Pesach & Unleavened Bread: The True Significance of Passover
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.
This article explores the Sabbath Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread in the context of the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Normally in early to mid April, the majority of the Christian world celebrates religious traditions such as Easter and Lent.
It is the position of One Faith Gospel Ministries that the LORD‘s Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread specified in the Bible are the biblically commanded and Christ-centered festivals to be observed perpetually by the Lord’s people today.
Introduction
The Biblical Mandate vs. Religious Traditions
We have now arrived at our celebratory season and Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread, which are stipulated to begin according to Scripture on the 14th day of the first original Hebrew month called “Abib,” lasting for seven days following.
At this time, rather than celebrating Passover, Roman Catholicism and the majority of Christian denominations celebrate the Easter Holy Week and holiday season, coinciding in early April according to the Gregorian Calendar and the month Nisan according to the modern Hebrew calendar.
Easter is commonly perceived as the Christian festival and season celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but in reality, it is revealed to be a syncretism of ancient pagan fertility festival traditions with primitive gentile Christianity, particularly the overlapping systems of early Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodoxy.
Ancient Idolatry Reformatted
To summarize the background, in various cultures of the ancient world, there were several long-established pagan fertility ritual traditions and so-called holy seasons/days before the formation of what is called Easter.
These traditions all had the similar purpose of offering veneration to the applicable deities to ensure the fruitful increase of the coming agricultural harvests of the year and the associated population booms thought to occur as a result, and all fell around the same time as the Hebrew Passover.
The key example is the festival of Ishtar, the Mesopotamian goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, and also of war, death, and rebirth. Her myths and rites were deeply connected to the cycles of nature, the seasons, and human reproduction, and her festivals involved various rituals to ensure the fertility of the land and people, including human sacrifices.
Ishtar is also the Mesopotamian equivalent of the Canaanite false goddess Ashtoreth, Ashtaroth, or Asherah (translated “groves” in the KJV), “the abomination of the Zidonians” of 2 Kings 23:13 (KJV), whom King Solomon worshipped and led Israel astray to worship, resulting in the division of the kingdom (1 Kings 11:5; 1 Kings 11:30–33 KJV).
Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
The Practice of Syncretism
It is a known fact that the primitive Roman Catholic/Orthodox religions intentionally syncretized Christian teaching and practice with existing pagan traditions.
The greatest example of this practice is demonstrated in the significant annual holiday and celebration of Christmas. This religious syncretism was employed as a strategy to gain religious and political dominance over the people of the ancient world.
In other words, the Easter you know is actually the result of a mixture of various forms of paganism with Early Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox traditions.
One Faith Gospel Ministries strictly adheres to the Word of God rather than the practices of religious or heathen traditions, so in light of that, we would like to share with you the true biblical significance of this season.
The Feast of Passover
Passover Explained
The Feast of Passover or Pesach or “pesah” in Hebrew, is the first in a series of biblical High Sabbaths, or Sabbath Feasts, performed initially in Exodus 12:1–14 and instituted as a national and cultural memorial feast to be observed from that time forward.
And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
The Biblical History of Passover
As the biblical account tells us, God purposed to destroy all the firstborn of Egypt, both man and beast, as a climactic judgment in a series of 10 plagues, which were consequences for the oppression of the Hebrew people at the hand of Pharaoh Ramses II, ruler of Egypt at the time of the Exodus.
Before the judgment was to be executed, God preemptively spoke to Moses and instructed him to command the Israelites to kill a lamb “without blemish” and apply its blood to the lintels and doorposts of their dwellings. From that time on, this lamb was to be known as the “Passover Lamb.”
The blood located on the doors and lintels would then indicate to the destroying angel acting on behalf of God, to bypass that dwelling place, that the firstborn children of the Israelites would be “passed over” and exempt from the judgment. The destroying angel then went forth and eliminated the firstborn of Egypt and simultaneously spared the firstborn of Israel.
Israel was then released from bondage to Egypt following the magnitude of this judgment, but not without further opposition from Pharaoh. However, after an amazing display of God’s supernatural power, Pharaoh and His armies were overthrown in the Red Sea, and the Israelites were fully liberated to make their journey to Palestine, the promised land.
Perpetual Observation
Passover as a memorial was commanded to be perpetually observed throughout the generations of God’s people, and is now revealed through the New Testament to be a symbolic type of our Lord Jesus Christ known as the “Lamb of God.”
The Lamb of God was prophesied in the Bible to have His blood shed for the salvation of many generations of God’s people from every nation and culture throughout human history in fulfilment of Scripture (Isaiah 52:13–53:12; Revelation 5:6, 13:8).
Just as the Passover Lamb’s blood was shed in Exodus for salvation and liberation of Ancient Israel in averting the judgment of God, the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for the salvation of all who will believe the Gospel and receive Jesus Christ as Savior in averting the final judgment of God—that is, the divine judgment of eternal damnation in hell fire.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
The Passover Lamb
The Lamb of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, was slain on the Cross, and His blood was shed that it may be provided as an atonement for our transgressions. Or to put it another way, the blood of Jesus was shed for our sins, that once applied to us, we would escape the wrath of God consequential for sin, or that the wrath of God would “pass over” us as it did in Egypt for the firstborn of the Israelites.
Jesus is, therefore, our Passover Lamb, and as true Bible-believing Christians, we teach, celebrate, and promote the observance of the true revelation of Passover through the grace and leading of the Holy Spirit, in remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
Unleavened Bread Explained
The Feast of Unleavened Bread would follow Passover for seven days, in which all bread made with yeast would be prohibited, and only bread made without yeast (unleavened bread) would be permitted to be eaten for the duration of the festival (Exodus 12:15–20).
In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD‘s passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
The Symbology of Bread
The “bread of God” and “bread of Life” (John 6:33–35) are symbolic biblical references to the Lord Jesus Christ found in the New Testament. Bread is typically seen as a symbol of vital life-giving sustenance, satisfaction of hunger, and food security, and in many cultures is representative of material substance and prosperity. In Scripture, bread is a symbol of God’s benevolence and providence toward man (Isaiah 33:16; Matthew 7:9).
He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
Therefore, in this way we can see that “unleavened bread” is also a symbolic reference to Christ, emphasizing His sinless purity and life-giving power through the resurrection, being typified in the Old Testament Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus is the Unleavened Bread of Life in that He is the sinless and pure Savior Who could not remain held under the power of death, but rose again in victory and power.
The resurrection is also seen symbolically in the Sheaf or Wave Offering of the First Fruits Offering, which is to take place the day after the Passover Sabbath, the second day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:9–15).
The Unleavened Word
The pure and spotless unleavened Word of Christ (pure teaching of the Word of God) is also emphasized in contrast to the leaven (false teaching and traditions) of the Pharisees and Sadducees, the fanatical religious Jews who led the people of Israel astray under their hypocritical, self-imposed teachings and practices.
In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
We now understand that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and only through His ultimate sacrifice, holy blood, and pure Word, there is the hope of salvation. We celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread through the Holy Spirit in remembrance of Christ, Who is the pure and spotless Unleavened Bread of Life.
Modern Jewish Observance
Current Format
The state of Israel and the Jews hold a restructured form of both the Feast of Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. It is a nationally recognized annual holiday season consisting of a literal eight-day festival, where the Jewish observers reflect on the deliverance of their forefathers through reciting special prayers and blessings and sharing symbolic meals such as the “Seder” and several forms of unleavened bread.
It is strictly observed by the Ultra-Orthodox Jews, the devout religious sect of modern-day Talmudic Judaism, and others in the secular and religious portions of the community, each with varying interpretations and physical practices.
The original Passover was commanded to be performed according to detailed religious regulations found in the Law of Moses or Torah (Exodus 12:1–20; Leviticus 23:4–8; Numbers 9:1–5; Deuteronomy 16:1–8). According to these regulations, certain daily sacrifices had to be performed in the place of religious gatherings, firstly the Tabernacle and then the later established Jewish Temple.
Absence of the Temple
In modern times, due to the absence of the Jewish Temple, which was destroyed by the Roman Emperor Titus in 70 AD, the regulated festival where the official Passover sacrifices would be offered according to the Law of Moses cannot be observed.
For this reason, the Jewish people have restructured their observance of the feasts to adapt to the modern-day cultural/political context and, furthermore, to accommodate their diverse demographic groups.
This means the current form of Pesach is inconsistent with the biblical commandments, as with all modern Jewish observance of the feasts and Torah observance in general.
The destruction of the second Jewish Temple was prophesied by our Lord Jesus during His earthly ministry:
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
A Biblical Understanding
Correct Biblical Alignment
For the New Testament Bible-believing Christian, the whole biblical revelation should direct our observance of any tradition or holy day.
For most mainstream Christians, rather than drawing their conclusions from pure biblical teaching on such a matter as Passover or Easter, they tend to follow the directions of churches, denominations, and cultural interpretations of any holy day, season, or observance. This is the answer to why many mainstream Christians observe Easter rather than the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Historical Antagonism: Christianity vs. Judaism
The tension lies in the antagonistic relationship between historic Christianity and Talmudic Judaism. These systems have remained polemical for the strongest reasons, the primary reason being the historical person of Jesus Christ. For Christians, Jesus Christ is the Father of their faith and, through Scripture teaching, revelation of His person, and accompanying spiritual experience, He is considered God Himself incarnate.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
For the Jew, Jesus Christ is not recognized as any of the above, but rather, He is reviled as one of the greatest enemies of the historic Jewish people. This historical antagonism and particular streams of denominational teaching in the Church have caused modern Christians to essentially set aside the Old Testament and Sabbath observances found therein, but this should not be so.
The Old Testament Sabbaths, including the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, have been set aside in the church because historical, polemical, and corrupted interpretations of Christian teaching have directed God’s people to do so.
Passover Revealed in Christ
A thorough, honest, and untainted treatment of Scripture reveals that the ancient account and establishment of Passover points us directly to the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches clearly, that all we find in the Law of Moses and the historical accounts of the Old Testament are signposts directing us to the historical Messiah of Israel, the Son of God and Risen Savior, Jesus Christ.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
The above verse teaches us that the person and work of Jesus Christ is the substance of all Sabbath observances and holy days, including the finer legal regulations of the Law of Moses, even the dietary laws.
The example of the Old Testament Law of Moses reveals to us the staggering purity required by God of His people—a standard that ultimately could not be reached and was designed as a temporary system of government until a more excellent way was to arrive. That more excellent way spoken of here is the teaching, example, Spirit, and person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Passover in Christ
Jesus is Our Passover
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: 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.
In the above verses, the Apostle Paul confirms several things to the Corinthian Church concerning Jesus our Passover. He clearly states, “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us,” and that the Corinthians are to “keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
He does this in the context of providing guidance on church discipline following severe cases of immorality occurring among members. He reminds them, now that they are in Christ, they are newly created in His image to observe a more pure moral standard than before under direct observance of the Torah.
He symbolizes the old life of immorality and sin as the “old leaven,” and Christ, with the new way of life in moral purity, sincerity, and truth, as the “unleavened bread.” In this dimension of New Testament thought and history, Christ is realized in a spiritual and moral sense as both the Passover Lamb and Unleavened Bread, and the observance of the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread is historically confirmed in the biblical account of the New Testament Apostolic Church.
Observing Passover in the Spirit
Through the above revelations, we are led to keep the Passover in a spiritualized form, understanding that Jesus Christ the Messiah is the substance of such observance.
The Spirit of God and the Scripture of Truth do not confirm the keeping of Easter or other religious traditions, but rather confirm the observance of the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and also other High Sabbaths such as the Feast of Pentecost or Shavuot—the Feast of Weeks—and the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot.
The revelation of the Holy Spirit leads us to observe the Feast of Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread in Spirit and truth, directing our focus to a spiritual observance, with feast days complementing the observance.
We encourage such celebrations as feasts, gatherings, communion, and worship, corporate and private, all of which can be done as the Spirit leads, and all of which is good practice and encourages the building up of the brethren.
In the spirit of Passover, we primarily bring attention to the remembrance and worship of our Lord Jesus Christ, and what He has done for us and the whole world, in providing the way of salvation and reconciliation to our Creator, the Holy One of Israel.
Jesus is our Pesach. Jesus is our Passover.
Conclusion
The Passover Revealed
OFG Ministries wishes you a blessed Sabbath season of the Feast of Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. We encourage you to further study and pray the Holy Spirit would give you strong wisdom and knowledge regarding the spiritual significance, observance and revelation of Christ through the Passover and other annual Sabbath Feasts and seasons found in the Scripture of Truth.
We hope that through this revelation of Passover, you may gain revelation of true biblical and spiritual worship of God, that you may worship our Lord God and Savior more powerfully and fully in the Holy Spirit and in truth.
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
