Passover is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Before Passover begins, there is a period of several weeks where the house is thoroughly cleaned, including removing all leavened bread and products from the home. This is called "spring cleaning" and is meant to symbolize the removal of sin from one's life. During the Passover meal, only unleavened bread is eaten, known as matzo, which represents the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt, not having time to wait for their bread to rise. The Passover story is retold through the Haggadah, a book of prayers, songs, and stories. The holiday is also marked by the Seder, a ritual feast held on the first two nights of Passover, where participants drink four cups of wine and eat symbolic foods. The holiday is observed by Jews around the world and is an important time of family gathering and celebration.
1 Corinthians 5:7 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: 8: 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.
The message of Passover is a reminder that God's ways are not the ways of people. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the people hailed Him as the Messiah and King. However, they were expecting a different type of liberation from the Romans. They thought that Jesus would raise an army and defeat the Romans to liberate them. But Jesus had a different plan in mind.
He came to liberate not just the Jews, but also the Gentiles, by defeating evil and the devil. Jesus became the Passover Lamb, dying on the cross and rising on the third day from the dead. He carried the keys of liberation to all who believe in Him.
Passover is the meal that Jesus shared with His disciples at the last supper. It is the Meal of Liberation, the meal of freedom. Passover is a reminder that we need to purge ourselves of the leaven of malice and wickedness, and embrace the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
As we reflect on Passover, let us remember that Jesus alone is worthy to be praised. Let us follow His example and embrace the path of liberation that He has set before us. May we all experience the freedom that comes from knowing Him as our Lord and Savior.
Passover is a time for reflection and remembrance, and one of the important elements of the Passover meal is unleavened bread or matzah. The absence of leaven in the bread symbolizes the need to remove sin from our lives and keep ourselves in a humble condition with others. Additionally, the stripes, piercings, and brokenness of the matzah bread remind us of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. In Isaiah 53, it says that by His stripes we are healed, and the chastisement of our peace is upon Him.
During this season, we should pray for healing and for the perfect peace of Jesus to overwhelm our lives. We should also strive to enter a new season of humility and service, following the example of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. We should remove all malice, bitterness, envy, and strife from our hearts and minds, and keep ourselves pure in sincerity and truth.
As we reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus, we should also take up our own crosses and follow Him daily. The Passover feast is a time to remember our Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ, and to thank and worship Him for His love and sacrifice.