Easter: "It is Finished" Was Just the Beginningಮಾದರಿ

Day Five

The Divine Drama

When asked about the Passover, Barbara, a Jewish sister in Christ recalled: “I remember it well. Arriving at Grandma Ethel’s house and smelling the food; singing songs; seeing the lamb shank; drinking wine, and eating matzohs. My grandfather would go on and on, retelling the story of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt. But little did I understand then that Passover was the unfolding of a divine drama written, produced, and directed by God Himself. After giving my heart to Jesus at age 32, I came to understand and be amazed how all the symbols of that beautiful feast speak of Jesus.”

You see, Passover is the celebration and remembrance of God’s deliverance for the Jewish people from their oppression in Egypt. Before this, the sons and daughters of Israel had been in cruel bondage and slavery for 400 years. But God had not forgotten His great promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:2 NKJV). And when the time came, God sent Moses to free his people from Pharaoh. But Pharaoh would not “let the people go,” so God sent the plagues—gnats, boils, frogs, and more.

Finally, the tenth plague came, the death of the first born in every household. However, the Lord spared death and gave life to His followers who sacrificed a spotless lamb and applied the blood over their doors (Exodus 11–12). When the angel of death saw the blood, he passed over that house. It was after this plague that Pharaoh let the Israelites go.

According to Barbara, “One word used for feast is miqra, which means a rehearsal. The other word is mo’ed, which means an appointed time; a fixed time; an exact time.” What an amazing picture! Passover was a rehearsal for the future to be celebrated every year—over and over—until, at the exact appointed time, the true fulfillment would come.

After 1500 years of Passover celebrations, with the symbols of unleavened bread, wine, and a slain, unblemished lamb . . . the hour had come. No more rehearsals, for the Passover had become reality! The night known as the last supper saw Jesus and His disciples celebrate the “last” Passover Feast. In that upper room, Jesus took the wine, which represented the blood of the Passover lamb and said, “This is My blood” (Matthew 26:28 NKJV). He broke the unleavened bread, a symbol of sinlessness, and said, “This is My body” (Luke 22:19 NKJV). The very next day, upon a cross reserved for a criminal, Jesus became the Passover Lamb.

As we take communion, we, like our brothers and sisters in the early church (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 10:16–17, 11:17–34), reflect upon and remember what Christ, our Passover Lamb, our exodus from the land of sin and death, did to bring us into a new life of freedom!

For the Kids

Long before Jesus was born, God’s people were slaves in Egypt. God wanted his people free so He told Moses to tell Pharaoh to let His people go. But Pharaoh wouldn’t listen, so God sent ten plagues to Egypt. For the last plague, the firstborn in every house would die. But God protected His people from death by having them kill a lamb and put its blood on their doorpost. Finally, Pharaoh let the Israelites go.

On the night before Jesus died, He ate dinner with His disciples. This dinner is called the Last Supper. Together they celebrated Passover, remembering and thanking God for how He freed His people from Egypt. Today, we take communion as a way to remember and thank Jesus for His sacrifice on the cross, saving us from our sins so that we can spend eternity in heaven with Him!

Reflecting on the Promise

In Zechariah 13:7 (NIV), it says, “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” We see this prophecy come to fruition as Jesus is arrested. Jesus knew this would happen, and even warned His disciples saying, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me” (Matthew 26:31 NIV).

How many times have we all turned away from Jesus? Betrayed Him? Today, as you pray, thank the Lord that He never turns His back on us; that He is always there, even when we turn away.