The Secret of the Passover

he Passover has a secret. Well, its not really a secret because it is obvious. But the world is not aware of it so it has become a secret. Some would say, "Well, its no secret. The lamb is Jesus and the passover is a symbol of Jesus' work of salvation." This is true. But I tell you, this not just it. We have skipped something important about the Passover.

We have forgotten the just and holy wrath of God.

The blood of the slain lamb protects the Israelites from God's wrath. God is just and holy. If we've sinned against Him, He will direct His judgment on us. He loves us so much but He's love for us is not blind. It is a love founded on justice. So no matter how much He loves us, if we disobey, we get the punishment. If we sin, we get hell. Now you might be screaming, "God doesn't throw people to hell". Read the Old Testament. God does not tolerate sin. God cannot just forgive. Someone ought to take our punishment so that we can be forgiven. The Bible says, without the shedding of blood, there will be no forgiveness. Sacrifices in the past were not offered because it was part of their culture. They are offered as a symbolism that SOMEONE has to pay the penalty of our sins. Someone has to die in our place so that we can be reconciled with God. If saying sorry is enough to get us into heaven, then who needs Jesus Christ? If just repenting is enough to reconcile us with God, why did God repeatedly demanded sacrifices? Why did He have to sent His Son if the problem is solved with mere repentance?

Just look at this picture. If a person commits a crime, he must be punished. If the judge lets him go then that makes that judge not only corrupt but evil. Even if the criminal feels remorse, cries out, says sorry and makes a couple of promises, the judge still cannot let him go. The penalty of his crime must be satisfied. Its the same thing with us. God cannot simply let us go. We must be punished.

Now here's the thing: we all are sinners. The Bible says that all sinners will face the wrath of God. All those who take part with the world's fornication will face His righteous anger and be punished. Looking back at the previous illustration, it makes sense. God must punish sinners. God must throw sinners to hell. As Jesus always explains, God will separate the sheep from the goats, the good fish from the bad fish and the wheat from the weed. He will cut the branches that do not bear fruit and throw them into the fire. God will judge mankind. This is justice. Even history has showed God inflicting punishment to His people. If He lets the Israelites get away, that would make Him a corrupt judge right? The Lord loves us but not at the expense of justice.

So since all have sinned and all are going to hell, what do we do? There's no hope for us right? We cannot satisfy the law. No matter how much we obey it, we will disobey it. And obeying the law will not justify our disobedience. If an obedient person in his anger kills a man, he will not be justified with his obedience. So we are indeed hopeless and helpless. Now we begin to realize that WE NEED A SAVIOR. Without a Savior, there can be no salvation for us. Do you see now the significance of Passover? Its not just that Jesus is the Lamb and the Israelites are us. Its that WE ARE HELPLESS, HOPELESS and that WE CAN ONLY BE SAVED THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS. As sinners, we are under God's wrath. We are under eternal condemnation. But Jesus took up our punishment. Jesus, who had always been in the Father's bosom, took all of God's wrath and judgment into His body. The punishment that was suppose to go to us went to Him. So now if we believe and put our faith in Him, then we will be saved. Putting your faith in Jesus is like smearing your home with blood. As the blood of the lambs saved the Israelites from the angel of death, SO Jesus' blood save man from God's justice. By having genuine faith in Jesus (that is faith evidenced with repentance and continual transformation), we are spared from God's wrath.

Now let me tell you what's fooling Christians nowadays. They think that because Jesus had died, they can get away with sinning. Its true that God forgives but He does it not because you earned it. He does it because His Son has paid the penalty of your sin in full. When Jesus died, He did not lower the bar. We cannot take sin for granted. It is because of our sin that the Lord was crucified. How can we put our faith in Jesus then dwell in the world as if nothing has happened? It is impossible right? We cannot serve two masters. We will hate the other and love the other.

Going back to the Passover, the essence of Passover is actually the meaning of the Cross. Most Christians will say that the Cross is a sign of man's worth. That is not true. The Cross is a sign of how depraved, worthless and helpless we really are that it took the death of God's only begotten Son to save us. It reminds us of how pathetic and miserable we really are that God had to step down and take all our punishment. God sacrificed His own Son to save us from His wrath (which is the result of our inequities). This is the meaning of the Passover.