Shadow and Reality
Hebrews 10:1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves.
CANAAN AND PASSOVER–The bible says that the Law of Moses in the Old Testament works as copy and shadow to teach us the reality which would come true in the Law of Christ in the New Testament. Among the many things in the old covenant, today let us look at the conquest of Canaan, the land of honey and milk. When God led the Israel people out from the slavery of Egypt, God promised them to give Canaan as their inheritance. When they obeyed the commands of God, they could receive the Promised Land in the end.
This work of Moses and the physical Israel people works as copy and shadow to let us know the true meaning which would be accomplished in the new covenant through the work of Christ and the spiritual Israel people. Therefore, by looking at the inheritance of Canaan in the Old Testament, we can understand the inheritance of spiritual Canaan the Kingdom of Heaven by the people of God in the New Testament.
What was particularly important in the conquest of Canaan was the keeping of Passover. Throughout their journey to the land of Canaan, the physical Israelites in the Old Testament kept the Passover three times. This was given as copy and shadow to teach the spiritual Israelites to understand the providence of God for the salvation of his people. By studying this subject we can also know the time frame we are living in so that we can get spiritually prepared for our salvation.
The First Passover: Beginning Of the Journey
The Time of Moses
CANAAN AND PASSOVER–The people of Israel were under the slavery of Egypt for about 430 years when God sent Moses to rescue them from the slavery. Through Moses, God showed many miraculous signs to the Egyptians and Pharaoh, but they did not listen to the words of God. They were reluctant to set the Israelites free. Plagues hit the land one after another until the last plague, the plague of the firstborns.
Before this plague, God told his people to keep the Passover by slaughtering lambs and putting the blood of lambs on the door frames. Finally, on the night of the Passover when the plague hit the land, only those who kept the Passover could receive the protection from the disasters. All others suffered from the plague and lost their firstborns. The very night of the Passover, Pharaoh called in Moses and told him to take all the Israelites and leave the land.
Exodus 12:10 10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 11 This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover.
The Time of Jesus
CANAAN AND PASSOVER–This first Passover was the shadow for God’s people 2000 years ago. What God wanted to teach through the story of Israelites is the story of the true spiritual Israelites or God’s people who are living on this earth under the slavery of sin and death. The story of Jews in the Old Testament was the story of God’s people who would be rescued from the slavery of sin and death and led to the spiritual land of Canaan, the kingdom of heaven.
When God started his salvation work for the spiritual Jews 2000 years ago, God came down to this earth in the name of Jesus. As the reality of the Passover lamb he sacrificed himself by shedding his blood to give us the forgiveness of sins and freedom from the slavery of sin and death. This was the reality of the first Passover which came true through the work of Christ in the new covenant. Through the sacrifice of Christ, people of God could receive the freedom from the slavery and start their spiritual journey to the land of Canaan.
Matthew 26:26 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
The Second Passover: In the Desert
The Time of Moses
CANAAN AND PASSOVER–After coming out from Egypt, Moses and Israel people started the journey in the desert for 40 years until they conquered Canaan long time later. During this journey in the desert, the people kept the Passover only two more times. The first one was the Passover they kept in the desert right after they came out of Egypt and the second was the one they kept just before entering Canaan. This two Passovers have also significant meanings behind it.
After keeping the Passover for the first time in the land of Egypt, Moses and people kept Passover for the second time in the desert in the second year of their exodus.
Numbers 9:1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they came out of Egypt. He said, 2 “Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed time. 3 Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance with all its rules and regulations.” 4 So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover, 5 and they did so in the Desert of Sinai at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.
After this second Passover, people could not keep the Passover for almost 40 years until the end of their journey when they kept the third Passover at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho.
The Time of Christ
CANAAN AND PASSOVER–This Passover by Moses was also the copy for the Passover which God’s people would keep in the new covenant. After the first Passover of Jesus and his disciples in the upper room of Mark, finally God’s people received the freedom from slavery. After that, the members of the early churches kept the Passover to commemorate Christ’s sacrifice.
1 Corinthians 11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
This keeping of the Passover by the saints of the early church was the reality of the second Passover which people of Israel kept in the desert. Just like the Jews who could not keep the Passover for a long time for the rest of their journey in the desert, God’s people could not keep the Passover during the Dark Age. Even though early members of churches kept the Passover, after the abolishment of the Passover in 325 AD people could not keep the Passover for a long time.
The Third Passover: Entering Canaan
The Time of Moses
CANAAN AND PASSOVER–After keeping the Passover in the second year of their journey, the Israelites could not keep the Passover for a long time. Finally, however, they could keep the Passover for the third time on the plain of Gilgal just before they conquered Canaan, the Promised Land.
Joshua 5:10 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. 11 The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain.
At the end of the journey people of Israel could keep the Passover just before the conquest of Canaan. After this Passover, they could conquer the land and receive their inheritance God promised to them. The Israelites settled into the Promised Land and they could end their journey.
The Time of Christ
CANAAN AND PASSOVER–This third Passover of the Israelites is also working as copy and shadow for the reality of the Passover which God’s people would keep at the end of their journey. Just like the Israelites who entered the land of Canaan after the third Passover, the spiritual Israelites God’s people would be able to enter the spiritual Canaan the Kingdom of Heaven after they keep the third Passover.
After the abolishment of the Passover in the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, people could not keep the Passover for a long time during the Dark Age. This happened to fulfill what the Israelites did during the long journey in the desert. The Israelites could not keep the Passover for a long time after the second Passover in the Desert of Sinai. In the same way, people could not keep the Passover for a long time since 325 AD.
Church Of God Keeping Passover
However, today all over the world the people of God are keeping the Passover. In the churches of God throughout the world saints are keeping the Passover on the 14th day of the first month in the sacred calendar. If we correctly recall what happened to the Israelites, they kept Passover only three times. After the third Passover they enter the Promised Land. Through this story of Israelites as copy and shadow, we must understand the time frame we are living.
God’s people who could not keep the Passover for about 1600 years are keeping the Passover today as the fulfillment of the third Passover of the Old Testament. Then what does this signify? It means that God’s people are right at the entrance of the spiritual Canaan the Kingdom of Heaven. Very soon the time will be fulfilled when God’s chosen ones would enter the spiritual Canaan Heaven.
Canaan And Passover
CANAAN AND PASSOVER–All the saints of the churches of God all throughout the world are keeping the Passover in obedience to the teachings of Christ Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother. This Passover we are keeping is the reality of the Passover which Israelites kept at Gilgal on the plain of Jericho right before their conquest of the Promised Land.
This signifies that the spiritual Canaan is right in front of us. The Israelites could enter Canaan when they destroyed the wall of Jericho. In the same way, we are spiritually standing in front of the wall of Babylon which is stopping us from entering into the spiritual Canaan the kingdom of heaven. When the Israelites shouted, the wall of Jericho collapsed and they entered Canaan. Spiritually, we are standing in front of the wall of Babylon which is preventing us from enter the kingdom of heaven. But the bible says that it would fall. (Revelation 18:2)
Now is the time for us to shout aloud to bring the wall of Babylon down. The time is near. Let us work diligently to shout the words of God to the people of the world so that they know the true identity of the Babylon.