Pesach ~ Passover

Today is Pesach. (Passover).

The story of Passover (Pesach in Hebrew), is in the book of Exodus, chapters 1-15. Yahweh's people were slaves in Egypt. Pharaoh was the evil king in Egypt. He decided that there were too many Israelites, (also called the Hebrews). Also, Pharaoh was afraid that the Israelites would join together, form an army, and join Egypt's enemies to take over Egypt. This was not the Israelites' plan, but Pharaoh believed it. He forced the Hebrews to work long hours of grueling labor. He also ordered the midwives to kill all the Israelite baby boys. It was horrible and devastating.

One courageous Israelite mother, hid her baby boy in a reed basket in the river. Pharaoh's own daughter, the princess, found him while she was bathing at the river and adopted the baby boy. She named him Moses.

After a chain of events, Moses fled to the wilderness, where he met his wife and her family, got married, and raised sheep for many years.

Later, after Moses had spent many years in the desert, Yahweh called him to go to Pharaoh with a message from Yahweh, saying: "Let My people go!" Pharaoh's heart was so hard, and so stubborn, and he wouldn't listen. So, Yahweh sent plagues. The Nile river was turned to blood, enormous amounts of frogs, gnats, flies, all covered the land.  The livestock died, boils and sores covered every single Egyptian, hail, locusts ate all of the Egyptian crops, and darkness covered the land. Still, Pharaoh wouldn't listen. He wouldn't let God's people go.

The last plague, was the death of every firstborn male. However, all the Hebrew people, they obeyed God's decree- by putting the blood of a lamb on their doorposts. God was the Hebrews protection. He crossed into their homes through the blood-covered doorposts. The word Pesach means to come under the protection of God. When the angel passed their houses at night, the angel passed over the Hebrews' homes. The Hebrew firstborns were safe. All of the Egyptian firstborns- livestock and people, died.

Just as the blood of the lambs on the doorposts allowed God to come into the Hebrews' homes, Yeshua's blood that covers us allows God to come into our hearts.

This is also where the name of this Feast, Passover (Pescah) comes from. The angel passed over the Israelite's homes.

Pharaoh finally let God's people go; he wanted them gone. The Israelite's didn't have any time for their bread to rise so they could bake it, so they took unleavened bread. (Unleavened means it has no yeast.) The Egyptians gave the Hebrews gold, silver, and fine clothing and told them to get out of their land as fast as possible. The Egyptians were terrified.

The Israelites left Egypt, but then Pharaoh changed his mind, and went after them. Pharaoh took his horses, his army, and his chariots, to fight the Israelites. The Israelites were terrified. The Sea of Reeds (also known as the Red Sea) lay before them, and Pharaoh's army was coming behind them- they had nowhere to run. Moses, the leader, said: "Don't be afraid! Stand still, and see the salvation of ADONAI, which He will perform for you today. You have seen the Egyptians today, but you will never see them again, ever!" Exodus 14:13.

Moses stretched out his hand, and the sea parted, and the Israelites walked through on dry ground! Adonai split the sea! Yaweh made the Egyptian's chariot wheels quit working, so it slowed them down even more.

Once all of the thousands of Israelites had passed through, Moses stretched out his hand again, and the waters crashed over the Egyptians. Yahweh's people were saved! He rescued His people! And later, through the Israelites, came a Savior who saved us all- by taking our punishment, our sin, and dying for us all. Then He rose again, and defeated death!

God told the Israelites to celebrate Passover yearly. A reminder of their rescue out of Egypt, God told His people to eat unleavened bread every year, to remember. Also on Passover, we search our hearts for any sin.

Just as the blood of the lamb on the Hebrews' doorposts saved their firstborns from death, Yeshua saved us from our punishment of death from our sins. Yeshua became the Passover Lamb- thus fulfilling Passover. Yeshua was crucified on the same day and same hour as the lambs on Passover. Isn't it incredible how detailed our God is?! (Luke 22-24 is just one of the Gospels that tells the story of Yeshua's death and resurrection.)

The story of Passover (Pesach) is beautiful and amazing! God's mighty hand was working through it all. Even when the Israelites didn't trust Him, He still loved them. When bad things happened to the Israelites, God turned it into good. He can do that for us, too.

I think it is important to celebrate Pesach. Yeshua fulfilled the Feast of Pesach. He died for our sins. Yeshua loved us so much, that He died for us. Yeshua is the Passover Lamb.