“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which comes down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” (John 6:48-51)

I know this is a spiritual idea, but how do we feast on Jesus? How do we eat and drink Jesus every day? Let’s keep reading…“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63) So, the Words of God are necessary food for our spiritual man, just as bread is necessary food for our physical man.

Therefore, if we should eat and drink the Lord’s presence and His Word for our spiritual food, what is it like to feast on Jesus? What nutrients (benefits) does our soul receive from our spiritual diet? Here are some verses from Psalm 34 that will give us a good idea…

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!…The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing…Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” “They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.”

Many blessings await those who taste the goodness of the Lord. As we feast on His Word, He will supply all our needs, both physically and spiritually. Long life and happy days are a benefit for those who keep their tongues and lips clean and filled with the Lord’s delights. This bread that Yeshua offers will bring a radiance to your soul and confidence to your outlook. And eternal life is the final product for everyone who eats this bread from heaven.

And as I said, there are still many, many people who haven’t tasted this wonderful bread of life. They are like those in the middle of Passover week who are living dry, flavorless lives with no hope of goodness in their future. They literally don’t know what they are missing out on–the vibrant life and health that comes from tasting the bread of salvation. This bread is too good to keep to ourselves. We need go forth and pass out samples of this living bread to anyone who will take it. Yeshua’s life-giving salvation is freely given to all who will open their hearts to taste Him.

May you be filled with all the goodness of the Lord as you taste Him in His Word. May your face be radiant with His blessings and your soul be filled with every good thing! Dig into the Word today. It will do your body good! And share a sweet morsel of God’s good word with someone else you meet who is hungry in heart and soul. Have a delicious day!

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The Gospels reference the Messiah as the Bridegroom at least seven times.  John the Baptist spoke of crowds going leaving him and to Yeshua, saying, “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom.” (John 3: 29) It should not surprise us to see parallels of a betrothal meal woven into Yeshua’s Last Supper.  A major part of the betrothal is the cup of wine.   But before we look at the second cup of commitment, which I am calling the cup of betrothal, we want to see how the two stages of a Jewish wedding were described in Yeshua’s message on Passover night.

The Betrothal and the Wedding

In Yeshua’s day, the bridegroom would first go to the house of the bride for a betrothal meal, Seudat Erusin. In front of witnesses the bridegroom would offer an article of value. We will talk more about what was considered sufficient value for the engagement in a moment. Once betrothed, she was legally bound to her husband, but they would not be intimate until the second stage of the marriage, the Nisuin, or the taking up of the bride.  After the betrothal, the bridegroom returned to his father’s house for up to a year to build a home for his bride, and only when his father gave the approval would he return to collect his bride.

We see just such an event in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins.  At the midnight hour, the cry went out, “Behold the bridegroom comes!” (Matthew 25:6)

Of course, this was a parable about Yeshua, our bridegroom, returning, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 25: 13 KJV

The Passover Promise

I want to invite you into that lamp lit Upper Room with the aroma of bitter herbs and unleavened bread.   Yeshua is holding the cup, and then he tells the disciples this Passover promise.

“Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may also be.” John 14: 1-3 TLV

This picture would not have been lost on the disciples.  This was the language of betrothal, and Yeshua was describing the first phase, the erusin!   But what article of value was sufficient to give to the bride?  A cup of wine!

A Betrothal Meal at Passover?

Today, it is not customary to become betrothed on the eve of Passover, but this was not always the case. The Mishnah, from the 2nd Century, preserves Jewish customs from the days of the Second Temple. Within its pages a perplexing scenario unfolds on the eve of Passover. A groom traveling to his future father-in-law’s home for the Seudat Erusin (Betrothal Meal) remembers that he forgot to remove the last bits of hametz (leaven) from his house!  What should he do?

“If a man was on the way to slaughter his Passover-offering…or to eat the betrothal meal at his father-in-law’s house and he remembers that he had left hametz in his house, if he has yet time to go back and remove it, let him go back and remove it; but if not, he may annul it in his heart.”[1] Mishnah, Pesahim 2.4

This humorous story gives insight into a lost ancient custom which may be the backdrop for Yeshua’s Passover meal with His disciples – the combining the betrothal and Passover meal into one.

In Yeshua’s time, it was customary to become engaged by the groom giving an article value to the bride. The Mishnah tells us that even a cup of wine was of sufficient value if accepted by the bride willingly. (Mishnah Kiddushin 1.2) Passover night, with all the family gathered, and multiple cups of wine poured, was a wonderful occasion for the betrothal meal!

But we remember that Judaism has long understood Passover as the betrothal between God and Israel, with the wedding covenant occurring at the “Feast of Oaths”, Shavuot / Pentecost at Mount Sinai fifty days later.

Conclusion

More than seven times the Gospels speak of Yeshua as the Bridegroom.   Our accepting the Passover cup that He offered is our acceptance as the bride. The betrothal was never meant to be a secret engagement.  A betrothal had to have witnesses.  I can only imagine the story that the Mishnah paints of this young bridegroom on his way to the betrothal dinner.  With all the guests around, he nervously held out the cup to the young woman.  Even in those days, weddings were not forced.  At that moment, she could still refuse.

“Therefore whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10: 32-33 TLV

As we approach Passover night, I would ask, have you received that cup from the Savior’s hand?   No one will force you to take it.  But for those who do, they are joined to Messiah.  They belong to Him.  They will be the ones for whom Yeshua will return for one day.

Tomorrow we will examine the third cup, the cup of the Covenant.

[1] Herbert Danby, The Mishnah: Translation from the Hebrew (Oxford University Press, 1933), Pesahim 2.7, 139-140.

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“And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.  For I tell you, I will never eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And when He had taken a cup and offered the bracha, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you that I will never drink of the fruit of the vine from now on, until the kingdom of God comes.” Luke 22: 15-17 TLV

In June 2009, close to the Upper Room on Mt. Zion, a limestone cup from the time of Yeshua was discovered in a first century mikveh, a ritual immersion pool.  Ten cryptic lines written in Aramaic, along with the sacred name of God, were scratched on its surface.[1]  As far as I know, and I check periodically, those lines have yet to be deciphered.

I have long been fascinated by that find, but it is not the most intriguing cup from the area. The most significant cup from Mt. Zion has been both lost to history, yet with us constantly. I am speaking of the cup which Yeshua used to sanctify the Passover meal with His disciples. When did the cup make its way into the Passover story?  The Passover cup is a late tradition in Judaism.  Alongside the bitter herbs, the lamb and unleavened bread, on that first Passover in Egypt it was not mentioned. By the time of Yeshua, however, the cup had become a means to tell the story of redemption. The Gospels may be the earliest witness to multiple cups at the Passover!

Our next witness to Passover’s cups is found the Mishnah from the Second Century.  It speaks of a minimum of four cups at Passover.[2] The Gospels mention two of the four cups, the “Cup of Blessing” (I Cor. 10: 16), and the “Cup of the New Covenant” (Luke 22: 20). Yeshua’s words, “Drink from it, all of you,” (Mathew 26:27) make this a cup of communion.

An Ancient Practice Continued

In Israel, Jewish believers still keep the Passover, remembering in its four cups not only Yeshua’s death but also Messiah’s promise to come again.

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” I Corinthians 11: 26 TLV

This Passover in Jerusalem I have the honor to lead a unique Seder, which we call the Meal of Messiah, for between 50 and 80 people on the seventh day of Unleavened Bread. But for a moment, we want to focus on the four prophetic cups of the Meal of Messiah.

1. The Cup of Consecration
2. The Cup of Commitment
3. The Cup of the Covenant
4. The Cup of Messiah’s Coming

What do I mean when I say the first cup is one of consecration? It is called the cup of consecration, the kiddush, for it sets us apart to be holy. Along with the cross, the cup exemplifies what it means to follow Messiah.  By this cup of consecration, we are offered salvation. The cup which He blessed, was passed from individual to individual. Each person was responsible to not only partake, but also preserve its contents for the next person, until that cup could make its way back again to Yeshua.

I have had the joy of drinking from that cup!   Not the exact cup which Yeshua held and passed by hand to John, Peter, and Thomas,  but I have tasted that cup.  Someone passed it to me along my journey, sharing with me the Good News of Yeshua. I have endeavored to also preserve and pass that cup to others.

There is a beautiful picture in Yeshua’s cup for He did not finish its contents. He is yet waiting until all have had a chance to drink. Only then, in the Kingdom of His Father, will He drink of it again.

“For I tell you that I will never drink of the fruit of the vine from now on, until the kingdom of God comes.” Luke 22: 17 TLV

The limestone cup found on Mt. Zion, with its cryptic text, is still waiting to be deciphered, but Yeshua’s cup and invitation to “drink of it, all of you” is to be clearly proclaimed until He comes again.

Tomorrow, I will post about the Cup of Commitment, a better title might be the Cup of Betrothal.  At some point in the First Century, it became common to combine the Passover meal and the betrothal meal into one.  Might there be some connection to Yeshua’s words about going to prepare a place at the Father’s house and the cup of betrothal? Join me as we explore the second cup of Passover.

[1] Pfann, Stephen. “The Mount Zion Inscribed Stone Cup.” Accessed April 13, 2022. https://www.uhl.ac/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/MtZionInscribedStoneCup.pdf.

[2] Mishnah, Pesahim 10.1

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“When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.” Acts 12:3-5 NIV

Was Peter’s nighttime rescue from prison during Passover a coincidence or a pattern of Passover miracles woven through the Bible?  Passover remembers the midnight deliverance and exodus of Israel from Egypt.  Since the Second Century, it has been a tradition to ask on Passover, “Why is this night different from all other nights?”   Like Peter, you may be facing one of your darkest nights, but be encouraged, Passover reminds us that God shows up in the midnight hour.  For a moment we want to examine the freedom, the watching, and the atoning work of Passover night.

I. The Night of our Freedom

“So Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt.…” Exodus 11:4 ESV

Peter was imprisoned in the night he should have reclined in freedom. Passover’s message speaks powerfully to every generation. The same One who lead Israel out of Egypt, still leads His people through the dark night to safety.  Passover is known today as “Z’man Cheruteinu” (the Time of Our Freedom / Deliverance). Israel’s deliverance came in the “Midnight Hour” when darkness had reached its max. Their rescue reverberates through the ages, finding fulfillment again and again.  As one Sage of Israel said, “In Nisan (Passover’s month) we were redeemed, in Nisan we will be redeemed again!”

At Passover Israel came out of Egypt. (Exodus 12) At Passover Joshua crossed the Jordan meeting the Captain of the Armies of the LORD.  (Joshua 5:10-15) Tradition says it was Passover when Gideon was commissioned by the Angel of the Lord.[1] And at Passover, Mordechai was set to be crucified on the tree, but the tables were turned – in that night, the king could not sleep![2]  (Esther 5, 6)

But the greatest Passover deliverance came in Jerusalem two-thousand years ago, as Yeshua revealed the New Covenant! Perhaps that is the reason Peter in his prison cell could sleep without fear.  Yeshua, the Messiah, won His greatest deliverance for all people on Passover night. Peter’s heart was at ease knowing God was in control.

Just as Israel’s captivity was broken in that night, so Peter’s chains fell.  As Israel followed the Angel of the Lord within the pillar of fire beyond the gates of Egypt, so Peter followed as the angel of God passed four squads of soldiers to the gates of the city. And just as Israel witnessed the Red Sea part on its own, so Peter saw the locked iron gate open of its own accord setting him free. But there is another reason this night is not like other nights. Scripture calls it a “Night of Watching”.

II. The Night of our Watching

“It was a night of watching by the Lord, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the Lord by all the people of Israel throughout their generations.” Exodus 12:42 ESV

Passover is called a “night of watching, (leil shimurim) meaning to keep. guard, and protect.  In Hebrew, it is also somewhat mysterious, as the word for “watching(s)” is written in plural form to match the plural “generation(s)”.  In other words, this is a night for all generations to come to watch.  Yeshua said,“I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” Luke 22: 15 ESV The weight of watching over that night felt its greatest measure when Yeshua took His disciples to watch with Him on that night. (Matt. 26:41) He continued watching and praying until his sweat became as drops of blood. (Luke 22: 44)

The Night of Watching Continued

On the night Peter was arrested, many of the women disciples also watched in prayer for his release.  According to several Church historians, for hundred years after Yeshua’s death and resurrection, the Churches of Asia Minor, of whom John was the Apostle, continued to keep the 14^th of Nisan, the date of Passover, anticipating the “Parousia”, the Lord’s appearing. Jerome, the 4^th Century Church Father tells us they fasted until after midnight, listening for the cry, “Behold the bridegroom comes!”[3] (Mat. 25:6) Only after midnight, had He not come on that Passover, would they break the fast to eat the Passover meal.  Finally, this night is not like all other nights for it is the Lord’s Passover.

III. The Night of our Passover

“For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.” Exodus 12: 23 ESV

The word Passover is as mysterious as the plural word for watching. Often translated as skipping or passing-over, Pesach also means to cover. Sometimes it is used as a noun to refer to the lamb itself.

The message of Passover is that we need a covering.  Not only did the lamb’s blood cover the lintel, the LORD stood over Israel’s bloodstained doors covering their firstborn, not allowing the destroying angel to enter and strike!

I was once asked by a Rabbi, “Why do Christians speak of Yeshua’s death at Passover as an atonement for sin when Yom Kippur is the “Day of Atonement”, NOT Passover? I reminded him that though the Hebrew word Pesach  means to pass-over something, it also means to shield and cover something. That is the very picture the book of Exodus describes. Adonai covered the homes where He saw the blood, to prevent the destroying angel from entering.  Isaiah similarly used this Hebrew verb to describe Adonai’s protective covering over Jerusalem! As one ancient Rabbi connected Passover to covering by saying, “Establish this month for me and you, that when I see the blood of the Pesach (lamb), I am atoning over you.” Exodus Rabbah 15:2 (Author’s Translation)

Conclusion

Yeshua’s blood is our atonement for sin. Nisan is our month of redemption. Passover is our time of freedom, and the midnight hour is our time to watch.  I believe we are truly in the last days. Like those first generations of Jewish followers of Yeshua who prayed through much of Passover night in anticipation of His coming, we need to be on alert.

The Passover parallels are clear to see.  One day, at the midnight hour, the cry will go forth, “the Bridegroom is coming”.  One like Moses, the Messiah raised from among His brothers, will come on the clouds of heaven to take His people through the waters above the waters.  There, on the other side, we will sing the Song of Moses and of the Lamb. Even so Come Lord.

Maran Ata!

[1] Rabbi Morris Silverman, The Passover Haggadah, “You shall say: This is the offering of Passover” Pg. 60-61. 1975.

[2] “In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur….” Esther 3:7 ESV “Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written.…” Esther 3:12.   These Nisan events followed in quick succession. Mordecai mourning was quickly told to Esther setting in motion the three days of fasting – all during the Passover! Eleven months later, in the month of Adar, the Jewish people defended themselves against the evil decree, establishing the Feast of Purim.

[3] Jerome and Thomas P. Scheck, St. Jerome: Commentary on Matthew (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 2008), 283.

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But did you know that the events of the Purim story took place on a very pivotal date? It was the eve before Passover, the Preparation Day, when Haman first declared his evil plan in Esther 3:12-13,

“Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month (Nisan), and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded…to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month…of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.”

As all the Jews were preparing to slaughter their Passover lambs (on the 14^th of Nisan) and celebrate their greatest holiday of the year, Queen Esther called for them all to put their feast aside and fast and pray for three days. This would be like calling all Americans to take their Thanksgiving turkey out of the oven and turn off the football games on their televisions and run to the altar to pray for their nation’s salvation.

Our enemy, Satan himself, is also on a mission against God’s people. He “prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). And it was also on that same pivotal date two thousand years ago–the thirteenth of Nisan, Preparation Day of Passover, just before the Jews were to slaughter their lambs, that he attempted to annihilate the hope of salvation for all humanity. But Yeshua Himself said,

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Everything Satan tried to do through the curse, Yeshua our Lord and Savior reversed! The devil tried to destroy salvation, kill hope, annihilate peace. It was the eve of Passover when Yeshua was crucified. On the same day as Haman’s evil decree, Yeshua redeemed our lives from the pit, brought healing by His stripes, restored what the enemy stole from us and, three days later, turned total annihilation into abundant and everlasting life! And He Himself declared His victory in Revelation 1:18, “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”

Now that is something to celebrate! That is a great gift that all your friends and neighbors can commemorate—the victory that was wrought by our Lord on behalf of ALL people! And we have been called not just to fast and pray for the salvation of our nation, but to shout this Good News from the housetops. Our Great King Eternal has interceded for His people. He has made a way for every person who calls on His name to come to Him. Let us not hide behind our masks or keep our voices soft. Let us be noisy witnesses for the Lord for such a time as this!

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