Prophetic Prospective Daily Devotional

Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

This is Mark's record of what has been called the "Last Supper". It was actually the observance of the "Passover Seder" which is the "meal" where Jews celebrate the Exodus out of Egyptian bondage, which took place 3,500 years ago.

The "Passover Seder" is observed annually since the very first Passover, Exodus 12. It was at that time the Lord commanded the Jews to rehearse, at a special gathering, every year the Lord's provision and protection throughout these thousands of years.

The one-day "feast day" of "Passover", and the seven-day "feast" of "Unleavened Bread" are observed together, an eight- day celebration. The actual day of Passover was 24 hours, starting from the evening of Passover, during the time of Jesus Christ on Wednesday evening, until sundown on Thursday evening.

The disciples, Peter and John, had prepared the meal and they met together with Jesus and the other disciples in an "Upper Room", verse 15, in the city of Jerusalem for the actual meal and the other activities.

The ingredients of the meal were "roast lamb" that represented the "Passover lamb"; "unleavened bread" which represents the "separation between the bondage and freedom"; and "bitter herbs" which represents the bitter time in the Egyptian bondage for the Jewish people.

They would also have "bread and wine" in the meal. By the way, the wine was not an "intoxicating wine" because they weren't allowed to have "leaven" anywhere near the meal. Remember, grape juice can only ferment when leaven is added. That should settle an argument or two out there.

That night, Jesus and His disciples rehearsed the story of Passover and the sacrifice of the "sacrificial lamb". It would be at 3:00 pm the next afternoon that Jesus Christ would be crucified on the cross to become our "sacrificial lamb".

Jesus became our "Passover lamb" by His death in Jerusalem, I Corinthians 5:7. Jesus actually fulfilled the Jewish feast day of Passover, for the Jewish people. We, as Christians, derive the spiritual benefits of our Lord's death, burial and resurrection which is our way to salvation, I Corinthians 15:1-5 and Romans 1:16.

After the "Passover Seder" Jesus instituted what we call the "Lord's Supper", the communion service, verses 22-24. Now, each time we celebrate the "Lord's Supper", the communion, we do it in remembrance of Him, I Corinthians 11:23-26.

Notice the last directive for the "Lord's Supper", "do this until I come". Each communion service should "look back" to what our Lord did for us; "look in" so we can get our hearts right with the Lord; and "look up" for Him to come.

As Jesus closed out the "Passover Seder", He said the next time He would join us for this sweet communion supper would be in the "Kingdom" that is yet to come.

What a heritage we receive from the Jews, and what prophetic truth in all that they are, and do today.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank you Lord Jesus for being my "Passover", help me to tell others this great story.