High Holidays not only for Israel

In Deliverance and establishement of a theocracy we saw that the Creator God provided twice in history a Passover lamb.

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.

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 Seder 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.

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:

1. Self-development, self-control, meditation, beliefs and spirituality
2. Religious Practices around the world
3. Anointing of Christ as Prophetic Rehearsal of the Burial rites
4. The Weekend that changed the world
5. A Great Gift commemorated
6. Jesus begotten Son of God #1 Christmas and Christians
7. Jesus begotten Son of God #2 Christmas and pagan rites
8. A Messiah to die
9. The Song of The Lamb #3 Daniel and Revelation
10. Not bounded by labels but liberated in Christ
11. Festival of Freedom and persecutions
12. Seven days of Passover
13. 1 -15 Nisan
14. Day of remembrance coming near 
15. Pesach
16. Korban Pesach
17. 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
18. 14 Nisan a day to remember #2 Time of Jesus
19. 14 Nisan a day to remember #3 Before the Passover-feast
20. 14 Nisan a day to remember #4 A Lamb slain
21. A Jewish Theocracy
22. Observance of a day to Remember
23. Around the feast of Unleavened Bread
24. Observance of a day to Remember 
25. Pesach and solidarity 

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 Also of interest:

Faith Without Obedience

Related articles

• Where Is God: Psalm 115
• This day in History...the 10th of Nisan
• Passover Blessings March 25 - April 2, 2013
• People Never Believe God- And Then They Get Their Butts Kicked
• Pesach greetings from Canberra
• GENTILES are Gods Chosen People as well?
• Why Orthodox Jews Are Opposed to a Zionist State
• Loving the Other Israel
• Seven days of Passover
• Faith Without Obedience

Seven days of Passover

There is no mention of a lamb being eaten during Jesus' last supper. It was an ordinary evening meal to start off the preparation for the coming days of Pascha.

It was appropriate for the lamb to be slaughtered on the following afternoon, and when Jesus was put to death that day he represented the Lamb of God to be slaughtered for all.

Deposition. Heures d'Étienne Chevalier, enluminées par Jean Fouquet (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On the fourteenth day of the first month, between the evenings, is Jehovah's Passover. Then the fifteenth day of that month is the Feast of Fermentation-free bread to [Jehovah]. There were seven days of Passover started after sundown on Nisan 14. That evening (the first full moon nearest the spring equinox) is when the Israelites were to begin a week of eating meals with fermentation-free bread. Then, on the following afternoon (which was the same day), the lamb was to be led to the Temple as a sacrifice; and the portions that were not offered to God and the Priest were taken home for the feast. So, the lamb was slaughtered at the end of the first day, then it was roasted and eaten after sunset that evening, which was the start of the second day.

Nisan 14 was referred to as 'Preparation,' because that's when the people were to prepare the lamb for the Passover feast. These lambs were traditionally kept inside the home and tied to a bedpost for four days prior to the Passover festival. It was then sacrificed late in the afternoon of Nisan 14. So, Nisan 15 was called Passover, because it was the day when the actual Feast was to be held, according to God's Law (see Numbers 28:17).

Please do read more about it:

1. 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
2. 14 Nisan a day to remember #2 Time of Jesus
3. 14 Nisan a day to remember #3 Before the Passover-feast
4. In what way were sacrifices “shadows”?
5. An unblemished and spotless lamb foreknown
6. Trust in the blood of the Lamb God provides
7. Servant of his Father
8. Anointing of Christ as Prophetic Rehearsal of the Burial rites
9. A Messiah to die
10. Yesterday He died for me 
11. Who is Jesus #2 Jesus Christ, man who died
12. A Great Gift commemorated

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Related articles

• How to Explain The Feast of The Passover and The Lord's Supper to Children
• Preparations for the Passover Meal - Luke 22: 7-13
• 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
• Passover
• Passover 5773-2013 Is Around the Corner
• Conspiracy of Jews against Jesus - Luke 22: 1-2
• Passover Inspired Easter Dinner
• Passover Haggadah App: Take Charge of Your Seder!
• Chutzpah Time
• The Feast Days

Altered to fit a Trinity

Christ was marketed and packaged by Rome as a dualhead - trinity god.  Even his name was changed from "Jehoshua" into "Iesous" (hail Zeus) and his birthday was made to coincide with all the sun-gods of that period (Dec 25). Christ's passover  was swapped out for the springtime festival called  "Easter" - after the fertility goddess Easter (Ishtar).
The eggs and the rabbits are a sure indication that the "truth of Christ" was tampered with.

"Codex B (Vaticanus) was altered by a later hand in more than two THOUSAND places.
Eusebius, therefore, accused the "adherents of the Trinity" of falsifying the Bible."
-(Fraternal Visitor 1924, p. 148;    translated from  Christadelphian Monatshefte).

Peter Cottontail and a Bunny laying Eastereggs

Flemish version / Vlaamse versie: Een Konijn dat Paaseiren legt

Where does one gets it from that a rabbit would lay eggs ? 

Tomorrow, Easter Sunday for many, will be that tradition to conceal eggs everywhere.  It will be a pleasant coming together and a chocolate feast.  Only can Christians participate really at that festival? 

Tomorrow, not on the 14th of Nissan, some celebrate what they call 'Easter'. Several Christians take it as the feast coming from the Pascha. for many Easter is the next important holiday, after Christmas.

Some years after Jesus' dead old heathen feasts became church festivals with change of name and worship by so called Christians. About 405ad images of saints and martyrs began to appear in the churches, at first as memorials, then in succession revered, adored, and worshipped. Jesse Lyman Hurlbut, a mainstream Protestant author, writing about the period between 313ad and 476ad acknowledges that the forms and ceremonies of paganism gradually crept into the worship. (As you also shall be able to find in the coming up articles on Belgian Biblestudents WP)

All scholars concede that the word "Pascha" from which the word "Easter" is translated is correctly rendered "Passover" and has no relation to Easter whatsoever. And, virtually all scholars recognize that the word "Easter" is simply a derivation of the name of the ancient goddess Ishtar or "Isis"—goddess of sex and fertility of the ancient Middle East. That, of course, is where "Easter eggs" come from—the pagan worship of sex and fertility.

"The word “Easter” is not in any reliable translation of the Bible, though it has been incorrectly translated as Easter (KJV) from the original word pascha, which is Passover.
In ancient Anglo-Saxon myth, the goddess Eostre/Ostara/Astarte, etc., is associated with the spring and fertility, the moon, and also personifies greeting the rising sun. To amuse children, Eostre changed her pet bird into a hare that layed brightly coloured eggs which the goddess gave to the children. Saxons held the pagan festival for Eostra on the vernal equinox, the beginning of spring."

Also we must make children nothing wise and take away our credibility through inept stories which we would present for real,  like clocks which would throw eggs or rabbits that would lay eggs. 

The Living Church of God has placed an article on the internet lots of Christians should took under consideration. They warn about the importance to remember what happened at the end of Jesus' human life and what he clearly did and instigated. Jesus observed the Passover and for us it is important that he that evening Break the Bread and took the Cup and said to all present to do it in remembrance.

> Easter Bunny or Eostre Hare By Roger Meyer


Warning: be carefull before you link to the article links in the Living Church of God Website: Compared to the past, when email was the key method for spreading viruses and spyware, now more than 80% of malware spreads via the internet. In fact, latest avast! Virus Lab research shows that 99% of it spreads through legitimate websites, with only 1% coming from suspicious or ‘dodgy’ sites. Personal information can be stolen in transit by spyware such as keyloggers and via infected websites through insecure internet connections. While internet users sometimes have the option of selecting secure DNS or HTTPS connections, multiple layers within many sites make this a complicated process. This security vulnerability is most critical for people that extensively shop and bank online.
The link URLS in the article were one from the 68,152 infected websites discover. So before you click on the links in the article of Church of God check your virus program that it is updated. It was good  my Avast blocked it.

Risen With Him

RISEN WITH HIM

“If you then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.” - Col. 3:1

      Soon the whole Western world will celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Such a celebration will call for inspiring music, altars decked with lilies, and sermons from pulpits proclaiming the victory of life over death. The pageantry of Easter attracts millions to their respective churches. Unfortunately, a day or two later, all will be more or less forgotten by most in their renewed pursuit of the various needs, wants, and ambitions of this present life.

      Nevertheless, to every true believer, the death and resurrection of our Lord is a very fundamental truth, for it holds a promise of eternal life. “As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). Christ’s resurrection is therefore the guarantee of our resurrection. The Apostle Paul, in this connection, prayed that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened in order that we might understand and appreciate the superlative height and glory to which we are called, a call to glory, honor and immortality (Romans 2:7).

      The resurrection of our Lord, then, is significant to us, for it is a reminder of the glorious hope, based on precious promises, of one day living and reigning with the Lord in His Kingdom and being with Him for all eternity. This should stimulate us to set our affections on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. It should cause us to focus our eyes of faith steadily on this lovely vision, being the  goal of our lives, despite the afflictions, setbacks, disappointments, and losses, which befall all the children of God.

      What does it mean to be “risen with Christ?”  This means that we are now dead to self, and are alive as new creatures in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17). We are walking in a newness of life (Rom. 6:4). Col. 1:12, 13 tell us, “Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.”

      This,  then,  is the Easter message to us who are  following  in the footsteps of our beloved Master.  Remembering  His  resurrection increases our faith and brightens our hope, and thus the things of this earth become dim in our sight and unattractive to us. Thus inspired, we seek first and foremost the Kingdom of God and its righteousness. We redeem the time that God has allocated us and remind ourselves of the Apostle Peter’s words, “What manner of  persons ought you to be in all conduct and godliness?” (2 Pet. 3:11), seeing that we are risen with Christ and are seeking to lay up all our treasures in heaven and are no longer concerned for the things of this earth.  

      Let us also remember that one of the first instructions that the angel gave the women who had come to the tomb was to go and tell others the Good News that He was no longer dead, but risen (Matthew 28:7). What a great and wonderful message it was for them to share this “good news” with the others.

      The Risen Lord tells His disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). This command is still in effect today and thus it is still appropriate for us to carry this wondrous message near and far. The joy, which the knowledge of the Risen Lord brings to our hearts, will be greatly increased if we share these glad tidings with others. Yes, our Master is still saying to His disciples, you and me, “Go…and tell.”  Are we doing this for Him? If we have been slack in sharing the Good News, why not make a fresh start, beginning with this Easter Sunday? There could be no better time.

                                                                                           G. Boccaccio

So Send I You

“…As the Father hath sent Me, so send I you.” - John 20:21

                        So send I you to bind the bruised and broken,

                        O’er wand’ring souls to work, to weep, to wake,

                        To beat the burdens of a world so weary,

                        So send I you to know My love alone.

                          So send I you to hearts made hard by hatred,

                        To eyes made blind because they will not see,

                        To spend, though it be blood, to spend and spare not

                        So send I you ~ to taste of Calvary.

                                                                            E. Margaret Clarkson

From Christian Millennial Fellowship's
New Creation Magazine
A Herald of Christ's Kingdom