Passover Survey

Dear Brethren,

Is Passover only a Jewish holiday?  Is it antiquated and obsolete as far as Christians are concerned?  The Catholic Encyclopedia speaks of Passover mainly in terms of a very special festival meal for Jews.  They do not mention Jesus Christ as being associated with Passover.  Why is the world of Christianity so blinded to the truth of Passover?  It is Jesus Christ who clearly says that the yearly observance of Passover proclaims the Lord’s death until He comes. (1Corinthians 11:25-26)

Mankind desperately needs Passover.  Jesus Christ says that if Passover is not observed in its proper manner, damnation is the result.  “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.  For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.”  (1Corinthians 11:28-29)

The Scriptures are clear that unleavened bread must be eaten, but some go out of their way to make sure that they violate the Passover instructions of Jesus Christ by eating and drinking unworthily.  Only unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine, fermented wine from the grape, are to be used in the Passover service (Luke 22:18).  “They shall eat… unleavened bread.  You shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven [bread].”  (Exodus 12:8, 34:25)

Passover is the major first step and act of love in God's salvational plan for mankind.  A history of Passover reveals that Passover was established prior to the creation of the world.  Passover is for all times: past, present and future:
 

1. Passover in the distant past:

Passover was foreordained by God before the world began.  Jesus Christ is the Passover Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.  (Revelation 13:8) 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love."  (Ephesians 1:3-4) 

"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."  (Titus 1:2) 

"With the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you."  (1Peter 1:19-20) 

2. Passover elements in Adam and Eve's day:

Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, redemption became necessary for all mankind.  God prophesied that He would send the Redeemer / Savior to die and be resurrected, and to deal with Satan.  "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."  (Genesis 3:15)  "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities."  (Isaiah 53:5) 

3. Passover elements in Cain and Abel's day:

"In process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering.  But to Cain and his offering He had not respect."  (Genesis 4:3-4)  How did they know to bring offerings and sacrifices at a particular time?   Either Adam and Eve instructed them – or God instructed them. 

Cain did not present an offering in accordance with God's instructions.  Should he have bartered with Abel for a lamb?  Or, did he fail to bring the very best grain offering – presenting God with a second-best offering?  Whatever he did it was a terrible affront to God. 

Knowing as we do the elements of Passover, Cain may have been meant to offer an unleavened loaf of bread – picturing Jesus Christ as the "Bread of Life," while Abel's offering pictured Jesus Christ as – the "Lamb of God."

4. Passover was central in Abraham's day:

In Abraham’s time, at the exact time of the Passover, Jesus entered into a unilateral Covenant Sacrifice.  Animals were slain by shedding their blood – then they were cut into halves from top to bottom and laid on the ground with a little space between them.  Jesus passed between those pieces to confirm His covenant to Abraham and his descendants, which could not be annulled.

By His covenantal sacrifice, Jesus swore that He was offering His life to fulfil that covenant.  "It came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces."  (Genesis 15:17)

5. Moses received more specifics about Passover:

God said, "Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:  And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.  Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:  And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.  And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

"And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it... And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s Passover.  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.  And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever."  (Exodus 12:3-14)

"Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the Passover... That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped... And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof... In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord’s Passover."  (Exodus 12:21, 27, 48, Leviticus 23:5 )

6. 2nd Passover instituted:

Passover is so important that God has made provision for a make-up Passover – should the first Passover be obstructed in some way.  "The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover unto the Lord.  The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs."  (Numbers 9:9-11)

7. Josiah's Great Passover was near the end of the Kingdom of Judah:

"The king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the Passover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant. Surely there was not holden such a Passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah."  (2Kings 23:21-22)

8. Passover when Jesus was a child:

"Now His [Jesus'] parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.  And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast." (Luke 2:41-42)

9. The four Passovers of Jesus ministry:

John uses the Holy Days of Christ’s ministry for a chronological outline of his Gospel.

A.  "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did."  (John 2:23)  This is at the time of the marriage in Cana of Galilee where Jesus changed water into wine; and when He said Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

B.  The second Passover took place just before Jesus' disciples were accused of “harvesting grain” on a High Day.  "It came to pass on the second Sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands."  (Luke 6:1)

C.  Jesus fed the five thousand with five barley loaves, and two small fishes:  "The Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh."  (John 6:4)

D.  Jesus’ last Passover before His suffering and death.  "The Jews' Passover was nigh at hand."  (John 11:55)

10. Jesus looked forward to the Passover:

"When the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.  And He said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer."  (Luke 22:14-15)

11. Passover in Paul’s Day:

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night [Passover] in which he was betrayed took bread:  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, for you: this do in remembrance of me.  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."  (1Corinthians 11:23-25) 

We are indeed a blessed people to know of, and to be able to Participate in the New Testament Passover as Jesus gave us instructions.  Contrary to what this blinded world believes, Passover is for our day, today!  "As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do proclaim the Lord's death till he comes."  (1Corinthians 11:26)

12. Passover in the World Tomorrow:

"This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."  (Matthew 26:28-29)

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Sermon:  "Passover Survey"      


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