Passover 2023
Lessons for Today
A cycle reappearing...
Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened.
For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Cor 5:7-8.
Historic celebrations of the three main world religions converge this week: Easter, Passover, and Ramadan. Is there a message in it? With all that is going on in the world, God is highlighting this week. Why? In looking into the times Passover is mentioned in the Bible, interesting patterns show up that can apply to today. Passover was initiated in Exodus when God was about to deliver Israel from 400 years of bondage in Egypt. He commanded them to keep the Passover as a remembrance for what the Lord had done for them, Exodus 13:5-10. Through the ebb and flow of Israel's history, Passover appears at significant times as follows:
Desperation and shift
The Passover lesson today:
Today, we face crises evoking deepening desperation in nations…only God’s intervention can resolve them. This Passover is heralding a call for a time of circumcision, of consecration, to prepare us for the season ahead. The signs are all around us. A cry of desperation is rising in the nations calling us to draw near to God for He will draw near to us (James 4:8). He will make a way where there seems to be no way. In it, He will be glorified, and we will be strengthened. That is the lesson of Passover.
As we are in this week of Passover, and times are more troubled, let us take the opportunity to examine ourselves and circumcise those areas of our spiritual hearts that need a touch from the Lord. God desires to prepare and strengthen us for the future. Paul exhorts New Testament believers to keep the feast but in so doing, get rid of things that would hinder our love for Him: Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Cor 5:7-8. What is this leaven? What hinders us from greater intimacy with Him-- offense, fear, distractions, discouragement, unforgiveness, anger, hurt, bitterness, frustration? These issues are all leaven. Now is the hour and time to circumcise them. God can make us new by taking out the leaven, no matter how self-justified or righteous you feel, and yielding to the cross. Jesus is asking us to pick up our cross, for in it is the power of God, For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18).
After all, it was at the Passover meal that Jesus instituted communion which we, as Christians, have enjoyed to this day. He said: Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God (Mark 14:23-25).
May this Passover season carry a fresh encounter with Jesus, that brings us into a deeper love, strength, and intimacy with Jesus.
Blessings and Shalom,
Susan Rowe
- Initiation: The Exodus and deliverance of Israel out of Egypt
- Joshua and the Israelites at Gilgal: when God was about to launch the battles for the Promised Land (Josh 5:6-12);
- The reforms of Hezekiah 2 Ch 28
- The reforms of Josiah 2 Chron 33
- Ezra and the return of the Jews to Jerusalem in Ezra 6:18
- Jesus- after 400 years of silence when Jesus appears and the New Testament times were birthed Lu 2:49; 22; Acts 12.
Desperation and shift
- Initiation of Passover came at a desperate time: Exodus 3:7 And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.
- Hezekiah 2 Chron 29:6-8 For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the LORD our God; they have forsaken Him, have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the LORD, and turned their backs on Him…
- Josiah: 2 Chron 33:9 (describes the culture in which Josiah stepped into as King)
- Ezra: 4:4 Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah.
- Jesus:
- Jesus goes with His parents on Passover to Jerusalem. His public appearance and words break 400 years of silence 2:49.
- Jesus celebrates the Passover just before His crucifixion Lu 22:14-15.
- Israelites obeyed Moses' instructions, Exodus 12:35
- Joshua was commanded to follow the book of the law, Josh 1:8 .
- Hezekiah renews commitment to the Lord, 2 Chron 29:10
- Josiah: Priests discover the book of the Law: “And when the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes,” 2 Chron 34:14-16, 29.
- Ezra realigns the Israelites with the celebration of the feasts, Ezra 3:1-7.
- Jesus instructed the disciples to prepare for Passover. They obeyed: Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread when the Passover must be killed. And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat,” Lu 22:7.
- Exodus: The people were instructed to make a sacrifice Ex 12:21-22. The blood on the lintel would provide the covering for the night of the Passover.
- Joshua: So it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed. Then the LORD said to Joshua, "This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day, Josh 5:8-9.
- Manna stopped and they ate the produce of the land, Josh 5:12.
- Hezekiah: Instituted the Passover of the 2nd month: ¾ for they could not keep it at that time because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem--2 Chron 30:3, 8, 17, 19.
- Josiah: Cleared out idolatry in the land
- 2 Kings 23:24. Josiah put away those who consulted mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord.
- Jesus: Prepared Himself for His sacrifice: Luke 22:14-15 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer…
- Exodus: The exodus would be a time of solemn observance and remembrance of the Lord and His deliverance, Ex 12:42
- Hezekiah: Restores temple worship 2 Chron 29:20-36
- Josiah: Restores temple worship: Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him. 2 Kings 23:1-25 v. 25.
- Ezra: The temple is rebuilt, Ez 6:19-22.
- Jesus: After His resurrection, Jesus opens the eyes of His disciples, Lu 24:30.
- Acts 12:9: At the time of Passover, Peter is arrested, but the prayers of the saints freed him miraculously.
- Exodus 12:1-26, 14:24. People were delivered out of Egypt.
- Joshua:
- Joshua meets the commander of the Lord’s army, Josh 5:13-15.
- Gilgal became a staging place for Israelites in taking the Promised Land.
- Hezekiah: People were healed after the Passover is reinstituted: And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people, 2 Chron 30:20.
- Josiah: National liberation and renewal: Such a Passover surely had never been held since the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the day of the Kings of Israel and the kings of Judah, 2 Kings 23:22.
- Ezra: After the temple was completed, Passover was celebrated and miraculously the king of Assyria helped them, Ez 6:22.
- Ez 6:22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the LORD had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
- Jesus is the Passover Lamb for us all and delivers us from evil Mt 6: 9-13.
The Passover lesson today:
Today, we face crises evoking deepening desperation in nations…only God’s intervention can resolve them. This Passover is heralding a call for a time of circumcision, of consecration, to prepare us for the season ahead. The signs are all around us. A cry of desperation is rising in the nations calling us to draw near to God for He will draw near to us (James 4:8). He will make a way where there seems to be no way. In it, He will be glorified, and we will be strengthened. That is the lesson of Passover.
As we are in this week of Passover, and times are more troubled, let us take the opportunity to examine ourselves and circumcise those areas of our spiritual hearts that need a touch from the Lord. God desires to prepare and strengthen us for the future. Paul exhorts New Testament believers to keep the feast but in so doing, get rid of things that would hinder our love for Him: Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Cor 5:7-8. What is this leaven? What hinders us from greater intimacy with Him-- offense, fear, distractions, discouragement, unforgiveness, anger, hurt, bitterness, frustration? These issues are all leaven. Now is the hour and time to circumcise them. God can make us new by taking out the leaven, no matter how self-justified or righteous you feel, and yielding to the cross. Jesus is asking us to pick up our cross, for in it is the power of God, For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18).
After all, it was at the Passover meal that Jesus instituted communion which we, as Christians, have enjoyed to this day. He said: Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God (Mark 14:23-25).
May this Passover season carry a fresh encounter with Jesus, that brings us into a deeper love, strength, and intimacy with Jesus.
Blessings and Shalom,
Susan Rowe
