Have you ever taken a
close look at the Matzah bread that the Jews eat during their Passover meal?
The bread, which is unleavened, is pierced with rows of little holes forming
stripes. It is also slightly burnt. Many churches today use this bread for the
Holy Communion.
Do you know why the
bread is pierced, striped and burnt?
My friend, the bread
that you hold in your hands when you partake of the Lord’s Supper speaks of the
body of our Lord Jesus Christ when He bore our sins and sicknesses on the
cross.
Like the bread, He was
pierced in His brow by the crown of thorns as well as in His hands and feet by
the nails. He was also pierced in His side by a soldier’s spear. The prophet
Isaiah says, “He was pierced for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5, NIV).
Like the bread, He was
scourged on His back until His flesh was all torn and bloody, and His bones
were exposed, so that today, you can say, “By His stripes, I am healed” (see
Isaiah 53:5)!
What about the burnt
marks on the bread? The full fire of God’s wrath fell on Jesus, burning up our
sins into ashes, and at the same time, bringing out the fragrance of the
offering of Jesus. Today, your sins and lawless deeds are but ashes, and your
Father in heaven remembers them no more (see Hebrews 8:12)!
So the next time you
partake of the bread during the Holy Communion, know that Jesus was pierced for
your sins and scourged for your healing. He bore God’s fiery judgment so that
you will never be judged for your sins! He also bore your diseases and carried
your pains so that you can walk in divine health!
When you discern these
precious truths about our Lord’s body, you are partaking of the Holy Communion
in a worthy manner. And you will not be weak and sickly, nor die before your
time (see 1 Corinthians 11:27–30). No, you will be strong and healthy, and you
will live long! (Article & Picture; courtesy of Joseph Prince
Ministries used with kind permission)
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