Commonly when we hear the word Passover, we do not generally think of a Christian Festival. However, upon looking in the bible it is clear that Jesus Christ and his apostles kept the feast of the Passover. Then in order to understand the relevance of Christ keeping the Passover feast, we should understand clearly the origin of the Passover.
In the time of the Exodus who was it that commanded the Israelites to keep the Passover.
Ex 12:11 “This is how you are to eat it (The Passover Lamb)with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste it is the Lord’s Passover.” Then at this time God the Father Jehovah is commanding the Israelites to keep the Passover Feast, but why?
Ex 12:12-13 “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn-both men and animals-..I am the Lord. The blood (of the Passover lamb) will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”
So on the night of the Passover, a plague was coming to Egypt; the death of the firstborn. However to those who kept the Passover feast, (i.e. ate the flesh of the Passover lamb and had the blood of the passover lamb) had a sign with God, no destruction came to them. Also by keeping the Passover the Israelites finally recieved their freedom from Egypt after 430 years of slavery.
Then after celebrating Passover the Israelites received their freedom, why ever celebrate Passover again? In the very next verse it explains, Ex 12:14 “This is a day you are to commemorate for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord- a lasting ordinance.” Than here we can see clearly God Almighty says that the Passover is a lasting ordinance. Showing us that the passover is a law by God that should be celebrated forever, a lasting ordinance.
Then since Passover is a lasting ordinance we should be able to see an account of Jesus Christ(who is God overall Rom 9:5, the very same God who commanded the Passover be kept) keeping the Passover. However, when Christ comes,will he keep the Old Covenant Passover, or, will he make a New Covenant with his people.
According to the bible we can understand, Jer 31:31 “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand and lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant (the Passover)..” We can see clearly God is going to make a New Covenant with his people, then let’s see who fulfilled this prophecy.
Luke 22:7-14 “Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover Lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, Saying, Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover….When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. and he said to them, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” Clearly according to the bible Jesus Christ is celebrating the Passover with his disciples. But what is significant about this Passover for us?
Luke 22:19-20 :And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
Then on the night of the Passover Jesus Christ gave us his flesh to eat, and his blood to drink, calling it the new covenant. He even states “do this in remembrance of me” but what are they doing? They are celebrating the Passover,but not the old covenant with a literal lamb, but the new covenant with Jesus Christ, the lamb of God Jn 1:29.
In the bible what did Jesus Christ say about eating his flesh and drinking his blood, Jn 6:53 “Jesus said to them, I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Then Jesus clearly states for us, if we don’t eat his flesh and drink his blood we can’t have eternal life. Jesus Christ gave us his flesh to eat and his blood to drink through the Passover bread and the Passover wine.
Then as men can we take bread and wine and call it the flesh and blood of Christ, certainly not. But when Jesus Christ who is God overall (Rom 9:5) says this bread is my body and this wine is my blood, we can have confidence having the promise from God that we are truly partaking in his body and blood. On this night he even made it a new covenant, leaving no room for doubt that the Passover is a lasting ordinance that must be celebrated to receive eternal life.
There is even clear testimony from the Apostles keeping the Passover Feast, 1Cor 5:7 …”For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the festival…” Apostle Paul clearly states that Jesus Christ is the Passover lamb, and the Festival of the Passover is to be celebrated.
Then if in the bible it is abundantly clear that Jesus Christ gave us the New Covenant Passover for our salvation, as well as see clear testimony that the Apostles kept the Passover, why is it that modern day Christians do not keep the feast anymore.
As we look through history we can find the answer, In 325 A.D. at the Nicean Council the Passover was officially abolished. When the Passover was abolished it was completely wiped out and not celebrated anymore. But Jesus Christ made a New Covenant on the night of the Passover, and through it gave us eternal life. (Luke 22:20 , Jn 6:54)
Then if God gave us the new covenant Passover for our salvation, but the Passover is not celebrated by the people, what does the bible say Christ is going to do. Heb9:27 “Just as man is destined to die once , and after that face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
Then when Christ appeared the first time he came in the flesh, to bear sin through his sacrifice. But it says in Christ’s second coming he will bring with him salvation. But salvation is given through Christ’s flesh and blood (Jn 6:54) which he gave to us to receive only at the celebration of the new covenant Passover( Luke 22:20). Then the Second coming Christ is appearing to bring the people salvation, and salvation was given through the new covenant Passover; so Second coming Christ is bringing the Feast of the Passover back to the world.
At Church of God World Mission Society, we celebrate the New Covenant Passover because Christ Ahnsahnghong brought with him the Passover. But according to the bible only Second Coming Christ can appear to bring the Passover. (Heb 9:28)
Christ Ahnsahnghong is true Second Coming Christ, who has brought salvation to the world through the New Covenant Passover, and has also fulfilled all the prophecies of the bible.
All Glory, Honor, Praise, and Thanks be unto our Heavenly Father Christ Ahnsahnghong and to our Heavenly Mother New Jerusalem for bringing salvation to the children