Exodus 12:26 “And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?” Verse 27: “That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.”
The Passover is a day to commemorate when we received deliverance out of the house of bondage (Egypt). The name Passover is explained in the scriptures as when the Lord saw the blood upon the two side posts and passed over our houses in the plague of the firstborn. Exodus 12:12 “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.” Verse 13: “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” Please also read, Exodus 12:21-23.
Passover is also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Luke 22:1 “Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.”
The feast of unleavened bread is named after an event that occurred to our fathers in Egypt. Exodus 12:30 “And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.” Verse 31: “And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.” Verse 32: “Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.” Verse 33: “And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.” Verse 34: “And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.”
Passover is kept in the month which is called Abib, the name of this month means the spring season. Exodus 34:18 “The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.” Abib is the first month of the year, the Passover is on the 14th day at even (sundown/night). Exodus 12:18 “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.”
The Heavenly Father gave us strict commandments of how to observe his feast; he commanded us not to eat anything leavened. Exodus 12:19 “Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.” Verse 20: “Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.”
It was also commanded that we take a lamb and sacrifice it for the Passover. Exodus 12:21 “Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.” As mentioned earlier the blood of the lamb is put on the doorpost or lintel. However the lamb is also eaten by the whole congregation of Israel.
The first and seventh day of the feast, we are to observe as solemn Sabbath days. Exodus 12:16 “And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.” Since these days are sabbath days, we are forbidden from doing any work or business. Similar to the weekly sabbath, the day of rest, we are not to buy or sell. See, Nehemiah 10:31. If the Passover coincides with the weekly Sabbath you are only allowed to cook the lamb on that day.
Today when we eat the lamb we are reminded of Christ, the lamb of God without blemish for the congregation of Israel. By his blood the angels will pass over us, thus saving us from the destruction. Through him we shall receive deliverance from our sins and bondage, like our fathers in Egypt. 1st Corinthians 5:7 “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:” Verse 8: “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
When we celebrate this feast we are looking forward to our salvation from modern day Egypt. Jeremiah 16:14 “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;” Verse 15: “But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north [North America], and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.”
Now that we understand by the teachings of the Apostle Paul to “keep the feast”; we should ask ourselves, in what manner? By congregating with your family and fellow believing Israelites as our forefathers did in the past. Luke 22:8 “And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.” Verse 9: “And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?” Verse 10: “And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.” Verse 11: “And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?” Verse 12: “And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.”
Here we are reading of how Christ was keeping the Passover with his disciples. They prepared the meal that we are to eat on this Holy Day. What does the meal consist of? The Passover meal consists of Lamb or Goat (read Exodus 12:5), Bitter Herbs, Unleavened Bread (read Exodus 12:8), and Wine (read Matthew 26:18-20, 26-29). Please read the whole chapter of Exodus 12 to be instructed in how to prepare the Passover Meal.
We pray and hope that this lesson will guide you to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover) in accordance to the desire of the Heavenly Father. If you desire to learn more about the feast in detail, read the advanced version of this report.
Exodus 12:17 “And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.” Shalam (Peace)!