We have seen thus far that those who would follow Yahushua are instructed to keep Yahushua’s New Covenant Passover Supper, and so we must find the Scriptural timing for the Passover Supper. But the issue of Passover appears to be one of the ‘mysteries’ of the Kingdom, and is closed up in Torah, and ‘sealed’ as to certain details. How then can we understand a mystery if it is hidden to us?
New Series:
The Mystery of Passover
As we draw closer to the time of the return of the Bridegroom, we are beginning to see more clearly some of the prophetic pictures for the Bride’s preparation. Perhaps one of the most significant of these pictures is the Mystery of Passover. In this short series, we will present three aspects of The Mystery of Passover that are highly relevant to the Bride, as they are a vital part of her preparation. This series includes the following segments:
Though the timing of Passover is concealed, and hidden from a casual view of the Scriptures, we can see and understand the correct timing for eating the Passsover meal, by following Yahushua’s words and examples.
In Part 2, we came to understand from the Scriptures, that only those who ‘believe’ in Yahushua, can see and understand His Words.
We saw in Scripture that the will of the Father is that we ‘Believe’ in Yahushua Messiah, to the extent that we become “DO-ers” of Torah — that is, we allow Messiah (who is living within us) to obey Torah, to the same extent He did when He walked on the earth in His own body.
It is for this reason that we look to Messiah as our example today, in all things.
We should thus be warned that we should not follow the teachings of those who do not embrace Yahushua as being the Son of Yahuweh, and as the Messiah.
In this section, we will see another ‘Key’ to understanding this mystery of passover: we are to become as ‘little children.’
Let us then see what is required of us in order that we become as little children — and as we observe the process of separation we must undergo.
Response to Yahushua’s Words Brings Separation
When confronted with Yahushua’s Words, how do we respond?
Yahushua’s Disciples, when confronted with a ‘hard saying,’ were immediately divided into two camps, depending on their response:
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. (John 6:53-58)
In the above passage, Yahushua tells them a ‘mystery’ Truth of the Kingdom, regarding Passover. Now let’s see how the hearers responded:
Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? (John 6:60)
When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. (John 6:61-64)
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (John 6:66)
In the above passages, we first see that ‘many’ of Yahushua’s disciples questioned His words, His sayings as ‘hard’ (harsh, offensive, difficult).
And because they did not understand His Words, they murmered at His words, and became offended at Him, and ‘believed not’ — and they went back, and walked no more with Him.
First notice that those who ‘believed not’ are those who ‘went back, and walked no more with Him.’ Here we see confirmation that ‘believing’ is simply walking along with Him (in the same path), and is simply a matter of doing what Yahushua does.
But notice that it was ‘from that time’ that many went back, referring to the time they did not understand His Words, but became offended at them. Let’s see why the ‘many’ responded in this manner.
When Yahushua’s Words collide with ones ‘own understanding,’ each one must then decide which ‘lord’ (master) they will follow — whether to Believe Yahusua’s Words as True, or to Believe the ‘idol’ of ones own understanding and tradition.
When we follow our own reasoning as a substitute for Yahushua’s plain and clear words, we are in idolatry — for any substitute for Yahuweh, or of the practice of His Word, is an idol in its most basic definition.
In the same way that many of Yahushua’s Disciples went back, and walked no more with Him, we too are to be separated, according to whether we choose to follow Yahushua’s Words and example, or whether we choose not to follow them.
Let’s notice the response of the remaining Disciples:
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. (John 6:67-69)
Here we see the Disciples affirming a key point. “To whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”
In saying this, Peter affirmed there is no one greater to whom they should go, indicating they held Him, and His Words, as superior to that of all others. We then see the disciples further affirming that Yahushua is the Messiah, the son of Yahuweh.
They received Him, and His Words, as little children receiving from a Father.
Let’s now look at how we are to become as little children.
Entering the Kingdom: Becoming as Little Children
The necessary openness we are to have — our willingness to receive His Word as a little child — is expressed by Yahushua:
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)
The word ‘converted’ means “turn around, and go in another direction, or metaphorically, to change one’s course of conduct.” And so we too shall not enter the Kingdom, unless we become as little children.
Notice in the above passage, that the little children are as those who have a tender desire to please their Father, and so they immediately turn around and go in another direction, when told to do so by Father’s Words in Scripture.
Therefore, if we would be as little children, we will turn ourselves around, and go in the Way of Yahushua. We do this by prayerfully considering, and doing, the following:
2. Holding Messiah’s Word as supreme over our own understanding, just as children who receive instruction from a loving Father.
Let us therefore become as ‘Little Children’ — to hear Yahushua’s Words, and to see His example — in order that we might find the Biblical timing for Passover.
