Who Passed Over?

Who led the children of Israel out of Egypt, all the way to the promised land?

Moses? Sure. But he had no idea if they’re to turn left or right when they hit a junction. Whom did he follow?

God? Right, that would be the common answer.

But can you please be a bit more specific?

A mysterious being led the children of Israel out of Egypt, stood between them and the Egyptians at the shore of the Red Sea, manifested Himself in a pillar of smoke and fire, and brought them into the promised land.

At times the Bible calls this being an “Angel” (e.g. Ex. 14:19; 23:20-23; 33:2-3), sometimes the “Angel of YHWA” (Jud. 2:1-4), and elsewhere He is called “His Faces” (Ex. 33:14; Deut. 4:37 and others) or the “Angel of His Faces”“ (Isa. 63:9). His Faces, not His presence or His countenance, as the English translations wrongly say at times. These two terms do not even exist in the original Hebrew text. It is always about Faces.

This Angel is the Messiah, who revealed Himself to the nation through an abundance of symbols and clues. Many of them are found in the various Feasts that God appointed in the OT. Each Feast (in Hebrew, Mo-Ed, meaning an appointed time) reveals a bit more about this fascinating being, that never stepped forward and testified clearly to His identity. He was always covered with either smoke, fire, night, symbols, parables, etc.

Jews all over the world set at the Passover table earlier this week, telling the story of the Exodus. History and Rabbinical purposeful plan have distorted God’s original design. Passover was meant to point towards the Lamb that was slain, the unleavened Bread, the necessity of Blood on our doorposts so that death passes over. But these clues are hidden from our nation, as now this Feast is mostly about food, family, and disputes of Rabbis from centuries ago, who compiled a booklet that most families read that evening, but sadly is so remote from God’s original commandment.

Why are we focusing on the wrong things, year in and year out? Why do we work so hard, sometimes with fear and trembling, to prepare for a celebration that is so deviated from the original design? The answer can be summed up in the term “Hidden Faces.” The true identity of the Messiah is hidden from us on purpose, as a part of God’s brilliant plan to save the whole world. As long as He is hidden from us Jews, Gentiles can see Him for who He is.

The globe keeps turning. Half sees His Faces
for who He is, but He is still hidden from the other half

However, this era is coming to a closure. Soon our nation will go through a sobering experience. We will realize that He is not our enemy, but the Lover of our soul. And we will mourn deeply that day, as one mourns for the loss of a first born son (for more on this subject, click here Ruth and Naomi).

Dear friends, here is another opportunity for you to step alongside our nation, who is, for the most part, blind to the meaning of this Feast. Most Jews hardly even think about God or His miraculous deliverance during this sacred time. Here is another opportunity for you to stand between us and God and pray…

♦  that God will open blind eyes.

♦  that while we look at some of the signs and symbols that are woven into this Feast, we will reach beyond the fun and tradition and ask deep questions.

♦  that God will use this opportunity to reveal to us more aspects of the Angel of His Faces.

Traditions are beautiful, but they can be killers of truth, because our tendency is not to seek beyond them. We are so used to do the same thing, that we don’t even try to understand it.

♦  Let’s pray that our nation will seek to understand the meaning of blood, of unleavened bread and of true deliverance.