Easter 2022, Part 1: Jesus the Passover Lamb

Dear Friends,
As you may know, the seasons of Passover and Easter are deeply intertwined. Roy has always given great insight to the meanings of Jewish tradition, culture, and religious history and the fulfilment of Passover through Jesus, the Messiah. Please join us each day this week as we present a special series, Easter 2022.

-Marina, for Roy and Meeting in the Meadow
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Jesus the Passover Lamb
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

 

…Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7 NLT).

 

I grew up in a Jewish home. My grandfather, an Orthodox Jew, made sure our family gathered each year to celebrate the Passover. During those years I looked at Passover as a family tradition, but had no understanding of why God wanted us to keep the Passover feast. I was spiritually blind to the truth that within the elements of the Passover, God’s eternal plan of redemption was revealed. 

 

It wasn’t until years later, as a believer in Jesus Christ, that the spiritual meaning of Passover became alive to me. Previously, I had thought Passover was a Jewish celebration and Easter was a Christian celebration. I was amazed when I discovered they both proclaimed the shed blood of the Lamb that was slain to bring about our redemption. The Last Supper was actually the Passover meal. It was Jesus who took the Passover bread and said, “This is my body.” It was Jesus who took the Passover cup of redemption and said, “This is my blood.” 

 

There are many elements within the Passover feast that point us to Jesus’ glorious work of redemption. The instructions that God gave to Israel on the night He redeemed them from the bondage of slavery had a far greater meaning in His eternal plan. It included the death of His own Son, whose blood would be shed upon the cross to redeem us from our sins.

The redemptive work of Jesus is portrayed in the lamb of Passover. The requirements for the offering of the Passover lamb are recorded in the twelfth chapter of Exodus. (Exodus 12, NLT)

When we read the account of Israel’s first Passover and their exodus from Egypt, we discover the importance of the sacrificial lamb. Without the shed blood of the lamb, there could be no redemption.

Jesus was the Lamb of God sacrificed for us.

 

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NKJV).

 

The Passover lamb that was chosen had to be without blemish.

Jesus was without the blemish of sin.

 

Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19 NKJV).

 

The Passover lamb was identified as the lamb of redemption.

Jesus is our redeemer.

 

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14 NKJV).

 

The Passover lamb was to be slain.

Jesus was slain upon the cross.

 

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing! (Revelation 5:12 NKJV).

 

The Passover lamb’s blood had to be shed and applied to the door posts and lintel of each home to bring salvation from the judgment of death.

Jesus’ shed blood provides salvation when applied (appropriated) by faith to our hearts.

 

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Romans 5:8-9 NKJV).

 

The Passover lamb was to be brought into the home, prepared, and partaken of by each family member. 

Jesus must be received into the heart (partaken of) through faith by all who desire to become a part of God’s family.

 

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (John 1:12 NKJV).
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#passover #easter #jesusisthelamb #thepassoverlamb #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2022 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley, used with permission. All rights reserved.