Exodus 12:2-3 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
This coming Sunday will mark the beginning of Pesach (Passover) Season on the Hebrew calendar. On Sunday morning, it will be the 10th of Nisan the very same day that Yeshua (Jesus) would have entered Jerusalem 2000 years ago. Every 10th of Nisan, four days before Pesach, the children of Israel would choose a lamb for the Passover sacrifice. Each man would take a lamb for his household. Four days were required to inspect the animal to make sure it was perfect and without blemish.
Can you imagine having a lamb at home for four days — the children feeding it, petting it, perhaps even naming it — only to know that it would have to die soon?
We also have a Lamb to choose today. Yeshua (Jesus), our perfect Passover Lamb who is without blemish. Some of us reading this today have already chosen Him. Some may have forgotten of our choice, others may be undecided.
As the scripture says, today is the day of salvation; those who have chosen Yeshua remember His great work of atonement which brought us out of bondage from sin. This was a supernatural deliverance just as it was for the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt. The Passover lamb, brought into the houses of the Israelites, became dear to them because of its precious innocence and because its death invoked the memory of the first Passover when the lamb’s blood literally saved their lives from the Angel of Death. Our perfect Lamb, so dear to us, will do the same for all who receive Him; since the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Amen, and chag sameach. (Happy Holiday).
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]The parable of the Prodigal son might also serve as an illustration of the relationship between Israel and the Church.
The first thirty years of my life were spent in Baltimore, Maryland, and I have many fond memories there. One of these is a trail in the woods by the Patapsco River. I used to go fishing there with my dad and spent many a weekend hanging out with my friends, wading in the water.
Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, "Certainly the preacher won't think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this." Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this."
As we continue in our study of the parable of the Prodigal son, let's focus on the central figure in the story -- the father. The father is much like the helpless parent whose unending love is neither understood nor appreciated by either son. He allows his sons to make their own decisions, despite how bad those choices may be. No matter what terrible wrong they may commit, he loves them -- a perfect picture of the love of our Heavenly Father has for his children.
Most people overlook a very significant part of the parable of the prodigal son, which is – the elder son received his inheritance as well! (Luke 15:12b) According to the custom of the times, the older son's inheritance would have been twice that of the younger son. In that light, his response to his younger brother's initiative, a response of silence...speaks volumes.
I'm sure we all have heard the parable of the Prodigal Son [Luke 15:11-32], but I want to spend some time this week really dissecting this particular parable so we can gain deeper insight into this message of Jesus (Yeshua).
Many believers have a special place, a quiet place where they go to spend time with the Lord. This is a very important thing. But how many believers have actually 'prepared a way' for the Lord?