The True Meaning we are keeping the Passover now

When I say to somebody we keep the Passover, many times I used to hear that it’s strange to keep it. They told me the Passover was abolished so we don’t have to keep it anymore. Even one pastor said, the Passover is not in the Bible, isn’t it amazing? What is true, what is right? If there is God’s plan for us to keep the Passover, unless we keep the Passover, we are to be in danger in front of God.

So, let’s confirm the fact through the Bible. There is no other way to understand God’s idea correctly but studying the Bible. Let’s go back to the Old Testament, the copy and shadow of New Testament. If we contrast the Old and the New testament, we can figure out the relationship between the prophecy and its fulfillment.

In the Old Testament times, the Israelites were freed from Egypt and entered Canaan after forty years in the desert. This was a prophecy that the saints of the New Testament times would be freed from this sinful world and would enter the kingdom of heaven after living in the desert of faith.

The Israelites kept the Passover only three times until they entered the land of Canaan, being released from Egypt. This too was a prophecy that God’s people in the New Testament times will keep the Passover three times from the time of Jesus until the last day. Through this, we can understand that the Passover is absolutely needed for us who are living in the last age to enter the heavenly Canaan.

The meaning of the Passover kept at the time of the Exodus

God appointed the Passover according to the work of Moses. Let us find out the prophecy of the first Passover in the Old Testament and its fulfillment.

Ex 12:5~13 “The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast…… it is the LORD’s Passover. On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn --- both men and animals --- and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”

In the first year of the Exodus, Moses and the Israelites were emancipated from Egypt after keeping the Passover for the first time. This was a prophecy and was fulfilled as Jesus kept the Passover of the new covenant with His disciples in the New Testament times.

Lk 22:15, 19~20 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer..” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you.”

This is the Passover of the new covenant, which was kept in the New Testament times. On the Passover day, Jesus established the new covenant with His blood. Jesus is the Passover lamb (1 Co 5:7). The blood of Jesus, through which the new covenant was established on the Passover, means the blood of the Passover lamb. In the Old Testament times, the Israelites were liberated from Egypt after keeping the first Passover and went to the desert. Likewise, the saints of the New Testament times were freed from this sinful world by keeping the New Covenant Passover which Jesus established, and went into the desert of faith.

The meaning of the Passover which was kept in the second year

Let us think about the Passover which was kept for the second time. This Israelites kept the Passover in the Desert of Sinai in the second year after the Exodus.

Nu 9:1~5 The LORD spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they came out of Egypt. He said, “Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed time. Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance with all its rules and regulations.”

So, Moses told Israelites to celebrate the Passover and they did so in the desert of Sinai at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD commanded Moses.

This is the scene where the Israelites kept the Passover in the second year of their life in the desert. This was a copy and shadow prophesying the Passover which would be kept in the apostolic age after Jesus’ Ascension.

1 Co 11:23~26 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

These verses show that the apostles kept the New Covenant Passover, following the example of Jesus. The Passover which was kept in the desert in the second year after the Exodus was a prophecy, and it was fulfilled as the saints of the apostolic age kept the Passover after Jesus ascended.

The meaning of the Passover which was kept just before entering Canaan

Let us go back to the history of the Old Testament again. There is no record of keeping the Passover from the time when the Israelites kept the Passover in the second year of their life in the desert up until they entered Canaan. The Israelites had not kept the Passover for a long time after they kept the Passover in the second year.

After the Exodus, the people who were born in the desert were not circumcised. (Jos 5:2~5)

According to the Old Testament law, circumcision was an essential condition to keep the Passover; an uncircumcised man was not allowed to keep the Passover (Ex 12:48~49). The fact that people were not circumcised in the desert implies that they had not kept the Passover for a long time; after the Israelites kept the Passover in the second year, they had not kept it.

Then, what is the reality of this thing? This was fulfilled as the Passover has not been kept during the Dark Ages after the apostolic age. As you know, the Passover had not been kept after the apostolic age and it was finally abolished at the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325. For over 1,600 years since then no one has kept the Passover on the earth. This is the fulfillment of the prophecy that was shown through the desert life of the Old Testament.

The Israelites kept the Passover again right before they entered Canaan. (Jos 5:10~12) According to this prophecy the people of god in the New Testament times keep Passover again in the last days ---right before they enter the heavenly Canaan--- even though they have not kept it for almost 1,600 years. Let us find it in the Bible.

Isa 25:6~8 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine --- the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever…

This is the scene where God holds a banquet of aged wine in the last days. What is God’s purpose of giving a banquet of aged wine? It is to swallow up death forever. In the 66 books of the Bible, the wine that destroys death forever is only the wine of the Passover of the new covenant. So, this is the prophecy that God Himself will restore the Passover in the last days.

In this last age, God’s people can enter the kingdom of heaven after keeping the Passover. The Israelites’ life in the desert shows that God’s people can enter Canaan after keeping the Passover, The fact that the Passover is restored in this age means that the tine to enter the heavenly Canaan, after finishing our life in the desert of faith is imminent. Christ Ahnsanghong has restored the Passover so that we can finish our life in the desert of faith and enter the heavenly Canaan soon. Let us interpret this present time through the prophecy and enter the everlasting kingdom of heaven which is before our eyes.

For more information, visit this site. www.watv.org