To continue in our understanding of what this doubling means, in this section we will examine some cases in which Yahweh doubled other quantities. And quite revealing, these cases are expressed within a unique pattern that is common in all of them; a most important pattern which we have seen before in our studies on this web site regarding the kingdom of God. This should give us some additional idea how a doubled Passover fits into what Yahweh will do when He effects its fulfillment.

First, let us look at a man who three times was called - "a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil." This was the great man Job. We find in the first chapter of the book of Job that he was exceedingly wealthy. But Yahweh brought Job to Satan’s attention and gave Satan the authority to afflict him, which in a very short time resulted in Job’s loss of essentially everything! Following a period of severe testing and the ill attempts of his "friends" to comfort him, in the end Job’s wealth and health were restored to him. Job 42:10 tells us the degree of that restoration - "And Yahweh restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and Yahweh increased all that Job had twofold." Sure enough, if you examine the wealth of Job before, and his wealth afterward, there was precisely a doubling of his original wealth. So we find this pattern: prosperous and wealthy Job, followed by a period of testing, loss, and death brought about by Satan, concluded by Job’s restoration and the doubling of all that he originally possessed. This is a wonderful and quite revealing testimony of this doubling process of Yahweh. Let us consider another confirming testimony.

When it was time for Elijah to be taken up to heaven, Elisha stayed with Elijah despite Elijah’s continuous requests for him to remain at various locations. Elijah and Elisha crossed the Jordan River at Jericho, thereupon Elijah asked Elisha what he would have him do for him. "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me," was Elisha’s request. "You have asked a hard thing," answered Elijah. "‘Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.’ Then it came about as they were going along and talking, that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up in a whirlwind to heaven" (2 Kings 2:9-11). How many artists have you seen depicting Elijah going up in a chariot of fire? All of them? But look at this again. What place did the chariot actually play in this, and in what did Elijah actually ascend? First, it was a chariot and horses of fire that separated these two men as they walked; and then there was a whirlwind that caught Elijah up to heaven. Did Elisha get his request? Indeed he did. The mantle of Elijah remained for Elisha to take up; and an accounting of the miracles of Elisha reveals that he performed precisely double the miracles of his predecessor. Elisha did in fact receive a double portion of the spirit of Elijah.

But let us look at the pattern of these things that happened, even as we did with Job. The two were walking together east of the Jordan when a chariot and horses of fire appeared and separated them. Once separated, Elijah was caught up to Yahweh in a whirlwind, his mantle fell from him, and Elisha watched, thus securing the double portion of the spirit of Elijah. So we see once again this pattern: the Elijah single portion, then the separating chariot and horses of fire, concluded by the promise-receiving Elisha double portion. This is the identical pattern we saw with Job. Let us now consider a third witness Yahweh has to this highly revealing and important pattern.

This third testimony is different from the other two, yet its difference in fact makes it even more relevant to Passover, and even the double Passover. When one considers the Feast of Passover, the testimony it presents can actually be very different, depending on how one looks at it. We look at Passover and see it as a feast of blessing, providing deliverance out of our Egypt, or the world. Certainly the children of Israel would have remembered this feast as a most festive occasion, recalling their deliverance out of literal Egypt. But for Yahshua, Passover was to be the most difficult time of His life here on earth. We view Passover as a wonderful time; Yahshua faced it with great pain and sorrow. Thus, depending on the perspective, the feast has different meanings. This is true concerning the testimony of this doubling which we are here considering. We will now look at a doubling which considers as well the cost of the blessing.

We have already identified the role the sons of Israel played in representing the church; they were called "the church in the wilderness." Paul relates in 1 Corinthians 10:4 that in their representation of the church, they "all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ." The rock that Paul was speaking of here was the rock struck by Moses in the wilderness which brought forth water, obviously representing the striking of Yahshua with the resulting provision of the living water. But actually, two rocks were struck in the wilderness; and both rocks were given the identical name (as though the two were in fact one).

In what was most likely the third week of the second month of the first year (during the time of a delayed Passover), the children of Israel came into the wilderness (less than two months out of Egypt) and journeyed to a place where there was no water for them to drink. There Yahweh told Moses to strike the rock of Horeb, and out of it would come water (Exodus 17:1-7). We read that they called this place Meribah, or contention (for they contended or quarreled with Yahweh).

But as we said, there was a second rock struck in the wilderness. The first rock was struck at their initial entrance into the wilderness; the second rock was struck at the end of their wilderness journeys.

In their final year of wanderings in the wilderness, in the first month (or the time of Passover), the sons of Israel came into the wilderness of Zin. There Miriam died; and once again there was no water. But on this latter occasion Yahweh told Moses to speak to the rock, and out would come forth water. But in anger with the people, Moses took his rod and struck the rock twice, "and water came forth abundantly" (Numbers 20:1-13). Once again, this separate location was equally given the same name as the first - Meribah. So, we have two rocks in the wilderness - one at the beginning of their journeys, and one at the end. Both places received the identical name - Meribah. So, if one said - "He brought forth water at Meribah," which Meribah is one talking about? Both places have the identical name.

Undoubtedly, the prophetic reason for this is that the two rocks are the same; different rocks in reality, but still the same. And it is most important to note that both rocks were struck at the time of Passover, albeit the first was a delayed Passover.

Paul tells us this spiritual rock was Yahshua, thus it is entirely appropriate that the rock was struck on a Passover, being a picture of the crucifixion of Yahshua. This is most significant when we consider that the doubled Passover testified to in the gospel accounts, relates directly to this double striking of the rock at the time (and most likely on the precise day) of Passover. When the double Passover crucifixion of Yahshua was occurring, 1,439 years prior at precisely the same time, the rock Yahshua was being struck twice with Moses’s rod! The testimony and significance here is quite obvious.

And as we pointed out only a few paragraphs ago, the dichotomy of this sorrow and blessing in the same occasion (that of Passover) is seen in this striking of the rock. As the striking of the rock once at the beginning of the wilderness obviously brought forth water, most certainly the double striking of the rock at the end of the wilderness specifically brought forth water "abundantly" - undoubtedly a double portion. While the circumstances of striking the second rock twice may have been negative (as with the slaying of the Passover lamb), the outcome for the recipient of this double striking is a double blessing. With this testimony of the double striking of the rock at Passover, we have here a clear and direct correlation of the resulting double blessing with that of the double Passover seen in the gospels. The double striking of the rock at Passover and the double Passover revealed in the gospels, are both testimonies to a double blessing to be experienced at a Passover.

There is so much that could be pursued at this point. The whole question of the crucifixion of Christ and the like crucifixion of the body of Christ (the two rocks bearing the same name) arises. But we cannot address this here, and must continue with consideration of the issue at hand. Once again we find the identical pattern we noted with Job and with Elijah and Elisha. Let’s look at it. First, during the time of a delayed Passover a rock was struck once at the beginning of the wilderness, and undoubtedly water came forth as promised by Yahweh. Then the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for thirty-nine years, and everyone twenty years of age and older died. Finally, at the end of their wandering, during the Passover precisely one year before entering the promised land, a rock was struck twice and "water came forth abundantly." Do you see the identical pattern we have seen before: a single strike/single blessing at the beginning, an extended wilderness delay period resulting in death, then the double strike/double blessing at the end, and these two blessings associated precisely with Passover? Whether it be Job, Elijah and Elisha, or "the church in the wilderness," the testimony is the same: there is a single blessing, and later a double blessing, with the two being separated by a delay period characterized by Satan, suffering, pain, and death.

Now that we have seen this pattern, to which Yahweh once again provides at least three witnesses, we can further consider the standing question - What is the specific fulfillment of this double Passover that we see at the conclusion of the pattern? Not just anything will fit in here. And keep in mind, the focal work of Yahweh is to establish His kingdom upon this earth - "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." The kingdom of God has been upon this earth for nearly 2,000 years; but, it has been a kingdom which man and Satan have defiled from the beginning. Even as "the church in the wilderness" offered continuous problems to Yahweh, so has the church per se.

Continue to page 6 of Passover for THE TWO PROMISED BLESSINGS

Return to home page