BY ARNELLA ROSE

The tremendous significance of the Passover and its prophetic implications may never be fully exhausted. As a pivotal event in Israel’s history, it secured their redemption from Egypt and became the basis for God’s subsequent expectations for the nation, for He had personally become their Deliverer! Therefore, at the next major encounter, at Mount Sinai, when God would further instruct Israel concerning His purposes for and requirements of them, He introduced Himself thus: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery" (Exodus 20:2).

To this day the Passover is celebrated as the most significant event in the lives of the Jewish people. However, since the blood of the lambs could not literally redeem Israel, the Passover lamb was really a type of Messiah, the Lamb of God. Not only was Israel’s sins (and the sins of all the righteous since Adam) merely "covered" until the true Lamb was sacrificed (after which sin could be forgiven and remitted upon repentance and faith in Messiah), but the Gentile nations also "waited" for the true Passover Lamb in order to be received into the household of faith! In Ephesians 2:11-13, Paul reminds us Gentiles who have trusted in Yeshua that, unlike Israel, we were once altogether outside of any special kind of relationship with God; however, "… now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ."

SUFFERING’S TEST

The Church is the expression in our time of that nearness to God to which both Jew and Gentile have been brought. Furthermore, redemption is first for the purpose of restoring fellowship and communion with God. True communion stimulates worship and adoration of God, the only appropriate response of the created toward the Creator. In John 4:23, Yeshua remarks that the Father’s desire is for "true worshippers." Such are those who serve the Father in sincere devotion. This devotion is perhaps best demonstrated by loyalty in times of suffering.

The Father, knowing that many will seek His Kingdom not for Himself but for His gifts (Proverbs 19:6), used suffering with its difficulties and hardships to test the hearts of those who profess Him as Lord, thereby exposing inner motives. God, who knows that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9-KJV), knows also that within man dwells the same vain conceit found in Lucifer, who led the insurrection against God in heaven! In fact, man is just as prone to lusting after power as Lucifer was (and still is) and, like Lucifer, could attempt usurping God’s authority!

The Lord, therefore, for our sakes and in His great mercy (not as though He does not know us but to give us opportunity to repent and die to self-seeking), tries our hearts, searches out our innermost being and weighs our motives. As a wise King, He "winnows out the wicked" (Proverbs 20:26) and will not allow His Kingdom to be inherited by those whose motives are governed by selfish gain, self glorification, and lust for power. Suffering is a most effective means used by God to try our motives and, if we are willing, to purge our hearts of vain and deceptive tendencies toward self-glorification.

Yeshua Himself, the perfect Passover Lamb, who became flesh and "…who has been tempted in every way, just as we are…" (Hebrews 4:15), was Himself also subjected to this testing during His earthly life. Of Him Paul stated: "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:6-8).

Yeshua, being made flesh (human likeness), had to "overcome" the way of all flesh: 1) He had to "prove" he would not grasp after the Kingdom (the signal sin of Lucifer!); 2) He had to be willing to demonstrate His obedience and submission to God the Father, even unto the suffering of death on a cruel, despicable cross! And with exaltation He has, therefore, been exalted (Philippians 2:9-11). Nor did God "fear" exalting Yeshua, for everything Yeshua did and will henceforth do is "to the glory of the Father" (verse 11). The second Adam did not fail. How wonderfully rewarded was the Father’s trust in and dependence on His Son! How fully satisfied was the Father’s heart in Him!

We are admonished, therefore, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5); and again, "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is doing with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God" (I Peter 4:1,2).

Yeshua has shown us how to suffer, that we may not draw back when put to the test. Peter, furthermore, reminds us: "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps" (I Peter 2:21). Also, through Paul’s writing to Timothy, we are encouraged to "endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus" for "if we endure [suffer], we will also reign with him" (II Timothy 2:3, 12a; author’s emphasis).

SUFFERING PRODUCES REIGNING

At His last Passover Supper on the eve of drinking His bitter cup, Yeshua spoke of the Kingdom. It must have been difficult to hold back His emotions as He faced the imminent parting with those whom He loved and who loved Him. Luke gives a glimpse into the heart of Yeshua, when he recorded for us the words: "And he said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer…’"

His heart must have overflowed with deep and intense love knowing that this would be the last time of intimate fellowship before His death. Anticipating the dark, lonely hours ahead to the cross and knowing fully well the sudden shock and bewilderment to which these en who followed Him would soon be subjected, He faced the finality of this last meal and encouraged His heart by looking beyond the cross: "…For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God" (Luke 22:16).

Aha! The Passover is yet to find fulfillment in the Kingdom of God!

The disciples took keen note of His reference to the Kingdom. Yeshua proceeded to give a new meaning to the bread and wine they would eat together for the last time – until the Kingdom: "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you …" (Luke 22:19,20). In this moment full of emotion, heavy with unfathomable meaning and uncanny foreboding, Yeshua instituted the communion of His Body and Blood.

Perhaps scarcely understanding the deeper implications of what Yeshua was saying, and perhaps barely discerning the heaviness of His heart, the disciples began to dispute with each other their positions in the Kingdom. How like us they were! Greatness in the Lamb’s Kingdom, however, would be measured quite differently from greatness in the kingdoms of the Gentile world: "…the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves" (Luke 22:26). Expressing His deep love and appreciation of them, knowing that they would soon be scattered, knowing that the storm which would soon break around them would leave them shattered and bewildered, Yeshua spoke: "You are those who have stood by me in my trials" (Luke 22:28).

Yes, they had been faithful! They had left all to follow Him, from village to town, over land and sea; they had sat at His feet, had listened to His words; they had remained with Him in the face of opposition, had stayed even when his words were hard to bear; they had voiced their bewilderment, helped Him feed the crowds; they had loved Him, had believed in Him…He, Himself, would miss them terribly – John’s quiet love…Peter’s impetuous ways betraying his deep affections: "And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22:29-30).

For Yeshua, His Passover suffering and death was the gateway into His Kingdom reign and blessing – that time when all his loyal friends who suffered with Him would share in His glory. One event anticipated the next, one pointed prophetically to the other. Those who suffered with Him would also reign with Him, thereby fulfilling His joy!

After the resurrection, it was quite in order for the disciples to enquire about the Kingdom promised them (Acts 1:6); however, there were many among the gentiles who had been appointed unto salvation. The Kingdom promised Israel was not yet to be visibly manifested. The Gospel had to be taken to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) so that the Lord could also have an inheritance among the nations.