בס״ד

פסח תשפ״ה

Passover 5785

When one speaks about the redeeming work of our Messiah, the word atonement should never be used. The Hebrew word atonement is כפרה and relates to a covering. This means that through atonement one’s sins are merely hidden or covered up. Atonement only delays the punishment of G-d. It does not remove the need for His judgment. Redemption is most different and superior to that of atonement. Redemption eradicates sin and therefore there no longer is a requirement for the judgment of G-d. Messiah Yeshua was crucified and died on the Cross on Passover, i.e., the Festival of Redemption, and not on Yom HaKippurim (the Day of Atonement).

The power of redemption is seen in the use of the Greek word ἐφάπαξ, meaning “once for all” in the book of Hebrews. Three of its five occurrences in the New Covenant occur in the Book of Hebrews (Hebrews 7:27, 9:12, and 10:10). Each time the word expresses the sufficiency of the Messiah’s work of redemption. This means what Yeshua accomplished on the Cross on the Festival of Redemption does not need to be maintained or repeated, but has eternal implications, guaranteeing the believer an eternal life which cannot be altered, lost, forfeited or changed. This means that every true believer can have an absolute confidence and assurance of his or her salvation. This is why one reads in Hebrews 9:12,

οὐδὲ δι' αἵματος τράγων καὶ μόσχων διὰ δὲ τοῦ ἰδίου αἵματος, εἰσῆλθεν ἐφάπαξ εἰς τὰ ἅγια, αἰωνίαν λύτρωσιν εὑράμενος.

“But not by blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered once and for all into the Holy places having made found eternal redemption.

The Greek word εὑράμενος is derived from the verb “to find”. Most translations render it as “having obtained”. Such a translation does not take into account the fact that the participle is in the aorist passive. The aorist tense reflects something that was done in the past, but also something which was done fully or completely. The passive voice shows a causative force. Hence, it was because that on the very day of Passover Yeshua was crucified, that not only His death, but the shedding of His blood, caused to be provided or made to be eternal redemption. The word eternal also reflects the fact that our redemption cannot be altered, lost, forfeited or changed.

Whereas the Messiah being crucified on the very day of Passover reveals His work of redemption, the fact that it was G-d the Father Who raised His Only Begotten Son from the dead, equally contains great relevance. In First Corinthians chapter 15, the Apostle Paul mentions twice that Yeshua is the “first fruits” (See 1 Corinthians 15:20 and 23). This fact also contains significant revelation. The Greek word translated “first fruits” ἀπαρχὴ is equivalent to the Hebrew word רֵאשִׁית. The word directly relates to a special commandment which is performed during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It must take place on the first day of the week, after the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Please note that no date is given for this day and traditional Judaism (Orthodox Judaism) is incorrect in providing a specific date for this commandment (Nissan 16).

On this day, one would bring the עומר to the Priest as a special type of offering. This offering relates to one being made acceptable to G-d, as it is stated in Leviticus 23:11,

וְהֵנִיף אֶת-הָעֹמֶר לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, לִרְצֹנְכֶם; מִמָּחֳרַת, הַשַּׁבָּת, יְנִיפֶנּוּ, הַכֹּהֵן.

“And the Priest will wave the Omer before the L-rd for your acceptance, from the day after the Shabbat he will wave it.”

This verse emphasizes that the commandment must be performed on the day after Shabbat. The debate is on which Shabbat is Moses referring? Again, Orthodox Judaism states the High Shabbat, i.e., the first day of Unleavened Bread. Hence, this would mean Nissan 16. There are two major problems with such an understanding. The first problem is that if this was the intent of the verse, then Moses could have simply provided the date and the confusion would have been avoided. Moses did not provide any date in this section relating to when this commandment needed to be observed. The second problem is that in verse 15, the key expression מִמָּחֳרַת, הַשַּׁבָּת, “from the day after the Shabbat” appears again. One is commanded to count seven complete Shabbats. This demands that one understand the word הַשַּׁבָּת as relating to the weekly Shabbat, i.e. the seventh day of the week.

Some have argued that the term Shabbat should be understood as referring to a week. Although there are certainly times when the word Shabbat can indeed refer to a seven day period, this cannot be the case here, as the term is established in verse 11 and it must either refer to the High Shabbat or the weekly Shabbat (the seventh day). The fact that in verse 15, one is commanded to count seven Shabbats demands that it must relate to the weekly Shabbat, as there are not seven High Shabbats during this period.

It is highly significant that Yeshua is called twice in First Corinthians chapter 15 our First Fruits. The fact that the commandment is a wave offering relates to victory. Secondly, the prayer that accompanied this commandment was that the rest of the harvest be like the first fruits. This means that those who have fallen asleep in Yeshua, i.e. died with faith in the Gospel, will be like Him. This certainly does not relate to us becoming divine, as Yeshua is Divine. Rather, it relates to the Finished Work of G-d that will take place at the time of the Rapture, i.e. the Day of Messiah Yeshua as one learns from Paul in Philippians 1:6,

πεποιθὼς αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ὅτι ὁ ἐναρξάμενος ἐν ὑμῖν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἐπιτελέσει ἄχρι ἡμέρας Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ·

“Being persuaded of this very thing, that the One Who has begun in you all a good work, will complete it perfectly during the Day of Messiah Yeshua.”

The Day of Messiah Yeshua is simply another term which refers to the Rapture, when believers will receive their new bodies which are specifically designed for eternity in the Kingdom of G-d. In this body, believers will be fully committed to the will of G-d and will not be able to sin. This is the victory which the wave offering relates to and why Messiah’s work of redemption will cause every believer to be acceptable to G-d.

Whereas the Cross contains much significance, one must also understand that the most important event which has occurred in human history is the resurrection of Yeshua, which happened on this very day called רֵאשִׁית or the “First fruits”. Paul emphasizes this in First Corinthians chapter 15, when he stated,

“But if Messiah was not raised, as a result, empty is our proclamation, and empty is your faith. And we are found also false witnesses of G-d, because we have witnessed according to G-d having raised the Messiah Whom not He has raised, if as a result, the dead are not caused to be raised. For if the dead are not made to rise, neither Messiah has been raised. But if Messiah be not raised, futile is your faith; still you are in your sins, and as a result, those who have fallen asleep in Messiah have perished. And in this life in Messiah we have only hoped, we are only (the ones) more than all to be pitied.”

1 Corinthians 15:14-19

The Good News is indeed that G-d has raised the Messiah from the dead and our faith is not empty and our proclamation is now powerful and effective. We are not false witnesses, but our faith contains great significance and brings about the eternal forgiveness of our sins and those who have died in the Messiah can fully expect to be raised from the dead and enter into the Kingdom of G-d. We should not be pitied, but believers are the only ones who can fully expect to enter into the presence of G-d immediately upon death and experience the promises and blessings of G-d forever and ever. To Him be the Power and Glory today and always. Amen

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