Holy Week continues...

The Jewish rite of Passover, also celebrated by Christians and Muslims worldwide, happens to be iconic tale of freedom from slavery.  As many of you know, the story of the Jews enslavement by the Egyptians marks a low point in the Hebrew history.  Until God empowers Moses to speak before the Pharaoh to set His people free. During this confrontation, Pharaoh exclaims he's god and after ten horrific plagues he finally relents. 

Passover signifies the last plague, when the angel of death descended upon Egypt to kill everyone's first born.  Yet, God gave the Jews a reprieve.  He instructed Moses to tell them to put lamb's blood on their doorways.  When the angel came through, the angel would pass over the Jewish homes and only afflict death to the Egyptians.

The act of placing the lamb's blood on the doors worked only this time.  The Jews were enslaved six more times, culminating with the horrific acts in WWII. 

Given all of that, it's interesting to see the similarities to the plight of Christ. It's the only documented time that the people of Israel gave public praise to the King.  Christ rode into the city on a colt showing extreme humility. 

Christ came to Jerusalem knowing full well that the Passover feast would end in a sacrificial lamb shedding his blood.  The difference, Christ's blood would be shed on the cross and permanently free all of us from slavery to death and sin. 

His journey didn't end on the cross.  Three days later, Christ rose from the dead, breaking the shackles that were placed upon humanity's hands at the time of Original Sin.  Now we can move forward knowing that all of our struggles, pains and shortcomings can be overcome by the Blood of the Lamb, who sacrificed Himself on the cross nearly two thousand years for the forgiveness of all sins, now and forevermore.