What Is Passover?

Passing Over

In the Old Testament, Egypt enslaved the nation of Israel for 400 years.

God called to Moses from a burning bush and told him to say to Pharaoh, “Let my people go that they may worship me in the desert.”

Pharaoh refused, so God turned the Nile River into blood.

After the Nile, Pharaoh still refused to set the Hebrew slaves free, so God sent a second plague of frogs, followed by a plague of gnats, followed by a plague of lice, followed by a plague of flies, followed by a plague of livestock diseases, followed by a plague of boils, followed by a plague of hail, followed by a plague of locusts, followed by a plague of darkness.

Holy Moses! (pun intended) Why wouldn't Pharaoh give in? 

Finally, in a rage, Pharaoh told Moses that he would be put to death if he appeared before him again.

This brought the final plague, and it was the worst of them all.

After that ninth plague of darkness God told the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb. They were to paint the lamb’s blood on the entryways of their dwellings.

That night the Lord “passed over.” Every dwelling that was painted with the blood was protected. Any dwelling that was not marked suffered the tenth and final plague, the death of the firstborn son in the household.

This final judgment humbled Pharaoh and he finally let the Jews go free. 

The Historical Significance

About 1,500 years after Moses, Jesus ate His Last Supper with His disciples. It was Passover – the 15th day of Nissan. Jesus began the meal by serving unleavened matzah and a cup of wine. We do the same on Sundays during our worship, following the example of Jesus on that evening with his dearest friends.

After the remainder of the meal, Jesus left the Upper Room, was betrayed, arrested, tortured, and crucified.

In Moses’ day, the firstborn of Egypt died on Passover while the firstborn of Israel were protected. In Jesus' day, the firstborn of God died on Passover so that all would be protected.

 

Why We Celebrate Passover Today

Jesus drank from the Passover cup, then told His disciples, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Passover points us not only to death, but to the arrival of a loving Kingdom.

The Apostle Paul explained this in similar language when he wrote, “As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes again.” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

Communion and Passover remind us of these truths. 

 

What Can You Do for Passover This Year?

Believers all over the world will celebrate the Last Supper as they have for thousands of years, at a gathering of friends and family called a "Seder Dinner."

If you are going to host a Passover Seder, you will need to provide Haggadahs for all the participants. The word Haggadah means “telling.” It is also the name of the book that Jews follow as they celebrate the liturgy of the evening. Seder means “order,” so it describes the order of the Passover meal.

We look forward to seeing you at our church-wide Passover Meal on Good Friday, April 14, at 7:30PM in our community space at the Forefront Offices. We will provide the food (and the Haggadahs).

An RSVP is required so that we can be sure to have enough food and a seat reserved for you. Entry to the meal is $10.00 and can be paid for by cash, check, or credit/debit card at the door.

You can RSVP on the event page by clicking on the button below. We look forward to joining you for a meal with meaning! All are invited.

See you there!