Articles

       To the Christian, Easter has nothing to do with eggs, bunnies, or chocolate. No, instead of being tied to some self-indulgent
pagan fertility rite it is instead tied to the old Jewish holiday of Passover, a time of separation, protection and deliverance, a time to
reflect on past enslavement, and soon to be newfound freedom and service.

       You see to those of us who believe, Jesus is our Sacrificial Lamb, John 1: 29 “29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto
him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” As John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Lamb
he knew exactly what that meant. He knew what it meant because he knew his Old Testament and the history of his people.

       John knew from Exodus that a lamb was to be chosen and marked for death. Exodus 12: 21 “21 Then Moses called for all the
elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.”

       We know that Jesus was our Lamb chosen before the creation of the world and marked for death for our sins, so that we might
have our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and in so being, not serve the evil one and be faced with the wrath of God.
Revelation 13: 7 & 8 “7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him
over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in
the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

       John knew that the Passover Lamb was to be a Lamb without spot or blemish, a perfect Lamb, one in which no defects could be
found. Exodus 12: 5 “5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the
goats:”

       We know that our Lamb, having been closely inspected, was found to have no faults. Luke 23: 13-15 13 And Pilate, when he
had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one
that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things
whereof ye accuse him: 15 No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.”

       John knew that the blood of the Lamb was to be spread above the door on the sides of the doorpost and that when this was
done that the blood would drip down along the bottom of the door. Exodus 12: 7 & 22 "7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike
it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop,
and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of
you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.”

        This sprinkling of blood meant three things, it separated those covered by the blood from those of the world. The sprinkling of
the blood protected them from the wrath of God, and it gave them the promise of deliverance.

       We know that our Lamb with arms stretched out upon the cross sprinkled His blood from the thorns on His head, the nails in His
wrists and feet, and that He is our door of separation, protection and deliverance. John 10: 9 “9 I am the door: by me if any man
enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

       John knew that after the sacrifice of the lamb and the application of the blood that the people were to enter through the door
into the safety of the house where they were to be protected through the long dark night. And when the night was over and the
morning light broke forth they were to go out and serve the Lord. Exodus 12: 22, 23, & 31 “22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop,
and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of
you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he
seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to
come in unto your houses to smite you. 31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from
among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.”

       We know that when we repent of our sins and accept Jesus as our Sacrificial Lamb that we enter into safety from God’s
judgment on an evil, Christ rejecting world. We look forward to the promise of eternal life being one with God through the Sacrificial
Lamb, as we go out and serve Him each and every day as we promised. Romans 5:8-11 “8 But God commendeth his love toward
us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from
wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have
now received the atonement.”