The third cup of the Passover Seder is the Cup of Redemption, from Ex. 6:6 – “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.” This is the cup we drink after supper, and the one Yeshua was referring to in Luke 22:20 – “Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you’ (for the forgiveness of sins Matt 26:28 adds).” It wasn’t just any cup He used to make this proclamation, it was the Cup of Redemption, revealing to us that He redeemed us, or purchased us, and the price that He paid for us was His blood.
The price that is paid for something tells a lot about the worth and value of the item being purchased. We might be willing to pay a high price for a nice house or even a nice car, because these items are worth a lot to us, they are very valuable. Obviously however, we’re not willing to pay that amount of money for a pack of chewing gum because it is not worth that much, it’s not as valuable in our eyes.
The price that Yeshua paid for us, His own blood, tells a lot about how valuable we are to Him, how much worth we have in His eyes, and how much He desired for us to have intimate relationship with Him. The world tries to tell us that our worth is based on our performance, or our worth is based on how popular we are, or how much money we make, how successful we are or even what we look like and what size we are. Old messages and strongholds try to tell us that we are worthless, that we’re not good enough, that we’ll never be good enough; that we’re bad, not worth protecting, or that we’re a disappointment or a failure. These stronghold messages distort our view of God, and form misperceptions of Him that tell us He’s disappointed in us, that we have to be perfect for Him to accept us, that we’re not good enough for Him, that He values others more than us. The truth is that God never sees us that way. We have so much worth in His eyes that He shed His own blood to purchase us from darkness into His marvelous light.
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Yeshua, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Pet. 1:18-19)
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9)
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Eph 1:7).
Your worth is not based upon your performance, your looks, your money, your success. Your worth is completely based upon what Yeshua did for you on the cross, and you were worth the price that He paid, His blood. He did all the work, He did all the performing, the price has been paid, it is finished!
“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21)
“He has reconciled you by Yeshua’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” (Col. 1:22)
“I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness.” (Is. 61:10)
I love studying the Temple. The other day I came across an e-book on the Red Heifer and I was so excited to read all of the extensive detail required in the selection and rituals associated with the red heifer – simply stated it’s ashes were used in the purification of a person having any exposure to death. Why would I find that so exciting? (Actually I just had to read it again while writing this blog!) First because it reveals so much to me about who God is, and second because it reveals to me how much worth I have in His eyes!
The fact that the purification process was so intense, so detailed, and so elaborate powerfully communicates to us how HOLY God is!! He is life and light, and there is no death or darkness in Him at all. Nothing having exposure to death or association with any aspect of death could be in His presence and live! Now that same God − He hasn’t changed from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant − became man and in the person of Yeshua, took death upon himself and shed His blood so that you could have intimate relationship with Him! The same God who required an extremely intensive and extensive purification process with the ashes of a red heifer in order to even go NEAR the Temple or the Temple Mount — for anyone who had exposure to or association with ANY aspect of death — actually took death upon HIMSELF!!!! As absolutely unbelievable as that is to imagine, that’s how valuable you are to Him!!! That’s how much worth you have in His eyes! That’s how much He loves you! That’s how much He desires intimacy with you!!
This Passover season, let the 3rd cup, the Cup of Redemption that Yeshua declared was the blood of the new covenant poured out for you, remind you of how valuable you are to God, and how much worth you have in His eyes. Allow the price that was paid for you, Yeshua’s own blood, determine your worth, and not the messages of the world, of others, or of your strongholds.
