In
Deliverance and establishement of a theocracy we saw that the
Creator God provided twice in history a
Passover lamb.
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| Map of the Land of Israel as defined in Numbers 34 and Ezekiel 47 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
In coming together next Tuesday 26 March we bring glory to God and show how thankful we are for what He provided in this world. The 14th of
Nisan, like that day is called according the directions of God, we commemorate two occasions of deliberation: 1. the liberation of God's People
Israel from Egypt; 2. the liberation of all people, believers, heathen, non-believers by the sacrificial offer of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
Many in Belgium know about this day, either from the Jews or from the Jehovah Witnesses. But they should know they are also welcome at our services to see how we honour God and how we share the love of
Christ Jesus. As most Jews will gather with family and friends, at a
Pesah or Pesach seder, we also will celebrate the liberation of
God's chosen people from slavery.
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| William Blake's Holy Thursday (1794). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The coming days several people may be annoyed that the shops are closed because of a Holy Day . This weekend it starts with the Cypriots and Greeks having free until Tuesday and the 5th of May for their
Easter Sunday (Many
Orthodox Christian churches, including the Greek Orthodox and the
Russian Orthodox churches, celebrate the “miracle of Easter” on the
Easter Sunday date in the Julian calendar.) The Jews, Messianic Jews, Unitarian Churches (like Church of God) and non-trinitarian Biblestudents (like the Russell and Christadelphian Biblestudents, Thomasites and Jehovah Witnesses) have coming Tuesday as the 'Preparation' date (14 Nisan) and the Wednesday until Thursday (15 Nisan) as Pesach, on Thursday and Friday the Old Catholics with
Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, on Sunday and Monday 31st of March and the 1st of April Easter for the Roman Catholics and several Protestant denominations and for the worshippers of the Celtic gods and those celebrating the goddess Estra (hence the name Easter). Also Hindus, Muslims, other believers and atheists may receive two paid holidays though they may not be interested in the reasons of the free days but will enjoy the family time.
For followers of the One and Only One God of gods יהוה {Jehovah} it should be the most important time of the year, and not to celebrate the goddess of fertility, Estra, but to think of the liberation of the people God has given His creation.
In Belgium everybody knows Israel “the place,” and Israel, “the people”but not many do know the position that Israel has to take in the universe. Also we, as Christians should be more aware of the function of Israel and what the position and role shall be for Jerusalem.
14 Nisan is a day when so many in Antwerp shall go into festivity days. Many Jews shall also invite non Jews to a dish with nice things for a special celebration. But we as Christians can also invite other believers to share our faith and to tell them about the liberation of the
People of God and what we do expect from the bloodletting of the lamb. The
mitzvah of Ahavat Yisrael, loving Israel, calls us to love both the land of Israel and
Klal Yisrael, the
people of Israel. Loving Israel links us to both the land and the people. We should show respect for the people who got first priority by God. But we should also love all those who are created in the image of God. That means that we also should be loving to people who believe different things than us, or who say they do not believe (though they perhaps mean that they do not believe that there exist a Divine Supremacy God Creator).
Like we should teach our children about “Israel” we also should teach others about the Divine Creator, Israel and the promises God has given the world. Such holidays are good opportunities to do that. We should make use of it.
Though many have tried everything to get rid of Israel it is still a large family spread all over the world. They are a diverse
group with different opinions, cultures, lifestyles, levels of
observance, and beliefs. However, they are still all one family with
responsibilities to each other. Those who want to become under the custody of the Creator God should also be prepared to take others under their care and should unite with each other as children of God, feeling to be part of the one Big Family.
Having been an enslaved and pursued people the Jews should know what it is to be put aside or to be discriminated. The Festival of Liberation coming in a few days time, they should, as we should, take some time to consider what cruelty can be done to people and how God can protect people and give them plural chances to make something good of their life.They should have esteem for their Liberator and show their gratitude to that Protector to others. Their children should come to understand and adopt as part of their vocabulary and their growing Jewish identity
ensch, brakhah, Torah, mitzvah, boker tov, Shabbat, tzedakah, shalom , and Israel and
Klal Israel. Young children may not fully comprehend what something happening “long
ago” means, but they can have an understanding that what they do now has
been done for a long time. First, it happened in
Eretz Yisrael, the land of Israel. And now, today, Jews living all over the world continue to observe these
mitzvot/practices. This must be important if their family, their teachers and friends give it such meaning.
Others around them should also get to know why those festivities are. And those who are willing to be partakers of the Kingdom of God with Israel as the capital, should show their respect to that Jewish tradition and follow the Law of God.
The same as the Jews connect with those they care about when they share a Passover S
eder with family and friends, we should take the occasion of 14 Nisan, the preparation day to the 15 th of Nisan and Pesach, the Passover Meal, to invite others to share a meal with us and to share our prayers and songs to God.
By the action of the Jew Jeshua from Nazareth, Jesus Christ, those following him have become part of the people of God. And as such they also should like the Jews, communally give voice to our shortcomings and our wishes for peace
and good health in the coming year during the High Holidays.
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| Simon Ushakov's icon of the Mystical Supper. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Like Jesus who came together with his talmidim to prepare themselves for the celebration of the Passover meal at twilight on the fourteenth day of Nisan as ordered in the Law of Moses, we come together according the ordinances given by God and by the request of His son to remember that evening of Jesus his Last Supper. As followers of Christ, believing in his death and resurrection, accepting his offer for us, we believe we have now also become part of those chosen by God to be part of His family. And for this we are very grateful and wish to let the world know about the Wonders God did for His people.
Passover in 2013 will start on Tuesday, the 26th of March and will continue for 7 days until Monday, the 1st of April.
In the USA, Passover ends one day later, so in 2013, Passover will end on Tuesday, the 2nd of April.
This year it was a little bit difficult to consider which day to be taken, because their where different opinions and some confusion in the world, having some Jews and Bible students taking the 14th Nisan Tuesday the 26th and others like in Israel celebrating Passover on the
sunset in Jerusalem of Monday, the 25th of March.
We accordingly invite you for our Memorial Meal on 14 Nisan or Tuesday the 26th of March at 7.30 pm.
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You may find more information about Easter and 14 Nisan:
- Self-development, self-control, meditation, beliefs and spirituality
- Religious Practices around the world
- Anointing of Christ as Prophetic Rehearsal of the Burial rites
- The Weekend that changed the world
- A Great Gift commemorated
- Jesus begotten Son of God #1 Christmas and Christians
- Jesus begotten Son of God #2 Christmas and pagan rites
- A Messiah to die
- The Song of The Lamb #3 Daniel and Revelation
- Not bounded by labels but liberated in Christ
- Festival of Freedom and persecutions
- Seven days of Passover
- 1 -15 Nisan
- Day of remembrance coming near
- Pesach
- Korban Pesach
- 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
- 14 Nisan a day to remember #2 Time of Jesus
- 14 Nisan a day to remember #3 Before the Passover-feast
- 14 Nisan a day to remember #4 A Lamb slain
- A Jewish Theocracy
- Observance of a day to Remember
- Around the feast of Unleavened Bread
- Observance of a day to Remember
- Pesach and solidarity
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Also of interest:
