Sunday 02:27:11

These events are saturated with meaning. This is the fulfillment of hundreds of OT prophecies, foreshadowing, and prototypes. We’ll look at three of those this morning. They celebrated the Passover together – which was a foreshadowing: The Passover celebrated an event for 1450 years when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. God sent plagues on Egypt for their treatment of the Israelites. The last plague was the death of every first born in the country. But the Lord spared the life of the firstborn whose doorways were covered with the blood of a slaughtered a lamb. The angel of death came and “passed over” those homes. The Passover had been celebrated for 1450 years, foreshadowing what Christ would do as the Lamb of God, sparing their lives by the death of the Lamb. Matthew 26:26-30 - Jesus with the disciples at the last supper v. 26 He taught them about how they must accept the sacrifice of his body for forgiveness. v. 27 His blood was poured out for them. v. 28 You must accept the sacrifice of his body and blood. If you do, you will receive forgiveness of your sin. He was about to go to Gethsemane where he would be betrayed, trialed, and finally executed. v. 30 Before they left, they sang a hymn, as was custom for the Passover meal. Did you ever wonder what they sang? At the beginning of the Passover meal, they sang Psalms 113-114. At the end of the Passover meal, they sang Psalms 115-118. Listen to some of the words they sang that evening together: Psalm 117:1-2 v. 1 – “Praise” is Hallel. These are known as the “Hallel Psalms” Why would all nations praise the Lord? Why all peoples? God’s plan from the beginning was that God’s redemptive work in and for Israel had in view the redemption of the Gentiles. Genesis 12:3 - God’s promise to Abraham 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” The Gentiles would see God’s mighty and gracious acts for his people and hear their praises as they celebrated what God had done for them. Romans 15:8-12 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.” (2 Samuel 22:50) 10 Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.” (Det 32:43) 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.” (Psalm 111:1) 12 And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” (Isaiah 11:10) God’s greatest and climactic act for Israel’s salvation was the sending of the Messiah to fulfill the promises made to the patriarchs. God planned and used the sending of His son to gather in the great harvest of the Gentiles. The fact that Gentiles came to know and hope in Christ is fulfillment of these prophecies, as is the continuing evangelization of the nations. The idea is that when we (Gentiles) saw the love and faithfulness of the God toward the Israelites in the OT, and especially in the giving of Jesus Christ, that you and I would join Israel in worship of the true God. God would demonstrate for all the nations to see that his love (checed) and faithfulness do endure forever, and that the Lord God is worthy of praise. What Jesus and the disciples sang, Jesus carried out. v. 2 – The Lord has love for his people. Jesus sang about it, and would demonstrate it perfectly, finally at the cross. (checed – loving devotion – a love that is merciful, kindness, and not dependent on the object of the love. It is a love that is stubborn, unshakable) "loving-kindness," "mercy," "steadfast love," and sometimes "loyalty," The word carries with it not only the notion of a deep love, but a steadfast, faithful, loyal, persistent, devoted love. It is a love that is not dependent on the actions of the recipient. He did not love the Israelites because they were lovable. Deuteronomy 7:6 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. It is that sure love which will not let Israel go. All of Israel's persistent straying from God could ever destroy it. Though Israel would be faithless, yet God remains faithful still. This steady, persistent refusal of God to wash his hands of wayward Israel is the essential meaning of the Hebrew word. This is the love he has for Israel – and the love he has for us who love His son. Not only is the Lord loving, but His faithfulness endures forever. What Jesus and the disciples sang, Jesus carried out. He demonstrated His loving devotion, his loving loyalty to us by giving his life on the cross so that you and I could have forgiveness of our sins. Psalm 117:1-2