Passover
פֶּסַח
Pesach — The Feast of Redemption
The Night of Deliverance
Passover (פֶּסַח - Pesach) commemorates the night Yahweh delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt. It is the foundational redemption story of the Hebrew people—a vivid picture of salvation through the blood of a spotless lamb.
The name Pesach comes from the Hebrew root פָּסַח (pasach), meaning “to pass over, to skip.” On this holy night, the angel of death “passed over” the homes marked with lamb's blood, sparing the firstborn of Israel.
“For Yahweh will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, Yahweh will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.”
— Exodus 12:23
Torah Commands for Passover
Yahweh gave specific instructions for observing Passover, found in Exodus 12, Leviticus 23, and Deuteronomy 16:
- When: The 14th day of Nisan (the first month of the biblical calendar), at twilight
- The Lamb: A male lamb or goat, without blemish, one year old
- The Blood: Applied to the doorposts and lintel as a sign of faith
- The Meal: Roasted lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs
- The Posture: Eaten in haste, dressed and ready to depart
- The Memorial: “This day shall be to you a memorial” (Exodus 12:14)
- Forever: “You shall observe this as an ordinance forever” (Exodus 12:24)
Egyptian Context: A Battle of Gods
The ten plagues leading up to Passover were not random acts of judgment. Each plague directly challenged a specific Egyptian deity:
- The Nile turned to blood — against Hapi, god of the Nile
- Frogs — against Heqet, the frog goddess
- Darkness — against Ra, the sun god
- Death of the firstborn — against Pharaoh himself, considered a god
Yahweh declared, “Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am Yahweh” (Exodus 12:12). Passover was not merely a political liberation—it was a cosmic victory, demonstrating that Yahweh alone is Elohim.
Yeshua as the Passover Lamb
The New Testament reveals that every element of Passover points prophetically to Yeshua the Messiah:
The Lamb
John the Baptist declared, “Behold the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
Without Blemish
Yeshua was sinless, the spotless Lamb (1 Peter 1:19)
The Blood
His blood applied to our hearts brings redemption (1 John 1:7)
The Timing
Yeshua was crucified on Passover, the 14th of Nisan (John 19:14)
Paul writes, “For indeed Messiah, our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). The Passover lamb was always a shadow—the reality is Yeshua, the ultimate Lamb who delivers us from the bondage of sin.
“Cleanse out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Messiah, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”
— 1 Corinthians 5:7
Observing Passover Today
Believers who follow Yeshua observe Passover with new understanding. The traditional Passover Seder (meal) is rich with symbolism: the lamb points to Yeshua, the unleavened bread represents His sinless body, and the cup of redemption points to the new covenant in His blood.
Yeshua Himself transformed the Passover meal into what is now called the “Last Supper,” saying, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19). Passover is not obsolete—it is fulfilled and deepened in Messiah.