Interesting similarities
The Chinese New Year has just ended in Taipei and elsewhere. In China and Chinatowns in San Francisco, London, Singapore and all over the world the New Year is the biggest celebration of the Chinese people.
Straight from Hawaii Marie and I proceeded to Taipei for the annual Every Nation Asia Leadership Team meeting. Twice a year we gather the apostolic leaders of the region to assess, plan and encourage one another.
Our leader from China explained an interesting set of similarities between the Chinese New Year and the Hebrew Passover, here they are:
For thousands of years the origins of the Chinese New Year has been known as "Guo Nian" which today is known as the "Spring Festival." But that's not how it started, translated it meant "for Nian to pass the year." What was to pass the year? The beast Nian who brings curses of sickness, disease and death on humans and livestock. Hence he also brings poverty.
Similarly the Hebrew Passover was about the passing over not of a beast but of the Angel of Death the Lord had sent to judge the oppressors of the Israelites in order to set them free.
The second similarity is the big meal that the entire family must enjoy together. The original idea behind the meal was to make sure that every member of the family was present to avoid encountering the beast or demons who were passing over. The original celebration also featured a bread that the family baked much like the "pass-over bread."
The last similarity are the red banners that people put in their door frames on the Eve of the New Year. Apparently Nian is afraid of the color red. When he sees the red cloth (today paper) he passes over the home thereby ensuring health and prosperity for the family within. Nowadays the banners have poems and words in it but the original tradition was simply red banners.
Through the years I have shared the Gospel to Chinese friends and associates. Traditions like the Chinese New Year, superstitions and ancestral worship has always been a challenge when sharing the Gospel.
Often to engage them with the Gospel we need to share concepts that connect. These similarities help connect them to the saving knowledge of Jesus in the same way the Jews connected the Old Testament practice of the Passover to Christianity.
In Christ we have victory over the enemy Satan. Jesus is the "pass-over bread" that brings life to us and our families. Finally it was His blood that was that was shed for the forgiveness of all our sins that will make the angel of death pass-over our lives and that of our families and lead us to life eternal.
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