The LORDS Passover

Introduction

Open your Bible please to Ezra Chapter 6, we will read verse 19-22 this evening

Last week talked about Manasseh and Josiah

Through Manasseh’s wickedness we see the lifting of God’s hand of restraint.

We must not say, oh poor judah if only God would have retrained.

They got what they wanted.

In between Josiah and Ezra is about 85 years time in which the destruction of Judah by the Wrath of God has taken place.

We call the two periods the pre and post exilic the this is roughly 516 BC

We will talk more about the Exile when we are looking at Daniel, Ezekiel and Jeremiah.

There are all sorts of threads to talk about here, and they all lead to Christ.

For example,

We can talk about God mercy in bring them back and how he does so to preserve that prophecy that Christ would be born in Bethlehem.

The continuation of the Davidic line in Zerubbabel

The miracle that the wicked king Cyrus would decree the rebuilding of the temple and the that Artaxerxes would care for Ezra and Nehemiah you send them to rebuild the temple.

We will get into more of these things in the coming week but tonight we are going to talk about the rebuilt temple and the LORD’s Passover.

Lets Read Ezra Chapter 6:19-22

Ezra 6:19–22 ESV

19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover. 20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. 21 It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by every one who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

Transition

The Passover in Egypt was celebrated at home but we understand that God’s continuing revelation means that the practice and understanding of God’s laws can grow until know we have the full revelation in Jesus.

Body

The Practice of Passover

Ezra 6:19–20 ESV

19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover. 20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves.

Turn to Deuteronomy 16:1–8, this evening,

In order to get the full on-text of what is going on here we need a little more information about the Passover as they were to celibate it.

In Deuteronomy we have an example of God’s continuing revelation concerning the Passover.

It is important here to point out that taking the idea that God has continued his revelation and extending it to our day would be an egregious and dangerous error. Jesus Christ is the final revelation, as the Author of Hebrews said, Now God has spoke though his son. This is one of those error that runs wild in our day, many will confess that the cannon is closed and yet speak and act as if it is not. Nor is this a new problem, C. H. Spurgeon once remarked from the pulpit AT NEW PARK STREET CHAPEL

“I have heard many fanatical persons say the Holy Spirit revealed this and that to them. Now that is very generally revealed nonsense. The Holy Ghost does not reveal anything fresh now. He brings old things to our remembrance. “He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have told you.” The canon of revelation is closed; there is no more to be added. God does not give a fresh revelation, but he rivets the old one.” [1]

With that warning in mind we read verse 1-8 of Deuteronomy 16 with me.

Deuteronomy 16:1–8 ESV

1 “Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the Lord your God, for in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 And you shall offer the Passover sacrifice to the Lord your God, from the flock or the herd, at the place that the Lord will choose, to make his name dwell there. 3 You shall eat no leavened bread with it. Seven days you shall eat it with unleavened bread, the bread of affliction—for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste—that all the days of your life you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt. 4 No leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory for seven days, nor shall any of the flesh that you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain all night until morning. 5 You may not offer the Passover sacrifice within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, 6 but at the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell in it, there you shall offer the Passover sacrifice, in the evening at sunset, at the time you came out of Egypt. 7 And you shall cook it and eat it at the place that the Lord your God will choose. And in the morning you shall turn and go to your tents. 8 For six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord your God. You shall do no work on it.

There are three things very important in the text hear in Deuteronomy,

the bread is to be the bread of affliction”

The bread represents a time of affliction

To remember

“that all the days of your life you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt.”

The Sacrifice is on God’s time and in God’s way.

“ You may not offer the Passover sacrifice within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, 6 but at the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell in it, there you shall offer the Passover sacrifice, in the evening at sunset, at the time you came out of Egypt. “

Now we return Ezra and chapter 6 and we see why they waited to have the passover, so now that the temple is rebuild the Passover can be celebrated.

God said that there was to be Passover at the temple only.

We think of all the times God said, this house where my name dwells

He said it to David, to Solomon, to Hezekiah, and he used that in his cursing of Manasseh.

We talked about how wicked it was for Manasseh to setup those alters in God’s house.

A primary principle here is that God regulate his worship, we cannot just worship God any way we want.

What has God prescribe for his worship?

Romans 12, offer you body

Ephesians 5:19 psalms and hymns and spiritual songs

Hebrews 10:24-25 The gathering of the Saints

This gathering is commanded worship, its not optional.

The whole life of the believer, every part of it, is to be one of worship to God.

Transition

This Passover for All that fear the Lord

Ezra 6:21 ESV

21 It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by every one who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel.

Everyone that worship the LORD participated in this Passover.

As in Christ all that are born of God participate, he is as we are told, the perfect passover lamb.

“Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Co 5:7, ESV)

“And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Heb 10:10, ESV)

The vail has been torn, the final passover lamb has been sacrificed.

What the believers in Ezra’s day only looked forward to and we now have.

Transition

The next verse speak of Joy, this is such a wonderful point. If you are in Christ you know the joy that pass understanding that keeps us in him. Even in trial and difficulty in Christ we can live like conquers. This something God has imparted to his people along. Take a look at verse 22.

The Lord Had Made Them Joyful!

Ezra 6:22 ESV

22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

the Feast of Unleavened Bread

Sin

The leaven of the Pharisees.

“Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Co 5:7, ESV)

The Bread of Affliction

“You shall eat no leavened bread with it. Seven days you shall eat it with unleavened bread, the bread of affliction—for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste—that all the days of your life you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt.” (Dt 16:3 ESV)

Its no coincidence that God calls this the the bread of affliction it being the same week of Jesus’ suffering.

Freedom from affliction, sin. You see how all of these metaphors and archetypes allegorically point to Christ. It’s all about him.

We think of our bondage in sin and that bread of life that freed us from that sin and we experience the same thing that the people is Ezra’s day did, JOY!

Joy

Think about it, if you have read Ezra and Nehemiah you know the trials and difficulties that came with rebuilding this temple.

You see that the Lord "had made them joyful.”

By His supply

By His comfort

By his provision

The Lord gave them Joy.

What they got to experience in part we have in full.

That have a temporary house, we have the eternal house.

They have a future promise we have a relisted promised.

What ever reasons that had for joy we have a 1000 times more.

Benediction

“24  The LORD bless you and keep you;

25  the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

26  the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” (Nu 6:24–26, ESV)

References

[1] C. H. Spurgeon, “The Comforter,” in The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, vol. 1 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1855), 38.

Bibliography

Spurgeon, C. H. The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons. Vol. 1. London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1855.