When the Lamb of God died, He went to those of faith imprisoned in Hades, and lead them into heavenly Jerusalem:

Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity [a multitude of captives] captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

Those He led out of Hades were the Old Testament saints who believed He would one day come. Their faith looked forward to His coming, while our faith looks back to Calvary and that He did come, but it also looks forward to His return. These captives are the ones that were lead into heavenly Jerusalem,

Hebrews 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Those gathered from Hades were the first men gathered to form the holy nation God had promised to Moses when He brought Israel out of Egypt:

Exodus 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

But what of those of faith still on earth? They, too, were part of this nation:

1 Peter 1:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

This earthly part of God's nation was to "show forth the praises of him" through the sharing of the gospel message and to tell others of the hope that was in them.

In Egypt of Old, the Israelites stayed in their houses whose doorways were splattered with the blood of the Lamb, but soon exited their houses to come out Egypt a great nation. So with those who believed on Jesus in His time on earth. They hid in literal houses while taking refuge in God's spiritual house, but soon came out at Pentecost and showed "forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." They, and their brothers in heavenly Jerusalem, were a holy nation, and through their proclamation of the gospel, God would continue to add to that nation.

But, was this all? Was this an end to God's Passovers? No. The apsects of Passover only expanded to implicate for the whole world. The gospel was taken to the Jews first and then the Gentiles. By revelation, the disciples realized that the Lamb was slain for all men. The blood availed for all, but all must be warned to take refuge in God's house, to also come under the blood of the Lamb and be saved from the final wrath to come on all who refused to do so:

Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

The world became a spiritual "Egypt" where all lived who would not or will not enter God's spiritual house through the blood splattered door which was Jesus:

John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. . . .
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

He would shepherd them through the door, Himself, to the Father. I believe these analogies fit perfectly the current picture of the Passover. The world has become "Egypt" where unbelievers dwell, and the Church that rose out of unbelieving Judiasm is God's holy nation in the midst of "Egypt." During its time as sojourners in a strange land, God is increasing His nation through the gospel. Also, the Church is in a waiting stage while it waits for the Lord to strike "Egypt" and rescue His people one more time. We are, in a very true sense, still in the Passover of the Lord. God has prepared a place of refuge for those who want escape that day: the Lamb has been slain, but He will return. But, for now, we rest in God's house under the blood the Lamb:

1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge 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:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

We are in a leaven-cleansing time while we wait for Christ to return and judge the world:

2 Thessalonians 1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

While those who believe cleanse their lives of the leaven in this world, they wait for the Lord to pass through "Egypt," slay "Adam" (all who have remained "in Adam" and are not in Christ). This will happen to all who have not believed on Him by the time His returns:

Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

The armies of heaven, "the spirits of just men made perfect" (hebrews 12:23), follow Him, "clothed in fine linen, white and clean." These are they who have ridded themselves of the leaven of the "Pharisees," ate and drank of Him, and made themselves ready.

The last point concerning Passover is that all Israel would be gathered into one body from their houses and come out of "Egypt" as God's nation. So will Christ gather all of His own to Himself when the spirits of the dead saints return with Him. He will raise the dead saints, gather the living and those Jews who believe on Him when they see Him coming. All will be gathered together and will have been brought out of "Egypt" (the nations, the world) as God's holy nation. In the meantime, we should always keep Paul's words before us:

1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge 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:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Then, too we cane say as did Moses,

Dueteronomy 4:34 Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

A Holy Nation - This was part of God's eternal purpose for His creating man:

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Part 1: Some Background On God's Nation
Part 2: Jesus' Passover And God's Nation
Part 3: The Final Gathering Of God's Nation
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