The Perpetual Passover

by Reverend Bill Baldridge

Part 1 – Notes from My Studies

Please note this is a series and must be read as such.

Perpetual-continual of enduring forever, continuing without intermission or interruption.

The Associated Brotherhood of Christians (A.B.of C.) has always been an Apostolic Pentecostal “faith-based religion”.  The A.B.ofC. believes in the main Apostolic Doctrines, i.e. One God (not Trinitarian), Baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, and water baptism in Jesus' Name.

The one major difference of belief that the A.B.ofC. adheres to is “The Bread of Life” message, or as some call it, “Spiritual Communion”.  Whichever label is used to define this doctrine, it is never meant to divide the body of Christ, but rather to unify.  

“Renewing the faith that was once delivered to the saints.”  

All throughout scripture it has always been a command of God that we rehearse the words, stories, and laws of God.  When we as leaders, parents, and grandparents fail to renew, rehearse, and repeat God’s commands to the church and our children, it will always result in a loss of all fundamental beliefs upon which our faith is built.  Can we risk that?

We need, no we must, renew our excitement over this great truth.  The entire message Jesus left with His disciples has its roots in the book of Genesis.  Once you connect your beginning to this message you will come to see the importance of what Christ was doing by becoming the perpetual Passover.  You may never get as excited about this truth as I do, but I do believe a new excitement about the Christian life can and will be revealed to you.

I will be including as many writings to the A.B.ofC. publication, Our Herald, as may be permitted.  

My hope is:

1.  That a renewed interest will be sparked in those who have knowledge and belief of this truth.

2. That other Christians will be exposed to the truth that is accurate, concise, and no longer hidden in tradition.

3. That after a final assessment of this message and its accuracy, you may find a fuller relationship between you and your God.

   
   

My only message is the “Perpetual Passover”; however, it will be difficult not to touch upon some sacred doctrines.

My goal is to identify and explain the following truth:

1. The perpetual Passover: from Genesis to Revelation and into eternity

2. Bread:  leavened bread, unleavened bread, and “The Bread of Life”

3. Spiritual communion versus literal communion

4. Redemption

5. Relationship (Do not miss this)

The Perpetual Passover

Let me begin with the book of Exodus and later I will connect this event with the book of Genesis.  I want to take you to the first Passover recorded in the Old Testament.  I hope you will make yourself acquainted with this scripture.  Please read the following chapters and verses very slowly and carefully.  It is here we find the building blocks for all of eternity.

The First Passover

Passover instituted by God:  Exodus 12:1-3

Passover as a Memorial:  Exodus 12:14-20

Passover Blood:  Exodus 12:21-28

Passover Death:  Exodus 12:29-30

Passover Rules: Exodus 12:43-51

Passover Remembrance:  Exodus 13:1-10

The Passover is the first of the three great annual feasts of the Israelites celebrated around March-April each year.  It is always celebrated on the 14^th day of the Jewish calendar in the month of Nisan.  This feast would never change its date and time as instituted by God.  Therefore, this date became sacred to all Jewish peoples.

God instituted this feast to commemorate the deliverance, or redemption, of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage and the sparing of their children when the destroying angel smote the firstborn of the Egyptians.  The deliverance from Egypt was regarded as the starting point of the Hebrew nation.  The Exodus was looked upon as the birth of the country.  Passover was its annual birthday feast.

Passover was the first of the three great annual feasts of the Israelites.  However, strictly speaking, the Passover applied to the Paschal supper.  Paschal is from the Greek word Pascha, which is from the Hebrew word pesah (or pesach), which simply means “Passover.” 

The feast of unleavened bread followed the Passover. We will study more on the bread later.  The first Passover celebration followed this pattern:  The head of each family selected from the flock a male lamb or a kid of the first year without blemish.  If his family was too small to consume the sacrifice, he was to invite his neighbor to join the celebration on the 14^th day of the month of Nisan.  He was to kill the lamb “while the sun was setting”.  So, the number of the party was to be calculated as nearly as possible so all the flesh of the lamb would be eaten.  If any was left it was to be burned in the morning.  He then took the blood in a basin, with a sprig of hyssop to sprinkle it on the two side posts and lintel of the door to his house.  The lamb was to be thoroughly roasted whole.  It was expressly forbidden for it to be boiled or a bone broken (symbolism).  Unleavened bread and bitter herbs were to be eaten with the flesh (symbolism- repentance and confession).  No male uncircumcised was to join the feast (symbolism – no malice or wickedness).  Each one was to have his loins girt, staff in hand, and shoes on their feet.  He was to eat in haste.

In the following notes, you must understand that almost everything in the Old Testament is couched, hidden in types and shadows.  These types and shadows can be seen as road signs that point us to a culmination of the greatly revealed truth of the final step in the Perpetual Passover. (see Revelation 19:7-9)

To be continued…