by R.C. Norman
from Beit Tikvah, House of God
God spoke to Moses, saying, “Passover month will be the beginning of the year for the Hebrews, and the tenth day will be dedicated to selecting a Passover lamb. Once selected, they are to watch over the lamb for four days until the fourteenth of the month. That night of the fourteenth, members of the Hebrew congregation are to slaughter their lambs at nightfall. The lamb is to be roasted with fire and eaten in haste with bitter herbs and unleavened bread.” (This is the Passover Feast.)
We are all aware of the story of the Exodus and how God delivered the Hebrews out of Egypt by passing over the homes that had lamb’s blood on the doorposts; how God brought judgment to those whose doorposts did not have the blood. But is this story only for the Hebrews? Can Gentiles also celebrate God’s deliverance?
For Christians, the Passover is significant. The Passover story foreshadows Jesus bringing salvation to His people:
The Last Supper was a Passover Seder, the meal before Jesus was to be sacrificed for all mankind. Jesus said, “I am the Lamb of God.” It was His blood that was sacrificed, and His blood saves.
Passover: That night the Hebrews were to pour out the lamb’s blood on their doorposts; God said He would pass over every home that had the blood but bring judgment on the homes that did not have the blood.
Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life,” as He pointed to His body with the middle piece matzo (which is in Passover tradition broken, hidden, wrapped, and brought back).
Passover: Matzo is to have no leaven (or in other words, yeast,)which also is seen as sin (Galatians 5:9 a); little hametz (yeast) works its way through the whole batch of dough!
“Then Adonai said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner may eat it, but every man’s servant that is bought for money, after you have circumcised him, may eat it. Nor should a visitor or hired servant eat it. It is to be eaten inside a single house. You are not to carry the meat out of the house, nor are you to break any of its bones. All the congregation of Israel must keep it. But if an outsider dwells with you who would keep the Passover for Adonai, all his males must be circumcised. Then let him draw near and keep it. He will be like one who is native to the land, but no uncircumcised person may ever eat from it. The same Torah applies to the native as well as the outsider who dwells among you.” Exodus 12:43-49
The stipulation is that not just anyone can partake in the Passover Feast, but they must be a believer. (Yes, that’s right… there is no rule that the person has to be a Hebrew.) The one who partakes must be circumcised (a Believer). Passover is not just for the Hebrews but for all who believe in the God of Redemption. It should be remembered for all generations.
Romans 2:28-29, “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly. And circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
This same night is a night of vigil for Adonai, for all Bnei-Yisrael (People of Israel) throughout their generations. Exodus 12:24
May this Passover become richer for you and those close to you. May it be a reminder of how gracious God is!
