THE PASSOVER IS CENTRAL TO CHRISTIANITY 

2008 ©by Kathy Black  

It was a Symbol of Exodus from Slavery and Death to Freedom and Eternal Life! 

At the first of the year, which to the Hebrew, is in March/April (Abib or Nissan) the life of Christ mirrored and fulfilled what was specifically required by the Priests at that time.  On God's Old Testament timetable Christ cleansed the Temple, instituted a whole New Covenant, became the Passover Lamb, the First Fruit of Resurrected Eternal Life, and our Way into the Kingdom of God.

The Lord now said to Moses,  "Set up the Tabernacle on the first day of the new year. Exodus 40:6.

In this passage the intricate pattern was given for the showbread, the seven lamps on one stand, the curtains, and all the details of the Temple. 

It is recorded, in the gospels, that during the first month of the year, Jesus chased out the money changers and made the declaration that His House would be A House of Prayer for all nations.  He was setting up the pattern of the new Temple and removing the yeast of greed and insincerity. In the old testament atonement for the Temple was also given at the new year.  

"This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In early spring, on the first day of each new year, sacrifice a young bull with no physical defects to purify the Temple.  The priest will take some of the blood of this sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the Temple, the four corners of the upper ledge on the altar, and the gateposts at the entrance to the inner courtyard.  Do this also on the seventh day of the new year for anyone who has sinned through error or ignorance. In that way, you will make atonement for the Temple. "On the fourteenth day of the new year, you must celebrate the Passover. Ezekiel 45:18-21.

You can see afresh the Lord cleansing the temple by chasing out the moneychangers, instituting the New Covenant with the bread and wine which would be His own body and blood.  For a fuller picture of exactly what Christ was cleansing look in  both Zephaniah 1:9-12 and Matt: 2:12, Mk11:15, Jn:2:14, Jn2:15.  These passages show it was not just money he was cleansing but idolatry as well.

The Passover is the foundation of our Lord's Supper where He instituted the New Covenant written in His blood.

These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. ‘On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover. ‘And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. ‘On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it. ‘But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it.’ ” Leviticus 23:4.  

The feast of unleavened bread began on the fifteen day of Abib (Nisan) and continued for one week.  Christ died at 3:00 p.m. on Passover and at sundown the feast of unleavened bread began.  This feast symbolized:

At the feast of unleavened bread our Lord was overcoming sin and death. He triumphed over them at His resurrection and went into the tabernacle in heaven where He sprinkled His holy blood.  Acting as our Kinsman Redeemer he purchased mankind back from slavery and eternal damnation.

On the day after the Sabbath of Passover week (March/April), what has been   celebrated as Resurrection Sunday, the Jewish people celebrated the first fruits of the barley harvest.  Outlined in Leviticus 23:9, this offering was to be given as they went into the new land the Lord had given them.  I believe this symbolizes the joy  Christians experience as they are translated into a whole new promised kingdom immediately as they give their lives over to Him as their King.  Further prophetic significance is outlined below:

Prophetic Significance:  First fruits is a type of the bodily resurrection of Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 15:20–23).  First fruits is a guarantee of the bodily resurrection of all believers (cf. 1 Cor. 15:20–23; 1 Thess. 4:13–18). First fruits is a type of the consecration of the church.¹

Jesus Christ opened the way for God to come and dwell within His people and He would bring the kingdom of God into the center of his human creation so that His seven-fold Holy Spirit could impart Godly wisdom, knowledge, understanding, delight in obeying God, mighty power, reverence, and counsel. ²

All of these attributes of the Holy Spirit would now be available to transform God's children from within.  God knew that only by imparting Himself could mankind overcome their willful nature and the devils wiles. 

Jesus said he fulfilled all the Old Testament and when we are able to observe the details of what He was accomplishing according to the pattern and prophetic utterances from the past our New Covenant takes on even more significance and the awesome design, and foresight of God is marvelous to behold.  Passover is central to Christianity because it sits on the very foundation of Old Testament precepts and fulfills the mind and heart of God that was foreseen even in the garden when Adam and Eve first sinned.  He knew at that very moment that it was God alone that could fulfill His own mandate for holiness.  Let us celebrate Passover with renewed vigor, enthusiasm and worship.  What a mighty God we serve!

^{1Nelsons book of bible charts and maps, revised.}

^{2 Isaiah 11:2-3, Rev: 4-5.}

Notes:  This month Passover is being celebrated world wide by those using the solar calendar on April 19th and 20th.  However, those going by the Lunar calendar felt that Passover actually was to be celebrated on March 21st. 

In my house, we kept wondering why Passover did NOT coincide with Resurrection Sunday (Easter) this year.  So, in order to follow the biblical mandates for Passover using the Lunar Calendar, which the Jewish people did in the Old Testament, it would be celebrated on March 21st which was our Good Friday this year.

The 2nd biblical option for celebrating Passover given for those that missed the celebration the first month, would be April 19th and 20th.

Below is a website with a good solid article on what calendar Jesus kept.  Have a wonderful holiday no matter when you celebrate it!  It really is all about our Passover Lamb and 365 days are good times to celebrate Him! Kathy Black