Now that we have come through another wonderful Easter celebration I am reflecting on what I saw, heard and experienced. It was a marvelous Holy Week. However, I noted time after time references to the Old Testament Passover Feast. Mixed in with the New Testament Holy Week activities were these Old Testament references that were at times very confusing. Such statements as "Happy Passover," could be heard from time to time. Follow by "Happy Easter," by someone else. Let me just state now as we continue in this thought, Easter has replaced the Passover! The Passover Feast was an Old Testament event that promised a future fulfillment. Easter is a New Testament event that fulfilled and replaced the Passover. Everything that happened the last week of Jesus' life fulfilled every Old Testament promise that a Messiah would come and bring us absolute freedom. Here is the way Hebrews 10:9 quotes Jesus as saying. "Here I am, I have come to do your will." Paul then says, "He sets aside the first to establish the second."
The ceremonies of the Old Testament can be very intriguing. With their pomp and circumstance. With their rituals concerning foods and drinks. The clothing. The colors. The dances. It is all very engaging and all seems to be so very right.
Of course, it was all right in the Old Testament times. It was all required in the Old Testament times. And it would still be required of us today if it wasn't for Easter. However, all the Old Testament ceremonies were intended to bring us with full understanding to the New Testament day of Easter.
When Jesus observed the last Passover Feast with His apostles before going to the cross, He gave them a drink from the cup and said, "This cup is the new covenant (New Testament) in my blood; do this in remembrance of me." His blood would establish a new covenant and the old would be fulfilled. The old was no longer needed. This was to be the last Passover Feast and the First Communion service was instituted. Our communion services have taken the place of the Passover Feast. The Passover Feast has been fully completed and its purposes no longer exists. Jesus is the Lamb of God that was promised by the Old Testament lambs that were slain.
The joy of Easter can be robbed of its delightfulness by mixing it with requires of an obsolete Old Testament feast. The joy of the freedom we have as a result of Easter can be taken away by those who would purpose to us that there is something necessary about the Old Testament feasts. Don't accept it. Don't be robbed of your joy and freedom that the cross and resurrection has given you. It is precious. Let us continue to rejoice in the days and weeks ahead. John 8:36, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
The ceremonies of the Old Testament can be very intriguing. With their pomp and circumstance. With their rituals concerning foods and drinks. The clothing. The colors. The dances. It is all very engaging and all seems to be so very right.
Of course, it was all right in the Old Testament times. It was all required in the Old Testament times. And it would still be required of us today if it wasn't for Easter. However, all the Old Testament ceremonies were intended to bring us with full understanding to the New Testament day of Easter.
When Jesus observed the last Passover Feast with His apostles before going to the cross, He gave them a drink from the cup and said, "This cup is the new covenant (New Testament) in my blood; do this in remembrance of me." His blood would establish a new covenant and the old would be fulfilled. The old was no longer needed. This was to be the last Passover Feast and the First Communion service was instituted. Our communion services have taken the place of the Passover Feast. The Passover Feast has been fully completed and its purposes no longer exists. Jesus is the Lamb of God that was promised by the Old Testament lambs that were slain.
The joy of Easter can be robbed of its delightfulness by mixing it with requires of an obsolete Old Testament feast. The joy of the freedom we have as a result of Easter can be taken away by those who would purpose to us that there is something necessary about the Old Testament feasts. Don't accept it. Don't be robbed of your joy and freedom that the cross and resurrection has given you. It is precious. Let us continue to rejoice in the days and weeks ahead. John 8:36, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
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