Resurrection Sunday and Passover are inextricably tied together. Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, was sacrificed at Passover at the same time the Passover Lamb, or Paschal Lamb, was being sacrificed in the Temple. Since the time of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. the Jews have not been able to “officially” sacrifice a lamb for Passover.
Each year for over nineteen centuries a shank bone from a lamb has been used as a substitutionary reminder of the Passover Lamb. In the original instructions from the Lord, each family was to sacrifice their own lamb in preparation for the last meal to be eaten in Egypt. (Exodus 12:3-12) Over the years the sacrifice of the lamb became formalized and institutionalized and it was thought that only the priesthood could perform this act.
As a sidebar, the same thing has happened in the church. Early Christians celebrated the Lord’s Supper in their homes, perhaps on a daily basis. Now, we have come to think that we can only commune with the Lord in church. In some churches, only the priest or bishop or ranking elder can administer communion. It was not that way in the First Century Church.
In 2004 several hundred rabbis gathered and elected seventy-one members for the reconstituted Sanhedrin. And now through study of the Torah and the writings of a respected ancient rabbi, Moses Maimonides who lived in the Thirteenth Century, the Sanhedrin has determined that the Jews can perform the ritual sacrifice of a Passover Lamb.
Preparations are underway. They have found men of the genetic line of Aaron to be priests. (Is not this an exciting result of the discovery of DNA?) Priestly garments have been made. A sacred altar has been prepared just outside of Jerusalem.
At sundown Monday, March 29, 2010 begins Passover. In the afternoon of March 29th, a lamb will be sacrificed by a Jewish priest to be used in the Passover meal. This is probably the first time since 70 A.D. We, this generation, are seeing history made as the first Passover lamb is sacrificed probably for the first time in 1,940 years!
This is significant. Praise the Lord for His steadfastness.