The Purpose of Passover

Almost all Eye of Prophecy articles begin with an introduction that fits the article’s theme, designed to capture the reader’s attention before getting to the topic at hand. Isn’t that what a writer is supposed to do? Due to time/space restraints, and assuming that I have your attention by commenting on your attention in the first place, let’s get right to it!

With, however, an encouragement to read last week’s article, if you haven’t, and next week’s post; because they are two parts of this trilogy that explores the extraordinary correlation between Messiah and the Seven Jewish Festivals.

Jewish celebration of Passover since the 2^nd Temple was destroyed (70AD) is much more focused on deliverance from Egypt which was designed by God to be remembered primarily by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. With the true meaning and commemoration of the Feast of Passover relating specifically to God’s passing over (sparing) the Israelites during the tenth plague of Egypt. This Pass Over was made possible by the sacrifice of innocent lambs.

Yes, God passed over the Hebrews. This stunningly significant event in Israel’s history was God’s first disclosure to them as a nation that the shedding of innocent blood was necessary to spare them from God’s judgment of the wrong things they had done. Later, this universal precept would be graphically portrayed in the Levitical Sacrificial System, an integral part of the Mosaic Covenant. Yet that revelation was only a prelude to a much greater, longer-lasting (as in permanent) solution to the problem of sin that separates all people from God and leads to God’s wrath, so vividly exemplified by the Egyptian plagues, especially the last one.

The New Covenant established a much better arrangement between God and man. A Covenant based on God’s Grace (not keeping of the Law that no one could do in the first place) enabling both Jew and Gentile to enter this binding agreement by simple faith in the final substitutionary sacrifice of a sinless man … Messiah Jesus. It, too, was sealed in blood—the precious blood of God’s very Son.

Listen to the words of Jesus less than twenty-four hours before he allowed himself to be killed on a Roman cross so that all who believed in Him would not “die in their sins.”

Known as the Last Supper, Jesus broke the bread in pieces and said: “…This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me. After supper he took another cup of wine and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you’” (Luke 22:19-20).

Some 3 ½ years before that, John the Baptist—Israel’s greatest prophet ever (according to Jesus)—pointed to Jesus and shouted: “…Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

After witnessing the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus, John the Baptist also attested: “I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God” (Verse 34).

Messiah Jesus the Passover Lamb

It is absolutely no coincidence that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified on Passover eve. Though Jesus had (willingly) no control over the Jewish religious leaders arresting him or the Roman soldiers crucifying him, God, nevertheless, providentially orchestrated the sequence of events in order that Messiah Jesus would be the Lamb of God during the time of Israel’s Passover observance.

Later, the Apostle Paul (who kept the Jewish festivals when possible, but from a Messianic viewpoint) said:

“…Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth” (I Corinthians 5:7-8).

Recall in last week’s article: The unblemished lambs or goats sacrificed by the Israelites were to be chosen, separated from the flock, and kept with each family for four days. Jesus came to Jerusalem seven days before he arose from the grave. Thus, he was in Jerusalem among the people for four days before he was killed as the sacrificial Passover Lamb of God!

Read with me the God-inspired words of a Jewish author to a primarily Jewish audience:

“Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless. For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God” (Hebrews 7:18-19).

The author’s explanation of the Levitical priesthood (sacrificial system) being “old and useless” was in the context of and contrast to the New Covenant. The author goes on to say:

“But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. But when God found fault with the people, he said:

‘The day is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant … But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people’” (Hebrews 8:6-10, quoting also Jeremiah 31:31-34).

Then to summarize:

“So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever” (Hebrews 9:11-12).

How awesome is that?! For me, great enough to shout aloud, “Amen!” I just did.

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins … People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood…” (Romans 3:23-25)

The Festival of Unleavened Bread (Chag Hamotzi in Hebrew)

Although this seven-day feast begins on Nissan 15—immediately following Passover Day—and is intricately linked to the observance of Passover, it is the second festival and is, thereby, separate from Passover in purpose, practice, and pattern of what would be perfected upon the substitutionary death of Messiah.

All seven Jewish festivals are listed in Leviticus Chapter 23, then again in other passages such as Numbers 28 & 29, and in more limited form in Deuteronomy Chapter 16. With Passover and Unleavened Bread first introduced in Exodus Chapter 12.

“The Lord’s Passover begins at sundown on the fourteenth day of the first month. On the next day, the fifteenth day of the month, you must begin celebrating the Festival of Unleavened Bread. This festival to the Lord continues for seven days, and during that time the bread you eat must be made without yeast” (Leviticus 23:5-6).

In Exodus Chapter 12, we find the first mention of the precise purpose for the Unleavened Bread observance.

“Celebrate this Festival of Unleavened Bread, for it will remind you that I brought your forces out of the land of Egypt on this very day…” (Exodus 12:17).

Then again in Deuteronomy:

“…For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, as when you escaped from Egypt in such a hurry. Eat this bread—the bread of suffering—so that as long as you live you will remember the day you departed from Egypt” (Deuteronomy 16:3).

The Passover itself is for Israel to remember that her people were spared from God’s judgment of the entire land of Egypt. It was a powerful preview of a more magnificent and meaningful deliverance through the ultimate Passover Lamb of God, Messiah Jesus—permanent pardon from the final penalty for our sins.

Yeast throughout Scripture represents the infection of sin that leads to the fatal result of both physical and spiritual death (eternal separation from God). In Egypt the Israelites were slaves, not only to the Egyptians but also to their sins. Extraction of the yeast symbolized removal of the people from Egypt, and also spiritual removal of Egypt from the people (Egypt synonymous with yeast, therefore sin).

Thus, the unleavened bread represented their actual deliverance from physical bondage in Egypt, and also the greater problem of spiritual slavery to sin itself. It is an extension of the Passover grace of God to forgive sin and, thereby, spare us from God’s final judgment.

Messiah Jesus Delivers Us from Slavery to Sin (Typified by Yeast in Leavened Bread)

Not only does our Great God and Savior, Messiah Jesus, spare us from final judgment, he also delivers us from bondage to sin. However, not yet from the presence of sin (for believers in Christ are still in this earthly body subject to weakness and still doing wrong things). That will come later when our redemption culminates by the transfiguration of our earthly bodies to glorious resurrected “spiritual bodies.” It’s not that Christians are sinless, but by keeping in close fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we (should) sin less.

See Eye of Prophecy articles, Spiritual Bodies … A Contradiction of Terms? Part I & II, posted 9-26-15 and 10-3-15. Also, Age of Grace, I, II, & III, posted 1-24, 1-31, and 2-7-15.

There are several passages of Scripture that reveal this enigmatic, but, nevertheless, fathomable and fabulous truth of what essentially are three phases of all who have been “born-again” (John 3:3) and have become a “new creation with a new life” (II Corinthians 5:17).

Justification (Our Permanent Position in Christ): The very moment we accept Christ Jesus as personal Savior, we are justified (pardoned, declared not guilty) once for all in God’s sight. God looks at us through the image of his Son: just as if we had never sinned. Our position IN CHRIST is secure forever because Jesus took the punishment we deserved.

Sanctification: (Our Practice & Progress in Christ): Believers set apart by God while we live the remainder of our lives (from the moment of salvation’s rebirth) to be more like Christ. This is possible because God gives us the Holy Spirit to seal, indwell, and empower us to serve and live for our Risen Savior.

Glorification: (Our Final Place and Presence with Christ): Transformation of our body, soul, and spirit to be like Messiah Jesus, and live with him forever when he returns to take us to our heavenly home.

Among several other passages, here is one to sum up these three segments of a believer’s life experience beginning the day of our new birth in Christ.

“Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2).

Then continuing: “Since we have been united with him in death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:5-11).

Messiah has delivered those who believe in Him from the penalty, power, and one day (soon) from the very presence of sin in our lives (internally). That is the substance (pattern) of the Feast of Unleavened Bread as fulfilled and completed by Christ Jesus … spiritual removal of the yeast (of sin) from our lives that infects us individually and collectively as the Body of Christ.

So let us remember to: “…lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith…” (Hebrews 12:1-2, NASB).

All of the Seven Festivals were extraordinary events under the Old Covenant. But they were also shadows, patterns, and preview types of what was to come. When Jesus initiated, executed, and sealed the New Covenant with his sacrificial blood, the new replaced the old. The shadow became the real image. The type yielded to the Archetype. The pattern turned into the finished product.

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth … He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross” (Colossians 1:15-20).

Now let’s take a look at the next Jewish Festival and why it, too, is a precursor preview of a greater coming attraction … Messiah Jesus!

Third Festival: First Fruits Harvest (Yom Habikkurim in Hebrew)

The first three festivals begin in the Jewish month of Nissan (March/April on our calendar), with the Festival of First Fruits celebrated during the early part of Unleavened Bread, but for a different reason with a unique purpose.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you enter the land I am giving you and you harvest its first crops, bring the priest a bundle of grain from the first cutting of your grain harvest. On the day after the Sabbath, the priest will lift it up before the Lord so it may be accepted on your behalf’” (Leviticus 23:9-11).

The Spring Harvest (normally barley) was made possible by two seasons of planting in Israel, winter and summer; because there were two seasons of rain, fall and spring.

Notice that this festival (and all following feast days) would commence after God’s people entered the Promised Land of Israel. The reason is abundantly evident: As a people passed over (spared) from God’s judgment of the entire land of Egypt; delivered from slavery in Egypt; redeemed from captivity to idolatry and disbelief, they would be rebirthed as God’s chosen people … individually and also (this time) nationally. They would begin this new life in the land promised to their patriarchal fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This new beginning would be in houses they did not build and with abundant crops they did not plant. In other words, it was a resurrection from physical and spiritual death in Egypt to a promising new life in a place prepared for them by the Lord.

Thus, the first cutting of the first crops harvested by the Israelites themselves was to be given directly to God in heartfelt gratitude; for it was the Lord who assured the harvest (any harvest) even after they entered the land. It was in remembrance that God had raised them up and out of an old life that produced nothing but a horrific harvest of Egyptian inflicted, but also self-induced, misery and hopelessness.

Just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, Moses reminded them of many things they had been told, including the Festival of First Fruits Harvest.

“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you as a special possession … put some of the first produce from each crop you harvest into a basket and bring it to the designated place of worship…” (Deuteronomy 26:1-2).

Then, Moses instructed the people to say (from their heart with meaning) the following words in the presence of the Lord their God:

“So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and powerful arm, with overwhelming terror, and with miraculous signs and wonders. He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey! And now, O Lord, I have brought you the first portion of the harvest you have given me from the ground…” (Deuteronomy 26:8-10).

(Depicts Joshua Leading Israelites Into the Promised Land of Israel)

Notice also, the Festival of First Fruits was to begin one (complete Jewish) day after the Sabbath (Shabbat in Hebrew) Passover. Not only is the Jewish lunar calendar different from the Gregorian solar calendar, so also is the Jewish day dissimilar. It starts at sundown rather than midnight, which begins the next official day for most of the world.

Passover began at sundown on the 14^th day of Nissan. However, the animals were slaughtered at twilight/dusk; technically the same day before the new day actually begins when the sun goes completely down. This is normally referred to as the day of preparation for the Passover.

Remember, the Passover (God passing over the Jews while the Egyptian firstborns were dying) itself took place later that night after the Hebrews had eaten the Passover meal. Thus, the animals would be slain in preparation on the 13^th (Thursday, as the Jewish Passover officially begins sundown on Friday).

Messiah Jesus Perfection of the First Fruits Festival

The Feast of First Fruits begins on the first full day after the Sabbath (annual Passover Sabbaths). Since the Sabbath doesn’t end until sundown the following day (Saturday) the First Fruits would then begin on Sunday. Hence, there were three actual days from the time the animals were killed to the beginning celebration of the First Fruits Festival on Sunday.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. (Think Jewish days … sundown to sundown).

Many, the world over, know something about what Christians call, Good Friday. True believers in Christ Jesus grasp its significance quite well. As horrible as his torture and death were, it was GOOD for all of us who have placed our trust in Messiah’s once for all atonement for our sins. However, Jesus actually died around 3:00 PM on Thursday, with the Sabbath Passover beginning a few hours later at sundown (Friday). Thus our Lord was in the grave for three (Jewish) days and nights. Believers celebrate the Messianic equivalent of First Fruits on Easter Sunday, what I and some others prefer to call Resurrection Day.

The Apostle Paul was well versed in the Hebrew Scriptures, including the Jewish Festivals. As were the other Apostles and the Jewish author of the book of Hebrews. Eventually all first century Christians would be acutely aware of the amazing New Testament Messianic fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and patterns.

The entire Christian faith, indeed, the very source of everlasting life is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the central subject of all the early messages preached by the Apostles, particularly Paul and Peter. (See the book of Acts).

Paul also recognized the direct connection between the Festival of First Fruits and the Resurrection of Messiah Jesus from the dead in order to give all who believe in him new life.

Listen to Paul’s explanation:

“But, in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection; Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back” (I Corinthians 15:20-23).

Jesus compared the salvation of all those who believed and received him (from the moment of redemption to the triumphant finale of resurrection) to a great harvest (of souls). But this harvest would not be possible unless Messiah first arose from the dead. Jesus is the first fruits of the harvest, followed by the resurrection and transfiguration of all believers—those dead and alive, respectively, at the Rapture.

These first three festivals—Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits—all took place in a period of eight days. Essentially, they are observed in today’s Judaism, as a whole, without the Messianic (Jesus) connection. With, as previously indicated last week and in this week’s article: the overriding emphasis on the Unleavened Bread Passover Supper. Minus the authentic sacrifice of a lamb, which is the very essence and preparatory beginning of the Passover itself.

Fourth Festival: Pentecost Feast of Weeks (Shavuot in Hebrew)

“From the day after the Sabbath—the day you bring the bundle of grain to be lifted up as a special offering—count off seven full weeks. Keep counting until the day after the seventh Sabbath, fifty days later. Then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. From wherever you live, bring two loaves of bread to be lifted up before the Lord as a special offering…” (Leviticus 23:15-17).

Moses continues: “Then you must offer one male goat as a sin offering and two one-year old male lambs as a peace offering” (Verse 19).

Followed by: “That same day will be proclaimed an official day for holy assembly…” (Verse 21).

Shortly, we’ll see the relevance of the two loaves of bread, the goat, the two lambs, the holy assembly, and other Shavuot events to the New Testament Day of Pentecost.

Pentecost is the Greek word for fifty.

Many Rabbinic scholars believe that Shavuot (which wasn’t inaugurated until after the Israelites entered the Promised Land) fell on the same day that God came down on Mount Sinai in fire and smoke and trumpeted in God’s own voice the Ten Commandments to the people. The Israelites were so terrified of what they saw, but especially of God’s voice, they pleaded with Moses that God would speak to him, not directly to them.

Later, Moses would receive the Ten Commandments written by God himself on two stone tablets from Mount Sinai, then even later the entire Torah (Pentateuch) … the first five books of Scripture. Other Rabbis believe it was during Moses time on Mount Sinai on which Shavuot falls. The only problem with that application is which of the 40 days that Moses was on the mountain would correspond to the 50^th day of celebrating the Feast of Weeks. However, both events match up with the New Testament Pentecost in terms of what took place.

Whether the Festival of Weeks was observed on the anniversary when God spoke the Ten Commandments directly to the Israelites or to Moses on Mount Sinai, the fact remains that the Holy Spirit descended (thereafter to reside permanently in the hearts of believers) on Pentecost (Shavuot). It says so in the text.

“On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

“At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem … They were completely amazed. ‘How can this be?’ they exclaimed. ‘These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages!’” (Acts 2:1-8).

Ten days earlier, Jesus told his disciples: “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5).

Baptism by the Holy Spirit means immersion in and identification with the Father and the Son through the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the guaranteed seal of the New Covenant believer’s salvation (II Corinthians 5:5); just as the Jews were identified with and set apart by the Law at Mount Sinai. But the Old Covenant would give way to the New.

To further demonstrate that this Festival (all of them) points to the Messiah, the One for whom the Festivals were intended to picture and the One who would complete the greater purpose for them, let’s examine the remarkable parallels between the Old Testament Shavuot and the New Testament Pentecost.

• The Feast of Weeks was to be observed by the “holy assembly” (holy means set apart) of all of Israel. When God majestically delivered the Ten Commandments to the twelve tribes of Israel, they were assembled at the foot of Mount Sinai. Likewise, with the believers (120 of them at that time) “meeting in one place,” i.e. assembled together. Plus there was a large crowd who saw the spectacular results of the Holy Spirit filling the believers on the day of Pentecost. People from fourteen different nations/languages are identified! Most, if not all, were there to observe Pentecost (Acts 2:7-11).
• God’s presence at Mt. Sinai was accompanied by thunder, lightning, smoke, and fire and the majestic voice of God himself, which petrified the people. (Exodus 19 & 20). This had to do with the giving of the Mosaic Law, which could save no one, but which was necessary to show the people their sins and the need for atonement through the sacrificial shedding of blood. At Pentecost in Jerusalem the Holy Spirit came upon the believers as tongues of fire. But it was a time of rejoicing. The believers weren’t terrified; they were ecstatic. As the Lord said he would do at Mt. Sinai, he did not again speak to the people directly until Jesus, the Son of God, spoke to all Israel. Then at Pentecost, the Apostle Peter presented the first (and the greatest sermon in the entire New Testament after Jesus ascended to heaven) “under the influence” of the Holy Spirit.
• After Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, he found the golden calf idol made by some of the impatient and disbelieving Israelites. Most know the story: 3,000 Israelites were killed because of this despicable rebellious act of worshiping an idol (See Exodus Chapter 32). It was no coincidence whatsoever that 3,000 of the assembled crowd at Pentecost, “believed what Peter said,” (Acts 2:41). Peter said a lot during that first New Testament sermon preached by someone other than Jesus. Summarized by his words: “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” (Acts 2:36).
• A less obvious, but nevertheless compelling, correlation between the Old Covenant Pentecost and the New Covenant fulfillment was the requirement for the people to offer a male goat as a sin offering and two male lambs as a peace offering. The “one” animal to be sacrificed as a “sin offering” was to remember that the most important feature of the Mosaic Law was the Levitical Sacrificial system, beginning with the Passover lamb. The two lambs sacrificed as a “peace offering” represent Jew and Gentile, both of whom would be recipients of so great a salvation purchased with the blood of the Passover Lamb … Messiah Jesus. This is also symbolized by the two loaves of bread offered at the Festival of Shavuot.

This inclusion of the Gentiles is also presented by the last verse in this Old Testament passage on Feast of Weeks, as beautifully portrayed in the book of Ruth (Ruth a Gentile, Boaz a Jew).

“When you harvest the crops of your land do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. Leave it for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 23:22).

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1).

Hence the two-lamb “peace offering” during Shavuot. Jew and Gentile alike (See Ephesians 2:14-15).

(Jew and Gentile, One in Messiah)

Things to Ponder

In Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit would “come upon” certain people … mostly the prophets, but also some of the judges and kings, especially King David, as well as a few “ordinary” people. The purpose was to empower them to do great things for God and the people. The Holy Spirit enabled the prophets to prophesy (a combination of proclaiming God’s truth, both warnings and blessings) and to predict the future. But the presence of the Holy Spirit was never permanent during the Old Covenant.

Not so with the New Covenant. Once a person believes and receives Christ as personal Savior, the Holy Spirit indwells them from that moment on.

Said Jesus to his disciples (and all believers): “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit who leads into all truth…” (John 14:16-17, italics for emphasis).

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you” (John 14:26).

For the believer, the Holy Spirit is our Counselor (Advocate … Defender). Also, our Comforter and the One who corrects us when we need correction.

The Holy Spirit is not personally available to unbelievers until they are born-again (the term used by Jesus, himself). Jesus said that the Holy Spirit’s ministry to unbelievers is:

“And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged” (John 16:8-11).

Rejecting personal salvation through Jesus is the ultimate reason that a person will end up in hell instead of heaven. Because Jesus as a man was limited to physical time and space, righteousness (right standing with God) through Messiah’s atoning salvation would be available globally, via the Holy Spirit’s work. Although Satan was judged and defeated by Messiah’s resurrection, the Lord’s final judgment to complete Satan’s defeat would take place only when Messiah Jesus returns at the appointed time.

Hallelujah to the Passover Lamb of God!

All praise and glory to our great God and Savior, Messiah Jesus who will return as the Lion from the Tribe of Judah!