Christ the fulfillment of feasts of Passover and Pentecost

• Christ the fulfillment of the Feast of Passover - We first read about the establishment of the Passover in Exodus 12. It is extremely significant that as the lambs were being slain in the temple for the Jewish Passover, that the Lord Jesus Christ – the Lamb of God, Who was “slain from the foundation of the world” – was hanging on the Cross. He was fulfilling all the particulars related to the Passover lamb, which God had expressed in the Exodus 12:5-14. At the time when Israel departed out Egypt, it was the Passover; it was the blood of the lamb applied to the door post that would cause God to skip over the judgement. This is what the word “passover” actually means, “to leap”, “to go over”. Actually, it all pointed to Jesus, the Lamb of God, as John the Baptist announced, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). When Abraham was ready to offer up Isaac, remember what Abraham said to Isaac?, “God will provide Himself a lamb”. Lord Jesus Christ is that “Lamb”. This is how a sinner — and it is the only way — can escape the judgment of God. It is only through His blood that anyone can find forgiveness and have their sins washed away and be cleansed. In principle, the Lord Jesus Christ paid for the sins of His people even before He created this magnificently complex universe. Notice the emphasis that is placed on the timing of this wonderful Salvation Plan, “from the foundation of the world” (Rev 13:8). Christ’s death was foretold in Scripture hundreds and even thousands of years before it took place. In order to accomplish His divine mission, the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world had one day to be physically betrayed by one of his disciples, to allow Himself to be betrayed, captured, humiliated, beaten, and crucified. Mat 26:2 informs us, “Ye know that after two days is the feast of the Passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified”. His death was the means that God decreed to reconcile every Christian to the Father, as Isa 53:5 dramatically points out: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”. Christ’s death resulted in spiritual healing for all whom He came to save. The Passover lamb in Exo 12:5 was to be “without blemish” because it symbolized the perfect nature and work of the Lord Jesus Christ: “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats”. This typology is confirmed in the New Testament by 1 Pet 1:18-19, that we were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”.

Exo 12:5-14 “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’s passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.”

Gen 22:7-8 “And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together."

1 Pet 1:18-19 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

1 Cor 5:7-8 “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

• The day of Pentecost is the Fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits - The Feasts, feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread and the feast of Pentecost/Firstfruits had a spiritual meaning that God fulfilled with His Gospel. Jesus was the fulfillment of the feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread. The Bible teaches that the “fellowship”, or salvation, of the Gentiles (the “nations”, or non-Jewish people) was hidden, or was a “mystery”, until God chose to reveal it on the Day of Pentecost following Christ’s resurrection. That was when the Holy Spirit was poured out and the Feast of Pentecost/Firstfruits was fulfilled, and God’s program to evangelize the world was instituted. Let me hasten to add, however, that God “hinted” to this in the Old Testament when He saved certain individuals, who were obviously not Jews. Some examples are: Rahab the harlot of Jericho, Ruth the Moabitess, and Ebedmelech of Ethiopia. Though Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World, though the Holy Spirit is at work in OT believers (indwelling in them) and though the Salvation was extended to Gentiles but only few were saved. For eg; Bible records, there were seven thousand at one point whom the Bible says “have not bowed the knee to Baal”; and He saved 120 thousand in the city of Nineveh. Now that the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, had gone to the Cross, it was God’s plan to evangelize the whole world. The old Testament Church represented by Nation of Israel (who refused the corner stone Christ) ended and the New testament Church Age (with Christ as corner stone) began with 3000 souls being saved, by the outpouring of Holy Spirit. The evangelizing of the world began—The Holy Spirit was to be poured out upon the nations as the messengers of the Gospel going forth from the churches and congregations that God was establishing would carry the good news of salvation and a great multitude will be saved.

Exo 23:14-16 “Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. 15Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) 16And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.”

Acts 2:1-5 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.”

Matt 21:42-44 “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone [Jesus Christ] which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you [Nation of Israel], and given to a nation [New Testament Church] bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”

Psa 118:22-24 “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. 24This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Rev 7:9-12 “…I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes [Robe of Righteousness of Christ], and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen”

• Jesus is the “Firstborn from the Dead” and the “First of the Firstfruits” - Significantly, Jesus Christ is also called the “firstborn” based on the Greek word prototokos (G4416). Prototokos in the following verses about the Lord Jesus Christ: “the firstborn [prototokos] of every creature” (Col 1:15), “the firstborn [prototokos] among many brethren” (Rom 8:29), “the first begotten [prototokos] of the dead” (Rev 1:5), “Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Cor 15:20), spiritually conveys the idea of His being preeminently “brought forth” from Hell. Since the actual Atonement for sin had never happened before, He is called the “firstborn from the dead” in Col 1:18 and God clearly defines the usage of the Greek word for “firstborn” (prototokos) as it relates to Jesus in His death and resurrection. Notice the phrase “the firstborn from the dead” harmonizes perfectly with the Greek word for “only begotten” (monogenes) identifying with Jesus’ resurrection from the second death, the eternal wrath of God. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the pinnacle, the keystone, and the centerpiece of Gospel. It is the most critical factor of God’s whole salvation program, as is emphasized in 1 Cor 15:16-18. Another related Greek word that is translated as “firstfruits”(aparche:G536) in 1 Cor 15:20. The Old Testament has much to say about “firstfruits” with reference to the first “fruit”, or produce, from a crop harvest. The “feast of harvest” that featured the firstfruits was also called the “feast of weeks”. It was one of the three main feasts that God commanded Israel to keep annually. It followed the “feast of unleavened bread” (or Passover) in the spring of the year, and it corresponded to Pentecost in the New Testament. The three feasts are described in Exo 23:14-16. Each of those feast periods has much symbolism and spiritual significance related to specific events in the timeline of God’s salvation program during the New Testament period, but time will not permit us to describe this subject in detail. There was an important distinction between the “first of the firstfruits” and the remaining portion of the “firstfruits” as we read in in Exo 34:26. We can understand that the “first of the firstfruits” spiritually pointed to Jesus Christ, Who was saved from eternal damnation at the Cross and returned to “the house of LORD”. In fact, His resurrection from the spiritual second death is essential for the salvation of all of God’s elect, who are the remaining portion of the “firstfruits”, as we can see from 1 Cor 15:20-24. Jam 1:18 further explains that believers, like their Master, are also “a kind of firstfruits”, since they, too, have been raised from the dead spiritually and are assured of eternal life: “Of his own will begat he us [true believers] with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures”. God saves His people through the truth of His Word; and the word “begat” in this verse Jam 1:18 means to be “brought forth”, or to be spiritually “born from above”. 

Col 1:15 “Who [Lord Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn [prototokos] of every creature:”

Col 1:18-20 “And he [Lord Jesus Christ] is the head of the body, the church [the eternal body of true believers]: who is the beginning, the firstborn [prototokos] from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

Rom 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn [prototokos] among many brethren.”

Rev 1:5-6 “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten [prototokos:G4416] of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us [that is, the true believers], and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

1 Cor 15:20 “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”

Exo 34:26 “The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God…”

1 Cor 15:20-24 “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits [aparche:G536] of them that slept [those who have died physically]. 21For since by man came death, by man [Christ] came also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits [aparche:G536]; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.”

• This is the LORD’s Doing; it is Marvellous in our Eyes - The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Acts 17:32 paints this universal response not only to the Resurrection, but to the Bible as a whole: “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed”. Indeed, the Resurrection guarantees that all true Christians will be eternally saved, as we see in Rom 9:33, “As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him [Christ] shall not be ashamed”. On the other hand, those who do not have a Savior will be “ashamed” – that is, eternally damned – as we also find in 1 Pet 2:8, “And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed”. Psa 118:22-23 (quoted in Mat 21:42-45), discloses how God’s salvation program was to shift from the Jewish synagogues – who rejected Jesus as a corner stone, to the New Testament Church – started with Jesus as a corner stone, with the pouring of Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Matt 21:44 quoting Psa 118:23-24 declares “This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it”. Rom 10:3 also underscores this important fact, “For they [national Israel] being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God”. God’s righteousness is only imputed through Jesus Christ.

Psa 118:22-24 “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. 24This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Matt 21:42-44 “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone [Jesus Christ] which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you [Nation of Israel], and given to a nation [New Testament Church] bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”

Acts 4:10-12 “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”