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The Passover meal is rich with symbolism relating to God’s salvation, both for the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and for us from bondage to sin.
The unleavened bread shows the haste of the people’s leaving. The bitter herbs reflect the bitterness of slavery. Savory chutney has a mortar-like texture, reminiscent of the brickmaking and hard labor in Egypt. Red wine embodies joy. Most importantly, the roasted lamb, sacrificed before the meal, illustrates redemption. Paul explicitly called Christ “our Passover lamb” (1 Cor. 5:7). When Jesus shared the “Last Supper” with His disciples, it was the Passover meal that He ate and transformed into the “Lord’s Supper” celebrated in our churches today (Luke 22:7–20).
Today’s reading begins a section of Leviticus dealing with festivals and seasons, beginning with the Sabbath, the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Firstfruits. These were times of rest, play, fellowship, and worship. A holiday spirit–a true “holy day” spirit–pervaded all the feasts.
The purpose of the weekly Sabbath was both physical rest and spiritual blessing, as the people paused to express their thankfulness and trust through worship (v. 3).
Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasted one week altogether, would have been celebrated in March or April. This was one of three annual pilgrimage festivals for which all adult males were expected to journey to the national worship center. The Feast of Firstfruits was actually the second day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and signaled the start of the barley harvest, the earliest harvest of the year. By offering God the first part, they acknowledged that all they had came from His hand.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If you have time today, turn back a bit in your Bible and read Exodus 12, then flip over to the New Testament and read John 13. The first chapter tells of the original Passover, the day on which God acted powerfully to deliver His people from slavery. The second chapter narrates how Jesus spent His final Passover before His Crucifixion.
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