PASSOVER!
Nisan 14 is the Feast of Passover. It is 14 days after the first of the year- this year 6:00 P.M. Wednesday Mar. 22 began the new year (please see my messages below on the New Year). Please remember that the day according to the word starts at 6:00 P.M. This year, Nisan 14 starts at 6:00 P.M. on Tuesday April 4 and ends at 6:00 P.M. on Wednesday April 5. As I mentioned, the exact dates for particular feast days can be found on my "Biblical Calendar" page on the beginning of my web site. Some want to celebrate Passover at 6:00 P.M. on the start of Nisan 15 on Wednesday Apr. 5 at 6:00 P.M. or on the start of Nisan 16 on Thursday Apr. 6 at 6:00 P.M. Yahshua had the Passover meal at 6:00 P.M. on the start of Nisan 14 at 6:00 P.M. on Tuesday Apr. 4 and died at 3:00 P.M. on Nisan 14 Wednesday Apr. 5 -the same day. He had to have the meal then as
He was to die later at 3:00 P.M.- before the start of Nisan 15 on Saturday Mar.27 .
We need to sit down with Him spiritually at 6:00 P.M. the start of Nisan 14 Tuesday Apr. 4. This holy day of Passover is an appointed time to remember Jesus’ death on Passover and to remember that His sacrificial death purchased our deliverance from sin and Satan. Jesus rose from the dead three days later on Nisan 17 (which starts at 6:00 P.M. on Saturday Apr 8 this year) He died at 3:00 P.M. (ninth hour of the day-Matt. 27:46) on Passover(Nisan14- Wednesday Apr. 5 and rose at 3:00 P.M. on Nisan 17- Saturday Apr. 8 - 3 days and 3 nights later-Matt. 12:40). That is the true Resurrection Day, not some arbitrary day set up by religious people. This is a time to take advantage of the Father's anointing on this season and die to our fleshly desires and weaknesses.
To conform to the image of Jesus should be our greatest prayer and desire in this and the other seasons. Spend time in His presence so He can point out those things in our lives that He wants to change, with our cooperation. This is how He prepares us for blessings during His seasons.
It is my belief after studying the word that Jesus was born on Passover, which is in the first month of the year (Nisan) on the Hebrew calendar, which is the Lord’s calendar. In the book of Luke 2:41 the word says that Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem every year at Passover. In v. 42, the word says that when Jesus became (in the Greek) twelve years old they went to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. Passover was followed by Unleavened Bread which was a seven day feast in which the first and last days were holy convocations where they were obligated to be in the temple (Lev. 23:6-8). The word also says in Luke that Mary and Joseph could not find Jesus and went a day’s journey back to their relatives to try to find him (Luke 2:43, 44). So, you can see that he became twelve on Passover and they traveled one day to be in the temple on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Also, a male child was circumcised on the eight day after his birth. When Jesus was born on Passover he was circumcised on the eight day (Passover plus seven days of Unleavened Bread) which was the last day of Unleavened Bread. So, Jesus fulfilled Passover by being born and dying on Passover. He fulfilled Unleavened Bread by leading a sinless life and being circumcised on the last day of Unleavened Bread. I believe when his apostles celebrated Passover after He ascended, they not only celebrated his 3:00 P.M. sacrificial death but also his birth!
Some try to say that Jesus was born on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, based on Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. They try to figure the date of the birth of Jesus from the course in the temple that Zacharias had to serve. However they don’t realize that he served two courses, one six months later in the year. Also, they had to serve on three holidays; Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. So, it difficult to know when Zacharias was serving in the Temple and as a result when John the Baptist was conceived.
Also, in Micah 4:8 the word says that the kingdom shall come to the tower of the flock (Migdal Edar). Migdal Edar is located in Bethlehem Ephratah. The Jewish Targum Yonathan cited by Rabbi Munk paraphrases Gen. 35:23 and Micah 4:8, “He spread his tent beyond Migdal Endar, the place where King Messiah will reveal Himself at the end of days.” This was fulfilled when the angels announced to the shepherds in Bethlehem that the Messiah was born. The tower of the flock was a two -story tower where shepherds would watch over the flock from the second story and where the newborn lambs were birthed in the lower portion in a cave. These were special hand-picked shepherds that were watching over lambs that were getting ready to be sacrificed on Passover. These lambs were special also and were wrapped with swaddling clothes to be protected from hurt and blemish. These were the same type of clothes used to wrap Jesus.
When they were first born they were kept in a manger in the cave below. It was in this same cave where Jesus was born. When the angels announced to the shepherds that they would find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, they had no need for the angels to tell them the place. They knew the cave. It was right below them. These special lambs were born right before Passover in order to be ready to be sacrificed on Passover. So, the announcement by the angels to the shepherds was at Passover as they were watching their special flock for Passover sacrifice. The fact that Jesus was born on Passover and His birth announced at the tower of the flock signifies that He is the Passover Lamb and there is no more need for sacrificial lambs. There is no more need for the watch tower of the flock!
Also, the original Passover was a great time of deliverance. What better day for the Deliverer to be born? In addition, a tax was taken during the time of Jesus’ birth. What great a time to take the tax when so many were gathered together for Passover?
Here are some additional very important facts that the Holy Ghost wants us to glean out of Passover:
1.) His Timing. – As I mentioned earlier, I mentioned that Jesus fulfilled Passover being born and dying on this feast. Also, I mentioned that Jesus fulfilled the Feast of Unleavened Bread by being circumcised on the eight day of the Feast. God’s timing is impeccable!
2.) God’s complete control- The events that happened on the Passover that Jesus died also shows God’s complete control. In John 11:48-52 Caiaphas the high priest recognized that Jesus had to die for the sins of the whole world. God had put this on his heart. The loudest voices to have Jesus crucified when Pilate asked the people what they would have him do with Jesus, came from the high priest and his people. Even when they said that His blood would be upon them and their children, this was not a curse but a blessing as they knew who Jesus was (Matt. 27:25). When Jesus was in front of Caiaphas Jesus quoted from Psalm 110 when He said that hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power(Mt. 26:64). In Psalm 110:1 God says to Jesus –sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. This was a preview of Jesus standing before Caiaphas. In v. 4, Jesus is identified as the priest after the order of Melchizedek. Jesus was taking Caiaphas place as high priest for Passover. In verse 5 the word says that Jesus at Caiaphas’ right hand could strike through his heart if he didn’t relinquish his priesthood. The Romans had set up Caiaphas, not God. Caiaphas ripped his garment, thereby giving up his priesthood, reluctantly to Jesus (Mt. 26:65). So, on Passover, the next day, Jesus was the high priest at 9:00 A.M. when Pilate pronounced that the lamb (Him) was clean, according to law (Luke 23:14, 15) and at 3:00 P.M. officiating over His own death, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed. Praise Him!
In addition, the word says in Zechariah 11:12 that the LORD said that He was going to be sold for thirty pieces of silver. This was a prophecy about the LORD speaking through Judas when the LORD said “give me my price….”Also, in verse 13 there is a prophecy that the LORD said unto the chief priest to use the thirty pieces of silver for the Potters field to bury the poor. It is evident in this verse that this is the meaning as “the LORD said unto me, cast it into the potters field.” It seems that this is the chief priest talking. Wow! The LORD is showing His complete control over Judas and the chief priest! These prophecies were many years before they happened (Matt. 26:14-16, 27: 3-10). Even in Matt. 27:10, the chief priest said that he gave the money for the Potters field “as the LORD appointed me.”
Also, in Matt. 26:2 Jesus tells His apostles that He would be betrayed and crucified. The next verse says “then the chief priests, and the scribes and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill Him.” Notice only when Jesus spoke out that He would be crucified “then” the authorities conspired to kill Him. They only had the authority to do this when Jesus gave it to them by His words! Yahweh really controls everything and everybody (Col. 1:16-17) therefore we can say that no weapon formed against us will ever prosper! This fact will help us in ministering to people that are under the control of Satan. This shows His complete control over everything!
3.) The Blood- Another aspect of this Passover on which Jesus died is contained in Acts 20:28 that Jesus’ blood is God’s blood. This fact makes the blood so powerful and is the reason why the devil is so terrified about the blood. We need to use the blood as an offensive weapon against Satan, not just defensively. We need to plead the blood of Jesus over situations that could be coming against us, to utterly destroy them, not just use the blood to defend us. We can also use the blood to restore what Satan took away from us, whether it be finances, relationships, etc. Israel always sacrificed an animal before battle. We need to apply the blood over situations and watch them crumble.
4.) Jesus’ giving (a time for wealth transfers)- Another aspect of this Passover on which Jesus died is contained in Isaiah 53:12 where there is a prophecy about His sacrificial death. The word says that Jesus gave gifts to us, dividing the spoils as a result of His victory over sin, sickness and the grave. As I mentioned earlier, Jesus was born on Passover and He is now giving gifts on His birthday! In addition, as I mentioned earlier, the thirty pieces of silver that was given by the chief priests to Judas to betray Jesus was given back to the chief priests, by Judas. They gave the thirty pieces of silver to the poor as they purchased a field for the poor to bury their dead and called it “The Field of Blood.” Jesus arranged this “wealth transfer” to the poor on the day of His sacrificial death, Passover.
5.) His deliverance – As the children of Israel were delivered from Egypt by the blood of a lamb on Passover, we have been delivered from sin by the blood of Jesus on the Passover that He died and this blood can set other people free from sin through us. Even Barabbas being freed on Passover when Jesus was condemned to death shows Jesus’ deliverance power. He did this on the same day when He purchased our own deliverance!
We can also give situations that are troubling us to Him and let Him rectify them and bring us out as victors. There is such an anointing on this season to destroy those things or circumstances in our lives that are interfering with God’s blessings. They can be killed in our lives because of His death. If we obey Him during this season and submit these troubled areas to Him, there is no telling what joyful blessings He can now bring into our lives. Just as He rose three days later on Nisan 17, we can have that same resurrection power raise us up into victory over those troubled areas of our lives. One reason there are so many hurting and burdened Christians is because they don’t recognize this season of deliverance and resurrection. They miss this anointed season from God to accomplish their much needed freedom.
This is such a great time for God to raise up promises that seem to be dead, but are, in reality, just waiting for the resurrection power of God to hit them. You may have given up on some promises that God made to you, but extend your faith in His power during this season. In 2 Kings 4, after God blessed the Shunammite woman with a child through the prayer of the prophet of God, the child died. God used the prophet to bring the child back to life. He can do the same for you. Allow Him, especially at this time, to fill those voided areas of your life with His resurrection power. This is truly a great time of resurrection and restoration.
This is also a wonderful season for change. Look at the millions of people who were kept in bondage in Egypt and were set free on the original Passover. They were slaves one day and free the next. Look to God to start to change your circumstances during this season as you desire, above all, to conform to the image of Jesus. He can do it so dramatically, right in the midst of your enemies. He can put pressure on those who are trying to hold you back, and as a result, they have to release you. He did this to the Egyptians with the plagues. God can change your circumstances in 24 hours or sooner. It just depends on your desire to be like Jesus.
Just like whole families were freed from Egypt on the original Passover, there is a special anointing on this season to free whole families at one time. If there is a family member under bondage, the whole family feels the effect of it. Once the family member is free, all the family is free. Look at the book of Acts. In chapter 10 v. 44, the whole family of Cornelius heard the word preached by Peter and got saved. Look also for whole families to get saved, especially during this special time of Passover, as we honor our Passover Lamb, Jesus. Look also for great financial blessings to set whole families free into better living conditions.
This is truly a wonderful season, and many mighty miracles could be unleashed by God. It is all about His timing. We just need to recognize how He wants to move, i.e., discover the end result that He is attempting to accomplish in your life during this particular season.
Please take advantage of this season. God also wants to use this time to bring us to new levels by that same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Praise Him! The Jews were delivered from the Egyptians at the Red Sea on Nisan 17, the same day that Jesus rose. Esther and the other Jews were also delivered from Haman on Nisan 17. Noah’s Ark rested on Mount Ararat on the same day. Remember this year, Nisan 17 starts at 6:00 P.M. on Friday April 10 and ends at 6:00 P.M. on Saturday Apr. 11. This is surely a great time of deliverance, restoration and resurrection to new levels. I pray that you take advantage of this season.