Rays of Light

During this time of year, my thoughts often drift back to those cherished days of yesteryear, when my beloved sang our children to sleep. There, in our worn-out old rocking chair, they were comforted by both his warm embrace, and by songs of God’s Amazing Grace and boundless love for them. As I listened to the sleepy yawns of our precious children, I knew they would sleep peacefully.

Now that our children are pretty much grown, I pray that they continue to live their lives enveloped in God’s peace. And I pray that, no matter their age, or where they are, they never forget the message of the songs that their daddy always sang to them when they were little.

¹On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

Interestingly, the Bible doesn’t really say that our Messiah was crucified upon a cross. The word cross is the chosen translation for the Greek word stauros, meaning a stake. The Bible also says, four times, that He was hanged on a tree. However, there are enough archaeological artifacts from the first century remaining to indicate that the stake -or tree- was probably erected with a cross beam.

So which is correct, and which word should we use in conversation? As far as I am concerned, it doesn’t matter. Our soul focus (spelling intentional) should be Yeshua haMashiach (Jesus Christ in English), and His atoning sacrifice for our sins. That’s what this song is about:

Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

This past week much of the world rejoiced in the Messiah’s resurrection by way of either Passover or Easter. Which is correct, and which should we celebrate? Unlike the subject of the cross versus the stake, God has given us very specific instructions regarding this matter. Therefore, it is very important!

While I have my own definite understanding of which is the correct celebration (Passover), I respect my fellow brothers and sisters in the LORD and choose, therefore, to rejoice with them in the LORD’s resurrection rather than debate the subject of Passover versus Easter. I will say this, though, if you have never studied what the Bible has to say about Passover, you should. You might just be surprised.

Finally, dear reader, I truly hope that you were greatly blessed in your celebration of our LORD’s resurrection. Until next year’s celebration, may we all continue to sing:

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

Postscript: For most of the Jewish population, Passover is still a celebration of YHVH’s (God’s) deliverance from Egypt. They do not acknowledge Passover as a celebration of the resurrection because they do not yet accept Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah. However, more and more Jews are beginning to understand, and accept, Yeshua as Messiah. At this, my heart rejoices. Additionally, more and more Christians are beginning to observe Passover again. I rejoice at this also, because it is not just some “Jewish” thing -it is totally a “God thing.”

P.s.s. Whereas the King James Bible, and a few other translations, uses the word Easter in Acts 12:4, the Greek manuscripts actually use the word pascha, or Passover. To verify this point, here is the same verse in other Bible translations: 1560 Geneva Bible: And when he had caught him, he put him in prison, and deliuered him to foure quaternions of souldiers to be kept, intending after the Passeouer to bring him foorth to the people. —1867 Darby Translation: after the Passover — 2000 King James: after the Passover — 1382 Wycliff Translation: and wolde aftir pask (and would after Passover).

Old Rugged Cross. George Bennard. 1913. Public Domain
He’s Alive sung by David Phelps
¹Old Rugged Cross sung by Carlene Moody