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Passover and Easter

April 17, 2019

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Passover & Easter – Moses & Messiah

By David R. Parsons, ICEJ VP

There is much we could say about the inseparable connection between the Jewish holiday of Passover and the Christian celebration of Easter, or what I prefer to call “Resurrection Day”.

In the most basic terms, the physical deliverance of Israel from the bondage of slavery in Egypt was a foreshadowing of the spiritual deliverance we have in Christ, whose atoning death has set us free from the bondage of sin (Romans 6:17-18; Galatians 5:1; Colossians 1:13-14). Just as God spared the Israelites from the “destroyer” when He saw the blood of a lamb sprinkled on their doorposts, the shed blood of Jesus the Messiah allows God to “pass over” our sins completely (Romans 3:25; 1 Corinthians 5:7).

The figure of Moses is so central to the Passover story, and he also serves as a type or foreshadow of the promised Messiah. Moses himself even said that one day “the Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear” (Deuteronomy 18:15). Indeed, the parallels between Moses and Jesus are quite remarkable, and the first similarity is brought out in this very prophetic passage: that both would suffer rejection by their own people.

Passover from a Christian Perspective

Why should Christians celebrate Passover and other Jewish feasts? Read this insightful article about the biblical significance of Passover.

Why should Christians take great care in examining the traditions of the Jewish festivals? In Leviticus 23:4, it reads, “These are the appointed times of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed for them” (NASB). The Hebrew word here for “convocations” (or “assembly”) is Miqra. The word, Miqra, means rehearsal or recital. Wayne Blank explains it as “to ‘re-hear’ what has been taught, but the modern-day accepted meaning of rehearsal, a practice session for a later event.”[1] The Miqra referenced in Leviticus 23 when referring to the Mow-’ed or feasts in their appointed seasons, are understood as both a looking back to an event as well as a rehearsal, or looking forward, to what the Lord will do during these appointed times. Thus, we as followers of Jesus (Yeshua) bear a responsibility to declare the truth of God’s Word during the Lord’s appointed festivals at their appointed times.”

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I WANT TO KEEP READING!

If you missed last week’s Passover video, don’t worry because you can still watch it! Click the link below, and enjoy highlights from Ethiopian Jews Celebrating Their First Passover in Israel.

WATCH “CELEBRATING THEIR FIRST PASSOVER”!