Open A Print Ready Copy

Christ Is Our Passover

By Ray Wooten

1 Cor 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:”

Most people, including Christians, have no concept of what Passover means to mankind. They think of it as something ancient Israel observed, or that Jews keep as a memorial, but as having no significance to Christians. Christianity has come to believe that "Good Friday" and "Easter Sunday" are Christian observances that picture Jesus’ death and resurrection. It doesn't seem to matter that no mention whatsoever is made of these observances by Jesus, His Apostles or anyone else in the entire Bible. They still demand that one must accept these beliefs and observances in order to be Christian.

Yet, we find here in the writings of the apostle Paul, a command to recognize Jesus, the Christ, as our Passover. In order to understand how Christ is the Passover for us today, we must have a thorough understanding of the Passover and it's significance to ancient Israel.

Lets Notice what Unger's Bible Dictionary says about this observance.
“The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread as a unit constituted the most important of the three great annual festivals of Israel.” “The Heb. word pasah means: (to "leap over,” figuratively, to "spare, show mercy”). It denotes (1) an overstepping and (2) the paschal sacrifice by virtue of which the passing over was effected (Ex 12:21,27,48; 2 Chron 30:15).” (From The New Unger's Bible Dictionary; Article: Festivals.)

This article: correctly shows that Passover is the English word for “pasah” or “pascha” and it means, a) an overstepping, or (passing over) and b) a sacrifice, which we call "the Passover". It was this sacrifice that made the passing over possible.

What Was The Passover Sacrifice?
What was this sacrifice? Ex 12:21, “Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the Passover.” Here we see that the Passover was not only the time, but the sacrifice is also called the Passover.

We see that it is referred to as the Passover lamb. This is important because Jesus is called our Passover and He is called “the Lamb of God.” So, when He was killed, our Passover was killed.

Each family was to take a lamb from their flock and sacrifice it for their family. Other scriptures show that this lamb had to be perfect in order to qualify for this particular sacrifice. This is very important because, as we shall see later, this lamb was a picture of the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God, who was to come later and be sacrificed for all mankind. (John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”).

What Was The Passing Over?
V22, “And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. 24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever."

Israel Was God’s Firstborn Nation
These verses show that Israel’s firstborn were saved from certain death on that fateful night. You see, Israel is God's first born nation. Egypt had kidnapped and enslaved God's firstborn nation. God demanded that Pharaoh release them. In negotiating with Pharaoh, God had sent a total of nine plagues on Egypt up until this time. This tenth and final plague was to destroy all the firstborn sons of Egypt because Egypt had taken and enslaved God's first born.

This was the night that God was sending His death angel to destroy all the firstborn in the entire nation of Egypt who were not under the blood of the Passover sacrifice. That's why it was so important for all Israelites to be in their homes with this blood displayed on their doorposts. And, it was necessary for them to stay inside until morning. The reason is that God did not tell them what time of the night the angel of death would pass through. In fact, those who say that it was at the midnight hour do not understand that no midnight hour existed in Israel. God gave them days, weeks, months and years. He did not give them hours, minutes and seconds. That is an invention of Babylon. The shortest measure of time Israel was given was “evening and morning” which totaled one day.

Christ Is The True Passover
In the New Testament, Christ is described as our Passover. His blood is pictured as cleansing our hearts (Heb. 10:22) for the purpose of saving us from the eternal death which is our fate because of sin. It was this sacrifice that made the passing over possible. The Law of God, which is perfect, spiritual, just and good, demands that every soul (person) who sins, i.e. violates the law of God, must die. However, those who are under the blood of Christ are passed over by that angel of death. He sees us as already “dead in Christ.” (Rom 6:3-4, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:”). Since Christ is God’s Firstborn Son Spiritually and we are “in Christ” we, too, are God’s Firstborn.

“The Passover was instituted in memory of Israel's preservation from the last plague visited upon Egypt (the death of the firstborn) and their deliverance from bondage (Ex 12:1-28).” ‘The deliverance of Israel from Egypt was accompanied by their adoption as the nation of Jehovah. For this a divine consecration was necessary that their outward severance from Egypt might be accompanied by an inward severance from everything of an Egyptian or heathen nature. This consecration was imparted by the Passover, a festival which was to lay the foundation of Israel's birth (Hos 2:15; Ex 6:6-7) into the new life of grace and fellowship with God and to perpetuate it in time to come’ (K. D., Com., on Ex. 12).” (From The New Unger's Bible Dictionary; Article: Festivals.)

What Unger’s does not mention is that the Passover in physical Israel was only a type of Christ as our Passover. The same is true of all the festivals recorded in Leviticus 23. They are depictions of God’s plan of salvation for mankind.

Nelson’s Bible Dictionary agrees with these facts.
FEASTS
“In New Testament times, Passover became a pilgrim festival. Large numbers gathered in Jerusalem to observe this annual celebration. Jesus was crucified in the city during one of these Passover celebrations. He and His disciples ate a Passover meal together on the eve of His death. Like the blood of the lamb which saved the Hebrew people from destruction in Egypt, His blood, as the ultimate Passover sacrifice, redeems us from the power of sin and death.” (from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986)

The truth of Messiah as the sacrificial offering for our sins is a theme that is woven throughout the Old Testament beginning in Genesis. But, I think the prophet Isaiah shows very clearly how He was to be taken and slain.

Isa. 53:7-10, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.”

The New Testament Accounts Of His Crucifixion
The New Testament accounts of His crucifixion show how this was fulfilled.
John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Acts 8:32-35, “The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.”

1 Cor 15:3-4, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

1 Peter 1:19-20, “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”

Rev 5:6-9, “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”

Rev 5:12, “Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

I hope you have already accepted Jesus the Christ as your Passover and that you are safely “in Him.” If you have not, it is my prayer that you will do so now. I also pray that you will accept Him, not only as Passover and Savior, but also as your Lord and Master.

Will You Help Us Achieve Our Objective?