A Significant Passover During COVID-19 Pandemic!

"Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household…In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord 's Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord . The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. "This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord ; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast." Exodus 12:3, 11-14 ESV

"And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!" Luke 22:14-22 ESV

This Year's Passover is Significant in Several Ways:

1. This Year's Passover is held during lockdown just as the first Passover

In an article titled Passover Under Lockdown: Israeli Jews Revise the Rituals on the New York Times, Isabel Kershner observes that "the very first Passover was also held under lockdown. According to the book of Exodus 12, when God visited a 10th deadly plague, the slaying of the first born, on recalcitrant Egyptians, Moses instructed the Israelites to take a lamb home for slaughter and to daub blood on their doorposts so that God would pass over their houses and not smite them."

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this year's passover is being held during the time of a major cross-down in Israel and in many cities and homes in various parts of the world. Oh that we may join with the Jews to call on the Name of the LORD to spare our families from this pandemic. Also, just as Abraham pleaded for the LORD to spare Sodom and Gomorrah even if ten righteous people we to be found there, may He spare the earth for the sake of the saints who are call on Him every day out of a pure heart. On account of the shed blood of the lamb of God, Jesus Christ, let's do individual intercession and join the various local and international prayer initiatives to plead that the angel of death spares the people of the earth from destruction during this special Easter in lockdown.

Just like prophet Isaiah did, I invite each of us to physically hide in our houses and in the blood of Christ until this calamity passes by. "Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by. For behold, the Lord is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain. Isaiah 26:20-21 ESV"

2. Passover is on the Tenth of the Month

According to the book of Exodus, the Passover was to be held on on the Tenth of the Month of Abib. This year, on 10th April 2020, we remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which took place on the Tenth of the Month during the Passover feast. Jesus Christ died as the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the whole world. May this coincidence be a divine incidence that will remind the LORD to have mercy on us as He did with the people of Israel. Let us in the Name of Christ plead for the LORD to spare our generation from COVID-19 pandemic.

3. A Request to Hold The Passover at the Temple Mount

What is further interesting is that this year, according to an article in the Orthodox Christianity Magazine on 3rd April 2020 entitled Sanhedrin Preparing in Hopes of Sacrificing Passover Lamb on Temple Mount for First Time in 2000 years, the Jewish Sanhedrin sent a request to President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu to be permitted to offer a sacrifice for the sake of the world and for the purpose of ending the Coronavirus pandemic. This would be the first time in 2000 years that the Passover is observed in Jerusalem at the site where the Jewish Temple stood, the Temple Mount,

“Mr. President, you and Mr. Netanyhu can immediately install the right values and laws for the entire human race and all of creation in this world by letting Israel obey the laws of the Torah of Israel which requires us to sacrifice the Passover lamb,” the request reads.

Just as the Sanhendrin has been preparing to sacrifice the lamb on the Temple Mount to make intercession for the world, let us remember that each of us a believer is the temple of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 6:16) where He makes intercession for us and for the entire world (Roman 8:26).

Let us appropriate the blood of Christ to cleanse us and take away the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:1-2) as we continue to witness the effectiveness of the cleansing of blood of Christ for everyone who puts his/her trust in Him. Let us in line with 2 Chronicles 7:14 continue in repentance, humility and turning from wickedness, plead for God to heal the earth.

By: Rev. John Wesley Nguuh- Life Member