My dear friend has been preaching this Chinese Passover for more than a decade now. Yes, we Chinese has very deep and rich culture, but it also has an even deeper root in the Bible. Sounds interesting, cannot actually prove this, but it is highly probable. It might be more real than we think.
The ancient legend of Chinese New Year Festival is of the evil ferocious beast Nien, which emerged from the East on Chinese New Year day and eats children. To scare the Nien away, the Chinese used red-paper couplets which are pasted on every household's doorpost, torches are lit and firecrackers are set off through the night to scare the beast Nien away. It seems that the beast Nien is afraid if of the colour red, loud noise and bright lights. As the Chinese successfully scares off the beast Nien, they celebrated the next morning by congratulating each other, Gong-si, Gong-si.
The legend of the beast Nien and the Chinese New Year Festival has the its roots from the biblical event when the children of Israel are in bondage in Egypt. God send ten plagues to the Egyptian and the tenth plague is the Passover.
Exo 12:12 - 14
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
Exo 12:23 - 24
For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
The red couplets on the lintel and two sides of the doorposts are originally the blood of a lamb that was smeared over the Israelite's house doorpost, so that when the Destroyer sees it, he will pass over the household and spare the firstborn of the family. The legendary beast Nien is actually the Destroyer described here in the Bible.
Sounds similar? You betcha.
(the above article is adapted from my dear friend's website. Please also visit http://israelinfaith.blogspot.com/search/label/Chinese%20New%20Year)
thanks for the promotion. ;-)
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