Hebrews 9:1-28
"1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
Colossians 2:8-17
"8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."
Luke 10:26
"26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?"
Jesus answered the lawyer, “How readest thou?” Many are trying to tell us what it means.
John 18:34.
"34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?"
The question may be asked at this point, Why are you keeping the Passover? Have you found it written that way, or did someone tell you?
PREPARATION AND PASSOVER
John 18:39. Pilate said, “But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?” The Passover had not arrived at this question, Wednesday.
John 18:28. The Jews entered not in the judgment hall so they would not be defiled and unable to eat the passover.
“28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover."
Luke 23:53-54. "53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on."
That day was the preparation and the Sabbath was coming. This was early Wednesday morning. How could Jesus institute the bread and wine and eat the Passover if He was condemned, crucified, and buried before the Passover day came? How readest thou?
John 19:14-16. “And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and lead him away."
This was Wednesday morning between nine and twelve P.M. How could Jesus give the bread and wine and eat the Passover on the preparation day? How readest thou?
John 19:42. "42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulcher was nigh at hand."
They buried Jesus on the preparation day, the day before the Passover. (Have we the written Word to call the Lord’s Supper the Passover?) The Passover and the High Sabbath fell on the same day, Thursday.
NEW TESTAMENT COVENANT
Matthew 26:23-28. "23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou has said.
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
Jesus said, “He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.” Do we understand that Jesus was dipping meat out of the dish?
John 13:26. “26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.”
Does that sound like dipping meat out of the dish? Surely it was just a common meal.
What does the Lord’s Supper signify?
Matthew 26:26-29.
"26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."
“For this is my blood of the new testament, (New Covenant) which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” It signifies the death and the blood of Jesus.
If we carry the old covenant beyond the cross, adding it to the new covenant we destroy the atonement of Christ. The bread and the wine may be compared to a will. The will has no force until after the death of the testator.
Read Hebrews 9:16-17.
“16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.”
I Corinthians 5:7.
"7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us."
It is true Christ is our Passover. Therefore we should not go beyond the cross. Christ died for us. We eat the bread and wine to show forth His death until He comes. The Lord’s Supper signifies His shed blood.
I Corinthians 11:26.
“26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” Not the night He instituted it. It came in force when He died, 3 P.M. not at night.
JESUS DIED WHEN?
John 13:27-29.
"27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor."
Notice: If they were eating the Passover at this question why should anyone think they were going out to buy something for the Passover meal?
John 13:1 reveals the fact that it was before the feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father.
"1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end."
Jesus knew that His hour had come for Him to die on the preparation day, the day before the Passover, as He was the Lamb of God. He was to die on the day of the killing of the lambs before the Passover.
Matthew 27:46.
"46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Jesus died about the ninth hour, about 3 P.M., Wednesday, the preparation day.
Matthew 27:31.
"31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him."
The veil rent about the ninth hour on Wednesday, the preparation day.
Mark 15:42-43.
"42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,
43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counseller, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus."
Joseph begged the Body of Jesus on the evening of the preparation as the Passover and High Sabbath drew on.
CONDEMNATION
I Corinthians 11:27.
"27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord."
Neither Jesus or Paul condemn anyone for taking it in or out of season. There is no season or time limit to them that are worthy and have had their sins remitted.
I Corinthians 11:26: “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.”
DEVIL’S CUP AND TABLE
I Corinthians 10:21. “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.” The Devil has placed season and time limits on this blessed sacrament. He is forcing his followers to take it at night only. He is condemning those that take it in the day time. Many dear, honest people have lost the blessing that Jesus has for them because they have not been able to come to the feast at the appointed time and place. Many shut-ins and isolated members are losing the blessing by believing it is sin and that a curse will be placed upon them if they take it out of season or in the light hours of the day. This has been brought about by the Devil himself. He has many agents going from house to house teaching men that they must eat the bread and wine in the dark hours of the night once a year only. Thanks be to God for freedom through Jesus for the leading of the Holy Spirit. We can hear the voice of Jesus crying to the Father pouring out His soul unto death to redeem us from snares of darkness of the Devil. We can hear the voice of Paul saying, “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.”
We can hear the voice of the Devil himself saying, “It means once a year only.” Today he is busy digging up all the old feast days that were nailed to the cross, claiming they are light when they are nothing but a dark shadow.
It is time for us to pray for the Devil’s ministers as they are bowed down looking into Egypt, looking at the supper table. They are making the supper table greater than the death of Jesus on the cross. May God help them to look up to see Jesus on the cross pouring out His soul to death in the light hours of the day. Jesus is our Redeemer as He satisfied the Law for every man that will accept Him. Jesus’ sacrifices were not made at the supper table. He sacrificed by pouring out His soul unto death on the preparation day, Wednesday, the day before the Passover.
The cup is the blood of the New Testament Covenant signifying the shed blood of Jesus. In Him we are free from the Devil and all his dark shadows. Amen.
OLD AND NEW COVENANT
Hebrews 8:13. “13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”
Hebrews 9:1. “1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.”
Colossians 2:20-22. “20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,” (Or Passover?)
"21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?"
Colossians 2:16-17. “16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
Notice: The Passover as well as other feast days were governed by the moon. After Christ’s death they became only a shadow.
Therefore, Paul warned against men of today that are going back to all those feast days and claiming it to be light when it is darkness. They are making the old covenant a part of the new, which makes the atonement of Jesus of no effect. He that climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
Mark 14:12. “And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him (Jesus), Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?”
Notice carefully: The first day of the feast was the day of killing the lambs, on which day Jesus died, as He was the Lamb of God.
See Exodus 12:6. "6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening."
The children of Israel were to kill the lamb between the two evenings, giving them twenty four hours to prepare for the Passover.
Therefore, Jesus could not institute the bread and wine on the Passover day, as He was condemned, killed, and buried on the preparation day, the day before the Passover. Those that believe in serving the bread and wine on the Passover day are missing the mark and blessing that Jesus has for us. Their services are in vain and of darkness. They literally fail to follow the voice of Jesus.
TRUE CHURCH OF GOD
Revelation 12:1. "1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars."
The true bride of Christ is clothed with the sun, the Gospel of Christ, the twelve stars, the twelve apostles; the moon under her feet representing the old covenant, including the Passover, the feast days and Holy days which are governed by the moon.
FEET WASHING ORDINANCES
John 13:1-5, 17. “1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded."
"17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."
WHICH CLASS ARE YOU WITH?
Some take it because the disciples broke bread. Others take it to show forth His resurrection. Others take it in remembrance of the Passover coming out of Egypt. Others take the bread and wine that they might have their sins remitted. While still others refuse to take it, claiming it was for the early Church only. They claim women had no part in it. Others take the cup of the Lord to show forth His death often.
Can you eat and drink with all the above characters after receiving this marvelous light?
TRY THE SPIRITS
Those that refuse to take the cup of the Lord in the day time after learning that Jesus died in the light hours of the day are refusing to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and the voice of Jesus.
We know that they have not the Spirit of God in them. Those that will continue to take the cup at night, once a year only, are in darkness and making the atonement of Christ of no effect. The Devil’s cup shows forth the supper and the coming out of Egypt where Jesus never made the sacrifice. They are eating and drinking condemnations to themselves. “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” (are dead). I Corinthians 11:30. This message carries with it life, if you accept it, and death if you reject it.
Written in love for all who may be in the Passover darkness.
Elder O. R. Osman
Pastor of the Church of God, Body of Christ
Waupaca, Wisconsin