TIME CHANGING PASSOVERS AT THE NILE AND AT JERUSALEM
MOSES HAD JUST UNLEASHED 9 PLAGUES ON EGYPT WHILE IMPLORING PHARAOH TO LET HIS PEOPLE GO AND THIS WAS PHARAOH'S LAST CHANCE TO NEGOTIATE WITH MOSES. BACK AT THE SLAVE CAMP IN THE LAND OF GOSHEN, THE SMELL OF LAMB ROAST FILLED THE AIR BECAUSE A HUGE BLOOD SACRIFICE AND BBQ HAD BEEN MADE. A FEW TEARS MIGHT HAVE BEEN SHED FOR THE LITTLE LAMBS BUT MANY TEARS WOULD BE SHED THROUGHOUT EGYPT BEFORE THIS NIGHT WAS OVER, AS THE DEIFIED FIRST BORN SONS WERE TAKEN BY THE ANGEL OF DEATH. THIS NOT ONLY TOOK THE EGYPTIAN FIRSTBORN...IT LEFT THEM WITHOUT THEIR GODLY REPRESENTATION ON EARTH. GOD WAS MAKING A POINT. THEIR GOD RA WAS DEAD. IMPOTENT AND NOT A GOD AT ALL. HE WAS SIMPLY A VAIN IMAGE-INATION, EXPOSED BY MOSES AS UNWORTHY. AN EPIC BACKYARD BBQ HAD BEGUN. THE GOOD NEWS WAS THAT THESE ENSLAVED PEOPLE WERE GOING TO BE FREED AND THEY WERE TO HAVE AN AWESOME LAMB ROAST BEFORE THEY LEFT. THE BAD NEWS WAS THAT SO MANY LITTLE LAMBS HAD TO BE KILLED AND EATEN WITH UNLEAVENED BREAD AND BITTER HERBS. THIS WAS TO REMIND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL OF THE BITTERNESS OF SLAVERY; AND WHO HAS NOT BEEN IN SLAVERY TO SOMETHING, OR SOMEONE? AS BOB DYLAN SAYS, EVERY BODY HAS TO SERVE SOMEBODY; EVEN OUR BODIES TOO WILL EVEN BE SERVED… TO CREEPY CRAWLIES; THAT OR FIRE? ONE DAY OUR EYES WILL NOT SEE, OUR EARS WILL NOT HEAR AND WE WILL BE COVERED IN DIRT AS WE TOO GO FROM DUST TO DUST. READ EXODUS 20:23,24A “YOU SHALL NOT MAKE WITH ME GODS OF SILVER, NEITHER SHALL YOU MAKE UNTO YOU GODS OF GOLD. AN ALTAR OF EARTH YOU SHALL MAKE TO ME, AND SHALL SACRIFICE THEREON YOUR BURNT OFFERINGS, AND YOUR PEACE OFFERINGS”.
THESE DAYS MOST PEOPLE DO NOT LOVE GOD OR JESUS OR HIS HOLY SPIRIT. FEW PRAYERS ARE OFFERED UP IN THANKS TO GOD FOR THE BLESSINGS OF THE MEAL OR THE SHED BLOOD... AT BBQS! LET'S JUST HURRY UP AND CHOW DOWN. IT IS REALLY TOO PAINFUL TO CONSIDER HOW POLLUTED WE ARE. THOSE DEEP THINKERS WHO DO ANALYSE THEMSELVES OFTEN COMMIT SUICIDE. THAT IS REALITY AND THAT IS BAD. THINGS HAVE TO CHANGE. IT IS NOT WORKING! LEVITICUS 17:11-12 SAYS, “FOR THE LIFE OF THE FLESH IS IN THE BLOOD: AND I HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU UPON THE ALTAR TO MAKE AN ATONEMENT FOR YOUR SOULS: FOR IT IS THE BLOOD THAT MAKES ATONEMENT FOR THE SOUL. THEREFORE I SAID TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, NO SOUL OF YOU SHALL EAT BLOOD, NEITHER SHALL ANY STRANGER THAT SOJOURNS AMONG YOU EAT BLOOD.” ANIMAL BLOOD POINTED TO AN ETERNAL SACRIFICE TO BE MADE BY THE SON OF GOD FOR ALL MANKIND WHEN HE STRETCHED OUT HIS ARMS AND POINTED TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH AND A RIVER OF BLOOD, HIS BLOOD, FLOWED INTO THE EARTH...FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. JUST BEFORE THANKSGIVING 2008 I FLEW EAST TO NORTH CAROLINA TO VISIT MY FATHER. AT THE TIME HE WAS 86 AND A PROSTATE CANCER SURVIVOR OF 19 YEARS, I WAS CALLED BECAUSE HE HAD TAKEN A TURN FOR THE WORSE. OF COURSE, WE KNOW EVERYTHING GOES ROUND AND ROUND AND UPON MY ARRIVAL HE TOOK A TURN FOR THE BETTER! IT WAS A GOOD VISIT AND WHILE THERE I ATTENDED...A PIG PICKING! IT WAS A VERY COOL AND CRISPY DAY WITH BLUE SKIES, AND FIERY AUTUMN LEAVES SPLATTERED AMONGST THE GREEN PINES ON THIS PERFECTLY PIGTURESQUE AFTERNOON. THE PASTORAL SETTING BROUGHT JOY TO MY SPIRIT EVEN AS I GAZED OVER AT THE WHITE GAZEBO NESTLED AMONGST THE HILLS AND ADMIRED GOD’S HANDIWORK. THE POOR PIGGY HAD BEEN SLICED IN TWO AND TWO TURKEYS ALSO LAY ON THE TRAY TO ACCOMPANY HIM. AS THE EVENING SACRIFICE WAS MADE, SMOKE ROSE FROM THE BIG BLACK BURNER AND QUIETLY TWIRLED OFF INTO THE SKY AS THE UNHOLY OFFERING OF SWEET SUGARY UNDIVINE SWINE ASCENDED TO THE HEAVENS. MMMM! SOME OF IT MADE ITS WAY AMONGST THE FADED YELLOW ROSES THAT NOW LOOKED LIKE TATTERED AND TORN CREPE PAPER AFTER THE FROST. IT LIGHTLY TOUCHED THE TIPS OF THE RED ROSE HIPS BESIDE THE PILLAR OF THE PORCH BEFORE DISAPPEARING INTO A WORLD OF ITS OWN. RED VINEGAR BBQ SAUCE BUBBLED AND DRIPPED ON THE COALS, FILLING THE CAVITY IN THE HOLLOW OF THE PIG’S DIVIDED RIBS AND A MOUTH WATERING AROMA FILLED THE AIR AS A POTPOURRI OF PIGGY INCENSE. AS THE SUN SET, A CHILL SETTLED IN BUT NOBODY CARED AS IT WAS TIME TO DINE ON THE TASTY FEAST. THE CHILDREN MADE BONFIRES AND ROASTED MARSHMALLOWS AS THE EVENING WORE ON. THEY RODE PONIES AND PULL ALONG WAGONS, PLAYED HIDE AND SEEK AND HAD A GREAT TIME. A COUNTRY WESTERN PICKER CROONED ON THE STABLE PORCH AND HIS LYRICS AND MUSIC WENT OUT ON ELECTRIC WAVES AS THE PIG WAS PICKED CLEAN; IT WAS ALL GOOD TO THE LAST LICK. FUN WAS HAD BY ALL OUT EAST BECAUSE WHO DOES NOT LIKE A WELL PLANNED FEAST WHERE ALL OUR FRIENDS GATHER? JOHN AND I ENJOYED THE BRISKET BARBECUES ON THE BOATS IN THE WEST TOO, YET GOD DOES THINGS BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EAST OR WEST. WE JUST COULD NOT COMPETE; NOBODY COULD, NOT SWINE FROM THE EAST OR BOVINE FROM THE WEST, HIS DIVINE LAMB WAS STILL THE BEST, AND WINE FROM HIS VINE TOO. IN EGYPT, NOT JUST ONE FAMILY BUT THE ENTIRE NATION OF ISRAEL, MILLIONS OF THEM THAT HAD GROWN UP IN SLAVERY, WAS HAVING A HUGE, EPIC, BIG TIME BARBIE ON QUEUE…WITH A TWIST. AFTER THE LAMB SACRIFICE WAS MADE IN EACH HOME, THE FATHER WAS TO TAKE A BUNCH OF HYSSOP AND DIP IT INTO THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB IN A BASIN. THEN HE WOULD STRIKE IT OVER THE LINTEL OF THE DOOR OUTSIDE AND OVER THE 2 DOORPOSTS AND NO ONE WAS TO GO OUT UNTIL THE MORNING. NO ONE! THIS WAS WORSE THAN THE CURSE OF HALLOWEEN. WOT? YOU SEE, SOMETHING TERRIFYING WAS OUTSIDE. WOT? A REAL BONIFIED ANGEL OF DEATH, ALTHOUGH I MAKE NO BONES ABOUT IT, I REALLY DON’T KNOW IF HE HAD BONES. I THINK ANGELS DO HAVE BONES; GHOSTS, PROBABLY NOT BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT A HALLOWEEN SPECTRE, IT WAS GOD’S HOLY SCEPTRE. HE WAS TO PASS OVER EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN EGYPT AND ALL THE SLAVES IN GOSHEN. NOW SOME PEOPLE REALLY LOVE HALLOWEEN WHICH IS NOW A MAJOR FESTIVAL GLORIFYING THINGS LIKE GHOSTS, DEATH, SKELETONS, AND THINGS THAT GO “BUMP” IN THE NIGHT. SOME WANTED TO HAVE PARTIES ON THE BOAT AROUND THIS THEME BUT PASS OVER MIGHT BE A MORE WORTHY SUBSTITUTE ABOUT A MORE WORTHY SUBSTITUTE. PASSOVER, ALONG WITH UNLEAVENED BREAD COMMEMORATED THAT JUDGMENT HAD ARRIVED IN EGYPT. TIMING IS EVERYTHING. AN ANGEL OF DEATH WOULD KILL THE FIRSTBORN HUMAN AND ANIMAL IN EVERY HOUSE, AS JUDGMENT ON THE EGYPTIAN GODS AND TO PROVE THAT THE EGYPTIAN GODS COULD NOT SAVE EVEN THEIR OWN APPOINTED GODS OR DEIFIED FIRSTBORN. ONLY THOSE HOUSEHOLDS MARKED WITH THE BLOOD OF THE SACRIFICIAL LAMBS WERE PASSED OVER.
KING TUT MASKED
TIME CHANGES AT PASSOVERS
EXODUS 12:2-11, “THIS MONTH SHALL BE TO YOU THE BEGINNING OF MONTHS: IT SHALL BE THE FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR TO YOU. SPEAK TO ALL THE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL, SAYING, IN THE TENTH DAY OF THIS MONTH THEY SHALL TAKE TO THEM EVERY MAN A LAMB, ACCORDING TO THE HOUSE OF THEIR FATHERS, A LAMB FOR A HOUSE. AND IF THE HOUSEHOLD BE TOO LITTLE FOR A LAMB, LET HIM AND HIS NEIGHBOR NEXT TO HIS HOUSE TAKE IT ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF THE SOULS; EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS EATING SHALL MAKE YOUR COUNT FOR THE LAMB. YOUR LAMB SHALL BE WITHOUT BLEMISH, A MALE OF THE FIRST YEAR: YOU SHALL TAKE IT OUT FROM THE SHEEP OR FROM THE GOATS: AND YOU SHALL KEEP IT UP UNTIL THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF THE SAME MONTH: AND THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY OF THE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL SHALL KILL IT IN THE EVENING. 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. AND THEY SHALL EAT THE FLESH THAT NIGHT, ROAST WITH FIRE, AND UNLEAVENED BREAD: AND WITH BITTER HERBS THEY SHALL EAT IT. EAT NOT OF IT RAW, NOR SODDEN AT ALL WITH WATER, BUT ROAST WITH FIRE; HIS HEAD AND HIS LEGS, AND WITH THE PERTENANCE THEREOF. AND YOU SHALL LET NOTHING OF IT REMAIN UNTIL THE MORNING; AND THAT WHICH REMAINS OF IT UNTIL THE MORNING YOU SHALL BURN WITH FIRE. AND THUS SHALL YOU EAT IT; WITH YOUR LOINS GIRDED, YOUR SHOES ON YOUR FEET, AND YOUR STAFF IN YOUR HAND: IT IS THE LORD’S PASSOVER.”
THIS SAME PASSOVER WAS PASSED OVER FROM THE SACRIFICED LAMB OF MOSES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WHEN THE ANGEL OF DEATH PASSED OVER THOSE COVERED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, TO THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF THE NEW TESTAMENT WHERE THE ANGEL OF DEATH PASSES OVER CHRISTIANS COVERED IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS. THE SLOGANS USED FOR THE ELECTION OF 2008 REVOLVED AROUND TIME FOR A CHANGE...BUT WHEN JESUS SAYS TIME FOR CHANGE, HE MEANS IT BIG TIME!
THE YOD SPEAKS OF CREATION ITSELF, BUT IT ALSO COMES IN TWO FORMS. A GREATER AND A LESSER; LIKE THE TWO HANDS ON A CLOCK, LIKE THE SUN AND THE MOON THAT GIVE US OUR TIME OF DAY AND OUR SEASONS; EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO TELL TIME. UNLESS OF COURSE THE UNIVERSE IS EXPLODING RANDOMLY AND THEN TIME AS WE KNOW IT COULD NOT EVEN EXIST. THE LESSER SPEAKS OF THE HUMILITY OF HUMANS OF HUMUS, EVEN THE GREAT PROPHETS, MOSES, ELIJAH AND ULTIMATELY JESUS INCARNATE. THE GREATER SPEAKS OF GOD’S GREAT FIERY ALL ILLUMINATING POWER.
LIKE THE TWO HANDS OF A CLOCK, THEY WORK IN PERFECT HARMONY TWO-GATHER. HEBREWS 1:2-3 UNIFIES THEM AT THE STAKE IN THE CENTRE OF TIME. “(GOD) HATH IN THESE LAST DAYS SPOKEN UNTO US BY HIS SON, WHOM HE HATH APPOINTED HEIR OF ALL THINGS, BY WHOM ALSO HE MADE THE WORLDS; WHO BEING THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS GLORY, AND THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS PERSON, AND UPHOLDING ALL THINGS BY THE WORD OF HIS POWER, WHEN HE HAD BY HIMSELF PURGED OUR SINS, SAT DOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND OF THE MAJESTY ON HIGH.” BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE CAN ALL REST ASSURED THAT SOMEONE RESPONSIBLE IS IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING. AMAZING...SHHHHH DON'T TELL THE CHILDREN, YOU MIGHT BE SHAMED FOR BEING A CONSPIRACY THEORIST BY POINTING OUT...TRUTH! IT IS ILLEGAL.