Adonai spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt; he said, “You are to begin your calendar with this month; it will be the first month of the year for you. Speak to all the assembly of Isra’el and say, ‘On the tenth day of this month, each man is to take a lamb or kid for his family, one per household—except that if the household is too small for a whole lamb or kid, then he and his next-door neighbor should share one, dividing it in proportion to the number of people eating it. Your animal must be without defect, a male in its first year, and you may choose it from either the sheep or the goats. “ ‘You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, and then the entire assembly of the community of Isra’el will slaughter it at dusk. They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the two sides and top of the door-frame at the entrance of the house in which they eat it. That night, they are to eat the meat, roasted in the fire; they are to eat it with matzah and maror. Don’t eat it raw or boiled, but roasted in the fire, with its head, the lower parts of its legs and its inner organs. Let nothing of it remain till morning; if any of it does remain, burn it up completely. “ ‘Here is how you are to eat it: with your belt fastened, your shoes on your feet and your staff in your hand; and you are to eat it hurriedly. It is Adonai’s Pesach [Passover].

There is a time of year when Christians and Jews alike celebrate a momentous occasion. Easter falls on slightly different dates each year depending on the seasons.

The names of the Jewish months date back the time of Moses, when God brought the people out of Egypt. The biblical time of Ezra following the end of Jewish captivity in Babylon had a profound bearing on the calendar. Most of the months are either 29 or 30 days in length, with the lead month, Nissan, beginning in the civil equivalent of March/ April. Passover is celebrated in Nissan.

Because of the different dating system and extensive history of the Jewish people, years in the Hebrew calendar are also calculated differently from the common calendar, with the Jewish New Year commencing in the seventh month, Tishri. The exact lengths of the months of Cheshvan and Kislev are also dependent on Tishri.

Whereas the civil calendar is a solar one, the Jewish calendar operates as a "luni-solar" model, and is thus usually only 354 days as opposed to 365. Accordingly, the Jewish calendar adds an extra month (Adar II) every two or three years to compensate for the resulting 11-day lag.

During this time, Jews from all around the world celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the highlight being the eating of the Passover meal. During the evening, children usually ask a profound question, one of four questions called Ma Nishtanah, often sung in Hebrew. It is Why is this night different than all other nights?  We shall look at the answer together and see why this is so important to Jew and Christian alike. The remaining questions are equally important, being-

• Why do we only eat unleavened bread on this night?
• Why do we eat bitter herbs?
• Why do we dip twice?
• Why do we eat our meal reclining?

Throughout Church history there has been great misunderstanding between the Church and the Jewish people. Both Christians and Jews have often believed that there is little real or practical connection between Christianity and Jewish life. These views are based on ignorance, false presuppositions, on traditions of men or upon erroneous teachings. One such error is what is called Replacement Theology, which basically says that God has finished with Israel and the Jew and that the Church has superseded them in the New Testament. God’s covenant with Israel is an everlasting covenant, attested to in the bible more than thirty times. He deals with three classes of people. Paul said-
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 1 Corinthians 10:32.

The Jew has a covenant with God. The Church has a different covenant with God and the Goyim, or Gentiles, which refers to those with no covenant and God deals with each differently. When reading scripture we need to differentiate between them. Sometimes God is speaking to or about an individual.
At other times he speaks to a group of people. Sometimes He is referring to the Church and no one else, whereas on other occasions, He is dealing with Israel and no one else. Sometimes a passage of scripture may refer to events that have happened, are currently happening and are yet to happen in the arena of human life, referring in one part to Israel and a sentence further on to the Church. Unnecessary confusion arises when we mix them up, sometimes for pure lack of understanding or revelation and at other times for political expedience or correctness. This is one reason why there is so much misunderstanding.
We should also be mindful not to forget the Jewishness of Jesus.  He was a practicing Jew and is still a Jew. His early followers were Jews who had found the promised Messiah and in many ways continued the Jewish expression of their faith. Please understand that we are not advocating that Christians adopt Jewish manners and customs or vice-versa. I grew from childhood in a Christian environment. Priests boarded in our home. I was the parish priest’s protégée and on several councils as was my father, but I did not meet Jesus as personal saviour until I was 26 years of age. In all this time, something drew me to Israel. My heart was for Israel, but I was not sure why. I have discovered that my family tree dates back to the convict era in Australia when my forefathers migrated as free settlers or pilgrims starting a new life in the new land. I have embarked on a journey of exploration to discover my rich Jewish and Christian heritage I am amazed and blessed to unearth truths I never saw before as a firm believer and follower of the Messiah we call Jesus. It is like seeing both sides of the coin simultaneously.  God has a covenant with Israel that still remains in force and He also has a covenant with the Church that, as I just explained, may be different. Please also consider that the New Testament teaches us that there may in fact be no distinction.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:28-29. See also Romans 10:12; 1 Corinthians 10:32; 12:13.

Jewish feasts represent the promise and the fulfilment of the promise in Jesus. A Hebrew word for Feast is Mo’ed, meaning Appointed Time, so they are appointed times set By God for His people to spend with Him. The Lord has set these special times to meet with His people. Scriptures show us that God took the initiative.  Separated by sin, man could not otherwise reach out to God.
These appointed Feasts begin the biblical calendar and set the spiritual rhythm of the Kingdom. Each of the biblical Feasts are rich in symbolism that reveal prophetic truths and aspects of the nature of God and His redemptive plan for the world.

Whilst the format or the actual order of service may have changed somewhat from the original, the Telling, or the purpose remains the same, passed down from generation to generation. This is not unique to Passover of course. This continues right throughout scripture and history.  Deuteronomy 6:7 gives wise instruction to-
teach them [all the statutes and commandments] diligently to your sons and to talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

From their early history,  Jewish People have taught their children by the Torah and this has helped to preserve them as a People, despite the ravages of time and adverse human intervention. Through the Plagues of Europe, most Jewish People did not contract these terrible diseases, simply by living in accord to the biblical commandments. Such commandments were given for practical purposes like the preparation, storage and consumption of food before the days of refrigeration or personal hygiene before reticulated water supplies, sanitation or sewage services as well as religious purposes. God is a very practical God!
Through approximately two millennia of suffering persecutions, pogroms, and the Holocaust, with no country to call their own, the Word of God bound them together and to God,  giving hope, promise and purpose from generation to generation. Christians should thus understand that there is also an intangible spiritual benefit to learning and doing the Word and the Will of the Lord as the Jews do.

These feasts were revealed by God for his own particular reasons, and through them all believers can be blessed, Jews and Gentiles alike.
As I said before, we would do well to constantly remember that Jesus was a Jew and is still a Jew!

The Feasts of Israel are important for many reasons, some of which include-

• They are part of  the Scriptures that have been given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and are written for our learning. See Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
• They are a shadow of things to come. See Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 8:5, 9:9, 23-24.
• They speak about Jesus. See Psalm 40:6-8; 29:9; Hebrews 10:7.

There are several holy days or festivals in the Jewish Calendar. They are-

• Shabbat—The Sabbath (not to be regarded as one of the Feasts)
• Pesach—The Passover
• Sfirat HaOmer—The Early First Fruits
• Shavuot—The Latter First Fruits
• Rosh HaShanah—The New Year
• Yom Kippur—The Day of Atonement
• Sukkot—The Feast ofTabernacles
• Hanukkah—The Feast of Dedication
• Purim—The Feast of Lots (Purim is not actually one of the Holy Day observances as specifically listed in The Law, but is a very important event in Jewish life as it commemorates the event when a little Jewish Girl called Esther was prepared to give up her life to save her people from extermination. Her words, If I perish, I perish ring in our ears today and remind us of how one other person, a Jew called Jesus, gave up His life to save His people.

Three times a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you. Deuteronomy 16:16-17. See also Exodus 23:14-19.

God is light and that He made the rainbow as a token of His covenant. The rainbow has three major colours, each manifest in seven primary colours. There are three Feasts of the Lord, each of which are comprised of sub-sections or feasts.

Contained in the first group is the Feast of Passover seen in Leviticus 23:4-5, the Feast of Unleavened Bread seen in Leviticus 23:6-8 and The Feast of the Sheaf of Firstfruits as seen in Leviticus 23:9-14.

The second group is the time we know as Pentecost. It is the Feast of Weeks and is seen in Leviticus 23:15-22.

The last group of feasts comprises the Feast of Trumpets seen in Leviticus 23:23-25, the Feast of Atonement seen in Leviticus 23:236-32 and the Feast of Tabernacles seen in Leviticus 23:33-34.

Please notice that they are God’s Feasts. They were to be held in the place of His choosing or appointment and they were to be held at the time He prescribed. If you look at these things in the light of redemption, God chose Jesus to be our Passover Lamb, God chose the appointed time and God’s appointed place was Golgotha’s ugly tree... the cross.

You can already see a wonderful and amazingly intricately woven pattern in these feasts, but we shall focus on one only, namely the Feast of Passover. See Hebrews 10:7.

There is one aspect to the Feasts of the Lord that is often overlooked. The New Covenant under which we live was provided through Jesus’ passion as the substitute for all of our sins. Before then, sacrifice for sin was continual, or repetitive, because the sin principle itself was not dealt with. Thankfully we no longer need to offer blood sacrifices or adhere to a rigid set of rituals. The blood of Jesus has cleansed us from all sin. Hebrews 10:10 reveals that Jesus made a once-and-for-all-times sacrifice, so that we do not have to live under the curse of the law, but many Christians do not fully comprehend the fullness of all Jesus did, without having some understanding of these holy events. If we have been grafted into the vine, then we are partakers of the same fruit of that vine, so our rich heritage embraces everything. Whilst we may not need to continue in their observances as the Jews did, the rich truths of these feasts impacts our lives. They looked forward to the promise whereas we can look back to them.

Clearly defined blessings are available by celebrating the feasts of the Lord.

In Exodus 23, God will be an enemy to your enemies (verse 22), assigns an angel to us (see verse 23), will give prosperity (verse 25), provide healing (verse 25) and bring increase and inheritance (verse 30). These blessings in themselves are another matter to consider elsewhere. I have discovered that as I unearth one treasure, another gem is revealed, only to reveal yet another. Little wonder John said in John said he could not record everything there is to write down.
Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31.
 

What is given to us is there to reveal Jesus and God’s plan for us. Everything points to the Son of God. There is therefore much more to this than meets the eye, but having said that, please understand that I am not advocating that Christians start embracing Judaism in any way whatsoever. Enter into the liberty with which Christ has made us free.

When the time came for the deliverance of the nation out of Egypt, God gave Moses specific instructions which he preached to the people who had the choice to accept or reject. The heads of each household were to take a lamb of the first year on the tenth day of the first month and set it aside until the fourteenth day. That evening, the lamb had to be killed and its blood had to be applied to the doorpost and lintels of each house. I think of that as forming the shape of the Cross. The people in the household were to eat the lamb that was roasted with fire with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. They had to eat it in haste, ready for departure or deliverance from Egypt.
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month is to be your beginning of months; it will be your first month of the year. Tell the whole community of Israel, ‘In the tenth day of this month they each must take a lamb for themselves according to their families — a lamb for each household. If any household is too small for a lamb, the man and his next-door neighbor are to take a lamb according to the number of people — you will make your count for the lamb according to how much each one can eat. Your lamb must be perfect, a male, one year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You must care for it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then the whole community of Israel will kill it around sundown. They will take some of the blood and put it on the two side posts and top of the doorframe of the houses where they will eat it. They will eat the meat the same night; they will eat it roasted over the fire with bread made without yeast and with bitter herbs. Do not eat it raw or boiled in water, but roast it over the fire with its head, its legs, and its entrails. You must leave nothing until morning, but you must burn with fire whatever remains of it until morning. This is how you are to eat it — dressed to travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in haste. It is the LORD’S Passover. Exodus 12:1-11.

Please notice the closing statement—It is the Lord’s Passover! God is the one making the provision. He is the one seeking something and it is simple... it is the applied blood.
The shed blood was to cover whoever remained in that house. It wasn’t just for the father of the house, but the fathers, or the mothers, sons, daughters, uncles, cousins, or the neighbours. Whoever chose to be inside the house that had the blood on it was safe. Each person had the freedom of choice, just as they do today to choose Jesus Christ or not. We see this in the New Testament with people like Lydia, the Philippian jailer and Crispus See Acts 16:14-15, 30-34, 18:8. We have the legal right to claim every member of our households for Jesus.
At midnight, the angel of death passed throughout the land and every house that did not have the covering of the blood would suffer the judgement of death of the firstborn of both man and beast. God stated that He was looking for the applied blood.
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment [proving their helplessness]. I am the Lord. The blood shall be for a token or sign to you upon [the doorposts of] the houses where you are, [that] when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be to you for a memorial. You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations, keep it as an ordinance forever. Exodus 12:12-14.

This is the story of Passover and it is enacted every year at around this time. The Hebrew word for Passover is Pesach. It means much more than merely the passing over a household that had the protection of the applied blood, but a hovering over of divine protection. Mercy and judgement are thus applied simultaneously. God was dealing directly with sin and the false gods of Egypt whilst saving His people from the penalty of sin if they came under His banner.

This brings us now to the Passover Meal or Seder. There are many excellent Jewish sites to visit that will present Passover in more or better detail, but I wish for non-Jews to get a picture of what happens. I have been to a Passover celebration in Jewish synagogues and participated with great emotions.

We are much more alike that we each give the other credit for and my fervent desire is for us all to be one even as Jesus said we should be.

The modern seder has an order of service called the Passover Haggadah, which with slight variants is followed by Jews around the world. The following is a summary of the evening’s events. Depending on local circumstances, those present traditionally recline on cushions on the left side at table for part, if not all of the meal, but from personal experience, dining is at western style tables, with a head table at which the person leading the service is seated. In ancient times only free people had the luxury of reclining while eating, so the act of reclining represents the fact that we are free people. I am of the belief that the Last Supper was in this format, with the seating arranged in a U-shape where Jesus reclined in the centre position, most likely with John on one side and Judas on the other side of Him. This deserves detailed analysis that is better reserved for another time.
The order of service is as follows-

Kadeish קדש – recital of Kiddush blessing and drinking of the first cup of wine
Urchatz ורחץ – the washing of the hands – without blessing
Karpas כרפס – dipping of the karpas in salt water
Yachatz יחץ – breaking the middle matzo; the larger piece becomes the afikoman which is eaten later during the ritual of Tzafun
Maggid מגיד – retelling the Passover story, including the recital of “the four questions” and drinking of the second cup of wine
Rachtzah רחצה – second washing of the hands – with blessing
Motzi מוציא – traditional blessing before eating bread products
Matzo מצה – blessing before eating matzo
Maror מרור – eating of the maror
Koreich כורך – eating of a sandwich made of matzo and maror
Shulchan oreich שולחן עורך – the serving of the holiday meal
Tzafun צפון – eating of the afikoman
Bareich ברך – blessing after the meal and drinking of the third cup of wine
Hallel הלל – recital of the Hallel, traditionally recited on festivals; drinking of the fourth cup of wine
Nirtzah נירצה – conclusion

We shall now look at these in more detail. A typical Passover Seder begins with people seated at a beautifuly set table, often set with a special set of Passover dishes and cookware, only used once per year for this special occasion. Families often develop their own family traditions, but certain elements remain in practically all Seders. One expects to find-

A Haggadah - One for each guest
A Seder Plate - The Seder Plate may be a specially designed plate containing
 the elements that assist in telling the Passover story, or a large plate
 or platter containing:
(a) Z’roah - A cooked and cleaned lamb shank bone
(b) Maror - Bitter herbs such as horseradish from a jar for dipping
(c) Charoset - A sweet apple mixture
(d) Karpas - Parsley - at least a sprig for each person
(e) Beytzah - A hard-boiled or roasted egg (this is a reminder of when the Temple in Jerusalem was burned and destroyed in 70AD)
A small bowl of salt water  - For dipping (symbolising tears)
Matzah - The Bread of Affliction
The Afikomen - The Leader will have three matzot wrapped in a Tosh, which is a special napkin dividing the three, and coins ready to ransom a piece of the middle matzah that will be broken and hidden and found by one of the children. This piece is known as the Afikomen and has surprising symbolism
A set of candlesticks
Wine (or grape juice)
A large bowl and a pitcher of water with a hand towel
A pillow for leaning (preferably or all present, but one at least for the leader
A special goblet - The Cup of Elijah.
A major part of the Seder is called the Maggid, which is the retelling of the Passover story from Exodus and the recital of the Four Questions from the youngest son. For me at least, the dramatic story unfolds throughout the evening, often producing tears and rejoicing combined as I think of the blood of a lamb applied to the doorpost of the Hebrew slaves that saved them and as a believer think of  Revelation 12:11 that says-
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony

I  give testimony here to God’s enduring faithfulness from that first Passover lamb in Egypt to Yeshua, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29.

Extracts taken from my personal Passover Haggadah are as follows. The evening commences with -

Kadeish. The blessings and the first cup of wine. The Kiddush is normally said by the father of the house.

Ur’chatz. The washing of the hands. In traditional Jewish homes, it is common to ritually wash the hands before a meal. No blessing is usually recited at this point in the Seder. The blessing is usually recited over the washing of the hands before eating bread at any other time.

Karpas. An appetizer. Each person dips a vegetable into either salt water, vinegar or charoset.

Yachatz. This is the breaking of the middle matzah. Three matzot are stacked on the seder table and at this stage, the middle matzah of the three is broken in half. The larger piece is hidden, to be used later as the afikoman, which is the dessert after the meal. The smaller piece is returned to its place between the other two matzot.

Magid. The telling of the story of Passover, and the change from slavery to freedom is told.
Ha Lachma Anya. This is the invitation to the Seder.

The matzot are uncovered, and referred to as the bread of affliction with an invitation to all who are hungry or needy to join in the Seder.

Mah Nishtanah or The Four Questions.
Ma nishtana ha lyla ha zeh mikkol hallaylot? 
Why is this night different from all other nights?
Shebb’khol hallelot anu okh’lin ḥamets umatsa, vehallayla hazze kullo matsa.

Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either leavened bread or matza, but on this night we eat only matza?
Shebb’khol hallelot anu okh’lin sh’ar y’rakot, vehallayla hazze maror?
 Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables, but on this night we eat bitter herbs?
Shebb’khol hallelot en anu matbillin afillu pa‘am eḥat, vehallayla hazze sh’tei fe‘amim?
 Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip [our food] even once, but on this night we dip them twice?
Shebb’khol hallelot anu okh’lin ben yosh’vin uven m’subbin, vehallayla hazze kullanu m’subbin?
 Why is it that on all other nights we dine either sitting upright or reclining, but on this night we all recline?

The four questions have been translated into over 300 languages and the answers are wonderful-
We eat only matzah because our ancestors could not wait for their breads to rise when they were fleeing slavery in Egypt, and so they were flat when they came out of the oven.
We eat only Maror, a bitter herb, to remind us of the bitterness of slavery that our ancestors endured while in Egypt.
The first dip, green vegetables in salt water, symbolizes the replacing of our tears with gratefulness, and the second dip, Maror in Charoses, symbolizes the sweetening of our burden of bitterness and suffering.
We recline at the Seder table because in ancient times, a person who reclined at a meal was a free person, while slaves and servants stood.
We eat only roasted meat because that is how the Pesach is prepared during sacrifice in the Temple at Jerusalem.

At this part in the Seder, songs of praise are sung, including the song Dayenu, which proclaims that had God performed any single one of the many deeds performed for the Jewish people, it would have been enough to obligate us to give thanks to Him.
Kos Sheini. The second cup of wine. Magid concludes.

Rohtzah. This is a ritual washing of hands. The ritual hand-washing is repeated including a blessing. Motzi Who brings forth is said with matzah.
The blessing over the matzah is recited and then the matzoh is eaten.

Maror bitter herbs. The blessing for the eating of the maror is recited and then it is dipped into the charoset and eaten.

Koreich sandwich. The maror is placed between two small pieces of matzo, similarly to how the contents of a sandwich are placed between two slices of bread and eaten.

Shulchan Orech the meal. The festive meal is eaten. Traditionally it begins with the hard-boiled egg on the Seder plate.
Tzafun.

The eating of the afikoman. This was hidden earlier in the Seder and is by tradition, the last morsel of food eaten by participants in the Seder. No other food may be eaten for the rest of the night and no intoxicating beverages may be consumed, with the exception of the remaining two cups of wine.
In some families, the children steal the afikoman and ask for a reward for its return.

Bareich. This is grace that is said after meals.

The recital of Birkat Hamazon.

Kos Shlishi. This is the drinking of the third cup of wine. The Third Cup is customarily poured beforehand.

Kos shel Eliyahu ha-Navi. This is the cup of Elijah the Prophet.
In some places, the front door of the house is opened at this point. Some people relate this cup to the notion that Elijah will visit each home on Seder night as a foreshadowing of his future arrival at the end of the days, when he will come to announce the coming of the Jewish Messiah.

Hallel  or songs of praise.

Afterwards the Fourth Cup of Wine is drunk and a brief Grace for the fruit of the vine is said.
Conclusion. The Seder concludes with a prayer that the night’s service be accepted. A hope for the Messiah is expressed-
L’shanah haba’ah b’Yerushalayim. Next year in Jerusalem.
Following the Seder, usually now getting late in the evening, people may recite the Song of Songs, engage in Torah learning, or continue talking about the events of the Exodus.

This then is Passover.

In conclusion, I would like to quote Jesus.
Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:7-20.

That was His Last Passover as we know it under Old Testament conditions. Jesus said that He desired this so much that it was like a deep craving or such a passionate longing for it, the feeling is likened to a lusting after something. It was pressing in upon Him, that it was almost as if He couldn’t wait any longer. He sent Peter and John ahead of Him to get things ready, then when these preparations(that took a considerable time) were finished... He arrived with all twelve of them to partake. He also said that it would be His last until He partook anew until it was fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. He fulfilled it! All that remains now is for those who are making things ready for Him and He will return. Will you be ready? Will you be present at the great Marriage Supper?

If you are unsure of your personal relationship with God, you can answer that question right now. Like Paul, I have a prayer for you that you can make your own! It is simple.

Brothers, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for my countrymen, that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, only it is a zeal without knowledge...For Moses writes concerning the righteousness of the Law, saying, The man that doeth it shall live by it. But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way... But what does it say? The word is near thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart. That is the very word of faith which we preach; Confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God actually raised him from the dead, and you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. The Scriptures say, Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame. For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, because the same Lord Jesus is all over, and is rich unto all who call upon Him; for Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:1-13.

You too may know and experience the things I have shared with you on this page. It is simple. All you need to to is what the scripture above says...

• Believe that Jesus came and died then rose again
• Believe that His shed blood took away all your sin
• Ask Him to forgive you and...
• Receive all that He did for you.

This simple prayer from your heart will save you. It will be the start of a wonderful journey in life that you and I walk together. Please write us and share your testimony. We would love to hear from you.
Robert 

Adonai spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt; he said, “You are to begin your calendar with this month; it will be the first month of the year for you. Speak to all the assembly of Isra’el and say, ‘On the tenth day of this month, each man is to take a lamb or kid for his family, one per household—except that if the household is too small for a whole lamb or kid, then he and his next-door neighbor should share one, dividing it in proportion to the number of people eating it. Your animal must be without defect, a male in its first year, and you may choose it from either the sheep or the goats. “ ‘You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, and then the entire assembly of the community of Isra’el will slaughter it at dusk. They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the two sides and top of the door-frame at the entrance of the house in which they eat it. That night, they are to eat the meat, roasted in the fire; they are to eat it with matzah and maror. Don’t eat it raw or boiled, but roasted in the fire, with its head, the lower parts of its legs and its inner organs. Let nothing of it remain till morning; if any of it does remain, burn it up completely. “ ‘Here is how you are to eat it: with your belt fastened, your shoes on your feet and your staff in your hand; and you are to eat it hurriedly. It is Adonai’s Pesach [Passover].

There is a time of year when Christians and Jews alike celebrate a momentous occasion. Easter falls on slightly different dates each year depending on the seasons.

The names of the Jewish months date back the time of Moses, when God brought the people out of Egypt. The biblical time of Ezra following the end of Jewish captivity in Babylon had a profound bearing on the calendar. Most of the months are either 29 or 30 days in length, with the lead month, Nissan, beginning in the civil equivalent of March/ April. Passover is celebrated in Nissan.

Because of the different dating system and extensive history of the Jewish people, years in the Hebrew calendar are also calculated differently from the common calendar, with the Jewish New Year commencing in the seventh month, Tishri. The exact lengths of the months of Cheshvan and Kislev are also dependent on Tishri.

Whereas the civil calendar is a solar one, the Jewish calendar operates as a "luni-solar" model, and is thus usually only 354 days as opposed to 365. Accordingly, the Jewish calendar adds an extra month (Adar II) every two or three years to compensate for the resulting 11-day lag.

During this time, Jews from all around the world celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the highlight being the eating of the Passover meal. During the evening, children usually ask a profound question, one of four questions called Ma Nishtanah, often sung in Hebrew. It is Why is this night different than all other nights?  We shall look at the answer together and see why this is so important to Jew and Christian alike. The remaining questions are equally important, being-

• Why do we only eat unleavened bread on this night?
• Why do we eat bitter herbs?
• Why do we dip twice?
• Why do we eat our meal reclining?

Throughout Church history there has been great misunderstanding between the Church and the Jewish people. Both Christians and Jews have often believed that there is little real or practical connection between Christianity and Jewish life. These views are based on ignorance, false presuppositions, on traditions of men or upon erroneous teachings. One such error is what is called Replacement Theology, which basically says that God has finished with Israel and the Jew and that the Church has superseded them in the New Testament. God’s covenant with Israel is an everlasting covenant, attested to in the bible more than thirty times. He deals with three classes of people. Paul said-
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 1 Corinthians 10:32.

The Jew has a covenant with God. The Church has a different covenant with God and the Goyim, or Gentiles, which refers to those with no covenant and God deals with each differently. When reading scripture we need to differentiate between them. Sometimes God is speaking to or about an individual.
At other times he speaks to a group of people. Sometimes He is referring to the Church and no one else, whereas on other occasions, He is dealing with Israel and no one else. Sometimes a passage of scripture may refer to events that have happened, are currently happening and are yet to happen in the arena of human life, referring in one part to Israel and a sentence further on to the Church. Unnecessary confusion arises when we mix them up, sometimes for pure lack of understanding or revelation and at other times for political expedience or correctness. This is one reason why there is so much misunderstanding.
We should also be mindful not to forget the Jewishness of Jesus.  He was a practicing Jew and is still a Jew. His early followers were Jews who had found the promised Messiah and in many ways continued the Jewish expression of their faith. Please understand that we are not advocating that Christians adopt Jewish manners and customs or vice-versa. I grew from childhood in a Christian environment. Priests boarded in our home. I was the parish priest’s protégée and on several councils as was my father, but I did not meet Jesus as personal saviour until I was 26 years of age. In all this time, something drew me to Israel. My heart was for Israel, but I was not sure why. I have discovered that my family tree dates back to the convict era in Australia when my forefathers migrated as free settlers or pilgrims starting a new life in the new land. I have embarked on a journey of exploration to discover my rich Jewish and Christian heritage I am amazed and blessed to unearth truths I never saw before as a firm believer and follower of the Messiah we call Jesus. It is like seeing both sides of the coin simultaneously.  God has a covenant with Israel that still remains in force and He also has a covenant with the Church that, as I just explained, may be different. Please also consider that the New Testament teaches us that there may in fact be no distinction.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:28-29. See also Romans 10:12; 1 Corinthians 10:32; 12:13.

Jewish feasts represent the promise and the fulfilment of the promise in Jesus. A Hebrew word for Feast is Mo’ed, meaning Appointed Time, so they are appointed times set By God for His people to spend with Him. The Lord has set these special times to meet with His people. Scriptures show us that God took the initiative.  Separated by sin, man could not otherwise reach out to God.
These appointed Feasts begin the biblical calendar and set the spiritual rhythm of the Kingdom. Each of the biblical Feasts are rich in symbolism that reveal prophetic truths and aspects of the nature of God and His redemptive plan for the world.

Whilst the format or the actual order of service may have changed somewhat from the original, the Telling, or the purpose remains the same, passed down from generation to generation. This is not unique to Passover of course. This continues right throughout scripture and history.  Deuteronomy 6:7 gives wise instruction to-
teach them [all the statutes and commandments] diligently to your sons and to talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

From their early history,  Jewish People have taught their children by the Torah and this has helped to preserve them as a People, despite the ravages of time and adverse human intervention. Through the Plagues of Europe, most Jewish People did not contract these terrible diseases, simply by living in accord to the biblical commandments. Such commandments were given for practical purposes like the preparation, storage and consumption of food before the days of refrigeration or personal hygiene before reticulated water supplies, sanitation or sewage services as well as religious purposes. God is a very practical God!
Through approximately two millennia of suffering persecutions, pogroms, and the Holocaust, with no country to call their own, the Word of God bound them together and to God,  giving hope, promise and purpose from generation to generation. Christians should thus understand that there is also an intangible spiritual benefit to learning and doing the Word and the Will of the Lord as the Jews do.

These feasts were revealed by God for his own particular reasons, and through them all believers can be blessed, Jews and Gentiles alike.
As I said before, we would do well to constantly remember that Jesus was a Jew and is still a Jew!

The Feasts of Israel are important for many reasons, some of which include-

• They are part of  the Scriptures that have been given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and are written for our learning. See Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
• They are a shadow of things to come. See Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 8:5, 9:9, 23-24.
• They speak about Jesus. See Psalm 40:6-8; 29:9; Hebrews 10:7.

There are several holy days or festivals in the Jewish Calendar. They are-

• Shabbat—The Sabbath (not to be regarded as one of the Feasts)
• Pesach—The Passover
• Sfirat HaOmer—The Early First Fruits
• Shavuot—The Latter First Fruits
• Rosh HaShanah—The New Year
• Yom Kippur—The Day of Atonement
• Sukkot—The Feast ofTabernacles
• Hanukkah—The Feast of Dedication
• Purim—The Feast of Lots (Purim is not actually one of the Holy Day observances as specifically listed in The Law, but is a very important event in Jewish life as it commemorates the event when a little Jewish Girl called Esther was prepared to give up her life to save her people from extermination. Her words, If I perish, I perish ring in our ears today and remind us of how one other person, a Jew called Jesus, gave up His life to save His people.

Three times a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you. Deuteronomy 16:16-17. See also Exodus 23:14-19.

God is light and that He made the rainbow as a token of His covenant. The rainbow has three major colours, each manifest in seven primary colours. There are three Feasts of the Lord, each of which are comprised of sub-sections or feasts.

Contained in the first group is the Feast of Passover seen in Leviticus 23:4-5, the Feast of Unleavened Bread seen in Leviticus 23:6-8 and The Feast of the Sheaf of Firstfruits as seen in Leviticus 23:9-14.

The second group is the time we know as Pentecost. It is the Feast of Weeks and is seen in Leviticus 23:15-22.

The last group of feasts comprises the Feast of Trumpets seen in Leviticus 23:23-25, the Feast of Atonement seen in Leviticus 23:236-32 and the Feast of Tabernacles seen in Leviticus 23:33-34.

Please notice that they are God’s Feasts. They were to be held in the place of His choosing or appointment and they were to be held at the time He prescribed. If you look at these things in the light of redemption, God chose Jesus to be our Passover Lamb, God chose the appointed time and God’s appointed place was Golgotha’s ugly tree... the cross.

You can already see a wonderful and amazingly intricately woven pattern in these feasts, but we shall focus on one only, namely the Feast of Passover. See Hebrews 10:7.

There is one aspect to the Feasts of the Lord that is often overlooked. The New Covenant under which we live was provided through Jesus’ passion as the substitute for all of our sins. Before then, sacrifice for sin was continual, or repetitive, because the sin principle itself was not dealt with. Thankfully we no longer need to offer blood sacrifices or adhere to a rigid set of rituals. The blood of Jesus has cleansed us from all sin. Hebrews 10:10 reveals that Jesus made a once-and-for-all-times sacrifice, so that we do not have to live under the curse of the law, but many Christians do not fully comprehend the fullness of all Jesus did, without having some understanding of these holy events. If we have been grafted into the vine, then we are partakers of the same fruit of that vine, so our rich heritage embraces everything. Whilst we may not need to continue in their observances as the Jews did, the rich truths of these feasts impacts our lives. They looked forward to the promise whereas we can look back to them.

Clearly defined blessings are available by celebrating the feasts of the Lord.

In Exodus 23, God will be an enemy to your enemies (verse 22), assigns an angel to us (see verse 23), will give prosperity (verse 25), provide healing (verse 25) and bring increase and inheritance (verse 30). These blessings in themselves are another matter to consider elsewhere. I have discovered that as I unearth one treasure, another gem is revealed, only to reveal yet another. Little wonder John said in John said he could not record everything there is to write down.
Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31.
 

What is given to us is there to reveal Jesus and God’s plan for us. Everything points to the Son of God. There is therefore much more to this than meets the eye, but having said that, please understand that I am not advocating that Christians start embracing Judaism in any way whatsoever. Enter into the liberty with which Christ has made us free.

When the time came for the deliverance of the nation out of Egypt, God gave Moses specific instructions which he preached to the people who had the choice to accept or reject. The heads of each household were to take a lamb of the first year on the tenth day of the first month and set it aside until the fourteenth day. That evening, the lamb had to be killed and its blood had to be applied to the doorpost and lintels of each house. I think of that as forming the shape of the Cross. The people in the household were to eat the lamb that was roasted with fire with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. They had to eat it in haste, ready for departure or deliverance from Egypt.
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month is to be your beginning of months; it will be your first month of the year. Tell the whole community of Israel, ‘In the tenth day of this month they each must take a lamb for themselves according to their families — a lamb for each household. If any household is too small for a lamb, the man and his next-door neighbor are to take a lamb according to the number of people — you will make your count for the lamb according to how much each one can eat. Your lamb must be perfect, a male, one year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You must care for it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then the whole community of Israel will kill it around sundown. They will take some of the blood and put it on the two side posts and top of the doorframe of the houses where they will eat it. They will eat the meat the same night; they will eat it roasted over the fire with bread made without yeast and with bitter herbs. Do not eat it raw or boiled in water, but roast it over the fire with its head, its legs, and its entrails. You must leave nothing until morning, but you must burn with fire whatever remains of it until morning. This is how you are to eat it — dressed to travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in haste. It is the LORD’S Passover. Exodus 12:1-11.

Please notice the closing statement—It is the Lord’s Passover! God is the one making the provision. He is the one seeking something and it is simple... it is the applied blood.
The shed blood was to cover whoever remained in that house. It wasn’t just for the father of the house, but the fathers, or the mothers, sons, daughters, uncles, cousins, or the neighbours. Whoever chose to be inside the house that had the blood on it was safe. Each person had the freedom of choice, just as they do today to choose Jesus Christ or not. We see this in the New Testament with people like Lydia, the Philippian jailer and Crispus See Acts 16:14-15, 30-34, 18:8. We have the legal right to claim every member of our households for Jesus.
At midnight, the angel of death passed throughout the land and every house that did not have the covering of the blood would suffer the judgement of death of the firstborn of both man and beast. God stated that He was looking for the applied blood.
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment [proving their helplessness]. I am the Lord. The blood shall be for a token or sign to you upon [the doorposts of] the houses where you are, [that] when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be to you for a memorial. You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations, keep it as an ordinance forever. Exodus 12:12-14.

This is the story of Passover and it is enacted every year at around this time. The Hebrew word for Passover is Pesach. It means much more than merely the passing over a household that had the protection of the applied blood, but a hovering over of divine protection. Mercy and judgement are thus applied simultaneously. God was dealing directly with sin and the false gods of Egypt whilst saving His people from the penalty of sin if they came under His banner.

Adonai spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt; he said, “You are to begin your calendar with this month; it will be the first month of the year for you. Speak to all the assembly of Isra’el and say, ‘On the tenth day of this month, each man is to take a lamb or kid for his family, one per household—except that if the household is too small for a whole lamb or kid, then he and his next-door neighbor should share one, dividing it in proportion to the number of people eating it. Your animal must be without defect, a male in its first year, and you may choose it from either the sheep or the goats. “ ‘You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, and then the entire assembly of the community of Isra’el will slaughter it at dusk. They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the two sides and top of the door-frame at the entrance of the house in which they eat it. That night, they are to eat the meat, roasted in the fire; they are to eat it with matzah and maror. Don’t eat it raw or boiled, but roasted in the fire, with its head, the lower parts of its legs and its inner organs. Let nothing of it remain till morning; if any of it does remain, burn it up completely. “ ‘Here is how you are to eat it: with your belt fastened, your shoes on your feet and your staff in your hand; and you are to eat it hurriedly. It is Adonai’s Pesach [Passover].

There is a time of year when Christians and Jews alike celebrate a momentous occasion. Easter falls on slightly different dates each year depending on the seasons.

The names of the Jewish months date back the time of Moses, when God brought the people out of Egypt. The biblical time of Ezra following the end of Jewish captivity in Babylon had a profound bearing on the calendar. Most of the months are either 29 or 30 days in length, with the lead month, Nissan, beginning in the civil equivalent of March/ April. Passover is celebrated in Nissan.

Because of the different dating system and extensive history of the Jewish people, years in the Hebrew calendar are also calculated differently from the common calendar, with the Jewish New Year commencing in the seventh month, Tishri. The exact lengths of the months of Cheshvan and Kislev are also dependent on Tishri.

Whereas the civil calendar is a solar one, the Jewish calendar operates as a "luni-solar" model, and is thus usually only 354 days as opposed to 365. Accordingly, the Jewish calendar adds an extra month (Adar II) every two or three years to compensate for the resulting 11-day lag.

During this time, Jews from all around the world celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the highlight being the eating of the Passover meal. During the evening, children usually ask a profound question, one of four questions called Ma Nishtanah, often sung in Hebrew. It is Why is this night different than all other nights?  We shall look at the answer together and see why this is so important to Jew and Christian alike. The remaining questions are equally important, being-

• Why do we only eat unleavened bread on this night?
• Why do we eat bitter herbs?
• Why do we dip twice?
• Why do we eat our meal reclining?

Throughout Church history there has been great misunderstanding between the Church and the Jewish people. Both Christians and Jews have often believed that there is little real or practical connection between Christianity and Jewish life. These views are based on ignorance, false presuppositions, on traditions of men or upon erroneous teachings. One such error is what is called Replacement Theology, which basically says that God has finished with Israel and the Jew and that the Church has superseded them in the New Testament. God’s covenant with Israel is an everlasting covenant, attested to in the bible more than thirty times. He deals with three classes of people. Paul said-
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 1 Corinthians 10:32.

The Jew has a covenant with God. The Church has a different covenant with God and the Goyim, or Gentiles, which refers to those with no covenant and God deals with each differently. When reading scripture we need to differentiate between them. Sometimes God is speaking to or about an individual.
At other times he speaks to a group of people. Sometimes He is referring to the Church and no one else, whereas on other occasions, He is dealing with Israel and no one else. Sometimes a passage of scripture may refer to events that have happened, are currently happening and are yet to happen in the arena of human life, referring in one part to Israel and a sentence further on to the Church. Unnecessary confusion arises when we mix them up, sometimes for pure lack of understanding or revelation and at other times for political expedience or correctness. This is one reason why there is so much misunderstanding.
We should also be mindful not to forget the Jewishness of Jesus.  He was a practicing Jew and is still a Jew. His early followers were Jews who had found the promised Messiah and in many ways continued the Jewish expression of their faith. Please understand that we are not advocating that Christians adopt Jewish manners and customs or vice-versa. I grew from childhood in a Christian environment. Priests boarded in our home. I was the parish priest’s protégée and on several councils as was my father, but I did not meet Jesus as personal saviour until I was 26 years of age. In all this time, something drew me to Israel. My heart was for Israel, but I was not sure why. I have discovered that my family tree dates back to the convict era in Australia when my forefathers migrated as free settlers or pilgrims starting a new life in the new land. I have embarked on a journey of exploration to discover my rich Jewish and Christian heritage I am amazed and blessed to unearth truths I never saw before as a firm believer and follower of the Messiah we call Jesus. It is like seeing both sides of the coin simultaneously.  God has a covenant with Israel that still remains in force and He also has a covenant with the Church that, as I just explained, may be different. Please also consider that the New Testament teaches us that there may in fact be no distinction.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:28-29. See also Romans 10:12; 1 Corinthians 10:32; 12:13.

Jewish feasts represent the promise and the fulfilment of the promise in Jesus. A Hebrew word for Feast is Mo’ed, meaning Appointed Time, so they are appointed times set By God for His people to spend with Him. The Lord has set these special times to meet with His people. Scriptures show us that God took the initiative.  Separated by sin, man could not otherwise reach out to God.
These appointed Feasts begin the biblical calendar and set the spiritual rhythm of the Kingdom. Each of the biblical Feasts are rich in symbolism that reveal prophetic truths and aspects of the nature of God and His redemptive plan for the world.

Whilst the format or the actual order of service may have changed somewhat from the original, the Telling, or the purpose remains the same, passed down from generation to generation. This is not unique to Passover of course. This continues right throughout scripture and history.  Deuteronomy 6:7 gives wise instruction to-
teach them [all the statutes and commandments] diligently to your sons and to talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

From their early history,  Jewish People have taught their children by the Torah and this has helped to preserve them as a People, despite the ravages of time and adverse human intervention. Through the Plagues of Europe, most Jewish People did not contract these terrible diseases, simply by living in accord to the biblical commandments. Such commandments were given for practical purposes like the preparation, storage and consumption of food before the days of refrigeration or personal hygiene before reticulated water supplies, sanitation or sewage services as well as religious purposes. God is a very practical God!
Through approximately two millennia of suffering persecutions, pogroms, and the Holocaust, with no country to call their own, the Word of God bound them together and to God,  giving hope, promise and purpose from generation to generation. Christians should thus understand that there is also an intangible spiritual benefit to learning and doing the Word and the Will of the Lord as the Jews do.

These feasts were revealed by God for his own particular reasons, and through them all believers can be blessed, Jews and Gentiles alike.
As I said before, we would do well to constantly remember that Jesus was a Jew and is still a Jew!

The Feasts of Israel are important for many reasons, some of which include-

• They are part of  the Scriptures that have been given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and are written for our learning. See Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
• They are a shadow of things to come. See Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 8:5, 9:9, 23-24.
• They speak about Jesus. See Psalm 40:6-8; 29:9; Hebrews 10:7.

There are several holy days or festivals in the Jewish Calendar. They are-

• Shabbat—The Sabbath (not to be regarded as one of the Feasts)
• Pesach—The Passover
• Sfirat HaOmer—The Early First Fruits
• Shavuot—The Latter First Fruits
• Rosh HaShanah—The New Year
• Yom Kippur—The Day of Atonement
• Sukkot—The Feast ofTabernacles
• Hanukkah—The Feast of Dedication
• Purim—The Feast of Lots (Purim is not actually one of the Holy Day observances as specifically listed in The Law, but is a very important event in Jewish life as it commemorates the event when a little Jewish Girl called Esther was prepared to give up her life to save her people from extermination. Her words, If I perish, I perish ring in our ears today and remind us of how one other person, a Jew called Jesus, gave up His life to save His people.

Three times a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you. Deuteronomy 16:16-17. See also Exodus 23:14-19.

God is light and that He made the rainbow as a token of His covenant. The rainbow has three major colours, each manifest in seven primary colours. There are three Feasts of the Lord, each of which are comprised of sub-sections or feasts.

Contained in the first group is the Feast of Passover seen in Leviticus 23:4-5, the Feast of Unleavened Bread seen in Leviticus 23:6-8 and The Feast of the Sheaf of Firstfruits as seen in Leviticus 23:9-14.

The second group is the time we know as Pentecost. It is the Feast of Weeks and is seen in Leviticus 23:15-22.

The last group of feasts comprises the Feast of Trumpets seen in Leviticus 23:23-25, the Feast of Atonement seen in Leviticus 23:236-32 and the Feast of Tabernacles seen in Leviticus 23:33-34.

Please notice that they are God’s Feasts. They were to be held in the place of His choosing or appointment and they were to be held at the time He prescribed. If you look at these things in the light of redemption, God chose Jesus to be our Passover Lamb, God chose the appointed time and God’s appointed place was Golgotha’s ugly tree... the cross.

You can already see a wonderful and amazingly intricately woven pattern in these feasts, but we shall focus on one only, namely the Feast of Passover. See Hebrews 10:7.

There is one aspect to the Feasts of the Lord that is often overlooked. The New Covenant under which we live was provided through Jesus’ passion as the substitute for all of our sins. Before then, sacrifice for sin was continual, or repetitive, because the sin principle itself was not dealt with. Thankfully we no longer need to offer blood sacrifices or adhere to a rigid set of rituals. The blood of Jesus has cleansed us from all sin. Hebrews 10:10 reveals that Jesus made a once-and-for-all-times sacrifice, so that we do not have to live under the curse of the law, but many Christians do not fully comprehend the fullness of all Jesus did, without having some understanding of these holy events. If we have been grafted into the vine, then we are partakers of the same fruit of that vine, so our rich heritage embraces everything. Whilst we may not need to continue in their observances as the Jews did, the rich truths of these feasts impacts our lives. They looked forward to the promise whereas we can look back to them.

Clearly defined blessings are available by celebrating the feasts of the Lord.

In Exodus 23, God will be an enemy to your enemies (verse 22), assigns an angel to us (see verse 23), will give prosperity (verse 25), provide healing (verse 25) and bring increase and inheritance (verse 30). These blessings in themselves are another matter to consider elsewhere. I have discovered that as I unearth one treasure, another gem is revealed, only to reveal yet another. Little wonder John said in John said he could not record everything there is to write down.
Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31.
 

What is given to us is there to reveal Jesus and God’s plan for us. Everything points to the Son of God. There is therefore much more to this than meets the eye, but having said that, please understand that I am not advocating that Christians start embracing Judaism in any way whatsoever. Enter into the liberty with which Christ has made us free.

When the time came for the deliverance of the nation out of Egypt, God gave Moses specific instructions which he preached to the people who had the choice to accept or reject. The heads of each household were to take a lamb of the first year on the tenth day of the first month and set it aside until the fourteenth day. That evening, the lamb had to be killed and its blood had to be applied to the doorpost and lintels of each house. I think of that as forming the shape of the Cross. The people in the household were to eat the lamb that was roasted with fire with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. They had to eat it in haste, ready for departure or deliverance from Egypt.
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month is to be your beginning of months; it will be your first month of the year. Tell the whole community of Israel, ‘In the tenth day of this month they each must take a lamb for themselves according to their families — a lamb for each household. If any household is too small for a lamb, the man and his next-door neighbor are to take a lamb according to the number of people — you will make your count for the lamb according to how much each one can eat. Your lamb must be perfect, a male, one year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You must care for it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then the whole community of Israel will kill it around sundown. They will take some of the blood and put it on the two side posts and top of the doorframe of the houses where they will eat it. They will eat the meat the same night; they will eat it roasted over the fire with bread made without yeast and with bitter herbs. Do not eat it raw or boiled in water, but roast it over the fire with its head, its legs, and its entrails. You must leave nothing until morning, but you must burn with fire whatever remains of it until morning. This is how you are to eat it — dressed to travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in haste. It is the LORD’S Passover. Exodus 12:1-11.

Please notice the closing statement—It is the Lord’s Passover! God is the one making the provision. He is the one seeking something and it is simple... it is the applied blood.
The shed blood was to cover whoever remained in that house. It wasn’t just for the father of the house, but the fathers, or the mothers, sons, daughters, uncles, cousins, or the neighbours. Whoever chose to be inside the house that had the blood on it was safe. Each person had the freedom of choice, just as they do today to choose Jesus Christ or not. We see this in the New Testament with people like Lydia, the Philippian jailer and Crispus See Acts 16:14-15, 30-34, 18:8. We have the legal right to claim every member of our households for Jesus.
At midnight, the angel of death passed throughout the land and every house that did not have the covering of the blood would suffer the judgement of death of the firstborn of both man and beast. God stated that He was looking for the applied blood.
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment [proving their helplessness]. I am the Lord. The blood shall be for a token or sign to you upon [the doorposts of] the houses where you are, [that] when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be to you for a memorial. You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations, keep it as an ordinance forever. Exodus 12:12-14.

This is the story of Passover and it is enacted every year at around this time. The Hebrew word for Passover is Pesach. It means much more than merely the passing over a household that had the protection of the applied blood, but a hovering over of divine protection. Mercy and judgement are thus applied simultaneously. God was dealing directly with sin and the false gods of Egypt whilst saving His people from the penalty of sin if they came under His banner.