IS JESUS THE PASSOVER LAMB?

 MYSTERIES OF THE CROSS ~ PART FIVE

LAMB IN JERUSALEM

Pastor Dave and the college group gathers in the Upper Room in the old city of Jerusalem.

He says, "What did John the Baptist say about Jesus?"

John answers, " The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"  (John 1:29 ESV ~ English Standard Version)

Susanna adds, " But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5  Darby)

Peter states, "Jesus is the sacrificial lamb who died for our sins."

Pastor Dave says, "I think part of our confusion concerning Good Friday and Passover comes from the fact that we are looking at the Roman calendar and not the Jewish lunar calendar, where days were from sunset to sunset and not from midnight to midnight."

Cindy speaks, "Nisan was considered the first month of the year.  It was Spring, a time of new beginnings, miracles and freedom from bondage."

Pastor Dave continues, "Now let's look at individual days, before and after Passover."

James talks, "On the 10th day of Nisan it was known as 'Lamb Inspection Day.'  Families would chose a male lamb of the first year without any blemish."

Paul adds, "The lamb shall be without blemish, a male of one year; ye shall take it out from the sheep or from the goats;  and ye shall keep it 

up until the fourteenth day of the same month, and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it between the two evenings.

And they shall take of the blood and put it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses in which they shall eat it."  (Exodus 12:5-7  JUB ~ Jubile Bible 2000)

Paul states, "Passover is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a week long celebration."

Debra talks, "Nisan 16 day is known as 'The First Fruits."  A priest would wave a sheaf of Barley, dedicating this harvest to God.  From this day, there were 49 days until Pentecost."

Pastor Dave smiles, "Now let's look at the Sign of Jonah and see if we can fit this piece of the puzzle into Mystery of the Cross."

Mary blurts out,  "I thought we all ready decided that Good Friday fell on Passover, because that's when the full moon occurred."

Pastor Dave tells, "What if on Palm Sunday, Jesus rode the donkey on "Lamb Inspection Day into Jerusalem. And was he inspected up to the day of the crucifixion by the multitudes, scribes, Pharisees, Priests, Pilot, Romans and Herod? 

James reads, "Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover."  (John 18:28  LSB ~ Legacy Standard Bible)

Matthew says, "On preparation day, before Passover, at 3pm all the lambs would be sacrificed on the Temple mount."

Debra remarks, "Jesus died on the cross at 3pm.  The dark sky became bright, shining on Jesus hanging on the cross.  Then there was an earthquake that ripped the veil in the temple from top to bottom!"

Dan adds, "Our Sun was a dark star from noon to 3pm.  I don't think Jesus suffered on the cross during a storm, slowly dying of hypothermia; when He could speak one word to calm the storm."

John states, "Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement—but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.  Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Look, your King!”  So they shouted, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king except Caesar.”  (John 19:13-15  NASB ~ New American Standard Version)

Pastor Dave remarks, "The arrest, trial and execution of Jesus happened before Passover which fell on Good Friday."  Was the sign of Jonah fulfilled?"

Dan smirks, "Yes!  Jesus died on the cross at 3pm Thursday afternoon!"

Peter adds, "Perhaps Jonah was thrown overboard during an afternoon storm around 3pm."

Dan continues, "The sign that Jesus gave us was fulfilled by the two earthquakes...one at Jesus death and one at His resurrection before sunrise on Sunday the first day of the week."

Susanna speaks, "Early Sunday morning everyone in Jerusalem were rattled and woke up at the time of Jesus' resurrection."

Sally remarks, "The Pharisees must have been upset from all the broken clay pots they had to throw away, before Passover dinner."

Peter blurts out, "The priests may have been surprised seeing into the Holy of Holies and finding the Ark of the Covenant missing; which possibly could have been hidden before the destruction of the first temple."

James adds, "The gold lid on top of the Ark of the Covenant was known as the Mercy Seat.  On the day of Atonement the High Priest would sprinkle sacrificial blood upon it."

Pastor Dave adds, "Where is the Ark?"

John reads, "But Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she cried, she bent over to look into the tomb.  She saw two angels dressed in white. They were seated where Jesus’ body had been. One of them was where Jesus’ head had been laid. The other sat where his feet had been placed."  (John 20:11-12  NIRV ~ New International Readers Version)

Susanna in tears says, "The Ark of the Covenant with the blood of Jesus sprinkled on the Mercy Seat and two angels, has come to life in the tomb!"

Matthew add, "Jesus is the First Fruit of the Barley Harvest, and we are apart of that harvest."

Paul reads, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  (Acts 4:12  ESV ~ English Standard Version)

Mary reads, "And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”  (Revelation 5:12  NLT ~ New Living Translation)

Pastor Dave concludes, "Did we find a good fit for The Sign of Jonah puzzle piece?  

Was Passover on Good Friday?  

Was Jesus in the heart of the earth three days and three nights?

Is Jesus the Lamb of God who was sacrificed before the evening of the Passover Seder on Thursday evening?