What is the meaning of Leviticus 23:5? The Passover “The Passover” recalls the night God spared Israel’s firstborn and delivered the nation from Egypt (Exodus 12:11-14). • It is a yearly memorial that keeps redemption fresh in every generation (Deuteronomy 16:1, Exodus 13:8). • In the New Testament, Jesus applies the feast to Himself—“I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you” (Luke 22:15-16), and Paul teaches, “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). • The text assumes the event’s historicity; God really did pass over believing households, and the ongoing feast looks back to that literal rescue. to the LORD The celebration is “to the LORD,” emphasizing ownership and worship. • The sacrifice belongs to Him (Exodus 12:27; Numbers 28:16). • By presenting the lamb, families declare their allegiance to the covenant-keeping God who saves. • Even when Israel was in the land, the feast reminded them that true liberty comes only under God’s authority (Deuteronomy 16:2). begins at twilight God sets the precise moment—twilight, the fading light between afternoon and darkness (Exodus 12:6). • Scripture often marks days “from evening to evening” (Leviticus 23:32), so twilight ushers in the sacred day. • The timing foreshadows the crucifixion: “About the ninth hour Jesus cried out…” (Matthew 27:46). He gave His life just as Passover lambs were slain. • God’s detailed schedule shows His sovereignty over time and salvation history. on the fourteenth day • The date is fixed: the fourteenth of the month (Numbers 9:2-3). • Israel crossed the Jordan and kept Passover on the very same day (Joshua 5:10), linking conquest to redemption. • Jesus’ final Passover meal and His death fell on this date (Matthew 26:17-19, John 19:14), underscoring prophetic fulfillment. • Exactness matters; God engineers deliverance down to the calendar day. of the first month • God re-sets Israel’s calendar: “This month is to be the beginning of months for you” (Exodus 12:2). Redemption marks a fresh start. • Called Abib/Nisan (Ezra 6:19), it anchors the nation’s year in divine grace, not agricultural cycles alone. • Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived in Bethany (John 12:1), moving deliberately toward the appointed hour. summary Leviticus 23:5 lays out God’s sacred schedule: Passover belongs to the LORD, commemorates literal deliverance, and occurs precisely at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. Every detail—ownership, timing, and date—highlights God’s authority and points ahead to Christ, the true Passover Lamb, whose sacrifice perfectly fulfilled the feast and secured eternal redemption. |
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