ONE BY ONE – HIS KINGDOM COMES

PASSOVER

My heart pounded. How could I celebrate thinking, any moment, the Pharisees would come and break the door down. They threatened Yeshua because of the chaos from the crowds. This time they meant it. I hoped his kingdom would come to us, but trouble started in the streets.

The people called him ‘Messiah!’  Waving palms, they celebrated thinking he would bring the kingdom this week, at Passover, we did too. But now – it’s over.

I ate the bitter herbs quickly, reclining at the table, my stomach churned. Doubts came one by one to make a case against Yeshua. Nothing made sense. I wondered, “Will his kingdom come here and now? And who exactly is this man I’m following? He’s no Moses.”

Moses led our people out from slavery to freedom, but where was Yeshua leading us? Clouds of confusion covered me just like the angel of death in Egypt. Would we die here with Yeshua? Could Yeshua save us from the Pharisees?

I left everything to follow him, now – what?

BROKEN BREAD

During dinner, when the time came to wash our hands again, before he broke the bread, Yeshua rose and took off his garment. One by one he washed our feet instead. Yeshua washed our feet, like a servant, not a king! He was trying to teach us something.

Yeshua broke the bread and one by one gave it to us, saying it was his body given for us. I didn’t feel like eating it. Yeshua even lifted up the cup saying it was a new covenant. The cup, he said was his blood poured out to forgive sins.

And oh, his blood was poured out – that same day! They crucified him! On Passover! On Passover.

Later, John reminded me that the Baptist said this would come.

“Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!”

Was Yeshua a Passover Lamb or a King?

TRAITOR

The worst part that night was when Yeshua told us that one of us would betray him! We all had doubts, but not betrayal. No!

One by one we went to him to ask, “Is it me? Am I the sinner?”

If I had known then, I would have stopped Judas! I would have killed him with my own hands! What would you have done? Judas took blood money! And Yeshua even washed his feet too!

Does Yeshua’s blood cover Judas, a traitor? I hear Yeshua’s blood crying out from the dust of Golgotha, “Vengeance!”

Is God listening?

THE KINGDOM COMES

Yeshua said the Kingdom of God was at hand and we believed him! We wanted to help him bring his kingdom. But instead, he brought chaos at the temple. He should have led his followers to rise up against Rome, not the Pharisees. Why did he bother them?

And this was exactly what the Pharisees feared, an uprising. Even this week, swarms of pilgrims called him “King!” We thought he would be like Moses and free us from the oppression of Rome. We believed his kingdom would come, now!

But one by one, I watched the people turn on him and leave.

Even us, his closest friends, ran from the soldiers in the garden. One by one we abandoned Yeshua in the dark, alone! What kind of kingdom has an army that runs away in fear? But Yeshua wouldn’t even let us defend him! That night, Peter tried, but Yeshua rebuked him.

“He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.”

But now Yeshua is the one who is dead, and he didn’t even own a weapon.

UNDER COVER

We ran and hid among the pilgrims while the romans searched for us. We scattered as chaos filled the streets.

I hid behind a stone in a corner of the wall on the road leading out of the city, and cowered. My heart dropped every time someone looked into my face. Did they know I was one of “them?”

No sleep came that night, only sorrows. Matthew found me, as the sun rose and wept as he told me about the trial. In the cover of night, witnesses came one by one, telling lies, calling Yeshua a blasphemer! The Sanhedrin convicted him. Guilty! I know they only wanted him dead!

And at dawn, they took him to the Romans. I have seen what Rome does to prisoners, but when I saw Yeshua! I couldn’t even look at him.

The Romans always make a show of crucifixions. Some people love to watch the carnage and today the streets overflowed with them. I wanted to shout that this was no criminal; this was my rabbi, Yeshua, Messiah! But I didn’t. I didn’t defend him, not even with my voice.

The soldiers drove Yeshua through the crowds; he was stumbling under the weight, but they made him carry the cross! They had whipped his back to shreds, his bones showing, and yet, he carried it and he never cried out! I cried, but he didn’t. He kept going.

I wish I had stepped up to carry it for him, but then they would know who I was, so I covered myself and looked away. Step by step, he struggled, until they grabbed Simon from Cyrene and forced him to carry the cross the rest of the way.

BLOOD AND TEARS

The hammer struck hard as they pierced Yeshua’s hands and feet. These were the same strong hands he used to touch desperate people. I was one of them! For three years the people came, and he never drew back! He touched them and one by one, freed them and forgave their sins. Yeshua healed all their diseases. He never turned anyone away. Blind eyes, filthy lepers, twisted legs, nothing was impossible for him, even the dead came back to life!

And now these ignorant men pounded nails into him! That awful sound still echoes in my head! Yet Yeshua never made a sound. He stayed silent like a lamb to be slaughtered.

The soldiers struggled under the weight of the cross as they lifted him up. In that moment, it was as if everything stopped. It’s as if all of Creation gasped at the sight of Yeshua, covered in blood, hanging on a Roman cross.

One by one we cried; Oh God – where are you? Why have you forsaken your servant?

The women’s wailing drowned out the screaming of the thieves being crucified beside him. Our tears and his blood soaked Golgotha’s hill.

Yeshua’s blood flowed down to the dust of the ground and cried out –  “Mercy! Mercy!” – never vengeance.

“Father Forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Tears and blood. Is this the way to build a kingdom?

THE VERDICT

THIS IS YESHUA – THE KING OF THE JEWS

One by one, onlookers passed by him, as he hung there bleeding. They cursed him and spit  on the ground.

“He saved others but he can’t save himself!”

“You – who were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in 3 days! Save yourself!”

He saw and heard them but said nothing to defend himself. Of course, the scribes watched  to make sure it was properly finished. They mocked him –

“If you are the Son of God, come down from that cross and save yourself!”

THICK DARKNESS COVERING

Face down in the dirt, I wailed alongside the women. I no longer cared if anyone knew me. He knew me, and I wanted to be there with him. When the sun went dark, and thick darkness covered Jerusalem, I felt I had lost everything. Yeshua, the Messiah, came to conquer, but they had conquered him.

I watched for his kingdom to come, but it was over.

INTO THE GRAVE – THE BROKEN MATZAH

Yeshua died on that cross on Passover day. I was there. I saw it.

Before they took him down, the soldiers pierced his side to make sure he was dead. Two Pharisees, secret followers, came and took Yeshua’s body to wash and bury him before the sun set.

As I watched all this, I thought back to the Passover meal. Yeshua broke the Matzah, and told us,

“This is my body, given for you.”

Before that night, He taught us that he was the “Bread from Heaven.” Now like the Matzah he was broken bread. I hoped His kingdom would come, but it was finished!

Is this how his story ends?

 

 

HIS CALL TO US

Beloved – Each of us comes alone to the cross of Yeshua and by way of blood and tears. One by one, we repent, receive His forgiveness and are born-again in our spirit.

Since that Passover day at Golgotha until today, His Kingdom is growing in number! We as His followers carry His Life and Light inside and share it with those around us. As we shine for Him, one by one people come and hear and believe the Good News of Yeshua and the cross.

Thick darkness is growing and covers the earth. He is calling us now to shine even brighter. I pray we answer the call and lead others to Him!

One by One His Kingdom Comes!

Amen!

 

 

To READ More About OUR PASSOVER LAMB & His HEART FOR US:

Your Passover Lamb Is Ready—Isaiah 53