Messiah in the Passover

The celebration if Passover tells the story of the redemption of the Israelites - from the bitterness of slavery in Egypt to the sweet hope of teh freedom in the Promised Land. But Jesus (Yeshua) is the fulfilment of the Hebrew Scriptures. And Jesus is the sweetness of our bitter experiences. Dr. Mitch Glaser, a messianic Jew, came to my church last Thursday to give an understanding of the Passover and how we can plainly see Jesus in the Passover meal.

The "script" for the Passover meal is the Haggadah (literally, "telling"). I want to give a few points here of what I heard about the passover meal:

Purity
Always prefaced with purification. It's about removing leaven from their houses (removing sin from our hearts). It is about preparing our hearts. Usually also involved washing hands... Jesus washed the disciples feet at the last supper (which was a passover feast).

Presence of God
to start the passover meal, the woman of the house lights the lights of the festival - which represents the shinah glory - the presence of God. They thank God for entering a new season (from one passover to the next).

Passover
The seder begins. 4 cups celebrated along with a meal. Elijah's cup always poured out (waiting for Elijah to announce the coming of the Messiah). We are spared because the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The meal is full of interesting pointers and references to Jesus Christ. From the cup of redemption, to the lamb shank bone representing the spreading the blood on the doorposts of the Israelites, to the special three-part pouch that hold the matzah.

Other thoughts (from Dr. Mitch Glaser):
When redemption is near, even the bitterness of slavery is sweet. Stay sweet in hope because Jesus is near. Life without God is bitter. Life with God is sweet.

When we, by faith, apply the sacrifice of Jesus to the doorposts of our hearts, then the wrath of God passover over us. Hide behind the blood.

It all points to Jesus.

All for now,
Lisa