HaGadol

This Sabbath is called The Great Sabbath, or Shabbat Hagadol in Hebrew. This is because it is the sabbath before Passover. Passover is the ordained feast of the LORD remembering how the LORD miraculously protected His people from the angel of death in the final plague against Egypt, and caused Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of slavery, and out of Egypt. The Israelites were commanded by God to select a lamb for each household on the tenth day of Aviv. On the fourteenth of the month of Aviv, the Passover lamb was sacrificed, and its blood was applied with a hyssop branch to the doorposts (sides) and lintels (crosspiece at the top of the door) of each house. When applied, the blood stains also made the shape of the cross. The lamb itself was to be eaten until there was none left. When the angel of death saw the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts and lintels of the house, he would "pass over", or spare, the house. The Egyptians, whose doorposts wouldn't be marked with the blood, would suffer the death of the firstborn in each household: "For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever." (Ex. 12:23-24). Rabbis teach that when the lamb was selected on the tenth day of Aviv in preparation for that first Passover in Egypt, it took place on Shabbat Hagadol, the Sabbath before the actual Passover, which would occur four days later. On that Shabbat HaGadol, they teach in the Code of Jewish Laws (Orach Chayim 430:1) that a miracle occurred. The Isrelites were able to select the lambs without being stoned to death by the Egyptians (see Ex. 8:25-27). It was considered blasphemy against the Egyptian god Amun-Ra, the sun god, to kill and eat any animal of the ram family, because the depictions of Amun-Ra included ram's heads. However, as a result of a miracle, the Israelites were able to select and keep the lambs to be used for the Passover. In this feast of Passover from Exodus, we see a direct confrontation between the LORD and the oppression of Egypt against His people, which resulted in the plague of death. Another part of this week's Sabbath reading is from Malachi 3, and is specifically to be read for The Great Sabbath before Passover. Although the Passover is not mentioned in this portion of reading from Malachi, it has been assigned as part of the Passover understanding. Therefore it is a mystery, and we must uncover its pertinence to Passover. It is no coincidence that like the first Passover in Exodus, we are given a prophetic promise concerning the appearing of the Lord, the preparation necessary by His people, and the judgment on the wicked that will accompany His appearing. According to these verses in Mal. 3, there is one who is going to come to prepare the way for the Lord, and then: "And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,' says the LORD of hosts. 'But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like launderer's soap...He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness." (Mal. 3:1-3). Here we have the announcement of the appearing of the Lord, and the preparation of His people for the event, as we had with the Passover and the applying of the lamb's blood to the doorposts. Again, His people have to prepare themselves becauae judgment will be carried out with the Lord's appearing, as it was with the Egyptians: "And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien - because they do not fear Me,' says the LORD of hosts. 'For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed , O sons of Jacob....Return to Me, and I will return to you,' says the LORD of hosts." (Mal. 3:5-7). Because this reading portion is included as a reading for Shabbat HaGadol, I am beginning to see that the first Passover as a warfare event that is repeated in the Gospels' appearance of Jesus, as well as in the prophecies of His return, as we will see. We read that Jesus and His disciples observed the Passover, and shared a Passover meal, or Seder, together. On that Passover before Jesus died, scripture says that Satan entered into Judas Iscariot at the same time that the chief priests sought how they might kill Jesus (Lk. 22:1-3). It is the unleavened bread of the Passover meal that Jesus identified as His body broken for us, and the wine of the Passover Seder as His blood given for the New Covenant of salvation: "Then He (Jesus) said to them, 'With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer...And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' Likewise, He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you." (Lk. 22:15-20). Our communion remembrance comes from that Passover Seder. Jesus died on the cross on the Passover, at the same time of day when the Passover lambs were being sacrificed in the temple court. Paul later made sure that we understood that Jesus was not just, as John the Baptists proclaimed, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29, 36), but that Jesus was specifically our Passover Lamb.(1 Cor. 5:7). We can see the warfare of the Passover as Satan actively entered the traitor, Judas, and as the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus. The warfare is engaged, and the battle is won by the blood of our Passover Lamb. The blood is like a two-edged sword: on one hand, providing its protection for those covered by it, and, on the other hand, excluding from its protection those not covered by it. We see the warfare of our Passover Lamb again in the Book of Revelation. The only One considered worthy to be able to open the seals of judgment against the wicked in heavens and the earth is the Lamb (Rev. 5:1-6, 6:1). All creatures, both in heaven and of the earth proclaim in that moment: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing!' (Rev. 5:11-14). Jesus is also identified as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah", and as "the Root of David", but it is the Lord as the Passover Lamb who executes the judgment. It is the Lamb who goes to war. We are told of a great warfare in heaven in which the serpent, that is the devil, or Satan, is cast down out of heaven with his angels, and it is made clear how this mighty victory was won: "And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." (Rev. 12:7-11). On this Shabbat HaGadol, the Sabbath before the Passover, and during the Passover itself, let us keep in mind the appearing of the Lord, the preparation of His people for that appearing, and His execution of judgment against the oppressors. However, most of all, let us understand the warfare of the Passover Lamb. If you would like to know more about our Passover Lamb, Jesus, you can pray with me: "Lord Jesus, as my Passover Lamb, You died for my sins. You died to protect me from death. Because of the covering of Your blood, death has passed over me, and spared me. Your Passover Lamb's blood that has protected me, also testifies against those who have refused the work and protection of Your blood. It is as my Passover Lamb that You do warfare in the heavens and on earth, and execute judgment. Fill me with the Holy Spirit Who guides me through Your refining and purging process in order to prepare me in righteousness for Your appearing. I depend upon the work of the Passover Lamb in me, and in the earth. I ask this in Your holy Name, AMEN."

Priesthood

Peter wrote about the profound meaning of the priesthood of the believer in Christ: "...you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot...having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever...Coming to Him as a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ...you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" (1 Pet. 1, 2, excerpts). We entered into this priesthood by the blood of the Lamb without spot, Jesus. Thousands of years ago, by the blood of a lamb without spot, a people were "born again" out of the darkness of their bondage to the Egyptians, and into the marvelous light of bondservice to the God Who delivered them. This is remembered by command of the LORD as Passover, which is this weekend. Shortly after the Israelites' deliverance out of Egypt, the LORD commanded the assembly of the tabernacle. He then commanded Moses regarding the setting apart and consecration of the priesthood, who would serve Him in the tabernacle. This priesthood would have no earthly inheritance, but would receive an inheritance from a portion of the sacrificial offerings to God (which propheticlly pointed to the sacrifice of Christ). This week's Sabbath Torah reading, titled Tzav, or "Command!", is from Leviticus, a Book also known as Torat Kohanim or "The Teachings of the Priests". In Chapter 8, Moses himself, had to prepare Aaron and his sons for the priesthood according to the command of the LORD. He had to wash Aaron and his sons. Moses had to dress them in their priestly garments, which differentiated them, or set them apart, for their service in the tabernacle. These garments of several pieces included the breastplate containing the Urim and the Thummim, the Lights and Perfection. After Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the animals to be sacrificed for purification, Moses had to kill and burn the offerings that would sanctify the area in which Aaron and his sons would minister, the altar and the laver. Following the same practice again as God commanded, Moses had to sacrifice a second ram, the ram of consecration, and touch Aaron and sons with its blood, and with the anointing oil. At the end of the solemn process, Moses told Aaron and his sons the command of the LORD: "And you shall not go outside the door of the tabernacle of meeting for seven days, until the days of your consecration are ended. For seven days he (Moses) shall consecrate you...to make atonement for you. Therefore you shall stay at the door of the tabernacle of meeting day and night for seven days and keep the charge of the LORD, so that you may not die...so Aaron and his sons did all the things that the LORD had commanded by the hand of Moses." (Lev. 8:33-36). All of these preparations had to be completed before Aaron and his sons could perform their ministry which included the handling of the blood sacrifices and offerings. It is interesting that according to some Jewish commentaries, the period of seven days, or a week, as mentioned above, represents natural, physical time. By extension, the eighth day goes beyond physical time into the realm of eternity. So the consecration process that lasts for "seven days", really means for a lifetime. In this Sabbath's haftarah reading portion from the Book of Malachi, the LORD issues a prophetic warning for His priesthood: "...And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire...He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the LORD, as in the days of old, as in the former years." (Mal. 3:1-4). As the priesthood ("sons of Levi") no longer took their consecration seriously, the sacrificial offerings and tithes were also devalued in the eyes of the whole nation, according to Malachi 3. Because of the loss of consecration among the priests, the proud and the wicked seemed to prosper without suffering consequences. Then the priests and the people began to think that there was no benefit for them to serve God or to keep His ordinances. The LORD explained the blessings in every area that follows a people who fear the LORD and meditate upon His name: "They shall be Mine says the LORD of hosts, on the day when I make them My jewels (special treasure). And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you shll again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him." (Mal. 3:17-18). The effect of the priesthood upon the people and the nation was so great, that the Messiah Himself would judge and purge the worldly condition of the priesthood with His coming. Notice that the priesthood in Malachi has an expectancy of the coming of this Messenger, the Lord, the Messiah, "whom you seek...in whom you delight", but they were not in the spiritual condition necessary to receive His looked-for coming, nor, consequently, to prepare the people for His coming. This coming Sabbath is a very special Sabbath. It is Shabbat haGadol, the Sabbath before Passover. It is the Sabbath that focuses on the selection and separation of the lamb without spot, whose blood was applied on the doorposts of the Israelites to protect them from the plague of death in Egypt. As the holy and royal priesthood, sanctified and set apart by the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus, as Peter wrote, we must take our consecration in that precious Blood solemnly and seriously. Our attitude regarding our sanctification as priests of Christ, and our priestly service to God cannot be allowed to be profaned or compromised by the world and its ways and thoughts, as was the case in Malachi. If our handling of the incorruptible Sacrifice that sanctified us, the Blood of the Lamb, becomes devalued in our own eyes and lives, it will become devalued in the eyes of other men, as happened in Malachi. If we fail to realize that the consecration of our royal priesthood is not just for certain days or seasons, but for a lifetime, then we fail to handle the Blood of the Lamb with consecrated hands. If we leave the tabernacle of meeting (with the LORD), leave His presence, and enter into the presence of the profane and corrupt, or perhaps try to keep one foot in the tabernacle, and one foot out, we lose our consecration to handle the precious Blood. The living tabernacle of God, which we are, containing the priesthood of salvation, which we are, is in the world, but not of the world (Jn. 17:14-18). We are to act upon the world, not the world upon us. As part of the work of salvation, Isaiah prophesies of rebuilding and repairing of ruins and desolations. He also prophesies concerning the priesthood of salvation: "But you shall be named the priests of the LORD, they shall call you the servants of our God...For I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, and will make with them an everlasting covenant." (Isa. 61:6,8). In the same manner of the robes of Aaron's priesthood, the priesthood of salvation is also distinctively arrayed according to Isaiah: "For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (v. 10). The blessing of this salvation priesthood not only transforms the spiritual wasteplaces, but will affect future generations: "Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the posterity whom the LORD has blessed." (v. 9). This is a priesthood of transformation, because they have been born from the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, an incorruptible seed. The priesthood not only served in the tabernacle and the temple of the Old Testament, but, as an earthly shadow of the heavenly priesthood, they also had a prophetic significance. In the events leading up to the first coming of Christ, the priesthood played a foundational role. A certain priest experienced an angelic visitation while he was performing his service in the temple at the altar of incense before the veil in the Holy Place. The angel prophesied to this priest, Zacharias, that he and his wife, who was barren, would miraculously conceive a son who would prepare the way of the Lord. The angel struck this consecrated priest, who was anointed with the spiritual authority of his office, dumb to prevent him from speaking any word of doubt that would prevent the miraculous prophesied birth. His miracle son was indeed born, and as an only son of a priest, this son would also have been a kohan, a priest. This miraculous son, John the Baptist, fulfilled his priestly role in the coming of Jesus by using the Jordan River as a giant laver in which he washed the people in a baptism of repentance to prepare them to receive their Messiah. This same priest, John, would be the first to recognize and announce Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Lk. 1:5-25, 39-45, 57-80, 3:1-22, Jn. 1:19-35). Can we doubt that God will continue to follow the pattern that He established, and use us, the priesthood of salvation, in the events leading up to the second coming of Christ, as He did with the first? In the Book of Revelation, the royal priesthood spoken of by Peter, above, is seen. In the first chapter, it is identified: "To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Rev. 1:5-6). The salvation priesthood sings a new song as the end time events are unfurled in heaven by the Lamb: "And You have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:9-10, excerpt). Let's read again the verses from 1 Peter that began this entry, and determine that on this Shabbat haGadol before Passover, may we be consecrated once again, re-enter the tabernacle of His presence, and offer the spiritual sacrifices worthy of God, in our holy and royal priesthood service to Him. Our Father "commands!" regarding His priesthood. If you would like to enter the royal priesthood to our Father through His Son, Jesus, you can pray: Heavenly Father, I come to You through Jesus, Your son, who makes the way for me by His Blood, as the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world. This Passover, I pray that this precious sacrifice that delivered me from slavery to sin and death, and cleanses me from all unrighteousness, would consecrate me fresh and new as a priest bringing my spiritual sacrifice to You. I believe Jesus died for me and rose again from the dead. I believe He is returning soon, as Malachi wrote. I believe that He baptizes me with the fire of the Holy Spirit, so that I may serve You in consecration all the days of my life. I pray and receive these things in Jesus' name. Amen."