What is Pesach?
Pesach (Passover)
4 “‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times: 5 The Lord’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. 6 On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord’s Festival of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. 7 On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. 8 For seven days present a food offering to the Lord. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.’” (Leviticus 23: 4-8)
Offering the Firstfruits
9 The Lord said to Moses, 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. 11 He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. (Leviticus 23: 9-11)
The Lamb, the Bread, & the Wine
12 On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old without defect, 13 together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil—a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine. 14 You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. (Leviticus 23: 12-14)
Also known as “Passover” or “the Festival of Unleavened Bread,” Pesach marks the time when the Jewish people were freed from slavery in Egypt. They were saved by the blood of a lamb which was to be placed over their door. Their hurried exodus gave them no time to make leavened bread so they ate unleavened bread. They were led into the wilderness and God provided for all their needs. This is one of three Biblically-mandated holidays requiring pilgrimage to Jerusalem. No work is permitted on the 1st or 7th day.
The name “Pesach” means to pass through, to pass over, to exempt or to spare. It refers to the time that the angel of God “passed over” the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborn of Egypt. (Exodus 12)
Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan in the Jewish calendar and is celebrated for seven or eight days. It is a biblically mandated holiday and is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays. The holiday is also known as “the Time of Our Freedom.”
Upcoming dates: Apr 23 2016, Apr 11 2017, Mar 31 2018, Apr 20 2019, Apr 9 2020, Mar 28 2021, Apr 16 2022, Apr 6 2023
Scriptures Read on this Holiday
Torah reading: Exodus 12:21 – 15:26, 22:24 – 23:19, 34-1 – 34:26; Numbers 9:1 – 28:25; Leviticus 22:26 – 23:44; Deuteronomy 14:22 – 16:17
Haftarah: Joshua 5:2 – 6:1; II Kings 23:1 – 23:9, 23:21 – 23:25; Ezekiel 37:1 – 37:14; II Samuel 22: 1-51; Isaiah 10:32 – 12:6
God’s Firstfruits: the Lamb, the Bread, & the Wine
13 They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. 14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (Luke 22: 13-20)
Pesach is also the name of the sacrificial offering (a lamb) that was made in the Temple on this holiday. This has special significance for Christians who understand that Jesus Christ was (and is) the Lamb of God – a unique and complete sacrificial offering – freely given that we might be spared the death that each person deserves due to sin. Jesus died that we might live. He is our Kinsman-Redeemer.
The Old Testament scriptures about the Passover foretell of the time in which God would provide a Lamb of God for the sacrifice. God has fulfilled this prophesy. He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to be sacrificed for the sin of the world.
Each of the elements of Passover describe God’s plan for the salvation of His people:
- The Firstfruit: As the firstborn, Jesus is the Firstfruit.
- The Lamb of God: As the one who sacrificed his life, Jesus is the Lamb of God.
- The Bread of Life: As the one whose body was pierced, Jesus is the Bread of Life.
- The Wine: As the one whose blood was shed, Jesus is the Wine.
For Christians, the celebration of Passover is a reminder of what Jesus Christ did for us. For Jews, the celebration of Passover provides a foreshadowing so that one day they will be able to recognize their Messiah.
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