The Passover Seder for Christians

In Preparation for our Seder Sunday March 11 th The story of the Passover Sunday March 18 th Jesus and the last Passover Seder Sunday March 25 th The Seder Haggadah and its Symbolism Tuesday March 27th We celebrate the Seder 6pm to 8pm

The Story of Passover Passover or “Pesach” (PEH-sach) was originally established by God at the time of the Israelite exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land around 1440BC. The festival actually celebrates the entire sequence of events that led to the Israelites’ freedom from slavery. While thoroughly based in those historical events, the celebration encompasses much more as it becomes a vehicle to celebrate the very nature of God and His gracious work in the world.

Why were the children of Israel in Egypt in the first place?

● Ur Haran ● And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew… …and they set out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan. (Genesis 12:5).

God tells Abram about his plan God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. 14 But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.” “As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. 16 Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.” Genesis 15:13-15

Getting all the tribes of Israel to Egypt

JacobJacob, grandson of Abraham, who was renamed Israel. Jacob's twelve sons (in order of birth), Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin, become the ancestors of twelve tribes, with the exception of Joseph, whose two sons Mannasseh and EphraimReubenSimeonLevi JudahDanNaphtaliGad AsherIssacharZebulun JosephBenjaminMannasseh Ephraim Who else does not have nation? The tribe of Levi, which was set apart to serve in the Holy Temple.Holy Temple

The Joseph Story A problem of favoritismA problem of favoritism –“Special” child, Dreams Deception with garments and a goatDeception with garments and a goat Departure from the landDeparture from the land –Slavery –Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand (39:3).

The Joseph Story Joseph’s ImprisonmentJoseph’s Imprisonment Joseph’s ExaltationJoseph’s Exaltation –Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?” So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are (Gen 41:38-40) Israel’s Entrance into EgyptIsrael’s Entrance into Egypt –Joseph tests his brothers

Goshen

What happened to the Israelites in Egypt? Why didn’t they go back to Canaan? 5 All the persons who came from the loins of Jacob were seventy in number, but Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them. Exodus 1:5-7

Exodus 1: Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we.

Exodus 1: Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land.” 11 So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses.

Exodus 1: But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel. 13 The Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel to labor rigorously; 14 and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they rigorously imposed on them.

Exodus 1:22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, "Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive."

What was God’s plan for his people?

The Moses Story Saved from Pharaoh's orderSaved from Pharaoh's order –The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, with her maidens walking alongside the Nile; and she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid… (Exodus 2:5)

The Moses Story Raised a prince of EgyptRaised a prince of Egypt –Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds. (Acts 7:22) –24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill- treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward (Hebrews 11:24-26)

The Moses Story Departure from the landDeparture from the land Exodus 2:11-12 –11 Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. –12 So he looked this way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. He was 40 when he leftHe was 40 when he left

Exodus 2:15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well. Egypt Midian

The Moses Story Returned to EgyptReturned to Egypt –The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. (Exodus 3:2) He was in Midian 40 years

Exodus 4:15-17 “You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I, even I, will be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do. 16 Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him. 17 You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs.” GOD MosesAaronPeople

Exodus 5:10-11 So the taskmasters of the people and their foremen went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I am not going to give you any straw. 11 You go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but none of your labor will be reduced.’”

Exodus 6:9 So Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on account of their despondency and cruel bondage.

How did God get Pharaoh’s attention? The Plagues of Egypt painted by Joseph Turner in 1800

Nile into Blood Frogs Lice Insects Cattle Boils Hail Locusts Darkness Death of Firstborn Plagues Fall upon everyone in Egypt Fall only upon the Egyptians Extent Loathsome Destructive beyond anything previously known Extent Painful

What was God’s Command to his people at the time of the 10 th plague? Exodus 12:1-13

Commands at the time of the Passover First Month of the year (12:2)

Requirements for the Passover Lamb One lamb for each household (12:3) Unblemished (12:4) Male (12:4) One year old (12:4) Take into the HOME –On the 10 th –Kill on the 14 th No Broken Bones

Commands at the time of the Passover Blood on the doorposts and on the lintel (12:7) (bunch of hyssop 12:22) Eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (12:8) If not totally eaten burn it (12:10)

Commands at the time of the Passover Eat it in this manner: with loins girded, sandals on your feet, and staff in your hand; eat it in haste-- it is the LORD’S Passover (12:11) 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. (12:13)

Commands at the time of the Passover Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD (12:14) Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses (12:15)

Exodus 12:24-27 “And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever. 25 When you enter the land which the LORD will give you, as He has promised, you shall observe this rite. 26 And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’” And the people bowed low and worshiped.

Time to go…take: Flocks and herds (12:32) Egyptian “Plunder” (12:35-36) Bones of Joseph (13:19)

One final thing… Turn back and camp – (14:2-3) Pharaoh gathers his army (14:5-7) The chase is on (14:9-21) The sea is parted… (14:22-31)

Exodus 14:28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh's entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained.