By Maria Merola אריאל
© Copyright Double Portion Inheritance, March 2018.
This event is when the High Priest (Cohen ha’Gadowl) entered into Jerusalem in order to “select the lamb” that would be sacrificed four days later on Passover.
Caiaphas, (the High Priest that year) was obviously livid when he realized that our Messiah was displaying himself as both the High Priest and the Sacrificial Lamb as he rode a donkey into Jerusalem.
What was going on here? Well, a few things were taking place at once. Let me begin with the command to redeem a donkey for Passover.
In Shemoth (Exodus) 13:13 we are commanded to redeem the firstborn of a young donkey for Pesach (Passover):
Shemoth (Exodus) 13:13 And every firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among your children shall you redeem.
What is the purpose of this ordinance? In the account of Balaam and his donkey, we get a glimpse into this Passover ordinance.
In Numbers 22:22-33, we see that Balaam’s donkey was symbolic of the nation of Yisra’el, whom Balak wanted to curse. The donkey is a stubborn, stiff-necked creature, and Yisra’el was often referred to as “A stiff-necked people.”
In the same way that Balaam unjustly wanted to curse Yisra’el for hire, so Balaam beat his donkey out of ignorance, not realizing that the donkey was actually saving his life. Balaam was shown that Yisra’el was like his donkey whom he had beaten three times without justification. In Numbers 22:34, Balaam was reproved when he realized that his donkey saved his life. That is when he repented and admitted his sinful attitude towards his donkey and towards Yisra’el.
When our Messiah rode on a donkey’s colt into Jerusalem four days before he was sacrificed for us, he was fulfilling these prophecies:
Bereshiyth (Genesis) 49:11 Binding his foal [young donkey] unto the vine, and his donkey’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes.
Zecharyahuw (Zechariah) 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Tziyown (Zion); shout, O daughter of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem): behold, your King comes unto you: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.
Mattithyahuw (Matthew) 21:5 Tell you the daughter of Tziyown (Zion); Behold, your King comes unto you, meek, and sitting upon a donkey and a colt the foal of a donkey.
In Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19, Yahuwshuwa descends from the Mount of Olives towards Jerusalem, and the crowds lay their clothes on the ground to welcome him as he triumphantly enters Jerusalem. Christians celebrate our Messiah’s entry into Jerusalem as “Palm Sunday,” a week before Easter Sunday.
But was it really on a Sunday? Does Scripture call this event “Palm Sunday?” Actually, there is clear proof that this event took place on a Sabbath Day, (four days before our Messiah was killed as the Passover Lamb. Our Messiah died on the 4th day of the week (what we today call Wednesday).
To learn more, see the blog entitled: Three Days & Three Nights in the Heart of the Earth: The Good Friday Myth
Scripture commands that we “select the lamb” on the 10th day of the 1st month, and then we “keep the lamb” as a pet in our homes. And finally, on the 14th day, we kill it. It is referred to in Judaism as “The Inclusion of the Lamb” when Yisra’el was commanded to take the lamb into their homes for four days before killing it.
In Exodus 12, the instructions are given precisely as it played out in the prophetic fulfillment of our Messiah in the Gospels:
Shemoth (Exodus) 12:3 Speak you unto all the congregation of Yisra’el, saying, In the tenth day of this month [the first month, Abib] they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
Shemoth (Exodus) 12:4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
Shemoth (Exodus) 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: you shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
*Note: Some would argue that our Messiah was a male, but not a “one year-old.” So where does the “one year” part of our Messiah’s ministry get fulfilled?
We see four Passovers fulfilled throughout the duration of his ministry (John 2:13; John 6:4; John 11:55; John 18:39; 19:14). On the third Passover of his 3.5 year ministry, Caiaphas the High Priest announced “that year” that he would die for the nation (John 11:51-53).
We see four Passovers fulfilled throughout the duration of his ministry (John 2:13; John 6:4; John 11:55; John 18:39; 19:14). On the third Passover of his 3.5 year ministry, Caiaphas the High Priest announced “that year” that he would die for the nation (John 11:51-53).
And thus it was 2.5 years into his ministry, when Caiaphas made this announcement. This means that he was “chosen” by the High Priest as the “one year old lamb” when he died!
Shemoth (Exodus) 12:6 And you shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Yisra’el shall kill it in the evening.
*Note: The inhabitants of Jerusalem “took him in,” (so to speak when) they shouted “Hosanna in the Highest!”
Shemoth (Exodus) 12:6 And you shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Yisra’el shall kill it in the evening.
*Note: The inhabitants of Jerusalem “took him in,” (so to speak when) they shouted “Hosanna in the Highest!”
The word “Hosanna” in Hebrew is “Hosheana” which means “We pray that you would save us!”
The word in Hebrew for “keep” is “mishmereth” which means “to watch, to keep in custody, to safeguard.”
For four days, Yisra’el took care of their pet lamb, loved it and adored. Then, four days later, they had to kill the very thing that they grew to love and adore!
The word in Hebrew for “keep” is “mishmereth” which means “to watch, to keep in custody, to safeguard.”
For four days, Yisra’el took care of their pet lamb, loved it and adored. Then, four days later, they had to kill the very thing that they grew to love and adore!
Do you see the pattern?
Yisra’el worshiped their king shouting “We pray that you would save us!”
They had “selected” their Savior, the Lamb!
To see even more prophetic patterns of our Messiah in the Passover, see the blog entitled: “Did Messiah Eat the Passover Before He Died?”
To see even more prophetic patterns of our Messiah in the Passover, see the blog entitled: “Did Messiah Eat the Passover Before He Died?”
Four days later, the very same people shouted “Crucify him! Let his blood be upon us, and upon our children!”
Isn’t that what happened at the first Passover in Egypt? Did not the Yisraelites “place the blood” upon their homes to protect themselves and their children from the death angel?
At the moment that they shouted “Crucify him!” They were already “killing the lamb” with their words!
And because of the lamb being killed Yisra’el, the “first-born” went free!
Did you know that Barabbas (Bar Abba in Aramaic) means “Son of the Father?”
Yes, Bar Abba (Barabbas) was a symbol of the Nation of Yisra’el---the first-born son, whom he came to redeem!
You see, Bar Abba went free (though he was the guilty one) and the innocent Lamb was killed in his place!
That is PRECISELY the meaning of the word “scapegoat!”
It means “An innocent party who takes the place of the guilty party!”
Shemoth (Exodus) 12:7 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.
Mark 15:27 And with him they crucify TWO THIEVES; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
Mark 15:27 And with him they crucify TWO THIEVES; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
The “Two Side Posts” represent “Two Houses of Yisra’el” and the “Two Thieves” also represent “Two Houses of Yisra’el!”
This is how we know that he was nailed to “Two Trees” or “Two Sticks” (Ezekiel 37:16-17) for both Yahuwdiym (Jews) and those in the nations (Goyim/Gentiles)!
Balaam’s donkey and every other donkey in the world has a symbol of the “Two Sticks” on his back! In other words, it was a “cross” made from “Two Trees!”
That is why every donkey in the world has a cross on his back. The “cross” is a combination of the “stauros & xylon.” The stauros was a 300-pound stake or pole that was already standing there when he arrived at the “Place of the Skull.”
The xylon (translated as “tree” in the book of Acts) was a 75-pound “cross-beam” that he carried on his shoulder to his place of execution.
Thus, he carried the “Stick of Judah” to the “Stick of Ephraim” according to Ezekiel 37:16-17, and he made both Houses “one stick in his hand!”
Interestingly, the Hebrew word for “stick” in Ezekiel 37:16 is “ets” which means “tree!”
To learn more see the blog entitled: “The Aleph & Taw: The Red Heifer & The Two Sticks.”
Thanks so much Maria! Yahuah bless you!
ReplyDelete