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INTRODUCTION

In this message I want to speak on the historical and prophetic meaning of Passover. The entire Passover account covers four Parasha portions, 17 chapters from Exodus 1-17. The fact that it covers so many chapters demonstrates how important this event was in Israel’s history.

Sh’mot – Names – 1 - 6:- The naming of a nation
Va’era – And I appeared – 6-9 - God appears to Moses and reveals His covenant promise
Bo – Enter – 10 - 13- Israel enters their path to freedom B’Shalach – When he let go –13-17: Israel begins to walk asa nation of destiny

There was a three fold purpose in God's plan to deliver His people out of Egypt: D’varim (Deuteronomy) 4 is a summary statement of God's purpose and destiny for Israel and their exodus from Egypt.

The first purpose was to show Egypt and the nations who the one true God of heaven and earth is. 'To you it was shown that you might know that the Lord Himself is God, there is none other besides Him.' D’varim (Deuteronomy) 4:35
The second purpose was to bring His people out with great signs and wonders and with an outstretched arm. This is how Adonai began to magnify and make His name known among the Egyptians. D’varim (Deuteronomy) 4:32-34
Thirdly, to forge a nation from the furnace of affliction in order to become a chosen people of destiny. God's purpose to redeem the world was to be through a nation. A people set apart from the nations to be a holy nation and kingdom of Priests. D’varim (Deuteronomy) 4: 36-40

1. THE FIRST PURPOSE WAS TO SHOW EGYPT AND THE NATIONS WHO THE ONE TRUE GOD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH IS. D’varim (Deuteronomy) 4:35,39

Israel’s exodus from Egypt had to be so dramatic that the world would never forget what Adonai did. We are still talking about it 4,000 years later. With great signs and wonders unparalleled in all of human history Adonai brought His people out. D’varim (Deuteronomy) 4:32-35 God raised up Moses to be Israel’s deliverer. Moses message to Pharaoh was - “Let My people go that they may worship me.” Adonai’s purpose was not only to bring His people out of Egypt but to renew their worship with the one true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the creator of heaven and earth. For almost 400 years, Israel did not know their God. Deut 4:39- “Therefore know this day and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath there is no other.” God had a purpose for Pharaoh, to be His chosen instrument. According to Romans 9:17 the usefulness of Egypt’s king was for the sake of the whole world. “For the scriptures says to Pharaoh, I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

This has always been God’s purpose throughout the ages to make a name for Himself among the nations. The first time Adonai appeared to Moses was at Mt. Horeb in the form of a burning bush. 3: 1-6- Vs. 6 - 'I am the God of your father- the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon Adonai. It was here that Adonai revealed to Moses His purpose of delivering His people from Egypt. Vs. 7-10 God identified Himself as I AM to Moses said in Ex. 3:13 – 15

The word I AM is known as the ineffable name (the inexpressible, indescribable name, unutterable name). Adonai has many names and each one of them represents an attribute of His divine nature.

God’s purpose in choosing Israel and setting them apart was for them to be a witness and to proclaim to the nations of the one true God and creator of heaven and earth.

"You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me. And understand that I am he. Before me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after me. I, even I am the Lord, and besides me there is no saviour. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed and there was no foreign god among you. Therefore you are my witnesses, says the Lord, that I am God. Indeed before the day was, I am He and there is no one who can deliver out of my hand" . Is. 43:10-12/ Is 44:6,8
"Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel. And his redeemer, the Lord of hosts. I am the First and I am the Last, besides me there is no God. You are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed there is no other rock. I know not one."

Later after Israel had become a nation and was living in the land, they become unfaithful to their covenant promises. God spoke of the importance of His name when he said Ezek. 36 “It is not for your sake O house of Israel that I am about to act, but for my holy name which you have profaned among the nations. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name which has been profaned among the nations… Then the nations will know that I am the Lord declares the Lord, when I prove myself holy among you in their sight. I will magnify myself and sanctify myself and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, then they shall know that I am the Lord.” This will be one purpose of the Messiahs return in these last days, to vindicate the holiness of Adonai’s great name that has been profaned among the nations.

2. The second purpose of their deliverance was to bring His people out with great signs and wonders and with an outstretched arm D’varim (Deuteronomy) 4:32-35

This is how Adonai magnified Himself among the Israelites and the Egyptians and began to establish a name for Himself among the nations. It was through a series of ten plagues that God unleashed on Egypt that resulted in Pharaoh finally letting God’s people go. The final plague, the death of the first born was the most severe of all and set the stage for Israel’s deliverance. Prophetically, the first Passover foreshadowed a second Passover that resulted in an even greater deliverance.

The true meaning of Passover was fulfilled 2000 years later when the Messiah came as the true Passover Lamb to offer Himself, as a living and holy sacrifice as the first born and only begotten of the Father.

His living sacrifice resulted in redemption and deliverance not only for Israel but for all those from among the nations. Romans 10 says, whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved and, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” As I have said so often the Feasts have a three-fold fulfillment: They have an historic, messianic and prophetic fulfillment.

This year I want to speak on the significance of the ten plagues, but from a prophetic context. When I was preparing this message, I realized that Passover, Pesach has an historic, messianic and prophetic fulfillment. The historic and messianic have been fulfilled. The first Passover in Egypt, the second one in Jerusalem when Yeshua offered Himself as the Passover lamb. In a prophetic sense there will be a third Passover that will result in the final redemption and deliverance of mankind, when Israel, the Body of Messiah and many from the nations will finally be set free from the Spiritual Pharaoh of this world. The Feast of Passover has an end time fulfillment and I believe is one of the keys in understanding the book of Revelation. Today I want to speak on the prophetic fulfillment of Pesach. But before I do, lets first look at the historical Passover in Egypt for the purpose of laying a foundation and understanding some background and context. Let me briefly go through these plagues and share their historic significance and then share how they will have a prophetic fulfillment.

God said that the purpose of sending plagues on Egypt was to execute judgment against their gods. They were pantheistic and worshipped literally hundreds of gods. God said in Ex. 12: I2-

“For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the first born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast, and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments. I am the Lord.”

Six of the ten plagues were directed against six gods the Egyptians worshipped. The god of the Nile, the frogs, swarms of flies and beetles, cattle, darkness, and the death of the first born.

FIRST PLAGUE – THE NILE WAS TURNED INTO BLOOD [Ex. 7:16-18]

The first plague of judgment struck the water supply of Egypt. The Egyptians considered the waters of the Nile sacred and holy. They called the Nile the god Hopi whom they worshipped. Egyptians were renowned for their cleanliness and their hygienic lifestyle. And so when this plague of blood struck the waters and the very god they considered holy and sacred it was a judgment against their god of the Nile.

SECOND PLAGUE - FROGS [8:1-4]

The second plague was aimed at another god. It was directed against the idolatry of the Egyptians. They had deified the frog into a female goddess known as Heqt. This frog was a female deity who was known to aid women in childbirth. The frog which was an object of worship among them, became an object of disgust. Their ugly shape, their croaking noises, and their disagreeable smell, made these frogs obnoxious. The huge numbers of frogs emphasized the severity of this judgment. These frogs not only "covered the land of Egypt" but they invaded the homes of the Egyptians, entered their beds , and defiled their cooking-utensils. The stench of dead frogs was everywhere.

THIRD PLAGUE - GNATS / LICE [8:16-19]

The third plague is described in Exodus 8:16-19. Aaron smote the dust of the land "and it became lice on man and beast" (8:16). The dust of the ground suddenly came to life and was transformed into lice and gnats that covered their bodies. This plague was a rebuke to the Egyptians because of how they prided themselves in their cleanliness and hygiene. The priests were so religious about this that they used to shave their heads and bodies every third day, for fear of harbouring vermin or bugs while conducting their priestly duties".

FOURTH PLAGUE – FLIES, SWARMS OF BUGS [8:20-23]

The next plague is described in Exodus 8:20-32. The fourth plague represented "a division", a separation between Israel and the Egyptians. The Israelites had suffered from the first three judgments, but now the Lord made a distinction between Egypt and the Children of Israel. The words " flies" are in italics. The Hebrew word signifies, literally, "mixture", meaning a "mixed multitude" in Exodus 12:38. It is translated as the word "swarms". Apparently these "swarms" were made up of not only flies, but a variety of insects. As we are told in Psalm 78:45, "He sent divers sorts of flies" and they "devoured them"; the Hebrew word means "ate up". This plague was worse than the lice. The lice annoyed, but the "swarms of flies bit and devoured their flesh. It is believed one of these swarms included flying beetles. The beetle was sacred to Egypt and regarded as the emblem of the sun god Ra. It was sculptured on monuments, painted on tombs, engraved on gems, worn around the neck as a good-luck charm and honoured in thousands of images.

FIFTH PLAGUE - CATTLE DISEASE – DEATH TO LIVESTOCK [ 9:1-4]

Maybe this was BSE mad cow disease. The Egyptians worshipped many animals. Certain types of cattle were considered sacred to the Egyptians. One cattle god was called Apis. He was considered to be the chief god. Another Egyptian bull god was called Hapi. He was regarded as the reincarnation of the creator god of Memphis. ( Isn’t that where Elvis came from?) This plague of disease smote all the herds so that "all the cattle of Egypt died".

SIXTH PLAGUE – BOILS [9: 8-11]

This plague caused festering and painful boils to break out on man and beast throughout the land. This plague of boils is recorded in Exodus 9:8-12. Moses was instructed to take "handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and sprinkle it toward heaven in the sight of Pharaoh and the ashes became boils on the flesh. (9:8).

SEVENTH – HAILSTONES [9:22-26]

The next plague is described in Exodus 9:18-35. Moses stretches out his rod to the heavens to call down these plagues of Hail, locusts and darkness. The severity of the plague of hail marked by the reference that said, I will cause very heavy hail to rain down such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now. 9: 24 –

EIGHTH PLAGUE – LOCUSTS [10:3-6]

The eighth plague is recorded in Exodus 10:1-20. One of the most powerful symbols of divine judgment following the hail was the plague of locusts that literally filled the heavens. It says that the locusts were so thick that it says that no one could even see the face of the earth. Vs. 5 Locusts are one of the terrors of the East. They prey upon the crops, and consumed all vegetation. This plague, came after the destruction of the cattle, and destroyed the food-supply of Egypt. (Ps. 105:34, 35) refers to this plague, "He spoke and locusts came young locusts without number, and ate up all the vegetarian in their land and devoured the fruit of their ground.”

NINTH PLAGUE – DARKNESS [9: 21-23]

This plague was so dark that it could be felt. It was intended to be a judgment against the sun god Ra. So fearful was this "thick darkness" that the Egyptians "could not see one another, neither rose any from his place".: "But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings." This light was as supernatural as the darkness.

TENTH PLAGUE – DEATH OF THE FIRST BORN IN EGYPT

Next week we will learn about the tenth plague the death of the first born in Egypt. It laid the foundation for the whole feast of Passover and foreshadowed another Passover that would be fulfilled 2000 years later.

PROPHETIC PARALLEL

So then how does the Exodus in Egypt have a prophetic fulfillment for the end time believer? One very important purpose in these last days is for God to once again show to Israel and the nations who the one true God of heaven and earth is. We live in a time that is not unlike our ancient ancestors. There are many religions and many so called gods that people worship today. God will once again reveal His awesome power as He did in Days of Old and put to rest that there is only one God and creator of heaven and earth. The Book of Revelation describes what will take place on the earth in the last days just prior to the Messiahs coming. Much of this book has Passover imagery associated with it. The Book of Revelation says it is the Lamb of God who will open the seals and will begin the worldwide judgments and events of God's visitation upon the earth in these last days. Rev. 5: 2,3,5,12

The Passover- Exodus account described the people of God being engaged in a severe struggle with Egypt and their ruler, Pharaoh. The world parallels the Egypt of the Exodus. The people of God are represented by the Israelites in Egypt. God raised up two prophets Moses and Aaron who called down plagues on Egypt. The first nine plagues did not result in repentance by the Pharaoh or the Egyptians. It was not until the tenth and final plague,the death of the first born of Egypt that the Israelites were finally set free.

The number ten is significant. In Hebrew thought the meaning is the number of completion. Ten plagues represent complete judgment upon Egypt. Just as Moses and Aaron called down plagues of judgment on Egypt, the book of Revelation says there will be two witnesses on the earth who will have authority and power to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

These have power to shut up the sky in order that rain may not fall and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood. Rev 11:5

As Israel was protected in Goshen, so God will mark all believers and protect them from the plagues of judgment that are coming upon the earth.

Unlike the Israelites the believers in the last days will be protected in various places throughout the earth. The sons of Israel overcame the angel of death because of the blood of the lamb that was on the door posts of their homes. Believers in the last days will be protected and overcome Satan by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and by not loving their own lives even unto death. The Anti-messiah of the last days is paralleled by the Pharaoh who refuses to let God's people go. God will raise up prophetic voices in the last days that will cry out to the spiritual Pharaoh of this world. Let them go so that they may worship me.

There were ten plagues that fell upon Egypt. They were divided into three series of judgments. So also in the book of Revelation there are three series of judgments (seven seals, seven trumpets and seven bowls). Twenty one is the combination of three times 7. Twenty-one speaks of God's perfect judgment. Six of the plagues mentioned in Egypt will be the same plagues that God will pour out on the earth during these last days. In the book of Revelation are mentioned the plague of locusts, frogs, boils, water and seas turned into blood, darkness, and hailstones, six of the same type of plagues. There are two witnesses in the book of Revelation who will call down judgment on the earth, just as there was in Egypt when Moses and Aaron brought down the plagues of judgment on the Egyptians.

Just as the plagues of judgment in Egypt grew in greater severity so also the plagues of judgment in the book of Revelation will increase in intensity concluding with the bowls which speak of God's wrath being poured out on the earth. And just as Pharaoh and the Egyptians hardened their hearts despite the plagues most of the people of the earth will harden their hearts toward God.

Even after the fourth and fifth plague people continued to harden their hearts. - Rev. 16:9 – The fourth plague was heat "And men were scorched with great heat and they blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues, and they did not repent and give Him glory…" The fifth plague darkness. "They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pain and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds."

The end time believer will also have an extraordinary escape, as did the Israelites in their escape through the Sea. In these last days, all believers in the Messiah will be taken through the veil between heaven and earth. In a moment in the twinkling of the eye at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we will be changed and transported into heaven and then later return with the Messiah.

Because of the supernatural escape of the believers in the rapture in the last days prior to God's wrath, it will be even more dramatic than the escape of the Children of Israel through the sea. Just as the Egyptians foolishly pursued Israel into the sea, so also the armies of the Anti-Messiah will foolishly pursue Israel by sending his armies to invade the land of Israel in order to destroy the people of God. Zech 14- I,3-4,5a,b will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle.

Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mt. of Olives and it will be split in half and the people of God will walk through. Just as the Sea was split in half so will the Mt. of Olives split in half when Yeshua returns. Just as the children of Israel experienced the protection of the plagues in Egypt but observed the drowning of the Egyptians on the other side of the sea. So all true believers in the Messiah will experience protection from the plagues of God's Judgment and we will actually help to execute the judgment of God when we return with the Messiah from the other side.

And just as Pharaoh’s troops were supernaturally defeated in the sea, so the Anti-Messiah and his armies will be supernaturally defeated and thrown into the lake of fire. After Yeshua judges the nations and executes His final judgment on the nations who came against Jerusalem, we will finally enter into our millennial rest with the Messiah. Passover is a very powerful and prophetic picture of what will take place in these final days prior to the coming of the Messiah. Yeshua is planning to make a second appearance but this time it will not be as the innocent Lamb of God but as the Lion from the tribe of Judah. Rev 19:11-16. Are you prepared to meet Him. Now is the day of salvation. Not later or sometime down the road. The time is NOW. Will you accept Him? If you hear His voice don’t harden your heart. Turn to Him, believe in Him. He is the way, the truth and the life. If you delay it may be too late and you will have missed out on the most important decision of your life. There is no time like the present. Turn from your sin and by faith believe in Yeshua and you will receive the gift of eternal life. Passover is a time of new beginnings.

written and / or assembled by Cal Goldberg, Messianic Leader, Beth Shechinah