Greetings Saints and Friends,
​“Wow Johnathan, did you carve those pumpkins?” “Yes, I did. Do you like them?” “I think you did a great job. But why did you choose the month of October to carve the manger scene with Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the animals? I know. Don’t tell me — because we only have pumpkins in the fall season.” “Well, in part, yes. But there is another reason, too.” “What is it?” “Recently, I have been interested in some of the celebrations that God told His people in the Old Testament to keep every year. Three of them were important enough that God told the people, no matter where they lived, to travel to Jerusalem to celebrate together.” “Which three celebrations were those?” “We know them as Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Each of these is connected to Jesus in the New Testament.” “How so?” “First, the most well known one is Passover. Passover was a celebration of God setting His people free from slavery in Egypt.” “Oh, I remember that from when we were in the Sunday School play at church years ago. You portrayed Moses real well as you held up your staff and said to Jeremy – I mean Pharaoh – ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Let my people go!”’ And Pharaoh said to Moses, ‘No. I will not let you go!’ Exodus 5:1-2 So God told Moses for each family to take a lamb and sprinkle its blood on the lintel and doorposts of their homes. So when God sent an angel through the land of Egypt that night, the angel would ‘pass-over’ their homes. They would be kept safe because of the Passover lamb, but every Egyptian home would suffer loss. Exodus 12:21-23 The Passover lamb was a foreshadow of Jesus, who would be our Passover Lamb. The Bible says, one day John saw Jesus walking towards him and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’ John 1:29 And later, Paul wrote, ‘For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.’ 1 Corinthians 5:7 And do you know which day Jesus was crucified for our sins?” “Yes, it was on Passover!” “Exactly!”
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​“The second feast that God told His people to observe was Pentecost. Pentecost is the Greek word for ‘fifty’. This feast was held fifty days after Passover.” “How does this tie in with Jesus?” “Jesus told His disciples, ‘The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.’” John 14:26
“I have a feeling I know when the Holy Spirit came.” “I’m sure you do. The Bible says, ‘When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, the disciples were gathered in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 2:1-4 “It is so incredible how God works, Johnathan!”
“There is more, too. Before Jesus could be the Passover Lamb, and before He could leave here, go back to heaven, and the Father send the Holy Spirit – before any of that could happen, Jesus first had to come from heaven. That is what the Feast of Tabernacles, which took place in September or October, is about. In the Old Testament, the tabernacle is where the presence of God dwelt. When God came to earth in the person of Jesus, He took on flesh and temporarily dwelt or ‘tabernacled’ among us. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.’ John 1:1,14 When Jesus came, He proclaimed that He would be the Passover sacrifice for our sins. And He promised the sending of the Holy Spirit, which occurred on Pentecost. He has also promised, ‘I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.’ John 14:2-3 It doesn’t matter ‘when’ Jesus was born, but that He died for our sins and rose again like He said He would do. And because He did, anyone who trusts in Jesus as their Savior can know positively that Jesus has prepared a place in heaven for them.” “What do you have carved in this pumpkin?” “It’s a prayer anyone can honestly pray: ‘Jesus, thank You for paying for my sins when You died on Passover and rose again. Help me to learn more about You and to live for You each day. Amen’”