I have two questions to ask and hope someone could give me some clarity. In St Luke 22:8, Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare for passover. Why we don't practice passover? And in Exodus 4:24, God sent Moses to Egypt. Why did God try to kill him? I'm I misreading it?.........Clara

-- Anonymous, January 20, 2003

Answers

The Passover was Israel's remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt, from slavery, and from oppression. It symbolized how the Death Angel "passed over" them in the Tenth Plague that afflicted Egypt prior to their deliverance. In the Passover Celebration, the blood of a sacrificed lamb was smeared on the doorjamb of each Hebrew's house, signifying that the Death Angel should not stop there, and thus, spare the house. The Celebration reviews this history annually. Young Jewish children are encouraged to remember this as they ask the "Four Questions" (the Mah Nishtahnoh).

The signficance of this is captured in the Last Supper, which was a Passover meal. In it, Jesus explains that He was the ultimate Lamb, foreshadowed in the Passover. Just as that substituted blood was shed for the deliverance of Israel, so would His blood be shed for the deliverance of those would believe in Him, and trust in His substitutionary sacrifice.

As is stated in our Communion service, which we do in remembrance of this Last Supper and his death, resurrection, " who made thereby a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice" for the sins of the whole world.

-- Anonymous, January 20, 2003

Thank you very much Jerryl, But could answer my second question too please. Again, thank you.......Clara

-- Anonymous, January 20, 2003

Clara,

I am not a theologian but allow me to share my thoughts. Since this server will not take all of it at once I will post it in two parts.

Old Testament Israel is an archetype (model or example) of what was to come. Jesus, in the flesh, was a practicing Jew. He went to the Synagogue and the Temple and practiced all thing lawful for the Jews. Thus, He and His Apostles celebrated all the Jewish customs and feasts. At the age of 12, the Bible records that He even had His Bar Mitzvah as well. This is indicated by the fact that in the Temple He was givem give the Scriptures to read.

On the Cross, Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice which set us right and atoned us to God. He thus offered once and for all "a full perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world."

So in 1 Corinthians 5: 6-8 we read:

Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.

For even CHRIST OUR PASSOVER IS SACRIFICED FOR US. THEREFORE LET US KEEP THE FEAST, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

The old leaven includes the former Jewish Feasts but the new leaven is one which is celebrated in Christian Churches every day of the year, with the Breaking of the Bread and the Drinking of the Wine-- namely, Holy Communion.

-- Anonymous, January 20, 2003

Clara,

As to your second question, God sees and knows all things. He also knows the best solution for those who trust in Him. When the Pharaoh vowed to kill all Jewish boy babies, God had a greater plan for Moses. So He sent him to Egypt and raised him as the Pharaoh's own grandson. Thus, God saved Moses through the very Pharaoh who threatened to take his life and put him in place to know Egypt well. Moses, thereby, was able to save the entire Nation of Israel which the Pharaoh sought to destroy.

On a personal note, the county of Egypt is in Africa and its history is one, which is black. In biblical times Egypt had a far more advanced culture than Israel or any other nation in Europe at that time. So you will note that God sent many key persons to Egypt to teach them and gather the knowledge which the Egyptians could impart. Among these were Moses, Joseph (Israel's son) and Jesus who spent their formative years in Africa--which prepared them for the work they later had to do.

Many early Christians also spent their time in the Egyptian City of Alexandria. This city is in Egypt but was built by the Greeks. So the New Testament was first primarily written in Greek.

On the day when we celebrate the work of Martin Luther King Jr., these are areas of our own African heritage which we can all document in the Bible and be proud of the contributions blacks and Africa have made to the entire history of the human race. And this even includes the contributions they have made to our Christian Faith.

-- Anonymous, January 20, 2003

Dear Clara, Many Christians do celebrate passover and have the seder meal. My family and I have been celebrating Passover for some time. You can find all type of information on the internet. (Christian Passover).Passover is part of the Doctrinal belief several Christian faith. Please note, I am not saying this to enter into any debate. I'm only sharing information.We have enjoyed the celebration and have invited many others to participate including several AME ministers. Check it our for yourself.

-- Anonymous, January 21, 2003

Clara,

You questions are worthy. Allow me to state that at Brooks Chapel A.M.E. Church in Butler, Missouri, we have been celebrating what we term, "The African American Passover," on the Sunday nearest April 9, since the year 2000.

We were inspired to commence this celebration, when we came to the realization that our people also "Passed Over" from slavery to freedom on April 9, 1865, when the the South surrendered to the North in the Civil War, thereby freeing our people from historical slavery.

We lamented the absence of an annual ritual of remembrance of our "Passover." We feel that our people involuntarily sin, when we show our ingratitude to our Heavenly Father by not praising him for facilitating our deliverance, by not celebrating our "Passover!"

So, "We" do commemorate Passover, albeit "African American Passover," and shall do so again, if it be the Will of God, this April 2003, in Butler, Bates County, Missouri, which is, also, the site of the first battle fought by black troops in the Civil War. They won! The Battle was known as "The Battle of Island Mound, Missouri." It was fought by the First Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry on October 28- 29, 1862, in what is now Butler, Missouri.

Thank you for your wonderful questions!

Should you desire to know more, write to me directly at my email address.

Rev. Dr. Larry D. Coleman

-- Anonymous, January 21, 2003

Clara,

I will give my understanding of the second question.

God was calling Moses to be a deliverer of his people. God also had a way of distinguishing a covenant between Him and His people; and that was circumcision.

The woman Moses married was a Midianite, still this covenant needed to be kept. The circumcision of their son is what stopped the hand of God against Moses. You did not read it wrong.

God's anger was because Moses had not circumcised his son. This had to be done. Although God called him for service, this did not overide Moses' responsibility of keeping the convenant.

This is just my interpretation.

In Christ, Carmen

-- Anonymous, January 21, 2003

Thank you Jesus, Thank you all. Robert Matthews lll, D.C. Taylor, Carman and Rev. Dr. Larry Coleman. I'm learning so much from your answers......Clara

-- Anonymous, January 21, 2003