Lamb Selection Day

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. When I think of Palm Sunday, I imagine all these people in drapes and sandals waving palm branches at Jesus as he rode through the city of Jerusalem. Maybe this is what it looked like, but I have learned so much more about that day. Much of the symbolism of Palm Sunday and Passover is lost today because we are so unaware of the Jewish customs at the time.  I have recently looked into this and found some really amazing things!

The Jews traveled to Jerusalem for Passover each year as a celebration of God taking the Israelites out of Egypt. Five days prior (Palm Sunday), a clean and perfect lamb was selected (Exodus 12:3-6) that they would sacrifice for the Passover. This is why Palm Sunday is also known to the Jewish community as "Lamb Selection Day".

The lamb was to male, without any defects or impurities, and had to be eaten without breaking any bones (Exodus 12: 3-6, 46). What does this remind you of?! Jesus! Male, without sin, and when he was crucified, not one of his bones were broken (1 Peter 1:19). Woah! In fact, Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey (to fulfill Zec 9:9) the very day that the Jewish people chose their spotless lamb. He chose himself to be the sacrifice!

The sad thing is that the people did not recognize this. They shouted "hosanna" which means "save me"and waved palm branches signifying nationalsim/desire for political freedom. They wanted an earthly king to save them (John 12:12-19). Will we recognize His sacrifice? His kingship?

So, now I remember Palm Sunday as Lamb Selection Day, the day that Christ selected Himself to be the sacrifice for my sins. Wow. 

1 Corinthians 5:17 "For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed."

Isaiah 53: 5-8 "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;  and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth;  he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth."