MYSTERY OF PASSOVER: SUPPER OF THE LAMB

Exodus chapter 12










Today we are walking in: Mystery Of The Passover: Supper Of The Lamb







Today we look to the word-PASSOVER-H6453 pecach--passover, sacrifice of passover, festival of the passover; appears in the King James Bible 46 times








The Torah testifies...............








Exodus 12:48




And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover H6453 to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.




Numbers 9:2




Let the children of Israel also keep the passover H6453 at his appointed season.




Deuteronomy 16:1




Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover H6453 unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.







The prophets proclaim..................



Ezra 6:19




And the children of the captivity kept the passover H6453 upon the fourteenth day of the first month.



Ezekiel 45:21




In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover H6453, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.




Joshua 5:11




And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover H6453, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.





The writings bear witness...........................




2 Kings 23:21




And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover H6453 unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.




2 Chronicles 30:2




For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover H6453 in the second month.




2 Chronicles 35:11




And they killed the passover H6453, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them.







THE MYSTERY OF PASSOVER- PART 1: THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB




For years we have read the Scripture passages about the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of Yah, and about the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Most of these aspects of the Kingdom have been relegated to the future, and have been set aside as not pertinent to today.




Today we are beginning to see many Scripture passages which, when taken together, reveal the Marriage Supper of the Lamb as perhaps being among us today, even giving us many clues as to its identity. So let’s look at the Scriptures, and notice a few relevant truths of the Kingdom, and of Passover, and see how these might shed light on the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.




The Kingdom is Within You




Let’s first look at an important feature of the Kingdom of Yah, seen in the following passage:




And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of Yah should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of Yah cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of Yah is within you. (Luke 17:20-21)




In the above passage, let’s look at the statement,




“…behold, the kingdom of Yah is [present tense]…”




As we have stated before, wherever we see the word, “Lo” or “Behold,” we understand all that follows is a prophetic revelation given to us for our greater understanding.




Notice first that the above passage tells us that the kingdom ‘is.’ The Greek verb esti is in the present tense, indicative mood, telling us there is a certain aspect of the Kingdom already present with us.




This one aspect of truth of the Kingdom already present is confirmed in other passages, all using a verb in either the present tense or the Greek aorist tense (similar to the English past tense). A few of these are:




But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of Yah, then the kingdom of Yah is come [aorist (past) tense] unto you. (Matthew 12:28)




But if I with the finger of Yah cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of Yah is come [aorist (past) tense] upon you. (Luke 11:20)




The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of Yah is preached, and every man presseth [present tense] into it. (Luke 16:16)




Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of Yah is [present tense] within you. (Luke 17:21)




For the kingdom of Yah is [present tense] not meat and drink; but (is) [present tense] righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Ruach HaQadesh. (Romans 14:17)




Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [aorist (past) tense] us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13)




Let’s focus now on one passage, and notice the wording,




“…behold, the kingdom of Yah is [present tense] within you…”




First, we see from the verb tense that the kingdom is already present;




Then we see that the kingdom is ‘within’ you. Here the word ‘within’ is the Greek word ‘entos,’ meaning “in, with, within, among.”




We now see the wording can be read as, “…Behold, the Kingdom of Yah is [already present][with or among] you.” (Luke 17:21a)




We may conclude from these Scriptures that certain aspects of the Kingdom are already active and present with us, and among us now.




Now if the Kingdom of Yah is already present, with us or among us now — could the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb” be present also, with us or among us now, perhaps as a supper or Feast with which we are already familiar?




The Marriage Supper of the Lamb




Let’s look now at the Marriage Supper of the lamb, and observe some of its features. We begin with a well-known passage:




Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of Yah. (Revelation 19:7-9)




In the above passage, the word Marriage is ‘gamos’, meaning “wedding or marriage festival; wedding banquet; wedding feast; marriage, matrimony.” This word appears 16 times in Scripture, giving further confirmation from the prophetic meaning of the number ’16’ in Scripture, that this word gamos speaks of the Marriage Covenant.




Let us now notice that the word Supper is ‘deipnon,’ meaning “supper, especially a formal meal held at evening; a Feast.” This word is taken from the same root as the word ‘dapane,’ meaning “cost or expense.” This word association tells us this is not an ordinary supper, but one of great cost—such as a formal Feast or Festival.




Just as the word gamos appears 16 times in Scripture, the word deipnon also appears 16 times in Scripture, giving us a ‘double confirmation’ that the word deipnon is also related to the Marriage Covenant.




Combining the word definitions of gamos and deipnon in the above passage, we see that the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is a particular formal Feast or Festival, one of great cost, and held at night-time; but this is a ‘Marriage’ Supper, which we would call a Wedding Feast.




With this introduction, let’s notice some further features of the marriage of the Lamb.




The Marriage of the Lamb is Made Known




Let us look again at a phrase in the above passage:




“…for the marriage of the Lamb is come…” (Revelation 19:7b)




In the above passage we see the marriage of the Lamb “is come.” The word for “is come” is the Greek word ‘erchomai,’ meaning “to come; to arrive; to appear; to become known.”




Thus we see in this passage that, at some point in time, the marriage of the Lamb (which includes the Feast-supper) “is come” — perhaps telling us that the time has arrived, or perhaps its identity has “arrived; appeared; become known.”




In light of the arrival, appearance or awareness of the identity of the Marriage Supper, we are then told in the above passage that His wife (the Bride) has made herself ready (Revelation 19:7c).




But what is the Marriage Supper?




Has it already become known to us?




Can we find it in Scripture?




And how does the Lamb’s wife (the Bride) make herself ready?




We are not given explicit answers to these questions, but we have many clues given to us. Let’s look further.




My Feasts




Notice again the following passage:




And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:9a)




In the above passage, we are told this is the Marriage Supper ‘of the Lamb.’




But who is the Lamb?




We are told twice (in John 1:29, 36) that the Lamb is Yahushua! The phrase “of the Lamb” expresses His ownership, telling us that the Marriage Supper or Feast is ‘His’ Feast.




Since we know that Yahushua is one with His Father, we then understand that the Marriage Supper of the Lamb perhaps may be another name for one of Yah’s Feasts.




We are thus reminded that Yah’s Feasts are called His Feasts:




Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Most High, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. 3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Most High in all your dwellings. 4 These are the feasts of the Most High, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. 5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Most High’S passover. (Leviticus 23:2-5)




So we have our first clue that the Marriage Supper of the Lamb may appear among “My Feasts” listed in Torah.




Notice also that these are not called “Jewish” Feasts, but “My” Feasts; that is, they are Feasts of Yah! The first two Feasts listed in the above passage are the weekly Sabbaths of Yah, and Yah’s Feast of Passover.




As we look for further clues, let us now look at some of Yahushua’s words in the Gospels.




The Marriage of the King’s Son




In Matthew 22 Yahushua speaks to us in a parable, wherein we are told that the Kingdom of heaven is likened to King who appointed a marriage or wedding for His Son:




And Yahushua answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: [therefore] come unto the marriage. (Matthew 22:1-4)




Our first clue here is that we are told that this is a parable of the Kingdom. As we saw earlier, there are certain aspects of the Kingdom that are active now, and present, with us and among us now.




The second clue is that the ‘dinner’ seen in this passage is a Marriage or Wedding Feast, and the tenor of this passage is “Behold, all things are ready, therefore come unto the marriage [feast]…,” or in other words, “Step #1 is done, therefore let us go to step #2, and celebrate the Feast.”




This same tenor can be seen in the apostle Paul’s appeal to the Corinthians:




Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even HaMachiach our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1Corinthians 5:7-8)




Here Paul reminds them that because Messiah our Passover Lamb [the sacrificial Lamb] has been sacrificed for us, therefore we are not only willing, but able, to keep the Feast. That is, because of Messiah’s Sacrifice, we are ‘without leaven,’ and are thus qualified to keep the Feast — to which is implied here as the Feast of Passover!




Again, we are referred to the apostle Paul’s exhortation for proper order during the Passover meal, which Paul calls the Most High’s Supper:




When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Most High’s supper. 21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of Yah, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. 23 For I have received of the Most High that which also I delivered unto you, That the Most High Yahushua the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. (1 Corinthians 11:20-24)




Here Paul reminds us that what He refers to in verse 20 as the Most High’s supper — is the Passover supper mentioned in verse 23-24. Paul is here telling us that this is the Most High’s supper — it is His Feast; and that without proper order, it is not truly His Feast!




So again we see ‘His’ Feast appearing not only among “My Feasts” listed in Torah, but in the Gospels, and again in the writings of Paul, we see reference to the Passover Feast.




Continuing in the parable in Matthew 22, let us notice some further details of the Marriage or Wedding Feast:




But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy<514>. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:5-14)




Here we are told that those first invited to the Wedding Feast were not worthy, therefore others were called to the Feast. The phrase “not worthy” reminds us of Paul’s exhortation in (1Co 11:23-31), where Believers are cautioned not to eat of the Passover Supper unworthily:




For I have received of the Most High that which also I delivered unto you, That the Most High Yahushua the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Most High’s death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Most High, unworthily <<514>, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Most High. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily <<514>, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Most High’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (1Corinthians 11:23-31)




This Greek word for unworthily stems from the same Greek adjective as that used in Matthew 22:8, where we are told those who were bidden were not worthy; and so again we see a connection between the Marriage supper and the Passover Supper.




With the parable of Matthew 22 in mind, let’s look at another clue from an almost parallel passage in Luke.




My Supper




There is a parallel passage in Luke 14:16-24, with many parallels to that of Matthew 22 seen above.




Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and shewed his Most High these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Most High, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the Most High said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. (Luke 14:16-24)




First, let’s notice this passage is similar, almost a parallel to the passage in Matthew 22. It has many features in common with the Matthew 22 passage, but is distinctly different in one respect. The Matthew 22 passage is a parable of the Kingdom. The above passage in Luke 14, however, is not a parable.




Where we are told, “A certain man made a great supper…,” we are being given a statement of fact, an explanation of a scenario in the here and now. Together, the two passages tell us that the parable of the Kingdom in Matthew 22 is a parallel to the here and now scenario seen here in Luke 14.




Next we notice that “My Supper” in Luke 14:24 refers to the “Most High’s” Supper in the passage. We have already seen from Paul’s writings that the “Most High’s Supper” is referring to the well-known “Passover Supper.”




Summary




Putting all these clues together, we see even further evidence that the Marriage Supper could be the Passover supper or Feast. The Passover Supper fits the description, for the Passover meal has all the elements of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb:




Passover has Messiah as the King’s Son, as the central figure, who is betrothed to marry a Bride;




Passover has Messiah as the sacrificial Lamb;




Passover has Lamb as the main course to be eaten;




Passover has the features of a Wedding Betrothal ceremony;




Passover has the features of a supper, for it is eaten after sunset;




Passover has the features of a Feast, for it is among “My Feasts” in Scripture;




Passover has the features of a Marriage Covenant;




Passover is the only current Feast having all the features of a Marriage, a Supper, and a Lamb;




Passover is celebrated as a memorial, currently by Messiah’s Disciples;




Passover will be celebrated as a memorial, forever, into eternity, by all of Yah’s people.




With these clues in hand, we will now look at one way in which the Bride makes herself ready.




The Bride Makes Herself Ready




And how does the Lamb’s wife [the Bride] make herself ready?




One way in which the Bride makes herself ready, is by attending the Lamb’s Feasts today, which are as ‘rehearsals.’ Is it possible that one day, what is done as a ‘rehearsal’— may turn out to be the real thing??




Selah! Pause, and consider this!




Let us now look at some of the features of the Passover Supper, and how participation in the Passover meal Confirms the New Covenant.