Passover
Of all of the Biblical holidays, Passover is the most well known, thanks to Hollywood and Cecil B. DeMille. The word Passover is found 79 times in the Bible, with 29 of them found in the new covenant Scriptures (from Matthew to Revelation) alone. Although Passover itself only lasts for one day (night), its name is often lent to the weeklong celebration that follows, the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Matzah). In the midst of all of this celebrating is found another holy day, often overlooked by Judaism, but one of great importance to the followers of Yeshua (Jesus); the Feast of First Fruits.
As each of these holy days are important to God’s overall plan for the redemption of mankind, and will therefore be addressed separately. This teaching will focus on the one-day celebration of Passover, its foundations in the story of the Exodus and its fulfillment in the Gospels, as well as looking at some of the traditions the Jewish people have developed over the centuries. The correlations between some of these traditions and the life of Yeshua are astounding, and the observer learns a new aspect with each passing year.
The Exodus
This is not a study of the Exodus, but we must start with that story to understand the Passover story, for they are intertwined. To quickly sum up the story thus far, Moses has been called by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to go to the Pharaoh of Egypt with a message from the Most High God: Let My people go! After responding, “I do not know this god of the Hebrews,” and refusing to let the Israelites go into the wilderness to worship their God, Moses announces plague after plague, bringing death and destruction to the land of Egypt. Regardless of the cries of the people around him, Pharaoh continues to steadfastly refuse the request of Moses and his God.
Now the LORD said to Moses, “One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely. Speak now in the hearing of the people that each man ask from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor for articles of silver and articles of gold.” The LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Furthermore, the man Moses himself was greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people. (Exodus 11:1-3)
This is a very interesting set of verses. It begins with Adonai confiding in Moses regarding the coming plague, but then quickly gives him instructions regarding material goods. What is that all about? It seems to me that Adonai wants us to understand that He has a plan and is going to provide for us before we even realize that we need the provision, for these goods will be used later in the building of the Tabernacle. It also shows me that just because something might not seem logical to me, Adonai knows what He is doing and I need to trust Him and be obedient to Him even when it doesn’t seem logical.
Moses said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt, and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well. Moreover, there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again. But against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ All these your servants will come down to me and bow themselves before me, saying, ‘Go out, you and all the people who follow you,’ and after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. (Exodus 11:4-8)
Moses went and stood in front of Pharaoh and his entire household and told him, flat out, that not only were all of the firstborn of Egypt going to die, but that the Hebrew slaves would be so favored that not even a dog would bark against them. The audacity! More than that, Moses informed Pharaoh that he would take with him anyone who desired to come along. Notice he did not say, “Go out, you and all the Hebrews,” or even, “You and all the slaves,” but, “You and all who follow you.” That’s a big difference. That means that this Exodus would involve any and all who wanted to be a part of God’s deliverance, both Hebrew and Egyptian alike.
There are many, many people in the world who do not believe something unless they can hear it, smell it, taste it and see it for themselves. There are even more people who simply do not care about matters unless it directly applies to them. Pharaoh was one of those people. Even with the proof of God’s sovereignty all around him, Pharaoh did not believe that any of this applied to him personally. Up until now, it really hadn’t because his wise men and magicians were able to keep him in a bubble of safety, so to speak. The hardships of the Egyptians were unknown to Pharaoh for the people protected him. Nothing was more important than Pharaoh and his comfort.
But there was nothing that they could to do protect Pharaoh from the last judgment of the Almighty God. It is not that there was no protection available; the Israelites would be protected from this last plague as long as they believed and obeyed the word of Adonai.
Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household.
‘Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb. Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.
‘Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire.
‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste–it is the LORD’S Passover. For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments–I am the LORD. The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.’” (Exodus 12:1-14)
These events all occurred during the first month of the Hebrew year, according to the Biblical accounting of the Hebrew year. Each month began at the sighting of the new moon, and the children of Israel were commanded to choose a lamb for themselves on the tenth day of the month. They were to bring this lamb into their home (or tent) and love it, inspecting it for defects and insuring its health. Then on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, they were to sacrifice this goat or sheep and take the blood and put some of it on the lintel and on the doorposts.
In so doing, the “angel of death” would “Passover” the houses with blood on their doorways, thereby saving the firstborn child within. This was a simple act of faith, yet it was so profound that we are still struggling to fully comprehend all of the teachings involved with it. Anyone who obeyed was saved. Those who did not suffered the consequences. God told Moses that Pharaoh would not believe, obey or be saved; but as a result of this fact, the children of Israel would be saved, along with anyone else who was willing to follow this command. We are later told that a mixed multitude came out of Egypt with the Israelites. Not only slaves, but also some Egyptians left with them as a result of what Adonai had done.
The lamb was then to be roasted whole over the fire and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs and none was to be leftover for the next day. They were also instructed to eat it quickly, ready to leave at a moment’s notice, with their staff in their hands. This was not a relaxing meal, with all the trimmings, but a meal to be eaten quickly so that the participants would be ready to leave once the last of the meal had been consumed (whether by guest or by fire.) They were not even allowed the time needed for their bread to rise. Adonai was clearly warning His people that by morning their world would be turned upside down and truly that was indeed the case.
The blood of the lamb
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb. You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you.
“And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever. When you enter the land which the LORD will give you, as He has promised, you shall observe this rite. And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’ you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’” And the people bowed low and worshiped. (Exodus 12:21-27)
From the very beginning it has been the plan for God’s people to celebrate the Passover year after year. From the very first one, we are commanded to teach our children about this event. The Passover is very important to our King, so it should be very important to us. There are lessons that He taught the children of Israel that Adonai wants us to learn as well, and these can only be taught through our obedience to His word.
Hyssop is a bitter herb whose leaves and flowers are used sparingly in salads and in soups. It resembles parsley, grows in clumps and is found growing wild throughout the region. Spiritually speaking, hyssop is used figuratively in reference to cleansing.
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalms 51:7)
In fact, hyssop is always used when sprinkling someone or something. When Moses sprinkled the completed Tabernacle of God, he used hyssop. When someone needed to be made clean, he was sprinkled with the water for purification using hyssop. It was probably also the bitter herb eaten on the first Passover.
So, the head of every household was to take this lamb that his family dearly loved, slit its throat, catching its blood in a basin and then roast it whole (head, legs and all) over fire. It could not be boiled or eaten raw, but must be roasted over a fire, with bitter herbs and eaten with unleavened bread. But before it was roasted the man must take some hyssop, dip it in the blood of the lamb, and smear it on the doorposts and lintel of his home.
What is it about the blood of the lamb that would stop death in its track? Why must the blood of the lamb cover the doorposts? Why only the firstborn? All of these questions have been asked repeatedly down through the ages, but we did not even begin to understand the answers until Yeshua showed us just what the Lamb of God could do.
Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:13-14)
Just as the hyssop is used for cleansing, so is the blood. This seems strange to us; we think of blood as something that stains, not cleans. Yet this is not the only place where we read of washing something in blood…
The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. And men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth!” (Psalms 58:10-11)
Once again we ask, “How can you make something clean by washing it in blood?” because this makes no sense to the logical thinker, especially the one who knows of the prohibition against eating meat with blood still in it.
“‘And any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’
“Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘No person among you may eat blood, nor may any alien who sojourns among you eat blood.’ So when any man from the sons of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, in hunting catches a beast or a bird which may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For as for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life. Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.’” (Leviticus 17:10-14)
It is the word, “atonement” that makes all the difference. According to Webster’s it means,
“Agreement; concord; reconciliation, after enmity or controversy; expiation; satisfaction or reparation made by giving an equivalent for an injury, or by doing or suffering that which is received in satisfaction for an offense or injury; and in theology, the expiation of sin made by the obedience and personal sufferings of Messiah.”
Basically speaking, atonement is compensation for a wrong done or the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing (especially appeasing God). The Israelites were only safe once death saw that the firstborn had been atoned for. Without this atoning sacrifice, the life of the firstborn would still belong to Adonai.
Each and every one of us sins; there is no getting around that. Although it is not our desire, as children of God, to engage in sinful behavior, we all make mistakes. It’s a part of the human condition and is a direct result of the fall. This is something we all can agree upon. Yet do we know how to define sin? Yes, sin is breaking the Laws of God, but which Laws? Which Laws are we capable of breaking and which ones apply to us?
Yeshua’s blood, just like the blood of the Passover lamb, covers over our sins and brings reconciliation to our relationship with a Most Holy God. We are to take the hyssop, reminiscent of the bitterness of life, dip it in the blood of the Lamb of God and cover the doorposts of our hearts so that death will pass over our hearts and we can be renewed, washed clean from the sins that allowed death access to us in the first place. Because the life is in the blood, His life is painted over ours, so to speak, and we take on the glow seen in a freshly painted house.
We must also remember that the blood cannot be applied without the hyssop just as it is the bitterness of life that makes His gift so sweet. It is life’s troubles that cause us to call out to Adonai in the first place so we should learn to see them for the blessings that they really are. Without the bitterness of life, we could not be washed clean from the sin of the world, because we wouldn’t see the need, just as Pharaoh did not.
Death of the firstborn
The tenth and final plague of Egypt was the death of the firstborn. This plague affected every household in Egypt, from the lowest slave to Pharaoh himself; all families lost a member to this plague. None could protect Pharaoh from feeling the effects of this plague and he wept just like any other man.
Then the sons of Israel went and did so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. Now it came about at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of cattle. Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead. (Exodus 12:28-30)
Imagine, if you will, that you and your family have just slaughtered the kid you brought into your home so that you could paint your doorway with its blood. You and all of your neighbors have done this, roasting the lambs whole, filling the air with a wonderful aroma, but all the while feeling like you are waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. And then, just as you start to slip off into dreamland, you are awakened by the sound of screams in the distance.
After some time you hear the sound of footsteps outside. Obviously these are the sounds of Egyptian soldiers, because like yourself, your neighbors wouldn’t dare to step a foot outside of their houses this night. It doesn’t take you long to realize what is happening, as the shout of Moses’ name can be heard throughout the land of Goshen. The Egyptians have come to take Moses away to Pharaoh. Could this be the end of your great deliverer?
Now imagine the same scene, only this time you are an Egyptian who has just discovered his/her child is dead. How would you feel? Who would you blame? Who could you turn to for strength well all others were going through the very same trauma? What if you had a Hebrew slave in your household who had put blood on the doorpost to their chamber and their firstborn child lived? Would you want this person to leave or stay? Or, would you want to go with them so that you could afford the same protection?
Get out!
Then he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the LORD, as you have said. Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go, and bless me also.” The Egyptians urged the people, to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, “We will all be dead.”
So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls bound up in the clothes on their shoulders. Now the sons of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, for they had requested from the Egyptians articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have their request. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.
Now the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, along with flocks and herds, a very large number of livestock. They baked the dough which they had brought out of Egypt into cakes of unleavened bread. For it had not become leavened, since they were driven out of Egypt and could not delay, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves. (Exodus 12:31-39)
Pharaoh was devastated at the loss of his firstborn son and heir to his throne. Throughout all of the preceding plagues Pharaoh had been untouchable. Nothing could hurt him or his loved ones because as Pharaoh, he was a god, as was his son as heir to the title of Pharaoh. The death of this child proved once and for all that none of the Pharaohs were gods and that there is only One True God in all the earth.
When Pharaoh told Moses to leave, he did not do it face to face, as Moses had stated that Pharaoh would never see his face again. I think that would have been too humbling of an experience for the mighty Pharaoh. I think that Moses was brought to the palace, but another gave him the message. Regardless of who told him, Moses now knew that he had indeed been sent by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to free the slaves of Egypt and to bring them out of that place and into the land He had promised so long ago.
The Israelites had no time to plan ahead for their meals; they had to simply grab whatever they had on hand and make due. They must have been the richest looking slaves in the history of the world, with all of the gold and silver they were bringing out with them! Yes, they were being kicked out of Egypt, but they were hardly being run out on a rail. It was as if the Egyptians gave them gifts in the hope of making them leave faster. Once they left Goshen, they headed straight for the old city of Joseph, a tent city set up by the grain silos called “Sukkot.”
This first Passover was unique in its celebration. Since that time we have never had to eat the meal in haste, with the exceptions of times of war, etc. We have never had another Exodus like the one coming out from Egypt, although the prophets tell us we will, only the next one will be a world-wide ingathering of God’s people. For more information on this aspect of Passover, please take the time to read my study on the Exodus, which can be found on my website.
Should a non-Jew observe Passover?
Well, yes and no. I know that’s not a lot of help, but it is the truth. This is a very special feast of Adonai and is for His children only. No foreigner could participate in this feast. I guess the real question here would be, just who is a foreigner?
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: no foreigner is to eat of it; but every man’s slave purchased with money, after you have circumcised him, then he may eat of it. A sojourner or a hired servant shall not eat of it. It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, nor are you to break any bone of it. All the congregation of Israel are to celebrate this.
“But if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you.” Then all the sons of Israel did so; they did just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron. And on that same day the LORD brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts. (Exodus 12:43-51)
It is very plain to see that only those who have been circumcised are invited to dine at this table. And what does a small piece of skin have to do with whether or not someone should be included? Actually, it’s not the piece of skin as much as it is the lesson behind it.
Abraham believed God’s word to be true, without any proof, and his actions demonstrated that faith. When El Shaddai told him to circumcise all of the males in his household, Abraham didn’t ask why; he simply did as he was told. These are the actions of a righteous man; he does what God tells him to do, simply because God said so. This action showed God where Abraham’s heart was focused. The outward cutting of flesh was obeyed in the heart more than in the flesh as Abraham’s will was cut away, exposing God’s will in his life.
So too must we circumcise our hearts if we want to be seen as righteous before a Holy God. This is the hidden message of the covenant of circumcision: the circumcision of the heart. This truth is found throughout Scriptures, from Deuteronomy 10:16 to Romans 2:29. If our hearts have been circumcised, obeying the commands of Adonai out of our love for Him, then we are welcome to celebrate as far as Adonai El Shaddai is concerned.
There are some Jews who would argue that statement. They do not believe that the non-Jewish person can, should or is allowed to celebrate any of the feasts and festivals of Adonai. They believe this privilege is theirs alone. They believe in one set of laws for the Jew and another set of Laws for the non-Jew (Gentile). I do not believe that viewpoint is scripturally accurate… and here is why:
“If an alien sojourns among you and observes the Passover to the LORD, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance, so he shall do; you shall have one statute, both for the alien and for the native of the land.” (Numbers 9:14)
As long as we are observing the Passover according to the statutes and ordinances, and our hearts are circumcised and set apart for Adonai, than we should feel free to celebrate it along with the rest of His people. So I guess the big question now remaining is, “Just what are the statutes and ordinances regarding the celebration of Passover?”
What must we do to observe Passover?
This is a very good question that deserves an honest answer that some traditionalists are not going to like very much: You do not have to do anything more than what is commanded in Torah; beyond that, it’s up to you. Allow me to explain.
Thus the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, “Now, let the sons of Israel observe the Passover at its appointed time. On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall observe it at its appointed time; you shall observe it according to all its statutes and according to all its ordinances.” So Moses told the sons of Israel to observe the Passover. (Numbers 9:1-4)
According to Exodus 12:14, the Passover is to be celebrated throughout our generations as a memorial to what happened that day so long ago. That does not mean we are to re-enact the nights events, sacrificing a lamb and smearing its blood on the doorposts of our homes. In fact, as we shall soon see, this sacrifice is now prohibited outside of Jerusalem. What it does mean is that we are to remember annually the events of that evening. He does not specify, however, just how we are to remember.
“And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever. When you enter the land which the LORD will give you, as He has promised, you shall observe this rite. And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’ you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’” And the people bowed low and worshiped. (Exodus 12:24-27)
So now we know that not only are we commanded to observe Passover forever, but also we are to be sure to teach our children why we are observing this event. This command is almost more important than the command to observe Passover. We must teach our children that God protected our homes, not their homes. We are to celebrate Passover so that we can teach our children the lessons of Passover, including that God protects those who are obedient to His word.
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: no foreigner is to eat of it; but every man’s slave purchased with money, after you have circumcised him, then he may eat of it. A sojourner or a hired servant shall not eat of it. It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, nor are you to break any bone of it. All the congregation of Israel are to celebrate this.
“But if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you.” Then all the sons of Israel did so; they did just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron. And on that same day the LORD brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts. (Exodus 12:43-51)
The next instruction given, after celebrating forever and teaching our children about the first Passover, is to eat the meal in a single house, keeping all of the flesh from the meal within the same house it was cooked. Also we are instructed not to break any bone of this sacrifice. Why is that? Because it was a sign of The Lamb of God. When Yeshua was sacrificed as our Passover Lamb, even with the severity of His beatings, not a bone was broken. It was just another sign of the Messiah.
One year later the Israelites keep the Passover just as Moses had told them, but there were some who had been made unclean because of the need to bury the dead (Numbers 9). Moses is then instructed to allow these men to celebrate the Passover a month later. This shows us two very important facts regarding Passover. First, we see that God does not want His people to approach Him unclean, and second, He is a God of second chances. It also shows us just how important this remembrance is in the sight of El Shaddai.
“Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night. You shall sacrifice the Passover to the LORD your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where the LORD chooses to establish His name.
“You shall not eat leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), so that you may remember all the days of your life the day when you came out of the land of Egypt. For seven days no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory, and none of the flesh which you sacrifice on the evening of the first day shall remain overnight until morning.
“You are not allowed to sacrifice the Passover in any of your towns which the LORD your God is giving you; but at the place where the LORD your God chooses to establish His name, you shall sacrifice the Passover in the evening at sunset, at the time that you came out of Egypt. You shall cook and eat it in the place which the LORD your God chooses. In the morning you are to return to your tents.” (Deuteronomy 16:1-7)
Again we see the commands to celebrate the Passover with unleavened bread (matzah) and to allow none of it to remain until morning, but now we see the addition of where we are to celebrate this feast. This feast is what is known as a “pilgrimage feast.” Every male was required to travel to Jerusalem, the place where Adonai chose to establish His name, and sacrifice his lamb at the Temple. Three times a year they were required to journey to the Temple of Adonai in Jerusalem, at Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. These feasts are the first, middle and last on Adonai’s calendar, and teach us His plan of redemption through the works of the Messiah.
With all of the men, and many of the women and children, attending the feast in Jerusalem, one can only begin to imagine what it must have been like. The sense of community must have been very strong at Passover, just as it was during the original event. The hospitality of those who dwelled in and around Jerusalem had to have been the key to the success of the yearly events, and was more than likely a part of the lesson of this day as well. This lesson couldn’t be learned if we were simply celebrating in our own homes, like we do today.
To sum the commands of Passover, one can only fully celebrate this feast in Jerusalem, at the Temple of Adonai, with the rest of the children of Israel. Unfortunately we are unable to keep the commands fully at this time. Some say, “If we can’t keep it all, don’t keep it at all!” I disagree. I believe that if we show Adonai that it is the desire of our hearts to serve Him fully, He will provide a way for that to happen; He will return in all His glory. We return to Him through the actions of our hearts.
Although we can no longer sacrifice at the Temple, there are other commands that we can keep. We most certainly can teach our children the story of Passover. We can eat some lamb, or chicken or any other clean animal, with bitter herbs and matzah, whether store bought or homemade. There are no directions regarding how we are to accomplish these goals, so the rest is really up to us.
The Jewish people have developed traditions regarding the observance of Passover and have written these down in the Seder (meal) Haggadah (order). There are many different Haggadahs to choose from, some of which can be quite long and others that are over quickly. One could easily spend hours picking out just the right one, or one could not use a Haggadah at all. There is no right or wrong way, just as there is no right or wrong way to celebrate Thanksgiving. Each family has their own traditions regarding this celebration, some insisting on a strict turkey dinner with all the trimmings, while others like to have something different every year, honoring the different cultures that make up this once great country of ours. Neither is wrong.
What is important is that we make sure to celebrate Passover, teaching our children about what happened when the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob showed up to redeem His children from captivity, because it will happen again. We need to teach our children to rely on Adonai for our provision, even when all seems lost… especially when all seems lost! We often forget to teach our children all that we should simply because we get caught up in the day-to-day struggles of life and forget. Passover is a regularly scheduled teaching time. It is a time of good food, good fellowship and good stories of how Adonai sent Moses to free the slaves of Egypt just like Adonai sent Yeshua to free us from the bondage of sin.
The bread of affliction
We must also remember the matzah. Termed, “the bread of affliction,” matzah is to remind us of those days of hard labor and quick flight. Just as the Israelites of old cleaned their homes of leaven, which represents sin, so too we should cleanse our homes, and hearts, of the leaven of sin that can permeate our lives.
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Messiah our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8)
One of the main features of the Passover, Matzah is so important that it has a feast of its own. Beginning with the Passover meal, we are commanded to refrain from eating bread with leavening, or yeast, in it for seven days, beginning the day after Passover (so in effect, we are to be without yeast in our homes and bodies for a total of eight days.) There are many reasons why we should literally follow this command, most importantly because God said so.
Studies have shown that our bodies actually need a rest from yeast now and then. Of course, Adonai would know this, as He is the maker of our bodies. Historically the Jewish people have remained healthy during times of plague due to their habit of “spring cleaning” before Passover. As the weather begins to warm, they open up their windows and start cleaning house and do not finish until just before the Passover Seder. At this point the father comes behind his wife and children, scooping up the last little bits of leaven (that his wife playfully left for him) and declaring the house clean. This activity is traditional, but it is the fulfillment of the command, “no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory.”
More important is the sin/leaven correlation. To understand how sin works in one’s life, one can simply look to yeast. Although very small when dried, it can increase its bulk dramatically with warm water and sugar (food). Although sin creeps into our lives in small ways, with the right conditions it can dramatically increase in bulk as well, taking over our lives.
At the beginning of the year, when life is awakening and being refreshed, so too must we reawaken to the higher place we are being called to inhabit. We must remove the sin from our lives that has crept in over the long winter, refreshing our spirit in the Word of God. The world around us has its cycles, as does the world within; we must follow these cycles that Adonai laid out for us if we want to fully understand the lessons He has set before us.
The matzah itself is a lesson of the Messiah. The bread of affliction is bruised, striped and pierced.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)
Nowhere in Scripture are we told how to make matzah, or what it should look like; this design was handed down orally among the traditions of the Jews. When we look at the matzah in light of these verses and the events surrounding the death of Yeshua, our eyes begin to open to the big picture. This is simply one element of the Seder that teaches us not only of the Exodus out of Egypt, but our own freedom from the bonds of slavery to sin. This is just one example of how following the traditions, although not a requirement, can be seen as teaching tools during Passover.
We are required, however, to eat only matzah at the Seder… no leavening is allowed, even with dessert. In fact, Passover dessert is not the last part of the meal. The taste that one should walk away from the Seder with is that of the bread (matzah) and the wine (grape juice). We must walk away with the memory of how sweet life can be (wine) even in the midst of tribulation (matzah) when we obey the word of Adonai. This is the story of the Passover in a nutshell.
Bitter Herbs
Besides matzah, we are also commanded to eat bitter herbs. These are to remind us of the bitterness of slavery, not only physical bondage, but also spiritual bondage as well. We don’t always realize when we are in bondage. Some times the bondage sneaks up on us, as it is with sin. Sometimes physical bondage does as well; when we wake up one morning and realize that we are in such debt that it seems that the banks and mortgage companies own not only our homes, but our lives too.
As stated earlier, it is my belief that the bitter herbs used back in Egypt were hyssop. Today we use parsley in place of hyssop and have added horseradish as well. When we take a dollop of horseradish on our matzah, the tears that we shed are real. The bitterness of the conditions with which they lived becomes better understood, as does the necessity of the bitterness of our lives. Just as the horseradish clears our sinuses, so the bitterness of live clears our hearts from the sins that harden them.
Although Passover is to be a joyous celebration, recounting the salvation of Adonai from the hand of the enemy, it is also a bitter reminder of the sin of the world and how easily one can find them selves bound. Just as the Israelites had been a blessing to the Egyptians, especially the works of Joseph, and they quickly became a curse to them, so too are the Israelites of today a blessing to this world, but are quickly becoming a curse.
For the new covenant believer, we also see the bitterness of the last 24 hours in the life of Yeshua. The garden prayer must have been especially bitter, as well as the last moments of life when He cried out, “My God, My God… why have You forsaken me?” Speaking of bitterness, can you imagine the bitterness in the hearts of the Apostles and the other disciples? If you can’t, I suggest taking a very large dollop of horseradish at the seder so that you can be reminded of how bitter life can be.
Teach your children well
The most important part of celebrating the Passover is the command to teach our children. If we have no children, we must teach our spiritual children, those who have become our disciples. We must teach them about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and how much He loves His children. We must teach them that He is watching over us and has not forgotten His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Adonai is our strength and song and He has become our Salvation (Yeshua)! We need to tell the tale of the horse and his rider (Pharaoh) being thrown into the sea so that they will know that Adonai is Elohim and there is no other god besides Him.
How we accomplish this goal is up to us. We can choose to follow a traditional Haggadah, write one of our own, or have no Haggadah at all, relying on our own knowledge to teach about the Passover. The important thing is not how we do it, but that we simply do it. There is no right way and no wrong way of keeping the feast, as long as the basics are covered. Granted, it would be wrong to serve an unclean animal, like ham, for the Passover Seder, but it is not wrong to serve juice in lieu of wine.
It is best to take the age of the children who will attend the Seder when choosing a Haggadah. If the children are young, you don’t want to pick a long running Haggadah as they will tire quickly, but as the age increases, so should the length of time for the teaching. By the time they are adults, they will have heard the entire story and can retell it themselves, but that is not necessary when they are still young. Coloring pages that tell the story are also good to have on hand for the younger children, but might insult the intelligence of the older child.
We must make sure to answer any questions a child might have. This is incorporated into many Haggadahs, anticipating what questions the child might have. Sometime during the meal it is often helpful to ask the children questions regarding what was learned, just as a teacher reviews with her students the lessons of the day. In this way we can assure ourselves of our obedience to the commandments.
Next year in Jerusalem!!
Most Seders end with the phrase, “Next year in Jerusalem!” This demonstrates our desire to keep the Passover as He instructed us… in the place where He chose for His name to dwell. This is also a prayer. We desire for Adonai to return His people to the land He promised to our fathers. We desire to worship Him in spirit and truth at the Temple in Jerusalem. These desires are summed up in this phrase.
Many Jewish families refuse to serve lamb on Passover because they do not have the Temple or the altar on which to sacrifice the lamb, and they don’t want anyone to mistakenly believe that they had sacrificed without them. Most Jews serve either chicken or turkey, depending on the size of the gathering. Many will include a roasted egg on their Seder plate to remind them of the loss of the Temple, as the egg is a traditional symbol of mourning. Many non-Jews skip the egg, as it is too reminiscent of Easter eggs.
There are many songs associated with the traditional Seder including one called, “Lishonoh Habo’oh” which is Hebrew for, “Next year.” “Lishonoh habo’oh bi’Yerusholoyim (x3) Bi’Yerusholoyim habnuyoh!” This is translated as, “Next year in Jerusalem (x3) in a Jerusalem rebuilt!” This is the song that ends the Seder and is sung with other songs of praise. It also serves as a reminder of the promises of God and the fact that nothing can be done outside of His will. We pray that it is within His will to gather together His people together during the next year so that we can indeed celebrate the Passover as He directed, in Jerusalem at the Temple of Adonai.
Therefore let us celebrate the feast
Whether you have been born and raised Jewish or whether you have simply decided to follow Yeshua, the Passover celebration is for all of us. The same laws apply to the native and the alien who sojourns among us, as long as all who approach the Seder plate have been circumcised. This is a holy meal, eaten only by those who have given their hearts over to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. It is not to be eaten by those who do not believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
For those of us who have given our hearts to Yeshua, the Passover season is especially joyful. Although the Passover itself can leave a bitter taste in our mouths, the sacrifice of Yeshua and its acceptance displayed through His resurrection on the Feast of First Fruits returns the sweetness to our taste.
In the time of preparation, leading up to Passover, we need to clean house, both the physical and the spiritual. Just as we search for leavening within our home, so we must also search for sin within our hearts. When we come before a Most Holy God, we must not bring any sin with us. If it is our desire to meet with Adonai at the appointed time, we must be ready. We must teach our children to be ready so that they will be able to meet God as well.
Adonai has a plan. This plan is embedded within the yearly cycle of feasts and festivals as defined by Adonai Himself. The Jewish people have developed traditions regarding the celebrating of these feasts and festivals that can add a new understanding to each of these festivals, but we are not required to celebrate in the traditional manner. How much or how little we want to incorporate into our celebrations is entirely up to us. Each year we add our own traditions. Each year we understand a little bit more. Each year our desire to celebrate the feasts of Adonai increases until we can’t see living life any other way. Only then have we truly returned to Adonai our Elohim, and His ways.
