Surpassing Passover
My people love celebrating Passover!
According to the Pew Research Center from 2021 63% of the Jewish American people surveyed (religious, non-religious, secular etc.) attended or hosted a Passover seder the previous year. Involvement increased to 74% among those who identify as Jewish by religion.[1]
Why?
Passover is at the core of our Jewish identity. Passover is to Jewish people what Independence Day is to Americans. On July 4th we celebrate our nation’s birth. On Nisan 14 we celebrate our deliverance from Egypt and our emergence as a nation.
Not only is our national identity wrapped up in Passover, God identifies Himself uniquely with Passover. Just as God tied His identity to bringing Abraham out of Ur, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it” (Genesis 15:7), so God also tied His identity to the events of Passover 16 times in Scripture, e.g. “…I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Exodus 6:7) and “…for the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt”[2] (Deuteronomy 20:1).
God’s freeing His people from Egyptian bondage was such a watershed event in Israel’s history that other Old Testament writers refer to it 13 times.[3] For example, in the prophet Jeremiah’s day, 800 years after the Exodus, people affirmed the certainty of something by saying “As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt” (Jeremiah 23:7). There was nothing more certain than identifying our God as THE living God of the Exodus.
However, in Jeremiah’s day the nation of Israel was in spiritual and moral freefall. The prophet condemned Israel’s spiritual and civil leaders for leading the people away from God and announced God’s coming judgment – the land’s conquest and nation’s exile at the hands of the Babylonians. Yet, into this humanly hopeless environment God spoke a message of hope – a future event surpassing the Exodus.
Imagine people’s shock when God said, “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when they will no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought the sons of Israel up from the land of Egypt’” (Jeremiah 23:7).
What act of God could possibly supersede Passover’s greatness in our national consciousness?
With what greater event will God’s name be forever associated?
Jeremiah highlights two aspects of this Passover-surpassing event and introduces each with the distant future-pointing “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the LORD…”
…when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness’ (Jeremiah 23:5-6).
…when they will no longer say, “As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, “As the LORD lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ Then they will live on their own soil (Jeremiah 23:7-8).
God will no longer be identified merely with the Exodus, but with its fulfillment – Israel dwelling securely in the Land under God’s righteous rule through Messiah. Just as God taught us to know Him as “the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt” one day we will know Him and His Messiah as “the LORD our righteousness.” This is great news!
This is the hope-filled message my people need to hear today.
The nation Israel is being rocked by unprecedented levels of civil unrest as its leaders vie for more and more power. Israel’s enemies see the strife and are plotting to take advantage of it for Israel’s ultimate destruction. Jewish people scattered around the world are experiencing exponential increases in antisemitic vitriol and violence.
We need a message of hope, especially when the memory of Passover is fresh in our people’s minds. By God’s will, Life in Messiah’s core message is hope in Messiah. Members of our ministry family are living in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world, building relationships and inviting Jewish people to find hope in their Messiah Jesus.
Join us in this great endeavor. Pray with us that God would open many doors to share that in Messiah Jesus something even greater than Passover and the Exodus is coming. Prepare yourself to give an answer for the hope you have. We are ready to help you engage effectively.
As we labor together remember, when God brings to pass this Passover-surpassing event (Jeremiah 23:5-8 Messiah’s return and Israel’s regathering to the Land) it brings blessing to the entire world!
Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! (Romans 11:12).
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:33–36).
Written by Dan, Life in Messiah Board Chair
How eagerly do you await Messiah’s return?
Haven’t gotten a chance to attend a Passover Seder this year? Feel free to gather your friends and family and watch our Interactive Passover Seder together!
This year Passover began after sunset on Wednesday, April 5, followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is a great time to wish your Jewish friends “Chag Pesach sameach” (Happy Passover!).
Endnotes:
[1] Full study available at https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/05/11/jewish-americans-in-2020/.
[2] God self-identifies as Israel’s deliver from Egypt 16 times: Ex. 6:7, 20:2, 29:46; Lev. 11:45, 19:36; 22:23, 25:38, 26:13; Num. 15:41; Dt. 5:6; Jdg. 6:8, Psa. 81:10; Jer. 2:6, 16:14, 23:7; Amos 2:10.
[3] Other Old Testament speakers: Dt. 6:12, 8:14, 13:5, 13:10, 20:1; 1 Sam. 12:6,8; 1 Kgs. 9:9; 2 Kgs. 17:36; 2 Chr. 7:22; Jer. 2:6, 16:14, 23:7.