On the night that Israel was delivered from their slavery in Egypt, as told to us in Exodus 12, the LORD instructed them to prepare (make ready) the Passover. Every household would prepare to sacrifice a lamb without blemish. The blood of the lamb would be applied to the door posts and lintels of each home, in order to protect that household against the last devastating plague against the Egyptians. The LORD would pass over the door of the house, not allowing the destroyer to enter. To a believer in Messiah, this is the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus, who redeems us from death, saves us from the wrath to come. He was crucified on Passover, and raised from the dead on the Feast of First Fruits.
Along with these preparations, each person should be ready to leave quickly. Their shoes were to be on their feet, and their loins girded. This means pulling up the robes between the legs and tucking them at the waist, in order to be able to run. Your walking staff was to be held in the hand while eating the Passover. This would be a quick deliverance.
Their bread was to be unleavened, the sacrificed lamb was to be roasted, and the bitter herbs were to be eaten with it.
This Passover was an ordinance to be observed by that generation and future generations forever (Ex. 12:24).
Jesus observed the Passover with His disciples (Lk. 22).
The Apostle Paul taught the churches about the depth of meaning in the Passover:
"Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed, Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." 1 Cor. 5:7-8
Today, purging, or cleansing the house of all leaven is part of the Passover preparation. Leaven represents sin in our lives. A candle is used to light the search for any leaven, and a feather is used to sweep away any crumbs that might be left behind. Any leaven found is then burned. The candle used represents the light of the LORD that searches the hearts of men:
"Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my thoughts;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24
And
"The spirit of a man is the candle of the LORD,
Searching all the inner depths of his heart." Prov. 20:27
Paul taught us above, that we are to use this time to examine ourselves by the candle of the Lord, and to rid our lives of old leaven (sin) as we prepare for the Passover. In the same manner, the Bride also prepares herself for the coming marriage supper of the Lamb:
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready (prepared)." Rev. 19:7
We are looking for the same miraculous Passover deliverance that comes in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye! (1 Cor. 15:52).
Let us prepare the Passover, and share it together.
Messianic Passover Haggadah"Dayenu" Passover Song
"Let My People Go"
*You can also join our Seder, Sat. 4/23/16 at 2 PM, via Skype.
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