The "Other" Passover Commemoration -- The Samaritans Still Sacrifice the Pascal Lamb (Updated from two years ago)

Israel's History - a Picture a Day (Beta)

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The "Other" Passover Commemoration -- The Samaritans Still Sacrifice the Pascal Lamb (Updated from two years ago) Posted: 18 Apr 2014 Samaritan high priest Yitzhak ben Amram ben Shalma ben Tabia (circa 1900). View other pictures of priests here and here The Samaritan population in the Land of Israel numbered more than a million people 1,500 years ago, according to some estimates.  This ancient people lived in northern Israel and claimed to have been descendants of those tribes of Israel which were not sent out into the Babylonian exile.  One line of Samaritans traces their lineage back to Aaron the priest, and they consider their "holy mountain" to be Mt. Gerizim outside of Nablus (Shechem) -- not Jerusalem.    Samaritan family (1899) The Samaritans worship the God of Abraham, revere a scroll comparable to the five books of Moses, and maintain Passover customs, including the sacrifice of the Pascal Lamb.   Samaritan synagogue in Shechem (1899). Also view here Jews ceased the Passover sacrifice with the destruction of the second Temple. Already in Talmudic days, Jewish authorities rejected the Samaritans' claims to be part of the Jewish people. The Cutim, according to rabbinic authorities, arrived in the Land of Israel around 720 BCE with the Assyrians from Cuth, believed to be located in today's Iraq. Over the millennia, the Samaritans almost disappeared.  Persecuted, massacred and forcibly converted by Byzantine Christians and by Islamic authorities, the Samaritans' community today numbers fewer than 1,000 who are located on Mount Gerizim near Nablus (Shechem) and in Holon, Israel.  Baking matza on Mt. Gerizim (circa 1900)  This year, the Samaritans celebrated their Passover on Sunday, April, 13, 2014.  Preparing a lamb (1900) The photographers of the American Colony photographed dozens of pictures of the Samaritans' sacrificial service.  Their photos, and other early photographers can be found in the Library of Congress online archives.  "The prepared carcasses ready for the oven" (1900)  Praying on Mt. Gerizim (1900)   According to Samaritan officials, the community totals 751 persons.  Here is the breakdown with the first figure showing the number near Nablus (Shechem) and the second number showing the number living in Holon. On January 1, 2012, the Community numbered 751 persons [353 in Kiryat Luza-Mount Gerizim, Samaria; 398 primarily in Holon in the State of Israel: 396 males [190:206] and 355 females [170: 185].  These included 350 married persons [158:192], 215 unmarried males [104:111], 153 unmarried females [70:83];  7 widowed men [4:3]; 23 widowed women [15:8]; 2 Divorced Men [0:2]; 1 Divorced Woman [0:1].   Color photographs of a recent Passover sacrifice on Mt. Gerizim can be viewed here.

Passover (Pesach) Seder at Beit Yeshua in Lincolnton, NC

Passover (Pesach) Seder celebrated 

in North Carolina with Beit Yeshua 

Paul Miles and Chuck Anthony

"Moses and Yakov"

 

Doug Williams - Co-Founder of Beit Yeshua

Love For His People - our names

Laurie Martin - lighting table candles

Cathy Hargett - Highway To Zion Founder

Overwhelming Heart - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Overwhelming Heart

by Steve Martin

“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2, NASU

Has your heart ever been so full that it almost seems that you can’t bear taking in anymore? It is as a Mom’s love for her newborn baby, wanting to hold the child so close to her chest after the nine months of womb time. Or the father, so proud of his son and daughter for sticking it out, when anyone else would have given up the training at their age. Or the grandma’s joy for seeing the grandchild, whom she had prayed for diligently those long years, and make the right decision that would set a good course in the next ones.

My heart sometimes seems to get overwhelmed when I pray for nations, especially the people of Israel. I just want to grab hold of someone there and let some of that emotion and love flow out of me into them, right then.

All of these are wonderful experiences. It is a measurable release of the Father’s love for us, expressed through us, to those around us. Someday we will actually see Him in person, and realize the awesome vastness of His beating heart.

Every Good Friday, when we take the time to again try to fathom the Son’s love for His Father, and how that love was then expressed for all for us, we can imagine more of that reality demonstrated in a most powerful way. As we watch films trying to depict the brutal beating, the senseless Roman scouring, the rugged path to the death hill, finishing it off with the final three nails hammered into His already bleeding hands and feet during the crucifixion execution, it has to awaken something further in our hearts for the Savior.

I believe Yeshua (Jesus) knew some of the agony He would go through beforehand, but even as He sweated blood in Gethsemane, the pain that would be slashing through the nerves of His human flesh was going to be overwhelming. And yet His heart of love, which itself would burst within Him at the end, had to already have been prepared to go through it all. His overwhelming love was able to complete the required mission to the end. Knowing the finish line result would make this worth it - freedom for us from sin and our rightful eternal damnation. Otherwise that would be our judgment sentence if not for the perfect sacrifice of His blood.

I believe this resulting purpose of setting the captives free, freeing us from the bondage of death, and later having us join Him with His Father and now ours, was the joy set before Him. Doing it all for you and I, so we could spend eternity in heaven with them, fulfilled the purpose of His coming to earth the first time as Messiah, the Sacrificial Lamb. His overwhelming heart for the nations - to be with us.

So next time you sense your own heart becoming filled to the point of explosion, know that it is a partial touch from Him, as He shares His love through you. May our hearts grow even bigger, so we can express more of Him to a world needing all of Him.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People. Inc.

  

Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father in the nations.

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Now Think On This #143 “Overwhelming Heart” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (04.18.14) Good Friday at 4:30 pm in Charlotte, NC.

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on our newest website: Now Think On This

'Jewish School Sends Disciples on a Christian Mission'

Friday, April 18, 2014 |  David Lazarus  ISRAEL TODAY

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That was the headline hidden away in the archives of a 1966 edition of the popular Hebrew newspaper Haaretz. It is a fascinating inside look at what happened when an Israeli university required students to read the "dangerous" New Testament.

The full article appears in the April 2014 issue of Israel Today Magazine.

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HEAVEN IS FOR REAL - Join The Movement - The Christian Post

#IBelieve Heaven Is For Real! You're one of the millions who have read the book. You've seen the trailer at your local theater. Now, get ready for the most inspiring motion-picture event of the Easter season: HEAVEN IS FOR REAL. Now showing in theaters, this movie will have you saying #IBelieve! The Story The Burpos are the perfect picture of small-town Americana: mom, dad, daughter, and son... until a serious illness lands young Colton in the hospital. Fearing they will lose their son, the parents cry out to God. While Colton's amazing recovery should lead his family back to normalcy, they quickly discover nothing will ever be the same again. With childlike innocence, Colton begins talking about having visited Heaven and his incredible experiences there. HEAVEN IS FOR REALtells one family's story about Heaven and the impact it has on their community... and the world. The Impact "I believe that the film will serve as a great conversation starter to get people talking about God, Heaven, and the afterlife. I also believe that the movie can prove to be very healing and hopeful for those who've experienced loss and need to be reminded of the fact that Heaven IS for real!" Bryan Hardwick, Small Groups Pastor, Adventure Christian Church, Roseville, Calif. Source: The Christian Post

Christians Rediscovering Passover - DAVID PARSONS/FOR JNS.ORG

More and more, Christians are embracing their Jewish heritage. (Facebook)

Christians Rediscovering Passover

4/14/2014 DAVID PARSONS/FOR JNS.ORG - charisma magazine

For Jews and Christians, the Passover season is a special time for reflection on the rich spiritual truths contained within this remarkable holiday. Indeed, we can all observe the command to remember the incredible Israelite deliverance from bondage in Egypt.

For Christians, the events of a momentous Passover some 15 centuries later have given added meaning to this holiday, so that the truths of the first are reinforced in the latter. Deliverance from Pharaoh’s taskmasters became freedom from slavery to sin. The blood of a lamb on the doorposts became a typology of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

Yet the parallels between Pesach and Easter were lost for centuries to most Christians when the early church fathers deliberately severed our faith from its Jewish roots. In time, this hostility to Judaism produced vicious blood libels against Jews at Passover.

Today, however, multitudes of Christians are rediscovering our Hebraic roots. Indeed,Time magazine recently identified growing Christian interest in our faith’s Jewish heritage as one of the 10 top trends of our day.

Even respected Jewish scholars have started joining Christian theologians in rediscovering the “Jewishness” of Jesus and the Hebraic origins of Christianity. One notable expert in this regard is the late Prof. David Flusser of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, considered the leading Orthodox Jewish expert on the Second Temple era and Early Christianity.

Flusser placed Jesus within the Pharasaic tradition and viewed Him as among the great sages of his time, such as Hillel and Ben-Shammai. But Flusser concluded that the Galilean preacher went boldly beyond the classic Judaism of that day, for instance by proclaiming the advent of the kingdom of God and espousing a radical ethic of loving one’s enemy.

As a result of such groundbreaking scholarship, the Feast of Passover is one occasion when the lineage and cultural identity of Jesus as a “son of the covenant” now holds so much more meaning for Christians. In fact, nothing reattaches Christians to their Jewish roots faster than realizing the Last Supper was actually a Passover seder meal being led by a Jewish rabbi.

Thus, we can now see in the Gospel narratives just how closely Jesus held to Jewish traditions in presiding over the Passover meal with His disciples—or rather, His talmidim.

For instance, He followed the custom then developing in first-century Judaism of serving four cups of wine at the Passover meal to mirror the four great “I wills” of Exodus 6:6-7. When Jesus took the third cup—considered the “cup of redemption”—He used it to seal a new covenant with His followers.

Interestingly, He also used customary Jewish words of betrothal at that same moment, promising to go build them all mansions in His Father’s house and to come back for them one day as a bridegroom for His bride (John 14:2-3).

In serving them wine and unleavened bread, Jesus further played off the command to remember the Passover by instructing His disciples to always partake of it “in remembrance of [Him].”

Then one of the most extraordinary moments of the Last Supper came when He washed the feet of His disciples.

Like other great rabbis of His day, Jesus had developed a unique preaching style by telling parables, many of which are universally known to this day, such as the parables of the good Samaritan and the prodigal son. But He was different in the way He also practiced what He preached. In washing the feet of His disciples, the rabbi Jesus taught by deed and not just words what it means to be a servant in His kingdom (John 13:14-15).

And finally, Jesus demonstrated tremendous grace that evening when He gave the place of the guest of honor to His immediate left to Judas, even though He knew this was the one about to betray Him. What a difference it would have made down through history if Christians had understood that Jesus was never bitter toward Judas.

Sadly, it is too late to change that history. But we are witnessing a sea change in Christian attitudes towards the Jewish people today as we understand better the Jewish matrix of our faith. This historic shift is helping to build Christian support for an embattled Israel at a critical hour. And just as importantly, it is shielding multitudes of Christians against modern-day blood libels and other anti-Semitic lies now being hurled at the Jewish state.

David Parsons is an ordained minister who serves as media director for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (www.icej.org).

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"The blood shall be a sign for you...Exodus 12:13 - ISRAEL365

The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you. EXODUS (12:13) וְהָיָה הַדָּם לָכֶם לְאֹת עַל הַבָּתִּים אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם שָׁם וְרָאִיתִי אֶת הַדָּם וּפָסַחְתִּי עֲלֵכֶם; וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָכֶם נֶגֶף לְמַשְׁחִית שְׁמוֹת יב:יג v'ha-YA ha-DAM la-KHEM l'OT al ha-ba-TEEM a-SHER a-TEM sham v'ra-ee-TEE etha-DAM u-pa-SAKH-tee a-lay-KHEM v'LO yi-hi-YE ba-KHEM ne-GEF l'mash-KHEET

Haggadah Highlights The blood that was placed on the doorposts of the Jewish homes signified that those inside the house had unequivocably placed their trust in the Almighty. It was this devotion that brought down God's protection. May we all merit God's protection this holiday season by standing with the People of Israel. Your support of Israel's national blood bank will save lives. Be redeemed. Make a virtual blood donation today » Children of the Same God A young Christian woman shares her passion for supporting Israel's national blood bank, which gives the gift of life to everyone equally, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity. Watch Here » Blood Moon Rising A rare astrological event commenced this Passover with the appearance of the first of a series of full lunar eclipses in a row called blood moons (due to the red color of the moons glow). Read More » Gold Heart with Shema Prayer This beautiful heart-shaped pendant is made from 14 karat yellow gold and is engraved on its left side with the words: "Shema Yisrael" ("Hear O Israel"). Get this Pendant and Free Shipping » Today's Israel Photo Today's photo by Sharon Gabay shows the ancient stone homes built into the hills of northern Israel. See more photos by Sharon Gabay » Thank You Today's Scenes and Inspiration is sponsored by Dennis Martin of Camden, Indiana. Sponsor a Day & Get "365 Devotionals" » “Uplifting Material - Speaks to My Soul” It’s great to hear from so many of you - stay in touch and let us know where in the world you are enjoying Israel365! Stay in Touch » The photos, scriptures, inspiration and videos you share each day are appreciated very much. Todah rabah. Blessings from New Zealand. Jill [Gila] Thank you for the uplifting material. It really speaks to my soul. Shavuah Tov! Thankful for Israel365 and Loving Israel from Alexandria, Virginia USA, Krystal Melton With warm wishes for a happy and meaningful Passover, Rabbi Tuly Weisz RabbiTuly@Israel365.com

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Cracking the Convergence Code - Dave Yarnes video - Having the spirit, character and skill for your calling and work.

Dave Yarnes - VP of MorningStar Ministries

Teaching & developing skills sets 

Cracking the Convergence Code

Prophetic Perspective

Dave Yarnes

Friday, April 18, 2014

Dave Yarnes talks about seeing the skill sets God has been developing in you and continuing to develop them. 

Watch now: Cracking the Convergence Code - Dave Yarnes Video | Prophetic Perspective on Current Events

Character development is vital.

Spirit development

Having the spirit, character and skill for your calling.