Topical Encyclopedia The Passover, known in Hebrew as "Pesach," is one of the most significant feasts in the Jewish calendar, commemorating the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The institution of Passover is detailed in the Book of Exodus, where God commands the observance of this feast as a perpetual memorial of His mighty acts of salvation.Biblical Account The institution of Passover is primarily recorded in Exodus 12. The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, establishing the month of Nisan as the beginning of months for the Israelites (Exodus 12:1-2). On the tenth day of this month, each household was to select a lamb without blemish, a male a year old, either from the sheep or the goats (Exodus 12:3-5). This lamb was to be kept until the fourteenth day of the month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel would slaughter it at twilight (Exodus 12:6). The blood of the lamb was to be applied to the two doorposts and the lintel of each house where the lamb was eaten (Exodus 12:7). The flesh was to be roasted with fire and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Exodus 12:8). The Israelites were instructed to eat it in haste, with their loins girded, sandals on their feet, and staff in hand, for it was the Lord's Passover (Exodus 12:11). Divine Purpose and Significance The Passover was instituted as a sign of God's deliverance. The Lord declared, "For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and I will strike down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, both man and beast, and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD" (Exodus 12:12). The blood on the houses would serve as a sign, and when the Lord saw the blood, He would pass over the house, sparing the firstborn from the plague of death (Exodus 12:13). The Passover was to be a lasting ordinance for the Israelites. They were commanded to observe it as a feast to the Lord throughout their generations, as a statute forever (Exodus 12:14). The feast was to be accompanied by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, lasting seven days, during which no leaven was to be found in their houses (Exodus 12:15-20). Theological Implications The institution of Passover holds profound theological significance. It is a powerful demonstration of God's sovereignty, justice, and mercy. The deliverance from Egypt is a pivotal event in redemptive history, symbolizing God's power to save His people. The Passover lamb, without blemish, prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The Apostle Paul explicitly connects Christ to the Passover, stating, "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed" (1 Corinthians 5:7). Observance and Legacy The observance of Passover has continued throughout Jewish history, with various adaptations and traditions developing over time. In the New Testament, Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples, instituting the Lord's Supper during the meal (Matthew 26:17-29). This connection underscores the continuity and fulfillment of the Passover in the person and work of Christ. The Passover remains a central element of Jewish identity and faith, serving as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the call to live in covenant relationship with Him. For Christians, it is a foreshadowing of the greater deliverance achieved through Jesus Christ, who delivers from the bondage of sin and death. Nave's Topical Index Exodus 12:3-49Speak you to all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: Nave's Topical Index Exodus 23:15-18 Exodus 34:18 Leviticus 23:4-8 Numbers 9:2-5,13,14 Numbers 28:16-25 Deuteronomy 16:1-8,16 Psalm 81:3,5 Library Why the Passover is Said to be that of the "Jews. " Its ... How the Steps in the Passion of the Saviour were Predetermined in ... The Institution of the Eucharist. (Luke, xxii. , 17-20. ) The New Passover The New Passover The Paschal Supper - the Institution of the Lord's Supper. Christ Our Passover The Passover: an Expiation and a Feast, a Memorial and a Prophecy The Fifth Day in Passion-Week - Make Ready the Passover!' Object of Christ in the Last Supper. Resources If Jesus was crucified on the Day of Preparation, why had He already eaten the Passover meal? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is Passover? | GotQuestions.org If Jesus is our atonement, why did He die at Passover instead of the Day of Atonement? | GotQuestions.org Passover: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Passover: Christ Called "Our Passover" Passover: Jesus Crucified at the Time of Passover: Jesus in the Temple Courtyard at the Time of Passover: Observation of, Renewed by Hezekiah Passover: Observation of, Renewed by Josiah Passover: Observation of, Renewed by the Israelites Upon Entering Canaan Passover: Observation of, Renewed: After the Return from Babylonian Captivity Passover: Observed at the Place Designated by God Passover: Observed With Unleavened Bread (No Yeast) Passover: Penalty for Neglecting to Observe Passover: Peter Imprisoned at the Time of Passover: Prisoner Released At, by the Romans Passover: Re-Instituted by Ezekiel Passover: Strangers Authorized to Celebrate Passover: The Lamb Killed by Levites, for Those Who Were Ceremonially Unclean Passover: The Lamb of, a Type of Christ Passover: The Lord's Supper Ordained At Related Terms Passover-offering (7 Occurrences) Passover-offerings (4 Occurrences) |
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