him. Most Bible believers understand their personal relationship with G-d the same way I viewed my personal relationship with G-d for many, many years: Attend the local congregation of your choice faithfully and regularly, and be a good, moral, honest, and decent person in living your daily life. Because that was all I knew, that was what I accepted. However, G-d began to teach me and show me the deeper things concerning my personal relationship with Him, and a spiritual understanding of the festivals was a big key to unlocking this mystery. If you are a Bible believer and you desire to understand G-d in a greater way than you do today, the festivals will reveal to you the deeper things concerning your personal relationship with Him.
      Secondly, the festivals are G-d's feasts and His appointed times that we are to observe (Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:1-2,4). G-d gave the festivals to teach about the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah (Mashiach); the empowering of the believers by the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh); the resurrection of the dead; the coronation of the Messiah; the wedding of the Messiah; the tribulation (Chevlai shel Mashiach); the second coming of the Messiah; the millennium (the Messianic age or the Athid Lavo); and much, much more.
      The Bible provides several powerful reasons for studying and understanding the seven festivals of the Messiah:

1. The feasts are in the Bible, and all the Bible is inspired by G-d (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
2. The feasts are a shadow of things to come that teach us about the Messiah (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:1).
3. The feasts are prophetic types and examples foreshadowing significant events in G-d's plan of redemption (1 Corinthians 10:1-6,11).
4. G-d gave the feasts so we could learn and understand G-d's plan of redemption for the world and our personal relationship to Him (Romans 15:4).
5. The feasts, as part of the Torah (which means "instruction"), are as a schoolmaster or tutor that leads us to the Messiah (Galatians 3:24).
6. The feasts will point to the Messiah and G-d's plan for the world through the Messiah (Psalm [Tehillim] 40:6-8; Hebrews 10:7).
7. Yeshua (Jesus) came to fulfill all that was written in the Old Testament (Tanach), which consists of three parts: the Torah, the prophets (Nevi'im), and the writings (Ketuvim - personified by the Psalms) concerning Him (Luke 24:26-27,44-45; John [Yochanan] 5:46-47).
8. The feasts set forth the pattern of heavenly things on earth (Hebrews 8:1-2,5; 9:8-9,23; Exodus [Shemot] 25:8-9,40; 26:30; Numbers [Bamidbar] 8:4; Ezekiel [Yechezekel] 43:1-6,10-12).
9. G-d gives the natural to explain the spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:46-47).
10. By studying the natural, we can understand the spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:9-13; 2 Corinthians 4:18).

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE WORD FEAST IN THE BIBLE?

      Two important Hebrew words appear in Leviticus (Vayikra) chapter 23, and each word is translated as feast in English. In verse 2, the word for feast is the Hebrew word mo'ed, as it is written, "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, concerning the feasts [mo'ed] of the Lord...." The word mo'ed means "an appointment, a fixed time or season, a cycle or year, an assembly, an appointed time, a set time or exact time.²   By understanding the Hebrew meaning of the English word feast, we can see that G-d is telling us that He is ordaining a "set time or exact time or an appointed time" when He has an appointment with humanity to fulfill certain events in the redemption. In fact, Yeshua (Jesus) came to earth at the exact time ordained by G-d (Galatians 4:2,4), and G-d has an exact time or set appointment when, in the future, He will judge the world (Acts 17:31).
      In verse 6 is another Hebrew word translated as feast, as it is written, "And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast [chag] of unleavened bread...." The Hebrew word chag, which means a "festival,"³  is derived from the Hebrew root word chagag, which means "to move in a circle, to march in a sacred procession, to celebrate, dance, to hold a solemn feast or holiday." By this we can see that G-d gave the festivals as cycles to be observed yearly so that, by doing them, we can understand G-d's redemptive plan for the world; the role that the Messiah (Yeshua) would play in that redemption; and our personal relationship to G-d concerning how we grow from a baby Bible believer to a mature Bible believer. Although G-d gave us the festivals to observe, G-d never gave the festivals so we would obtain salvation from Him by observing them because salvation only comes by faith (emunah); however, G-d did give the festivals for the purpose of teaching and instructing His people concerning His plan of redemption and our personal relationship to Him.

THE APPOINTED PLACE

      The feasts are not only G-d's appointed times, but also were to be observed at G-d's appointed place. G-d said that He would choose a place and that it would be a set place where His redemptive plan would be accomplished. Passover (Pesach), the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (Shavuot), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) were to be observed at an appointed place (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 16:2,6,9-11, 13-16). This place was Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) (2 Kings [Melachim] 21:4). From this we can see that Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) was appointed by G-d to be the place where important events surrounding the redemptive plan of G-d would be accomplished. Yeshua (Jesus) died, was buried, and resurrected in Jerusalem. The empowering of the believers by the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) took place in Jerusalem. Messiah (Yeshua) will return and set His foot on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:4) and Jerusalem will be the center of world attention and controversy before the coming of the Messiah (Zechariah 12:2-3; 14:2-4).

THREE TIMES A YEAR THEY WERE TO ASSEMBLE

      Although there are a total of seven feasts (the divine number for perfection or completeness in the Bible), G-d divided the seven festivals into three major festival seasons. The feasts of Passover (Pesach), Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzah), and First Fruits (Bikkurim) are in the Hebrew month of Nisan, which is the first month of G-d's religious calendar in the spring of the year. (We'll examine this calendar a little later.) The Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), or Pentecost, is observed in the third month, which is the Hebrew month of Sivan. The Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), Atonement (Yom Kippur), and Tabernacles (Sukkot) are observed in the seventh month of Tishrei, which is in the fall of the year (Exodus [Shemot] 23:14-17; 34:22-23: Deuteronomy [Devarim] 16:16-17). Three is the number of complete and perfect testimony and witness (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 17:6; 19:15; Matthew [Mattityahu] 18:19-20; Luke 24:44-45; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19; 1 John [Yochanan] 5:8). So the feasts are a witness to G-d's divine plan and the role of Messiah (Yeshua) fulfilling that plan. This is the message being communicated to Bible believers concerning the three major festival periods in the year.
      Traditionally, non-Jewish Bible believers understand the festivals to be exclusively Jewish feasts. However, Leviticus (Vayikra) 23:1-2,4 tells us very clearly that these are festivals of the L-rd . In reality, G-d in His divine wisdom instructed us that these festivals are for both Jew and non-Jew, and are to be celebrated jointly with each other (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 16:10-11, 14-16). In Deuteronomy (Devarim) 16:11, 14, the word translated in English as stranger is the Hebrew word ger, which means the non-Jew (Bible-believing Gentile) who has joined himself to the Jewish people. Therefore, the L-rd is the Host of the festivals and all Bible believers are His invited guests.

THE BIBLICAL CALENDAR

      In order to fully understand and appreciate the feasts being appointed times given by G-d, it is important to understand the biblical calendar that G-d gave us. There are two primary calendars in the Bible. The first is called the civil calendar and is used from Genesis (Bereishit) 1:1 to Exodus (Shemot) 12. The first month in the civil calendar is Tishrei. Rosh HaShanah (the Jewish New Year), the first day in the civil calendar, is the beginning of the new year. The second calendar in the Bible is the religious calendar. The religious calendar is used from Exodus (Shemot) 12 to Revelation 22. G-d established the religious calendar in Exodus (Shemot) 12:2, as it is written, "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you." The month that G-d was referring to was the month of Aviv (Exodus 13:4), which is now called the month of Nisan. Prior to G-d's establishing the month of Nisan as the first month in the religious calendar, it was the seventh month in the civil calendar. G-d gave the religious calendar so we could understand that these feasts, which He gave and which are His appointed times and foreshadow important events in the redemption, would happen on the days He ordained on the religious calendar. These important days on the religious calendar are the same days that He gave as festivals in Leviticus (Vayikra) 23.
      Another understanding for G-d giving a civil calendar and a religious calendar is that everyone who accepts the Messiah (Yeshua) into his heart by faith (emunah) experiences two birthdays. Just like Tishrei 1 is the first day on the civil calendar and Nisan 1 is the first day on the religious calendar, everyone who accepts the Messiah (Yeshua) into his life has a physical (civil) birthday when he was born into the world and a spiritual (religious) birthday the day he accepts the Messiah into his life. The following chart illustrates both types of calendars, showing the names of the months in the biblical calendar.

THE BIBLICAL CALENDAR

       Civil Calendar/Religious Calendar

              1. Tishrei                1. Nisan (Aviv)

              2. Cheshvan            2. Iyar

              3. Kislev                 3. Sivan

              4. Tevet                  4. Tammuz

              5. Shevat                5. Av

              6. Adar                   6. Elul

              7. Nisan (Aviv)         7. Tishrei

              8. Iyar                    8. Cheshvan

              9. Sivan                 9. Kislev

             10. Tammuz           10. Tevet

             11. Av                    11. Shevat

             12. Elul                  12. Adar

Hebraic Heritage Ministries International

Back to Index

http://www.churchofgoddfw.com/monthly/jesus.shtml The Passover of Jesus By Dianne D. McDonnell Many are confused about the "Passover" that Jesus ate the last evening of his life. Why was it so important to Jesus? What does it mean to us today as Christians? How does it all tie together? Many churches refer to it as "the last supper" but that is not what our Messiah called it. It was a Passover meal. And Jesus knew ahead of time that he would die at Passover time. What is the significance of this? Why did Jesus say: "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." Luke 22:15, 16. And yet the next morning the Jews who wanted Jesus to be condemned said they would not enter Pilate's palace because "they wanted to be able to eat the Passover," John 18:28. They were planning to eat a Passover meal that evening twenty-four hours after the meal that Jesus called Passover. Jesus did not indicate in any way that his Passover was an "early" Passover as some teach. How do we understand all these things? Did God pick Passover day as the day Jesus would die for us? God does not do things randomly, and the death of Jesus Christ on a certain day was pre-planned for an important reason!  Jesus understood that reason but most Christians today don't understand at all. This article will explain the awesome meaning of these events, explain the seeming contradictions, and what it all means to YOU personally. The Israelites first kept Passover as slaves in Egypt. God instructed the people to sacrifice a lamb on the evening which was the beginning of the 14th day of their first month. The lamb's blood was painted on the facings around their doors and that night the Death Angel came overhead and "passed over" the houses that were marked by the blood. All who were firstborn among the Egyptians died that night but God spared the Israelites who had painted the lamb's blood around their doors. See Exodus 12. What was the symbolic meaning of this event? John the Baptist was inspired by God to call Jesus "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"  See John 1:29, 36. Did the lambs sacrificed at Passover really symbolized Jesus who would save all mankind by the shedding of his blood as a sacrifice for our sins? Did Jesus actually die on Passover day? Does that mean that we should honor the day that Jesus called Passover? Wasn't he already dead when the Jews ate their Passover? How does it all fit together? The Passover of Jesus is critical for all Christiansﾅ\may God help us to understand it! A Biblical day begins at sunset, and the night portion of the day comes first, then the daylight part of each day. Sunset begins a new day as shown in the chart comparing Roman days with the older Biblical day: Biblical Day begins at sunset Biblical Day begins at sunset - Night Night Daylight Night Night Daylight Night - Roman Day begins at midnight Roman Day begins at midnight So when Jesus was eating his Passover meal it was after dark on the first part of the day on the 14th of Abib. He had observed Passover many times before but he knew this one would be his last as a human being. Jesus knew he would die before the next sunset ended that Passover day! After the meal he was arrested that same night, tried early the next morning and crucified from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Then Joseph took down his body, prepared it for burial, and put the body into his own tomb before Passover day was ended by sunset starting the next day. As the Bible counts time, Jesus died on the same day that he ate his Passover meal. He became our Passover Lamb that day! But why were the Jews referring to a Passover night twenty-four hours later, on the 15th of Abib? God set aside two days of memorial and celebration side by side. One, the 14th, marked the final plague upon the Egyptians and the saving of the Israelites on Passover night. During the morning part of the 14th the Israelites plundered the Egyptians as wages for their 430 years of bondage, then packed their meager belongings, and quickly baked unleavened bread to eat on their journey. When sunset marked the beginning of the 15th the Israelites left Egypt by night with a pillar of fire leading the way! God ordered the Israelites to remember that day every year as The First Day of Unleavened Bread. He told them they were to keep it as a day of rest and worship. It was a yearly "Sabbath" but it could fall on any day of the week. They were to prepare for it ahead of time. So there were TWO separate events to remember side by side. One was the night the Death Angel passed over because of the blood of the lamb, the 14th of Abib. The second event was the following night when they left Egypt free at last due to the great power of God! Over the years some Jews began to merge the two events together and observe the Passover on the 15thﾅ\the night set aside to remember coming out of Egypt. Some Jews remained true to the original orders of God. The Jews at Qumran, made famous by the Dead Sea Scrolls, observed the 14th as Passover and the 15th as The First Day of Unleavened Bread.[1] In the first century time of the early Christians there was a disagreement among Jews about which day should be called Passover. [2]Jesus kept Passover on the 14th as God originally decreed. Next is a chart revealing the events of the Passover of Jesus and the following day. Understanding the Passover of Jesus (Abib is the First Month of the Year in God's Calendar) March/April of the Roman Calendar 14th of Abib PASSOVER (Evening portion of the day, as each Biblical day begins at sunset.)   15th of Abib  FIRST DAY of UNLEAVENED BREAD (Evening portion of the day, as each Biblical day begins at sunset.) Jesus calls this evening meal Passover commemorating the night the death angel passed over. It begins at sunset, the start of the 14th day. Luke 22:15, Lev 23:5, Exodus 12:27, Num 9:3 Jesus washes his disciples feet after the Passover meal. Jesus prays as his disciples sleep, then is betrayed by Judas and arrested.              (Work can be done on this day, and it is also called Preparation Day, Luke 23:54) A yearly Sabbath that can fall on any day of the week. Called a "High Sabbath" John 19:31. This night commemorates leaving behind slavery and being free. Exodus 12:42  and John 8:34-36.      (Some call this evening the Night to be Much Observed.) First of 3 Nights in the Tomb for Jesus ﾅ\ Matthew 12:40 Many 1st Century Jews called the 15th of Abib "Passover" as Jews do today, but Jesus called the 14th the Passover. PASSOVER continues into the daylight part of the day. FIRST DAY of Unleavened Bread goes into daylight part of the day. Jesus is brought before Pilate and Herod Crucifixion begins at 9 a.m. Darkness begins at noon and lasts for three hours. Jesus dies at 3:00 p.m. and becomes our Passover Lamb An earthquake splits the Temple veil, Matt 27:50-51. Joseph prepares Jesus' body for burial right before sunset. The women see where tomb is, go home, and rest as sunset begins the First Day of Unleavened Bread. The First of 3 Days in the Tomb for Jesus     A Holy Day of Rest and Worship       Mary Magdalene and the other women rest according to the Biblical commandment to rest on this yearly Sabbath, even though it was not the seventh day of the week. (Luke 23:56, Lev 23:7). Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 NIV, "ﾅcChrist, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival (or Feast in other translations)ﾅc" Paul is pointing out the need to observe both days that God set aside! All the Spring Holy Days have deep meaning for Christians as this chart explains: Days that God Calls His Own Old Testament Meaning New Testament Meaning See these verses In the Bible Passover Lamb's blood protects as Death Angel passes over. The day that Jesus, the Lamb of God, died for us saving us from the death penalty for our sins. Exodus 12, Lev 23 John 1:29, 36. 1 Peter 1:18-19. 1 Cor 5:7-8. John 14:6 1st Day ofUnleavened Bread or Feast of Unleavened Bread Leaving Egypt in triumph, free from slavery, and looking forward to the Promised Land Accepting Jesus, Christians are no longer slaves to sin, now looking forward to eternal life in God's Kingdom. John 8:34-36 1 Peter 1:13-22. 7 Day period of Eating Unleavened Bread Eating unleavened Bread, and escaping from Pharaoh's army pursuing them Jesus is Resurrected on 4th day of UB! We escape from sin while obeying Jesus throughout our lives Matt 12:39-40 John 6:32-40 John 11:25 Luke 11:28 Matt 28:20 7th and Last Day of Unleavened Bread Day of Celebration, Rest and worship Christians are resurrected and given Eternal Life after a lifetime of resisting sin. Matt 13:43 Matt 16:27 Rev 20:4 John 6:44-51 We are to keep Passover evening when Jesus instituted the bread and wine symbols of his body and blood, and the yearly Sabbath day that begins seven days of eating bread made without leavening.  Since Jesus is our sacrifice we do not need to offer a lamb sacrifice[3], but we need to remember that leavening --baking powder, yeast, and baking soda, all represent sin during these seven days. We are to remove these products from our houses, together with all food that is leavened in the same way that we must put aside our sins and renounce them when we accept Jesus as our Savior. The unleavened bread represents Jesus, John 6:47-51; Luke 22:19. We leave behind our slavery to sin just as the Israelites left behind slavery in Egypt. See Jesus' words in John 8:34-36. And at the end of the seven days of eating unleavened bread with our meals, God commanded an additional day to be observed as a yearly Sabbath, the Last Day of Unleavened Bread, Leviticus 23:1-8. Since Biblical days begin and end differently than the days we are familiar with it can be difficult to keep it all straight. Here is how these days fall in our Roman calendar in 2010: Passover evening memorial service with the symbols of bread and wine is held on Sunday night, the evening of March 28. The next day, Monday, March 29 continues Passover day and is the day when Jesus died for us. Work may be done on this day. The night of celebrating ending our slavery to sin behind, is on the evening of Monday, March 29, and is celebrated with a feast meal. We are to avoid all leavening and leavened products for seven days and have our houses free of leavening which represents sin during this period. The rest and worship day called the First Day of Unleavened Bread continues into Tuesday, March 30. It is a yearly Sabbath and no work is to be done other than the preparing of food. Unleavened bread should be eaten every day together with our other food. The Last Day of Unleavened Bread is on Monday, April 5. The time of eating bread without leavening and avoiding all leavened products ends at sunset this night. God made Passover a pivotal part of His plan for mankind. We need to honor that day, and as Christians STOP ignoring the time our Savior called Passover. We are NOT told to pick when we want to commemorate a "Last Supper" however we wish to do it. We are given a specific time, and a certain day of the year to take the bread and wine, and we are given a specific seven days to remember to get sin, symbolized by leavening, OUT of our lives. We are given times to remember, days to celebrate and times to act out the life-long process of living free of sin because we have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus our Savior and his Way of Life. It was important to Jesus and it should be important to us as followers of Christ! What an honor it is to finally understand the true meaning of these days! May God help each of us to treat them with respect for they outline God's own Plan! They reveal how He brings mankind to Himself! The Simplicity of the Gospel is portrayed every Spring in the days that He has ordered us to observe. This year if you prayerfully participate in these days and let it all sink in, you should begin to comprehend how these days reveal God's own magnificent Plan and your own part within His Plan. God's Plan includes loving and saving you, not just now but for all eternity! But you must have a heart that responds in a willingness to obey, and a heart overflowing with love and reverence for Him. _____________________________________________________ [1] The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English by Geza Vermes, page 336.  The 14th was called Passover according to the Calendars of Priestly Courses, 4Q320-30. Also see translations of The Temple Scroll XVII, as both the 14th and the 15th are described separately. The 14th is the day that the lamb was killed and the 15th is a yearly Sabbath rest which falls on a week day. Ibid, Page 194, 195. [2] Some first century Jews argued for the 14th of Abib, some argued for the 15th. See articles by L. H. Schiffman, an expert on Jewish religion in the first century. [3] The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English by Geza Vermes, pages 82 and 110. In the latter part of the first century, the Qumran Community who called themselves "Sons of Light" did not kill a lamb at Passover unlike the rest of the Jews of that time, but considered prayer as "an acceptable fragrance of righteousness". 1QS-IX, 4-5. Their community was destroyed by the Roman army in about 68 A.D. and their scrolls which were hidden in caves were not discovered until hundreds of years later. Don't hesitate to share these papers with friends and associates, always include this and the following paragraph in all copies. Please ask for permission before reproducing the content in any form. Copyright © 1999-2014 Freedom Ministry. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole, or in part, without the express written consent of the publisher, Freedom Ministry.

Pastor Dianne D. McDonnell, Freedom Ministry P. O. Box 976, Marble Falls, Texas 78654-0976 — Voice Mail: 512-302-6707