We might be able to look to the scriptures for some guidance on this matter:
Deu 16:1 “Guard the month of Aḇiḇ, and perform the Passover to יהוה your Elohim, for in the month of Aḇiḇ יהוה your Elohim brought you out of Mitsrayim by night.
Deu 16:2 “And you shall slaughter the Passover to יהוה your Elohim, from the flock and the herd, in the place where יהוה chooses to put His Name. Deu 16:3 “Eat no leavened bread with it. For seven days you eat unleavened bread with it, bread of affliction, because you came out of the land of Mitsrayim in haste – so that you remember the day in which you came out of the land of Mitsrayim, all the days of your life.
Deu 16:4 “And no leaven should be seen with you in all your border for seven days, neither should any of the meat which you slaughter in the evening on the first day stay all night until morning.
Deu 16:5 “You are not allowed to slaughter the Passover within any of your gates which יהוה your Elohim gives you,
Deu 16:6 but at the place where יהוה your Elohim chooses to make His Name dwell, there you slaughter the Passover in the evening, at the going down of the sun, at the appointed time you came out of Mitsrayim.
Deu 16:7 “And you shall roast and eat it in the place which יהוה your Elohim chooses, and in the morning you shall turn and go to your tents.
Here are some points and counterpoints:
Here is a portion of an article by Yakob Wolfaardt (a collaborator of C.J. Koster's)
Quote:Should we still "offer" a Passover lamb?
I have personally stumbled over this question for over 20 years. I have taken up debates with fellow believers more than once, and the longer I debated with them, the more convinced I became of my wrongdoing, of my twisting of Scripture. I have neglected this command for a total of 20 Passovers, and ask Yahueh for forgiveness for not fulfilling His command for 20 years.
If we profess to be part of Yisrael, we should be reminded of the Torah we should observe - the whole Torah, not just part of it. Regarding the Pesach, the Torah teaches the following simple command, "And you shall guard this word as a law for you and your sons, forever." Shem. / Ex. 12:24. Torah teaches us, saying, "There is one Torah for the native-born (Yisraelite by birth) and for the stranger who sojourns among you."
The word 'sacrifice' and 'offer' brings a misconception regarding the Pesach "offering". The Hebrew word used has nothing to do with an offering, but means to slaughter or kill. More correctly translated, we should speak of the Passover slaughtering. All offerings were done by the priests. They were of the tribe of Levi. The Passover however was slaughtered by each household, and roasted and eaten by each household. It was never an offering such as was performed by the Levitical priests.
The slaughtering and eating of a Pesach lamb commemorates the coming out of Mitsrayim (land of sin), where the first-born of Yisrael were spared, whereas the first-born of Mitsrayim died, and more important, Yahushua who died for us. In slaughtering a Pesach lamb we most definitely do not return to offerings, trampling underfoot the blood of Yahushua. No, we enhance His death - we commemorate that He died for our sins - we think of the cruel death He died in our stead.
It is difficult to return to the complete observance of Torah for many. We rather think of all the possible excuses why we should not observe certain aspects of Torah than to think of the reasons why we should.
EXCUSES
Some of these excuses, which I also had for many years include the following:
"Offering" a lamb is denying Yahushua as Messiah?
The only Scripture quoted to support this argument is 1 Cor. 5:7,8, which reads, "Therefore cleanse out the old leaven (sin), so that you are a new lump, as you are unleavened (without sin). For also Messiah our Passover was offered for us. So then let us observe the festival, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of evil and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."
How can we deny Him if we observe the Torah? This is not possible. We have seen from the Torah that with the first Pesach institution, it was to be guarded (or taught) as a law forever. (Shem. / Ex. 12:24). Why do we still observe unleavened bread? Why do we still fast on Yom Kippur? Why do we eat kosher? - because the Torah teaches us to do so! For the same reason we should still observe the complete Pesach instituted in the Torah!
We can only keep the feast in Yerushalayim - where He has placed His Name ?
Where is the Name of Yahueh today? We know that He once placed His Name in Yerushalayim, and that is where His Name is supposed to be! Dev. / Deut. 16:5,6.
Yahushua said, "For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there I am in their midst." Matt. 18:20. If we observe Pesach as believers calling upon the Name of Yahueh, we are certain that we should observe Pesach as instituted in the Torah
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This is a snippet of an article that was written by J.D. McKee(Obviously this article has to do with the Pesach and circumcision, but the content is relevant to our discussion):
Quote:Secondly, we all have to realize that none of us are observing the Passover perfectly, and our Passover sedars are, at best, memorials of the Passover. Deuteronomy 16:5 says that “You are not allowed to sacrifice the Passover in any of your towns which the Lord your God is giving you.” The Passover lamb was only permitted to be sacrificed in Jerusalem at the Temple. This is why Ashkenazic Jews do not eat lamb at Passover. The reason we should not require physical circumcision of all males attending a Messianic Passover sedar, is the fact that we are in the Diaspora, and we are memorializing the Passover, rather than following it strictly as the Torah prescribes.
Obviously this article had to do with the Pesach and circumcision, but the content is relevant to our discussion.
I do believe that all of the offerings attached to ALL moedim will be reinstated. I think we can agree that the Pesach is the grand-daddy of all Moedim and basically made the rest of the Moedim even feasible. Why of all the Moedim would Pesach be the one that is cast off when it is the one that people need the most reminding off. I am in complete accord with KP in regards that the Millenial Temple's offerings and slaughterings will be fully restored and practiced for the very necessary purpose of reminding the people of the eternal realities of the offerings, slaughterings, and Moedim represent. The Talmidim apparently believed (through their continual patronage and visitation of the Hekel) that Yahushua did not do away with the "ceremonial" (so-called) side Torah and in a more specific way the importance of the Temple and the practices that took place there. But I have to admit that that I am in agreement with the position of J.D. McKee, that our observance of the Moedim are at best memorials...shadows of shadows. I am saddened by this reality, and mourn the loss of the Temple. You see I don't think that we are to take the position that most Believers take about Yerushalayim and the Hekel of YHWH...the, "Yippee, Jesus came, so we don't need no stinkin' temple or it's tired old sacrificial system" mentality. The loss of the Temple and all that goes along with it was and is a great tragedy. Yahushua mourned for Yerushalayim and for the temple before the destruction even came....but I know that the Temple has been taken away for a reason. So that Israel and indeed the world might put priority in the Message rather than the messenger. But in the end I think we need to be very very careful that in our zealousness for Torah that we do not disregard it and set up our own systems. No matter how we desire it, and believe me....I can say for myself that I DESIRE IT. I desire to go up to Yerushalayim as a city bursting with Pilgrims, hundreds of Levites singing the hallel, shofars blowing, cymbals crashing, a crowd numbering in the thousands thunderously assenting to the Birkat Kohanim...("Ken Yehi Ratson"), The alter streaming with blood, the gutters overflowing, the terrible bleeting of innocent kids and lambs....Pesach in all it's Horrible yet Beautiful Glory...in all it's Sorrowful Joy...I desire it more than words can say. But at this time..it just isn't to be. The best way to observe these Moedim is to realize what they mean...observe and understand and reflect...and share. A day will come when Pesach is filled up once more BEYOND it's original glory. Indeed, sooner than we think. What we can do now is mark the days to that point with patience (something I admit I am constantly at odds with a la "return Shiloh and speedily") in a fruitful manner. I think that we can memorialize with a meal of lamb and I wouldn't dream to think the partaking of lamb on Pesach to be innapproriate, there isn't even a consensus on that among the Yahudim. The Ashkanazim observe such a ban, while lamb is an important part of Sephardic and Mizrachi observance. I am not saying that I put all that much stock into the rabbinic practices, but I am just trying to illustrate a point. But this much I say...we can play word games to get what we want. We can justify impure motives through the tweeking of semantics. Keep that in mind if you consider slaughtering a kid or lamb on the 14th.
Now that I have offered my very long winded and ostentatious opinion...I humbly seek an answer to a question. The smearing of the blood on the lintel and doorposts was a one time deal. Do you think this yet another prophetic implication of Messiah? If so, how?
Yibarakhem YHWH,
Shalom82