Journey
Originally scheduled for June 5
If you did not look at
the theological significance of Passover, one of the first things
that would strike you about the passages about it is this: it has
every characteristic of a set of instructions for people who were
going on their first journey. They’ve never been there before;
they’ve never done it before. Therefore, the rules are strict and to
be followed to the letter. You don’t want them getting lost along
the way.
We
might also point out that it is clear that sacrifices must be made
to accomplish this. Perhaps the most poignant example of this is the
sacrificial lamb. The lamb was to be selected on the 10th day and
kept with your family until the 14th day when it was to be
slaughtered. Just enough time for the kids to grow fond of the lamb.
Both the rules and the Lamb have striking familiarity to those who
take communion. Passover is frequently cited as a forerunner to
communion.
You can
see this in the similarity of the elements. Bread and wine are
specified, but not just any bread — unleavened bread. Strict
instructions, right? You also see, of course, the Sacrificial Lamb —
Jesus, the Christ. Without his sacrifice there is no communion.
Without
his sacrifice there is also no forgiveness. The blood on the
doorpost would cause the angel of death to pass over that particular
house. Christ’s blood shed on the cross allows him to forgive us.
There are many such similarities.
But
there is one apparent difference. Moses understood from God, and
related to the Jewish people, that this was a journey — and a
journey has a destination. They were promised a specific piece of
geography, described by the names of its current occupants. They
were told that it was a land flowing with milk and honey. It is
commonly referred to as “the Promised Land.” It took them 40 years
to get there, with several missteps along the way. Missteps?
Grumblings of mutiny! But get there they did.
So
where’s the New Testament equivalent of that? The land of milk and
honey was in accordance with the status of Moses, the lawgiver. The
promised land of the New Testament promised land is in accordance
with the stature of Christ, the Savior. It is described in
Revelation, chapter 21.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and
the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I
saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from
God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a
loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God
is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His
people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away
every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death;
there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first
things have passed away." And He who sits on the throne said,
"Behold, I am making all things new." And He *said, "Write, for
these words are faithful and true."
(Revelation 21:1-5 NASB)
Of
course, this is symbolic language and probably doesn’t provide the
description we would like. But what would you expect? The creator of
heaven and earth, He who spoke in the world’s began, says he will
make all things new — a new heaven, a new earth. What it will really
look like I do not know, but the glory of God will be in it.
As you
partake this morning, remember that you are on a journey. This world
is not your home, you are just passing through. Keep your eye on the
destination, the land of God’s glory.
