Passover begins tonight at sundown. Passover is a Jewish feast that is celebrated according to God’s command in Exodus 12 and 13. When God delivered the children of Israel from Egypt, he sent the death angel to kill all the first born children in Egypt including the first born of Pharaoh. However, he gave specific instructions to the Hebrews about how He would save them. They were to kill the Passover lamb, apply some of its blood to the door posts of the house with a bunch of hyssop, and stay inside the house. When the Lord passed through, He did not allow the destroyer to touch the houses where the blood was applied and seen. As a result the children of Israel were saved and God commanded, “And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever.” (Ex 12:24)
At the seder meal which is eaten on the first night of Passover there is the tradition of pouring wine and eating certain foods that have been prepared in a certain way. There are also acts that are performed according to God’s commands and according to tradition. One of those acts has to do with the Prophet Elijah. During the meal five cups of wine are poured but only four cups are drunk. There is a question in the Talmud about whether there should be four or five cups at the meal. So five are poured and four are drunk. The fifth cup is not drunk and is called Elijah’s Cup.
Elijah’s Cup is poured at the end of the meal, the front door is opened, and several verses from the Psalms is recited. The open door is an invitation for Elijah to enter the home. It is believed that at that moment Elijah does enter. According to tradition Elijah is always present when male children are circumcised. So at the seder meal Elijah is invited in to testify that all the males in the household are circumcised according to God’s command. Since only circumcised males were allowed to partake in the Paschal Offering it is important that only circumcised males participate in the Passover meal.
It always amazes me how Jesus fulfills all the Law and the Prophets. In this instance I am referring to Revelation 3:20 where Jesus says: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.” It sounds a lot like what happens at the seder or Passover meal, that the door is opened and Jesus comes in and eats with us. As Jesus often does He takes what God has commanded of his children and changes the meaning in order for us to understand that it was all about Him!
Not only do we see Him in the Paschal Lamb that was slain, that shed its blood to be spread on the doorposts to save God’s people, but He was also the one at the door waiting to come in and eat with us. The fact that only the ones that have been circumcised are allowed at the meal should not be missed either. Be aware that everything changed when the Lamb was slain. The apostle Paul explains it very well in Romans 2:28-29, “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter...”
So when Jesus is standing at the door knocking, He is the fulfillment of what the Prophet Elijah comes to do. Elijah comes to make sure all the males are circumcised in order to partake of the meal. But Jesus comes to make sure all the people are circumcised in their hearts by the Holy Spirit in order to partake in the heavenly banquet. Yes, we have been passed over by the death angel because of the blood of the Lamb. Now all we must do is to pour the wine in the cup and open the door to Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior not only during this Passover and this Easter season but every day.
Copyright 2011 Gloria Fisher.
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