Passover
A beginner's guide to Passover, from another beginner
Amanda Cardran
4/5/20253 min read
"Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to The LORD; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance." Exodus 12:14
Recommended Bible reading: Exodus 12
I can remember as a little girl being so interested in watching my father's side of the family celebrate Jewish Holidays, asking a lot of questions, and noticing similarities in temple to church, but thinking I couldn't really celebrate because a Christian wouldn't celebrate. Now, The Holy Spirit has shown me the connection to Jesus, and that we are, in fact, to celebrate! A permanent ordinance is what HE wrote in Exodus 12:14. When Pharaoh wouldn't let the Israelites go to worship God, He threatened him and The Egyptians with plagues until he let them go, starting with water turning to blood (sound familiar with the same being written in Revelation about the end wicked days and punishments) then frogs, lice, flies, livestock, pestilence, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and ending with the killing of firstborn children. The blood of the lamb is how the angel of death "passed over" the Israelites, then God had Moses lead them out of slavery by parting the Red Sea and drowning Pharaoh and his army. What a beautiful redemption story. It ties so perfectly to the most important, and final redemption story, of The Lamb of God, Yeshua (Jesus Hebrew name) and His Blood that is our protection and freedom from death, and we get to pass over into eternal life with God because of Jesus. Only God's Blood could beat death and hell and buy us freedom, the Perfect, spotless Lamb is Jesus. Jesus Last Supper was a Passover Seder, where He broke the bread, and shared the wine, symbolizing His Body and Blood which would be sacrificed for us. So beautiful as Christians to be able to celebrate a holiday that goes back to the beginning of God establishing covenant and saving His people, a meal and celebration He came to celebrate before His death where He instituted communion, and seeing how it ties into our redemption in Christ. In Galatians 3:13-14 Paul writes, "But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When He was hung on the cross He took upon Himself the curse for our wrong doing. For it is written in the scriptures, "cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing He promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. Remember Jesus came for His people (Israel) first, there is such a divide between Christians and Jews, and there shouldn't be, we are, as Christians, adopted into Abraham's blessing and promises. I encourage you to learn as much about our Lord, and our family as you can, and please remember to include Israel in your daily prayers. We must support them! God has actually promised a blessing to everyone who prays for Israel if you need extra incentive to remember!! In Genesis 12:3 God says "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
I know it is a little bit hard to give up leavened bread for a week, but it's such a small sacrifice considering everything God does for us, and honestly, Matzah ball soup is delicious, along with so many of the other foods, and the prayers are beautiful, I am excited to start celebrating again, and knowing it is willed by Jesus too lol! Nissan is the 1st month of the Hebrew calendar year and means "our miracles". In our Gregorian calendar this year Passover falls April 12-20th, and the Seder is celebrated at sundown the 1st day. You will need a Haggadah, whether you order one online like the one I have linked below, or you can get a pdf to print at chabad.org. Chabad.org actually has a ton of information on Passover or Rose publishing has some excellent pamphlets as well. In the Haggadah you will find instructions for the Seder meal/plate and the prayers. You will need to light 2 candles (new) on the 1st,2nd and 7th nights, I have provided a link for those as well below. Your grocery store will have matzah, and there are so many great recipes online, passover recipes - Search I hope and pray you celebrate and enjoy growing closer to The Almighty!! I sure am! Shalom!
Haggadah
Candles