Christ in the Passover

The celebration of Easter cannot be found in the Bible, but there is one special feast that was instituted by God in the Old Testament and observed by Jesus in the New Testament, and that is the feast of Pesach or Passover.

CHRIST IN THE PASSOVER 2017

READ EX 12:1-3
READ EX 12:5-8
READ EX 12:11-17

According to the scripture, it is the last official thing that he did with his disciples before his death.

On the first day of the Festival of 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.
– MATTHEW 26:17-19

Orthodox Jews: for the most part, believe that there is only one God, but do not believe that the Messiah has come yet, definitely do not believe in Jesus as the Messiah.
Messianic Jews: believe that the Messiah has come and that Jesus is the Messiah based on the OT prophecies. (Yeshua Mashiach)
PESACH or PASSOVER: is the first festival of the New Year in the Jewish Calendar.
The Passover “Seder”: or meal is what Jesus would have observed the night before his death. Seder means order and each item helps to tell the story of God’s redemption of his people Israel from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. Messianic Jews believe that the Passover Seder also tells of how Christians have been delivered by God from the bondage of sin and death.

Many Jews observe the Passover in different ways and according to tradition there may be certain things that are added or subtracted from the Seder, but there are 3 main things that must be discussed according to the book of Exodus

the sacrificial lamb
matzah
bitter herbs

For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel.
– EXODUS 12:15

But probably the most significant observance related to Passover according to Orthodox Jews involves the avoidance of chametz or leaven (sin of arrogance or pride).

BEDIKAT CHAMETZ: – Cleansing starts weeks before. (To be done by the woman of the house.); – all surfaces are scrubbed down,; – edges of stove and refer cleaned with a toothpick and Q-tips; – the morning before the seder a formal search for Chametz is undertaken, includes whole family.; – woman hides 1 piece of bread, when found feather, wooden spoon, napkin; – when removed only the priest of the home can declare it ceremonially clean.
NEROT = LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES: – Eldest woman of the house says a blessing and lights the candles.; – only fitting that a woman ushers in the beginning of Passover by lighting the candle (MESSIANIC) just as the “light of the world” came into this world through a woman

When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’
– EXODUS 12:25-27

MA NISHTANAH (mawneesh-taw-naw’) THE FOUR QUESTIONS: “WHY IS THIS NIGHT DIFFERENT THAN ALL OTHER NIGHTS? ON ALL OTHER NIGHTS WE EAT BREAD WITH LEAVEN, WHY ON THIS NIGHT DO WE EAT ONLY UNLEAVENED BREAD?” (These questions serve as the basis for retelling the story)

First Cup

FIRST CUP IS BLESSED AND THEN DRUNK: THERE ARE 4 CUPS OF WINE DRUNK DURING THE PASSOVER, REMEMBERING THE 4 PROMISES GIVEN TO MOSES BY GOD IN

Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.
– EXODUS 6:6-7

The Cups

CUP OF SANCTIFICATION “I will bring you out.”
CUP OF DELIVERANCE “I will free you.”
CUP OF REDEMPTION “I will redeem you.”
CUP OF RESTORATION “I will take you as my own people.”

CUP OF ELIJAH – a place is set, he would usher in the Messiah, open the door

See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents;…
– MAL 4:5-6

And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
– LUKE 1:17

Seder Plate: a visual aid that holds the elements that help to tell the story

KARPAS: parsley symbolizes the lowly origins of the Jewish people.

– dipped in salt water to; – symbolize the tears that were shed as a result of their slavery.
– symbolize the passing thru the Red Sea
– symbolize that life here on earth is accompanied by tears, but the Lord promises that when in heaven there will no longer be any tears, pain or suffering
– (MESSIANIC) – symbol that we have been redeemed from the tears from the bondage of sin

MAROR: Horseradish (dip matzah) reminder of the tears that were shed while they were in Egypt

– (MESSIANIC) – we have all caused Jesus to weep because of our sins

CHAROSET: mortar to make bricks

– why is it sweet? “Even tho bondage was bitter, the sweetness of redemption was drawing near.

CHAZARET: BITTER ROOT, what Pharaoh did cannot be swallowed

CHAGIGAH: EGG is brown, represents the sacrifice that was brought to the temple to be burned.

ZROAH: LAMB SHANK BONE lambs are no longer sacrificed; mighty arm of God

– (MESSIANIC) Jesus’ bones were not broken

YACHATZ: “divide” (3 matzot placed on a tray between napkins) (3 in 1) (MATZAH TOSH)

– the bread made without leaven, pierced and striped
– the middle part taken out, broken and hidden (AFIKOMEN) ‘bread of affliction’
– AFIKOMEN (He who is to come)
– some say they 3 represent Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – (Priests, Levites, the People) – (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
– ISAIAH 53:5

WOUNDS: ‘chabbuwrah’ (cab-boo-rah’) stripes

Second Cup

AFIKOMEN IS HIDDEN FOR LATER

2nd Cup, Cup of Deliverance is poured BUT NOT DRUNK

MAGGID: the telling of the story

– TELL THE STORY OF THE EXODUS
– PLAGUES; DIP FINGER IN WINE AND PUT ON PLATE FOR EACH PLAGUE
– DRINK THE 2ND CUP
– MEAL BEGINS
– TOWARDS THE END OF THE MEAL THE CHILDREN ARE SENT TO FIND THE AFIKOMEN AND GIVEN A REWARD BREAK OFF SMALL PIECES AND GIVE TO ALL TO EAT, THIS IS THE LAST THING EATEN DURING THE PASSOVER SEDER.

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.
– 1 COR 11:23-25

Third Cup

3RD CUP (CUP OF REDEMPTION)

Fourth Cup

4TH CUP (CUP OF RESTORATION)

I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
– MATTHEW 26:29

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[fn] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
– REV 21:2-7

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.
– REV 21:8

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