Would you kindly explain the difference between the Passover and the Lord’s Supper in Luke 22:77Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. (Luke 22:7) Also as regards the Judgment-seat of Christ, some think the judgment begins when we get converted, others say it goes back to the beginning of our history. Will you explain to us its meaning? — Sydney.
LUKE 22 makes it quite plain that the Lord and His disciples came together to eat the Passover and that, when that was finished, He instituted His Supper. Verse 16 makes it evident that He regarded that celebration of the Passover as the last, so that we may look upon that occasion as the ending of the one and the beginning of the other.
The Passover had a twofold bearing. Primarily it commemorated the great deliverance out of Egypt, but in the second place it was prophetic, pointing forward to the sacrifice of Christ that was to come. Hence we read, “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:77Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1 Corinthians 5:7)).
The primary thought in connection with the Lord’s Supper is also remembrance. In it we commemorate the One who died. We think of Him as the One who thus expressed the greatness of His love. Yet connected with it also there is the onward look of expectation, for as often as we eat the bread and drink of the cup we O show the Lord’s death till He come” (1 Cor. 11:2626For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:26)).
The death of the Lord Jesus was the point where, so to speak, both ordinances met. The solemn transactions in the upper chamber that evening were in view of the far greater transaction of the coming day. Where one found its fulfillment the other found its beginning. This we think expresses the difference between them.
The Judgment-seat we read of in 2 Corinthians 5, so to that chapter we must turn for light on the subject. In verse 10 we find the statement that seems to us decisive as to the point you raise. At that Judgment-seat we are to “receive the things done in the body.” The deeds we wrought before conversion were done in the body equally with those done after conversion. We judge therefore that all our lives will be passed in review, and we feel thankful that so it is to be.
“We must all appear,” it says; that is, we must all be manifested. Everything must come into the light of His presence. Would we have it otherwise? No indeed! To have the feeling that there was a part of our lives, which had not been investigated and appraised by the Lord, would cast a shadow over an otherwise blissful eternity.
Would you give us a little help on Exodus 3:33And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. (Exodus 3:3) and 4? We were reading that chapter and thought of the burning bush as typifying a Christian burning for. God here and now. —Bridlington.
THE fire that burned in the bush was evidently the sign of the presence of God, for we read, “God called unto him out of the midst of the bush.” In Hebrews 12:29,29For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:29) we read that “Our God is a consuming fire.” The word used for “bush” signifies that it was a thorn-bush or bramble, the kind of bush that is easily consumed by fire. Yet the bush was not consumed.
The first meaning of this miracle was, we believe, that God would dwell in the midst of His frail people Israel and yet they should not be consumed; that in fact they should prove to be unconsumable just because He was there. This was being demonstrated in Egypt at the time the vision of the burning bush was given, and it has been demonstrated since.
Then doubtless the vision had a prophetic bearing and pointed forward to Christ, for when He appeared “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:1414And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)). He who was God assumed Manhood — a Manhood that could support His Deity, and yet not be consumed. He was “Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us (Matt. 1:2323Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (Matthew 1:23)).
The explanation that you mention may come in as an application, rather than the interpretation of the scene. The Christian has received the Holy Spirit of God. Thus it is that God dwells in him, and consequently he should be as one who burns for God. He burns for God but he never burns out, and in that he is like the burning bush.