Such an amazing story of Adonai's glory, strength, mercy and grace. I love the way it ties into the ministry of Messiah and how he lived out the prophetic significance of the sacrifice of the Lamb, that the curse of death might overpass the firstborn of Israel. How intriguing, the symmetry of the plan of Redemption and Salvation. There is the synchronicity of it all. So many seemingly unrelated events unfold in a perfect pattern; one that allows individual threads of the story to converge in perfect harmony and to a prefect resolution.
It was this kind of phenomena, seen over and again in scripture that got me wondering if there wasn't more to the Passover; to wondering if there isn't more to the ministry of Messiah; to wondering if there was an underlying band of threads that held all of these related matters together. Well, there is.
So here is what I would tell you: There are deeper lines in scripture; golden threads that link seemingly separate events. They are concealed like the purloined letter of Edger Alan Poe; that which is hidden in plain sight. But these hidden things are hinted at by relationships and symbolic themes. They are defined by concepts stated outright in scripture. They are the invisible workings of HaShem to which all these matters are ultimately tied. That is how the picture of His tapestry, the beauty of His Word, comes into focus. Here a little, there a little, line upon line and precept upon precept.
I have chosen a tapestry to act as a representative analogy for this journey I would lead you on. The structure will serve as a map; and as is true of any map representing a journey, the component of time is in play. We will see that demonstrated in both history and prophecy; in both the lines that reflect the themes that link His covenants with His Moedim, His Appointed Times
There are foundational statements to this thematic tapestry. Statements representative of our knowledge of the nature of HaShem and His plan of Redemption. From there, we will proceed. As representative of this premise, I offer these two statements, the very definition of Fatherly love:
HaShem blesses His children through unbroken promises.
HaShem corrects His children because He would that all be saved.
What I describe here is covenant. We serve a very orderly Father that does not lie and does not change. Covenants are legal agreements. Everything within is based on conditions. He will provide A if we provide B. If we do not provide B, He can call on the remedies provided in the contract. It's all very simple - and very legal. I will show you how Passover is tied to covenant; a very specific contract, but not the covenant you might expect.
So how do we order all the pieces of the puzzle we will examine? We will draw a verbal chart: Tapestries are woven, and are founded on the vertical lines called the warp. The woof (or weft) are the horizontal lines that are woven over and under the warp creating the bond from which the fabric is made. In typical cloth, both warp and woof are visible in the finished product. But in a tapestry, the warp is hidden behind the picture it holds together. That is the analogy that I would incorporate in this Passover tale.
The warp very well represents the immutable nature of HaShem because they are the lines that are the strength and foundation of the work, held static and tensioned within the framework of the loom. The woof of a tapestry is made from separate lengths of various material and many different colors. What shows is determined by choice; just as the tapestry of our interaction with HaShem is based upon our own choices in regards to His covenant.
In this analogy, His Creation, His Messiah, His instruction, His prophecy and His responses to the actions of His children are all seen. But it is His immutable character, like the warp of the tapestry that remain unseen. Unseen but knowable, not only through His Spirit, but through His Word; as the threads that hold all Creation together and that directs the synchronicity of Redemption and Salvation.
So how does this all this apply to covenant? Well there are many covenants having to do with Redemption and Salvation. But each covenant has conditions and remedies. Each successive covenant only adds to the previous. Provision for redemption from the curses in the garden are found in them all. Nor does any covenant abrogate or annul the previous covenant. They all remain fully in force. In the course of this article, I will demonstrate how we know this to be true.
I would tell you about this Passover using the analogy that I described. I would highlight and name the golden threads, the themes that run through His Word and show you how they are tied to the Passover and all of the Moedim. I would illustrate the larger context of the Passover as it relates to Redemption and Salvation of all mankind from the curses spoken over Adam and Havah. I would take you back to the Garden: through the passageways of Gan Edhen, to the inception of Hag Pesach and the Person that is the Passover, "...the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world".
Back to the Garden
We will visit the Garden, not because it is the beginning. The beginning starts even before the Creation, where the framework of Creation is conceived, the lines are drawn and the foundation of this tapestry is laid. But we come to the Garden for context and contrast; for this is the place of the fall of man; this is the place where the need for Redemption is first enumerated in the curses spoken over Adam and Havah; this is the place of the first covenant and its blessings, the first transgression of covenant is recorded and the resultant first diaspora is enforced.
That's right! I am using Torah terminology to describe the relationship between Adam and HaShem. But this should not come as a surprise. Our heavenly Father never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. So it stands to reason that His reactions to His children are consistent, measured and righteous.
This view of the Passover assumes a familiarity with Torah. It is the greatest revelation of the nature of our Heavenly Father and a picture of history, even before history began. So lets take a moment to examine the relevant scriptures. But the first place I would take you, you might not expect, though I have already given you a hint:
Deuteronomy 30:1-9
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
30 (RY: ii, LY: iv) “When the time arrives that all these things have come upon you, both the blessing and the curse which I have presented to you; and you are there among the nations to which Adonai your God has driven you; then, at last, you will start thinking about what has happened to you; 2 and you will return to Adonai your God and pay attention to what he has said, which will be exactly what I am ordering you to do today — you and your children, with all your heart and all your being. 3 At that point, Adonai your God will reverse your exile and show you mercy; he will return and gather you from all the peoples to which Adonai your God scattered you. 4 If one of yours was scattered to the far end of the sky, Adonai your God will gather you even from there; he will go there and get you. 5 Adonai your God will bring you back into the land your ancestors possessed, and you will possess it; he will make you prosper there, and you will become even more numerous than your ancestors. 6 Then Adonai your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your children, so that you will love Adonai your God with all your heart and all your being, and thus you will live. (RY: iii, LY: v) 7 Adonai your God will put all these curses on your enemies, on those who hated and persecuted you; 8 but you will return and pay attention to what Adonai says and obey all his mitzvot which I am giving you today. 9 Then Adonai your God will give you more than enough in everything you set out to do — the fruit of your body, the fruit of your livestock, and the fruit of your land will all do well; for Adonai will once again rejoice to see you do well, just as he rejoiced in your ancestors.
In my mind, I have no reason to expect that Adonai would deal differently with Israel on a national level, than He would deal with Adam on an individual level. The topic is a diaspora from the promised land for the cause of rebellion and disobedience and also covers the restoration to the promised land for enacting sincere t'shuavh. In both cases, with Israel and Adam, judgment is executed, but it is also mitigated. Israel is not destroyed. Neither is Adam. The promise of redemption, restoration and salvation remains undiminished throughout Adonai's relationship with His children - undiminished with all of them.
But what of the phrase, "just as he rejoiced in your ancestors." Most would assume that He was speaking of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And they may be right! But which of them experienced a diaspora for the cause of rebellion? None of which I know. They were sojourners in the land of promise, but had not yet been given the land. Remember too, that Deuteronomy speaks of the band of sojourners that came out of Egypt and what would happen to them when they disobeyed. This group was not only the tribes, but representatives of all the nations that had joined themselves to Israel.
So what is the diaspora of these ancestors that HaShem is talking about? The only one that this seems to fits is Adam and the diaspora from Gan Edhen. So with that being said, and that point being made, lets take that perspective into the Garden and see for ourselves:
Genesis 3
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any wild animal which Adonai, God, had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You are not to eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman answered the serpent, “We may eat from the fruit of the trees of the garden, 3 but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, ‘You are neither to eat from it nor touch it, or you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “It is not true that you will surely die; 5 because God knows that on the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it had a pleasing appearance and that the tree was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her; and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together to make themselves loincloths.
8 They heard the voice of Adonai, God, walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, so the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Adonai, God, among the trees in the garden. 9 Adonai, God, called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I ordered you not to eat?” 12 The man replied, “The woman you gave to be with me — she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” 13 Adonai, God, said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me, so I ate.”
14 Adonai, God, said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all livestock and wild animals. You will crawl on your belly and eat dust as long as you live. 15 I will put animosity between you and the woman, and between your descendant and her descendant; he will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”
16 To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pain in childbirth. You will bring forth children in pain. Your desire will be toward your husband, but he will rule over you.”
17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to what your wife said and ate from the tree about which I gave you the order, ‘You are not to eat from it,’ the ground is cursed on your account; you will work hard to eat from it as long as you live. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat field plants. 19 You will eat bread by the sweat of your forehead till you return to the ground — for you were taken out of it: you are dust, and you will return to dust.”
20 The man called his wife Havah [life], because she was the mother of all living.
21 Adonai, God, made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
(A: v, S: iv) 22 Adonai, God, said, “See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, to prevent his putting out his hand and taking also from the tree of life, eating, and living forever — ” 23 therefore Adonai, God, sent him out of the garden of ‘Eden to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 24 So he drove the man out, and he placed at the east of the garden of ‘Eden the k’ruvim and a flaming sword which turned in every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.
There are two section where I would have you direct special attention. The first is the foundation of the ministry of Messiah, "...the Lamb slain from the foundations of the world". It is found in the curses spoken over the Serpent; verses universally accepted as Messianic. While this is the first occurrence of Messianic verses in scripture, it is only one of many 'firsts' that are associated with the redemption of man. So let's take a cursory look at these curses:
The Serpent would undergo a change that is both physiological and spiritual in nature:
- He would be condemned to crawl on his belly.
- He would eat dust throughout his entire existence.
- He would forever be at odds with HaShem's Chosen.
- He would 'bruise' the heel of the woman's Seed, or descendants, but the Seed of the woman, Messiah, would bruise (crush) the serpent's head (and thus crush all his seed).
There are seven curses spoken here concerning His children:
- There would be physiological changes to their being that would bring about;
- Pain in child birth,
- A change in the nature of their relationship with each other,
- Their end, as they would experience disease, decrepitude and ultimately, physical death. There would be a change in their environment:
- They would be put out of the promised land,
- They would have to work for their sustenance and that sustenance would be inferior to that of the garden,
- The ground would put forth plants that were snares, thorns and thistles; plants hostile and dangerous to man and not suitable for food, There would be a spiritual change in them too:
- They would be spiritually separated from Adonai.
What was spoken over His children suggest a link to the Passover through the prophetic ministry of the Redeemer; a ministry that would reflect the reversal of these judgments. But there are many 'firsts' in scripture, of which the Passover is only one. Here we are dealing with the 'first' covenant made with the 'first' man, Adam and of course, the 'first' Moedim, Passover and a reversal of the curse of death of the firstborn son, based on obedient belief. So what other 'firsts' are linked to this event? This is what we are moving towards.
Let's take another lap around Sinai. I want to expand on the reversal of curses spoken in Gen Edhen that are to be found in the Exodus and the ministry of Messiah Y'shua. The parallels are very intriguing.
When these curses were spoken, Adam and Havah had no children. But the verse reads: "I will greatly increase your pain in childbirth. You will bring forth children in pain." The first person this curse affected besides Havah was her firstborn son, Cain. He is the first person born under the curse of death.
In the Exodus, HaShem reveals that all of the firstborn are His, to claim whenever it suits Him. The final curse HaShem brought upon Egypt was directly related to the firstborn and death for the cause of rebellion and disobedience. He pronounces plagues upon Egypt:
- Water into blood (דָם): Ex. 7:14–25
- Frogs (צְּפַרְדֵּעַ): Ex. 7:25–8:11
- Lice (כִּנִּים): Ex. 8:16–19
- Wild animals or flies (עָרוֹב): Ex. 8:20–32
- Deceased livestock (דֶּבֶר): Ex. 9:1–7
- Boils (שְׁחִין): Ex. 9:8–12
- Storms of fire (בָּרָד): Ex. 9:13–35
- Locusts (אַרְבֶּה): Ex. 10:1–20
- Darkness (חוֹשֶך): Ex. 10:21–29
- Death of firstborn (מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת): Ex. 11:1–12:36
There are many different views concerning these plagues. For an equitable treatment of this topic, I would suggest as extra reading:
Three Ways to Look at the Ten Plagues
Were they natural disasters, a demonstration of the impotence of the Egyptian gods or an undoing of Creation?
by Ziony Zevit
by Ziony Zevit
- So far, we have used a passage from the covenant with Moshe and the Children of Israel, to illustrate the dynamic of the diaspora that first occurs in the covenant with Adam.
- We have used the judgments spoken over Adam and Havah to draw a parallel to the redemption of the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt and to illustrate how the Passover sets a precedent for reversing the curse of death of the first born.
- We have also shown a light on the similarities between the plight of Adam having lost dominion in the garden and the reversal of fortunes for Israel as they are given dominion in the land of promise.
These events could not have happened in this fashion, if each covenants replaced the one preceding it. This is only possible because each one builds on the previous covenant and all for the same purpose; the Redemption and Salvation of His Creation and His children. Sure the Passover marks the events that led to children of Israel out of Egypt, but that is not the end game. Every covenant is ultimately about reversing the curses of Adam and returning the garden to His children and returning His children to the garden - and to Him.
This is where we can finally put a name to the 'first' of the golden warp cords that bind the tapestry together. It is the theme that follows all of the related 'firsts' and links them to the 'first' Moedim, Passover. That name is Light! In the continuation of our Passover tale, we will visit the days of Creation, the Mishkan, its furnishings and its service as well as the ministry of Messiah on earth and the Throne of Messiah in heaven. But since there are three Moedim associated with the Passover week, the Passover sacrifice, the pilgrimage Feast of Unleavend Bread and the Day of First Fruits (Pesach, Hag HaMatzah and Yom HaBikkurim), you may likewise expect that we will make a lateral move on the loom as we expand the woof or weft of this intricate tapestry.
Stay tuned for the next installment in this Passover Perspective: Let there be Light!
Freely you have received, freely give.
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