Passover (Pesach פֶּסַח)

What is Passover?

• Pesach פֶּסַח means to “Pass Over”
• The Passover meal celebrates the Exodus, the freedom from slavery of the Israelites from Ancient Egypt that followed the 10 plagues.
• The lord sent Moses to lead the children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land.
  • When first confronted by Moses, Pharaoh refused to let the people go. After sending 9 plagues, the lord said the first males of every house would die unless the doorframes of that house was covered with blood of a perfect lamb.
  • That night the lord “passed over” the house with blood on the doorframes.
  • The 10th plague brought death to the first born sons of Egypt, even taking the life of Pharaoh’s own son.
  • Finally Pharaoh let the children of Israel go.
• Passover is to be a lasting Ordinance for generations to come.
• Passover is a memorial, which is an annual event. it commemorates our salvation from bondage. its a reminder of the salvation of Israel from Egypt as well as the salvation of sin through Jesus.
• We are commanded in both the Old and New Testament to keep the Passover as a memorial to remember who saved us from our bondage.

The Lamb

• On Passover it was law to sacrifice a perfect male lamb with no blemish. Exodus 12:5
• Jesus was crucified as the “Lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world”. John 1:29.
• The lord supper is a remembrance of his sacrifice as the perfect Passover Lamb and the fulfilment of the new covenant between God and man. Luke 22:20, 1 Corinthians 5:7. Ephesians 2:11-13.
• it was on Passover that the messiah, Jesus Christ, passed the bread to his followers and said eat of it this is my body broken for you. Jesus asked the disciples to eat his body because he is the ultimate Passover lamb. his sacrifice was the ultimate sacrifice that produced freedom from slavery to sin and ends the exile from God. He then passed the cup to them and said drink of it all of you for this is the blood of the new covenant. The blood of of the Passover lamb was originally a psalm that prevailed death and provoked the redemption from Egypt. 2,000 year later Jesus sat and boldly declared that his blood was going to usher in an even greater Passover, an even greater Exodus. on that would not proclaim redemption from a physical Egypt or physical pharaoh, his blood would defeat death and overtake the powers of the world that separates us from God: Sin would be defeated.
• Prophecy of this sacrifice is found in Psalm 22.
• The Hebrew prophet Isaiah also spoke of the suffering and sacrifice of the Messiah. Isaiah 53.

Did Christ Celebrate Passover?

• Yes! Jesus’s parents travel to Jerusalem yearly to celebrate Passover.
• At age 12, Jesus went with them. Luke 2:41-50.
• Jesus ate the Passover with his disciples, saying that he had eagerly desired to eat this Passover with them before he suffered and that he would not eat it again until the Kingdom of God comes.

When is Passover Celebrated?

• It is commonly assumed that Passover lasts an entire week, which is not the case. The Passover is one day that starts the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread which is an 7 day holiday. So technically the “week of Passover” is actually the celebration of the Feast of unleavened Bread.
• The Passover starts on sundown on the 14th of the month of Nisan (the first month of the biblical calendar- March/April) and it ends at sundown the following day (15th on Nisan). The next days are the Feast of unleavened Bread.

What is a Passover Sedar?

The Passover Sedar is a tradition seen within Judaism not present in the Bible. The layout has motifs that appear to express symbolism associated to a goddess venerated in surrounding areas in the Old Testament. At many points within the Old Testament history we see the Israelites developing foreign influences that become blended with many biblical traditions and this is likely where the Passover Sedar originated. The number 5 is often associated with the pentagram of Venus and what today has been termed the Shekinah, a term not found in the scriptures but Talmudic traditions as well as the Quran.

How do you celebrate Passover?

Remove all Leavened Products from the home

_{Also see The Feast of Unleavened Bread for more information}

• As Passover is the day before the start of the Feast of Unleavened bread, you must remove all products that contain a leavening agent.
• All leavened products must be removed from your property.
• This should be done as preparation before the 14th of Nisan. In our family we remove all leavened products on garbage day before this date. that way there is no leavened products on our property.
• These products are:
  • Yeast
  • Grains
  • Leavened Bread (Bread made with yeast that has risen)
  • Beer and Grain Alcohol
  • Barley
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda
  • Bakers Ammonia
  • Sourdough Starter
• Make this a fun experience by hiding the leavened products throughout the house for children to find in a scavenger hunt.

Have a celebratory meal

• It is commanded on Passover we are to eat:
  • Bitter herbs.
    • Click here for a Recipe.
  • Lamb must be consumed. it must be roasted not boiled or raw. This cannot be saved as leftovers. if you have leftovers they need to be burned.

• Unleavened bread- Matzah Matzah and more Matzah
  • Since Leavened products need to be removed from the house, Matzah can be consumed as a substitute.
  • You can buy Matzah from Manischewitz or you can make it yourself. Click Here to get recipe (also see Feast of Unleavened Bread Holiday)

• Dessert ideas:
  • Apple charoset
  • Chocolate macaroons
• Since the Israelites had to eat the last Passover meal in haste, dressed for flight and travel, you should wear shoes and a coat while you eat the meal.

Put red fabric over doors

To remember the 10th plague and to show that God will pass over this house in judgment, It is customary to put red fabric over outside doors of the house.

Read the book of Exodus

The story of Passover is recorded in the book of Exodus, it customary to read this book to remember why we celebrate this holiday. Its usually read at the dinner table after the meal.

Watch Movies

There are a few great movies that explain the Passover: