AN ANCIENT CEREMONY

We associate the Lord’s Supper with that last time when Jesus and His Disciples met for supper the night before He was crucified. This, of course, is associated with Passover. The first Passover occurred in Egypt the night before Pharaoh released the Children of Israel from his slavery. There are so many parallels between that first Passover and the Passover celebrated in the last week of the life of Jesus here on Earth.

The Passover lamb was chosen on the tenth day of Nisan. (Exodus 12:1-7) It is probable that what has become known as Palm Sunday (when the Lamb of God was presented to Jerusalem) was Nisan 10. Jesus was the lamb, proclaimed by John the Baptist, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) The blood of the Passover lamb was placed on the door lintel (the overhead of the door) and on both door jambs. In the process, some of the blood dripped on the door threshold. These four points clearly outline and foreshadow the cross.

The ministry of Jesus here on Earth was three and one-half years. If seven is the number of completion, then three and one-half is partial completion. See Isaiah 53:1-9 for a description of the First Coming of Jesus, the Suffering Messiah. The ministry of Jesus is incomplete. He will complete His ministry during the Millennium when He brings wonderful and true peace to the world. See Zechariah 6:12-13 for a description of the Second Coming of Jesus, the Reigning Messiah.

Both Moses (Psalm 90:4) and Peter (II Peter 3:8) declared that a day with the Lord is like a thousand years. The first Passover was about 3500 years ago, or three and one-half thousand years. In the sight of the Lord, this is like three and one-half days. When we commune with the Lord we are really taking part in a ceremony that is not 2,000 years old, but 3,500 years old.

This ceremony also represents the fact that the Lord’s plan is not complete. It will not be complete until that day when we commune with the Lord in His kingdom. “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29) Based on Biblical and historic chronology, we have about 6,000 years of history from Adam and Eve. If the End Times are near, the 1,000 year reign of Jesus would make the total about 7,000 years, and would complete Earth’s history and the Lord’s great Plan.

The time that we can commune with the Lord and remember the momentous event when He went to the cross is very precious. It is difficult for me to understand that Jesus would have sacrificed Himself on the cross even if I were the only man on Earth in need of a Savior. How I praise His name for the hope I have and we have because of Jesus.

BACK to Lesson Archive.