This is it!  The first Passover: God’s final plague on Egypt for enslaving His people for 430 years!  God Himself passed through Egypt and killed the firstborn, children and cattle. But God offered a solution: applying the blood of a spotless lamb to a house’s doorpost. Seeing the blood, God would pass over the household and spare their firstborn.  Passover, as a feast, was established by God as a reminder of their deliverance from slavery.  It was fulfilled in Christ’s death on the cross. As we endeavor to become more like Christ, let us see how Passover applies to us today.

In Exodus 12, God warns Israel of the last plague.  If they did not humble their hearts and obey God’s instructions, their child would die. Pharaoh had rejected God nine times before this and would not change.  Thus, the first “pass over” became a warning to all who would not humble themselves before God. The choice became clearer when the “Lamb of God” appeared. Of the 71 times “Passover” is mentioned in the Bible, John uses it most to stress that Jesus is the “Lamb of God.” In Jesus’ time, the Jews would spend days before Passover examining their hearts, purifying themselves, and traveling to Jerusalem.  (John 11:55-12:1)  A spotless lamb was selected four days before Passover and brought inside to live with the family. It was then killed and eaten on Passover day. Any leftovers would be burned or shared with another household, and unleavened bread was eaten for the rest of the week.  Jesus, our Lamb, dwelt among us.  Jesus was spotless, without sin. Jesus died on Passover day. His blood saves us from the Lake of Fire, God’s final judgment. Passover was to point us to the “Lamb of God.”

In a New Testament church, we remember Christ’s sacrifice through Communion.  Paul reminded the church of Jesus’ symbols of His body and blood: unleavened bread and grape juice. (1 Corinthians 11)  He corrected the Corinthian church for satisfying their flesh with feasting instead of examining their hearts at Communion.  Paul wanted us to understand that Communion resembles and replaces Passover.  It is still a time to examine ourselves and now to remember Christ’s sacrifice.  We do not need to wait a whole year to observe it! We can enjoy Communion whenever it is offered at church! “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.” (1 Cor. 11:26)  Paul told the Jews they had missed the whole point of Passover. They were hard-hearted like Pharaoh and had refused their Passover Lamb. (Romans 9-10) 

As we reflect on Passover, let us remember it is God Who saves us, not ourselves. It is God Who purifies us if we let Him. We should not let our busy schedules and bodily desires take us away from God. He will draw near to us if we walk humbly before Him and take His Word seriously. (James 4:6-10)