MESSIAH IN THE PASSOVER

JESUS CHRIST, OUR PASSOVER LAMB
By Esther Bryna

Jews all over the world celebrated Passover by celebrating the feast of unleavened bread and retelling the story of the Israelites’ redemption from bondage in Egypt.

If you drop by a typical Passover seder, you would eat matzoh and other ceremonial food, such as charoses, bitter herbs, and parsley dipped into salt water, but you might not find lamb on the menu. In fact, the first Passover meal was quite different from the modern Passover meal.

The Lord commanded the Israelites to take a year-old lamb without any defect. The Israelites took care of the young lambs for four days before slaughtering them for the Passover meal. The Israelites sprinkled the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe of their houses. After roasting the lamb whole, they ate it with matzoh and bitter herbs.

Exodus 12:7-8 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.

Because the Israelites obeyed God’s mandate to sprinkle the blood of the lamb on their doorframes,the angel of death passed over them. And soon afterwards, the Pharaoh drove the Israelites out of Egypt. Not only were their firstborn children and animals saved but the entire nation of Israel was delivered from slavery.

This Passover lamb was a foreshadowing of Jesus, our Passover lamb. Jesus was without sin or defect.

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

1 Peter 1:18-19 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Jesus was led like a lamb to the slaughter. He gave up his life for our sins the day after he celebrated Passover with his disciples.

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed an afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

Did you know that Jesus ate the traditional Passover meal with his disciples the evening before he died on the cross for our sins? During the meal, they drank the wine and ate the matzoh, and then went out to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives to pray. Jesus was preparing to become the final Passover lamb.

Matthew 26: 17-19 On the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, “The teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

The Israelites who obeyed God’s command to prepare the Passover lamb were saved from death. In a similar way, because Jesus paid the price for our sins, we can have eternal life if we accept him as our Messiah.

© Copyright 2011. By Esther Bryna. All Rights Reserved. No part of this story might be reprinted or re-posted on the internet or forwarded in email without permission.