The Most important weekend of the year 2018

Soon we shall gather to remember two major instances in the history of the People of God. The first remembrance is the liberation from the slavery in Egypt, where God gave enough signs so that people could come to recognise Who is the Most High God above all gods. The second celebration is that of the Jewish master teacher Jeshua (Jesus Christ) who came together at the upper room to remember the Exodus from Egypt but also to install a special moment, namely bringing some symbols in the light of the evening.

Some disciples close to this master teacher had seen how their master had come typically to the Jews in the end of their age as Prophet, (teacher) as Priest (“when he offered up Himself,” `Heb_7:27`.) and as King. (When he rode into their city at the close of his ministry.) But those disciples could see how the moment of glory was very short and how their Jewish brethren did not receive their master in any of these forms.

For a short time they had walked with him and had witnessed miracles. For them it was clear they had some one in front of them who was

“a teacher sent from God“.

They looked up at him, but still expected him to be  a warrior who would defeat the Romans and would become their “King” or ruler.

The Jewish “Feast of Passover” commenced on the fifteenth day of their month Nisan and lasted seven days. Though before that day, there was the the killing of the lamb on the 14th of Nisan, which shall be this coming Friday, March 30, Erev Pesach or Fast of the First born, followed by Nisan 15, 5778 or Pesach 1.

Having the Friday and Saturday the remembrance moments of the liberation of the Jews and the Gentiles, we should jubilate. You could think we should be sad, because Jesus would be slaughtered as a lamb, but we do know that by his offering we were bought free. By his offering at the stake freedom came over mankind, him making an end to the curse of death. And that should bring happiness in our hearts, also three days later mankind got the proof that a man could get out of the dead.

In case Jesus would have been God we would not have any proof that man could resurrect from the death. But now with this man of flesh and blood, the world could see how God had lifted him and has given him a very special place.

Jesus had told his disciples a lot about how to behave and how to treat others, like the homeless, the poor, the needy and how to handle the material provisions, wealth, prosperity, riches, but also poverty and to be prepared to live a life for God. They had heard strange things, like that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. They also had heard that when when their master, the Son of Man, would be sitting on his glorious throne, they who had followed him would also come to sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  (Matthew 19:27-30)

They were so convinced they would come to see that kingdom in their lifetime, but that night this man talked about his death, him leaving them. He took bread and spoke about this being his body. They knew Jesus did not turn the bread into his literal flesh and the wine into his real blood. Jesus’ fleshly body was still intact when he offered this bread and wine. Jesus’ apostles were not really eating his literal flesh and drinking his blood, for that would have been cannibalism and a violation of God’s law. (Genesis 9:3, 4; Leviticus 17:10)

According to Luke 22:20, Jesus said:

“This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.”

The apostles never thought that the cup presented to them literally would have become “the new covenant”. They knew that would be impossible, since a covenant is an agreement, not a tangible object.

Hence, both the bread and the wine have to be looked at as only symbols. The bread symbolizes Christ’s perfect body. Jesus used a loaf of bread left over from the Passover meal. The loaf was made without any leaven, or yeast. (Exodus 12:8) The Bible often uses leaven as a symbol of sin or corruption. The bread therefore represents the perfect body that Jesus sacrificed. It was free of sin.​—Matthew 16:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 5:6, 7; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 2:1, 2.

The red wine represents Jesus’ blood. That blood makes valid the new covenant. Jesus said that his blood was poured out

“for forgiveness of sins.”

Jesus made it clear that humans can become clean in God’s eyes and can enter into the new covenant with Jehovah. (Hebrews 9:14; 10:16, 17) Jesus was convinced that God would accept his offering and consider his act as a covenant, or contract.

Let us come together Friday night to remember that special sent one from god who was willing to give his life for our sins.

 

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Preceding articles

Preparing for the most important weekend of the year 2018

Voorbereiding op het belangrijkste weekend van het jaar 2018

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Additional reading

1. Commemorating the escape from slavery
2. First month of the year and predictions
3. Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be
4. Seven Bible Feasts of JHWH
5. Preparation for Passover
6. The Atonement in Type and Antitype 1 Sacrifices and High Priests
7. The Atonement in Type and Antitype 2 Going forth to Jesus
8. 9 Adar and bickering or loving followers of the Torah preparing for Pesach
9. Making sure we express kedusha for 14-16 Nisan
10. This day shall be unto you for a memorial and you shall keep it a feast to the Most High God
11. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
12. Yom Hey, Eve of Passover and liberation of many people
13. 8 Reasons Christian Holidays Should Not Be Observed
14. Shabbat Pesach service reading 1/2
15. Who Would You Rather Listen To?
16. Solution for Willing hearts filled with gifts
17. Celebrations pointing to events of ultimate meaning
18. Most important day in Christian year
19. Thinking about fear for the Loving God and an Invitation for 14 Nisan

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Related

1. The Symbol of Blood in Christianity & Upcoming Easter Special
2. Bread and Cup
3. Remembering Passover
4. My Christian testimony: leaving behind the new age deception
5. Everything Jesus had to say about the homeless, wealth, prosperity, poverty, riches, the poor, the needy and giving
6. Nisan 14 Sundown March 30, 2018
7. The Last Supper: What did they eat?
8. Easter
9. Easter, Passover, Abib, and the New Hebrew Sacred Year – and what God says to us
10. The feasts of the lord – part-2
11. The Passover
12. Pesach / Passover
13. Happy Memorial Season!