Several years ago, I attended a Seder meal put on by an organization that reaches Jewish people with the Gospel. Seder, which means order, is an intentional meal that celebrates and commemorates the Passover. This meal walks through God’s deliverance of His people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt by His mighty hand. The purpose of this meal in a Jewish home is to pass along the history of the Exodus. It also embodies the hope of a future deliver. Each item of the meal symbolizes parts of the Exodus story. Unleavened bread (matzah) signifies the haste with which slaves had to leave. A roasted shank bone stands for the paschal lamb. A roasted egg symbolizes sacrifice. Bitter herbs signify the bitterness of slavery.
In the cup of wine, the Jews pray for their redemption. They hope that the Messiah will come soon. However, we stand in full assurance that the Messiah has come, and He was the fulfillment of the lamb in the Passover. In the Exodus, the people of God trusted in the blood of the lamb by faith. They believed it would protect and deliver them from death. God used this as a shadow of what was truly to come.
In the Exodus, we see God foreshadowing the cross, and Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin. They had to keep an unblemished lamb, apply its blood and as a result they were rescued from condemnation. John the Baptist introduces Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus is our Passover lamb. Passover represents deliverance from judgment, with the lamb’s blood serving as ransom for forgiveness of sin. As we enter the week of Easter, we have a reason to rejoice. The lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world, was crucified, buried, but rose again. As 1 John tells us, “Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice, for our sins” (1 John 4:10). Unlike the Passover feast celebrated today, our hope looks forward to Jesus’ return for His church. On that day, we will worship the lamb. We will join the chorus of heaven. The chorus declares that worthy is the lamb, seated on the throne.
This week, remember, rejoice, and look ahead with hope to His return. He is Risen our sins are forgiven.
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