The Passover doesn't exist anymore.
Sure the 15th day of the month Nissan still comes around every year.
Sure the full moon still happens.
But it's impossible to keep the Passover anymore.
The Passover had to be kept in the tabernacle or Temple in Jerusalem, during the Spring, and a blood sacrifice had to be offered on the altar, with a Levite priest officiating.
The altar, Levitical genealogies, the priesthood, and the Temple don't exist anymore. And it isn't Spring during the month of Nissan in the southern hemisphere.
Omitting even one detail, keeping the Passover any other way or in any other place, was strictly forbidden by the Torah.
Therefore any attempt at keeping the Passover today is not really keeping the Passover. And it shouldn't be called such.
Of course we can celebrate ancient Israel's deliverance from Egypt if we wish. But doing so today cannot comply with the Torah's requirements for keeping the Passover. Therefore we shouldn't kid ourselves that we're keeping the Passover.
Besides, Jesus kept and fulfilled the Passover, and He inaugurated a New Covenant in His blood. Jesus ordained that we remember Him as oft as we eat and drink it, not on a set annual day like the Old Covenant Passover.
But if someone's conscience is weaker and he feels obliged to honour a certain date, we ought to allow him seeing he's honouring the Lord in his conscience.
But when we remember Him, we are not keeping the Passover. My ancestors were never in slavery in Egypt as far as I know. What we are remembering is the Lord's death until He comes, not the Passover, no matter what date of the year it is.
Sure the 15th day of the month Nissan still comes around every year.
Sure the full moon still happens.
But it's impossible to keep the Passover anymore.
The Passover had to be kept in the tabernacle or Temple in Jerusalem, during the Spring, and a blood sacrifice had to be offered on the altar, with a Levite priest officiating.
The altar, Levitical genealogies, the priesthood, and the Temple don't exist anymore. And it isn't Spring during the month of Nissan in the southern hemisphere.
Omitting even one detail, keeping the Passover any other way or in any other place, was strictly forbidden by the Torah.
Therefore any attempt at keeping the Passover today is not really keeping the Passover. And it shouldn't be called such.
Of course we can celebrate ancient Israel's deliverance from Egypt if we wish. But doing so today cannot comply with the Torah's requirements for keeping the Passover. Therefore we shouldn't kid ourselves that we're keeping the Passover.
Besides, Jesus kept and fulfilled the Passover, and He inaugurated a New Covenant in His blood. Jesus ordained that we remember Him as oft as we eat and drink it, not on a set annual day like the Old Covenant Passover.
But if someone's conscience is weaker and he feels obliged to honour a certain date, we ought to allow him seeing he's honouring the Lord in his conscience.
But when we remember Him, we are not keeping the Passover. My ancestors were never in slavery in Egypt as far as I know. What we are remembering is the Lord's death until He comes, not the Passover, no matter what date of the year it is.
No comments:
Post a Comment