The Thoughts of Wesley son of Cornelius

As the sun sets this evening April 18, 2011, we begin Passover. Interestingly, both the Western and Eastern sects of Christianity will celebrate Easter this coming Sunday and, therefore, have entered the Holy Week. Around 3,457 years ago the first Passover lambs were sacrificed in the city of Goshen in Egypt establishing the beginning of a new era, literally a new year, for the Israelites (Exodus 12). Exactly one year later the Israelites would celebrate the 2nd Passover in the Desert of Sinai now under the Sinaitic Covenant (Numbers 9).

Some 1,300 Passovers later (assuming the Passover lamb was not sacrificed in the Time of the Exile), we find Jesus in an upper room saying: "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many." (Mark 14:24)

Jesus Christ is the New and Last Passover Lamb establishing the beginning of the New Covenant.

"The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect." (Exodus 12:5)

"You were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter 1:18, 19)

"On the first day remove the yeast from your house, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel." (Exodus 12:15)

"Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)

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"When I see the blood, I will pass over you." (Exodus 12:13)