John 1:29
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
Walking into the Fellowship Hall of the church I felt we were prepared for the events to come. I had on my prayer shawl, and I saw several men with their kippa’s on their heads, showing respect for the Passover Seder, and what it represented.
I am sure you are aware of the ‘Last Supper’ that Jesus had with his disciples before his death. This supper was the Hebrew celebration of Passover. It is one of seven Holy Feast Days that God gave the Hebrews to celebrate in very special ways. They each have a very important message that the Jews were to remember each year. Passover will be the focus of the message today. This very solemn tradition was supposed to remind the Jews of the miraculous way that God freed them from slavery in Egypt. It does do that, but it is so much more!
We know that our God is IN the past, present, and future, all at once. Therefore, it makes sense that the Passover Feast that was used to remind the Hebrews that God delivered them from slavery in Egypt, was used again to instill Communion with the disciples, at the Last Supper, and it will be used again at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, when we reach Heaven!
In the Passover ‘Seder’ there is a ‘set order’ (the meaning of Seder) for the way the meal is presented. There is a goal in the Passover meal that probably most Jews did not, nor do they now recognize. It is the revelation of the redemption story.
There is much more to the Passover Seder than I can express in this simple blog. My hope is that you will do some research on your own and begin to see the significance of every Festival of God that the Jews celebrate. They have great significance for us as believers.
On the table at the Passover is a plate that holds several elements significant to the story of the Exodus. First a roasted lamb shank. Obviously for the Jews this represented the ‘sacrificial lamb’ that the Hebrews had to bring to the Temple each year to be slain for their sins. A perfect lamb, innocent, nothing broken or bruised. The lamb was a household pet for the family for a while before the Passover. This reminded the Jews, and us, the lamb is a friend to us. Since the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D, Jews do not bring a lamb, as there is no Temple to take it to be sacrificed. Therefore, a lamb shank bone is on the table reminding us of the lamb. Today Jews often do not even have lamb for their Passover Seder, respecting the Temple demolition.
Also on the plate is a roasted egg representing the festival sacrifice. A green vegetable, typically parsley or celery, represents the betrayal of Joseph. A mushy mix of apples, nuts, spices, and wine represents the mortar for building when the Hebrews were slaves to the Egyptians. Finally, the maror or bitter herbs, romaine lettuce and horseradish, represent the bitterness of slavery.
Somewhere on the table should be placed matzah for each person, salt water, and Elijah’s cup.
At each person’s place should be a cup for wine that is filled, and drunk 4 times, and a bowl to wash hands.
Many different foods can be served at the meal, and many scriptures are read. This is an occasion to remember what God did when He ‘passed over’ the Hebrews when the death angel came to the first born of every household, and they died! So, what does it mean to us as believers in Jeshua? Three elements point us to the death, burial and Resurrection of Jesus. First, Passover is celebrated on or very near what
we call Easter. A lamb was used as the sacrifice for the sins of the Jews over the year. Jesus is referred to the ‘lamb of God who takes away our sin.’ The lamb had to be perfect to be able to carry the weight of the worlds sin. Jesus is perfect and took our sin upon Him.
The matzah, unleavened cracker has piercings, striped indentations, and no yeast. Yeast represents sin. The marks represent the piercings Jesus took on the cross, as well as the striped marks, representing the stripes on His back. The Jews don’t really have an explanation for one tradition they have, but we understand the meaning. They take 3 matzah crackers and wrap them in a cloth napkin. The middle one they will have a child hide during the dinner, and it will return after the dinner when someone finds it. They were representing Jeshua in the tomb, and His Resurrection, and they were not aware of it. Each person is to take a piece of this matzah, just as each of us take communion, and each of us receive Jesus.
The maror, or bitter herbs and horseradish, remind the Jews of the bitter experience their ancestors had in Egypt as slaves. It reminds us of the awful beating Jesus took for us when He did not deserve it.
One other unique element that is at each Passover is Elijah’s cup. There is a place set for Elijah because when Elijah returns, the Messiah will come. Well, for the Jews they still wait for Elijah to return, then they know Messiah is on the way. We know, according to prophesy, when Elijah returns, Jesus is coming for the second time, to receive His bride-the church and return to Heaven for yet another Passover. This one will be the Marriage Supper of the Lamb! He is the groom; the church is His bride! What an event that will be! I can hardly wait.
So, when you are having your Easter dinner, you might just want to include a few of these reminders of the past, God’s deliverance from slavery. The present, Holy Communion. And the glorious future we are promised because the Lamb came to take away our sin.
Forget the bunny. What did he do for you? It’s about the Lamb…. everything is about the Lamb!
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