How does Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread Connect to Our Atonement as New Testament Believers?

 

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

The great God Jehovah performed miracles like no one had ever seen before to free His people from bondage in Egypt. Before the tenth plague swept through the land, God gave Moses the instructions for the Passover meal which was to be eaten the day before they were delivered from Egypt (Exodus 12). The Lord later gave Moses directions for feasts and festivals that would all point to the future Redeemer of mankind.

We may ignore these Old Testament rituals and think they have no purpose for us as Christians today. But we can see connections and similarities in God’s commandments to the Hebrews.

How does Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread connect to our atonement as New Testament believers?

The Passover lamb was selected by the father. Each family was to choose a lamb that was perfect in every way. No blemishes. Jesus was selected by God, His Father, to be the sacrifice but He was placed into the hands of His executioners through Judas who betrayed Him. 

The Passover lamb was kept separate from the rest of the flock. Roman soldiers separated Jesus from His flock and took him prisoner.

The Passover lamb was inspected. The Passover lamb was inspected by the priest to determine if there was any type of defect in the animal. Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin, questioned extensively, yet no one could agree on any of the charges against Him because they were all false. 

He was brought before Pilate and this Roman governor said he found no fault in the Man who stood before him. Those in religious and political authority inspected Him but found nothing wrong in the Son of God.

The Passover lamb was sacrificed. Jesus was without guilt yet He was crucified anyway. Israelites placed the lamb’s blood on their doorposts to stop the death angel from killing the firstborn. Jesus our Lamb was sacrificed on Calvary and His blood was put on the Mercy Seat of heaven to atone for all our sin (Hebrews 9:12). No more death angel because death and the grave were defeated.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread began the day after the Passover meal. This commemorated the hasty exit of the Israelites from Egypt. They left before their bread could rise. This unleavened bread is what Jesus tore apart and gave to His disciples as they ate their Passover meal (Luke 22:13–20). 

Even though Jesus told them this would be the last time they would do this together, they didn’t comprehend what He meant.

In Scripture, leaven sometimes represents sin. This seven day observance requires Jews to remove every speck of dust, dirt, and leaven from their homes. 

No matter how hard anyone attempts to remove every piece of leaven from their homes, there will be a missed Froot Loop under a cushion, a bread crumb on the floor, or dust that blows in through an open door. 

If we can’t remove each morsel of physical dirt from our lives, we certainly can’t absolve ourselves from spiritual dirt.

How appropriate that the Feast of Unleavened Bread follows the Passover meal. We no longer need to strive to remove sin through our actions—which we can’t do anyway. Christ washes away every speck of sinful dirt from our spirit when we accept His sacrifice on the cross.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17–18)

We are made new in our nature but we do still have a flesh to deal with. Christ’s atonement also covers our mental and emotional lives. His word, through the Apostle Paul, shows us how to receive the strength to overcome our flesh by renewing our minds (Romans 12:1-2)

The Passover lamb was eaten, none remained until morning, and none of the animal’s bones were broken. Jesus’ body didn’t remain on the cross overnight and the soldiers didn’t beak a single bone of the Savior’s body. We partake of Christ’s flesh by accepting His payment for our sins.

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:53–54)

Victory Day

On the third day Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, walked out of the grave. He clutched the keys of death and hell and will never suffer again because His work is complete (Hebrews 10:12). The death angel didn’t just pass over, he is defeated. Satan’s power over believers is no longer valid. (click to tweet)

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:15)

Resurrection Day is our day to celebrate because we are free from the shackles of a sinful nature. As believers, we have a new identity, a new life, and a new future because Christ is risen!

What does this victory mean to you? Join the conversation and share your thoughts.

On the third day Jesus Christ walked out of the grave.  He clutched the keys of death and hell. The death angel didn’t just pass over, he is defeated. Satan’s power over believers is no longer valid. (click to tweet)