Happy Passover!! "Blessings on the Son!"
Today is a very special day. It is Passover, or the day that the Israelites were delivered from the hand of Pharaoh through the blood of the Passover Lamb painted on their doorways. It is also the day that Jesus, our Passover Lamb, was crucified about 1,500 years later. The first Passover was only a dress rehearsal of the wonderful day when Jesus would be crucified for the sins of the world!
Today is another very special day. It is called "Blessing on the Sun (I like ‘Son')" day. By Jewish tradition, this is a 28-year cycle when the sun is in the exact position on the exact day as it was on the day it was created. How do they know this? I do not know. But it is celebrated worldwide, and I know that Jewish people are fantastic record keepers. So, why not join in the fun and festivities as we honor our Creator?
Today bears yet more excitement. The "Blessing on the Son" falls on Passover very rarely. In fact, maybe 13 or less times in all of history has it fallen on Passover. One of those times was during the very first Passover, when the Israelites left Egypt. Another one was when Queen Esther had her people (Israelites) fast and pray to be delivered from the wicked plot by Haman to kill all the Jews. God miraculously answered and delivered His people from annihilation. Twice in history God's people have been miraculously delivered on a Passover-Blessing-on-the-Son-Day.
So you see, this is indeed a special day. The curtain goes up, announcing His creation with the blessing on the morning sun, and the curtain goes down, by celebrating His death on the cross for His creation with the setting sun. Tomorrow just seems like a story. A full circle. Somehow part of His-Story. What a glorious day to celebrate our Savior!
Here is the official Jewish "Blessing on the Son," conducted on or after sunrise: "Blessed are You, Lord, our Yahweh, King of the universe, who makes the works of creation."
I hope you will join me in celebrating our Savior and our Deliverer on this most special day!