DROWNING IN EGYPT
The water came back and covered all the chariots and cavalry of Pharaoh’s army who had followed them into the sea — not even one of them was left. But the people of Isra’el walked on dry ground in the sea, with the water walled up for them on their right and on their left.
Exodus 14:28,29.
Messianic Believers and Rabbinic Jews around the world are celebrating Chag HaPesach, the Feast of Passover. This is the time of year all Jewish non-believers and Messianic believers (Jew and non-Jew) remember the salvation of Israel from the oppression of Pharaoh and his Egyptian slave-masters. We also remember the details of the ten plagues, each one indicating Adonai’s supremacy over an Egyptian ‘deity’, the slaughter of the Passover Lamb, the blood on the door posts and the death of the first born. But, from this point on, divergence occurs.
For Rabbinic, Traditional, Jews, the Passover Seder is a retelling of our past, in order to ‘keep’ it, as we are commanded to do, ensuring our children know the story well. There is also an element of looking forward to the coming of Messiah, the conquering king, who will free us from our oppression and restore Israel to its rightful place on the planet.
For Messianic believers, though, there is a much deeper meaning to the Seder supper. For Messianic Believers, the Seder speaks to the meaning of sacrifice, specifically the sacrifice of the Pesach, the Lamb who died for our sins, yours and mine, and who took the punishment for those sins upon His shoulders, redeeming us. The Seder also speaks to the Love Adonai Yeshua, the Lord Jesus, has for us, that He gave His own life for us, without thought of remuneration. This is the true meaning of sacrifice, as we learn in John 15:13 – No one has greater love than a person who lays down his life for his friends. Traditional Christians return to this sacrifice each Easter, beginning with Good Friday; how much of the sacrifice part they understand is debatable, considering the proliferation of marshmallow easter-eggs and chocolate bunnies.
For believers, though, there is a very strong connection between His sacrifice and our lives, present and future. This connection is to be found in His saving us from drowning in Egypt, a common metaphor for our drowning in sin. Without His reaching down and pulling each one of us out of the pit-of-sin, dug by our very own desires and self-interests (Remember the chain Jacob Marley forged over his years of cheating, as told in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol?).
Beloved, although we thank Adonai Elohim each day for His salvific work on our behalf, this season of Passover is important for all believers as a memorial of His monumental sacrifice and the billions of believers, past, present and future, who are recipients of His Grace, merely by stepping forward and claiming His Love.
CONSIDER: Have you acknowledged His sacrifice for your salvation, your eternal reward for being faithful in following His commands to Love – Love God first and then your neighbour? Have you committed your life to serve Him, rather than the god of your own lusts and desires? If not, I urge you to consider this important step forward. There is not much time, the end is near (and this is not just a religious cliché)
ACTION: I urge you to get on your knees and pray for guidance in understanding what it means to follow the Living God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the One who proclaimed to the Pharisees, Yes, indeed! Before Avraham came into being, I AM! (John 8:48)
PRAY: Dear God, I know I have sinned in my life and that I continue to sin now. I also know the punishment for sin is eternal death. The Great Miracle of Adonai Yeshua’s sacrifice and resurrection has spared me from that fate, if only I grab onto it. And I want to grab onto It! Help me, please, to cling to your Love and to step out in trust of You. In Your Beloved Name I pray.
May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless you fully and richly
