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Passover Day 3 – Saved for Freedom

March 29, 2021
Passover Day 3 – Saved for Freedom

“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment’” (Exodus 6:6 NIV). 

Can you imagine what it must have been like when the Israelites left Egypt? Everyone had been slaves their whole lives. Yet, all 600,000 men – plus women and children – just walked right out of the country. That’s something that was not permitted before.  

But now the Israelites were free. As with the Israelites who left Egypt after Passover, the end of our slavery is the beginning of freedom. The Children of Israel were saved from bondage to Pharaoh, and we’ve been saved from bondage to sin. 

Jesus stood up in the synagogue and read from the Hebrew Scriptures, quoting a verse in Isaiah about the Messiah who would come to proclaim freedom for captives and release for prisoners. He then rolled up the scroll and said the people had just heard that prophecy’s fulfillment.  

What freedoms do we have as Believers in Jesus? Scripture tells us we can freely approach God with confidence, that we’re free from accusation, free from condemnation, and we are free from the fear of death. Those are some nice freedoms! 

The New Testament writers remind us that freedom goes hand in hand with responsibility. We are to use our freedom for good as though we are slaves to God, and as we have freely received so much from Him, we ought also to freely give.  

At Passover, God dramatically freed His people. Jesus told His followers that if the Son sets us free, we’ll be free indeed. Passover is a time to look back and thank God for setting us free! Emphatically free! 

“For freedom, Messiah set us free––so stand firm, and do not be burdened by a yoke of slavery again” (Galatians 5:1). 

Scriptures 

Exodus 12:37, Luke 4:18–21, Isaiah 61:1, John 8:36, Ephesians 3:12, Colossians 1:22, Romans 8:1, Hebrews 2:15, 1 Peter 2:16, Galatians 5:3, Matthew 10:8 

 

Reflection Questions 

  • What mental images come to mind when you think of being freed?  
  • How do you think life expanded for the Israelites once beyond Egypt’s borders?  
  • When you think of yourself being saved from slavery to sin and released into God’s freedom, what does that mean to you?  
  • What kind of expanded life did Jesus’ blood purchase for you? 
  • What responsibilities come with your freedom in Messiah? 

Passover Day 2 – Saved from Slavery

March 28, 2021
Passover Day 2 – Saved from Slavery

“So when your son asks you in times to come, ‘What is this?’ say to him, ‘By a strong hand Adonai brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage’” (Exodus 13:14). 

Living in freedom as we do, it’s hard to imagine being enslaved, having no opportunity for a different life. For generation upon generation, Israelites in Egypt were servants of cruel masters and without hope. Born slaves, they died slaves. 

Today, during a traditional Passover Seder, a child asks, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” Part of the answer states, “If God had not brought us out, we would still be slaves today in Egypt.”  

What a sobering thought. But God heard the cries and saw the suffering of the people of Israel. He intervened and changed everything. God did the impossible – He broke the shackles of bondage and saved the people from slavery.  

Like God rescued the Israelites from Egypt, Jesus came to save us – from slavery to sin. We had no power to free ourselves, and before we placed our faith in Jesus, we were without hope. We were born slaves to sin, and if not for Jesus, we would also die as slaves to sin.  

Jesus’ name in Hebrew – Yeshua – means “salvation,” and He came to save us from sin. We are no longer slaves to sin. Sin doesn’t own us. God redeemed us out of bondage.  

Paul and Peter remind us that we are slaves to whom we obey, and we are set free to obey God rather than sin. Whenever we feel stuck in a sinful habit, we can know that we have the Holy Spirit’s power inside us, enabling us to choose God over sin.  

Passover is a holiday of remembrance. As we remember how God saved the Israelites from their bondage, we do well to remember whose servants we now are. We no longer serve sin. We are rescued from its mastery over us. 

“But now, having been set free from sin and having become enslaved to God, you have your fruit resulting in holiness. And the outcome is eternal life” (Romans 6:22). 

 

Scriptures 

Exodus 3:7, Exodus 13: 3, Psalm 102:19–20, Matthew 1:21, Romans 5:12, 2 Peter 2:19, Romans 6:6, 16–17 

 

Reflection Questions 

  • Think back to before you placed your faith in Jesus. What trajectory do you think your life would have taken if Jesus had not delivered you from sin’s mastery? 

  • Spend some time meditating on your present struggles or temptations, and ask God to show you where you may have let a defeated mindset settle in to make you believe the sin is too big or too longstanding to uproot.  

  • How would you look at that sin differently if you fully grasped that it is not your master, that you are not its slave anymore?

Passover Day 1 – Saved from Death

March 27, 2021
Passover Day 1 – Saved from Death

“The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are. When I see the blood, I will pass over you…” (Exodus 12:13). 

Every day, across the globe, lives are saved in some way or another. They’re extricated from crumpled cars, plucked from raging waters, carried from burning buildings. They’re pulled back from the path of vehicles, given CPR by strangers or restored to health by medical professionals. 

In Egypt, God told the Israelites about the final plague He would bring on the entire land. The firstborn of every household, Jewish or Egyptian, human or animal, was going to die. But God provided the way for the Israelites to escape the coming death. They had to take the blood of a sacrificed lamb and paint it on the doorframes of their houses. When the Angel of Death came through the land and saw the blood, He would pass over those homes. The blood was their covering, their protection and salvation. 

Passover contains an illustration of the Messiah, who came to save us from spiritual death. He died to pay the penalty of sin on our behalf. That penalty is death, spiritual and eternal. Jesus is our Passover Lamb, and His shed blood covers and saves us. 

There are countless ways to save an earthly life, but only Jesus can save our eternal lives.  

“Amen, amen I tell you, whoever hears My word and trusts the One who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed over from death into life” (John 5:24). 

Scriptures 

Exodus 12:7, 12–13, Isaiah 53:6, Romans 6:23, and 1 Corinthians 5:7, Romans 3:25, Ephesians 1:7, Romans 5:9 

 

Reflection Questions 

  • Have you ever been saved from physical death? How did you feel toward the person or people who saved you? 

  • Think about your spiritual salvation. Remember back to how God drew you to Him and when you placed your faith in Him. Think for a moment about what He saved you from – spiritual death and eternal separation from Him. Thank Him for Jesus’ blood that covers your sin and saves you from this death.

Visit the Garden of Gethsemane

March 26, 2021
Visit the Garden of Gethsemane

“…For the joy set before Him, He endured…”  

—Hebrews 12:2

 

Imagine the sound of gravel beneath your feet as you walk in the place where Jesus spent His last hours before He was arrested. 

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that if there were any other way, He’d rather not go through what lay ahead of Him – and then He relinquished His will to the Father’s.  

Hebrews tells us He laid down His own life “for the joy set before Him.” That joy was you. He knew that His death meant you would be reconciled to God and given eternal life.  

When you join us on the Jewish Voice Ministries Israel Tour 2021, you’ll visit the Garden of Gethsemane with its ancient, gnarled olive trees and beautiful flower beds.  

You’ll see where Jesus knelt and prayed. You’ll look upon the setting where He stood up with resolve to face the mob who’d come out to arrest Him.  

You’ll see the place where He entrusted Himself to the Father and stepped willingly into the greatest sacrifice ever made – for you.  

And your faith will be transformed. 


The Garden of Gethsemane
is just one of the many biblical sites

that will invigorate your faith
when you join us on the

Jewish Voice Ministries

Israel Tour 2021

October 10-20, 2021


We are planning this exciting Israel tour in faith that COVID-19 will be a matter of little concern by tour time. However, in case it (or anything else beyond our control) causes travel restrictions that force us to cancel the trip, you will receive a full refund for any payments you’ve made toward it. If the tour is able to take place, but you choose to cancel your participation, our regular cancellation schedule listed in the brochure will apply.

Israel’s election Groundhog Day

March 25, 2021

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua. For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
Romans 8:1-2

As we look forward to Passover and remember all God has done for us, I want you to know how much I appreciate you and how thankful I am that you share my love for Israel and the Jewish people.

Thinking about the first Passover, the Jewish people in Egypt had no hope of freedom without God’s intervention. They were powerless against their captors. And then God stepped in to declare His love for His people, rescue them out of their slavery to Pharaoh, and set them free.

Likewise, God initiates our salvation. He is the One who sees our need and stretches out His hand to meet it. He sent Yeshua (Jesus), our Passover Lamb, to take on our sin and die in our place. God intervened and came to our rescue!

What a cause for celebration every day – but especially during Passover, which begins this Saturday at sunset.

While we wait for Passover to begin, join me in looking at some of the latest news from Israel and continuing to lift up the Jewish people in prayer.

Israel No Closer to a Government after Fourth Election

All the votes are in and the outcome of Israel’s fourth election in two years is the same as the last three: no party or coalition of parties received enough seats to form a government.

Despite strong early polling, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and allies only secured 52 of the 61 seats needed. A bloc of opposition parties only managed to secure 57 seats. Even plans to form a centrist coalition would only result in 58 seats.

Two parties, the right-wing Yamina and Islamist Ra’amm, are currently undeclared with 11 seats between them. However, neither is likely to gives those seats to an existing coalition.

The election results won’t be certified until March 31, which still leaves time for a coalition with 61 seats to form, but it is unlikely. Even if it does, it might not last long.

After the third election ended in a stalemate, the two largest opposition parties, Likud and Blue and White, agreed to form a power-sharing government. This would have seen Prime Minister Netanyahu and Benny Gantz trade the role of Prime Minister every two years. However, the coalition dissolved in December when disagreements between the parties prevented them from passing the government budget by the required deadline.

As things stand now, a fifth election looks likely to take place later this year.

Virus-Killing Nasal Spray Begins Production in Israel

A nasal spray that is going to be marketed as capable of killing 99.9% of virus particles is now being produced in an Israeli factory.

It’s inventor, Dr. Gilly Regev, an Israeli-raised biochemist, says the spray could have prevented much of the world’s COVID-19 infection, The Times of Israel reported.

Regev, who co-founded the company SaNOtize and developed the spray in Canada, says “This will be affordable and can be used for prevention, to protect from any respiratory viral infection.”

She said that it has been shown to be effective in the lab against a wide range of viruses and said new variants of the coronavirus won’t interfere with its effectiveness. Regev emphasized that “it contains a broad-spectrum antiviral which kills all viruses and all variants.”

Regev called Enovid a “hand sanitizer equivalent for the nose,” and said it creates a physical barrier in the nasal passages to stop viruses along with a “chemical barrier” of nitric oxide, which is known for its antimicrobial qualities. “The nitric oxide means this is a special spray that doesn’t just block viruses but actually kills them,” she said.

Israel is going to be the first country where the nasal spray is sold. It is also approved for sale in New Zealand. Other countries, including the UK, are seeking approval to purchase it.

Oral COVID-19 Vaccine Could Be on Its Way, Claims Israeli-American Company

Preparations are underway by an Israeli-American pharmaceutical company to launch a Phase 1 clinical trial for what could become the world’s first oral COVID-19 vaccine.

Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, announced this past weekend a joint venture with India-based Premas Biotech to develop a novel oral vaccine.

The companies connected earlier this year and realized together they could revolutionize the marketplace, according to Oramed CEO Nadav Kidron. They formed the company Oravax Medical Inc. The vaccine is based on Oramed’s POD (Protein Oral Delivery) technology and Prema’s vaccine technology.

This new Oravax vaccine candidate targets three structural proteins of the novel coronavirus. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines target a single spike protein, Kidron said. As such, “this vaccine should be much more resistant to COVID-19 variants,” he said.

Kidron expects Phase 1 human trial data to be available within three months.

Let Us Pray Together

Please pray with me for:

  • Protection from the coronavirus for the people of Israel as families and communities gather to celebrate Passover together
  • A peaceful, God-inspired solution to Israel’s government situation
  • Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah and Passover Lamb

Israel needs YOU

March 25, 2021
Shalom Partners

A year ago, our world seemed to turn upside down. Life as we knew it changed dramatically because of the coronavirus pandemic.

At the same time, Jewish people around the world were preparing to celebrate Passover, which brought to my mind some parallels to the first Passover.

We were — and still are — experiencing a plague. Leading up to that first Passover, there were nine horrible plagues. And then the tenth, and worst of all, the death of all the firstborn in Egypt.

Passover and all of the plagues were a reminder to the Israelites that the world they were living in was not their home. For us, this pandemic serves as a similar reminder.

That first Passover, the blood of a lamb without defect was spread on the doorposts as the sign to pass over those homes, to spare them from the plague.

God saved the Israelites because of the blood of the lamb. This was a foreshadowing of Yeshua (Jesus) -- the perfect Lamb of God — who saved us by the shedding of His blood as a sacrifice for our sin.

I believe that today is the day to declare this Good News to the Jewish people. Passover serves as a reminder of God’s miraculous provision and protection. That provision is God’s Son, the Messiah!

This pandemic has created a greater spiritual openness in the people we serve — in particular, Jewish people in Israel. Anxiety and fear of sickness and death have led many who have never thought about their salvation to begin asking big questions.

For your gift of any amount, you can receive our Hope in the Midst Devotional.

It’s a collection of nine separate devotionals, each seven days long and authored by various Jewish Voice staff members during the pandemic.

Despite the coronavirus, our ministry to those most in need in Israel and other nations has continued — thanks to you, our compassionate partners.

Together, we are meeting urgent physical needs, and that opens the door to sharing the Gospel.

In addition to the Passover celebration, in just a matter of weeks, Israel will celebrate its 73rd birthday. The modern Nation of Israel was founded on May 14, 1948.

Even though that historic day was more than a decade before I was born, I still rejoice greatly in Israel’s restoration. That’s because like so many Jewish people around the world, much of the Jewish identity I treasure is tied to the land. That means I rejoice greatly in this celebration of Israel’s restoration!

It is truly a miracle of God.

The recognition of the modern State of Israel more than seven decades ago was yet another chapter — not the end — of the long and continuing struggle to protect the Jewish homeland.

History books remind us that the very next day, Israel was under attack. The armies of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon invaded the new nation.

What came out of that was a stunning victory! The military forces of five countries were clearly larger and better equipped for battle. But the tiny Israeli army was well organized, disciplined and trained.

From that difficult beginning, and against all odds, the Jewish people living in Israel have gone on to defeat multiple enemies and overcome many challenges.

Still today Israel faces threats from Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas -- enemies committed to their destruction.

Through the ages, the children of Israel have miraculously survived against overwhelming odds and continue to be restored to their ancient homeland. This is evidence of God’s faithfulness to His People.

When I think about all of the challenges Israel has faced and continues to face, I am especially thankful for your partnership. I know you stand with Jewish Voice in our support of the Land of Israel and her people.

We take this stand because we believe the reestablishment of Israel is a clear sign God is fulfilling His promises.
We as Believers should stand with Israel and share the Gospel with the Jewish people because Israel’s salvation is a critical part of End Times prophecy — it is connected to the return of Jesus the Messiah.

Today, in honor of Passover and Israel’s 73rd birthday, I hope you’ll stand with Israel by sending a gift to meet the needs of Jewish people in Israel.

Jewish Voice works both directly with and through partner ministries in Israel to provide for the most vulnerable Jewish populations. This includes Holocaust survivors, widows and orphans, recent immigrants and single moms. Throughout the pandemic, this has been critical.

While economic challenges have hit nearly every country this past year, smaller countries like Israel are really struggling. Especially when you consider that tourism is one of the country’s major sources of income.

Through your partnership, Jewish Voice has already sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to partner ministries and congregations to help meet basic needs like food, rent and medicine. But the requests keep pouring in, and we don’t expect them to stop any time soon. I haven’t seen needs like this since I first went to Israel in 1983 when the country was experiencing a severe economic crisis.

Your support means we can provide humanitarian aid such as urgently needed food, medicine, clothing and other household goods. Dental care for Holocaust survivors. Support for Messianic congregations and immigrant communities, housing assistance and more.

When you partner with us to reach out to Jewish Israelis with compassion in Jesus’ name, you let hurting men, women and children know they are not forgotten.

These aid efforts are very important. And they open the door for us to share the Good News of Jesus the Messiah — which is the most significant work we do.

None of this can happen without help from you and other partners. That’s why I hope you’ll send a generous gift today.

With my deepest thanks for your partnership in this ministry, I’d like to send you a special gift when you give now to help Jewish people in Israel.

For your gift of any amount, you can receive our Hope in the Midst Devotional.

It’s a collection of nine separate devotionals, each seven days long and authored by various Jewish Voice staff members during the pandemic.

Each one is focused on a different book of the Bible, and together they create a resource to find hope in the midst of any trial you face. At the same time, Hope in the Midst is a snapshot of a period in history when most of the world stayed home, as we tried to stop the spread of the global coronavirus pandemic.

Hope in the Midst is a book that can be revisited during periods of difficulty, suffering or uncertain waiting — to lift your spirits and refocus your heart on God’s hope that is always in our midst.

If you already have this devotional, I hope you’ll request a copy to give as a gift to a friend or family member.

This gift is my way of saying thank you for your love for the Jewish people and the State of Israel, which is especially relevant as we approach the 73rd anniversary of her founding.

Please give as generously as you can to meet the physical needs of Jewish people in Israel, that we might gain the privilege of sharing the Good News. Thank you, and may you and your loved ones enjoy your Passover and Easter celebrations.

Join with us in prayer and fasting

March 24, 2021
Prayer Points

It is time for our Spring Week of Prayer and Fasting here at Jewish Voice. These twice-yearly corporate experiences have a significant impact on our ministry. We believe this year’s time of being in the Lord’s presence will influence the road ahead that He is calling us to travel together.

For each day during the week, we have a different Scripture theme. Will you pray for the Lord’s presence to be upon us and on this dedicated time? Here are our themes so you can pray along with us:

So All Israel Shall Be Saved • Romans 11:26–27

Lord, we desire to see all Israel – all the Jewish people – come to know Jesus as the Jewish Messiah and Savior and be saved. Fuel us with faith to see this Scripture fulfilled. May this burden burn in our hearts and inform each prayer and decision.

Call A Sacred Assembly • Joel 2:1, 12, 15–18

May You mark this set-apart time with a deep sense of the movement of Your Holy Spirit. We are sobered by the understanding that Your return is closer than ever before. We come together in fasting and prayer to ask that You would spare Your people and be jealous for Your Land.

For Such a Time as This • Esther 4:14

We could not have imagined we would be going through such a time as this. Please help us be fully prepared as a ministry to step even further forward in seeing the salvation of the Jewish people, even during challenging times like these. May we be even more fervent because of times like these.

Remove the Leaven • 1 Corinthians 5:6–8

Father, just as we prepare for Pesach (Passover) by removing anything made with yeast from our homes, so too we want to be cleansed and purified in our daily lives. May we, with Your help, recognize and deal with anything in our hearts and habits that is not of You, so that we can live in sincerity and truth.

Moving Forward with His Presence • Exodus 33:14–15

Oh, Lord, we can’t do this in our own strength, under our own willpower and wisdom. We must have Your presence with us, and we won’t dare to move forward without You. We don’t ask You to bless our plans – we ask You to show us Your way and be with us every step and every moment.

We are so thankful to the Lord for His faithfulness to Jewish Voice Ministries for over 50 years. In this new era, we continue to trust Him to guide, equip, provide and open doors for us to take the Good News to the Jewish people. We are utterly dependent on Him and only want to go where He goes. And so, we worship, pray, and fast. Will you join us in this prayer?

LET’S PRAY:

Lord, we are hungry for You, and we are pursuing You – for such a time as this. Give us an enlarged capacity for prolonged times of worship, prayer, and simply tarrying in Your presence. We invite Your Holy Spirit to move among us. Do the work of spiritual preparation, provision, and equipping. Prepare the way You are calling us to go and how You are leading us to minister this year and beyond. We devote our weeks of prayer and fasting, as well as our times of worship and prayer every week, to You, knowing You will do exceedingly abundantly more than we ask or think. In Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name, AMEN.

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