Hope in Passover

Last night at sunset begins the first day of Passover. There is so much beauty and richness in pondering what Passover means. It is a celebration of redemption and hope and being beloved. It is a tribute to a God who keeps his word and has a perfect plan to accomplish his will. It is the retelling of an ancient story of God delivering his people as he had promised long ago, when it must have seemed that he had forgotten or changed his mind. It is a reminder that through obedience, with the application of the blood of a sacrificial lamb on the doorpost of their homes, the Hebrew people were protected from death. There is so much richness in the account of this event recorded in Exodus, and so much application for us who trust in the God who saves.

As a follower of Jesus, who was Jewish and celebrated Passover, I love to also ponder his connection to this feast. 

He entered Jerusalem on the very day the sacrificial lambs were being selected. He was crucified on the day of sacrifice. The next day was Shabbat (what we call the Sabbath), and I would imagine a terrible one for the followers of Jesus. 

On the day after this particular Shabbat, an offering of the sheaf of firstfruits were to be brought to the priest (Lev. 23:10). The same day that Jesus was bound and crucified, an omer of barley was bound up in preparation to be cut from the ground. There was a ritual offering of the firstfruits of the the barley on the same day that Jesus was resurrected. Paul referred to Jesus as “the firstfruits of those who are asleep.” (1 Cor.15:20). The day of his resurrection began the 50 day count to Pentecost, or Shavu’ot. These are called days of Counting the Omer (Lev. 23:16). Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the Counting of the Omer and he ascended into heaven on the 40th day of the counting. I find that amazing. 

Shavu’ot is another of God’s appointed festivals, and it  commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. The literal translation of Exodus 20:18 says that all the people saw the voices and the torches. Shavu’ot is the Feast of Harvests, or Firstfruits, a joyful celebration of God’s provision. On this Shavu’ot after Jesus had ascended, the people were gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate when torches once again appeared and voices of different languages were heard. And this was the giving of the Holy Spirit.

To me this is all so amazing, and it is an assurance that we serve a God of order, one who has a plan—and it will be realized. Our God is a faithful God, who, in the midst of our troubles and sometimes despair, is still there and his story to us is that he loves us. We can depend on him. He is worthy of all of our trust and obedience. He promised the people of Israel a Messiah, and he delivered in such a powerful way. As is usually the case, God didn’t do it the way one would have expected. He did it his way and so much better than could have been imagined. And then he included the rest of the world in this plan of salvation—which means me. And you. And whoever will accept his great gift of redemption. Which is why i find it a joy and privilege to celebrate Passover.

What's Your Name?

 

When people ask me what my name is, without thinking I answer Sherryl. It’s what I’m called and have been since my mother declared it when I was born. But there is so much more to my name than what people call me or I call myself. In the dictionary, the primary definition of a person’s name is “description or reputation.” It’s how one is viewed by others based on actions and behavior. How do you represent your name to others? Does the way you treat your spouse speak well or ill of your name? 

Throughout the Scripture it is clear that names are a big deal to God. He gave his own name to Moses. This name has always been so revered by the Jewish people that they call him HaShem, which means “The Name,” a euphemism for God. His Name was so respected and valued by his people. When Solomon built the temple, he did it so that God’s Name would inhabit it. (1 Kings 8:29). There are many other names in Scripture describing God to reveal his wonderful and perfect character. The first and most used is Elohim, found in Genesis 1. Among the many of my favorite names for God is El Ro’i, which means “You, God, see me.” Sometimes when I feel alone or small and insignificant, I reflect on this name of my Father (another of his names) and I remember my value and purpose.

The Hebrew people often named their children according to what they believed the child’s character would someday be. Some of these names describe good character and sometimes they are not at all complimentary. Many times names were actually changed to reflect a changed status or the description of an individual. God himself changed Jacob’s (Ya’akov) name to Isra’el, because he had “shown his strength to both God and men and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:29). Jesus gave Simon (Shim’on) the name Peter (Kefa), which means “rock” in Aramaic.

I have been thinking more lately about my own name. It all started when a friend asked me to think of a word that I would describe myself by. That was hard. I do a lot of self examination, but I have never tried to sum me up in one word. If I think of a word that I perceive as a character trait, would others agree with that? What would be the first thing my husband would think of to describe me? My children? My close friends? Acquaintances? People I encounter out in my day to day interactions?

What kind of legacy am I creating for myself right now, day to day, that I will be remembered by? But most importantly, what am I doing every day in my interactions with others that HaShem would be delighted with? The most important thing about my name is that it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Rev. 21:27). And as I pondered what my description of myself would be, I thought that when I stand before him I want him to look at me and say, “Well done, you were a good and trustworthy servant” (Matthew 25:21).