The great Promise of Passover looms over us once again, and our hearts are filled to overflowing with the anticipation of all that the four cups of Passover represent! It is all found in Exodus 6:6-8, the words of the great Covenant our God made with His people, and which are gloriously extended to us through the Outstretched Arm of our Messiah and Great King, Yeshua!
Exodus 6:6-8: "Therefore say to the Israelites, 'I am YHVH, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians (the cup of Sanctification). I will free you from being slaves to them (the cup of Judgment), and I will redeem you with an Outstretched Arm and with mighty acts of judgment (the cup of Redemption). I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God" (the Kingdom cup).
He brings us out of Egypt (the world) still today, if we are willing. He sanctifies us (sets us apart from the world) so that we no longer live by the flesh, but by His Spirit. He frees us from being slaves. "Slaves to whom?" you may ask. Yeshua says, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:34-36). His promise to free us still stands!
His blood applied to our lives, foreshadowed by the blood on the doorposts of the children of Israel, sets us free from sin and gives us a permanent place in the family as we surrender our lives to Him. He redeems us by His blood, because as we are reminded in Hebrews 9:18,22, "...even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. In fact, the Torah requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness."
His eternal promise to bring His own into His Kingdom, where we will be His people and He will be our God, speaks of a future time when the sheep have been separated from the goats, and those who have been marked with His seal (Rev. 9:4) will gloriously serve Him in the Millennial Reign and spend eternity with Him! In His final meal with His disciples Yeshua told them, "I tell you I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom." He did not drink that fourth cup! It sits on the beautifully set table of the Wedding Banquet, filled with new wine, waiting for us to drink it in the presence of our Bridegroom, as a sign of our "I do" to Him!
I do, Yeshua! I do accept your Covenant of marriage and my heart yearns for your coming, the final fulfillment of Your ancient promise to take a people out of Egypt, set them apart, bring judgment upon their enemies, redeem them from sin and death, and make them your own forever!
Chag sameach! May your Passover be a glorious celebration of deliverance and expectation!
