What is the significance of the Passover?

Passover is the festival of the Jews that is kept in remembrance of the Lord’s passing over the houses of the Israelites (Exodus 12:13) when the first born of all the Egyptians were destroyed.

The Passover meal, called the ‘seder’ (Hebrew for ‘order’), is full of pictures that not only keep alive the memory of God’s delivering the Israelites from Egypt but also strikingly foreshadow the events surrounding Jesus’ sacrifice. The four cups of wine stand for the four “I wills” of God’s promises. recorded in Exodus 6:6-7. The seder follows a traditional order. First the participants drink the ‘Cup of Sanctification’, marking God’s first promise: “I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” Next, they dip parsley in salt water and eat it to “taste” the tears shed in slavery in Egypt. A piece of unleavened bread (‘matzo’) is broken in two, and one piece is hidden for later. Then the participants scoop bitter herbs (often horseradish) onto a piece of matzo and eat it to “taste” the bitterness of the life of slavery. They dip another piece of matzo into the bitter herbs, but this time before they eat it, they dip it in ‘kharoset’, a delightfully sweet mixture of chopped apples, honey, nuts, and wine that signifies the sweet taste of the promised redemption and freedom that awaits the people.

At this stage of the seder, the story of the Exodus and the first Passover is told, after which participants drink the ‘Cup of Plagues’ to mark God’s second promise: “I will deliver you from their bondage.” A shankbone is held up to remember the Passover Lamb and the blood which marked the doorposts of the houses of Israel. Then the festival meal is served–a leisurely meal unlike the first Passover eaten in haste. Afterwards, the hidden piece of matzo (the ‘afikomen’), now found, is broken. It substitutes for the Paschal Lamb, which in days of old was the final food of the seder feast. This is thought to be the bread Jesus broke during the Last Supper, when He said, “This is my body, which is given for you” (Luke 22:19). Next, the ‘Cup of Redemption’ is raised to mark God’s third promise: “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.” Likely, this is the cup Jesus raised when He said, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20). The participants complete the seder with the ‘Cup of Praise’ to remember God’s fourth promise: “I will take you to Me for a people.” And finally they shout the now traditional toast, “Next Year in Jerusalem!”, reflecting the longing of the displaced people of Israel for their homeland.

Did Jesus just happen to die during Passover? The biblical answer is no. The reason he came to Jerusalem that final time wasn’t just to celebrate Passover, but to become our Passover. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover. He is the Lamb of God, sacrificed to set us free from bondage to sin (John 1:29; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53). The blood of Jesus covers and protects us, and his body was broken to free us from eternal death (1 Corinthians 5:7).

God commanded the Israelites to commemorate his great deliverance always through the Passover meal. Jesus Christ instructed his followers to remember his sacrifice continually through the Lord's Supper. Our salvation comes through his substitution. That’s why God can say to us, “When I see His blood, I will pass over you.”

The question to be answered then is," Is His blood applied to you? Are you covered by the blood?"

Application Questions:

Have you ever felt like you were treading backwards instead of moving toward your intended goal? In retrospect how have you seen God’s direction, which seemed confusing at the time, ending in blessing?

Quote:

On the back of Satan's neck is a nail scarred footprint. - C. S. Lewis

Prayer:

Lord, I thank You for Your blood that was shed on the cross for my sins. Thank You for taking my place. I am eternally grateful. Amen