Passover

It is unfortunate, I think, that as Christians we do not know more about the Jewish traditions. Jesus, after all, was Jewish and celebrated the various feasts, festivals and holidays that are first given in the Old Testament. This summer, I had the privilege of attending a seminar that explained these holidays in great detail. I was enthralled by the information and the significance that carried over from the Old to the New Testaments.

The reading for today (click on the date above to go there) gives the Israelites the instructions for the first Passover. God was ready to bring His people out of Egypt. He was going to send death through Egypt to take the firstborn male of every household. God instructed the Israelites to select a perfect lamb for sacrifice. The people were to bring the sacrifice on the appointed day and slaughter the sacrifice at a specific time. They were to use some of this lambs blood to mark their doors. When death passed through it would “passover” the doors that were marked and spare the lives of the firstborn males inside.

God’s, perfect, firstborn son died to save us from death.

God also gave specific instructions about what to wear during this time (Exodus 12:11). The people were to be fully dressed including their shoes and walking sticks. God knew that the exodus would be quick. The people needed to be ready to leave Egypt quickly when the time was right. There would be no time for them to gather their things.

We never know when Jesus will return. We need to be ready.

This quick exit also meant they could not wait for their bread to rise. Hence the requirement of unleavened bread. There is more to the lack of yeast than just saving time, however. Leavened bread was an Egyptian introduction for the Israelites. God’s chosen people did not have “puffed-up” bread until they were in Egypt. Until that time, the bread was more similar to a cracker. 

Exodus 13:7 really stood out to me. I thought it was interesting that God said, “Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders.” (emphasis mine) God did not want the yeast to be in the house! The yeast symbolized the evil ways of Egypt. The people were to look through the house and remove all of the yeast.

We need to look and remove the yeast from our lives.

I love that our New Testament reading also discusses yeast! Jesus said, “How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”  (Matthew 16:11) Jesus was warning the disciples of the doctrine that the Pharisees and Sadducees taught.

Want to know more amazing facts about Passover?

Mark 11: 9-11 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

   “Hosanna!”

   “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”

   “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Jesus entered the temple the same day that the people brought the Passover Lambs.

John 2:13-15 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.

It was time for Passover and Jesus was cleaning the leaven out of his Father’s house.

John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Jesus was the bread of life. Unleavened of course, because he was without sin.

The last supper was actually the Passover Seder a ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday. “The Seder is an occasion for praise and thanksgiving and for rededication to the idea of liberation.” 

The next day, Jesus was crucified at the same time as the Passover Lambs.

1 Corinthians 5:6-8

Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

I hope you enjoyed learning about the Passover. There is so much more and so many more significant details, this is just the beginning!

Thank you God for your Word. It is so fascinating and filled with meaning. Please teach me and help me to discover something new each time I read. Thank you for sending your perfect Son to pay the penalty for my sins. Amen.