Written By Jonathan Israel
jonathan@cityroompress.com
Every city across America is faced with a severe homeless population. In the last five years, America’s homelessness has escalated thirty percent higher in every central city. Homelessness is no longer confined to major metropolises. Urban towns, small farming villages, country townships, and mountain rural communities have their share of homeless troubles.
Homeless people rely upon charitable organizations, such as Catholic Charities, churches, and private non-profit organizations, for a hot meal, a shower, and toiletries. Food and Care Coalition in Provo, Utah serve three meals a day, plus a sack lunch to Provo’s growing homeless population. Two years ago they averaged 700 meals a day. That figure has now risen to over 1000 hot meals, plus they provide dental, optical, and medical care.
They’re not alone. Catholic Charities states there is a vaunting increase in homeless people in America. For example, in Colorado Springs, Catholic Charities feed 700 to 800 people a day; compared to six months ago they averaged 400 to 500 homeless people. Charitable organizations that care for the homeless are faced with a mammoth financial dilemma. They are simply running out of money and food. Non-profit organizations rely on the generosity of private citizens, churches, private corporations, and the federal government.
Across America the current recession has largely affected freewill contributions. In most cases, donations are down fifty percent or more. With the rising cost of food, some grocery stores, such as, Safeway and KingSooper (United Grocers) have ceased disseminating meat products, milk, and juice to charitable organizations, except for expired bread and pastries. The reason: The federal government allows for grocery stores a much higher tax write-off if expired food is discarded rather than given to charities. Catholic Charities, Food and Care Coalition, Manna, and other homeless charities primarily rely on food donations from grocery stores.
The Obama Administration has significantly cut back funding to all charities, putting charitable institutions in a most difficult position to care for the homeless. All along, America’s “moneybags” live in marble palaces, and dine at recherché restaurants eating caviar and sipping Pertimali di Livo Sassetti. Year after year, these self-praising “economic whores” rob the middle-class out of what little money they earn. They’ve set themselves as kings over America’s middle-class and wretched misfortunate ones. How long will the poor allow America’s aristocrats to rule over them? A fresh wind is blowing across America: It is a revolutionary call to unity for economical equality for all peoples.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
18,000,000 People Starve To Death Daily
Written by Jonathan Israel
johnnyisrael@email.com
The World Heath Organization recently stated that 18 million people worldwide die of starvation daily. That’s 18 million people! The Counsel for the Center of Disease Control (CDC) has stated that over 11 million children in America go to bed hungry every night. The only meals they receive are school lunch vouchers. On the weekends, most do not have anything to eat. Americans as a whole have been blessed with the good life. We live in comfortable homes with manicured lawns, possess big screen televisions, eat the best of foods, wear fine apparel, we drive the best of automobiles, we own boats, luxury toys, and the more we acquire, the more we crave.
A very rich man had a big house with many servants. The rich man enjoyed life’s greatest paramount. He was the “big fish” in his community. There was a very poor man named Lazarus that sat daily under the rich man’s table expecting to eat the morsel of crumbs that fell to the floor. Lazarus was very sick; his body was covered with bleeding blisters. The rich man figured that by allowing poor Lazarus to scrounge for the measly crumbs that fell from his table that he was performing an act of kindeness.
Lazarus eventually died and so did the rich man. As the story goes, the rich man looked up from the flames of hell and saw Lazarus being comforted in the arms of his Heavenly Father. The rich man apparently was dismayed at this turn of events. After all, he believed he was being kind and generous by allowing Lazarus to eat the crumbs that fell from his table. The Lord saw it differently and told the rich man so. He reminded the rich man that while he had the opportunity to bless Lazarus, he squandered his blessings on his own selfishness.
The Iraqi and Afghanistan war has cost America over a trillion dollars. We pump billions into useless projects that benefit only a few. Greed and more greed has become our model of standards. Our churches throw a few pennies in the poor bucket believing, just as the rich man, that we have fulfilled God’s service to humanity. Our self-centeredness separates us from the very blessings we seek from our Heavenly Father. How true the old adage loudly rings, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Come Judgment Day, the Lord of Righteous Judgment will not adjudicate us for the wealth we enjoyed, but rather, how we administered our wealth to the poor. How dare we call ourselves Children of the Lord and close our eyes and ears to the cries of the hungry and poor. Shame on all of us! If America and the free nations desire to prove themselves as a benevolent, generous, kinder, loving nation, than each and every nation must rise up with financial aid to rid the world of hunger and starvation. Tell your pastor, rabbi, minister, Congressman, and those in charge to act immediately to rid the world of hunger. 18 million people a day are counting on it. If we fail God will judge us accordingly.
johnnyisrael@email.com
The World Heath Organization recently stated that 18 million people worldwide die of starvation daily. That’s 18 million people! The Counsel for the Center of Disease Control (CDC) has stated that over 11 million children in America go to bed hungry every night. The only meals they receive are school lunch vouchers. On the weekends, most do not have anything to eat. Americans as a whole have been blessed with the good life. We live in comfortable homes with manicured lawns, possess big screen televisions, eat the best of foods, wear fine apparel, we drive the best of automobiles, we own boats, luxury toys, and the more we acquire, the more we crave.
A very rich man had a big house with many servants. The rich man enjoyed life’s greatest paramount. He was the “big fish” in his community. There was a very poor man named Lazarus that sat daily under the rich man’s table expecting to eat the morsel of crumbs that fell to the floor. Lazarus was very sick; his body was covered with bleeding blisters. The rich man figured that by allowing poor Lazarus to scrounge for the measly crumbs that fell from his table that he was performing an act of kindeness.
Lazarus eventually died and so did the rich man. As the story goes, the rich man looked up from the flames of hell and saw Lazarus being comforted in the arms of his Heavenly Father. The rich man apparently was dismayed at this turn of events. After all, he believed he was being kind and generous by allowing Lazarus to eat the crumbs that fell from his table. The Lord saw it differently and told the rich man so. He reminded the rich man that while he had the opportunity to bless Lazarus, he squandered his blessings on his own selfishness.
The Iraqi and Afghanistan war has cost America over a trillion dollars. We pump billions into useless projects that benefit only a few. Greed and more greed has become our model of standards. Our churches throw a few pennies in the poor bucket believing, just as the rich man, that we have fulfilled God’s service to humanity. Our self-centeredness separates us from the very blessings we seek from our Heavenly Father. How true the old adage loudly rings, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Come Judgment Day, the Lord of Righteous Judgment will not adjudicate us for the wealth we enjoyed, but rather, how we administered our wealth to the poor. How dare we call ourselves Children of the Lord and close our eyes and ears to the cries of the hungry and poor. Shame on all of us! If America and the free nations desire to prove themselves as a benevolent, generous, kinder, loving nation, than each and every nation must rise up with financial aid to rid the world of hunger and starvation. Tell your pastor, rabbi, minister, Congressman, and those in charge to act immediately to rid the world of hunger. 18 million people a day are counting on it. If we fail God will judge us accordingly.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Looking Unto Jesus
Written by Jonathan Israel
Email: jonathanisrael@email.com
God’s Word directs us at all times to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus. In these troubling times Christians are paying special attention to terrorism, abortion, recession, money, material things, family issues, politics, candidates, judges, moral decay, and a host of other everyday problems. We’ve become so transfixed on national and world events rather than the “Good News” that we lost sight of the Cross.
Jesus told his disciples to “preach the Good News.” Preachers today have a new message, that is, they preach “how to get rich schemes” to what candidates to vote for. Jesus willfully went to the Cross to save the world from the condemnation of sin. The shedding of His blood was to cleanse us from unrighteousness; and to bring us into a perfect relationship with our Heavenly Father. Through Christ we have complete access to our Heavenly Father. Christ taught his disciples to pray for one another. He directed them to preach the “Good News” and to minister to the more unfortunate ones.
Yet, Christian’s are praying for money, power, and a myriad of selfish greed. The Lord has turned a deaf ear to our covetous prayers. We are in awe over the fact that His anointed presence has left the Church. And yet, we believers continue marching down “Selfish Lane” without giving a second thought as to God’s purpose for our lives. We’ve educated ourselves to know more about Him rather than developing an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father.
The quandaries of today are not new ones. The Devil would have us believe that He, not Christ is in control of the world events. Yet, he has deceived the Church into believing that material things, money, wealth, avarice, lust, power, fame, and having a “righteous cause” to fight for are the keys for survival. He has swindled the Church out of her righteous inheritance of faith and trust. By focusing on world events, social issues, and the current political spectrum, our faith has soured into self-seeking fulfillment.
True faith desires to please Christ. Today’s Church adheres more to preaching the current political spectrum than the joys of entering into his anointed chamber room. I have often contemplated if the Lord has the audacity to equate today’s Church as His beautiful bride to be? The Church podium has cultivated into a political platform. She has danced to the voice of crime and punishment, moral laws, politics, and governmental regulations. Her weary face bears the marks of an angry, harden-bitter woman.
The Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman who was caught in adultery. They demanded that Christ sentence to woman to death, according to the Law of Moses. Christ responded, “You without sin, let him cast the first stone.” The law makers departed having been put to shame by their harden hearts. Christ then asks the woman, “Where are those that condemned you?” She admitted there was no one. He said, “Neither do I condemn you.” The religious political spectrum of the day demanded the death sentence. Christ offered the adulteress woman forgiveness. It is time for the Church to take her eyes off today’s religious political continuum; and fasten them on the Lord of mercy and forgiveness.
Email: jonathanisrael@email.com
God’s Word directs us at all times to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus. In these troubling times Christians are paying special attention to terrorism, abortion, recession, money, material things, family issues, politics, candidates, judges, moral decay, and a host of other everyday problems. We’ve become so transfixed on national and world events rather than the “Good News” that we lost sight of the Cross.
Jesus told his disciples to “preach the Good News.” Preachers today have a new message, that is, they preach “how to get rich schemes” to what candidates to vote for. Jesus willfully went to the Cross to save the world from the condemnation of sin. The shedding of His blood was to cleanse us from unrighteousness; and to bring us into a perfect relationship with our Heavenly Father. Through Christ we have complete access to our Heavenly Father. Christ taught his disciples to pray for one another. He directed them to preach the “Good News” and to minister to the more unfortunate ones.
Yet, Christian’s are praying for money, power, and a myriad of selfish greed. The Lord has turned a deaf ear to our covetous prayers. We are in awe over the fact that His anointed presence has left the Church. And yet, we believers continue marching down “Selfish Lane” without giving a second thought as to God’s purpose for our lives. We’ve educated ourselves to know more about Him rather than developing an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father.
The quandaries of today are not new ones. The Devil would have us believe that He, not Christ is in control of the world events. Yet, he has deceived the Church into believing that material things, money, wealth, avarice, lust, power, fame, and having a “righteous cause” to fight for are the keys for survival. He has swindled the Church out of her righteous inheritance of faith and trust. By focusing on world events, social issues, and the current political spectrum, our faith has soured into self-seeking fulfillment.
True faith desires to please Christ. Today’s Church adheres more to preaching the current political spectrum than the joys of entering into his anointed chamber room. I have often contemplated if the Lord has the audacity to equate today’s Church as His beautiful bride to be? The Church podium has cultivated into a political platform. She has danced to the voice of crime and punishment, moral laws, politics, and governmental regulations. Her weary face bears the marks of an angry, harden-bitter woman.
The Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman who was caught in adultery. They demanded that Christ sentence to woman to death, according to the Law of Moses. Christ responded, “You without sin, let him cast the first stone.” The law makers departed having been put to shame by their harden hearts. Christ then asks the woman, “Where are those that condemned you?” She admitted there was no one. He said, “Neither do I condemn you.” The religious political spectrum of the day demanded the death sentence. Christ offered the adulteress woman forgiveness. It is time for the Church to take her eyes off today’s religious political continuum; and fasten them on the Lord of mercy and forgiveness.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
The Passover Meal by Jeannie Cole
The following of the Passover Meal was written by Jeannie Cole of West-Ark Church of Christ. Ms. Cole explains the Passover Meal and its significance in terms that are easily understood. Passover (Seder) will be upon us in the next few weeks, Ms. Cole's message is timely and enlightening in helping non-Jews understand the true meaning of Passover.
Jonathan Israel
City Room Press
EXODUS 11-12
The Passover Meal
The Passover meal that the Israelites held in Egypt was unique from all the Passover meals held since. Before the first one, they were to sprinkle the blood of the lamb on their doorposts and lintel, and they were to eat it in haste. It has since evolved, maintaining many of the same customs, as well as adding a few. You are familiar with the one in Exodus 11-12. Let's look at how it is usually done today.
Every year before the Passover, an Orthodox Jewish family will eat up as much as possible all the foods in their house not processed or packaged for the Passover. This is to remove all the leaven from the house - any fermented grain product, starter dough, breads, cakes, cookies, yeast, (baking soda and baking powder). What cannot be eaten is sold to a non-Jew. Not only can a Jew not eat any leaven during Passover week, he can't have it in his house or even own any leaven. They do usually go and buy back their products after the festival. Leaven is an emblem of sin, corruption. Paul refers to it as that in 1 Corinthians 5:6-8.
The final search for leaven is made the night before the Passover (PESAH). Traditionally a candle, feather and bag are used for this final search. Every member of the family is to participate in this search. Every nook and cranny of every floor, shelf, cupboard is inspected for the minutest grain of bread crumbs or leavening. Any dust found is swept up with the feather (like a broom) into the bag for fear it might contain a grain of leavening. Traditionally, 10 pieces of leavened bread are hidden throughout the house and the ritual is not complete until the family has found the 10 pieces. All that was found is burnt the next morning before the Passover begins.
Cooking for the Passover meal is an extremely complicated procedure. Everything used during the preparation - refrigerator, stove, counter, sink, etc., is thoroughly scoured before beginning. Because some minute speck of leaven might be left unnoticed on some utensil, some Jews find the easiest way to prepare their meal is to have a special set of dishes, silverware and cooking utensils reserved only for use during the Passover. Some cover their burners so that no Passover pot touches the parts of the stove used every other day.
The SEDER (SADER) - the Passover meal - is the central celebration of the Passover. It's origin stems from our text today. The entire extended family is to come together. They go through the meal and the retelling of the story in first person as if they had been one of the slaves freed from Pharaoh's bondage.
This book, the HAGGADAH, is the text for the SEDER. Everyone present would have a copy of it. It contains all the blessings, order for eating, telling of the Exodus story from slavery through the plagues, crossing of the Red Sea, giving of the Law, and to the giving of the land of Canaan. There are also songs and psalms to be read, etc.
Seder Table
(Assemble around table -- don't eat yet.) All recline around the SEDER table, because reclining around the table was a sign of a free man. Everything on the table has a significance.
On the SEDER plate there is:
Hard boiled egg - symbol of the suffering and oppression in Egypt. Everything else in boiling water becomes soft or disintegrates. But an egg becomes hard, like the Israelites. The more it is boiled, the harder it becomes. An egg also symbolizes New Life.
Roasted shankbone of lamb - reminds them there had to be blood sacrificed to save their lives.
Bitter herbs - horseradish - reminds them they were servants to slavery.
Greens - parsley, celery - symbol of coming of Spring which brings hope.
Salt water - reminds them of the tears they cried in Egypt.
Haroset - nut, apple, cinnamon, wine mixture which has the appearance of straw in remembrance of the mortar used to build the Treasure Cities for Pharaoh. It is symbolic of the hope of freedom that enabled their ancestors to withstand the bitterness of slavery.
Matzah - the unleavened bread that reminds them of the haste with which they left Egypt.
After the drinking of wine and washing of the hands the greens are dipped into the salt water and eaten.
Then the bread on the SEDER plate is broken. Half remains on the plate, half is hidden for the dessert. This is to keep the interest of the children. Children are to find it and keep it till the end of the meal when the leader redeems it in exchange for the promise of gifts. Throughout the service many things are incorporated to keep the interest of the children. The most important thing is the telling of the story of the Exodus to the children.
The telling of the story of the Exodus includes everyone's favorite part - the 4 questions, asked by the youngest child present.
Why on this night do we eat only mazzah, which is unleavened bread?
Why on this night do we eat bitter herbs especially?
Why on this night do we dip the parsley in salt water and the bitter herbs in haroset?
Why on this night do we all recline at the table?
The leader replies to the child:
Indeed, this night is very different from all the other nights of the year, for on this night we celebrate one of the most important moments in the history of our people. On this night we celebrate their going forth in triumph from slavery into freedom.
I am glad you asked the questions you did, for the story of this night was just what I wanted you to know. Although the Haggadah we are reading tells this whole story, and if you listen carefully you will surely learn it, I should like to tell you here, in a few words, the answers to your questions.
~ Why do we eat only mazzah tonight?
When Pharaoh let our forefathers go from Egypt, they were forced to flee in great haste. Now, they had prepared dough for bread to take on their journey, but the Egyptians pressed them to hasten out of the land. So they snatched up their dough, and fled, and had no time to bake it. But the hot sun, beating down on the dough as they carried it along with them, baked it into a flat, unleavened bread which they called mazzah. That is why we eat only mazzah on Pesah.
Why do we eat bitter herbs on Pesah night?
Because our forefathers were slaves in Egypt, and their lives were made bitter. That is why we eat bitter herbs on Pesah night.
Why do we dip herbs twice tonight?
You have already heard that we dip the parsley in salt water because it reminds us of the green that comes to life again in the springtime. We dip the maror, or bitter herbs, in the sweet haroset as a sign of hope; our forefathers were able to withstand the bitterness of slavery, because it was sweetened by the hope of freedom.
Why do we recline at the table?
Because reclining at the table was a sign of a free man in olden times; and since our forefathers were freed on this night, we recline at the table.
After the symbolism is explained the story of the Exodus is told. It can be read straight from this book, but more than likely the leader will go around the room asking everyone to reconstruct a part of the story. [What do you remember about your leaving Egypt?] Each person will tell a part as if he had been a slave and as if he had actually witnessed the plagues and as if he had actually crossed the Red Sea on dry ground and then watched Pharaoh's army drown.
The hands are washed again, a double blessing is given on the matzah, and it is eaten. Then the horseradish is eaten straight or is dipped into the sweet haroset.
Or, a sandwich is made with matzah and horseradish and haroset, or perhaps a little bit of lamb is included with the sandwich.
[A Passover style meal is served and eaten at this point.]
Mrs. Needham and the Metro Jr. High girls made our matzah bread for us this morning. Listen while I read to you some of the restrictions on making this bread in order for it to be kosher for a real Jewish Passover.
The wheat is watched from the time of harvesting until the final baking to insure that no water, heat, or other natural processes cause it to begin fermentation. . . The utensils used for making it are washed every eighteen minutes. . . . The flour must be absolutely dry, and stored in a cool, dark place. . . . The water must be drawn from a spring and allowed to settle overnight in a cool, dark place. . . .
Then the matzah bread for dessert is redeemed from the children with presents and eaten.
The meal ends and Psalm 126 is read. [Read.] The ceremony goes on with more reading, singing and praising God.
[If time allows--] Let's relate this to us as Christians. Jesus initiated our Lord's Supper from this first Passover meal. Let's look at some similarities.
God initiated this Passover meal before the events took place that it was to commemorate. Jesus initiated the Lord's Supper commemorating His death and looking forward to His resurrection before the events took place.
God told Moses for them to take a lamb four days before its slaughter. Christ entered Jerusalem on Sunday - four days before His crucifixion. Both took place on the 14th day of the month Abib.
Israelites were to sacrifice a male lamb one year old - in the prime of his life - when he was at his strongest. Jesus was about 33 years old - pinnacle of earthly strength and maturity.
Male lamb was to be without blemish. Jesus is our example of perfection and sinlessness - without blemish.
Lamb is patient, noiseless and submissive to death as was Christ.
Exodus 12:6 - whole assembly of the congregation of Israel were to kill their lambs. This was not done by a priest. Everyone was to witness and be responsible for the death of the lamb. Just as we are all responsible for the death of Christ on the cross. It was our sins that crucified Him.
The blood of the lamb was to be put on the two doorposts and lintel so that they might be passed over when death came to Egypt. It is the blood of Christ that keeps us from everlasting death.
Lamb was to be roasted whole - no broken bones. Christ was crucified and died with no broken bones - even though the soldiers were sent out to break His leg bones to hasten His death.
The meal was to be eaten with bitter herbs to remember the bitter slavery, suffering and hardships in Egypt. During the Lord's Supper we are to remember Christ's hardships and suffering.
Eaten with unleaven bread. Leavening is a form of corruption, sin, impurity. Paul gives us the spiritual application in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8. We are to be unleavened - clean out malice and evil from us. Jesus alludes to this in Matthew 16:6-12 when He says beware of the leaven of Pharisees and Sadducees.
The Israelites were to eat in haste with their shoes on, staff in their hand and ready to go, looking forward to their future as free men. We as Christians are to be ready to go - watching and waiting for Christ to come - looking forward to our future in heaven as men free from sin.
The Israelites put the blood on their doorposts several hours before midnight. The passing Egyptians must have thought that peculiar and ridiculous. It made them vulnerable to the spiteful Egyptians. But the blood of the lamb protected them from death.
We are to accept Christ as our Passover Lamb and let his blood protect us. We are perpetually being saved from the hand of the destroying angel when we have Christ's blood on our doorposts.
What does it mean to have Christ's blood on our doorposts?
It is the act of perpetually having a badge that can be seen, experienced, spit upon, and being made vulnerable like the Israelites were vulnerable with blood on their doorposts for the Egyptians to see and laugh, and revile.
It also means cleaning up our act, diligently searching for corruption and sin present in our lives - like the Jews meticulously cleaning their house of leaven with a candle and a feather.
It means doing everything that God commands us.
As we continue our study of Exodus, we shall observe many other things that are typical of Christ and the deliverance He has brought all men.
Jeannie Cole
West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Ladies Bible Class, Fall 1989
Jonathan Israel
City Room Press
EXODUS 11-12
The Passover Meal
The Passover meal that the Israelites held in Egypt was unique from all the Passover meals held since. Before the first one, they were to sprinkle the blood of the lamb on their doorposts and lintel, and they were to eat it in haste. It has since evolved, maintaining many of the same customs, as well as adding a few. You are familiar with the one in Exodus 11-12. Let's look at how it is usually done today.
Every year before the Passover, an Orthodox Jewish family will eat up as much as possible all the foods in their house not processed or packaged for the Passover. This is to remove all the leaven from the house - any fermented grain product, starter dough, breads, cakes, cookies, yeast, (baking soda and baking powder). What cannot be eaten is sold to a non-Jew. Not only can a Jew not eat any leaven during Passover week, he can't have it in his house or even own any leaven. They do usually go and buy back their products after the festival. Leaven is an emblem of sin, corruption. Paul refers to it as that in 1 Corinthians 5:6-8.
The final search for leaven is made the night before the Passover (PESAH). Traditionally a candle, feather and bag are used for this final search. Every member of the family is to participate in this search. Every nook and cranny of every floor, shelf, cupboard is inspected for the minutest grain of bread crumbs or leavening. Any dust found is swept up with the feather (like a broom) into the bag for fear it might contain a grain of leavening. Traditionally, 10 pieces of leavened bread are hidden throughout the house and the ritual is not complete until the family has found the 10 pieces. All that was found is burnt the next morning before the Passover begins.
Cooking for the Passover meal is an extremely complicated procedure. Everything used during the preparation - refrigerator, stove, counter, sink, etc., is thoroughly scoured before beginning. Because some minute speck of leaven might be left unnoticed on some utensil, some Jews find the easiest way to prepare their meal is to have a special set of dishes, silverware and cooking utensils reserved only for use during the Passover. Some cover their burners so that no Passover pot touches the parts of the stove used every other day.
The SEDER (SADER) - the Passover meal - is the central celebration of the Passover. It's origin stems from our text today. The entire extended family is to come together. They go through the meal and the retelling of the story in first person as if they had been one of the slaves freed from Pharaoh's bondage.
This book, the HAGGADAH, is the text for the SEDER. Everyone present would have a copy of it. It contains all the blessings, order for eating, telling of the Exodus story from slavery through the plagues, crossing of the Red Sea, giving of the Law, and to the giving of the land of Canaan. There are also songs and psalms to be read, etc.
Seder Table
(Assemble around table -- don't eat yet.) All recline around the SEDER table, because reclining around the table was a sign of a free man. Everything on the table has a significance.
On the SEDER plate there is:
Hard boiled egg - symbol of the suffering and oppression in Egypt. Everything else in boiling water becomes soft or disintegrates. But an egg becomes hard, like the Israelites. The more it is boiled, the harder it becomes. An egg also symbolizes New Life.
Roasted shankbone of lamb - reminds them there had to be blood sacrificed to save their lives.
Bitter herbs - horseradish - reminds them they were servants to slavery.
Greens - parsley, celery - symbol of coming of Spring which brings hope.
Salt water - reminds them of the tears they cried in Egypt.
Haroset - nut, apple, cinnamon, wine mixture which has the appearance of straw in remembrance of the mortar used to build the Treasure Cities for Pharaoh. It is symbolic of the hope of freedom that enabled their ancestors to withstand the bitterness of slavery.
Matzah - the unleavened bread that reminds them of the haste with which they left Egypt.
After the drinking of wine and washing of the hands the greens are dipped into the salt water and eaten.
Then the bread on the SEDER plate is broken. Half remains on the plate, half is hidden for the dessert. This is to keep the interest of the children. Children are to find it and keep it till the end of the meal when the leader redeems it in exchange for the promise of gifts. Throughout the service many things are incorporated to keep the interest of the children. The most important thing is the telling of the story of the Exodus to the children.
The telling of the story of the Exodus includes everyone's favorite part - the 4 questions, asked by the youngest child present.
Why on this night do we eat only mazzah, which is unleavened bread?
Why on this night do we eat bitter herbs especially?
Why on this night do we dip the parsley in salt water and the bitter herbs in haroset?
Why on this night do we all recline at the table?
The leader replies to the child:
Indeed, this night is very different from all the other nights of the year, for on this night we celebrate one of the most important moments in the history of our people. On this night we celebrate their going forth in triumph from slavery into freedom.
I am glad you asked the questions you did, for the story of this night was just what I wanted you to know. Although the Haggadah we are reading tells this whole story, and if you listen carefully you will surely learn it, I should like to tell you here, in a few words, the answers to your questions.
~ Why do we eat only mazzah tonight?
When Pharaoh let our forefathers go from Egypt, they were forced to flee in great haste. Now, they had prepared dough for bread to take on their journey, but the Egyptians pressed them to hasten out of the land. So they snatched up their dough, and fled, and had no time to bake it. But the hot sun, beating down on the dough as they carried it along with them, baked it into a flat, unleavened bread which they called mazzah. That is why we eat only mazzah on Pesah.
Why do we eat bitter herbs on Pesah night?
Because our forefathers were slaves in Egypt, and their lives were made bitter. That is why we eat bitter herbs on Pesah night.
Why do we dip herbs twice tonight?
You have already heard that we dip the parsley in salt water because it reminds us of the green that comes to life again in the springtime. We dip the maror, or bitter herbs, in the sweet haroset as a sign of hope; our forefathers were able to withstand the bitterness of slavery, because it was sweetened by the hope of freedom.
Why do we recline at the table?
Because reclining at the table was a sign of a free man in olden times; and since our forefathers were freed on this night, we recline at the table.
After the symbolism is explained the story of the Exodus is told. It can be read straight from this book, but more than likely the leader will go around the room asking everyone to reconstruct a part of the story. [What do you remember about your leaving Egypt?] Each person will tell a part as if he had been a slave and as if he had actually witnessed the plagues and as if he had actually crossed the Red Sea on dry ground and then watched Pharaoh's army drown.
The hands are washed again, a double blessing is given on the matzah, and it is eaten. Then the horseradish is eaten straight or is dipped into the sweet haroset.
Or, a sandwich is made with matzah and horseradish and haroset, or perhaps a little bit of lamb is included with the sandwich.
[A Passover style meal is served and eaten at this point.]
Mrs. Needham and the Metro Jr. High girls made our matzah bread for us this morning. Listen while I read to you some of the restrictions on making this bread in order for it to be kosher for a real Jewish Passover.
The wheat is watched from the time of harvesting until the final baking to insure that no water, heat, or other natural processes cause it to begin fermentation. . . The utensils used for making it are washed every eighteen minutes. . . . The flour must be absolutely dry, and stored in a cool, dark place. . . . The water must be drawn from a spring and allowed to settle overnight in a cool, dark place. . . .
Then the matzah bread for dessert is redeemed from the children with presents and eaten.
The meal ends and Psalm 126 is read. [Read.] The ceremony goes on with more reading, singing and praising God.
[If time allows--] Let's relate this to us as Christians. Jesus initiated our Lord's Supper from this first Passover meal. Let's look at some similarities.
God initiated this Passover meal before the events took place that it was to commemorate. Jesus initiated the Lord's Supper commemorating His death and looking forward to His resurrection before the events took place.
God told Moses for them to take a lamb four days before its slaughter. Christ entered Jerusalem on Sunday - four days before His crucifixion. Both took place on the 14th day of the month Abib.
Israelites were to sacrifice a male lamb one year old - in the prime of his life - when he was at his strongest. Jesus was about 33 years old - pinnacle of earthly strength and maturity.
Male lamb was to be without blemish. Jesus is our example of perfection and sinlessness - without blemish.
Lamb is patient, noiseless and submissive to death as was Christ.
Exodus 12:6 - whole assembly of the congregation of Israel were to kill their lambs. This was not done by a priest. Everyone was to witness and be responsible for the death of the lamb. Just as we are all responsible for the death of Christ on the cross. It was our sins that crucified Him.
The blood of the lamb was to be put on the two doorposts and lintel so that they might be passed over when death came to Egypt. It is the blood of Christ that keeps us from everlasting death.
Lamb was to be roasted whole - no broken bones. Christ was crucified and died with no broken bones - even though the soldiers were sent out to break His leg bones to hasten His death.
The meal was to be eaten with bitter herbs to remember the bitter slavery, suffering and hardships in Egypt. During the Lord's Supper we are to remember Christ's hardships and suffering.
Eaten with unleaven bread. Leavening is a form of corruption, sin, impurity. Paul gives us the spiritual application in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8. We are to be unleavened - clean out malice and evil from us. Jesus alludes to this in Matthew 16:6-12 when He says beware of the leaven of Pharisees and Sadducees.
The Israelites were to eat in haste with their shoes on, staff in their hand and ready to go, looking forward to their future as free men. We as Christians are to be ready to go - watching and waiting for Christ to come - looking forward to our future in heaven as men free from sin.
The Israelites put the blood on their doorposts several hours before midnight. The passing Egyptians must have thought that peculiar and ridiculous. It made them vulnerable to the spiteful Egyptians. But the blood of the lamb protected them from death.
We are to accept Christ as our Passover Lamb and let his blood protect us. We are perpetually being saved from the hand of the destroying angel when we have Christ's blood on our doorposts.
What does it mean to have Christ's blood on our doorposts?
It is the act of perpetually having a badge that can be seen, experienced, spit upon, and being made vulnerable like the Israelites were vulnerable with blood on their doorposts for the Egyptians to see and laugh, and revile.
It also means cleaning up our act, diligently searching for corruption and sin present in our lives - like the Jews meticulously cleaning their house of leaven with a candle and a feather.
It means doing everything that God commands us.
As we continue our study of Exodus, we shall observe many other things that are typical of Christ and the deliverance He has brought all men.
Jeannie Cole
West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Ladies Bible Class, Fall 1989
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
