Many of us are familiar with the events of the Exodus from Egypt. We have heard the story in church sermons, seen the Hollywood movies on TV or even the big screen, but how many of us have connected to the dots between the this and the ministry of Yeshua? I know by now, some are looking like, wait what? Yes you heard me, there are some amazing parallels between the two. Until we get a better grasp on Torah, we will continue to miss the deeper revelation of what is really going on. When we understand Torah, we find that literally everything that Yeshua did was connected to Torah, and although gone unseen by the people of the day, as the reader between the two texts, it becomes apparent to those of us who are really paying attention. Within theses very Scriptures is even embedded a timeline of when these events were to take place. This timeline given in Torah makes it possible for us to put a timeline to Yeshua’s ministry. This will be a challenge for most to accept, but I ask that when reading this blog, and the supporting Scriptural text with it, allow the texts, and not your theology by the final approving authority to your view of truth. Many of us in the church have a theology fashioned by our Pastor’s, and at the same time, unchallenged by the burden of fact checking, simply because we put complete coincidence in what he says. Many a believer has been led astray because of this. Some have not only left the church, but have even left the faith. I can recall a time in my life while in the church where my Pastor, while preaching, told us to fact check him. Near as I can tell, not many, if any, took him up on it. Me being me, I did just that. To my dismay, he was actually incorrect. However, because it was a Sunday sermon and not a Bible Study, it wasn’t like I could raise my hand and interject.I believe this is why the Bereans were singled out in that they were known to fact check daily to see if those things being taught were so. We could learn a lot from these people.
Exodus 12:1-20, YHVH tells Moshe that the current time is the month of Aviv. Aviv, is not a month, but rather a harvesting time, when the barley is mature enough to be gathered. This takes place in the spring. In fact, YHVH tells Moshe that this will be the beginning of the new year, or Rosh HaShanah, as it is in Hebrew. Yes, I know that Rosh HaShanah is observed in the late summer early fall time frame, but thats incorrect. You cannot have two beginnings of the year. This did not come into being until after the Babylonian captivity. It was after this time that the Jew begin to observe this day at this time. Prior to that, there was no question that the month of Aviv was the correct Rosh HaShanah. Anyway, this was in the Spring time. YHVH further tells Moshe, that on the 10th day of this first month, that a perfect male lamb of the FIRST year was to be selected. After selection, on the 14th day, this lamb was to be prepared for Pesach (Passover). On the evening of the 14th day, which was the beginning of the 15th day, according to Bible reckoning, the Passover was to be eaten. This same day, now the 15th day was the start of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which according to YHVH, was a “Shabbat” (Sabbath), but not just a Sabbath, but a “High Sabbath”. Many people mix these Sabbaths up because they do not understand Torah. They see the word “Sabbath” and assume it is the weekly Sabbath. In years to come, this time became a special time the Jews, in that they rejoiced at the coming of the High Priest and his entourage as they led the sacrificial lamb into the city, on the 10th day in accordance to Torah. Ok, so how does this connect to Yeshua? That’s a very good question.
Matthew 21:6-11, Yeshua rode into the Holy City on a donkey, on the 10th day, of the month of Aviv (harvest time, not a month), of the first month (Rosh HaShanah). This was the same day that the people awaited for the High Priest and his entourage to return with the passover lamb. So now we see that Yeshua, entered the city on the 10th day as YHVH ‘s Passover Lamb, while the chief priest were doing the same thing. But wait, I thought the lamb had to be no older than a year old? Thats true, it was. But Yeshua was nearly 30 by this time. Yes, that is true, but, lets take it back to the Jordan River, just after His baptism by John the Baptist. John addresses Yeshua as the Lamb of God. This was when Yehsua started His ministry, directly after His wilderness experience. So it was at the point of Him beginning His ministry that He became the Lamb of God. Again, bear in mind, the sacrificial lamb for Passover had to be a year old. I know that many of you have been taught to believe that the ministry of Yeshua was around 3 and half years, but this is not true. Why not? Because if indeed His ministry was 3 and half years, but the Passover lamb had to be a year old, then He simply could NOT be the Passover Lamb of YHVH. Keep in mind, as the Messiah, He had to fulfill EVERY prophecy concerning Him. On a more realistic level, lets look at the length of the gospels. All 4 writers have relatively short accounts of this alleged 3 and half year ministry. If indeed His ministry was this long, then clearly there are several gaps of unaccounted time being left out. Did they take a few vacations in between periods? According to more than a handful of early church fathers, all agree that the ministry of Yeshua was a year. And then there are some of the Messianic prophecies that number His ministry as well.
Moving right along, as Exodus records, on the 10th day of the first month, the lamb was to be chosen, and led to the Holy City. On this same day, Yeshua had told His disciples to go and get Him a colt. It was this colt that He had ridden into the city, when all the people began to throw out palm branches and proclaim “Hosanna, blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 21:9). On the 14th day, the lamb is to be prepared for Passover. It was this same day that, after having what we know as the “Lord’s supper”, that Judas, having left to betray Him, they went to Gethsemane, where He prayed. Shortly after, Judas, along with the guards came to apprehend Him. All the while, the chosen lamb, which was the sacrifice of the flesh, was being prepared, Yeshua underwent the examining at the trial, where He was falsely convicted. He was then sent to Pilate, who after fully examining Him, confessed, “I find no fault with Him”. Why is this so important? Because the Passover Lamb had to be perfect, and without fault. The statement of Pilate attests to the fact that Yeshua, as the Lamb of YHVH was perfect, and without fault or blemish. From here, He was condemned to the cross. The time of His being put on the cross was at 9am, which incidentally was the time of the daily sacrifice, which I might add was done twice a day at this exact time. This points out how Yeshua was connected to YHVH ‘s daily sacrifice. At 3pm, Yeshua had given had. This again was the time of the evening sacrifice, again connecting Him to YHVH ‘s daily sacrifice. It was after this, having realized that He was dead, they removed Him from the cross, and put Him in the grave. This was done because no one could be on the cross as it was about to be a High Sabbath. Not only that, but it was about time to eat the Passover meal. The eating of the Passover meal was actually done at the beginning of The Feast of Unleavened Bread. According to Scripture, as we read, the first and seventh day of this feast were to be “High Sabbaths”. So, this was how Yeshua was connected to the Exodus and the sacrifices. From this point on, we know that for the next 3 days and 3 nights, that Yeshua was in the grave. The completion of this ended at the close of the weekly Sabbath. It was immediately after this that Yeshua rose from the grave, and not the next morning as some have been taught to believe. If indeed this was the case, then Yeshua was wrong because He was in the grave a day longer than He had prophesied. Not only this, but Him rising at the end of the Sabbath connects Him to another of YHVH ‘s observances, called First Fruits. As the “First Fruit” of the resurrection, He was then able to lead all those who had died in Him, before His sacrifice, and to lead them to the Father. When Mary had seen Yeshua at the tomb, she was about to jump on Him, but He stopped her, and continues to tell her that she could not touch Him because He had not ascended to the Father. As the high priest, until He had finished his offering to YHVH and did the waving of the sheaf, anything or anyone touching Him would have defiled it. Only after this could they touch Him.
