Ezra 6:13-22
Tuesday, 07 May 2024
And the sons of Israel who returned from exile and all those who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land to join them, to seek the Lord God of Israel, ate the Passover. And they held the Feast of Unleavened Bread… –Ezra 6:21-22
The context of our reading today is the celebration of the Passover and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread after a gap of many years, by the people who had returned from exile and had the Temple rebuilt in Jerusalem with the help of the Assyrian King, Darius. There was much joy in the celebration at the restitution of something they had missed out while in their exile.
The first Passover of which we meditated yesterday signified the Lord “passing over” the houses of His people in Egypt on whose doorposts and lintels were applied the blood of the lamb. The angel of death “passed over” the children of Israel who had applied the blood on their doors and their life was retained.
The significance of this feast for us today is that it points to Christ’s redemption for a sinner. 1 Cor.5:7 says: “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” Jesus became the Lamb of God, who gave Himself to redeem all humankind from sin by shedding His blood. Apostle Peter writes thus: “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1:18-19). As a Jew, this feast has to be celebrated yearly, but for us who believe in Christ, Jesus the Perfect Lamb fulfilled it once and for all. The blood on the doorpost and the lintels showed that a price has been paid for the protection of those inside the house. Likewise Jesus’ blood declares to the devil that He paid a price for our sins and the devil has no claim over us.
The second festival mentioned in our text is the Feast of the Unleavened Bread in which no leaven was to be added to their bread while baking and all leaven was to be removed from their houses. For the believer today, the unleavened bread represents Jesus’ sinless life and it also points to the believer’s holy walk. Paul mentions in 1Cor.5: 7 of “purging out the old leaven” which was well understood by the Jewish hearers. Paul was talking about a new life in Christ the Passover lamb. What does leaven signify here? Vs.8 compares leaven to wickedness and malice! Paul says, “Therefore purge out the old leaven that you may be a new lump…” (1Cor.5:7 NKJV) Are we as followers of Christ still living the old way of life in malice and envy, bitterness and strife? How about other leaven like pride, selfish ambitions, love of money, traditions of our forefathers, etc. which we have allowed to stay on in our lives? Wouldn’t we nullify Christ’s work on the cross because of this behavior? A time of retrospection within!
Dear friend, if you haven’t received cleansing by the blood of Christ for your sin, let today be your commitment to have His blood applied on you that you may cross over from eternal death to life everlasting in Him. Brothers & sisters, every time we partake of the Lord’s Table instituted for us, do we remember the great work of our Passover Lamb on Calvary? Are we entertaining sin in our lives or have we allowed the Spirit of God begin a new work in each of us? Let us all experience Christ’s redemption!
Quote for the day: “Redeemed by Christ Our Passover Lamb.” ~Anonymous
Listen: 'Lamb of God'