Preparing for the Great Passover

I am by no means a Bible scholar so I write here only from what I have learned from my professors and my pastors down through the years. This year, as I read again  about the  Passover, I was enlightened that there could be yet another life changing Passover in our future. Most festivals and prophecies have a short term prophecy and a long term prophecy. As I read in Exodus about God's instructions for the Passover, I began to wonder if the Passover has any direct correlation to the Return of Christ. Again, I am no Bible scholar, especially when it comes to prophecy, but some things really came to my attention about preparing for the Return of Christ and following the instructions God gave to Moses for the Israelites. To be sure that I had a let to stand on, I did a little research on what the scholars say. And I believe that I have some backing on this. So, first,

a little of what I have learned ...

A. We have all been taught that the Passover was a celebration of the Israelites being freed from Egypt, and thus, Egypt and it's gods were judged. The Passover is a feast that was celebrated before God took them up out of Egypt to the Promised Land.

B. We also know that Jesus' death and resurrection took place at Passover. At his death he took on Satan and his demons. He defeated Satan. He came up out of the grave The Victor over death and sin!

C. And here's the part I had not thought about.

The Passover also helps us look forward to the day when we are "Taken up" to the ultimate Promised Land (Heaven) Perhaps, it will be at Passover when Jesus returns to take up His bride and we will go and celebrate the Wedding Feast of the Lamb!

I am reminded of Jesus' parable of the Ten Virgins. Our Lord was telling us that we must always be ready for the arrival of the Bridegroom [Jesus Christ]. So how can we be ready? 

I went back to God's instructions in Exodus 12 to learn how they should prepare for Passover to see if there might be something for us.

Here are some thoughts I had

1.  Share with your neighbor. (vs.3-4)

     God said that if your family was too small to eat all of the Lamb to share with a neighbor. Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb and he is enough for the whole world.

Are we sharing Christ with the world? Are we offing the Gospel to even those who are right beside us in order for them to have the opportunity to choose life?

2.  Get under the blood   (vs. 7)

      In Exodus, the blood was the sign to the death angel to pass over and not visit this family. God instructed the people to bring their family all in to the house and paint the doorposts with the blood.

Have you painted the blood of Christ on your doorposts? Have you brought your family in under the blood? It is the only way to receive life.

3.  Be packed and ready to go. (vs. 11)

      In Exodus, God said to be dressed with your shoes on because there would not be time to get ready. It will be the same at His return. You won't have a chance to repent or straighten up your life or go get a family member. You must be clothed in righteousness and ready to meet Him in the sky. There won't be time to go and make things right.

4.   Get rid of all sin. (vs. 15-20)

      God commanded the people to remove all the yeast from their homes in advance. There could not be the slightest amount of yeast. Anyone,  foreign or native,  who had any yeast, would be cut off. In the New Testament, Jesus related the yeast to sin. We need to search our hearts, and remove even those "little" sins from our lives.

What sins are we hiding? From what sins are we excusing ourselves? Do we compare ourselves to others and think we are OK? We need to pray the prayer of David "Search me, oh God, and know my heart. See if there be any wicked way in me."

I pray that you, along with me, will search your heart this Passover. Be ready. The signs are everywhere. And the time is short.