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This book offers the reader a detailed and thoroughly documented study of the Passover as observed in both the Old Testament and New Testament times. As recorded in the Old Testament, the Passover was observed on the 14th day of the first month—the same day that the Lord God, Jehovah Elohim, had delivered His promises to Abraham. It was on this day that God gave Abraham the promise of both physical and spiritual blessings for his seed. The promise of physical blessings was fulfilled through the Old Covenant with Israel, and the promise of spiritual blessings is being fulfilled through the New Covenant with the Church.
When the time came to end the Old Covenant and establish the New Covenant, the Lord God, Jehovah Elohim, became Jesus Christ—God in the flesh. Through His death, He terminated the Old Covenant and sealed the promises of the New Covenant. He delivered these promises on the night of Nisan 14—the same time that the promises were given to Abraham, and the same day that the Passover of the Old Covenant was instituted. The Old Covenant was established 430 years after the covenant with Abraham and lasted for approximately 1500 years. The Old Covenant came to an end on April 5 in AD 30 when Jesus died on the Passover day—the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew Sacred Calendar. In ending the Old Covenant with Israel, Jesus Christ initiated a new beginning. That new beginning was the New Covenant with the Church.
Many new beginnings are recorded in the Bible. When the Old World ended with the Flood, there was a new beginning with Noah and his sons after the Flood. After the death of Noah, there was a new beginning with Abraham. Four generations later, there was a new beginning with Israel, initiated by the Passover in Egypt and culminating in the ratification of the Old Covenant at Mount Sinai. That covenant ended with the death of Jesus Christ, which placed the New Covenant in force and effect. The New Covenant is raising up spiritual seed, who will have a new beginning when Jesus Christ returns. They will become glorified spirit beings and will rule with Him on earth during the millennium. When the millennium has ended, there will be a new beginning for all generations of human beings who have died and gone to the grave. All will be resurrected to a new life in the flesh and will have the opportunity to choose the way of eternal life during the time of the Great White Throne Judgment after the millennium. After this period of judgment, the earth will be consumed with fire and all the wicked will be destroyed, preparing the way for the new heavens and the new earth, which will begin the “Ages of Eternity” for the family of God.
Jesus Christ has revealed that He is the one Who begins and ends these major epochs in the plan of God. He says: “ ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending,’ says the Lord, ‘Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come—the Almighty’ ” (Rev. 1:8). It was Jesus Christ Who instituted the New Covenant on the Passover day, the 14th day of the first month. Jesus Himself established this day by His commands and by His example! Jesus Himself set this time for the renewal of the New Covenant by each Christian.
Jesus Christ Himself established the 14th day of the first month, according to the Hebrew Sacred Calendar, as the day to observe the Christian Passover ceremony, which commemorates the beginning of the New Covenant in His blood, and renews the covenant relationship of each Christian with Him and God the Father. Men in their self-righteousness have rejected His commands and have changed the date of its observance, the time of day, the symbols, the frequency of observance, and the meaning. But men do not have the authority to change and modify what Jesus Himself established by His own personal commands!
The Scriptures of the Old Testament and the New Testament are filled with evidence that the 14th day of the first month in the Sacred Hebrew Calendar is the Passover day that God ordained. The Scriptural and historical records make it undeniably clear that the observance of a 15th Passover is a tradition of the Jews and was never commanded by God. The tradition of a 15th Passover is in direct opposition to the Word of God, which establishes the 14th as the Passover day. The New Covenant cannot be renewed on the 15th day of the first month because that day does not commemorate the death of Jesus Christ. Error does not agree with truth. The truth is that the Scriptures—both Old Testament and New Testament— absolutely establish and uphold the 14th as the Passover day—the day that Jesus instituted the New Covenant in His blood. That is the only day that the covenant can be renewed.
Participating in Easter services cannot renew the New Covenant. Not only is Easter observed on the wrong day, but it has been derived from paganism, and it is specifically condemned in the Word of God. The Bible condemns Easter because it originated with the worship of the Babylonian goddess Isthar (pronounced Easter), the so-called “queen of heaven.” Those who participate in Easter sunrise celebrations do not realize that God views these services as sun-worship and idolatry (See Ezek. 8:15-16). The celebration of the Mass, or partaking of the so-called “Holy Eucharist,” cannot renew the New Covenant, because it does not follow the express commands of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated on the wrong days, at wrong times in the day, and it uses the wrong symbols. It, too, has been derived from paganism— not from the Word of God. Neither can the weekly observance of Communion or the Lord’s Supper renew the New Covenant. It is also observed on the wrong day and at the wrong time, and in most cases uses the wrong symbols. Furthermore, the New Testament shows that the Christian Passover ceremony should not be called the “Lord’s Supper.” None of these substitute practices of men conform to the truth of God’s Word.
God will not accept any of these religious counterfeits in worship of Him at any time. The God of truth cannot be worshiped with a lie! This kind of worship is useless and vain, even as Jesus said: “This people honors Me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men” (Mark 7:6-7).
THE ONLY TRUE RENEWAL OF THE NEW COVENANT IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE ANNUAL CHRISTIAN PASSOVER OBSERVANCE. Any other practice than that which Jesus Himself has commanded—regardless of the perceived need, the sincerity, proclaimed sanctity or alleged religious authority—cannot renew the New Covenant. No practice or observance that is contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ can keep anyone in covenant with God! They are the traditions of men and do not lead to eternal life. Only those who renew the New Covenant of grace at the time and in the manner that Jesus Christ commanded— through participation in the Christian Passover on the 14th day of the first month—have the promise of eternal life. Observing any other practice is sin and will ultimately bring death: “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23).
Professing Christians who sin by disobeying the commands of Jesus Christ are not under the New Covenant of eternal life but are actually in covenant with death. The prophet Isaiah shows that those who reject the truth of God and cling to the lies of men are in covenant with death: “Therefore hear the Word of the LORD, you scornful men who rule this people in Jerusalem because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and we have made an agreement with the grave; when the overwhelming rod shall pass through, it shall not come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and we have hidden ourselves under falsehood,’ therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I place in Zion a Stone for a foundation, tried Stone, a precious Cornerstone, a sure Foundation...” (Isa. 28:14- 16).
This prophecy of Isaiah clearly shows that the teachings and commands of Jesus Christ are the foundation of eternal life. Those who reject His commands and surround themselves with lies and falsehoods are in covenant with death. This is a true description of the traditional practices of Judaism and of mainstream Christianity and all the religions of the world. Since their practices are not the practices of Jesus Christ, they do not lead to eternal life, but bring death to all who follow them.
Jesus Christ has revealed the ONLY WAY to enter the New Covenant and receive the gift of eternal life from God the Father. He Himself established the New Covenant with His own blood, and He Himself reveals the ONE TRUE WAY to enter that special relationship with the Father. Jesus declared: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Jesus also said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father, Who sent Me, draws him...” (John 6:44). The covenant relationship begins with God the Father’s calling. Each individual must respond to God’s calling by repenting of sin and being baptized in water, which represents being conjoined into the covenant death of Jesus Christ. When these conditions are fulfilled, God the Father grants the gift of the Holy Spirit, which enables each one to worship God in loving obedience to His Word, which is the Truth. Jesus said: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH; for the Father is indeed seeking those who worship Him in this manner. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must [Greek dei, ob- ligated, under divine compulsion] worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).
The use of the Greek dei shows that it is imperative to worship God according to the truth of His Word as revealed by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is not making a suggestion—IT IS A COMMAND. The Greek text is most emphatic!
Christians who are truly in covenant with God the Father will continually be worshiping Him in spirit and in truth. They will be practicing the teachings of Jesus Christ, which He received from the Father. They will be observing the Christian Passover ceremony each year on the 14th day of the first month—the day that Jesus established for the renewing of the covenant relationship. They will observe this ceremony at the time of day that Jesus instituted the new symbols and in the proper manner that He Himself commanded, participating in the footwashing, and partaking of the unleavened bread and the wine.
After instituting the new Passover ceremony on the night that He was betrayed, Jesus gave the following command to His disciples. These words are foundational to the New Covenant: “If you love Me, keep the commandments— namely, My commandments....The one who has My commandments and is keeping them, that is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him....If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him” (John 14:15, 21, 23). Jesus’ words are clear. Those who love Him will be keeping His commandments, including His command to observe the Christian Passover on the night of His betrayal. On the other hand, those who do not love Him will not be keeping His commandments, which He received from God the Father: “The one who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word that you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s, Who sent Me” (John 14:24).
The words of Jesus Christ, which He received from the Father, are the foundation of the New Covenant. Anyone who rejects the words of Jesus Christ cannot be in covenant with God the Father. The covenant relationship is not open to those who vainly worship God with the humanly devised tradition of a 15th Passover, or the Eucharist, or Communion, or the Lord’s Supper. The New Covenant relationship is offered only to those who love Jesus Christ and God the Father and are keeping Their commandments.
The New Covenant relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father must be renewed each year by participating in the Christian Passover. The true observance of the Christian Passover involves far more than understanding the time and manner that Jesus commanded. It extends far beyond doctrinal disputes and differing opinions of Bible students, ministers and theologians. It transcends all religious arguments and strife over words. The Christian Passover is the foundation of God’s plan for those whom He calls—now and for eternity!
God the Father’s plan is being accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Passover: “But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor on account of suffering the death, in order that by the grace of God He Himself might taste death for everyone; because it was fitting for Him, for Whom all things were created, and by Whom all things exist, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Author of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Heb. 2:9-10).
No other sacrifice can possibly replace or be substituted for the awesome sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His blood alone can reconcile sinful human beings to God the Father. As each one is reconciled, the risen Christ acts as High Priest at the right hand of God, daily obtaining God’s loving grace: “But God, Who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, has made us alive together with Christ (For you have been saved by grace.), And He has raised us up together [through the operation of baptism] and has caused us to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus [Who is our hope of glory], so that in the ages that are coming He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this especially is not [Greek ouk, the impossibility] of your own selves; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, not [Greek ouk, the impossibility] of your own works, so that no one may boast. For we are HIS [GOD THE FATHER’S] WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS unto the good works [of faith, love and obedience] that God ordained beforehand in order that we might walk in them” (Eph. 2:4-10).
These words of Paul reveal God the Father’s magnificent love and grace toward each one whom He calls through Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul was granted a deep spiritual understanding of the grace of God and His awesome plan for mankind. Paul was inspired to record these divine revelations in his epistle to the Ephesians. The author has expanded the inspired words of Paul in Ephesians 3 in a special amplified translation to focus on God the Father’s magnificent plan and purpose for man. The author’s amplified translation has been designed to go beyond other amplified versions in that the meaning of the entire Bible is brought to bear on every verse. The author’s translation expands and amplifies each word to bring out its full meaning, without listing references to other verses, as would be necessary for a technical presentation. The author has translated the passage in this manner to capture the full meaning and inspiration of Paul’s words to the Ephesians. The author’s hope is that this translation will enable the reader to comprehend more fully the plan of God and His awesome purpose for those who accept Jesus Christ as their Passover. This glorious eternal inheritance is freely offered to you—if you are willing to love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength, as Jesus said.
EPHESIANS 3
1. For this very reason and cause, I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of, and for, you Gentiles;
2. If truly you have heard of the administration and stewardship [ministry] of the grace of God, which was granted and entrusted to me in your behalf;
3. How that by direct, divine revelation He made known to me [giving me comprehension and understanding of] the mystery of His plan (according as I previously wrote to you briefly,
4. Whereby you are able, when you read this, to perceive and comprehend my understanding and knowledge [such as only God can grant] of the mystery of Christ);
5. Which in other generations and previous ages was not made known or revealed to the sons of men, as it has now been divinely revealed and made manifest to His holy apostles [who were commissioned and sent by Jesus Christ, bearing His authority] and His prophets by the Spirit;
6. That the Gentiles should be joint heirs, conjointly receiving of His inheritance; members of a joint body, which is His Church; and joint partakers, sharing His promise [of eternal life] through the good news of the gospel;
7. Of which I became a servant and minister according to the gratuitous gift of grace, the gracious calling of God, which was given to me according to the inner workings of His dynamic, spiritual power.
8. Yes, to me, the lowest of the least of all the saints, was this grace given, in order that the good news of the gospel might be preached and announced among the nations; even the unsearchable and unfathomable [the inconceivable and incomprehensible] wealth and luxuriant riches of Christ;
9. To enlighten and spiritually illuminate all nations by making clear what is the fellowship and participation, that close relationship with God, as revealed in the secret plan, which from the beginning of the world has been hidden [concealed and withheld from sight or knowledge] in God, who created and brought into existence everything by and through Jesus Christ;
10. So that it might now be made known through the church to the principalities and rulers, even the authorities who are exercising power in the heavenly realm [yes, even the angels], what is the infinite and supreme wisdom of God;
11. According to the eternal purpose, His purpose throughout the ages, which He proposed and planned [specifically worked out beforehand] in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Master;
12. In Whom we have boldness and confidence, even direct access to God [being admitted into the very presence of God the Father through prayer] in complete assurance and absolute trust by His faith [Christ's own faith implanted within our hearts and minds].
13. On account of this, I am imploring and beseeching you not to lose heart or weaken in confidence or faith, neither be discouraged or disillusioned at my trials and tribulations for you, which are for your own glory in God's eternal plan.
14. Now it is for this cause and reason that I bow my knees in worshipful adoration and humble submission to the Father of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ,
15. From Whom the entire family of God, the angels in heaven and the saints on earth, is named,
16. That He may grant [graciously bestow and gratuitously endow] you, according to the luxuriant, abundant riches of His own magnificent splendor and glory, to be mightily strengthened and energized with dynamic power through His Holy Spirit in the inner man;
17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts and minds through faith and trusting belief, and that you may be constantly rooted and firmly planted [that is, stabilized, grounded and established] in love [godly, divine love],
18. So that you may be spiritually capable of understanding and able to fully comprehend with every one of the saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height [of God's eternal plan and purpose];
19. And to know and understand the divine, godly love of Christ, which surpasses and exceeds all human knowledge and understanding; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God [with His Holy Spirit satiating every fiber of your being, so that in the resurrection at the return of Christ, you may see Him as He is, and be like Him, a son or daughter of God, composed of spirit as God is composed of spirit].
20. Now to Him who has the limitless and unending ability, which transcends all things, to do exceeding abundantly above everything that we can ask or think, according to the dynamic spiritual power that is working within us,
21. TO HIM, GOD THE FATHER, BE THE MAGNIFICENT SPLENDOR, HONOR AND GLORY IN THE CHURCH BY JESUS CHRIST THROUGHOUT ALL GENERATIONS, EXPANDING INTO THE AGES OF ETERNITY. AMEN.
Before writing this inspiring and revealing passage, Paul wrote a prayer of enlightenment for the Christians at Ephesus. The author has translated Paul’s prayer in the same manner as the above passage. May God the Father and Jesus Christ grant the fulfilling of this prayer in your life!
EPHESIANS 1:16-23
16. I do not cease giving thanks for you, continually making mention of you in my prayers;
17. That the God of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, the Father, Who radiates magnificent splendor and glory, may give you the spirit of divine wisdom and spiritual insight to reveal the knowledge and understanding of Him [God the Father];
18. So that the understanding of your minds may be continually enlightened [spiritually illuminated], and you may know and comprehend what is the hope of His calling, and the luxuriant riches [yes, even the opulent abundance] of His divine, magnificent splendor, and the glory of His inheritance in the saints;
19. And that you may know and comprehend the surpassing greatness and infinite magnitude of His power toward us who are believing, according to the inner working of the dynamic power and spiritual might of His strength,
20. Which He performed and worked in Christ, having resurrected Him from among the dead; and He set Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
21. High above every principality and ruler, authority and power, lordship and dominion, and every name and title that can be named, not only in this present age, but also in the age that is coming.
22. And He, God the Father, has put all things [even the vastness of the universe] under His feet [giving Him the right of rulership and dominion], and has appointed Him to be the Head over all things in the Church,
23. Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who is fulfilling all things in every way.
The author’s personal hope and prayer is that the knowledge and understanding of the true Christian Passover may be a new beginning for you, and that you may be in true covenant with God the Father and Jesus Christ—now and for all eternity.
