The Passover Offering and You
We know that God instituted Passover when Israel left Egypt to go to the Promised Land. Every family purchased a lamb, which was their offering. They killed the lamb and put the blood of that lamb on the doorpost as God had commanded. Money was given in exchange for the lamb and protection. Then God made it clear that believers should never forget this holy day called the Passover.
The Passover and other holy days were so important that God told us to observe them forever (Exodus 12:14; Leviticus 23:14). He commanded us, as we observe these holy days, to not stand before Him empty-handed (Exodus 23:15).
Deuteronomy 16:16-17 echoes other verses throughout the Scripture: "And they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you".
Amazing things happen when obedient people unleash God's supernatural blessings through the Passover season offering!
Seven Blessings of the Passover Offering
As Steve Munsey teaches in his book Seven Blessings of the Passover, Exodus 23 reveals what Christians have ignored for too long. It focuses on the feasts of the Passover season and the seven specific blessings of the Passover:
1. God will assign an angel to you—"Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared" (verse 20); and "My Angel will go before you" (verse 23).
2. God will be an enemy to your enemies—"But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries" (verse 22).
3. God will give you prosperity—"So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water" (verse 25).
4. God will take sickness away from you —"And I will take sickness away from the midst of you" (verse 25).
5. God will give you a long life—"No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days" (verse 26).
6. God will bring increase and inheritance—"Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land" (verse 30).
7. God will give a special year of blessing—"And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you" (verse 31). And what the enemy stole will be returned to you and protected by God from being overtaken: "I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field become too numerous for you" (verse 29).
These Passover season blessings were (and are!) specific and astounding. When God offers a covenant with His people, as He does with the seven blessings of the Passover, it is a mutual obligation. Notice in the Exodus 23 passage, there is a prerequisite to all these blessings found in verse 15 as the children of Israel were given instructions for the Passover season: "None shall appear before Me empty." During the Passover season, the offering was unique by promising these seven specific blessings.
We know that God instituted Passover when Israel left Egypt to go to the Promised Land. Every family purchased a lamb, which was their offering. They killed the lamb and put the blood of that lamb on the doorpost as God had commanded. Money was given in exchange for the lamb and protection. Then God made it clear that believers should never forget this holy day called the Passover.
The Passover and other holy days were so important that God told us to observe them forever (Exodus 12:14; Leviticus 23:14). He commanded us, as we observe these holy days, to not stand before Him empty-handed (Exodus 23:15).
Deuteronomy 16:16-17 echoes other verses throughout the Scripture: "And they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you".
Amazing things happen when obedient people unleash God's supernatural blessings through the Passover season offering!
Seven Blessings of the Passover Offering
As Steve Munsey teaches in his book Seven Blessings of the Passover, Exodus 23 reveals what Christians have ignored for too long. It focuses on the feasts of the Passover season and the seven specific blessings of the Passover:
1. God will assign an angel to you—"Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared" (verse 20); and "My Angel will go before you" (verse 23).
2. God will be an enemy to your enemies—"But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries" (verse 22).
3. God will give you prosperity—"So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water" (verse 25).
4. God will take sickness away from you —"And I will take sickness away from the midst of you" (verse 25).
5. God will give you a long life—"No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days" (verse 26).
6. God will bring increase and inheritance—"Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land" (verse 30).
7. God will give a special year of blessing—"And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you" (verse 31). And what the enemy stole will be returned to you and protected by God from being overtaken: "I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field become too numerous for you" (verse 29).
These Passover season blessings were (and are!) specific and astounding. When God offers a covenant with His people, as He does with the seven blessings of the Passover, it is a mutual obligation. Notice in the Exodus 23 passage, there is a prerequisite to all these blessings found in verse 15 as the children of Israel were given instructions for the Passover season: "None shall appear before Me empty." During the Passover season, the offering was unique by promising these seven specific blessings.
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