Cosmic Power Struggle
There was an annual celebration held in Jerusalem, Jesus had his own reasons for wanting to hold this celebration and eat the celebratory meal with his twelve disciples. The history behind this celebration is so important that it needs remembering.
The Israelites had entered Egypt as guests of a grateful ruler, the Pharaoh. In time the number of Israelites increased so that later rulers felt threatened by so many aliens in the land. The Israelites were made into slaves and worked on building projects for the rulers; still they increased in number. The Pharaoh who was ruling at that time instructed that every male baby should be killed at birth. From this inhuman exploitation God resolved to deliver the Israelites. He sent a messenger named Moses who tried to negotiate a safe exit for the Israelites; Pharaoh would agree when pressure was placed on him and change his mind when the pressure relaxed. At the tenth attempt Moses instructed all the Israelites to prepare for a journey and be ready to leave in haste. Just before they left they were to take a young lamb, one for each family, and pour out its blood, then that blood was to be painted, on the top and the sides of the door frame of the house they lived in. (Being brick makers they did not live in tents but in something like brick built barracks) At midnight God went through the land and the angel of death entered every house, in every house the eldest born died. But wherever God saw the blood painted on the door frame he ‘passed over’ that house and the angel of death did not enter.
This event was celebrated annually by the Jews and called the ‘Passover’ each head of family purchased a young lamb, the blood was poured out at the alter of sacrifice and then the lamb taken home to be eaten with flat bread. (There was no time for leavening agents to work) Jesus ate the Passover meal on the night before his arrest, reclining at table with his disciples.
The rulers of the Israelite religion were afraid of the power of Rome; if news of a possible uprising reached Rome (and it surely would because the temple in Jerusalem was overlooked by a large garrison housing Roman soldiers) then the Romans would come and punish the city, killing many of the residents. The Chief Priest decided that it was better that one man, Jesus, should die than for many people to die. He did not know he was prophesying. Because Jesus had become a wanted man the meal was eaten in an upstairs room and prepared privately.
The small group and the upstairs room became the scene for a cosmic struggle. Four powers fought for control whilst the men ate their meal. The power of Rome, center of the empire which dominated the world, the power of the rulers of religion, who had become blind, the power of evil, which ruled over all who could not or would not resist, and the power of God the liberator.
Only Jesus recognized the struggle, his followers did not yet think in cosmic or spiritual ways. Jesus knew what would happen next; his body and spirit were in turmoil at the thought, but he chose to remain obedient to the guiding voice within him.
Jesus knew that the power of evil would triumph. His own blood would soon pour out, and his power would end. The inner voice he listened to and that had guided him to this time, would guide him to his death. After that the power struggle would be between the power of evil and the power of good, who is also called, God the Faithful.
The Gospel of John, chapter 13 verses 1 to 30
The Gospel Luke, chapter 22 verse 15
The Israelites had entered Egypt as guests of a grateful ruler, the Pharaoh. In time the number of Israelites increased so that later rulers felt threatened by so many aliens in the land. The Israelites were made into slaves and worked on building projects for the rulers; still they increased in number. The Pharaoh who was ruling at that time instructed that every male baby should be killed at birth. From this inhuman exploitation God resolved to deliver the Israelites. He sent a messenger named Moses who tried to negotiate a safe exit for the Israelites; Pharaoh would agree when pressure was placed on him and change his mind when the pressure relaxed. At the tenth attempt Moses instructed all the Israelites to prepare for a journey and be ready to leave in haste. Just before they left they were to take a young lamb, one for each family, and pour out its blood, then that blood was to be painted, on the top and the sides of the door frame of the house they lived in. (Being brick makers they did not live in tents but in something like brick built barracks) At midnight God went through the land and the angel of death entered every house, in every house the eldest born died. But wherever God saw the blood painted on the door frame he ‘passed over’ that house and the angel of death did not enter.
This event was celebrated annually by the Jews and called the ‘Passover’ each head of family purchased a young lamb, the blood was poured out at the alter of sacrifice and then the lamb taken home to be eaten with flat bread. (There was no time for leavening agents to work) Jesus ate the Passover meal on the night before his arrest, reclining at table with his disciples.
The rulers of the Israelite religion were afraid of the power of Rome; if news of a possible uprising reached Rome (and it surely would because the temple in Jerusalem was overlooked by a large garrison housing Roman soldiers) then the Romans would come and punish the city, killing many of the residents. The Chief Priest decided that it was better that one man, Jesus, should die than for many people to die. He did not know he was prophesying. Because Jesus had become a wanted man the meal was eaten in an upstairs room and prepared privately.
The small group and the upstairs room became the scene for a cosmic struggle. Four powers fought for control whilst the men ate their meal. The power of Rome, center of the empire which dominated the world, the power of the rulers of religion, who had become blind, the power of evil, which ruled over all who could not or would not resist, and the power of God the liberator.
Only Jesus recognized the struggle, his followers did not yet think in cosmic or spiritual ways. Jesus knew what would happen next; his body and spirit were in turmoil at the thought, but he chose to remain obedient to the guiding voice within him.
Jesus knew that the power of evil would triumph. His own blood would soon pour out, and his power would end. The inner voice he listened to and that had guided him to this time, would guide him to his death. After that the power struggle would be between the power of evil and the power of good, who is also called, God the Faithful.
The Gospel of John, chapter 13 verses 1 to 30
The Gospel Luke, chapter 22 verse 15
posted by Jessie Coates at 2:54 PM
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