From the Desk of Jeff King

Yeshua stood still

Yeshua of Nazareth passed many people as He climbed the road to Jerusalem in the final days of His earthly life. But one voice in the crowd froze Him. A blind man near Jericho, hearing a multitude pass by and learning that the party included Yeshua, cried out, "Son of David, have mercy on Me!"

He was using code, as it were, to let Yeshua know he recognized and received Him as Messiah. Luke 18:40 describes the response: Yeshua stood still and commanded the man to be brought to Him. As far as we know, no other person was called out. Yeshua was stopped by a simple, sincere appeal for mercy. Within days He would fulfill God's ultimate expression of mercy, offering Himself as a Passover sacrifice for the sin atonement of mankind.

The blind man had 20/20 vision spiritually. Moved by his faith, Yeshua granted his request to have his physical sight restored. The man expressed his gratitude by following Yeshua and glorifying God, the same heart response we find in Psalm 86:12-13, "I will glorify Your name forevermore. For great is Your mercy toward me."

Yeshua today sits at the right hand of the Father. We can assume He is quite busy interceding for believers, receiving worship in heaven and preparing for His return to earth as Davidic King. But when someone on earth cries to Him for mercy, I believe His response is the same as it was in Jericho. Moved with compassion, Yeshua stands still and fixes His gaze on the person with spiritual eyes.

Soul searching

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Street evangelist Ray Comfort has a heated exchange with a non-Christian over the merits of the Ten Commandments.

Snapshots from our exodus (vacation, actually) to Southern California during Passover week:

• Street evangelists were witnessing at Huntington Beach with great urgency. Two pastors stood on a street corner sharing the gospel with teenagers, who looked distracted and disinterested. Alisa and I sensed a spiritual battle raging in front of us. We introduced ourselves to the pastors when they were finished and offered encouragement. We told them we felt the LORD was very pleased with their labor. Pastor Mario said they've been spit upon, punched and cursed, yet a few have been saved and discipled.

We returned three days later and saw Ray Comfort ministering at the Huntington Beach Pier. He stood on a box with a microphone positioned a few feet away, pointed toward the crowd. He invited individuals to come forward and challenge him on issues of faith. Some railed against God. Comfort rebuked one man for blaspheming. At least some hearts were ready to receive God's mercy; Comfort baptized new converts in the surf that afternoon.

• Attended a Passover seder in Anaheim, hosted by Ben David Messianic Congregation. More than 200 attended. The speaker, Doug Friedman, reminded us that just as the Israelites were delivered from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, we are delivered from another form of slavery – sin – through the shed blood of Messiah Yeshua.

• The previous night we had "church" in the middle of Downtown Disney, an outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment complex next to Disneyland Resort. We had paused to listen to world-class violinist Drew Tretick when a member of his support team, a woman in her 40s, approached and asked if I was a pastor. I said I had no ministry title or credentials, but the woman, who said she was a Christian, felt safe enough to open her heart to us. She confided that she and her mother were struggling with depression, and two brothers were yet unsaved. We prayed with her and told her we'd keep her family on our prayer list once we got home. The LORD quickened Jeremiah 32:27 and I shared with her His words – "Is there anything too hard for Me?"

After fellowshipping for a half hour she excused herself to assist Tretick, who also is a believer. We moved a few feet to our left and stood in the crowd as Tretick began playing again (he includes the movie theme from Schindler's List in his music set, which I appreciate). Suddenly we felt someone brush against us from behind. Our new friend had nudged herself between us. We responded by leaning into her. Yeshua used us as His arms to remind this precious one that her future was secure in Him.

The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few in Huntington Beach, Calif.

Behold the Lamb

On the Biblical calendar, today is the anniversary of Yeshua's triumphal entry into Jerusalem aboard a donkey. He arrived on 10 Nisan, five days before the start of Passover. Over the next four days the sacrificial lambs, including Yeshua, would be examined for defects or blemishes, conditions that would disqualify them as offerings. No fault was found in Yeshua among the Pharisees and Roman governor Pilate, although He was falsely charged with blasphemy in a kangaroo court.

Yeshua was crucified on 14 Nisan by Temple guards – not Romans – while the Passover lambs were slaughtered in Jerusalem. After sacrificing the last animal the high priest would walk into the court and declare with outstretched arms, "It is finished!" Yeshua's last words, with arms outstretched on the tree, were "It is finished!" God's great plan of redemption was complete. Messiah arose three days later on 17 Nisan, a Saturday. Because these dates change year to year on the Gregorian calendar, resurrection day in 2008 falls on Tuesday, April 22. Most Christians observed Messiah's death and resurrection three weeks ago on Easter, a violation of God's appointed times. Most Easter customs – sunrise services, bunnies, colored eggs, Easter lilies and hot cross buns – are rooted in paganism. Easter is the name of a fertility goddess.

In preparation for the first Passover in Egypt, Moses commanded Israelites on this day – 10 Nisan – to take an unblemished male lamb into their home for four days. The lamb would be slaughtered on 14 Nisan and its blood applied to doorposts, marking the home so the death angel would "pass over" the family and spare its first born. The four days gave family members time to grow attached to the animal and impress upon them the costly nature of the sacrifice – innocent blood shed for them.

Jews in Jerusalem had four days to grow attached to Yeshua after He entered the city on 10 Nisan. Although the corrupt priests were intent on killing Him, the Lamb of God won the affection of many. A great multitude lined the road with tallits and palm branches to greet Messiah. Children shouted "Hosanna to the Son of David!" – a Messianic name – after Yeshua drove out money changers from the Temple. Hosanna means "please save" or "save now." To avoid an uprising of the people, the religious leaders held Yeshua's trial, or "inspection," illegally at night. But the priests were unwitting pawns in a battle for men's souls. God had planned this Passover sacrifice before time began, leaking the information to Abraham in Genesis 22:8, "God will provide Himself a lamb." Another translation from the original Hebrew renders this verse, "God will provide Himself AS the Lamb." By receiving Yeshua and applying His blood to the doorpost of our heart we are spared spiritual death and eternal separation from Him.