Pesach

Pesach

In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the LORD’S Passover (Leviticus 23:5, NASB)

Originally, Passover  (or Pesach in Hebrew) was the meal which the Israelites were first commanded to eat on the eve of the great Exodus from Egypt. In the book of Exodus, Chapter 12, we see the specific commands to slaughter an unblemished lamb and putting it’s blood on the doorposts and lintels of their homes. The nation was redeemed and covered by their obedience to YHVH’s commands. One might consider the link between the blood on the door covering the house, and the the blood of the lamb covering us.

lambface

That night, the Israelites were commanded to roast and eat the Passover lamb in their own homes, in haste. They were to have their staff in hand, be packed and ready to leave/flee Egypt at a moment’s notice. With the blood of the lamb, they were to paint the doorposts of their houses.

At about midnight that night, a messenger of YHVH was sent through the land,  killing every firstborn male egyptian in the nation. But, at the sight of the blood on the Israelite’s doorways, the messenger “passed over” their homes, sparing the lives of the firstborn males of those who were obedient to the commands.

In subsequent years, YHVH’s Passover became a commemoration, a memorial of when YHVH brought the nation Israel out of bondage with a mighty hand and outstretched arm, and smote the Egyptians. It was a commanded festival to be kept forever.

Crown of ThornsWe too, continue to partake in the memorial feast of Pesach, though symbolically without actually slaying a lamb. There are numerous references to Yeshua the Messiah as “the Lamb of God” in the Renewed Covenant scriptures (New Testament) indicating that the first Pesach was actually a foreshadowing prophecy of the Messiah’s death to come, and  is also what we memorialize today when celebrating this feast.

Haggadah, or seder guide

ARIEL Haggadah, or seder guide

“Do this in remembrance of Me.” —Luke 22:19

We loosely go by a Haggadah, or seder guide, for the evening. You can download a PDF copy of the Haggadah by clicking on the image.

You can read more about other appointed times of YHVH by clicking here.