This is the reason why Passover must be celebrated every year.
Yehoah, translated by the Eternal or the Lord, asked us to celebrate Passover year after year and that since the exodus out of Egypt.
Leviticus 23: 1-7:
“1And Yehoah spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of Yehoah, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.
3 ‘Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of Yehoah in all your dwellings.
4 ‘These are the feasts of Yehoah, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. 5 On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is Yehoah’s Passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to Yehoah; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. 7 On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it.”
By the same token, let us remember that we also have the privilege of commemorating and admiring the creation of our Father every seventh day of the week. This day has been blessed forever from the very beginning (Genesis 2: 1-3):
“1Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day Elohim ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then Elohim blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which Elohim had created and made.”
About the Passover sacrifice and the meal that follows: Yehoah insists that we remind each year the meaning of this feast and He has explained the reasons for his (Exodus 13: 8-16):
“8 And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘This is done because of what Yehoah did for me when I came up from Egypt.’ 9 It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that Yehoah’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt. 10 You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.
11 “And it shall be, when Yehoah brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you, 12 that you shall set apart to Yehoah all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be Yehoah’s. 13 But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14 So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall say to him, ‘By strength of hand Yehoah brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that Yehoah killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to Yehoah all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 It shall be as a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand Yehoah brought us out of Egypt.”
Passover, just like the Sabbath, is a memorial of the prestigious work of Yehoah and the Passover celebration should be a strong reminder so that it will not be forgotten and so that it will be anchored in the memory of the next generation. Each year, at Passover, we can remember the extraordinary power that was used by Elohim to save the Children of Israel.
And more important for us is: we are invited, if we wish, to be grafted to the Children of Israel, symbolized by the Olive tree in order to participate in their bright future (Romans 11: 17-22):
“17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if Elohim did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of Elohim: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.”
A first step to join the Children of Israel, the people of Yehoah, is for instance to join Him and celebrate Passover each year to enrich and increase our knowledge in Elohim. To know Him better means to love Him better: the Old Covenant uses the word know in the sense of loving when it comes to the couple of a man and a woman.**
__________________________________________________________________
Can we compare our situation to the slavery to which the Hebrews were subjected in the time of Moses?
__________________________________________________________________
Pesah or Passover was instituted with the hope that those who would celebrate it would live happily and that they would take time to remember how their ancestors were freed from their painful slavery.
This celebration also highlights that there is a King and Father who watches over us to free us and to make us live in happiness if we accept, however, to follow His advice. His commandments are indeed the cornerstone for welfare.
If we want to compare more in depth our way of life today and that of the Hebrews in the time of Moses, I hope we will see some very glaring differences. But it may also be that the life of some readers is bitter and painful. To them, I ask to keep hoping by fixing thier eyes to what finally happened to the Hebrew people.
The Hebrews at the time of this first Passover are forced to live in slavery while we are often allowed to live freely on earth.
The type of slavery to which the Hebrews are subjected is the worst one that one can imagine because indeed they are subjected to a Pharaonic authority which hates them and which wishes to exterminate them (Exodus 1: 8-22):
“8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; 10 come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. 13 So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.
15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; 16 and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared Elohim, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?”
19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.”
20 Therefore Elohim dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. 21 And so it was, because the midwives feared Elohim, that He provided households for them.
22 So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”
Let us read again Exodus chapter 5, verse 6 to 9:
“6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our Elohim.’ 9 Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.”
These readings illustrate the harshness and cruelty with which the Hebrew people are treated. This slavery is very different from that experienced by other famous slaves of the Bible: Joseph, Daniel and Nehemiah!
Let's read Joseph's example first (Genesis 41: 37-46):
“37 So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of Elohim?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as Elohim has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.”
Joseph is indeed also a slave in Egypt, but he has the esteem of Pharaoh who makes him his second with absolute authority over all of Egypt. He also gave him in marriage the daughter of one of the most prestigious person in the country, the priest of On.
Approximately one thousand years later, Daniel, while he was a slave in Babylonia, is also treated with all the honors by Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2: 46-49):
“46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. 47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your Elohim is the Elohim of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.”
Around the same time, but a little bit later, when the return of the captivity of the Jewish people took place, Nehemiah is another example of the good treatment that slaves can receive. Let's read what he writes to us (Nehemiah 5: 14):
“Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions.”
Let us remember that Yehoah Himself in a message to the captives of Judah recommends to the people to live happily druing the deportation (Jeremiah 29: 1-7):
“1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the elders who were carried away captive—to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This happened after Jeconiah the king, the queen mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,
4 Thus says Yehoah of hosts, the Elohim of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5 Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. 6 Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yehoah for it; for in its peace you will have peace.”
All these examples describe a slavery where the masters dominate but also have esteem for their servant. Slaves have the opportunity to experience happiness and live happily, although this is not a general rule.
This esteem can even go as far as honor as was the case for Joseph, Daniel and even Nehemiah. With this honor comes the attribution of authority titles or even marriage with renowned people.
But it is quite different when it comes to Moses and the Children of Israel of his time: here Pharaoh is hating them to death and is pushing his kingdom to martyrize them as much as possible to destroy them . Pharaoh forced the Hebrews to build cities and work in the fields while they were shepherds in the past. The Children of Israel must therefore work in what he has no experience.
Moreover, the Pharaonic authority is also implementing rules aimed at the extermination of male children. It reminds us Hitler and the nazis!
__________________________________________________________________
Today's true Christianity is living a slavery rather similar to that experienced by Joseph, Daniel, Nehemiah and even Abraham!
__________________________________________________________________
The Christian people must always remember that as it was the case for Christ, they live under the authority of the Prince of this world, namely Satan. Satan has authority over the earth and will keep that authority until the advent of Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. But before the advent of Christ, we are subject to the authority of Satan and we owe him respect following in this the example of Christ who never challenged him this authority!
The power of Satan is however limited to all that is mortal, to our flesh but it has no power over the spiritual being existing in believers who received the Holy Spirit.
Our flesh, alias the old man Paul is talking about, is destined to die anyway. This flesh pushes us to follow the wishes of the Prince of this world. But the new spiritual man, begotten in us by the Holy Spirit of Elohim, is encouraging us to live with the laws of the new world to come.
This new man is free thanks to the freedom that Elohim puts in us. Paul is explaining this in his epistle to the Romans, chapter 7, verses 14 to 25:
“14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of Elohim according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank Elohim—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of Elohim, but with the flesh the law of sin.”
This is the reason why Paul is also teaching us in another epistle, that to the Galatians, to destroy the works of the flesh. Indeed, the flesh will have no place in the world to come that true Christianity wishes (Galatians 5: 13-26):
“13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, [e]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of Elohim.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
It is this fight that was successfully conducted by our spiritual ancestors. The few stories that we are going to read are there to keep us on the path that leads to the world to come.
Let us first take the example of Abraham (Genesis 22: 1-14):
“1Now it came to pass after these things that Elohim tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”
And he said, “Here I am.”
2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which Elohim had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”
6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. 7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!”
And he said, “Here I am, my son.”
Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
8 And Abraham said, “My son, Elohim will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
9 Then they came to the place of which Elohim had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11 But the Angel of Yehoah called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”
So he said, “Here I am.”
12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear Elohim, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, Yehoah-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of Yehoah it shall be provided.”
Let us now turn to the fight that Joseph once had to fight to defeat his flesh and prefer Elohim (Genesis 39: 7-20):
“7 And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.”
8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. 9 There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against Elohim?”
10 So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.
11 But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, 12 that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. 13 And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, 14 that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, “See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside.”
16 So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. 17 Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; 18 so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside.”
19 So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused. 20 Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.”
Finally, let's see the example that Daniel left us (Daniel 6: 1-24):
“1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; 2 and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. 4 So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his Elohim.”
6 So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: “King Darius, live forever! 7 All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his Elohim, as was his custom since early days.
11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his Elohim. 12 And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”
The king answered and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.”
13 So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
14 And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your Elohim, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” 17 Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. 19 Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living Elohim, has your Elohim, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My Elohim sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”
23 Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his Elohim.
24 And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.”
It is with these examples in mind that we Christians live today awaiting the death of our flesh just as Christ, Abraham, Joseph and Daniel lived in this same expectation.
__________________________________________________________________
The death of the body of Yeshuah Christ did not take place yet!
__________________________________________________________________
If the Christian people are waiting for the death of their own flesh, it is to fulfill the prophecy about the death of the body of Christ which as we announced to you in the title of this article is not yet completed.
This prophecy is given by Paul when he is talking about Passover in I Corinthians 11: 23-34):
“23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you announce the Lord’s death till He comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.”
What Paul is writing is what Yeshuah Christ himself says in the Gospels during his last Passover and we invite you to read thisin Luke 22: 7-20.
We want also here to draw your attention on the great difference between the custom established by Yeshuah and perpetuated by true Christians like Paul and those of his time and the practices of most Catholic or Protestant churches in the world who established a "holy supper "sometimes every Sundays sometimes every month.
Now read more carefully verse 26 of the epistle of Paul to the Corinthians:
__________________________________________________________________
FOR AS OFTEN AS YOU EAT THIS BREAD AND DRINK THIS CUP, YOU ANNOUNCE THE LORD'S DEATH TILL HE COMES.
__________________________________________________________________
Yeshuah Christ was sacrificed almost two thousand years ago and we are told that at each Passover we continue to announce his death until he comes. Could it be that his physical body is not yet dead? It is to that question that I would like to find an answer taken from the Bible.
But before that, let us go back to these biblical characters that we had mentioned as examples and let us realize that they may have experienced events similar to those that expected to come at the end times.
Ffirst of all, Abraham, the father of the believers, thanks to whom we have the hope to become a member of the family of our Savior.
The Bible does not seem to tell us that he was aware of the Passover sacrifice; nevertheless, if we read Genesis 15: 7-20, we see that Yehoah revealed to Abram the slavery of his descendants, the Hebrew people. This revelation took place at a time when Abram does not yet have his own child because Isaac was not yet born. This event is accompanied by a sacrifice occurring towards the evening, before sunset, at a time of the day similar to that when Yeshuah Christ expires. Note also that it was overnight that Yehoah made his covenant with Abram. Remember that the Hebrew people could not leave their place before the dawn following Passover. Christ also encourages his disciples not to keep watching and stay awake during the night after their Passover meal.
Now let's go to Joseph. Joseph, the beloved slave of his master Pharaoh of Egypt, also foresees what will happen if we read Gen.50: 22-25. He knows the promise made to Abraham and he knows that Yehoah will come to free his people out of Egypt. Joseph knows in advance what will happen and he has faith although he personally did not suffer from slavery hard treatment. Paul confirms this to us:
" By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.." (Hebrews 11:22)
Daniel also knew that his people, the believers in Elohim, should suffer before being released at the end time (Daniel 12: 1-13):
“1 “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and from, and knowledge shall increase.”
5 Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. 6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?”
7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?”
9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
11 “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
13 “But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”
Let us now jump to our time, a time when many of us live in relative freedom. This freedom exists in particular with regard to our faith which does not encounter any obstacle. This situation is somewhat similar to that of Joseph and Daniel.
But just like Joseph and Daniel, we live in the perspective of a time of affliction and pain that will befall the Christian people. Satan by his interposed power will try to kill the believers in Elohim, the Church which is nothing else than the body of Christ!
This is the reason why we announce the death of Christ until He comes. Indeed, the body of Christ is not yet dead in the world today just as it has not yet born in the world to come. Try to imagine, as the Bible teaches us, that this birth in the world to come is like a childbirth. Today only Yeshuah, the head of the body, has come out with the resurrection of Christ, but the rest of the body has not yet passed.
For almost two thousand years, the Christian people have been announcing the death of the body of Christ until it comes because it is necessary that
__________________________________________________________________
ALL HIS BODY DIES BY SATAN'S HAND UNTIL THE END.
__________________________________________________________________
Let’s read this in the book of Revelation, chapter 6, verses 9 to 11:
“9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of Elohim and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Yehoah, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”
True Christians, true because so many people say they are Christians without really being Christians because they never understood the scope of this commitment that most of the time adults took for them, therefore true Christians are committed by their baptism to kill their body of flesh. These Christians have linked themselves to the body of our Savior as Paul writes in Romans 6: 1-23:
“1What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to Elohim. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to Elohim in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to Elohim as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to Elohim. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But Elohim be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of Elohim, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the [h]gift of God is eternal life in Christ Yeshuah our Lord.”
This is where the freedom is, which we will discover at the dawn of the first day of unleavened bread, just as the Hebrews discovered some 3,500 years ago!
All our flesh is destined to die as it is written everywhere in the Word of our Creator like for instance in Daniel 8:
“9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?”
14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” ….
23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
25 “Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means. 26 “And the vision of the evenings and mornings Which was told is true; Therefore seal up the vision, For it refers to many days in the future.”