I think the Passover miracle is one of God’s favourites. He made Passover month the beginning of the whole year (Exodus 12:2). He even defines Himself by the event from Exodus onwards; “I am The Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery”.
In Luke 22:15 Jesus says to His disciples, “with fervent desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer”. Jesus not only celebrated it, He was eager to do so because He knew this ancient celebration was all about Him.
It wasn’t just another religious ritual; it was the moment He would reveal Himself as the fulfilment of everything the Passover represented.
Colossians 2:16-17 tells us that the festivals, new moons and sabbaths are a “shadow of the things to come, but the substance is Christ”.
When God instituted Passover in Exodus 12:23 it was made clear that when He sees the blood on the lintel and two doorposts The Lord would Passover the door and not allow the destroyer to enter. It was never about ethnicity. It’s about the blood. Not the blood that runs through our veins but the blood we sprinkle on the door posts of our hearts, so to speak.
The messiah is revealed in each and every symbol of the Passover Seder and the feast perfectly covers the time of His death and resurrection; distinguishing Him from any false prophet, false teacher or false messiah.
Revelation 19:10 makes a bold statement regarding the relationship between prophecy and Jesus Christ: “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”. One third of the Bible is prophecy at least a half already being fulfilled precisely as God had declared. Because of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling these prophecies, we can be assured that He will fulfil the rest of the prophecies in scripture without fault.
“I am God and there is no other; I am God there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done” (Isaiah 46:9-10).
These feasts are prophecies in action that only our true messiah could fulfil to the letter.
Passover itself is commanded in scripture but specific rituals and traditions have been developed over time in Jewish practice. During the special evening of Passover Jewish families would eat specific symbolic food, have four cups of wine and tell the story of the Exodus.
For centuries Jewish families would sacrifice and innocent, unblemished lamb. According to Exodus 12:46, not one bone of the Passover lamb was to be broken. This is presented by the shank-bone on the Seder which was perfectly fulfilled by Jesus; in John 19:33 it tells us “ when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs”.
Every Passover Seder has three matzah breads that are placed together representing The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This unleavened bread (representing the sinless life of Jesus) has stripes and piercings just how Isaiah described Jesus approximately 700 years before His birth on Isaiah 53:5 (“He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed”).
The middle matzah (representing Jesus) is broken and half is hidden/set aside which is called the “afikoman” (meaning “that which comes later”) and is to be eaten at the end of the meal as a desert/reward.
The matzah perfectly pictured the Messiah who was pierced, broken for us, hidden, buried and resurrected. Still to this day Jesus is hidden from the Jewish nation, but a day is coming when all of Israel will recognise Him and be saved (“A partial hardening has come upon Israel in part, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” Romans 11:25).
The bitter herbs remind us of the suffering of our ancestors in Egypt, but also remind us of the bitter cup Jesus drank from in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:38- “my soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death”).
When Jesus shed blood for the first time- it wasn’t upon the cross it was at that garden where Luke 22:44 tells us: “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground”; the first Adam sinned in the garden bringing death, the last Adam suffered in a garden bringing life. The four cups of wine each represents a promise from Exodus 6-7. God would bring Israel out, rescue them, redeem them and take them as His people. The first represented sanctification, the second judgment, the third redemption and the forth praise.
During the last supper something incredible happened; Jesus took the first cup as usual but then did something unexpected- skipping the second cup of judgment. This was because He was about to go to Gethsemane and drink that cup alone for us. Instead, after supper, He took the third cup of redemption saying “this is the new covenant in my blood which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20).
What grace! He took the judgment so that we could have redemption.
Approximately 2000 before these events, the account of Genesis 22 takes place in the very same location. The story begins with a strange command from God to Abraham, instructing him to offer his “son of promise,” Isaac, as a burnt offering. Early the next morning, Abraham packs wood and a knife, and he and Isaac travel to Moriah, the place God had specified. As they near the site, Isaac questions Abraham concerning the intended offering: “Where is the lamb?” With great faith Abraham responds, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:1-8). The New Testament tells us that Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:19).
Upon reaching the place God had chosen, Abraham demonstrates his faith and obedience by building an altar, binding Isaac, and placing him on the wood. Before Abraham can finish the offering, the Angel of the Lord calls to him from heaven, and Isaac’s life is spared. Then, “Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son” (Genesis 22:13). Abraham names the place “Jehovah-Jireh” because of God’s gracious provision of a substitute for Isaac.
Immediately afterwards, God reconfirms His covenant with Abraham (v 17-18). Centuries later, King Solomon would build the temple in the same location (2 Chronicles 3:1).
The account of Abraham on Mt. Moriah is more than just a dramatic event of faith and obedience. It is a presentation of the Lord’s eternal grace, continual provision, and all-encompassing wisdom.
Jehovah-Jireh is not “The LORD Did Provide,” but “The LORD Will Provide.” In the account of Genesis 22, The Lord didn’t provide a lamb, but a ram. 2000 years later God DID provide the lamb. Abraham’s faith-filled statement that “God himself will provide the lamb” was fulfilled in Jesus “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
Jehovah-Jireh provided a sacrifice to save Isaac, and that action was a foreshadowing of the provision of His Son for the salvation of the whole world. Jesus died as our Passover lamb precisely on Passover day. He was buried during the feast of unleavened bread and He was resurrected from the dead on the feast of First-fruits.
No human could possibly orchestrate this divine timing, only the true Messiah who established the feasts with Moses 1500 years earlier. These feasts are prophecies in action that only The Lord Himself could fulfil to the letter.
During the Seder Jewish families sing “Dayenu”, meaning “it would have been good enough”. We recall God’s blessings- “if only He would have just brought us out of Egypt” deyenu (it would have been good enough), but God gave more… As believers we can say “if you had only forgiven our sins deyenu (it would have been good enough) but you also made us children of God and co-heirs with Christ.
The mystery of the Messiah, hidden for ages is now revealed. He is the substance behind every shadow. God is not after rituals, He is after hearts that recognise His son- knowing that only in Him can we pass over from death to life. Through Him alone we have atonement through faith. He is the only way, the truth and the life (John 14:6) and the source of salvation (Acts4:12). Through faith in Jesus any person can have everlasting life. By (spiritually) applying His blood to our lives by faith, we trust Christ to save us from death.
Revelation 3:20 says “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person and they with me”.
Will you open the door to Him?
“O Death, where is your sting?
O grave, where is your victory?”
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.“ 1 Cor. 15:55
“Is there an escape? Is death the final disaster? Has anyone conquered death? Is there any possibility of beating it? Has anyone ever shown power over death? And if they have, have they made it possible for me to have victory?
The answer to that question lies in the resurrection of Jesus Christ… somebody did have power over death.
In Revelation 1:18, Jesus Christ said:
“I am He that was dead and am alive forever more.” Somebody has beaten death.
Somebody has gone into the grave and out the other side.
But has He made a way for me to do it?
And the answer is yes. Jesus said in John 14:19, “Because I live…what?…ye shall live also.”
Somebody has beaten death, and that somebody made it possible for me and you to beat it, and to escape into an eternal, glorious life with Him.
Jesus Christ turned death, the ultimate tragedy, into the ultimate triumph. And for anyone who knows and loves Jesus Christ and accepts His death and resurrection, for themselves, that same triumph belongs to them. “I fear no death. Death, for me, will be an escape into the presence of Jesus Christ, the greatest possible joy I could imagine in the universe…because Christ made the way.
He was the first fruits, and I’m following, and so are all those who love Him…”
God’s love is personal. He knows each of us individually and loves us personally. He loves you so much to the point that He died for you, paying the price for your sins in full upon the cross so that you too can be saved from the sting of death. But God leaves the choice up to us; because for love to be real it must not be coerced.
“If we declare with our mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved”
“Death has no sting for the believer because there’s no unforgiven sin, it’s all under the blood, it’s all paid for, it’s all forgiven, it’s all removed, it’s all atoned for death has no power. Satan is a toothless lion, and death is a stingless bee”.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” John 14:27
Jesus knew trials and sorrows lay ahead of us, but Jesus left us the assurance: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
-This peace is so much more than the mere absence of war and strife, nor is it a peace that the world can give- “it is the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, which will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7)
The more we draw near to God, and we grow in understanding of the depths and riches of God’s love toward us (Ephesians 3:18–19; Romans 8:38–39)
our minds and spirits begin to rest in His power and wisdom.
-We begin to understand that He really will make all things work together for our good (Romans 8:28)
-We learn that His purposes will be accomplished (Psalm 33:11 Proverbs 19:21 Isaiah 45:9 46:9–11).
-We refuse to allow ever-changing circumstances to determine our level of contentment,
relying instead upon the character of God that never changes (James 1:17 Malachi 3:6).
-we develop a lifestyle of making the Lord our refuge. (“He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” Ps.91)
We will find that His peace truly does surpass all human understanding – and I pray each and everyone one of us will know this peace.
We can have peace- not because the world is peaceful but because we know God is sovereign
“Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:1–3, 8–10)
“The righteous are bold as a lion” proverbs 28:1
“ fear of the Lord is the death of every other fear, like a mighty lion, it chases all other fears away” c.s
Anxiety- the world calls it master,
but The Master calls it defeated.
Our job is to engage in the battle and practice of fearing God and His word.
That means humbling ourselves before His word. That means bringing our thoughts into submission to His word.
Nowhere in the Bible does it say to “feel” renewed. It’s a verb- “to renew”
-it’s a choice – to choose – to choose our thoughts according to the truth of God’s word. Each day, Every moment.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind”
In psalm 56:11 the psalmist writes: “in God I trust, I will not be afraid, what can man do to me?”
This is an awesome testimony to the power of trusting God. Regardless of our situation, feelings or future.
-To choose to trust God no matter what, to choose to not give into fear.
To know that God is sovereign and He is good even when faced with the worst circumstances.
For those already in Christ, be encouraged:
we have been made eternally alive in Christ.
Not one thing in this life or even in death can ever cause lasting harm to us because Jesus Christ rescinded all charges against us.
For this reason, nothing and no one will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ.
We may sometimes feel like our pain, sorrow and loss distance us from God’s love. But to this deception, Paul asks, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?
Does it mean He loves us any less if we have trouble or calamity, are in danger, or threatened with death?
No despite all these things,
overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” Romans 8:35
Astonishing, life-generating things happen when God’s Word goes forth. It is fully capable of accomplishing its purpose. The vital power of God’s message exists in its ability to pierce and penetrate the innermost depths of the human soul.
The Bible’s authority is unlike that of any other book ever written.
countless lives have been supernaturally transformed. Including my own.
It possesses a dynamic and transforming power that is only possible because it is truly God’s Word.
Throughout history, skeptics have regarded the Bible as mythological, but archaeology, extra-biblical writings, historical accounts of the Bible proved time and again to be accurate and true.
It has suffered and continues to suffer more vicious attacks than any other book in history yet endures and is still today the most widely published book in the world.
it remains just as true and relevant as it was when it was first written.
After all, Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Mark 13:31)
Written over a period of approximately 1,500 years, by more than 40 people who came from many walks of life, it’s unified message from beginning to end without contradiction, containing around 63,779 cross references. testifies of one Author- The Lord God.
The Bible contains hundreds of detailed prophecies relating to the future of various nations, certain cities, and all mankind. There are over three hundred prophecies concerning Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. There simply is no logical way to explain the fulfilled prophecies in the Bible other than having divine origin, the One who knows the beginning to the end.
In addition, we find the writers to be honest and sincere. They went from hiding in fear to being willing to die for the message God had revealed to them. Their lives and deaths testify to the fact that the Bible truly is God’s Word. And believers today share in this same unshakable confidence in the Lord and the power of the Gospel.
The Bible is undeniably the word of the Lord. May we listen to it, love it and study it with all our hearts.
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12
The shadow of the Almighty is like a shade cast by the Lord that marks off a clearly perceived boundary. Those who are covered by the Lord’s boundary line of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ will reside forever in God’s presence. Believers in Jesus are covered by the blood of Christ, which grants full access into the throne room of God’s grace (Hebrews 10:19–22; 13:12; Ephesians 2:13). The Lord’s sacrifice provides salvation and protection that stretches beyond the boundaries of this life (Hebrews 9:12). Only the redeemed of the Lord can securely say, “Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!” (Psalm 61:4)
To dwell in the “shadow of the Almighty” is to find complete and eternal rest and safety, no matter what we face in this life, in death, or in the life to come.
How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings” Psalm 36:7
Thankyou Jesus!!
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.”
Psalms 91:1-4
It’s been pretty dark recently. It’s times like these when i am so thankful to be able to continually walk in the light no matter how dark it gets. I’m so thankful for Jesus. To be able to walk with Him, know Him and love Him. I’m thankful for His word that leads and guides me in truth and life and keeps me steadfast in all circumstances.
For all those dwelling in darkness right now, there is incredible good news. Jesus is the “true light that gives life to everyone” He dispels this great darkness. He says “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Scripture tells us over and again that God is the source of life and light: “For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see” (Psalm 36:9). “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Jesus Christ is God’s light sent down to earth to pierce through the darkness. That light is God’s life, both physical and eternal. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet he shall live” (John 11:25)
Jesus is the light of life (John 8:12) and the life of light (John 1:4). He is “The way” and shows us the way to go, He is “The Truth” and reveals the truth of our spiritual surroundings, He is “The Life” and gives us eternal life. Jesus has come into the world, bringing the good news of God’s salvation to every person. As Isaiah foretold: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2).
I thank God darkness cannot overcome the light. Darkness has no power. “The light shines in darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). Light and darkness are not equal counterparts. Darkness exists but light persists.
Is there a longing for something deep inside of you that never seems to be satisfied? Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35).
Does life feel dark? Jesus proclaimed, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Do you feel lost? Jesus declared, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. (John 10:9)
Do you feel lonely? Jesus said: “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20.
Do you wonder what happens after this life? Are you tired of living your life for things that only rot or rust? Do you sometimes doubt whether life has any meaning? Do you want to live after you die? If so, Jesus is the way of salvation! Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).
Jesus died so that we could live. If we place our faith in Jesus, trusting His death as the payment for our sins, all of our sins are forgiven and washed away. We will then have our spiritual hunger satisfied. The lights will be turned on. We will have access to a fulfilling life. We will know our true best friend and good shepherd. We will know that we will have life after we die- a resurrected life in heaven for eternity with Jesus!
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Trust in Him today and walk in His light 🤍
He is not merely an example to follow: He is the author and finisher of our faith, He steers our faith like a captain steers a ship. He’s the one who steps into the abyss we cannot climb out of. He doesn’t just save us from sin’s penalty – He heals the wounds it leaves behind.
We are not called to turn inward to find peace or power. The soul is a black hole, a riddle without resolution. Questions that chain us to the shadows that we can’t escape from.
Introspection may help us identify our wounds but it can never heal them. Only Christ can do that. We must bring it all to the foot of the cross.
Hebrews 12:2 calls us to look unto Jesus- not to escape the ache but to find the one who binds up the wounds of the broken-hearted (Isaiah 61:1)
He began your story with redemption in mind, and He will bring it to a glorious end- not because you can fix yourself but because He alone can.
You don’t need to rewrite your past.
You don’t need to engineer your future.
You simply need to surrender and trust the one who writes redemptive endings.
He alone is the saviour- the only one who can complete what He started.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6
Time is short.
This is the day of salvation.
If you have believed on Him and confessed Him in faith, you shall be saved. (Romans 10:9)- this is not as a distant hope, but as a present certainty, a sure promise from the God who never fails.
Brooke Hunter | Art 