The Passover

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people. 00:00:04 Speaker 2: Happi, the God of the Nile, blood out before our eyes. Akeet, the frog goddess, left to rot in the streets. Geb, the God of the Earth, turned to dust and swarmed us with gnats. Capri, the god of life, swarmed against his own people as flies. And now Hathor, the goddess of livestock, watches as her herds lie dead in the fields. The Lord is striking down the gods of Egypt one by one. 00:00:37 Speaker 3: Then what would the Lord do when only one god is left standing? 00:00:42 Speaker 4: Which god are you talking about, Pharaoh, I will have monuments built to my glory. Long after your unnamed god has forgotten. 00:00:57 Speaker 2: You will know his name, Rameses. It will be on your lips. When your kingdom crumbles to dust. At midnight, the Lord will descend upon Egypt. Every first born in the land, every first born from your own son upon this throne to the lowliest slave in the mill will die. There shall be a cry throughout the land of Egypt, a cry unlike any heard before, nor ever will be again. 00:01:31 Speaker 5: One more plague will come upon Pharaoh when all of Egypt after my judgment, He will let you go from this place. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely into the wilderness. 00:01:55 Speaker 6: In the shadow of Egypt's despair, the blood of a lamb carved a new destiny. Shallo, my friends from here in the Holy Land. Welcome to the Chosen People. I'm ya l estein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Each day we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories filled with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning of life. Through israel story, we find this truth that we are all chosen for something great. If you haven't yet followed the podcast, be sure to do so now. That way you never have to miss an episode, and that small step helps us tremendously as we try to be discovered by more people so that we can inspire them. If you're interested in finding out more about the prophetic, life saving work of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, you can visit our website at IFCJ dot org. Have you ever wondered what it means to be free? To be true, truly free? This week we dive into a story etched in the heart of the Chosen People, the story of Paisach of Passover. It's a saga of hope, resilience, and of divine intervention. We'll encounter God's instructions to Moses and Aaron, commands that would usher ind most profound shift in Jewish history. But freedom always comes at a cost. 00:03:29 Speaker 1: Moses and Aaron descended the jagged path leading down into Goshin. The people were waiting with bated breath, eager to hear how their last meeting with Pharaoh went. Miriam stood before them, anxious. 00:03:44 Speaker 4: What did Pharaoh say? 00:03:45 Speaker 2: Pharaoh has refused. The Lord will be sending a final plague. 00:03:52 Speaker 7: The people are terrified. 00:03:54 Speaker 4: Moses, how will they escape the wrath to come? 00:03:57 Speaker 1: Moses had mixed emotions. He had commands from the Lord. What was to come would be unlike anything they or their forefathers had ever witnessed. Not even Abraham witnessed the power about to be poured out upon the Egyptians. 00:04:14 Speaker 2: Gather the people. We have commands from the Lord. 00:04:19 Speaker 1: Mirian and Aaron gathered the congregation of Israel. Moses stood before them, hands trembling under the weight of the creator's decree. Moses turned to Aaron and permitted him to speak on the Lord's behalf Aaron raised his voice to the people, arms stretched out. 00:04:38 Speaker 3: Thus, says the Lord. Each of you shall take a lamb to eat, each according to their father's house. If the household is too small for a lamb, then you shall share it with your neighbor who has another. The lamb should be a spotless male of only one year old. 00:04:57 Speaker 1: The people tilted their heads in com fusion. Aaron could sense their apprehension. They wanted to hear about the plague to come, but instead the Lord was giving them commands about a meal. What would a meal have to do with their salvation. 00:05:14 Speaker 3: The whole assembly shall kill their lambs at twilight. Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of their houses. The blood of the lamb will cover your household for the raft to come. Once your households are covered by the blood of the lamb, you shall feast on its flesh, which has been roasted on the fire. Eat the meat with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Let none of it remain until the morning. Anything left over shall be burned in the fire. 00:05:49 Speaker 4: Why is the Lord commanding this? 00:05:52 Speaker 1: Aaron turned back to Moses, eyes searching for answers. Moses stepped forward, voice lightly wavering but gaining confidence. 00:06:02 Speaker 2: When you eat, keep your belts fastened, your sandals on your feet, and staves in your hand. Eat your meal swiftly, for the Lord is coming tonight. 00:06:14 Speaker 1: The crowd stirred and excited. Unease fell upon them. 00:06:19 Speaker 4: What is happening tonight, mosshire, and why do we have to paint our doors with the blood of the. 00:06:24 Speaker 2: Dam This is the Lord's passover, Thus says the Lord. I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike all the first born in the land of Egypt. Both men and beasts shall fear my name, and all the gods of Egypt will execute judgments. But I am the Lord. The blood shall be assigned for you. When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall. 00:06:51 Speaker 4: Or destroy you. 00:06:53 Speaker 2: When I strike the land of Egypt. 00:06:55 Speaker 1: The people trembled when they heard the decrees. They had yearned for deliverance, but now that it was within reach, they seemed uneasy. 00:07:05 Speaker 3: My brethren, remember tonight this day shall be a memorial for us. We will repeat this feast throughout the generations. It shall be a day of remembrance. Hundreds even thousands of years from now, our children will remember the deliverance fought and one by the God of all creation. 00:07:29 Speaker 1: The crowd erupted in cheers for the first time in generations. They allowed themselves to hope the bitterness and mourning would turn to singing and laughter, But not too soon. The Lord had work to do. 00:07:44 Speaker 5: On their behalf. 00:07:46 Speaker 1: Moses turned to Aaron. 00:07:48 Speaker 2: And Miriam, All, all the elders of Israel, we need to be unified and prepared. 00:07:54 Speaker 1: The elders all gathered together. Moses looked out at them all. Since he had arrived, he relied solely on Arran to correspond with them. If he was being honest with himself, he felt guilty commanding them. He hadn't grown up as one of them, nor had he felt like he earned their respect. They had no shed, toil or history. But what bound them together was a calling to lead God's people out of slavery. Moses drew a deep breath and steadied his heartbeat. 00:08:28 Speaker 2: The end is near, brothers, The end is near. The Lord will come to night, and we must be prepared. Everything must be done according to the Lord's commands. 00:08:39 Speaker 7: Go on, Moses speak and we will listen. 00:08:42 Speaker 2: Select lambs for yourselves and for every household in your clans. Kill them as the pass of the lambs or the blood into a basin. Then take his up branches and dip them into the blood. Spread the blood on the doorposts. When the Lord passes through Egypt, the blood will be assigned for him to pass over you. When your children ask about the lamb and the blood, tell them that this is a sacrifice to the Lord, because he's going to strike down the Egyptians and set us free. But listen to me, this is important. None of you shall go out of the door until morning. Under no circumstances will you exit your homes. 00:09:27 Speaker 4: What will happen in the morning, Moses. 00:09:29 Speaker 2: In the morning, you will exit your homes, and you will walk out as free men. We will leave Egypt together and begin our journey to the promised Lamb. 00:09:43 Speaker 1: Every man was silent for a long while. Then one by one they fell to their knees and worshiped. Hymns both ancient and Gottural poured forth from their lips. They felt connected to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That night they began to truly act like God's chosen people. The night was heavy with silence, a silence that clung to the earth like a shroud. A cold wind whispered through the streets of Egypt, carrying with it the scent of death. Beneath the distant stars, obscured by the towering temples and the grandeur of the Pharaoh's palace, a people awaited the judgment of a god they had yet to understand. The moon hung low over the Nile, its waters dark and still, as if even the river Mighty as it was, dared not stir. From the grand cities to the lowliest villages, from the palatial estates of nobles to the clay walled hovels of slaves, all who slept that night would wake to a terror beyond reckoning. For at midnight it began. A shadow passed through the streets of Egypt, unseen yet felt. It was not the wind. Though the curtains moved and the candles flickered in its wake. It moved with purpose, slipping through doors that were left unmarked, where no Lamb's blood clung to the lintel. The air grew thick, laden with a weight that pressed upon the chest, that caused breath to quicken and eyes to widen, in a terror they could not name. In the haws of the Pharaoh, guided by statues of stone and gods of gold, the first cries ran out. It was a high pitched wail, a cry of disbelief, of a grief so sudden and so raw that it cut through the stillness like a knife. The servants rushed to the bed chamber of Pharaoh's eldest son, heir to the throne of Egypt, a bore boy no older than ten summers. He lay there, still and pale, his eyes open but unseeing, his skin cold to the touch. A sob tore from the throat of the queen, and the Pharaoh himself, a man who had stared down armies and ruled with the weight of Ra's name upon his brow, fell to his knees beside the boy's bed. 00:12:26 Speaker 7: My my son, oper man, come with the onds, prting my child back to life. 00:12:38 Speaker 1: But the gods had been silent, the priests powerless in their incantations. No breath passed between the boy's lips, and no flicker of life stirred in his chest. Nothing moved but the shadow passing on beyond the palace walls, the whales began to rise, one by one, like the growing roar of the sea in a storm. In every house untouched by the blood of the lamb, the first born were found cold in their beds, from the eldest son of the lowliest farmer to the first born calf in the fields. The land of Egypt, so proud in its splendor, so sure in the power of its gods, was brought low by a power it could not see nor fight through it. All the Israelites watched in silence in their homes. They gathered, huddled in tight circles beneath the smear of blood that marked their doors, the blood of sacrifice, of obedience. The old ones whispered to the young stories of their forefathers, of promises made by a god more ancient than the gods of Egypt, a god who had heard their cries, who had seen their suffering. And now that God had answered. In the deep hours of the night, when the screams of grief had subsided into a hollow quiet, and Pharoh rose, his face, at once proud and unyielding, was now drawn tight with pain, his eyes hollowed by the weight of the dead. He summoned his advisers, but they offered no counsel. The magicians stood silent, their tongues stilled by fear. There was no wisdom, no spell, no right that could undo what had been done. 00:14:30 Speaker 8: Bring them to me, Bring Moses and erin before me. 00:14:39 Speaker 1: The brothers were brought to him, the tension of the night still hung in the air, like smoke after a battle. Pharaoh stared at them, his eyes red with sleepless grief, and for a moment the room was still, save for the flicker of torches. His boy was cradled in his arms, lifeless and cold. 00:15:02 Speaker 8: Go go and take your people, leave this land, take your flocks, your herds, your children, and be gone. And when you go, speak to your God, Pray to him for me, for my people. 00:15:37 Speaker 1: The brothers did not answer at once. They exchanged a glance, a moment of understanding, as though the weight of destiny pressed upon their shoulders. Aaron gave Moses a knowing glance and left first, leaving Pharaoh and Moses alone. Rameses The words were stuck in Moses's throat, his jaw tightened with grief and anger, grief that the people he had once called kin were mourning the loss of their children, anger that it all could have been prevented if Pharaoh had relented. 00:16:19 Speaker 9: Your what, Moses, You're sorry for my loss? Are you saddened by the death of a generation? 00:16:31 Speaker 1: Moses was still and silent. He thought of responding, but chose not to. What was done was done without a word. He turned and departed, leaving Pharaoh in the silence of his broken kingdom, a king brought to his knees not by armies, but by a plague of death sent by a god he could neither see nor challenge outside. The dawn was rising over Egypt, but for the people of the Nile there would be no light that day, only the long shadow of what had been lost. 00:17:20 Speaker 6: What an astonishing tale. It reminds me of the resilience and faith of my ancestors. I can almost hear their whispers in the dark, families huddled together, eyes wide as they painted their doorposts with the blood of the Lamb. But it's more than just a story. It's a testament to God's power and our faith in him. Right when everything seemed impossible, they held onto a promise, a covenant that would change the course of their lives. Forever. And isn't that the essence of faith, to believe in something greater than the present darkness, to act in obedience even when the outcome is unknown and unseen. Passover is not just a historical event. It's a living, breathing reminder of our heritage, of our chosenness. It's a call to remember, to honor, and to live out that same faith and trust in every generation. We must see ourselves as those who personally went out from Egypt, breaking free from whatever enslaves us. That is the legacy of pesa of Passover. In Exodus twelve, verse thirteen, we read, the blood will be a sign for you on the house is where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. Now, I want you to hear this verse in Hebrew because it's so important. Haddam the haya the hacotis le machrit neguesta rem ye villo alerem viva sakhti Haddam et varaiti sham a tim asher habatim a lam meets shrine baards. Of course, the name in English of this holiday of Paisach comes exactly from this word, did you hear it? Alerem vi pasakti pasa. Of course, the name in English of this holiday Passover in Hebrew is said paysa, and it comes directly from these words alem pasati. And so the great sage Onkros, who was the first translator of the Bible from Hebrew, translated the word ufa sakti not as I will pass over, but rather as I will have compassion or I will show love. You see, we translate the word ufa sahti as I will pass but it's not exactly. 00:20:01 Speaker 5: What it means. 00:20:02 Speaker 6: So as the final plague and the exodus approached, God was actually announcing the love and compassion that He would show to the Chosen people on that very special night. You see, in many ways, that's exactly what we celebrate on Passover. With the matsa and the other special foods and the prayers, we celebrate God's eternal love for the Chosen people. I once read an article by a woman who described her journey exploring a gold mine in South Africa. In the mine, her guide pointed out remnants of gold. She shined her flashlight around the cave and came across flecks of gold. Convinced that she had found the real thing, she eagerly pointed it out to the guide. She said, look, there are flecks of gold there. That must be gold. But the guide laughed and said that she was looking at fool's gold. You see, it looked like gold, but it wasn't the genuine article. It wasn't the real thing. Then the guide pointed out a tiny black rock and explained that that was authentic gold, and he described the process of turning it into gold as we know it. First, the rock is crushed and pulverized into powder. Then cyanide, a deadly poison, is added. Many more steps follow until the gold achieves it's true golden hue. In the Bible, God commanded the Israelites to commemorate the exodus from Egypt every year with bitter herbs and matza, which is unleavened bread, along with the Passover sacrifice. The Jewish sages explained that while the Passover lamb and the matzar symbols of redemption, the bitter herbs represent oppression. But God commanded us to put both symbols together so that we'll remember one of the most powerful lessons of the Exodus story that our difficulties and our victories are all part of the same story. Just as gold cannot become gold without going through a refinement process, so too do our challenges refine us and bring out our best. Like fools gold, people can appear one way, but in reality be something completely different. Most of the best people in the world have gone through a refinement process. They've endured hard times, and they come out better on the other side. So instead of resenting the difficulties in our lives, I think this Bible story teaches us that we should embrace them. God brings out the best in us through our challenges. Even when we feel crushed by our problems, he is turning us into something beautiful and invaluable. At the Sator dinner during the sacred festival of Passover, we remember the night when God passed over the homes of the Israelites, their first borns and setting them on a path to freedom. This is a story woven into the very fabric of our identity, a story of faith, courage, and redemption. When God instructed our ancestors to take a lamb, to slaughter it, and to paint their door posts with its blood. This act of faith was not for his benefit. God already knew who lived in each home. It was actually for the benefit of the chosen people that they could demonstrate their trust in the Almighty. Did you know that in ancient Egypt, sheep were revered as God's When the Israelites obeyed God's command, they weren't just marking their doors. They were making a very bold declaration. They were placing their faith in the God of Israel above the false gods of Egypt, and that was risking their very lives in the process. Their trust was rewarded. God passed over their homes in the very next morning they began their journey to freedom. Now let me share a lesson from creation, one that mirrors our journey of faith. I'm reminded of another interesting article I once read. This one was about the African antelopes known as impalas. These graceful creatures can leap as high as a height of ten feet, and they can cover a distance greater than thirty feet, but in captivity and Paula's can be contained by a mere three foot wall. Why do you think that is, Well, it's because IMPALA's won't jump where they cannot see, and therefore they become the keepers of their own prison Are we really any different? How often do we confine ourselves within the walls of fear, unable to leap into the unknown because we can't see what lies ahead. We become prisoners of our own making, held back by our own lack of faith. The Chosen People on the eve of the Exodus faced a very similar choice. They could stay within the familiar, oppressive bounds of Egypt, or they could take a leap of faith into the unknown, trusting that God would lead them to freedom. My friends, we too are called to take such leaps. Faith isn't about seeing the whole path. It's about taking the next step, even when the future is shrouded in uncertainty. 00:25:27 Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle Eckstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey dot Com app today. This Prey dog com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabaga and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein. Edited by Alberto Avilla narrated by Paul Caltefianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Raig, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin, kayleb. Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review.