(For those of you who read my blog, you will quickly realize that I wrote on the subject of Passover a short while ago. I feel that it might prove helpful if we look a little more closely at the far-reaching ramifications of all seven annual feasts celebrated by the people of the Jewish faith. Why? Because, as you will see, Jesus is the main character in each of them!)

We have just been blessed to once again celebrate Easter, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This should be a season of great joy and gladness as we give attention to the most amazing event in all of human history. And yet, we often pass it by without giving thought to what Easter is really all about.

Let me take you back to times and places we read about in the Bible so that we might be able to better understand what we have once again memorialized. To find the story behind what we call Easter, we must go back, way back, to approximately 1500 years before the sacrificial death of Jesus. Think about the story of the exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt, under the leadership of Moses.

The Israelites had spent over 400 years in Egypt. They went there in a time of desperation, as they were experiencing a horrific famine in their homeland. Joseph, one of Jacob’s twelve sons, had through a series of events orchestrated by the sovereign action of God become a powerful leader – second only to Pharaoh himself – in Egypt. It was through the providence of God that Joseph was able to provide for his family, ultimately moving them to Egypt, where they took up residence at the invitation of Pharaoh.

Over the passing of time the Israelites grew in number in such a profound way that they were thought of as a threat to the welfare of Egypt, so the relationship changed from that of welcomed guests to that of slaves. Thus, their need of a deliverer who would lead them to freedom.

Center stage – Moses. God uses this man to lead the people of Israel – by the time numbering approximately 2,500,000 – out of Egypt to the land of promise. It was on the night of their departure from Egypt that God gave Moses instructions to the people of Israel concerning Passover.

When the angel came through the land of Egypt and saw the blood of the lamb, he would “pass over” the household of those protected by the blood!

God revealed that an angel would pass through the land of Egypt, killing the firstborn of every household in that country. However, the people of Israel would be safe from the death angel’s assigned task by sacrificing a lamb and smearing the blood of that lamb on the doorposts of their homes. When the angel came through the land of Egypt and saw the blood of the lamb, he would “pass over” the household of those protected by the blood!

This celebration of Passover became an annual tradition for the people of Israel. They participate in this tradition to remind them of this great deliverance God provided for their ancestors long ago. But Passover is only one of seven annual feasts of Israel. Under the leadership of Moses, God gave instructions for these annual feasts, and in looking carefully at each of them we see an amazing portrayal of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

God gave instructions for these annual feasts, and in looking carefully at each of them we see an amazing portrayal of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Those seven feasts of Israel, in the order in which they were to be celebrated each year, are:

• Feast of Unleavened Bread
• Feast of Passover
• Feast of Firstfruits
• Feast of Pentecost
• Feast of Trumpets
• Day of Atonement
• Feast of Tabernacles

When we read through the Bible and come to those passages giving the tedious details of these feasts, our tendency might be to give them a cursory glance or just skip them all together. But to do so is a tragic mistake, because it is here that we see, in vivid detail, the story of the Messiah, our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Take a moment to look over the list of feasts and note particularly the order in which they are to be observed. God gave them a picture – a portrait – of His Son. The picture begins in the New Testament with John the Baptist seeing Jesus approaching, and making the announcement, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” From our New Testament perspective – and to be more accurate, from our twenty-first century perspective – we can easily miss the detail of this portrait. But the people who heard John speak these words would have known exactly what John was referring to – the Passover Lamb they had long anticipated.

My next blog will be an overview of each of these seven feasts. When we see Christ in the Old Testament, and realize how meticulously God gave Moses instructions for the annual celebrations, we will see Jesus Christ in all of His glory. It is a story that you don’t want to miss.

Hallelujah – what a Savior!