WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday February 7, 2016
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THE FIRST PASSOVER
(Remember to celebrate what the LORD has done)
(Exodus 12:1-14)
Exodus 12 highlights GOD’s
instructions to Moses and Aaron for the first Passover observance. They were to
give these instructions to the people of the nation of Israel while they were
yet still in the city of Goshen, in the land of Egypt. And so, here in this
passage we see Israel being referred to as a “nation” for the first time in
Scriptures.
Here
in this passage we also see the month of Abib, which means “fresh young ears”
being declared by GOD as the first month on the Jewish religious calendar. It
was not until after the Jews capture by Babylon many centuries later (586 B.C.),
when 4 of the 12 months of the calendar were given Babylonian names, and the
month of Abib became known as “Nisan”, which means “start”.
The city of Goshen in Egypt, where the Israelites resided, was where GOD
originally introduced the “concept of the Church” on earth, and how it was to
be “set apart” as far as how it was to be related to the world. Even though the
people of the Church (Goshen) had to exist and toil in the world (Egypt), it must,
at one and the same time, also remain separated from the ways of the world. Israel,
in Egypt, became GOD’s concept of what the Church would be like in its
relationship to the world. The Church, like Israel, was to be “GOD’s
representative” here on earth, and therefore, the laws of GOD would have to
become paramount to each.
Here
in this chapter of Scripture, GOD is seeking to instill a sense of unity among
HIS people that would help them to maintain the same attitude of being “set
apart” in their behavior and lifestyle, from the world, long after she leaves
Egypt and enters into the “Promised Land” of Canaan. They were to never forget
the lesson that GOD taught them through their hardships in Egypt, so that they
would never again desire to choose the ways of the world over the ways of GOD,
their SAVIOR. That is why the rituals of the Passover are rift with symbolisms
regarding their four hundred years of captivity in Egypt.
In
the Old Testament, the concept of “Zikkaron” (Zik-ka-rone) is a festival,
practice, or object that is intended to link future generations, to a past distinctive
act of GOD. The name derives from the Hebrew word “zikrown” (zik-rone), which
is “a memento, or a memorable day, thing, or writing”. Through the Zikkaron,
GOD’s people could sense their personal participation, along with the original
generation, in the very act that GOD had performed for that previous
generation.
And so, the Passover is one of a small
number of feasts that comes to us directly from the heart of GOD HIMSELF. These
celebrations, or, observances, whisper ever so gently, for us to come closer to
GOD, and are intended by HIM, to help us to keep our minds stayed on HIS grace
and mercy, from generation to generation.
The Passover, also most notably depicts for
us, a very vivid picture of the coming salvation that would be ushered in by
CHRIST JESUS. When JESUS was living here on earth, HE plucked from these
proceedings, the very “communion services” that we often observe in the
Christian Church today, and HE commanded us to “Do this in remembrance of HIM”.
The sacrificial lambs’ blood that was
smeared over, and on the sides of the doorposts of the Israelites homes in
Goshen, allowed for them to be “passed over” by the “angel of death” and to be saved
by the merciful hand of GOD. It is a picture of how “the saving blood of CHRIST
JESUS” would later come to deliver all mankind, who chooses to follow HIM from
the “chains of death and sin in the “world”, and into the glorious presence of
GOD in Heaven.
The following is a rather detailed
description of a Passover Commemorative Feast like the one that was handed down
by GOD to HIS servants, Moses and his older brother Aaron, for HIS people, Israel
in Exodus 12;
According to Jewish ways of counting days,
the new day begins at 6:00 o’clock in the evening. The Passover day, itself, is
on the 14th Nisan. Preparation for Passover is done on the 13th
Nisan, and is completed by 6:00 p.m.
In preparing for Passover, there is first, a “ceremonial search for leaven”.
Every bit of “leaven” must be totally removed from a household. This is in
conformance with the tradition of this very first Passover in Egypt, as it is
recorded in Exodus 12, where it was commemorated with the eating of “unleavened
bread”.
Then, on the afternoon of the 13th
Nisan, came the “sacrificing of the Passover Lamb”. All the people would come
to the temple and the worshipers would each kill their own lamb for sacrifice.
Two long lines of priests stood between the worshipers and the Altar, each
holding a gold or silver bowl. When the lamb’s throat was slit, the blood was
caught in one of these bowls, and was passed up the line to the priest at the
end of the line, who would pour the blood onto the Altar.
The
lamb is then skinned and gutted, and the fat is extracted. The meat is then
handed back to the worshiper, and it is then, carried home to be roasted on an
open fire with a spit made of Pomegranate wood. The table that is used is shaped
like a square with one end open. It was very low, and the diners were reclined
on couches, resting on their left arm, with their right arm free for eating.
This
is a list of things that were necessary to obtain for the Passover meal:
(1). There is
the “Lamb”: It is to remind them of how their houses had been protected
by
the
blood of the lamb when the Angel of Death passed through Egypt, on the eve, of
the
great exodus.
(2). There is
the “Unleavened Bread”: This is to remind them of the bread that they
had
eaten in haste, when they left out, from
slavery in Egypt.
(3). There is
the “Bowl of Salt Water”: To remind them of the tears that they had shed
in
Egypt, and the water of the Red Sea, through
which they had miraculously passed to
safety.
(4). There is
the collection of “Bitter Herbs”: Horse Radish, Chicory, Endive,
Lettuce, and
Horehound
to remind them of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt.
(5). There is
a paste called “Charosheth” (Khar-o-sheth): A mixture of Apples, Dates,
Pomegranates, and nuts, to
remind them of the clay, of which they had to make bricks
in Egypt. Also mixed through it, were sticks
of cinnamon to remind them of the straw,
with which the bricks had been made.
(6). There
were the “Four Cups of Wine”: The cups contained a little more than half
a pint
of
wine, with three parts wine mixed with two parts water. The four cups were
drank
at
different stages of the Passover meal, and were to remind them of the four
promises
in
Exodus 6:6-7, where GOD says, “I will bring you out from under the burdens of
the
Egyptians”. “I will rid you out of their
bondage”. “I will redeem you with a stretched
out arm, and with great judgments”. “I will
take you to ME for a people, and I will be
to you a GOD”.
Now
this is the procedure, or various steps by which the Passover Meal is eaten:
(1). First
the “Cup of the Kiddush” (first of the four cups of wine) is prayed over and
drank. “Kiddush” means “sanctification”, or
“separation”. This cup symbolizes the
separation of this meal from all other common
meals. The head of the family prays
over the cup, and then everyone would drink
it.
(2). Then
there is the “first hand washing”, which would be done only by the person who
was to celebrate the feast. They must wash
their hands three times in a prescribed way.
(3) Now, a piece of parsley, or lettuce was taken
and dipped in the bowl of salt water and
eaten as an appetizer to the meal. The
parsley, or lettuce symbolized the hyssop, with
which the blood had been smeared over the
doorposts in Egypt.
(4). “The
breaking of the Bread”. Two blessings are used in the breaking of the bread.
“Blessed be THOU, O LORD, our God, King of the
universe, who bringest forth from
the earth”, or “Blessed art THOU, our FATHER
in Heaven, who givest us today the
bread necessary for us”. On the table, there
are three circles of unleavened bread. The
middle one is taken and broken, to remind them
that as slaves, they never had a whole
loaf to eat. As it is broken, the head of
the family would say, “This is the bread of
affliction that our forefathers ate in Egypt.
Whosoever is hungry, let him come and eat.
Whosoever is in need let him come and
keep Passover with us”.
(5). Next came the telling of the “Story of
Deliverance”, or, how GOD delivered the Jews
out, of Egypt.
(6). Then Psalms 113 & 114 are sung.
Psalms 113-118 are known as the “Hallel”, which
means “the praise of GOD”.
(7). Then the second cup of wine is drunk. It
is called the “Cup of Haggadah”, which
means “the cup of explaining or
proclaiming”.
(8). Afterwards, all those present, now wash
their hands in preparation for the meal.
(9). A grace is said. “Blessed art THOU, O
LORD, our God, who bringest forth fruit from
the earth. Blessed art THOU, O GOD, who has
sanctified us with THY commandment
and enjoined us to eat unleavened
cakes”. Then small pieces of bread are distributed.
(10). Some of
the bitter Herbs are placed between the two pieces of bread and are dipped in
the Charosheth and then eaten. This is called
“the Sop”, and is what JESUS is
referring to in the Gospels, when HE is
identifying Judas Iscariot as the person who
will betray HIM.
(11). Now
comes the Meal Proper, or the eating of the Lamb. All the meat must be eaten,
or
the leftovers must be destroyed to assure that
they are not used later in a common
meal.
(12). The
hands are again washed.
The next two steps are the
one’s which JESUS made HIS own, and we commemorate them
during our Communion
Services:
(13). The
remainder of the unleavened bread is eaten.
(14). There
is a prayer of Thanksgiving, containing a petition for the coming of Elijah to
herald the MESSIAH. Then the third cup
is drank, which is called the “Cup of
Thanksgiving”. Then this blessing is
said: “Blessed art THOU, O LORD, our God,
King of the universe, who hast created the
fruit of the vine”.
(15). The
second part of the Hallel, Psalms 115-118, is sung.
(16). The fourth
cup is drank, and Psalms 136, which is known as the “Great Hallel” is sung.
Two
short prayers are prayed to end the Passover Meal:
“All
THY works shall praise THEE, O LORD, our God. And THY Saints, the righteous,
who do THY good pleasure, and all thy people, the house of Israel, with joyous
song, let them praise and bless and magnify and glorify and exalt and reverence
and sanctify and scribe the Kingdom to THY name, O GOD, our King.
For
it is good to praise THEE, and pleasure to sing praises to THY name, from everlasting
to everlasting THOU art GOD.
__
“The
breath of all that lives shall praise THY name, O LORD, our God. And the spirit of all flesh shall continually
glorify and exalt THY memorial, O GOD, our King. For from everlasting unto
everlasting THOU art GOD, and besides THEE we have no King, Redeemer, or
Savior”.
JESUS celebrated HIS last Passover here on
earth with HIS disciples on the eve of HIS crucifixion. HE blessed and divided
the bread that HE said symbolized HIS very body that would be broken and bleed
like that of a sacrificial lamb on the altar of GOD. And HE shared the wine
saying that it symbolized the blood that HE would later shed to cover the sins
of this world, past, present, and future. It was not until after HIS death, and
after the coming of the HOLY SPIRIT that HIS disciples really understand the
importance of what JESUS meant by these statements.
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official
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