The History & Meaning of Passover

Passover is a Jewish holiday that has been celebrated since the time of Moses. The first Passover took place over 3,500 years ago in Egypt, where a lamb was sacrificed and its blood was used to bless and protect the home by rubbing it on each doorpost of a home. In doing so the home was "passed over" by the angel of death and the firstborn child in the home was spared. The observing of Passover today is done only as a memorial of that one first Passover.

This holiday celebrates the Jewish people's freedom from Egyptian command as it is told in the Book of Exodus in the Holy Bible. Moses, under the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II, led his followers out of Egypt after a succession of ten plagues that Moses had told the Pharaoh would destroy his people if he didn't let them go. The Pharaoh granted Moses his wish and resolved to set the Hebrew people free. But he quickly changed his mind and held them as slaves nonetheless. At last, after the tenth plague the Pharaoh let the Hebrews go. But the Hebrews left with such rush that they didn't have time to bake any bread for their trip to Canaan and instead baked unleavened bread. This bread is known as Matzah. Again the Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his troops into the Sinai Desert to recapture the Hebrews who had been traveling now for forty days and forty nights in search of the Red Sea. The Hebrews saw the Pharaoh's army coming and cried out to Moses. God interceded and commanded Moses to part the Red Sea to allow the Jews to cross over to safety then commanded him to strike his staff again to create an aperture of land to stop the Egyptians from passing through. As the waters came together again the Egyptian army drowned and the Jews were liberated.

Passover speaks of redemption and is the first of seven festivals celebrated annually. It is considered Israel's opening feast that is followed by six other feasts. It is often referred to as the "Feast of Unleavened Bread" since unleavened bread was served during the seven days immediately following Passover. The essential philosophy of Passover is that salvation comes through the blood that is shed by Israel's sacrificial lamb. This is what will bring the one and only atonement that will ever be acceptable for sin.

Passover is celebrated for eight days and always commences on the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Nisan. There are seven main foods, which are of symbolic significance to the Jewish people, served at the Passover dinner. These foods remind the Hebrews of their time in Egypt as slaves. As they partake of their meal they are remembering their deepest, most meaningful traditions and philosophies. References from the Holy Bible that correlate to Passover include Leviticus 23:4-6 and Matthew 26:2.

Leviticus 23:4-6 (King James Bible)
These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: Seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

Matthew 26:2 (King James Bible)
Ye know that after two days is the feast of the Passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Sources

King James Bible
Jewish Virtual Library