Passover to Pentecost, Part 2

The last sermon I gave here two weeks ago, we looked at the events that took place between Passover and Pentecost in the Old Testament, as God was leading Israel out of Egypt towards Mount Sinai. And I looked at the spiritual lessons we could learn from those four major events that occurred during that time, from the bitter waters of Marah, from the test of their faith in God to provide for them the test of the Sabbath, third from the contention at Rephidim, contention over whether God was still among them or not, and also on fourth, and from their battle with Amalek, from generation to generation. Right now, of course, we're still in that countdown period from Passover to Pentecost, so today in Part 2, I want to look at it from the perspective of the New Testament. I want to look at four major events, or more than that, but I want to look at four major events that occurred between Passover and Pentecost as recorded in the New Testament in the year Christ died. And as it was back when God led Israel out of Egypt, this period of time in 31 A.D., the year Christ died, we believe, was also a very traumatic time. I'm sure it appeared at the disciples that time, as they were looking at things that were happening and taking place, right towards the time of the Passover, that they thought maybe things were all over when Christ died. They thought it was all over when in reality it was just the beginning. It appeared everything was going to be lost when in reality everything was about to be gained. It appeared to be a time of defeat when reality became a time of tremendous victory and triumph. So let's now look at four major events that took place between Passover and Pentecost in the year that Christ died. My title is Passover to Pentecost, Part 2. I want to begin, though, by reading a little bit what Christ said before he died. What did Christ say before he died? Let's begin by going to John 12. Because when you look at this verse a little bit and you think about it and go a little deeper, as John was doing in the Sermonette, talking about going a little bit deeper into God's Word, going to lower layers, he said something here amazing. It was not only amazing, it was something that was totally contrary to our way of thinking. John 12, let's begin in verse 23 first. John 12, verse 23, Jesus asked him, saying, The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Now, that was what they wanted to hear. Because it was now clear to Christ's disciples that things were building to a crisis, and that that time of crisis had now come. It was very near. So I'm sure that those who heard him say this when he said it held their breath in great anticipation, thinking, Wow, this is it! Could it finally be the time? Are we about to witness the fulfillment of Daniel 7? They might have thought. Hold your place here for a moment. Let's go back to Daniel 7 and see how that ties in. Because again, the term Son of Man is used in Daniel 7. Daniel 7, verse 13, I was watching the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man, the Son of Man, which we just read about.

We just read what Christ said. He said, The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. And we saw time about the Son of Man coming. I was watching the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He came to the ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages to serve Him, and His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed. This is what Israel and Judah had been anticipating for the past 500 years, since it was prophesied here by Daniel. And now Christ says, The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Back to John 12. Jesus answered and said, The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. And to those who heard it at that time, this to them would have meant that Christ was about to conquer the Roman Empire. So all peoples, nations, and languages to serve Christ, and give everlasting dominion to Israel and to the people of God, that's what they were anticipating. That's what they thought when they said, the Son of Man is about to be glorified. They thought, wow, the glory of God's kingdom is here. It's right around the corner. However, what Christ said next turned all that upside down. And it didn't make any sense to them whatsoever, I'm sure. Verse 24, John 12, Most assuredly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it produces much grain. See, what is Christ really saying here? I'm sure the disciples are pointing out what in the world does he mean by that? See, because here he's saying that only by death comes life. The greatest thing has to die first before it can produce fruit. So he's saying, in essence, that only by death comes life. You know, you think about a grain of wheat sitting on a shelf or in a package. You can go buy it a store or a package of some grain. As long as in that package you're on a shelf, it's safe and secure and can be preserved indefinitely. But at the same time, as long as it is sitting on the shelf, it's ineffective and unproofful. It's only when it's buried in the ground, as if in a tomb, so to speak, that it can then bear fruit. You have to plant that seed in the ground and bury it.

You know, in that example that Christ gives you in verse 24, there's a profound spiritual lesson. You think about history. Throughout history, there have been great men who are prepared to die so their cause can live. And that hopefully in the future that that cause might bear fruit for the future. But here in this example, Christ gives regarding the grain of wheat being buried in the ground. This example gives all of us a profound spiritual lesson whether or not we are prepared to literally give our lives as some have done in the past. Let's go a little bit deeper. Because there is something near and dear to all of us that we must bury and put to death in order to bear fruit.

We must be willing to bury our own personal desires at times, our personal goals, our personal ambitions. At times we have to bury those to be real servants of God. We have to set those aside to follow Christ in what He wants us to. So we can help bring others to the life of Jesus Christ. To do that sometimes we have to set our own desires aside and bury them. And for Christ to really live in us to produce spiritual fruit, we must at times put our goals and ambitions to death by setting them aside. As, of course, portrayed by baptism, we must first die before Christ can then truly live in us to bear fruit. John 12 again, verse 24, Most assuredly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it can produce much grain. And then verse 25, He said, He who loves his life, loves his ambitions, what he wants, has his goals for himself, but isn't thinking of the future and the calling God has given him. He who loves his life will lose it. But He who hates his life will put his own life, his own ambitions, his own goals, will put those to death to follow Christ and with Christ's calling. He who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Very profound lesson for all of us. Now, notice what Christ says next, which on the surface makes no sense whatsoever. Verse 26, If anyone serves me, He said, let him follow me.

But then a little later, He says something quite contrary to that. Let's go to chapter 13, verse 33, where He says, First He says, follow me.

And then He says, where I'm going, you cannot come. Does that make any sense? Is that double talk? What's Christ really saying? What does He mean, follow me, but where I'm going, you cannot come? You see, some of what Christ said here didn't make sense to those who heard it. And things were also about to happen that also were not going to make any sense whatsoever to Christ's followers. Totally unexpected. It didn't make any sense. Let's go back to John 12. John 12, verse 27, Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say?

Father, save me from this hour? No, I can't say that because for this purpose I came to this hour. Coming down to verse 31, He says, now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And then He said in verse 32, If I am lifted up from the earth, if I, excuse me, and I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself. And this He said, signifying by what death He would die. Signifying He's going to die by crucifixion. They weren't expecting that. How can that be? I thought He was going to bring the kingdom, conquer the Roman Empire, bring glory to Israel and to God's people. Are you saying He's going to be crucified?

And the people answered Him, verse 34, We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man? You can't be the Son of Man. We're thinking of. He's going to bring glory. He's going to bring God's kingdom. He's not going to die by crucifixion. Who are you talking about? Who's the Son of Man you're talking about? See, nothing Christ was saying made any sense. The things that were about to happen didn't make any sense.

Now, the four events we'll look at were strange and unexpected, but they immediately got everyone's attention as they were miraculous events that occurred right after this time. They were so miraculous, in fact, that everybody was talking about them and wondering what had happened and what it meant. And although these events were strange and didn't make any sense, we go back to them today. They did form a pattern, a spiritual pattern, that pertains to the miraculous calling that God has given to each and every one of us. They portray that calling God has given us. These events are about to occur that didn't make any sense back then, at the time, 2,000 years ago. So let's now look at four major events that occurred between Passover and the Second World War. The first event was when a panic caused in the New Testament in the year Christ died.

All of these events are recorded at the end of the Gospels, the end of the four Gospels, and the very beginning of the Book of Acts. Let's look at the very first event. The first event was darkness, or better, the first events related to darkness, as there were several events relating to darkness that occurred. The first of these several events miraculously occurred during the last three hours Christ was on the cross. And during those three hours leading up to when he died on the afternoon of Passover Day, we had darkness. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, I'll record this event, but we'll look at and read Matthew's account. Let's go to Matthew, chapter 27.

Matthew 27, verses 45 and 46. About the ninth hour, that would have been about noon. That would have been three in the afternoon. Jesus cried out with a loud voice. Let's go back to verse 45. I want to read verse 45 first. Now, from the sixth hour until the ninth hour, that would be from noon to about three in the afternoon on Passover Day. From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour, about three in the afternoon, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, Eli, Ilamas, Ibacktini, that is, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Now, this was a miraculous darkness, which undoubtedly curtailed their normal slaying of the Passover lands, which took place usually between noon and three on that Passover afternoon. But that probably didn't happen this year because of this darkness. Probably curtailed that, and to ensure that the only lamb sacrificed on that Passover Day was the Lamb of God. But what Christ said is recorded in verse 46 is very significant. Where He said, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

I have to ask this question. Was Christ beginning to doubt God?

Was He beginning to doubt God's presence at that particular time, or did He say that for our benefit? It doesn't say. It did fulfill the prophecy of Psalm 22.1, and showed that He was human. But I think it also is recorded for our benefit. We all experience periods of darkness in our lives, during which time we can doubt God's presence. We can begin to think God has maybe forsaken us. But we can think, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? I've been following you and serving you for all these years, and why is this happening? Why am I going through this dark period when everything seems to be going wrong and falling apart? And we can wonder, is God still with us? Or is He forsaking us? From the time leading up to Christ's death, we have darkness. There's also another event that related to darkness, because next Christ will fill the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great face, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12, verse 40. So next Christ was in the darkness of the grave, or in the tomb, for three days and three nights. He was in the darkness of the grave, darkness of death. When was He resurrected? Well, it was buried just before sunset at the end of the Passover day. Thus He was resurrected at sunset three days and three nights later on Saturday evening as we're beginning to get dark. I thought about that, and it's interesting, He was resurrected on Saturday evening as we begin to get dark right around sunset. What did He do during that night? I don't know. It doesn't say. Nothing's recorded of what happened that night other than this. Let's go to John, chapter 20. John 20, verse 1. Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early while it was still dark. This appeared to darkness. While it was still dark. And she saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

Then she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciples whom Jesus loved and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him. This is now the fourth day of Unleavened Bread when Mary Magdalene discovers His empty tomb and discovers it while it is still dark. Because He was resurrected at the beginning of that nighttime period. So the first events between Passover and Pentecost in the New Testament revolve around darkness. I want to ask this question, I think about this. How does that relate to all of us? And to our calling.

Well, that is where we all began our spiritual journey, wasn't it? In darkness. There are many scriptures you could look up and bring in here, but let's just turn to 1 Peter 2.9. 1 Peter 2 verse 9, where Peter wrote, You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. You are His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. We were all called out of darkness. That's where we began. We began in spiritual darkness, and we had to be called out of darkness.

What was the next major event or events that occurred? The second event I want to focus on here that occurred in the New Testament, in the year Christ died, and I'll call it recognition, or actually lack of recognition, I think is very interesting. And it is emphasized, if you look for it and look carefully at Scripture, you'll see it's emphasized, although you can pass right over and not even recognize it or realize it. Because after Christ was resurrected during the days of Unleavened Bread, as we know, Christ began appearing to various individuals. He first appeared to Mary Magdalene. Let's go again to John 20, verse 1 again. John 20, verse 1, On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Now if you read the rest of the account here, then she ran and told Peter and John, and they all came back to the tomb to see that Jesus' body wasn't there, and to see if the tomb was empty. What happened next? John 20, verse 10, Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white, sitting on one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? And she said to them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him. Now, when she had said this, she turned around, notice what it says here. You can easily miss this. This is Mary Magdalene. She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and then what does it say? And did not know it was Jesus.

Now Mary Magdalene knew Jesus as well as anyone. She told her life to him. She spent countless hours learning from him. And yet here it's recorded that she saw Jesus standing there and did not know that it was Jesus. So you have to ask, Why not? Why didn't she recognize him? Even after he turned to face her and after he spoke to her, he still didn't recognize him. Verse 15, Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? So now he's facing her and talking to her. Why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? And she's opposing him to be the gardener. Still doesn't recognize him. Said to him, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you've laid him, and I will take him away. Now you think she'd recognize his son? Now you think she'd recognize his voice, at least? Why didn't she recognize his voice when he spoke to her? You know, Christ had now been resurrected and appeared in bodily form, but some things were obviously different. We don't know what that entailed, and we aren't given any details. But we do know it was difficult for even his friends and acquaintances to readily recognize him, especially since they all believed he was dead.

But now notice verse 16. I find this very interesting. Verse 16, Then Jesus said to her, Mary! And she turned and said to him, Rabboni, master, teacher.

The point is this. She didn't recognize him until he called her name. She didn't recognize him until he first recognized her and acknowledged her in a very personal way, with a very personal calling, Mary.

Now I had to stop and ask and think about this spiritually. Wasn't that also true for each and every one of us? We didn't recognize the two Christ until he first called our names. Until he first called us and recognized us in a personal way.

You know, as soon as Mary was not the only one who didn't recognize Christ. Let's turn to Luke 24.

Luke 24, verse 13. Luke 24, verse 13. Very interesting story here. Behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmias, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. Two men are walking down there, and they were taught together of all the things which had happened. All these miracles had taken place, and strange things had happened they couldn't understand, make any sense of. And so it was while they conversed and reasoned that Jesus himself drew near and went with them.

They'd obviously heard Him. They'd probably been in the audience and seen His miracles and heard Him speak. And He had said, but their eyes were restrained, so they did not know Him. Again, they didn't recognize Him. They should have. I surely spent hours listening to Him and teaching.

So these two men had seen and heard Him many times, but here their eyes were restrained, so they did not know Him. So they wouldn't recognize Him. Why? Why were their eyes purposely restrained, so they wouldn't recognize who He was? Continuing in verse 17. And He said to them, what kind of conversation is it that you have with one another as you walk and are sad? Why are you sad?

What are you talking about? Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, Are you the only stranger and Jerusalem? And have you not known the things that have happened in these past few days? And He said to them, well, what things?

This is Christ talking to them. What things? And they said to Him, the things concerning Jesus of Dazareth, who was a prophet and mighty and deed and word before God and all the people. And we witnessed His miracles. We saw, heard Him speak, basically, is the implication. And we saw how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. We thought, He's going to bring us glory.

He's going to conquer the Roman Empire. He's going to establish the kingdom of God on the earth. He's going to redeem Israel and make them great again, a great nation. Give them glory. We were hoping it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

So they were obviously well acquainted with Jesus, and yet here they did not know Him. This went on for some time, dropping down to verse 28. Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. So Christ went in to stay with them. Verse 29. And it came to pass, and He set at the table with them, even as they went in there and set at the table with them. They have a meal, apparently, that's what the implication is.

And they still don't know who He is. And He took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them. Then all of a sudden, verse 31, it says, Then their eyes were opened, and they knew Him. They knew who He was, finally. But their eyes had to miraculously be opened first, to understand and see and realize who He was. And then He vanished from their sight. So they did not know Him or recognize Him until their eyes were opened. And then they knew Him. Again, that's the way it was with all of us, and with all of whom God calls.

We can't recognize Christ who He was until our eyes are opened to see Him. That Sunday night, Jesus appeared to ten of His disciples in the upper room, where He had been, where He had initiated the New Covenant Passover. And that first occasion, Thomas had not been there. Christ didn't appear to Thomas until eight days later, because now after the days of Unleavened Bread had ended, let's go back to John 20 again.

John 20, verse 24. Now Thomas, called the twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came to Him the first time in the upper room. Verse 25, The other disciple therefore said to Him, We have seen the Lord.

So He said to them, Unless I see His hands in the print of His nails, and put my finger in the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe. Because I saw Him die. He's got to be dead. He can't be alive. And after eight days, the disciples were again inside that room, and Thomas with them, and Jesus came. He appeared. And the doors were being shut, so He just kind of appeared in the midst of them. He said in the midst, He said, Peace to you.

But there He's standing there. Thomas is there now, and He's there with Thomas and the other ten disciples. And Thomas doesn't realize who's His other person is. He doesn't recognize Him. It's obvious from the context here. So He said to Thomas, Reach your finger here, and look at my hands. And reach your hand here, and put it into my side. Why did He recognize Him? He'd think He'd known Him by recognition, but He didn't.

And do not be unbelieving, but believing. And then Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my God. And Thomas, who had appeared that even Thomas, who was one of Christ's original twelve disciples, had been within three and a half years, had appeared that Thomas didn't recognize Jesus immediately.

Until He actually saw what His Spirit had gone into His side, and so on, where He'd been crucified in the nail prints. And then verse 29, He says, Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed. But the bottom line when it comes to the recognition is this. We can't recognize the two Christs until God miraculously opens our eyes. And verse 29, basically saying, Blessed are those whose eyes God has opened to recognize the true Jesus Christ. Let's go back to Luke 10. Luke chapter 10, verse 21.

In that hour Jesus droiced from the Spirit and said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to babes, even so, Father, for so it seemed good in your sight. Verse 23.

And to hear what you hear and have not heard it.

Why have many desired to understand what we understand, but have not heard it or understood it? Because as Christ said in John 6, 44, No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.

So the second event between Passover and Pentecost, the New Testament, had to do with recognition. No one can recognize the true Christ in a full and comprehensive way. Until His eyes are opened by God, by means of a personal calling.

God the Father must recognize us before we can recognize His Son. And you think about that in a personal way. What an awesome calling it is to be personally recognized by God, and called by name to have our eyes opened, to what many prophets and kings have desired to see, but have not seen. Let's look at the third thing. The third event had to do with understanding. We began in darkness, and in that darkness God recognized in us the potential to receive light, to receive understanding, and to understand the light of God's truth, to receive the true teaching and understanding of Jesus Christ. Let's go again to Luke 24.

Luke 24, verse 24. In certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the woman had said, but Him they did not see. Then He said to them, O foolish one, as low of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken, I am not the Christ who have suffered these things and to enter into His glory. In beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the scriptures of things concerning Himself. So now He begins to give them understanding. First they are in a dark hall of darkness, with a personal calling and recognition, and now He is giving them understanding. Verse 44. He said to them, These are the words that I have spoken to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the Psalms concerning Me.

And He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures, just as He did for all of us. Isn't that what happened to us? He opened our understanding so we could understand God's Word, because if we didn't have that, we could read it and not understand it. Many people are very smart, have doctor's degrees, they don't really understand God's Word in as depth as we do, because our minds have to be opened to that understanding. Let's go to 2 Timothy, real quick, 2 Timothy 2, first two verses. You therefore, my son, be strong in the graces in Christ Jesus, and the things that you have heard from Me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to then teach others and give them understanding so they can understand what you understand. Verse 7, Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. God has to give us that true understanding. In the New Testament, our spiritual journey from Passover to Pentecost progressed from darkness to recognizing who the real Jesus Christ was and to then being given understanding. In the year Christ died, what was the fourth major event that occurred between Passover and Pentecost? The fourth event was waiting.

Acts 1. Acts 1, verse 1, The former account I made, O Theopolis, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days, and speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God. So Christ taught His disciples and gave them added understanding for forty days during that time between Passover and Pentecost, during that fifty-day countdown period. And He taught and demonstrated many more things, and recorded here in these Gospels, the very last verse of John 21, John 21, verse 25, There are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they are written one by one, I suppose, that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. We're back to Acts 1, verse 4, And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait, wait, until the promise of the Father, which He said, You have heard from Me. That promise would come ten days later on the day of Pentecost, when God poured out His Holy Spirit, so God's laws could be written in their hearts and on their minds. From the Countdown period to Pentecost in the New Testament, the final event before Passover in Pentecost was ten days of waiting, a ten-day waiting period. As we know, Pentecost portrays the marriage of the Lamb, portrays the time when Christ will take His Church to be His bride, regardless of when that actual event takes place. The number 40 in the Bible symbolizes the time of testing. Prior to the flood, it rained 40 days and 40 nights. Then the flood was on the earth for 40 days. Israel was in the wilderness eating manna for 40 years. Moses was on Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments for 40 days and 40 nights, while the Israelites waited and were being tested at the base of the mountain. After Israel demanded a king, Saul, David, and Solomon all rained, over Israel, for 40 years. God, through the prophet Jonah, gave the city of Nineveh 40 days to repent. Christ fastened 40 days and 40 nights before His trial with Satan. The number 40 portrays the time of trial and testing. For 40 days, Christ was seen by His disciples giving them infallible proofs that He was the Messiah. Why 40 days? To train them, to prepare them, and to try and test them to see if they would carry on the work they had given to you. Then He was taken up with them, as it says in Acts 1, verse 9. They spoke in these things while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. They then waited 10 days until the day of Pentecost had fully come. Acts 2, 1. 10 being the number of completeness. They had to wait 10 more days to complete their countdown, and to complete their journey to Pentecost. Now, we have all been trained, prepared, tried, and tested, not for many years as the end-time people of God. And I have to ask right now, and you look at everything that's happening, where we are in our history, are we now in our waiting period?

Have we made ourselves ready to be the bride of Christ? It is now time to endure to the end. It doesn't appear by everything that's happening in the world that the latter-day people of God may be nearing the end of our journey. Of course, for most of us, age alone, we indicate that we're nearing the end of our journey. What lies ahead after our journey is complete? The key event between Passover and Pentecost in the New Testament was the resurrection of Christ. That was His death and resurrection. What's interesting is what the word resurrection means and tells us. Because if you understand the meaning of the word resurrection, it tells us what lies ahead. So I want a final portion of the sermon here this morning, now almost afternoon. I want to give you the ancient Hebrew word picture meaning of the word resurrection. Now, the word resurrection doesn't appear in the Old Testament. Job may reference to a future resurrection when the dead will live again, Job 14. Elisha restored the life of the only son of a Shunite woman, 2 Kings 4. Ezekiel 37 speaks of a future resurrection. However, the actual Hebrew word for resurrection does not appear in the Old Testament, even though there is a Hebrew word for resurrection. Maybe that's because it's the promise of Messiah had not yet come. Maybe it's because Christ had not yet lived a perfect life and died for our sins and then been resurrected. I don't know. But the Hebrew word for resurrection is teshia, T-E-C-H-I-Y-A-H, teshia. Yah, you may recognize as being the Hebrew word for God. Incorporated within teshia are two Hebrew words, the Hebrew word for life and the Hebrew word for God, preceded by the letter tau or taw, T-A-U or T-A-V. The first letter in teshia is the letter tau or tau, that's the 22nd and the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It was drawn to picture a sign in ancient Hebrew. It became our letter T and was drawn near the same as a small case T, which we can still picture as being a sign, as being a vertical stake with a sign nailed to it, so to speak. That's what it symbolized. As we know, Christ was nailed to a stake, and most likely that stake had a crossbar. If you do a little bit of research, you'll say over 90% of all the stakes that men were crucified on had a crossbar. It also had a sign nailed to it near the top of the stake, which said, Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews, John 19, verse 19. And it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. The letter tau of an ancient Hebrew symbolized and pictured the stake on which Christ was crucified. That's what it looked like. But it was drawn. Thus incorporating the ancient Hebrew word for resurrection is the picture of the stake on which Christ was crucified, followed by the words, life and God. So the ancient Hebrew word picture meaning of resurrection is the life of God through Christ's sacrifice, the life of God that we'll have because of Christ's sacrifice that He gave for us.

The Hebrew word, dachia, pictures the future life we will all have with God because of Christ's sacrifice, because of His life, death, and resurrection.

What's that going to be like? What did Christ say before He died, as was... He was instituted in the New Testament, the New Covenant passed over with the disciples. What did He say? He said in Matthew 26, verse 29, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. Well, that takes place. Why don't we drink through the vine again in His Father's kingdom? Well, undoubtedly, it will take place at the marriage supper of the Lamb, Revelation 19.9, at Christ's marriage banquet, when Christ marries His bride who has made herself ready. What this indicates is that life with God is portrayed as having the best things in this life incorporated in the next life, as a part of our eternal life. We won't need food or wine, but indicates we will be able to enjoy it. After Christ was resurrected, when He appeared too many for forty days, He could suddenly appear out of nowhere. He wasn't encumbered by walls or by the stone that covered His tomb. The stone wasn't rolled back so He could be resurrected and lead. He could go through the tomb. That was for those who had to come and see and realize He wasn't there. He'd been resurrected. He could transport Himself to wherever He wanted to be. Almost like the old movie Star Trek, where they went into the transporter room. They could be transported to where they wanted to be. When He met the two men on the road to Jerusalem, they invited Him into their home, where it says He set at the table with them and took bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to them. Luke 24, 30. Then He vanished out of their sight. Verse 31. So that indicates that He had a meal with them.

What did Jesus do the last time He appeared to His disciples before His final ascension? He appeared to His disciples and said, Come and eat breakfast. John 21, verse 12. Then it says, Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. John 21, verse 13. And then it says, They ate breakfast together. Verse 15. So what will life with God be like after we are resurrected to eternal life? It's going to be far greater than we can imagine, but it will also incorporate all the best that this life has to offer as well. We'll still be able to enjoy all the best of this life, including food and wine, ensuring a meal and fellowship, not only with one another, but with God and the presence of God. And not just on the earth, but throughout the entire universe. In conclusion of this two-part sermon on our journey from Passover to Pentecost, let's include with this final passage, let's go back to Psalm 8, which I find extremely inspiring psalm. Let's begin in verse 1 of Psalm 8. To the chief musician on the instrument of Gath, a psalm of David. O eternal our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth, who have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants, you have ordained strength because of your enemies, that you may silence the enemy and the avenger. Verse 3, When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have ordained, what is man that you are mindful of him? O the Son of man that you visit him. Verse 5, For you have made him a little lower than the angels. That's a mistranslation of the original Hebrew, as the margin of my Bible indicates. The Hebrew word translated angels here is Elohim, the Hebrew word for God. The correct translation of verse 5 should be, You have made him, you have made mankind, you have made him a little lower than Elohim. You have made him a little lower than God. And you have crowned him with glory and honor, because we're going to be a part of God's family. We're not going to be equal with God, obviously, but we're going to be a part of God's family. That's a very high calling.

And you have crowned him with glory and honor. And in verse 6, And you have made him to have dominion over the works of your hands, For you have put all things under his feet, which includes what? Which includes your heavens, the work of your fingers, and the moon, and the stars, whom you have ordained. Verse 3, We were made to have dominion over and to share life with God over the entire universe. Or, as the Star Trek put it, to go where no man has ever gone, to the stars and beyond. And that is the ultimate end of our journey, the end of our journey from Passover to Pentecost, and it will be a never-ending journey.