Pesach: A Sweet Celebration

A couple of weeks ago we observed/celebrated our second Pesach {Passover} since walking fully in both believing Yahshua {Jesus} is our oh so Wonderful Savior and being obedient to YHWH’s Words, His Torah. It was so nice to be in a house where it actually feels like family {not something we’ve really experienced since moving away from our home town, now 7 years ago}, and to participate in our Father’s commanded Feast days.

Unfortunately, many today don’t believe that our Father’s Feast days are for us, but rather they are a “Jewish” thing. I myself didn’t fully understand it for many years until our Father opened up my eyes to see His Truth.

In Exodus 12:11 we are told: “It is YHWH’s Pesach.” And again in verse 14, “This will be a day for you to remember and celebrate as a festival to YHWH; from generation to generation you are to celebrate it by a perpetual regulation.” Leviticus 23 gives us the list of Appointed Times/Set-apart days and it starts with: “YHWH said to Moshe (Moses), ‘Tell the people of Isra’el: ‘The designated times of YHWH which you are to proclaim as holy convocations are MY designated times.” We can see it doesn’t say “the Jewish people” or “these are the Jewish designated times” but rather they are our Father’s appointed times and He was speaking to all of Isra’el.

It’s also unfortunate that far too many of us are not taught this well enough. We’re not taught the truth of the matter: the Jews are but one tribe out of the 12 tribes (Y’hudah/Judah) and if we choose to become a part of our Father’s family, we are then grafted into His family, Isra’el:

So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers. On the contrary, you are fellow citizens with Elohim’s people and members of Elohim’s family.”

Ephesians 2:19

Also, if you belong to Messiah, then you are Abraham’s seed – heirs according to the promise.”

Galatians 3:29

This means we are heirs according to the covenant made with Abraham, which also means, if we’re grafted into the family, we need to be following the family’s house rules, which so happens to be the Word of YHWH, His Torah. And we have wonderful examples to follow: Yahshua, our Savior followed His Father’s Torah; Peter and all of the other disciples and even Paul. Such great examples of what it means to walk in grace: knowing we’re saved and free to follow all of YHWH’s Words, His precious Torah which isn’t too hard or grievous for us:

“For this mitzvah (precept or commandment) that I Am commanding you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it far off. It isn’t in the sky, so that you need to ask, ‘Who will go up into the sky for us, bring it to us and make us hear it, so we can obey it?’ Likewise, it isn’t beyond the sea, so that you need to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea for us, bring it to us and make us hear it, so that we can obey it?’ On the contrary, the Word is very close to you – in your mouth, even in your heart; therefore, you can do it!” Deuteronomy 30:11-14

So we can see that we are able to participate in His Feast days because a). we’re grafted into His family and b). it’s not too hard for us to do!

Something I find interesting about our Father’s commanded Holy days is that many are centered around food, most of them are called feasts after all. Pesach: the lamb. Unleavened Bread: bread made without yeast. First Fruits: the best of our crops. Yom Kippur: a day of fasting… {There are many other interesting things to note about food and the Bible, which I have written about and you can check out here.}

OK, back to Pesach & The Feast of Unleavened Bread.

There is so much significance when it comes to these to Set-Apart events. When we are looking at our Father’s Feast Days we need to be open to seeing both the history of the events as well as the future of these events. And I believe we need to see them as rehearsals as well. We are rehearsing for when our Beloved Savior and Father return.

In the very first Pesach the event went as follows:

1 YHWH spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt; he said, 2 “You are to begin your calendar with this month; it will be the first month of the year for you. 3 Speak to all the assembly of Isra’el and say, ‘On the tenth day of this month, each man is to take a lamb or kid for his family, one per household – 4except that if the household is too small for a whole lamb or kid, then he and his next-door neighbor should share one, dividing it in proportion to the number of people eating it. 5 Your animal must be without defect, a male in its first year, and you may choose it from either the sheep or the goats. 6 “‘You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, and then the entire assembly of the community of Isra’el will slaughter it at dusk. 7 They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the two sides and top of the door-frame at the entrance of the house in which they eat it. 8 That night, they are to eat the meat, roasted in the fire; they are to eat it with matzah and maror. 9 Don’t eat it raw or boiled, but roasted in the fire, with its head, the lower parts of its legs and its inner organs. 10 Let nothing of it remain till morning; if any of it does remain, burn it up completely. 11 “‘Here is how you are to eat it: with your belt fastened, your shoes on your feet and your staff in your hand; and you are to eat it hurriedly. It is YHWH’s Pesach [Passover]. 12 For that night, I will pass through the land of Egypt and kill all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both men and animals; and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt; I am YHWH. 13The blood will serve you as a sign marking the houses where you are; when I see the blood, I will pass over [Hebrew: pasach] you – when I strike the land of Egypt, the death blow will not strike you. 14 “‘This will be a day for you to remember and celebrate as a festival to YHWH; from generation to generation you are to celebrate it by a perpetual regulation.

Exodus 12: 1-14 CJB

So the lamb’s blood on the doorposts saved their households from the death of the firstborn when the Ruach Hakodesh {Set-apart Spirit/Holy Spirit}, passed over the houses. The connection now is that Yahshua is our Lamb and we are now saved by His blood. The Exodus itself has so much rich meaning as well. I encourage you to go back and read the story, in its entirety, asking our Heavenly Father to show you what He wants you to see. Ask Him for His truth about the meanings. Ask Him to show you the significance of the story that actually happened then, and the significance for us now.

When we chose Yahshua and our Father, we too were brought up out of the land of Egypt. Oh, Praise Him! And through the grace of our Messiah, we are no longer slaves; we are free to follow Him and obey Him.

The problem with Easter is that it’s rooted in paganism and actually goes all the way back to Genesis 6, and has to do with Nimrod. It’s all about the goddess Ishtar/Astarte {where we get “easter” from} and the sun god, Baal {which is where the sunrise service comes from as well}. It comes from Babylonian practices. There was a divide that came in and the Romans {Catholics} changed so much. A divide happened between true followers of Yahshua as Messiah, who also followed the Torah, and the followers who were choosing into intermix the pagan ways {it also has to do with Constantine and the council of Nicea}. There’s so much history here, far too much for me to get into on this already long piece; I suggest you research it and see what it is that you’re actually celebrating when partaking in Easter and it’s activities.

Here are some articles written to help get you started:

https://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/HWA/k/465/Plain-Truth-About-Easter.htm

https://rcg.org/books/ttooe.html

We’re Called to Come out of Babylon

Therefore YHWH says,

“Go out from their midst; separate yourselves; don’t even touch what is unclean. Then I myself will receive you. In fact, I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters.”

says YHWH-Tzva’ot (of Hosts).

2 Corinthians 6:17-18

We are not called to take part in Babylonian ways, instead, we’re called to come out of her. Revelation 18 talks about coming out of her; Jeremiah 51:6 tells us to flee from her; as does Isaiah 52:11. My hope & prayer for you, this year, is that if you are desiring to draw closer to our dear Heavenly Father and His Son, our Savior, Yahshua, I encourage you this season, instead of choosing to participate in the very pagan holiday of Easter, choose our Father’s feast days and participate in His Pesach and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Instead of seeking the fertility goddess’ rabbit eggs, seek our Father and His Kingdom first. Instead of participating in sun-god worship on Sunday morning, participate in worshiping the One True God, Elohim, in how He asks us to worship Him.

I believe by choosing His day’s over society’s days, and choosing to seek Him and worship Him the way He asks us to, then He will draw closer to us and our faith will be deepened and strengthened.

Here is what YHWH says: “Don’t learn the way of the nations {heathen/pagan}, don’t be frightened by astrological signs, even if the nations are afraid of them; for the customs of the peoples are nothing. They cut down a tree in the forest; a craftsman works it with his axe; they deck it with silver and gold. They fix it with hammer and nails, so that it won’t move.”

Jeremiah 10:2-4 CJB

Please note, I am not recommending or telling you to slaughter a lamb or perform a sacrifice. Not one of us will be able to perform Pesach and the Feast of Unleavened Bread perfectly. We are told in Deuteronomy 16 that we are not to do the sacrifice of the lamb in just any town, “but at the place where YHWH your Elohim will choose to have His Name live.” We are not in the place He has chosen to have His Name live; yes, Yahshua lives in us, however, there’s still a difference. We do not have a temple or the Levitical Priesthood to perform the ritual the way YHWH commanded, and Yahshua is our Pesach Lamb.

In our family, we do cook lamb, and we have participated in a modified version of a Seder that included foot washing among one’s own family. This year we also hung up our red table cloth around the inside of the door, just as a reminder for us, and I stayed up late reading the Scriptures as per Exodus 12:42. The best way to follow His ways is to read them, pray over it and keep it simple: Clear the house of all leaven products {here is an in-depth article about this topic}; have roasted lamb, bitter herbs and unleavened bread; read Exodus 12 and Matthew 26:7-30; take part in communion; pray and don’t eat leavened bread for 7 days.

I encourage you not to get caught up in Talmudic rituals, but rather pray about it sincerely choosing to trust that our dear Heavenly Father will lead you when you seek Him fully. For an easy way to follow His commanded set-apart days open up your Bible and read Leviticus 23. For Pesach and Unleavened Bread you can find it in Exodus 12; Exodus 34:18-26; Leviticus 23:5-8; Numbers 9:1-14; Deuteronomy 16:1-8. These set-apart days are also found in numerous passages in the New Testament.

Dear friends, may you have a blessed and sweet celebration this Pesach and Feast of Unleavened Bread.