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http://eschatology.name.ng/blog/2018/08/22/donate-to-assist-us/

Did you know that all firstborn Jewish males are required to fast on the day before Passover -- to recall the final plague when G-d killed the firstborn Egyptians, while the firstborn Jews were saved. Even our enemies are our brothers and we are all G-d's creation...

This Friday, April 19, 2019, is Passover and Shabbat. Passover is an 8 day (or 7 days in Israel), biblically mandated holiday. Chametz (leaven) is not allowed, instead we eat matzo.

The first and last two days (the last 2 commemorate the splitting of the Red Sea) are celebrated with special meals and blessings. This year is particularly special as Passover falls on Shabbat.

The Passover lamb (or goat) had nothing to do with sin, but was a celebratory offer during a festival. It seems appropriate to discuss the FIRST paschal שֶׂה (seh) – a young goat (usually) or lamb since Passover is nearly here.

The animal sacrificed was usually a goat. Lambs only if goats were not available.

Many missionaries will point to the fact that the Jews painted the blood of the lamb (goat) on the inner doorposts of their houses (yes inner, not outside the door) -- and missionaries focus on the blood, blood, blood. . .

The first paschal l שֶׂה (seh) – a young goat (usually) or lamb - was not about sin, or atonement. It was a test by G-d of the Jewish people to see if they would be brave enough to keep the Egyptian god (they worshiped sheep) in their homes for 4 days, kill it, roast it, eat it and paint its blood on the doors.

All of this was an act of bravery -- and showed that their faith in G-d was stronger than their fear of the Egyptians.

Here is what had to be done:.

1. Take a שֶׂה (seh) -- a less than one year old male lamb or goat

2. One per household (or with a neighbor)

3. Physically without blemish

4. Take it on Nisan 10 (the 10th day of Nisan)

5. Hold it IN YOUR HOUSE for four days

6. The שֶׂה / seh was slaughtered on the day of 14th of Nisan in the afternoon. In Mark 15:25 Jesus' crucifixion takes place at the third hour (9 a.m.) so the timing is off as well for a comparison.

7. On that first Passover (Nisan 15 -- after sundown on the 14th) we put the animals’ blood onto the door-frames of our homes (on the inside), roasted the meat and ate it. "They must take the blood and place it on the two doorposts and on the beam above the door of the houses in which they will eat [the sacrifice]." Sh'mot / Exodus 12:7.

8. "Eat the meat during the night, roasted over fire. Eat it with matzoh and bitter herbs." Sh'mot / Exodus 12:8.

Why was all this necessary -- and what was the purpose of the blood on the doorposts and beam?

"The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are staying. I will see the blood and pass you by (וּפָסַחְתִּ֖י / v'pasachti -- the וּ / vav is a prefix meaning "and" pass you by). There will not be any deadly plague among you when I strike Egypt." Sh'mot / Exodus 12:13.

It is a sign FOR YOU.

SIGN (not an atonement, not for sin -- but a SIGN)

FOR YOU.

Who is "you"?

The Jews who are slaves in Egypt.

Not the angel.

The Jews had to do all these things --

1. keep the animal (stinky and smelly) for 4 days,

2. slaughter it in the afternoon,

3. roast it,

4. eat it,

5. put the blood on the beam as a sign for THEMSELVES that they trusted G-d and were not afraid of the Egyptians killing them for mistreating the Egyptian god.

It was an act of bravery to taunt the Egyptians who were their slave owners. They literally took the Egyptian god (goat / lamb) tied up in their homes (disrespectful).

Then they KILLED it (Moses said this was a death sentence -- to kill the Egyptian god): "Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. 'Go!' he said. '[You have permission to] sacrifice to your G-d here in [our] land.'"

Moses replied: "That would hardly be suitable,' replied Moses. 'What we will sacrifice to G-d our L-rd is sacred to the Egyptians. Could we sacrifice the sacred animal of the Egyptians before their very eyes and not have them stone us?" Sh'mot / Exodus 8:21 - 22.

COULD WE SACRIFICE THE SACRED ANIMAL OF THE EGYPTIANS BEFORE THEIR VERY EYES AND NOT HAVE THEM STONE US?

And yet that is exactly what they did! They kept the animals in their homes, they killed them and then they roasted them (the Egyptians could smell the animals cooking) -- and yet they trusted G-d.

They trusted that they could keep the שֶׂה (seh) – a young goat (usually) or lamb - in their homes for days without punishment, could KILL them with no punishment and then EAT them with no punishment -- because G-d would protect them.

In our Passover service we thank G-d for all the plagues -- for not freeing us at once -- because we had to learn how to be free before He freed us. If we had been freed with no effort on our part we would still have been slaves in our thinking, slaves in our minds -- and G-d wants free men and women who can choose good over evil, the blessing and not the curse. . .

That was the entire point of making the Jews kill and eat the שֶׂה (seh) – a young goat or lamb.

It was an act of courage.

It was an act of defiance.

It was an act of freedom.

Doesn't that make perfect sense? Why else were there so many plagues? Why didn't G-d just free the Jews? We answer this question during our Passover Seder -- first we had to free ourselves -- free our minds and souls from being slaves. We had to become free men and women in our hearts and souls before G-d freed our bodies.

Killing the שֶׂה (seh) – a young goat (usually) or lamb - was an act of bravery and defiance -- it had nothing to do with sin or atonement and the idea of a human as a "lamb of god" is a very common theme in pagan religions of the time -- but definitely NOT Jewish.