"God's Appointed Times"

Our last article was "Should Christians Celebrate Passover?" Today we would like to take that a step further and explain the ROOTS of our faith. First, as Christians, we are saved by grace (John 1:16). We have placed our faith in the only One through whom Salvation comes, Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, over the centuries many Jews and Christians have lost track of the fact that Jesus and a great portion of the 1st century church were Jewish. 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 explains the time honored ritual of communion (the Lord's supper) that most church's celebrate at least once each month. This meal that Jesus had with his disciples was in fact a PASSOVER meal and took place on the historical night before Jesus went to the cross. It was also on a Passover night that the death angel passed over Jewish households during their exodus from Egypt, the land of Pharaoh.

Jesus Himself observed "God's appointed times" (Leviticus 23:4). Most Christians today have come to believe that these feasts or High Holy days are just some sort of Jewish custom. In fact it was God Himself that ordained these times and decreed that "HIS PEOPLE" should observe them in perpetuity. The Spring "appointed times" include Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits and Pentecost.

How are these relevant for Christians today? Jesus died on the cross on Calvary precisely on the day of Passover. He was buried on Unleavened Bread. He rose from the grave on First Fruits and 50 days after His resurrection from the grave, and the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47) and the Church was born as three thousand souls were baptized in one day!

The Fall appointed times which include Tabernacles, Day of Atonement and Trumpets were also put in place by God Himself and many pastors and Biblical scholars believe that at some point in the future, these very three important "appointed times" could signal the rapture of the church, the second coming of Christ and the beginning of the 1000 year millennial reign of the King of Kings.

That is the relevance of Passover that will be celebrated on April 2nd, 6:30 p.m. at Crossroads church. So, come, all who are hungry, and partake of the Lord's Passover!

By Rance Cook, Pastor
Prophetic Sword Ministries, Intl.