Passover, the Promise
for the First-born

 

CONT., page 2

 

SALVATION, WORKED OUT THROUGH MAN

As has been pointed out, the promise of Passover is specifically associated with the first born. This promise has experienced a breach, so what we are now witnessing is the long awaited and much needed fulfillment. Today this promise belongs to one work alone, the one work that has the link back to the scarlet thread - the second part of the two-part Remnant. The second Remnant will now be the long awaited fulfillment of the sacrifice of Yahshua as the Passover lamb!

As much as this writer does not want to delay explaining more about this present-day Passover fulfillment, it is valuable at this point to expound upon how man becomes the completion of the works Yahshua began. While Yahshua is the door, this very place dictates that in fact whoever enters through that door must become like Him - "if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him" (Romans 8:17). Taking up His cross and following after Him means that we, His followers, become participators in His work of salvation. Obadiah 1:21 says - "The SAVIORS will ascend Mount Zion." The plural nature of this word dictates that there must be more than just one who becomes a savior. And there is! These are all who take His name as their own. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord/Yahweh will become a savior. How does this work out? Let us see.

This matter of becoming a sharer in the work of Yahshua actually takes on a corporate fulfillment that is beyond anything you or I can control. This is an important point to learn. For example, Christianity is the body of Christ, "the fullness of Him" (Ephesians 1:23). While most Christians would take this verse as great hope of glory, they fail to note what Paul equally said about what is required in order to receive that glory - suffering! If one is to experience "the fullness of Him," one must also recognize that His fullness includes His crucifixion! Even as Yahshua came to suffer and die for the sins of man, so the body of Christ must suffer and die for the sins of man, insomuch that it is the fullness of Him. At His trial, Yahshua's body was blindfolded, so the body of Christ has been blindfolded so that it cannot see. A crown of thorns was placed upon Yahshua's head, so the cares of this world have been placed upon the head of the body of Christ. Yahshua's body was beaten, abused, tormented, and spat upon, so Satan has equally afflicted the body of Christ. A scarlet/purple robe was placed upon Yahshua's body and a reed placed in His hand, so the body of Christ has the false appearance that they are reigning. Yahshua died, His side was pierced, and out came blood and water, so the body of Christ has died, its side pierced, and out has come a Bride. In truth, as went Yahshua's body, so has gone the body of Christ. In ways they have not even realized, they have become "the fullness of Him." Why is this true? Because insomuch that Yahshua became the door, man must become the fulfillment. Even as Yahshua became the Savior of the world, man must become likewise.

Paul declared a most startling thing - "I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up that which is lacking in Christ's afflictions" (Colossians 1:24). What Paul declared here is precisely what we have seen thus far in the church. As startling as it may seem to the reader, Yahshua's work was "lacking" insomuch that of necessity it had to equally be carried out and fulfilled by and through man. Yahshua opened the door for salvation to all men, and man carries out that work. Yahshua became the sacrifice for man, so man must become the sacrifice for man. In order for man to become a partaker in the sacrifice of Yahshua, man himself must become that sacrifice; and again, this is carried out by Yahweh at a level with which we ourselves have little to do. This is a work that Yahweh performs in and through man for man's own salvation. (See Seedtime and harvest, seedtime and harvest, ... for more on this.)

Thus far we have looked at the sacrifice and work of the body of Christ. Let us now see how this required participation relates to the Bride of Yahshua. What we find is that the Bride actually strengthens the work Yahshua performed, specifically in destroying him who has the power of death.

One of the best testimonies of this is seen in Exodus 17:8f. Here we see the first battle the sons of Israel encountered after coming out of Egypt. Immediately following the striking of the first rock in which the water came out, Amalek came and fought against them. Moses sent Joshua out to lead the battle, while he went up on a hill with his staff. And while Moses held up his hands, Joshua prevailed against Amalek; but when he lowered his hands, Amalek prevailed against Joshua. Therefore, Aaron and Hur seated Moses on a stone, and with one on each side of him, they supported his hands. With this help, Joshua thus prevailed over Amalek.

What do we see here? Notice that the victory over this enemy was dependent upon the work of Moses. Oh yes Joshua and his men were fighting, but their strength was in Moses. But even the strength of Moses was insufficient, for his influence in the battle was dependent upon the participation of Aaron and Hur in upholding his arms. Such it is with the work of Yahshua and the victory man will have over Satan.

Amalek means "warlike," and he is a picture of Satan who attacks the church from its very beginning, even as Amalek's attack was just after the first rock was struck, or following the former rain on Pentecost. So how is it that this enemy can be defeated? This is dependent upon two things - the work of the Moses, as well as the supporting work of the two associates.

Yahshua is the Moses. In Him alone lies the ability to gain victory over Satan. But even as Paul declared about making up that which is lacking in Christ's afflictions, so of absolute necessity there must be the supporting work of the two-part Remnant that makes up that which is lacking in Yahshua. Even as Moses' arms tired and had to be supported by the two, so (as we see once again) the work of Yahshua in defeating Satan is weak in that it requires the supporting work of the two Remnant.

Let us ask a probing question here. If Yahshua wholly effected overcoming him who has the power of death, then why has death continued for 2,000 years? The fact is, the final effecting of his defeat is dependent upon the upholding and fulfilling work of the two-part Remnant. What Yahshua made possible in the defeat of Satan through His suffering and death, what He secured at His resurrection, will be effected through the work of the two-part Aaron/Hur Remnant. It is the establishment and the cooperation of both of these that effects the defeat of our enemy, Satan.

This is Yahweh's design. Even as Moses had the power to defeat Amalek, but it was carried out through others, so Satan has been "defeated" by Yahshua, but his actual defeat is carried out through men. This is the weakness of Yahshua's work - though provided for through Him, it will be carried out through man.

We could go into other details here regarding the revealing meaning of names in this account that confirm what is being said here, but will leave that to the reader. The point to be seen here is that the work of Yahshua in defeating Satan is dependent upon the two-part Remnant. And all of this regarding both the body as well as the Bride is related here in order to show you that even though Yahshua performed these works surrounding Passover and the Passover lamb, there is yet to be a Passover work with man that fulfills what Yahshua set forth and initiated as the forerunner. Let us move on now and look more at this Passover that is about to be fulfilled.

 

Continue to page 3 of Passover, the Promise ... for PREPARE THE WAY

Return to home page