PASSOVER

 

CONT., page 4

 

DOUBLING PASSOVER

Now that we hopefully have a better understanding of the vital importance that Passover holds for the church, let us proceed with a further examination of Passover, specifically in regard to its doubling. An important question to ask here is - Are there any other testimonies in the Scriptures of a doubled Passover? In fact there are. Hopefully by examining these we can begin to understand why the Holy Spirit gave us this unusual testimony of the doubled Passover at Yahshua’s crucifixion. One would expect or hope that what Yahweh attests to in this doubled Passover in the gospels, would be there to direct our attention to other evidences in the Scriptures that would provide a better understanding of what Yahweh is seeking to say to us. Let us now look at other testimonies of the doubling of a Passover.

The first testimony we will examine is, like the contradictions, a bit hidden; but the similarities are too close to not consider their importance. In the book of Esther we find what turns out to be a unique preluding testimony to Passover. The book of Esther is the account of events from which the Feast of Purim was established. Purim is different from the other three feasts in that it is "added;" it is not one of the original three feasts ordered by Yahweh. Purim is adjunct (along with the Feast of Dedication or Lights). What makes Purim so interesting in this study is its similarity to Passover, specifically a doubled Passover. Let us look at this.

Of course Passover per se was to be observed on the fourteenth of the first month. The next seven days were more specifically called Unleavened Bread. Passover literally was a one day event. Strikingly similar to Passover, Purim was to be held in its original design on the fourteenth, but in the twelfth month. These two feasts are the only feasts held on the fourteenth. Pentecost is not held on a date, but on a day - Sunday. Trumpets is on the first day of the seventh month. Atonement and Jubilee are on the tenth day of the seventh month. Tabernacles begins on the fifteenth of the seventh month, and runs through the twenty-second. And the added feast of Dedication begins on the twenty-fifth of the ninth month, and like Tabernacles runs for eight days. So, as we see, Passover and Purim are the only feasts falling on the fourteenth.

Another interesting point concerning Purim and Passover is that Purim occurs at the opposite end of the months - the twelfth month. Of course when one repeats the month cycle, one could also say that Purim is in the month immediately before Passover. This offers a unique relationship between the two feasts.

If you know the account concerning Purim, you know that it was a feast that found its place on this date as a celebration that Haman’s original plan to annihilate in one day all the Jews on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, was entirely and wonderfully turned around to provide great victory over the enemies of the Jews. Thus, the following day of the fourteenth was to be a day of celebration.

But a most unusual set of events were placed in motion which caused this feast to be extended to two days, resulting in a net doubling of the feast. When the thirteenth arrived, the Jews in all the country effected their deliverance by annihilating their enemies on that one day as provided by the king's edict. Equally, in the capital of Susa where our heroine Esther lived, who made this victory possible, five hundred men were killed, including the ten sons of Haman. But Esther was offered by the king another opportunity to make a request of him, and most uniquely she asked if the Jews in Susa could be granted another day according to the original edict in order that the "ten sons (of Haman) be hanged on the gallows" (Esther 9:13). This was a most unusual request. We were already told that the ten sons were killed on the thirteenth, and then they wanted to hang them on the gallows and needed another day according to the original edict to do so? On the fourteenth, three hundred additional men were killed in Susa.

Because of this added day of retribution in Susa, the people of Susa celebrated their deliverance on the fifteenth, rather than on the fourteenth with everyone else. This presented an interesting "contradiction," if you would, concerning when the feast was to be celebrated - the fourteenth or the fifteenth? To solve this problem, wise Mordecai simply doubled the feast, making it a double fourteenth-fifteenth feast rather than the original fourteenth only feast. So, Purim is celebrated on the fourteenth as well as the fifteenth. Sound familiar? Is this not exactly what we have with the double Passover in the four gospels? What was originally scheduled as a fourteenth day of the month Passover feast, was extended by the King to be a two day fourteenth and fifteenth day Passover feast!

This account in Esther is a most revealing testimony regarding this doubling of Passover. It indicates to us why Passover was doubled in the accounts of the gospels - in order that a greater and more complete victory might be won. Victory was effected on the scheduled day and celebrated on the fourteenth; however, a greater victory, as well as testimony (the hanging of Haman’s ten sons on the gallows), had to be effected in Susa. The meaning of Susa is - lily or white. Thus, the doubling of the edict by the king effected a greater victory and testimony for the sake of lily or white. What could this mean? We read in Song of Solomon 2:1-2 that the "lily of the valley" is the bride. Even as testified by Queen Esther, the bride of the king, this doubling of Passover seems to be for the sake of the bride, more specifically the bride of Yahshua. While we here begin to get a glimpse of why Yahweh would double Passover, we will refrain from expounding upon this until we look at some other examples. But let us note again that the testimony in this doubled feast on the identical days of the month as a doubled Passover, was for the sake of lily, or the bride, via a second request by Queen Esther. Let us now examine another testimony to the doubling of Passover.

Any doubling of Passover would have to be a unique account because it would exceed what the original laws of Yahweh required. The laws of Yahweh ordered that Passover be held in the first month on the fourteenth day, followed by seven days of Unleavened Bread. However, there was one unique legal exception to this. In Numbers 9:1-14 we read that if the originally ordered Passover could not be kept because the person was either "unclean because of a dead person," or had been "on a distant journey," then Passover could be held on the following month (the second month) on the same dates. Most significantly, this is the only feast that has this provision for being observed at a delayed time. King Jeroboam tried to institute what was a delayed Tabernacles, which was not legal. On the fifteenth of the eighth month (Tabernacles is the fifteenth of the seventh month), Jeroboam instituted a feast "like the feast which is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; thus he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made" (1 Kings 12:32-33). Yahweh sent a prophet to Jeroboam to show him His displeasure. (One can be most certain that Yahweh speaks through this, telling us something concerning the feast of Tabernacles and the church's failed entrance into the promised land via that feast.) But in contrast, a delayed Passover is entirely legal; and we would be wise to note that if Yahweh made this provision for a delayed Passover, He very much intends to fulfill it on the higher spiritual realm in His kingdom.

In 2 Chronicles 30:1 we read the account where King Hezekiah sent out letters to all Israel and Judah, "that they should come to the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem, to celebrate the Passover to Yahweh God of Israel." However, there was one point that made this request most unusual. This Passover was not going to be observed in the first month, but rather in the second month; as they were obviously operating under the law of the delayed Passover. While it says that most of Israel "laughed them (the couriers) to scorn, and mocked them" (30:10), there were a great number who did attend the delayed Passover. Furthermore, the delayed Passover was so wonderful, "the whole assembly decided to celebrate the feast another seven days, so they celebrated the seven days with joy" (30:23). While delaying the feast was entirely legal, doubling the feast was and otherwise remains unheard of. But, this delayed Passover was in fact doubled. "So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel" (30:26).

Thus we find this most unique account of a doubled delayed Passover in the time of King Hezekiah. Granted, this is not a Nisan fourteen and fifteen doubling; but, in its full measure as the Passover feast, it is most certainly a testimony to the doubling of Passover. And may we point out here, the uniqueness of this occurrence lies in that, outside of Purim which we have already noted, there is not another doubling of any other feast in the entire Bible. And may it be noted again that Yahweh, having doubled this feast via Hezekiah and his reforms, tells us quite plainly that by doing so He will fulfill this double delayed Passover on the more perfect and higher realm of the kingdom of God. "That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done."

So we now have added to our study a third witness of this doubling of Passover (two or three witnesses being required by Yahweh for His works):

Note that in each of these cases, they were unique to the normal circumstances. Theologians for years have tried to harmonize these two Passover days in the gospels. Purim on the fourteenth as well as the fifteenth was instituted through the unusual lengthening of the order of the king for the sake of a work in Susa. And King Hezekiah’s double delayed Passover was something which had never been seen in Jerusalem. What does this reoccurring common testimony of uniqueness tell us? That when Yahweh fulfills this double Passover work on His higher level of the kingdom of God, it will equally be an entirely unique work!

Two other testimonies should be noted here from these cited examples. First, once again this doubling of Passover is specifically for the cause of bringing forth the bride of Yahshua. Despite prevailing teachings today, the bride of Yahshua is yet to be formed. Begun? Yes. But completed? No. For it is the latter rain, a double portion Passover, that will effect the establishment of His bride.

Also, we should note through this double delayed Passover by Hezekiah, that Yahweh’s provision of a double Passover to the church will also be delayed. This we will see more clearly in the next section, but even as we find two rains in the Scriptures - the former and the latter - so there are two outpourings of the Holy Spirit; the second actually being "delayed" following 2,000 years of Christianity. (This is also testified to by Passover being in the first month and the double Passover testimony of Purim being in the twelfth and final month.)

With these observations concerning what a double Passover will mean for the church, the question before us then is - What will be the specific fulfillment of this double Passover to which Yahweh provides three witnesses? The answer to this will not fit into standard Christian doctrine, any more than Christians have discerned either the need for a double Passover or its testimony; nor will it be welcomed by the masses, any more than King Hezekiah’s couriers bearing the message of the delayed Passover were welcomed - "they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them." For one to accept the message of a doubled Passover, one must be prepared to look for Yahweh to perform an entirely new and unique work, as new and unique as each of these testimonies He has provided.

 

Continue to page 5 of Passover for THE DOUBLING PATTERN

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