A whole new life is created for you on the resurrection day. Jonathan Cahn
The observant Jews observed the Passover before Jesus came, but they did not know the link the Passover has to the Resurrection of Jesus.
In contrast, observant Christians celebrate the Resurrection, but many do not know what the link is to the Passover.
It is an interesting and important link! One we need to understand.
Animal sacrifices began in Genesis, the first book of the Bible after the first sin of Adam and Eve. This was a temporary means, a substitute for forgiveness of sin until Jesus’ perfect sacrifice. The blood of an animal symbolized its life. Leviticus 17:11
What is the Passover?
The Passover is a Jewish festival, celebrating the Jews delivery (exodus) from Egypt; celebrating the Israelites freedom from slavery to the Egyptians.
The Jews lived among the Egyptians for 400 years- long after Joseph had moved his family to Egypt to escape the terrible famine.
Over this time period, the Jews had grown into a nation of over 2 million. The ruling Pharaoh, all these years later, decided to make the Jews slaves because he was concerned about the power of these people in his land. The lives of the Jewish people were made bitter with hard labour and ruthless treatment. Exodus 1:8-14
God sends Moses to lead them out of Egypt into a land He will provide for them. However the Pharaoh is not willing to let them leave and God has to bring plagues to Egypt to get him to change his mind and release them.
The 10th and final plague was The plague of the Firstborn.
“This is what the Lord says: ‘about midnight, I will go throughout Egypt. Every first born son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the first born of the cattle as well.”
God provided a way for the Israelites to be saved from this plague.
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of the year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the 10th day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. The lamb was to be a year old male- with no defects. It was to be slaughtered at twilight. Each household was to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the door frames of the houses. That same night they were to eat the meat, roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.
Then, when the death plague passed through Egypt, the Lord did pass over the households that obeyed the command of the blood on the doorposts and the Hebrew people were saved.
God commanded the Israelites to observe this Passover annually in remembrance of how God delivered the Israelites, the Hebrews from Egypt.
The link between the Passover and Jesus’ sacrificial death.
In Luke 22:7-8 we read, “Then came the day of unleavened bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” In verse 14 – same chapter- Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. But I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
Jesus is the Passover lamb!
Jesus willingly sacrificed his life on the cruel cross as the final sacrifice for sin. Jesus was, and is, the perfect, sinless lamb of God who offers to pass over -Passover -you and me at the coming judgement. Jesus saves all those who come to him sincerely, who repent of their sin, receive His forgiveness and make Him Lord and Savior of their lives.
Jonathan Cahn, an American Messianic Jewish pastor, author and novelist, teaches about some very interesting facts of the timing of Jesus’ death and Resurrection Day that many of us may not realize.
The timeline of these events is very interesting; they show us just how precise and amazing our God is!
The Lamb died. It was sacrificed on Passover
Every one of the Old Testament sacrifices typified Christ. (gotquestions.org)
Jesus died, He was sacrificed on Passover
Jesus is the perfect Lamb of God John 1:29
Significance: Every one of the Old Testament sacrifices typified Christ. The Passover, or paschal, sacrifice was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God. The paschal lamb was to be a male, without spot and blemish, and not a bone was to be broken. Jesus fulfilled this picture perfectly. As the Israelites applied the blood of the sacrifice in faith, so we today apply the spotless blood of Christ to the “doorposts” of our hearts. In all these ways, “Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us” 1 Corinthians 5:7. (gotquestions.org)
The day of rest was the Sabbath
According to Exodus 20:8–11, the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, on which the children of Israel were to rest, in remembrance that God created the universe in six days and then “rested” on the seventh day.
Jesus rested in the tomb on the Sabbath.
God sanctified Christ, just as He sanctified the Sabbath day, and sent Him into the world John 10:36 to be our sacrifice for sin. In Him we find complete rest from the labors of our self-effort, because He alone is holy and righteous. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” 2 Corinthians 5:21. We can now cease from our spiritual labors and rest in Him, not just one day a week, but always. (gotquestions.org)
Significance: According to Exodus 20:8–11, the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, on which the children of Israel were to rest, in remembrance that God created the universe in six days and then “rested” on the seventh day.
FirstFruits was a Jewish feast.
As its name suggests, the Feast of Firstfruits required the Israelites to bring “a sheaf of the first grain” they harvested each year to the priest Leviticus 23:10. A sheaf is a bundle or a cluster of harvested grains. The priest would then take the sheaf and wave it before the Lord the day after the Sabbath. On the same day, all the Israelites were to sacrifice a year-old lamb without defect as a burnt offering and give a food offering of grain, oil, and wine Leviticus 23:11–13. The Israelites were not allowed to eat any of the crop until the day the first portion was brought before the priest. The firstfruits belonged to God, and the people of Israel acknowledged God as the source of their crops and their provision overall Leviticus 23:14. (gotquestions.org)
On the day of FirstFruits Jesus rose from the dead on the day of FirstFruits- the day after the Sabbath.
This was a time of new life – Jesus is offering us new life by His death and Resurrection.
The Hebrew word for “feasts” (moadim) literally means “appointed times.” God has carefully planned and orchestrated the timing and sequence of each of these seven feasts to reveal to us a special story. The seven annual feasts of Israel were spread over seven months of the Jewish calendar, at set times appointed by God. They are still celebrated by observant Jews today. But for both Jews and non-Jews who have placed their faith in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, these special days demonstrate the work of redemption through God’s Son. (gotquestions.org)
Significance: Firstfruits was a Jewish feast held in the early spring at the beginning of the grain harvest. It was observed on Nissan 16, which was the third day after Passover and the second day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Firstfruits was a time of thanksgiving for God’s provision.
The FirstFruits offering found its fulfillment in Jesus. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the FirstFruits of those who have fallen asleep” 1 Corinthians 15:20. Jesus’ resurrection has paved the way for our resurrection.
Prayer of Response
Heavenly Father, how majestic your name is in all the earth! God, you rule the universe by the physical laws you established. We do not need to wonder if the sun will rise or set or if our planet will fall out of space. We thank you Father for the greatest gift of Jesus who became the final sacrifice for sin on the day of Passover celebration. Jesus brings identity, order and purpose to our personal lives as we put our trust in Him and enables us to live lives that honor you. Without Him, we would all be lost. Father, we pray for boldness, faithfulness and fruitfulness till we die or you return for us.
We pray this in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen