Returning To The Roots Of Passover

We know that Jesus (Yeshua) was born into a Jewish family and culture, so would have been fully engaged through his life with the Torah and the festivals ordained by his heavenly Father. The Hebrew calendar, rather than the Gregorian calendar we follow, would have set the pattern for the life of all Israel by its beautiful festivals, rich with meaning, and indeed have done the same for the Jewish diaspora since. These festivals help us make intimate connection with our Judaic Christian heritage through an astounding symbolism and depth that can be such a blessing to us as believers.

Passover is a season rich with meaning in those intricate details of the Pesach season. It provides a unique and godly opportunity to pray that the Holy Spirit will teach the Church generally. There is so much to learn and connect with that is missed in the limited experience of the usual Easter celebrations.

For the Jewish people, Passover celebrates the freedom given to them, the Hebrew slaves from Egypt, in the Promised Land, which is still Israel today. Passover, and what the Church calls Easter, is all about redemption. The details are incredible when we see the symbolism of the stories paralleled. But sadly, the term Easter has some more pagan connections for some people, and now that season has been stripped of most of its real Biblical meaning.

For us as Christians, the details are mentioned in each of the Gospels. The Resurrection is the foundation of our faith (see Romans 1:3-4 and 1 Corinthians 15:17). In these days we must never deny any opportunity to show that what we believe is based on historical fact and the absolute truth and reliability of Scripture. The powerful narrative is redemption in the Jewish Messiah, foretold in Scripture to Israel. He is put to death on a Roman cross - so often used as a tool of Rome’s oppression and occupation as well as a show of might. Then God raised this Jesus, his Son, from death to life and raised him to sit at Gods right hand – in doing so promising us eternal life. At Easter, Christian believers celebrate their deliverance through the redeeming work of Jesus.

• Pray this year, as the UK Church will still be restricted in gathering, that believers in our land have a massive hunger for the Bible and see in sharp focus the symbolism of that Passover thousands of years ago – the good news of Jesus, the Passover Lamb – as a personal and divine revelation. 
• Read scriptures like John 1:1-29.  Pray over verse 29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” and 1 Peter 1:19.
• Pray that the many resources sold on the subject of Easter and Passover through our online shop at www.cfi.org.uk/shop.php will bear a much fruit for the kingdom – for individuals, pastors and CFI supporters – so this year like never before the revelations of Passover will be fully revealed and grasped.

Click here to read the Spring Resources flyer in which we highlighted resources on these subjects, to increase understanding on the feasts of the Bible and the Jewishness of Jesus.

Julia Soakell

March 2021