The Passover: The Lord's Feast Day For Us

Think back to Sunday, August 22, 1993. What do you know about that day? Perhaps nothing at all. Most of us were alive, but we have little to no recollection of that day unless it's a birthday, anniversary, or a significant day in our life stories. Now think about July 4th, 1776. What do you know about this day? How do you know it? Why does it stick in your brain? Though you weren't alive then, you probably know important people, places, and names from that epoch in America’s history. We memorialize significant days so we won't lose sight of the weightiness of those days.

We need spiritual memorial days, too. God magnifies Himself in life-altering ways, but everyday life often pushes those memories to the back of our minds. When our hands are in a soapy sink full of dishes or we’re moving car parts down the assembly line, we can lose sight of the mighty days of God's power. We may not feel prone to wander, but we know we're prone to forget what God has done for us. This is one of sin's impacts on all of our lives.

The Passover is the LORD’s Day 

There's much to be said about the Passover, but as we journey through Exodus 12, one phrase practically leaps off the page: "It is the LORD’s Passover" (12:11). The Passover belongs to the LORD, and for good reason! He was poised to strike Egypt with their version of the shot heard around the world. This day marked the downfall of Egypt's gods because God executed His judgments on them, reiterating "I am the LORD" (12:12). Can you imagine if Taiwan raised up enough military power to overthrow China’s regime?

Beneath the surface of the Passover lies something deeper than mere military triumph. Similar to many preceding signs and wonders, God drew a distinction between Israel and Egypt. However, there's a marked difference in God's instructions. The LORD vowed to claim the firstborn of people and animals throughout Egypt. Israel would only be spared if they displayed blood as a sign on their doorposts and lintel. In essence, failure to obey God's Word would lead to the loss of their firstborn sons, subjecting them to God's just wrath. Notice that His wrath is just even in punishing Israel.  They, too, required a substitute.

Some speculate that the Israelites might have faced judgment for aligning with Egypt's idolatries, and we need not look beyond ourselves to recognize the alluring temptation of assimilating with the prevailing culture. However, even if none of the Israelites had engaged in idolatry, they were still descendants of Adam, and since "in Adam all die", they were subject to God’s just judgment apart from a substituting sacrifice (1 Cor. 15:22). Once again, God's mercy toward His "firstborn son" shines through, much like the initial rays of sunlight after a tempestuous storm (Ex. 4:22). Truly, this is a reason to celebrate with a feast!

The Passover is Israel’s Feast

The Passover held such significance that the LORD commanded a perpetual feast "throughout [their] generations, as a statute forever" (12:14). Every year, an entire week was dedicated to rest, purging of leaven, and congregating to worship God as Israel commemorated His wondrous work among the Egyptians. This Feast of Unleavened Bread involved consuming bread without yeast, which prevented it from rising.

The focus on unleavened bread seems to extend beyond the texture of soft, airy bread and delve into the broader concept of God's people. Leaven, or yeast, often carries negative symbolism in Scripture. During the Exodus, waiting for the dough to rise would have impeded the Israelites' progress. Subsequently, leaven was prohibited in Israel's sacrifices to God and was not permitted for consumption in sacred spaces (Lev. 2:11; 6:17). In Amos 4:5, sacrificing with leaven exemplified Israel's disobedience and disregard for God's Law.

Much like sin, leaven permeates all the flour it touches. It takes time to rise, and once it infiltrates the flour, its presence becomes evident. This is why Jesus cautioned His disciples to beware of the "leaven of the Pharisees" (Matt. 16:6). In 1 Corinthians 5, the Corinthian church was instructed to discard the old leaven of sin and embody the purity of God's unleavened people (vv. 6-8). This mandate applied to both personal actions and the excommunication of unrepentant sinners from the church. Paul similarly cautioned the Galatians against the influence of "a little leaven" of legalism, as it can ruin the whole lump (Gal. 5:9).

The Passover Foreshadowed Jesus’ Day 

LORD willing, it will soon become more evident that the Passover foreshadows the day of Jesus’ great shedding of blood. It was then that the universe witnessed the Lamb who bore the sins of the world (John 1:29). For now, though, let us recall that the Passover carries a significance beyond being a festival for only Israel to remember God's actions on their behalf. We, too, can contemplate God's work within the context of the Passover. Even in the days of Exodus, people need the blood of Christ to be liberated. The author of Hebrews states it well when he says, "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (Heb. 10:4).

In essence, the Passover exemplified their present forgiveness while simultaneously pointing to the ultimate Substitute who would bring them forgiveness once and for all. Beyond the blood on their doorposts, those Israelites required faith in the Savior whose blood "proclaims a better message than the blood of Abel" (Heb 12:24). They needed blood that proclaimed their innocence and freedom before a holy God, and only Jesus’ blood can make us innocent.

They were in need of the blood of Jesus, just as we are. The Passover indeed stood as a remarkable act of mercy in its time. Nevertheless, it is the once-for-all merciful action of Jesus that granted forgiveness to the faithful Israelites back then. And that very act of mercy is what the world urgently requires today. Israel’s anticipation was fixed on the most significant Passover of all, while we now look back upon it. In the words of Shai Linne, they were saved on credit, and we’re saved on debit. Yet we all behold the same Lamb of God who is worthy of our heartfelt worship and allegiance.

Reflection Questions

• How does understanding the Passover as a symbol of forgiveness and redemption in the Old Testament deepen your appreciation for Jesus' role as the Lamb of God in the New Testament?
• In what ways does the concept of leaven in the Passover connect to the idea of sin and its influence in our lives? How can we apply the principle of removing leaven to address sin in our own hearts and our local church? What are some specific ways the gospel confronts the leavening in our hearts?
• As you reflect on the Passover, how did it celebrate the present mercy of God toward Israel? How does it point us to a future Savior. How do we hear the Passover’s echo in the new testament?

Prayer Points

• Thank God for His justice and mercy. Thank God for His justice in not sweeping sin under the rug—both the sin of oppressors and those who are oppressed. Thank God also that He extends mercy to those who will repent and trust in Christ.
• Celebrate in the presence of God. Take a few moments to smile and rejoice in your salvation in the presence of God. Enjoy Him in adoration for His power among Israel and Egypt as well as in your own life.
• Ask God to bring the gospel to the forefront of your mind. Seek the Lord’s help in keeping the gospel always before us, especially when we are under the weight of affliction and oppression.

Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/traditional-jewish-matzo-4034017/