1 Corinthians 5:6-7…For Christ our Passover has been sacrificed.
What are the instructions for the Passover? How will knowing these instructions help us understand the importance of the symbolisms of the Passover?
The Apostle Paul expressed an important feature of the Passover when he identified Christ Jesus as having been sacrifice as the Passover victim. The fact is that the Passover foreshadowed the events that have now taken place as respects to what some people call the Lord’s supper. What were some of the important facets as we review the Passover instructions as outlined here in Exodus?
The Passover Instructions
Exodus 12:1-5… Jehovah now said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2 “This month (Abib / Nisan) will be the start of the months for YOU. It will be the first of the months of the year for YOU. (Calculating Nisan: it is the new moon closest to the Spring equinox at the time the barley harvest is ready. Also, the full moon will fall after the spring equinox.) 3 Speak to the entire assembly of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth day of this month (Nisan 10th) they are to take for themselves each one a sheep for the ancestral house, a sheep to a house. 4 But if the household proves to be too small for the sheep, then he and his neighbor close by must take it into his house according to the number of souls; YOU should compute each one proportionate to his eating as regards the sheep. 5 The sheep should prove to be sound, a male, a year old, for YOU. YOU may pick from the young rams or from the goats.
Gathering for the Passover was done in smaller family groups or even possibly with your neighbors. Notice also the Passover victim was a male, in good health and coming of age.
What was the purpose of bringing the Passover victim into the house on the 10th of Nisan four days before the Passover and when was the victim slaughtered?
Exodus 12:6-7… And it must continue under safeguard (Strong’s #4931 guard, watched) by YOU until the fourteenth day of this month, and the whole congregation of the assembly of Israel must slaughter it between the two evenings. (Strong’s #6153 evening or twilight) 7 And they must take some of the blood and splash it upon the two doorposts and the upper part of the doorway belonging to the houses (on Nisan 14th day light) in which they will eat it. (on Nisan 15th sunset, a span of time of about 4 hours)
Having the animal brought into the house would be a way of safeguarding the Passover victim. This would ensure good health and preventing it from becoming maned or killed by another animal before Passover.
Can you imagine bringing that animal into your house and your family begins to form an attachment to the Passover victim, and now you are going to need to slaughter it?
The time of the slaughter was done after what you and I would call afternoon, but the Jewish people would call it evening, this is according to the Rabbis. You would then have about 6 hours to kill, then ready for cooking the kid of the goat or sheep, then put it on the fire to cook it. The last thing you would need to do is to put on the blood to the door post and threshold above the entrance before the setting of the sun or twilight but, take note this was just a onetime event that of putting the blood on the door post.
What were some of the instructions for eating the Passover victim?
Exodus 12:8-11… And they must eat the flesh on this night. (Nisan 15th) They should eat it roasted with fire and with unfermented cakes along with bitter greens. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled, cooked in water, but roast with fire, its head together with its shanks and its interior parts. 10 And YOU must not leave any of it over till morning, but what is left over of it till morning YOU should burn with fire. 11 And in this way YOU should eat it, with YOUR hips girded, sandals on YOUR feet and YOUR staff in YOUR hand; and YOU must eat it in haste. It is Jehovah’s Passover.
After reading these passages of Scriptures, does this sound like the Passover was a Sabbath day? No, it was not a Sabbath yet because they had to leave Egypt but in time it did become a Sabbath as we will see. What were the Sabbath days, or should I ask was there ever a time the Sabbath rolled, moved, was adjusted or had a reset the date?
The simple answer is yes. They were never the same day from year to year, but why? It had to do with the resetting of the lunar calendar with the solar solstice. Later on, in the history of the Jews, the resetting of the Sabbath would correspond to the month of Nisan first at the spotting of the new moon and that would established the time for the day of Nisan 1st. Then they slaughter the Passover lamb on Nisan 14th and this was the first day of the festival of unleavened bread.
When did the Israelites leave Egypt?
Numbers 33:3-4…And they proceeded to pull away from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. Directly the day after the Passover the sons of Israel went out with uplifted hand before the eyes of all the Egyptians. 4 All the while the Egyptians were burying those whom Jehovah had struck among them, that is, all the firstborns; and upon their gods Jehovah had executed judgments.
What were some of the facets of the Passover and the symbols and their deeper meanings?
Roasting the victim on the fire and what was left over was to be burned up. This represented a complete consumption of the sacrifice; nothing was left over so what was not eaten by men was not allowed to be left over for the animals to eat but was to be consumed by fire. Also, no bone of the Passover should you break in it. Exodus 12:46
The eating bitter greens symbolized the hardship that they underwent in Egypt as they worked the land. Eating it in haste dressed and standing in this way showed you were ready and willing to leave. What was the purpose for the Passover? Was the Passover going to be a one-time celebration or was it to last forever?
Exodus 12:12-14… And I must pass through the land of Egypt on this night and strike every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man to beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I shall execute judgments. I am Jehovah. 13 And the blood must serve as YOUR sign upon the houses where YOU are; and I must see the blood and pass over YOU (Exodus 12:29), and the plague (Strong’s #5063 a blow, a striking) will not come on YOU as a ruination (Strong’s #4889 destruction) when I strike at the land of Egypt. 14 And this day must serve as a memorial (Strong’s #2146 remembrance) for YOU, and YOU must celebrate it as a festival (Strong’s #2282 gathering, feasts) to Jehovah throughout YOUR generations. As a statute to time indefinite (Strong’s #5769 long duration) YOU should celebrate it.
The purpose for the Passover was to provide a deliverance for the people of God but an execution of judgment upon Egypt and its Gods. It was a plague of ruination to all the first born of mankind or livestock found unprotected by the blood sacrifice. Exodus 12:24-27
God said that this day should serve as an event of remembrance, that it was to be celebrated as a festival forever. So, today many people remember it as a memorial and celebrate this special event as is has become known as The Passover.
The Passover was to be passed on in time from one generation to the next, but would it ever end or be change? Exodus 12:42-51
As we can see the Passover was only for the assembly of Israel to eat. If you were going to celebrate the Passover as a male, you had to be circumcised.
At this point we should see the hidden and obscure aspect of the Passover; it was a type of judgment that was to be executed upon all the first born who were in association with Israel. Even this nation will be judged based on the instructions given for the Passover and transformed into the festival of unleavened or unfermented cakes.
How many days was the festival to last? When was the festival of unleavened cakes to start?
Festival of Unfermented Cakes
Exodus 12:15-18… Seven days YOU are to eat unfermented cakes. Yes, on the first day YOU are to take away sourdough from YOUR houses, because anyone eating what is leavened, from the first day (Nisan 14th) down to the seventh, (Nisan 21) that soul must be cut off from Israel. 16 And on the first day there is to take place for YOU a holy convention, (Strong’s #4744 convocation) and on the seventh day a holy convention. No work is to be done on them. Only what every soul needs to eat, that alone may be done for YOU. 17 And YOU must keep (Strong’s #8104 preserve) the festival of unfermented cakes, because on this very day I must bring YOUR armies out from the land of Egypt. And YOU must keep this day throughout YOUR generations as a statute (Strong’s #2708 enactment) to time indefinite. (Strong’s #5769 everlasting) 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening (Nisan 14th starting after midday as the sun is setting) YOU are to eat unfermented cakes down till the twenty-first day of the month in the evening.
These two festivals are connected, Passover and the day of unfermented cakes as we are going to demonstrate through the Scriptures. So, how serious was it to break these instructions?
Exodus 12:19-20… Seven days no sourdough is to be found in YOUR houses, because anyone tasting what is leavened, whether he is an alien resident or a native of the land, that soul must be cut off from the assembly of Israel. 20 Nothing leavened are YOU to eat. In all YOUR dwellings YOU are to eat unfermented cakes.
Should we keep the Passover observing it forever or have these instructions changed? Are there any more Scriptures to help us, by giving us more or clearer instructions?
Extra Passover Details
As for most of us who are reading this, we are not Jewish, but we are Gentiles, and we are unfamiliar with a lot of the customs and the intricacies of the festivals of the Jews. So, here are some additional Scriptures to help clarify timelines of the events surrounding the Passover along with some of the terminology and catchphrases.
Exodus 34:25… You must not slaughter along with what is leavened the blood of my sacrifice. And the sacrifice of the festival of the Passover should not stay overnight until the morning.
So, when was the Passover victim slaughtered? And what day was the unfermented cake festival to start? The answer to these two questions might surprise you.
We know the Passover victim was to be slaughtered on Nisan 14th in the afternoon which fell between the setting of the sun at noon time and before complete darkness. As soon as it was to turn dark this is the day of the 15th, and they would be eating the Passover meal at this time with unleavened bread or unfermented cakes.
So, preparation day was the day they prepared for the Passover and as they prepared for the festival of unleavened bread or as they later on called it the Sabbath day of the festival of unfermented cakes. The 14th would be the day of preparation for the 15th.
When did God kill the first born of mankind and of the beast?
Exodus 12:29- 33 … on the 15th about midnight!
We must remember how these events begin, and they have been transformed by God into a greater celebration, these events are intertwined with one another and have a lot of symbolism to them.
New Instructions
Leviticus 23:4-14… These are the seasonal festivals of Jehovah, holy conventions, which YOU should proclaim at their appointed times: 5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, between the two evenings is the Passover to Jehovah. 6 And on the fifteenth day of this month is the festival of unfermented cakes to Jehovah. Seven days YOU should eat unfermented cakes. 7 On the first day YOU will have a holy convention (Strong’s #4744) occur. No sort of laborious work may YOU do. 8 But YOU must present an offering made by fire (New instructions) to Jehovah seven days. On the seventh day there will be a holy convention. No sort of laborious work may YOU do. (sound like Sabbath) 9 And Jehovah continued to speak to Moses, saying: 10 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and you must say to them, (New instructions) ‘When YOU eventually come into the land that I am giving YOU, and YOU have reaped its harvest, YOU must also bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of YOUR harvest to the priest. 11 And he must wave the sheaf to and fro before Jehovah to gain approval for YOU. Directly the day after the sabbath (on Nisan 16th) the priest should wave it to and fro. 12 And on the day of YOUR having the sheaf waved to and fro YOU must render up a sound young ram, in its first year, for a burnt offering to Jehovah; 13 and as its grain offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour moistened with oil, as an offering made by fire to Jehovah, a restful odor; and as its drink offering a fourth of a hin of wine. 14 And YOU must eat no bread nor roasted grain nor new grain until this very day, until YOUR bringing the offering of YOUR God. It is a statute to time indefinite for YOUR generations in all places where YOU dwell.
Where was the nation of Israel when they got these instructions from God? And when were these new instructions going to be instituted?
The Israelite nation was still in the wilderness where they celebrated Passover for about 40 years. These new instructions were not going to be instituted until they were to have settled into the promised land and began to reap the harvest.
These new instructions were the offerings made by fire and the first-fruits ceremony the wave offering and were to begin on Nisan 22nd.
So, what is the Day of Preparation?
Numbers 9:1-5…And Jehovah proceeded to speak to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the second year of their coming out of the land of Egypt, in the first month, saying: “Now the sons of Israel should prepare (Strong’s #6213 make or do) the Passover sacrifice at its appointed time. On the fourteenth day in this month between the two evenings YOU should prepare (Strong’s #6213 make or do) it at its appointed time. According to all its statutes and all its regular procedures YOU should prepare (Strong’s #6213 make or do) it.” So, Moses spoke to the sons of Israel to prepare (Strong’s #6213 make or do) the Passover sacrifice. Then they prepared the Passover sacrifice in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month between the two evenings, in the wilderness of Sinai. According to all that Jehovah had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did.
What is the meaning of the word prepare? To prepare is to make something ready for use, provide what is needed, or to put together. Preparation day really came to signify the time they made things ready for the Passover or Sabbath, to plan ahead. So, we see by this passage of Scripture that the day to get ready for Passover was Nisan 14th right after what we call afternoon as the sun began to go down between the two evenings. Read the following: Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54
Provision Made
Numbers 9:6-12…Now there happened to be men who had become unclean by a human soul so that they were not able to prepare the Passover sacrifice on that day. Hence, they presented themselves before Moses and Aaron on that day. 7 Then those men said to him: “We are unclean by a human soul. Why should we be restrained from presenting the offering to Jehovah at its appointed time in the midst of the sons of Israel?” 8 At this Moses said to them: “Stand there, and let me hear what Jehovah may command regarding YOU.” 9 Then Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying: 10 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Although any man of YOU or of YOUR generations should happen to be unclean by a soul or off on a distant journey, he too must prepare the Passover sacrifice to Jehovah .11 In the second month, on the fourteenth day between the two evenings, they should prepare it. Together with unfermented cakes and bitter greens they should eat it. 12 They must not let any of it remain until morning, and they should break no bone in it. According to the whole statute of the Passover they should prepare it.
How merciful Jehovah God is in allowing a provision to be made for those that could not celebrate the Passover at the appointed time. As we just read 30 days later, they could celebrate or observe the event known as Jehovah’s Passover.
Were there to be any more stipulations or changes to the Passover?
Numbers 9:13-14…But when the man was clean or did not happen to be off on a journey and neglected to prepare the Passover sacrifice, that soul must then be cut off from his people, because the offering of Jehovah he did not present at its appointed time. For his sin that man will answer. 14 And in case an alien resident should be residing with YOU as an alien, he also must prepare the Passover sacrifice to Jehovah. According to the statute of the Passover and according to its regular procedure is the way he should do. There should exist one statute for YOU people, both for the alien resident and for the native of the land.
We should never neglect the festival of the Passover and how it should be observed or celebrated. We must maintain our cleanliness never allowing the leaven of this world to affect us nor be left around us, don’t partake of what is leaven my friends.
More Passover Changes
Once again, the Passover instructions were modified before the nation moved from the wilderness into the promised land. So, what were some of these changes that God gave to Moses to his people that changed?
Deuteronomy 16:1-12… Let there be an observing of the month of Abib, and you must celebrate the Passover to Jehovah your God, because in the month of Abib Jehovah your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 And you must sacrifice the Passover to Jehovah your God, of the flock and of the herd, in the place that Jehovah will choose to have his name reside there. 3 You must eat nothing leavened along with it for seven days. You should eat along with it unfermented cakes, the bread of affliction, because it was in haste that you came out of the land of Egypt, that you may remember the day of your coming out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. 4 And no sourdough should be seen with you in all your territory seven days, neither should any of the flesh, which you will sacrifice in the evening on the first day, stay all night until the morning. 5 You will not be allowed to sacrifice the Passover in any one of your cities that Jehovah your God is giving you. 6 But at the place that Jehovah your God will choose to have his name reside there, you should sacrifice the Passover in the evening as soon as the sun sets (That was midday or after Noon of Nisan 14th), at the appointed time of your coming out of Egypt. 7 And you must do the boiling (Strong’s #1310 cooking) and the eating in the place that Jehovah your God will choose, and in the morning, you must turn around and go to your own tents. 8 Six days you should eat unfermented cakes; and on the seventh day there will be a solemn assembly (Strong’s #6116) to Jehovah your God. You must do no work.
Okay what month is the celebration of the Passover, Abib or Nisan? The answer is both months, Abib means the Green Ears, and this is referring to the Barley in the fields. When the nation finally settled into the promised land, and they begin to harvest their own grains this expression Abib would be an indication of what month and when they would celebrate the Passover. Nisan was the name used for that month of the solar solstice and the nation of Israel was using this name to signify the first day of the month of Green Ears of the grain.
Notice that the sacrifices could only happen in Jerusalem that meant people had to come from all over Israel to Jerusalem to have the animal sacrificed at the temple and the eating of the Passover meal would occur in the vicinity of Jerusalem.
Next let’s look at the Scriptures and see how these events played into the next observance that was to be celebrated by the nation of Israel.
New Festival Add
Deuteronomy 16:9-12… Seven weeks you should count for yourself. From when the sickle is first put to the standing grain you will start to count seven weeks. 10 Then you must celebrate the festival of weeks to Jehovah your God, according to the voluntary offering of your hand that you will give, just as Jehovah your God may bless you. 11 And you must rejoice before Jehovah your God, you and your son and your daughter and your man slave and your slave girl and the Levite who is inside your gates and the alien resident and the fatherless boy and the widow, who are in your midst, in the place that Jehovah your God will choose to have his name reside there. 12 And you must remember that you became a slave in Egypt, and you must observe and carry out these regulations.
What a powerful point: the observance was for them to reflect on how they had become slaves to Egypt.
What was the most significant change to the way the Passover was conducted? The Passover was now to be held where God’s name was going to reside. People were now going to be obligated to come to where the place that God resides for the festival, his gathering for the feast. They were not allowed to celebrate it in their own cities.
Has Jehovah God made any other changes to the Passover that you and I need to know about? Will the Passover be celebrated forever?
Let’s look at what Ezekiel prophesied about this celebration of the Passover for the future. We know that this is going to be a future event because the instructions do not call for a priest to offer up sacrifice but for it to be done by a chieftain to offer up the sacrifice.
Ezekiel 45:16-24… This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said, ‘In the first [month], on the first [day] of the month, you should take a young bull, a son of the herd, a sound one, and you must purify the sanctuary from sin. 19 And the priest must take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it upon the doorpost of the House and upon the four corners of the surrounding ledge belonging to the altar and upon the doorpost of the gate of the inner courtyard. 20 And that is how you will do on the seventh [day] in the month because of any man making a mistake and because of any inexperienced one; and YOU people must make atonement for the House. 21 “‘In the first [month], on the fourteenth day of the month, there should occur for YOU the Passover. As a festival for seven days unfermented cakes are what should be eaten. 22 And on that day, in his own behalf and in behalf of all the people of the land, the chieftain must provide a young bull as a sin offering. 23 And for the seven days of the festival he should provide as a whole burnt offering to Jehovah seven young bulls and seven rams, sound ones, daily for the seven days, and as a sin offering a buck of the goats daily. 24 And as a grain offering an eʹphah for the young bull and an ephah for the ram he should provide, and, as regards oil, a hin to the ephah.
Has there ever been anyone celebrating the Passover in this way now or in the past and if not when will they start to do so?
The answer will be varied depending on who you ask. Like If you ask a Jewish family, they will answer you “necessity along with the rabbis have instructed us to do, we have made some changes. Like no longer do we need to go to Jerusalem, because there is no temple there to go celebrate the Passover in”.
Also, the rabbis have added many traditions to the Passover meal to help the people come to a deeper understanding and relevance add to the celebration today. The biggest change was added believing that Elijah will come before the Messiah will. They add an extra chair and a glass of wine to the celebration and then they would call out from the entrance of the house “Elijah are you there?” If no answer then their hope was for him to show up the next year, for the coming of Elijah and their Messiah is their greatest hope.
If you were to ask a Christian how they celebrate they might will say “Jesus fulfilled the Law and we are under the new Covenant, so we are waiting on Jesus’ return as the King of God’s Kingdom. And we celebrate the Lords Supper and not the Passover”.
Frankly no one has celebrated the Passover in the way that Ezekiel has described in the past nor at present. We need to identify and take note that what Ezekiel wrote about in the celebration of the Passover as: it is for the future!
So, are we willing to adjust the celebration of the Passover as described by Ezekiel? And if so when will these changes to the Passover be made?
Elijah are you there? Yes Come Lord Jesus!
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