How does Yeshua become the Passover lamb at Passover ( 1 Corinthians 5:7) and the High Priest on Yom Kippur / the Feast of Atonement ( Heb 4:14-16)? What is the difference here?
The Lamb of YHWH.
When Yochanan the Baptist saw Yeshua while he was baptizing at the river Jordan, He said, “Behold the Lamb of YHWH who takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29). Yeshua came to lay His life down and take it up as the Father directed Him. (John 10:18). However, the Bible clarifies that Yeshua was slain before the foundation of the world. (Rev 13:8). In the spiritual world, Yeshua’s death and resurrection as the Lamb of YHWH is timeless and in the continuum. He doesn’t die every day and for every sin. (Heb 9:26) His death and its redemption remain effective from eternity to eternity, once and for all. In our world where everything has a time frame so does Yeshua’s death and resurrection which occurred more than 2000 years ago.
The First Passover Lamb
was slain in Egypt by dressed and ready-to-travel Israelites and its blood was applied to the doorpost so that when the spirit of death came, it passed over these houses. (Exo 12:23). The lamb was to be a year old, without blemish or defect was a foreshadowing of Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of Adam qualified by remaining free from sin. (Exodus 12:5;1 Peter 1:19). The Israelites celebrate the Passover to remember their freedom from slavery and it symbolizes our release from slavery to sin. We celebrate Yeshua’s death in communion till He returns.
The High Priest
In the Levitical system, the High Priest was a descendant of Aaron and was the mediator between YHWH and the nation of Israel. He would wear designated clothes of the High Priest all of which symbolize the Messiah. He would officiate over the sacrifices in the Tabernacle and later in the temple.
Once a year on Yom Kippur or the Feast of Atonement, he would first carry the blood of a mature bull for purification for himself and the priesthood into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat 7 times. He would take the blood of the goat chosen by lots to be sacrificed for the nation of Israel into the Holy of Holies and again sprinkle the blood 7 times to purify the nation. (Lev 16).
Yom Kippur is the most holy and high day that falls on the 10th day of the seventh month when the people afflict themselves by fasting, repentance, and prayer and by not doing any regular work. There were other rules to be followed as well. On Yom Kippur, their names were to be sealed in the Book of Life and this is how Jews greet each other. “May your name be inscribed”.
After Yeshua died, He entered the greater and perfect Tabernacle in heaven, not made by humans. Like the High Priest functions. He carried His blood, not that of bulls or goats, once and for all time and secured our redemption forever. Heb 12: 11-12. His blood atones for / covers our sins. He forgives us and removes our guilt. It purifies our conscience from sinful deeds so that we can worship the Living ADONAI. He mediates the new covenant between YHWH and mankind. (Heb 12:14-15).
In a capsule, we understand that Yeshua came as a sacrifice to die outside the camp and became the permanent High Priest because of His vicarious death and resurrection. He is seated at the right hand of the Father to continue His ministry as the High Priest and to intercede for us.
Shalom. MJK.
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