The Jewish people are more focused on the coming of the Messiah at Passover time than at any other time of the year! It is the season of redemption! It is the perfect time to pray that their eyes will be opened to see their Messiah.
On my last post I explained the "Afikomen," the piece of matzah that is a Greek word for "I came." The Afikomen is the same "unleavened bread" that Yeshua shared with His disciples at the end of the Passover. He also shared the third cup of wine, called "the cup of redemption," announcing the New Covenant in His blood that was about to be shed the next day as THE Passover Lamb! Today the Christian church takes that part of the Passover meal and calls it Holy Communion or The Lord's Supper. The symbolism in breaking the Afikomen is so obvious. It points to the crucifixion. We must pray that the veil will be removed from the eyes of the Jewish people to see that Yeshua IS the Jewish Messiah that has already come!
The next part of the Passover Seder ("order," order of service) is about the arrival of Elijah! A place has been set for him. Elijah's cup is filled, and a child goes and opens the door to see if he has come and to invite him in. When Elijah comes, he will announce the Messiah, Son of David! Let us see what Scripture says:
Malachi 4:5 - "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." Four hundred years later the angel Gabriel appeared to the priest Zacharias and told him that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son to be named John and said, "He [John] will also go before Him [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah, ... to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17).
Yeshua spoke of John the Baptist as "the Elijah who was to come" (Matt. 11:14). John did indeed announce the Messiah at His first coming, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29) However, Yeshua indicated that Elijah is going to appear again to announce His second coming - "Indeed, Elijah IS coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished." (Matt. 17:11-12). Many believe that the "two witnesses" in Revelation 11 are Elijah and Moses. Also, the prophet Malachi said that Elijah would come "before the great and dreadful day of the Lord." That describes the end time judgment with Yeshua's second coming, not the first coming as a baby in a manger.
The Jewish tradition concerning Elijah coming to the Passover meal is very interesting. They believe that Elijah visits the circumcision ceremony of every Jewish child and testifies that the Jewish people are scrupulous in their obedience. Males could partake of the Passover meal only if they were circumcised, so Elijah comes to the Seder to "testify" that all present are indeed circumcised.
Jewish tradition also states that Elijah's cup is the fifth cup and corresponds to the fifth expression of redemption, "I will bring you to the Land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord" (Ex. 6:8). They believe this alludes to the future messianic redemption which will be announced by Elijah. ("Why is Elijah the Prophet Invited to the Seder?")
Looking for the blood moons may be exciting but not half as exciting as looking for Elijah to come!
John the Baptist prepared the way for Yeshua the first time, and Elijah himself will come to prepare the way for Yeshua in the end of days! Wow!
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