Quick.
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “Exodus”?
“Moses and the Plagues” or “The Red Sea Crossing,” right?
However, the pivot point of the story is the night of the Passover.
It’s the beginning of the transformation of the Israelites as slaves to Pharaoh into the Israelites as God’s own people.
As one of the spring Feasts of the LORD, Passover is both a sign and a shadow, an historical event and a prophecy.
Jesus was a Jew, a native of the land of Judah.
As a Jew, He obeyed Torah. He kept the Feasts of YHVH.
1The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are the appointed feasts of the LORD that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts. Leviticus 23:1-2 ESV
Three of the Feasts of the LORD were to be held in Jerusalem: Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Weeks), and Sukkot (Booths/ Tabernacles).
As a Jewish male, Yeshua went up to Jerusalem, as required by the Word of the LORD, the Torah.
13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. John 2:13 NASB
45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast. John 4:45 NASB
Origin of Passover
In the book of Exodus, YeHoVaH commanded a special meal to be prepared. That meal came to be called “Passover”
Pesach (6453) the sacrifice of Passover (meal), the animal victim of the sacrifice, the festival of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread; from pacach (6452) to pass or spring over; hesitate, limp, dance
God commanded:
A lamb was to be sacrificed.
3 “Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. Exodus 12:3 NASB
The blood of the lamb was to be placed on the lintel and jambs of the doorway.
7 ‘Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. Exodus 12:7 NASB
The lamb was to be roasted and eaten that night, along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
8 ‘They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Exodus 12:8 NASB
They were to eat in haste, while dressed for travel.
11 ‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste – it is the LORD’S Passover. Exodus 12:11 NASB
They were not to leave the house during the night.
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb. 22 “You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning. Exodus 12:21-22 NASB
The blood on the door frame was a sign for the house to be “passed over,” to be skipped, to be omitted from the tenth plague – the Death of the Firstborn.
23 “For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you. Exodus 12:23 NASB
The Tenth Plague, the Death of the Firstborn, convinced Pharaoh to let the Israelites go.
29 Now it came about at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of cattle. 30 Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead.
31 Then he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the LORD, as you have said. 32 “Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go, and bless me also.” Exodus 12:29-32 NASB
What Does the Passover and the Crucifixion Have In Common?
The Passover
Sacrifice of a lamb:
3 “Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. 4 ‘Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb. Exodus 12:3-4 NASB
The lamb to be without blemish or mark:
5 ‘Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats Exodus 12:5 NASB
The time of death:
6 You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight6153. Exodus 12:5 NASB
ereb (6153) 1. a. evening, originally sunset; 1. b. dual in phrase, between the two evenings, i.e. probably between sunset and dark
The Crucifixion
The Lamb of God:
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 NASB
Without sin:
15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15 NASB
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:13-14 NASB
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB
The time of death:
According to Judean reckoning of day, there were separate divisions of time for the night and for the day. The 24-hour day began at sunset, went through the night, and through the daylight until sunset, when the next 24-hour day began.
The daylight time divisions began at sunrise (usually assumed to be 6 a.m. by contemporary reckoning).
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. John 11:9 NASB
The Third Hour was the third hour since sunrise, i.e., 9 a.m., mid-morning.
According to Jewish Time Divisions In The 1st Century AD, “The incense is offered in the Sanctuary and the first Tamid lamb is sacrificed as the Temple gates open.”
25 It was the third hour when they crucified Him. Mark 15:25 NASB
The Sixth Hour was the sixth hour since sunrise, i.e.,12 noon., midday.
From Jewish Time Divisions, “The second lamb is brought out and tied to the altar at high noon.”
The Ninth Hour was the ninth hour since sunrise, i.e., 3 p.m., middle of the afternoon.
Again, from Jewish Time Divisions, “The second Tamid lamb is sacrificed.”
33 When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” which is translated, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” 35 When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is calling for Elijah.” 36 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.” 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. Mark 15:33-37 NASB
Other Considerations
As the Israelites were slaves of Pharaoh, so too, we are slaves to sin.
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. John 8:34 NASB
In the same way that YeHoVaH, through Moses, delivered the Israelites from captivity of the Egyptians, so too, the Father delivers us from the captivity of sin through His Son, Yeshua.
1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 NASB
The Passover sacrifice of the unblemished lamb, as detailed in Exodus, freed the Israelites from physical slavery in Egypt.
The Passover sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God, frees all humanity to have the choice between life or death, righteousness or sin.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 NASB
Salvation comes through the Christ, Jesus. Through Him we are saved from the penalty of death for our sins.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 NASB
36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36 NASB
What Do You Think?
Is there a correlation between the Passover of the Old Testament and the Crucifixion of Jesus?
I think, and believe, there is a correlation.
And that correlation connects the New Testament to the Old Testament, the B’rit HaDashah to the Tanak, with the red cord of sacrifice and blood.
I think knowing more about the Israelite ritual of Passover helps me see the Messianic prophesies foreshadowed in the Feasts of the LORD (YHVH, YeHoVaH).
Through the sacrificial blood of the Christ, God’s Anointed One, our sin has been “passed over” and we ourselves have “passed over” from death into life.
Now, today, we have eternal life.
Now, today, we live in the Kingdom of God.
Understanding the symbols of Passover expressed in the reality of the death of Jesus gives me a greater depth of meaning and significance to His life, death, and especially to His resurrection.
If the Passover was the pivot point of the Exodus, then the Resurrection is the pivot point of the entire story of the Bible. There is no turning back.
His Resurrection changed everything.
For the Sacrifice of Yeshua is not the end.
Instead, His Resurrection is a new beginning!
And that’s what we celebrate!
Not merely an observance of spring, full of fertility symbols of eggs and bunnies.
No, we celebrate our new relationship with God, our new birth as children of the Father, our new mission – to spread “the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.”
And we honor the One.
The One who gave His all to give us everything.
Our Savior.
Our Lord.
Our King.
Our brother.
Our friend.
Again, as one of the spring Feasts of the YeHoVaH, Passover is both a sign and a shadow, an historical event and a prophecy.
In addition, Passover is one of God’s Sabbaths.
Passover is one of the God-given times for humans to stop, to pause, and partake of His rest.
This year (2020), due to the corona virus, a lot of us have been given time away from our normal busy-ness.
So I invite you to take this time to read the story of the Exodus.
And to read the gospel accounts of the crucifixion.
- Check out the similarities.
- And the differences.
Consider:
- How does seeing the Crucifixion foreshadowed in the Passover inform your understanding of sacrifice of Jesus?
- How does understanding the background of Passover and the sacrificial lamb influence your perception of Resurrection Day, called Easter?
Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Let’s start a discussion!
For more on Moses, the Exodus, and the Red Sea crossing, check out the Patterns of Evidence movies by Tim Mahoney of Thinking Man Films and Media at https://patternsofevidence.com
- Patterns of Evidence: Exodus
- Patterns of Evidence: The Moses Controversy
- Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle: Part 1 and 2
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