43 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the regulations for the Passover: “No foreigner is to eat of it.”
The Lord is exclusive and proud of it. He is able to set the rules, and excluding people is OK. This might sound harsh, but it is the reality. Not all roads lead to God. Does that mean only Jewish people can get to eat the Passover? Of course not! But there are requirements that must be met. There is a way for a foreigner to become a non-foreigner so that they are fully part of the community and able to eat the Passover. The Passover meal was for the committed, not the casual. Those who are just temporarily in the land are not to take part. If they are going to be permanent, and they want to participate, they can be circumcised. Then they will be able to eat. There is an entrance requirement. There is an entrance requirement for believers as well. We must believe that Jesus is God. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. If Jesus is anything less than fully God and fully man, his death means nothing more than a foolish act by a foolish man. It is a waste of a life. If we believe Jesus is who He said He is, then our lives will change. God’s power will move in and through us. We will choose obedience rather than rebellion. We will want to please rather than disappoint. I have some mentors in my faith that I want to please. I want my parents to be proud of me. I want those I lead to be able to look up to me as someone who is genuine and determined in my walk with Jesus. I have chosen to believe and my life reflects that belief. In order for the Hebrews to eat the Passover, their lives had to reflect God’s ownership. Until they received the outward symbol of the ownership, circumcision, they were not allowed to eat the Passover. Up to this point an Egyptian could get the benefits without full commitment. If they listened to Moses they brought their livestock inside prior to the hail, thus saving them from death. But in order to fully participate they needed a greater sacrifice than this. Our culture has received the benefits of its Christian roots, but it appears as though those benefits are fading, unless more individuals embrace the Truth.
The Arnold Journey 