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As a student and teacher of the Bible, I have read about Passover all my life. Passover celebrates God “Passing Over” the homes of His people in Egypt who had the blood of the Lamb on the doorposts.
God said: “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:13).
This event was so important to God that He changed the calendar for His people: "This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you” (Exodus 12:2). From that time forward, the first month of the Biblical year would begin in Abib (also called Nissan), the month of Passover.
Several years ago, I decided to study to do an in-depth study of Passover using Jewish historical resources as well as the Scriptures. How does Passover relate to me, a grafted-in believer in the Messiah? My journey into this study led to some fascinating discoveries:
I was shocked to discover that ...
• Jewish history teaches that only 20% of the Israelites left Egypt.
• A large group of non-Jews who left Egypt with the Israelites (Ex 12:38; some estimate up to one million!
• Non-Jews in Egypt celebrated Passover with the Israelites (Ex 12:48).
• At Mt. Sinai, God gave His commandments to all the people...Jews and non-Jews, all who worshipped the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• God repeatedly said His people were to celebrate Passover as “a lasting ordinance for generations to come” (Exodus 12:14,17,21,42)....forever!
• The two great “revivals” in Israel’s history occurred when God’s people celebrated Passover (King Hezekiah - 2 Chronicles 30; and King Josiah - 2 Chronicles 35, 2 Kings 23).
• The theme of Passover is FREEDOM from bondage.
• In the future Messianic Age or Kingdom, the “prince” (Messiah) will lead Passover celebrations (Ezekiel 45:21).
Well, that’s fine for the “Older” Testament, but what about the “Newer” Testament? Again, I was shocked to discover that ....
• Passover was mentioned 70 times from Genesis to Revelation...33 times in the “Older” Testament and 37 times in the “Newer” Testament!
• Passover was the original context of the “Lord’s Supper.”
• All of God’s Feasts were foreshadows of the Messiah’s coming (Colossians 2:16).
• Yeshua (Jesus’ name in Hebrew) said that Passover would not be “fulfilled” until the Kingdom (Luke 22:16).
• Apostle Paul commanded followers to “celebrate the Feast with ... sincerity and truth” (I Corinthians 5:7).
So, why would God want both Jews and non-Jews to celebrate Passover? Because each of God’s Feasts are His plan for Redeeming His People!!
Each Feast, especially Passover, is PROPHECY about the Messiah that would Redeem God’s people.
The more I learned about Passover, the more I became convinced that Yeshua of Nazareth was the promised Messiah. Look at some of the details of Passover:
| PASSOVER |
MESSIAH |
| Take a spotless Lamb (Ex 12:5) |
John called Yeshua “The Lamb of God” (John 1:29).
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| Temple lambs were raised in Bethlehem |
Yeshua was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2). |
| Lambs were greeted by crowds waving palm branches shouting “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD” (Ps 118:25-26). |
People greeted Yeshua as He entered Jerusalem “Blessed is he who comes in name of the LORD” (Matthew 21:9). |
| Lamb were brought into the house and examine it for four days (Exod 12:6) |
For four days, Yeshua was cross examined in the Temple by the high priest, scribe, teachers, pharisees, herodians, Herod and Pilate (Matthew 22). |
| They were to declare “I find no fault in him” |
Pilate declared “I find no fault in Him” (John 19:4,6). |
| Lambs were sacrificed in the Temple at 9, 12, and 3 |
• Yeshua died on Passover.
• At 9 am Yeshua was hung on the cross; at 12 the sky turned dark; at 3 He died (Matt 27). |
| When the sacrifices were complete, the high priest would cry “It is finished” |
Yeshua cried “It is finished” and died (John 19:30). |
| In Egypt, hyssop was used to sprinkle the blood on top and sides of doorframes, and puddled on floor (Ex 12:22) |
• Blood came from His hands, feet; blood from His side spilled at the bottom of cross.
• Hyssop at the cross (John 19:29). |
| God saved His people (both Jews and non-Jews) from bondage and slavery |
Yeshua saved us from being slaves to sin and death (1 Cor 15:55-57).
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| Instructed to remove the Leaven from the house before Passover (Ex 12:15) |
• Leaven represents sin (1 Cor 5).
• Yeshua cleansed His Father’s house (Temple) on Passover twice ... in the beginning (John 2) and the end (Matt 21:12) of His ministry.
• Paul tells believers to “clean house” of immorality among believers (I Cor 5). |
| During Passover week, God’s people were to eat unleavened bread (Matzoh) which is pierced, striped, and bruised |
• Yeshua is the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35).
• He was born in Bethlehem (Hebrew Beit Lechem = House of Bread).
• He was bruised for our iniquities; His hands, feet, and side were pierced (Isaiah 53). |
Some fascinating traditions have been observed for centuries that were not in the original Passover celebration:
Elijah’s Seat - A seat is always left for Elijah, and the children are sent out to search to see if Elijah has come. Yeshua said that the spirit of Elijah was on John the Baptizer (Matthew 17:10-13). Scriptural evidence and historical evidence reveals that John the Baptizer was born on Passover!
Matzah Tash – A three-compartment linen bag. The father takes the middle matzah, breaks it in half, wraps one half in white linen and hides it, calls it “afikomen”; after dinner children search for it, and the father gives a prize to the one who finds it; then everyone eat a portion of this broken half. I learned that in the Bible days, the father promised to give the prize 50 days later...on Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)!!
Where did these traditions come from? What do the three compartments represent? NO ONE KNOWS! How strange that “Afikomen” is the only Greek word in the whole Passover celebration...and it means “That Which Comes Later”! Could those three pieces be God, Messiah, and people?
Are these all coincidences? The rabbis say there are no coincidences with God!
So, why would a non-Jew, a Christian, want to celebrate Passover? Because it is all about God’s plan to redeem His people...both Jews and non-Jews....through the Messiah!! As Paul said: “For indeed Messiah, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast...in sincerity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:7-8).
Search the Scriptures about Passover....and spend some time this year on Passover celebrating the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.
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RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
“The Messiah: Prophecy Fulfilled” dvd – an excellent movie. One year after the resurrection, a follower of Yeshua returns to his family and reveals how He fulfilled the prophecies in Passover.
“Messiah in the Passover” – downloadable presentation by Mitch Glasser (Chosen People Ministries) at http://chosenpeople.com/main/videos/Messiah_in_the_Passover.html
“The Feasts of the Lord” 2 dvds by Mark Biltz and World Net Daily www.wnd.com. Excellent teaching on how Yeshua fulfilled the prophecies in Passover and the other Feasts of God.
Holidays or Holy Days...Does it Matter Which Days We Keep? Free downloadable book at http://www.gnmagazine.org/booklets/HH/downloads.asp.
A Family Guide to Biblical Holidays by Sampson and Pierce – excellent book on how to celebrate with your family; many children activities.
Feasts of the Lord – excellent book by Marvin Rosenthal and Kevin Howard.
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