The Feast Of Passover Series

The 7 Feasts of Israel - Passover

Exodus 12:1-13

February 27, 2022

Today we’re going to begin a new series of sermons which will take us up to Easter. It’s probably a series most people have not craved. I know that’s not a ringing endorsement for what I’m going to be preaching on, but I think and hope you will find this interesting.

As most of you know I grew up Jewish and went to Hebrew School for 5 years and celebrated many of the Jewish holidays. Well, there’s 7 major Jewish feasts, commonly called the 7 Feasts of Israel. They are mandated for the Jews to follow them and they are listed by God in Leviticus 23.

Beginning today and going for the next 6 weeks, we’re going to look at these 7 feasts. But it’s more than looking at what these feasts are and what the represent to the Jewish people, we’re also going to see how these feasts point us towards Jesus. I believe each one will point us to Jesus.

So, how will this benefit us? Great question. Here’s the honest answer . . . I’m not sure. But this I do know, I can’t ask you to do 52 different things per year. Honestly, 1 or 2 may be more than enough. So, my hope is that you’ll gain a greater appreciation for the OT and see how it really does point us toward Jesus.

I hope you will also see that we cannot have the NT without the power and teaching of the OT. In reality the OT is the root of our faith. We don’t have 2 separates Gods, but we have one God who fulfilled all of the promises of the old covenant.

So, as we remember and learn from the OT, we will hopefully see where our NT faith fits in. What are the 7 feasts? In order . . . they are . . .

Passover

Feast of Unleavened Bread

Feast of First Fruits

Feast of Weeks - Pentecost

Rosh Hashonah - Feast of Trumpets

Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement

Feast of Tabernacles

We’re going to take them in order and I’ll give you the historical significance from scripture, talk about the holiday, maybe interject a personal story, and help us to see where Jesus fits in to each feast.

There’s an interesting progression in the feasts that I’ll talk about as we move along. Note that the first 3, Passover, unleavened bread and first fruits overlap. It’s almost impossible to talk about one without including the others. Passover is literally one day, which is followed by unleavened bread for 7 days, which is immediately followed by first fruits.

So, let’s get into Passover, which may be the most popular and famous of all the Jewish holy days.

In Exodus 12 we read - - -

1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,

2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you.

3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household.

4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.

5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats,

6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.

7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.

8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.

11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover.

12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.

13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. - Exodus 12