| The Seven Feasts of the Lord |
| Introduction / Passover |
The Seven Feasts of the Lord
A Prophetic Look at the Feasts in the Law of Moses
by Dr. Steven G. Cook
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel,
and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall
proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall
work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD in all your
dwellings. These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which
ye shall proclaim in their seasons.”
Leviticus 23:1-4
Introduction
Leviticus Chapter 23 records seven (7) feasts that the Lord instituted as part
of the Law of Moses. There were three (3) feasts instituted in the first month
of the Jewish calendar (Nisan): Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and
the Feast of Firstfruits. There were three (3) feasts instituted in the seventh
month of the Jewish calendar (Tishri): the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of
Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. In the third month (Sivan) there
was one (1) feast instituted called Pentecost.
Every Jew understood the importance of observing these seven feasts, and
they were made aware of the consequences for those who failed (Leviticus 23:
29-30). It is important for us to understand that these feasts foreshadow
redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ (Messiah), and they also
foreshadow God’s plan for the ages.
The first three (3) feasts foreshadowed the first advent of the Lord Jesus
Christ, while the last three (3) feasts foreshadow His future second advent.
The fourth feast, Pentecost, foreshadows the dispensation in which we
currently live, called the Church Age or Dispensation of Grace.
The first three (3) feasts were fulfilled by Messiah’s sacrificial death, burial,
and resurrection, and the fourth commenced to be fulfilled on the day of
Pentecost when the Church was empowered by the Holy Ghost. The Church
Age will consummate when the Church is caught up to meet the Lord in the
air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). This event is commonly referred to as the
Rapture. The last three (3) feasts foreshadow events yet future.
We will examine all seven of the feasts outlined in Leviticus Chapter 23 by
looking at three (3) important elements of each: The Pronouncement, The
Practice, and The Prophecy. In so doing, we will discuss Scripture references
of each feast, discuss practices observed in ancient Israel and modern
Judaism, and we will also examine significant prophetic aspects of each feast.
It is our desire that through this study, many saints will be encouraged to be
greater witnesses of the Light that was sent from Heaven to earth, so that
those of earth may come to know the true Light and go to Heaven.
Chapter 1
The Feast of Passover
Leviticus 23:5
“In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s passover.”
Leviticus 23:5
The Pronouncement
All seven (7) feasts were recorded in one chapter of God’s Word, Leviticus
Chapter 23. The Hebrew name for Passover is Pesach which literally means
“passing over” or “protection.” This feast is considered a time of beginnings
for Israel. It is celebrated in the first month, Nisan, which serves as the
beginning of the Jewish religious calendar. Passover represents the end of
the rainy season and the beginning of the growing season. In the days of
Israel’s Temple, Passover was a reminder of a new lambing time. Most
importantly, Passover serves as a memorial of God’s deliverance (or
redemption) of Israel from Egyptian bondage.
Several verses are provided to explain the last six feasts, but only one verse
was written concerning Passover, the first feast - “In the fourteenth day of
the first month at even is the LORD’s Passover” (Lev. 23:5). Why did God
provide only one verse for this feast? The answer is two-fold: Exodus Chapter
12 gives detailed instructions of Passover, and Jews living in the days of
Moses had just recently experienced the Passover firsthand in the land of
Egypt. No doubt these Jews were familiar with the feast. Let us look at the
first Passover as recorded in the Exodus Chapter 12.
After 430 years of slavery, God commissioned Moses (age 80) to lead Israel
out of Egyptian bondage. God commanded Moses to speak unto the children
of Israel, “Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I
will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you
out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with
great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a
God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you
out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the
land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to
Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD” (Exodus 6:6-
8).
Moses repeatedly went before Pharaoh of Egypt and demanded he let God’s
people go. Nine times Pharaoh refused, and God sent a plague upon the land
of the Egyptians. The word “plague” comes from the Hebrew word “oth”
which means “sign”. The Egyptians believed in magic, and they often tried to
override the laws of nature with their magical tricks. God chose to use the
laws of nature to prove He is God. After the first nine plagues fell upon the
land, God sent Moses once more to confront Pharaoh, and again Pharaoh
refused his request. God sent the final tenth plague upon the land – “death
upon the firstborn”. It is believed that all ten plagues occurred within an 8-10
month period of time. Each of these plagues served to illustrate the God of
Israel was greater than all of the “so-called gods” of Egypt.
Before sending the final judgment upon Egypt, God gave Moses specific
instructions how Israel could avoid this “plague of death.” The instructions
are recorded in Exodus 12:1-14. Israel was instructed to “take to them every
man a lamb” (Exod. 12:3). The lamb should be “without blemish, a male of
the first year,” taken “out from the sheep, or from the goats” (Exod. 12:5).
The people were to keep it up until the 14th day of the same month; and then
kill it in the evening (Exod. 12:6). After the lamb was slain, they were to
“take the blood and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper doorpost
of the houses, wherein they shall eat it” (Exod. 12:7). They were to roast
their lamb with fire and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Exod.
12:8). They were to eat the meal with their traveling clothes on and with
their staff in their hands (Exod. 12:11).
The LORD then revealed that on this night something remarkable would
occur. God said, “I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will
smite the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all
the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood
shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the
blood, I will pass over you” (Exod. 12:12-13).
The story of what happened that night can be read in Exodus 12:29-36. The
firstborn of all Egyptians, from Pharaoh of Egypt to the lowliest prisoners in
the Egyptian dungeons, (even the cattle) suffered the loss of their firstborn.
Pharaoh, overcome by grief, ordered Moses and the children of Israel to leave
Egypt to serve their God. He told them to take their flocks and herds, and he
even asked Moses for a blessing. It is this event that is memorialized in the
Passover feast. Exodus 12:14 states, “And this day shall be to unto you for a
memorial: and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your
generations: ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.”
The Practice
Passover is the arguably the most popular Jewish holiday. Passover is not a
feast of the Church, but rather a Jewish memorial (Exodus 12:14). Each year
on the 14th day of Nisan (late March or early April) Jews observe Passover
with a celebration feast called a Seder. All Jewish Seders are not conducted
exactly alike, but certain principles are similar in all movements of Judaism -
Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform. Most Jews observe the Fast of the
Firstborn, a minor fast for all firstborn males commemorating the firstborn
Jewish males in Egypt that were spared.
Special food items, traditions, and Scripture readings memorialize the
liberation of Israel from Egyptian bondage. All members of the family are
actively involved in the memorial. There is no right way or wrong way to
conduct a Passover Seder, however, there are certain practices that ought to
be observed. During the feast, a recounting of the Exodus story is usually
told and prayers of thanksgiving offered.
The word “Seder” means, “order”, and the Passover Seder follows a
designated “script or book,” called a “Haggadah”. The word “Haggadah” is
Hebrew for “telling,” and it is followed throughout the Seder. Haggadahs
were not used until the eighth century A.D., and it is estimated that there are
more than 3,000 different Haggadah versions currently available. Different
rabbis have created each of these versions.
A special Seder plate is used for the Passover. Three items of food are placed
on the plate: roasted lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread. Modern
Judaism has substituted a shank bone of a lamb in place of the roasted lamb;
horseradish is commonly used for bitter herbs; and matzo is used for
unleavened bread. The shank bone symbolizes the lamb eaten by the
Israelites in Egypt. The bitter herbs symbolize the bitterness of bondage, and
the matzo symbolizes the haste in which they baked bread that first Passover
night to both eat and take with them for their journey.
Rabbis have added other food items since the days of Moses. Each of these
items symbolizes some aspect of the Jewish Exodus. Modern items include
charoset, a mixture of apples, nuts, grape juice, and cinnamon. It symbolizes
the mortar used by Jewish slaves to build the Egyptian cities, as well as the
sweetness of a better future that lies ahead. A roasted egg is used to
symbolize new life. It is believed that this practice had its origin with pagan
fertility rituals; so many Jews choose not to use it. Another item is called
karpas. Karpas are greens (usually parsley or celery), which symbolize the
hyssop (common weed) used to wipe the lamb’s blood upon the doorposts.
Karpas are also dipped into salt water and eaten representing the tears of
slavery.
An interesting custom practiced by modern Judaism is the pillow. A pillow is
provided for the leader to lean upon, and it symbolizes the freedom provided
to the Jews. The act of reclining is seen as an act of a “free man.” Slaves
never had time for leisure. Because of God’s deliverance, Jews are now free
from the bondage of the Egyptians.
Before the Passover celebration begins, there are five (5) tasks that must be
performed. Jewish parents use these tasks to instruct their children
concerning their Jewish heritage. The five tasks performed are as follows:
1.) Remove all leaven in the home
All leaven (yeast) must be removed from the home. Pots, pans, skillets, and
cooking utensils used to bake foods containing yeast (leaven) are removed
from the house. All foods containing leaven are also discarded. Some
families maintain two sets of cooking utensils because of this custom. They
often loan or sell the set used to cook leaven to their Gentile neighbors, and
then retrieve them after Pesach. The term “spring cleaning” originated from
this Jewish house cleansing because Passover is celebrated during March or
April.
2.) Set the Passover table
The family Passover table is set. Passover plates are provided for everyone in
attendance. Each plate contains specific items placed on it that will be used in
the Seder.
3.) Search for leaven
Parents will strategically place up to ten pieces of leaven (crumbled bread) in
different rooms of their home. Before the Seder begins, they will take their
children on a search for leaven throughout the house. A feather, wooden
spoon, candle, and paper bag are used. The candle symbolizes the light of God’
s Word that reveals sin in one’s life. When leaven is discovered, the children
will use the feather to sweep it into the spoon, and then the spoon is emptied
into a paper bag. After all leaven has been found, the feather, spoon, and bag
containing the leaven are burned in a fireplace or discarded outside.
4.) Prayer of nullification
Once all leaven has been removed from the house, the head of the home
offers the prayer of nullification. This prayer indicates that, as far as he
knows, his house is free of all leaven and ready to begin celebrating the
Passover feast.
5.) Lighting of the festival candles
The festival lights (candles) are lit by the woman of the household. Orthodox
rabbis contend that there are 3 duties of the Jewish wife – obey her husband;
teach her children; and light the festival lights. Rabbis teach that a Jewish
woman should light the candles because darkness came into the world by a
woman (Eve). According to Torah (Genesis 3:15), a Jewish woman will
rekindle the light that was lost by bringing forth the Messiah.
The Passover Seder is divided into four acts or parts. These four parts are
designated by Four Cups of wine that are customarily drunk during the
Seder. The cups find their origin in relation to the four (4) “I Wills”
contained in Exodus 6:6-7. God promised Israel four things He would do,
“Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring
you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of
their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great
judgments: And I will take you to me for a people and I will be to you a God:
and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from
under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Exod. 6:6-7).
The Four Cups are called by the following names:
1.) Cup of Sanctification
2.) Cup of Praise
3.) Cup of Redemption
4.) Cup of Communion
Some rabbis have added a fifth cup, called the “Cup of Elijah.” The custom of
filling a cup for the Prophet Elijah at the Seder table is relatively recent.
Most Jewish families today set a place at the table for Elijah and pour wine
into a goblet called “Elijah’s Cup” to symbolize he would be welcomed as a
guest at their Seder. Many teach that Elijah will precede Messiah’s coming.
It is thought that Messiah will come during one of the most important feasts
of the Lord.
The Cup of Sanctification
In the first act of the Seder, all drink the Cup of Sanctification; eat karpas
dipped in salt water to symbolize the tears of Egyptian slavery and eat matzo
(unleavened bread). The story of the Exodus is read from the Tanakh (Old
Testament). He offers a Kiddush (blessing) upon the cup, karpas, and matzo,
and all partake of them.
The Cup of Praise
The second cup is poured, but not consumed until later. They will dip their
finger into the cup and recount the 10 plagues that befell Egypt in the days of
Moses and the Exodus. The leader of the Seder also takes time to explain the
Passover elements (lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread).
A small child is then selected, and the child will ask the Four Questions:
1.) “Why is this night different from other nights in that we eat only
unleavened bread?
2.) “Why is it that we eat only bitter herbs?”
3.) “Why is it on this night we dip twice?
4.) “Why on this night do we all recline?”
The answers to these questions allow the leader to give instruction about their
Jewish heritage and God’s deliverance of Israel. A blessing is offered, and all
drink the Cup of Sanctification. This part of the observance is followed by a
festive meal.
During the second cup, many Jews have a practice that involves three pieces
of matzo bread (unleavened bread). These pieces of matzo are contained in a
matzo tash (bag) that has three compartments. The leader takes out the
second or middle piece of matzo, and holds it up for all to see. He breaks the
matzo and places half of it back into the matzo tash. He then wraps the other
half, called the “Afikomen,” in linen cloth and will hide it later. The term
Afikomen means, “dessert; that which is to come.” During the festive meal
that follows, all of the children search for the Afikomen, and the winner is
rewarded. The Afikomen is then distributed and all partake of it as their
dessert.
Modern Judaism teaches that the matzo tash represents the three patriarchs
of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Some rabbis teach that it represents
the High Priest, the Levites, and the Israelites. Of course, none of these
reasons have a Biblical basis. If you ask most Jews why the custom of the
Afikomen is observed, they will likely have no idea. The best explanation for
this custom is that it was a tradition started by 1st Century Jewish Christians
who made up the vast majority of the New Testament Church. The Afikomen
portrays a beautiful portrait of Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah), the
2nd Person of the Godhead. Jesus Christ was broken for us on Calvary,
wrapped in linen, and buried in a borrowed tomb. On the third day, He arose
from the grave, conquering death and hell! There is great reward for all who
find Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. That reward is Eternal Life.
Jesus is our Afikomen!
The matzo is dipped into the marror (horseradish; bitter herbs) and eaten.
Some Jewish families will also observe the custom of eating a Hillel Sandwich
– a combination of matzo, charoset, and marror. A festive meal is eaten after
the second cup. During this time, children will search for the Afikomen
(called the Tzaphun). After the Afikomen is discovered, all eat the matzo as
dessert.
The Cup of Redemption
After the festive meal has been eaten, the Seder continues. A third cup of
wine is poured, blessed, and consumed in honor of the great redemption God
has promised Israel. Judaism teaches that Israel’ consolation will occur when
Messiah comes to set up His kingdom. Sadly, they are ignorant of the fact
that the “consolation of Israel” came 2,000 years ago (Luke 2:25-32).
A child opens the door of the house during this cup and looks for the Prophet
Elijah. As we have already mentioned, Jews believes Elijah will precede the
coming of Messiah, and most Jewish rabbis teach that Messiah will come
during Pesach (Passover) or Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). The custom
reading the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113-118) follows this practice.
The Cup of Communion
The Cup of Communion is the last part of the Passover Seder. This cup
celebrates the joy and fellowship that Israel will experience when Messiah
comes and establishes His earthly Kingdom. Jews yearn for Messiah to come
as a “Conquering King” to deliver them from Gentile oppression. Jesus
spoke of this era as the “Times of the Gentiles” (Lk. 21:24). The great
tragedy of Judaism is that Jewish people do not realize that JESUS the
Messiah has already come (Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 53; John 1:11-12).
A Kiddush (blessing) is offered, and all drink the Cup of Communion. The
leader reads the Aliyah or Ascent Psalms (Psalms 42:1; 84:1-2; 122:1-2; 133:
1; 134:1), and the memorial concludes with singing such songs as “Dayenu”
and “Next Year in Jerusalem.” “Dayenu,” one of the most traditional songs,
means “It would have been enough!” The words of the song go something
like this:
If he had taken us out of Egypt but had not punished them…Dayenu (It
would have been enough!)
He killed their firstborn… Dayenu
He split the Red Sea… Dayenu
He allowed us to pass through it… Dayenu
He buried our oppressors… Dayenu
He supplied our needs… Dayenu
He fed us the manna… Dayenu
He brought us to Mount Sinai… Dayenu
He gave us the Torah… Dayenu
He brought us to the promised land… Dayenu
He built the Holy Temple for us… Dayenu
The Prophecy
There is much prophecy found in the Passover Seder. God revealed His
Sovereign plan of redemption in this one feast. Redemption is possible only
by the blood of the Lamb. The Passover lamb was but a foreshadowing of the
Lamb of God who was to come. Messiah’s arrival was clearly announced by
John the Baptist who cried out from the River Jordan, “Behold the Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Jews had been
celebrating the Passover feast for 1,500 years. They understood clearly the
significance of John’s statement. John plainly declared that Jesus is the
Lamb of God, the Messiah!
Paul wrote, “…For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1
Corinthians 5:7). The Prophet Isaiah prophesied the suffering of Messiah as
the Lamb of God. In Isaiah Chapter 53 the prophet wrote, “He was
oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as
a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he
openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and
who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the
living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his
grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had don no
violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to
bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an
offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the
pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:7-10).
According to Exodus Chapter 12, there were 3 important days in connection
with Passover - 1st month; 10th day; 14th day (Exod. 12:2-3; 6). The Feast of
Passover is observed in the 1st month (Nisan) of the Jewish religious
calendar. They were instructed to choose a lamb on the 10th day of Nisan and
observe it for four days. On the 14th day of Nisan they were to kill the lamb,
smear its blood on their doorposts, roast it, and eat it. Passover is always
celebrated in late March or early April.
In ancient Israel, on the 10th day of Nisan, the High Priest would choose a
lamb, lead it into Jerusalem, while crowds of worshippers lined the streets
waving palm branches and singing Psalm 118 - “Blessed be he that cometh in
the name of the LORD.” Messiah entered into Jerusalem on the same 10th
day of Nisan nearly 2,000 years ago. In fulfillment of prophecy He entered the
city riding on the foal of an ass. Most likely Jesus followed right behind the
High Priest and his little Passover lamb. The crowds that just heralded the
sacrificial lamb led by the High Priest now heralded the Lamb of God -
Messiah! Jesus identified Himself with the Passover sacrifice by fulfilling
precise Messianic prophecy on this occasion (John 12:9-19).
There are 3 specific references to the Passover lamb – a lamb; the lamb; your
lamb (Exod. 12:3-5). It matters what individuals think of Jesus Christ - “The
Lamb of God.” Many simply believe He was “a” good man, but nothing
more. Many believe He was “the” prophet of God, but this is not enough to
save one’s soul. Unless He is personalized by faith as “your” Lamb, He is of
no efficacy to you. Salvation is as personal as was the paschal lamb in the
days of Moses, “…they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the
house of their fathers, a lamb for an house… every man according to his
eating shall make your count for the lamb” (Exodus 12:3-4).
Notice also that there are 3 characteristics of the Lamb mentioned in Exodus
12:5-6. The lamb must be spotless; select; and sacrificed. Not just any lamb
would do! The lamb had to be a “spotless lamb” - “without blemish” (Exod. 12:
5). Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God was without sin. Peter declares we are
saved by “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and
without spot” (1 Peter 1:19). The lamb had to be a “select lamb” - “a male of
the first year: taken out from the sheep or goats” (Exod. 12:5). Only Yeshua
(Jesus) was qualified to be our Redeemer, to be the “propitiation” for the sins
of the world (1 John 2:2). Just as important, the lamb had to be a “sacrificial
lamb” - “The congregation of Israel shall kill it” (Exod. 12:6). Under the
Law, redemption was only possible by the blood. Leviticus 17:11 declares,
“…for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” The same is
true today - “…without the shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb. 9:22).
The Passover lamb is a portrait of the “Lamb of God slain from the
foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8).
Jesus observed the Passover meal with His disciples on the eve of His
crucifixion. After the meal, He led His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane
where He would later be arrested (John 18:1). In the garden, Jesus wrestled
and agonized in prayer because He knew what would occur shortly thereafter.
Luke 22:44 reveals the only time that the word “agony” is used in the King
James Version Bible, “And being in an agony he prayed ore earnestly: and his
sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
This word literally means to be “engaged in combat”. Jesus was 100% God,
but He was also 100% human – God incarnate. There is a medical condition
called hemohidrosis or hematidrosis that has been found in patients suffering
from extreme stress or shock. The capillaries around the sweat pores become
fragile and literally leak blood in the sweat. There are documented cases that
reveal how some people have died under extreme stress because of this
medical condition. One such case involved a nun who, as she was threatened
with death by the swords of enemy soldiers, “was so terrified that she bled
from every part of her body and died of hemorrhage in the sight of her
assailants.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ knew the agony of spiritual combat. He knew the pain
of anguishing in the flesh. Mark 14:34 reveals, “And saith unto them, My
soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.” It is
impossible for us to comprehend the agony, sorrow, and pain that Jesus
suffered for us even before Calvary. However, we do know that Messiah died
just as thousands upon thousands of lambs had died under the Law. Not one
bone of a sacrificial lamb was broken (Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12), and not a
single bone of Messiah was broken that dreadful day.
During the Passover, a sign was hung about the neck of each lamb bearing
the name of its owner. When Jesus was crucified, a sign was hung above His
head bearing the name of His Father. It is possible that the sign written over
Jesus’ head was the Hebrew Tetragrammaton, YHWH. Messages were
commonly abbreviated by writing the first letter of each word. In the case of
this particular sign, “Jesus of Nazareth and King of the Jews”, was written in
three different languages. The Hebrew initials for the title inscribed would
have been YHWH; the same letters used in Hebrew for “Jehovah”- the God
of Israel. This is possibly the reason why Jewish religious leaders asked
Pilate to change the title - “…Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he
said, I am King of the Jews” (John 19:21). Pilate refused to change the sign
and answered, “What I have written I have written” (John 19:22).
There are foreshadowings of Messiah as well in the other two Passover
elements - unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The unleavened bread reveals
3 characteristics of Messiah. 1) It was “pure” – it contained no leaven (a
symbol of sin). Jesus knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5). 2) It was
“pierced” – Jesus was pierced with a crown of thorns, with nails, and with a
Roman spear. 3) It was “pin-striped” - Isaiah wrote how Messiah was striped
in our stead, “And He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for
our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with his
stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:5).
The bitter herbs reveal the bitterness of Calvary. Jesus willingly drank the
bitter dregs of the cup of our salvation (Matt. 26:39). He bore the bitterness
of our sins and nailed them to His cross (Colossians 2:14). Only by faith in
His precious blood can sinners be redeemed from the bitterness of sin. No
wonder the Apostle Paul loudly proclaimed, “Christ is our Passover!” (1 Cor.
5:7).
A Prophetic Look at the Feasts in the Law of Moses
by Dr. Steven G. Cook
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel,
and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall
proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall
work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD in all your
dwellings. These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which
ye shall proclaim in their seasons.”
Leviticus 23:1-4
Introduction
Leviticus Chapter 23 records seven (7) feasts that the Lord instituted as part
of the Law of Moses. There were three (3) feasts instituted in the first month
of the Jewish calendar (Nisan): Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and
the Feast of Firstfruits. There were three (3) feasts instituted in the seventh
month of the Jewish calendar (Tishri): the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of
Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. In the third month (Sivan) there
was one (1) feast instituted called Pentecost.
Every Jew understood the importance of observing these seven feasts, and
they were made aware of the consequences for those who failed (Leviticus 23:
29-30). It is important for us to understand that these feasts foreshadow
redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ (Messiah), and they also
foreshadow God’s plan for the ages.
The first three (3) feasts foreshadowed the first advent of the Lord Jesus
Christ, while the last three (3) feasts foreshadow His future second advent.
The fourth feast, Pentecost, foreshadows the dispensation in which we
currently live, called the Church Age or Dispensation of Grace.
The first three (3) feasts were fulfilled by Messiah’s sacrificial death, burial,
and resurrection, and the fourth commenced to be fulfilled on the day of
Pentecost when the Church was empowered by the Holy Ghost. The Church
Age will consummate when the Church is caught up to meet the Lord in the
air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). This event is commonly referred to as the
Rapture. The last three (3) feasts foreshadow events yet future.
We will examine all seven of the feasts outlined in Leviticus Chapter 23 by
looking at three (3) important elements of each: The Pronouncement, The
Practice, and The Prophecy. In so doing, we will discuss Scripture references
of each feast, discuss practices observed in ancient Israel and modern
Judaism, and we will also examine significant prophetic aspects of each feast.
It is our desire that through this study, many saints will be encouraged to be
greater witnesses of the Light that was sent from Heaven to earth, so that
those of earth may come to know the true Light and go to Heaven.
Chapter 1
The Feast of Passover
Leviticus 23:5
“In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s passover.”
Leviticus 23:5
The Pronouncement
All seven (7) feasts were recorded in one chapter of God’s Word, Leviticus
Chapter 23. The Hebrew name for Passover is Pesach which literally means
“passing over” or “protection.” This feast is considered a time of beginnings
for Israel. It is celebrated in the first month, Nisan, which serves as the
beginning of the Jewish religious calendar. Passover represents the end of
the rainy season and the beginning of the growing season. In the days of
Israel’s Temple, Passover was a reminder of a new lambing time. Most
importantly, Passover serves as a memorial of God’s deliverance (or
redemption) of Israel from Egyptian bondage.
Several verses are provided to explain the last six feasts, but only one verse
was written concerning Passover, the first feast - “In the fourteenth day of
the first month at even is the LORD’s Passover” (Lev. 23:5). Why did God
provide only one verse for this feast? The answer is two-fold: Exodus Chapter
12 gives detailed instructions of Passover, and Jews living in the days of
Moses had just recently experienced the Passover firsthand in the land of
Egypt. No doubt these Jews were familiar with the feast. Let us look at the
first Passover as recorded in the Exodus Chapter 12.
After 430 years of slavery, God commissioned Moses (age 80) to lead Israel
out of Egyptian bondage. God commanded Moses to speak unto the children
of Israel, “Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I
will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you
out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with
great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a
God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you
out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the
land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to
Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD” (Exodus 6:6-
8).
Moses repeatedly went before Pharaoh of Egypt and demanded he let God’s
people go. Nine times Pharaoh refused, and God sent a plague upon the land
of the Egyptians. The word “plague” comes from the Hebrew word “oth”
which means “sign”. The Egyptians believed in magic, and they often tried to
override the laws of nature with their magical tricks. God chose to use the
laws of nature to prove He is God. After the first nine plagues fell upon the
land, God sent Moses once more to confront Pharaoh, and again Pharaoh
refused his request. God sent the final tenth plague upon the land – “death
upon the firstborn”. It is believed that all ten plagues occurred within an 8-10
month period of time. Each of these plagues served to illustrate the God of
Israel was greater than all of the “so-called gods” of Egypt.
Before sending the final judgment upon Egypt, God gave Moses specific
instructions how Israel could avoid this “plague of death.” The instructions
are recorded in Exodus 12:1-14. Israel was instructed to “take to them every
man a lamb” (Exod. 12:3). The lamb should be “without blemish, a male of
the first year,” taken “out from the sheep, or from the goats” (Exod. 12:5).
The people were to keep it up until the 14th day of the same month; and then
kill it in the evening (Exod. 12:6). After the lamb was slain, they were to
“take the blood and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper doorpost
of the houses, wherein they shall eat it” (Exod. 12:7). They were to roast
their lamb with fire and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Exod.
12:8). They were to eat the meal with their traveling clothes on and with
their staff in their hands (Exod. 12:11).
The LORD then revealed that on this night something remarkable would
occur. God said, “I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will
smite the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all
the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood
shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the
blood, I will pass over you” (Exod. 12:12-13).
The story of what happened that night can be read in Exodus 12:29-36. The
firstborn of all Egyptians, from Pharaoh of Egypt to the lowliest prisoners in
the Egyptian dungeons, (even the cattle) suffered the loss of their firstborn.
Pharaoh, overcome by grief, ordered Moses and the children of Israel to leave
Egypt to serve their God. He told them to take their flocks and herds, and he
even asked Moses for a blessing. It is this event that is memorialized in the
Passover feast. Exodus 12:14 states, “And this day shall be to unto you for a
memorial: and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your
generations: ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.”
The Practice
Passover is the arguably the most popular Jewish holiday. Passover is not a
feast of the Church, but rather a Jewish memorial (Exodus 12:14). Each year
on the 14th day of Nisan (late March or early April) Jews observe Passover
with a celebration feast called a Seder. All Jewish Seders are not conducted
exactly alike, but certain principles are similar in all movements of Judaism -
Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform. Most Jews observe the Fast of the
Firstborn, a minor fast for all firstborn males commemorating the firstborn
Jewish males in Egypt that were spared.
Special food items, traditions, and Scripture readings memorialize the
liberation of Israel from Egyptian bondage. All members of the family are
actively involved in the memorial. There is no right way or wrong way to
conduct a Passover Seder, however, there are certain practices that ought to
be observed. During the feast, a recounting of the Exodus story is usually
told and prayers of thanksgiving offered.
The word “Seder” means, “order”, and the Passover Seder follows a
designated “script or book,” called a “Haggadah”. The word “Haggadah” is
Hebrew for “telling,” and it is followed throughout the Seder. Haggadahs
were not used until the eighth century A.D., and it is estimated that there are
more than 3,000 different Haggadah versions currently available. Different
rabbis have created each of these versions.
A special Seder plate is used for the Passover. Three items of food are placed
on the plate: roasted lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread. Modern
Judaism has substituted a shank bone of a lamb in place of the roasted lamb;
horseradish is commonly used for bitter herbs; and matzo is used for
unleavened bread. The shank bone symbolizes the lamb eaten by the
Israelites in Egypt. The bitter herbs symbolize the bitterness of bondage, and
the matzo symbolizes the haste in which they baked bread that first Passover
night to both eat and take with them for their journey.
Rabbis have added other food items since the days of Moses. Each of these
items symbolizes some aspect of the Jewish Exodus. Modern items include
charoset, a mixture of apples, nuts, grape juice, and cinnamon. It symbolizes
the mortar used by Jewish slaves to build the Egyptian cities, as well as the
sweetness of a better future that lies ahead. A roasted egg is used to
symbolize new life. It is believed that this practice had its origin with pagan
fertility rituals; so many Jews choose not to use it. Another item is called
karpas. Karpas are greens (usually parsley or celery), which symbolize the
hyssop (common weed) used to wipe the lamb’s blood upon the doorposts.
Karpas are also dipped into salt water and eaten representing the tears of
slavery.
An interesting custom practiced by modern Judaism is the pillow. A pillow is
provided for the leader to lean upon, and it symbolizes the freedom provided
to the Jews. The act of reclining is seen as an act of a “free man.” Slaves
never had time for leisure. Because of God’s deliverance, Jews are now free
from the bondage of the Egyptians.
Before the Passover celebration begins, there are five (5) tasks that must be
performed. Jewish parents use these tasks to instruct their children
concerning their Jewish heritage. The five tasks performed are as follows:
1.) Remove all leaven in the home
All leaven (yeast) must be removed from the home. Pots, pans, skillets, and
cooking utensils used to bake foods containing yeast (leaven) are removed
from the house. All foods containing leaven are also discarded. Some
families maintain two sets of cooking utensils because of this custom. They
often loan or sell the set used to cook leaven to their Gentile neighbors, and
then retrieve them after Pesach. The term “spring cleaning” originated from
this Jewish house cleansing because Passover is celebrated during March or
April.
2.) Set the Passover table
The family Passover table is set. Passover plates are provided for everyone in
attendance. Each plate contains specific items placed on it that will be used in
the Seder.
3.) Search for leaven
Parents will strategically place up to ten pieces of leaven (crumbled bread) in
different rooms of their home. Before the Seder begins, they will take their
children on a search for leaven throughout the house. A feather, wooden
spoon, candle, and paper bag are used. The candle symbolizes the light of God’
s Word that reveals sin in one’s life. When leaven is discovered, the children
will use the feather to sweep it into the spoon, and then the spoon is emptied
into a paper bag. After all leaven has been found, the feather, spoon, and bag
containing the leaven are burned in a fireplace or discarded outside.
4.) Prayer of nullification
Once all leaven has been removed from the house, the head of the home
offers the prayer of nullification. This prayer indicates that, as far as he
knows, his house is free of all leaven and ready to begin celebrating the
Passover feast.
5.) Lighting of the festival candles
The festival lights (candles) are lit by the woman of the household. Orthodox
rabbis contend that there are 3 duties of the Jewish wife – obey her husband;
teach her children; and light the festival lights. Rabbis teach that a Jewish
woman should light the candles because darkness came into the world by a
woman (Eve). According to Torah (Genesis 3:15), a Jewish woman will
rekindle the light that was lost by bringing forth the Messiah.
The Passover Seder is divided into four acts or parts. These four parts are
designated by Four Cups of wine that are customarily drunk during the
Seder. The cups find their origin in relation to the four (4) “I Wills”
contained in Exodus 6:6-7. God promised Israel four things He would do,
“Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring
you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of
their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great
judgments: And I will take you to me for a people and I will be to you a God:
and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from
under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Exod. 6:6-7).
The Four Cups are called by the following names:
1.) Cup of Sanctification
2.) Cup of Praise
3.) Cup of Redemption
4.) Cup of Communion
Some rabbis have added a fifth cup, called the “Cup of Elijah.” The custom of
filling a cup for the Prophet Elijah at the Seder table is relatively recent.
Most Jewish families today set a place at the table for Elijah and pour wine
into a goblet called “Elijah’s Cup” to symbolize he would be welcomed as a
guest at their Seder. Many teach that Elijah will precede Messiah’s coming.
It is thought that Messiah will come during one of the most important feasts
of the Lord.
The Cup of Sanctification
In the first act of the Seder, all drink the Cup of Sanctification; eat karpas
dipped in salt water to symbolize the tears of Egyptian slavery and eat matzo
(unleavened bread). The story of the Exodus is read from the Tanakh (Old
Testament). He offers a Kiddush (blessing) upon the cup, karpas, and matzo,
and all partake of them.
The Cup of Praise
The second cup is poured, but not consumed until later. They will dip their
finger into the cup and recount the 10 plagues that befell Egypt in the days of
Moses and the Exodus. The leader of the Seder also takes time to explain the
Passover elements (lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread).
A small child is then selected, and the child will ask the Four Questions:
1.) “Why is this night different from other nights in that we eat only
unleavened bread?
2.) “Why is it that we eat only bitter herbs?”
3.) “Why is it on this night we dip twice?
4.) “Why on this night do we all recline?”
The answers to these questions allow the leader to give instruction about their
Jewish heritage and God’s deliverance of Israel. A blessing is offered, and all
drink the Cup of Sanctification. This part of the observance is followed by a
festive meal.
During the second cup, many Jews have a practice that involves three pieces
of matzo bread (unleavened bread). These pieces of matzo are contained in a
matzo tash (bag) that has three compartments. The leader takes out the
second or middle piece of matzo, and holds it up for all to see. He breaks the
matzo and places half of it back into the matzo tash. He then wraps the other
half, called the “Afikomen,” in linen cloth and will hide it later. The term
Afikomen means, “dessert; that which is to come.” During the festive meal
that follows, all of the children search for the Afikomen, and the winner is
rewarded. The Afikomen is then distributed and all partake of it as their
dessert.
Modern Judaism teaches that the matzo tash represents the three patriarchs
of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Some rabbis teach that it represents
the High Priest, the Levites, and the Israelites. Of course, none of these
reasons have a Biblical basis. If you ask most Jews why the custom of the
Afikomen is observed, they will likely have no idea. The best explanation for
this custom is that it was a tradition started by 1st Century Jewish Christians
who made up the vast majority of the New Testament Church. The Afikomen
portrays a beautiful portrait of Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah), the
2nd Person of the Godhead. Jesus Christ was broken for us on Calvary,
wrapped in linen, and buried in a borrowed tomb. On the third day, He arose
from the grave, conquering death and hell! There is great reward for all who
find Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. That reward is Eternal Life.
Jesus is our Afikomen!
The matzo is dipped into the marror (horseradish; bitter herbs) and eaten.
Some Jewish families will also observe the custom of eating a Hillel Sandwich
– a combination of matzo, charoset, and marror. A festive meal is eaten after
the second cup. During this time, children will search for the Afikomen
(called the Tzaphun). After the Afikomen is discovered, all eat the matzo as
dessert.
The Cup of Redemption
After the festive meal has been eaten, the Seder continues. A third cup of
wine is poured, blessed, and consumed in honor of the great redemption God
has promised Israel. Judaism teaches that Israel’ consolation will occur when
Messiah comes to set up His kingdom. Sadly, they are ignorant of the fact
that the “consolation of Israel” came 2,000 years ago (Luke 2:25-32).
A child opens the door of the house during this cup and looks for the Prophet
Elijah. As we have already mentioned, Jews believes Elijah will precede the
coming of Messiah, and most Jewish rabbis teach that Messiah will come
during Pesach (Passover) or Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). The custom
reading the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113-118) follows this practice.
The Cup of Communion
The Cup of Communion is the last part of the Passover Seder. This cup
celebrates the joy and fellowship that Israel will experience when Messiah
comes and establishes His earthly Kingdom. Jews yearn for Messiah to come
as a “Conquering King” to deliver them from Gentile oppression. Jesus
spoke of this era as the “Times of the Gentiles” (Lk. 21:24). The great
tragedy of Judaism is that Jewish people do not realize that JESUS the
Messiah has already come (Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 53; John 1:11-12).
A Kiddush (blessing) is offered, and all drink the Cup of Communion. The
leader reads the Aliyah or Ascent Psalms (Psalms 42:1; 84:1-2; 122:1-2; 133:
1; 134:1), and the memorial concludes with singing such songs as “Dayenu”
and “Next Year in Jerusalem.” “Dayenu,” one of the most traditional songs,
means “It would have been enough!” The words of the song go something
like this:
If he had taken us out of Egypt but had not punished them…Dayenu (It
would have been enough!)
He killed their firstborn… Dayenu
He split the Red Sea… Dayenu
He allowed us to pass through it… Dayenu
He buried our oppressors… Dayenu
He supplied our needs… Dayenu
He fed us the manna… Dayenu
He brought us to Mount Sinai… Dayenu
He gave us the Torah… Dayenu
He brought us to the promised land… Dayenu
He built the Holy Temple for us… Dayenu
The Prophecy
There is much prophecy found in the Passover Seder. God revealed His
Sovereign plan of redemption in this one feast. Redemption is possible only
by the blood of the Lamb. The Passover lamb was but a foreshadowing of the
Lamb of God who was to come. Messiah’s arrival was clearly announced by
John the Baptist who cried out from the River Jordan, “Behold the Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Jews had been
celebrating the Passover feast for 1,500 years. They understood clearly the
significance of John’s statement. John plainly declared that Jesus is the
Lamb of God, the Messiah!
Paul wrote, “…For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1
Corinthians 5:7). The Prophet Isaiah prophesied the suffering of Messiah as
the Lamb of God. In Isaiah Chapter 53 the prophet wrote, “He was
oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as
a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he
openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and
who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the
living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his
grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had don no
violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to
bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an
offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the
pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:7-10).
According to Exodus Chapter 12, there were 3 important days in connection
with Passover - 1st month; 10th day; 14th day (Exod. 12:2-3; 6). The Feast of
Passover is observed in the 1st month (Nisan) of the Jewish religious
calendar. They were instructed to choose a lamb on the 10th day of Nisan and
observe it for four days. On the 14th day of Nisan they were to kill the lamb,
smear its blood on their doorposts, roast it, and eat it. Passover is always
celebrated in late March or early April.
In ancient Israel, on the 10th day of Nisan, the High Priest would choose a
lamb, lead it into Jerusalem, while crowds of worshippers lined the streets
waving palm branches and singing Psalm 118 - “Blessed be he that cometh in
the name of the LORD.” Messiah entered into Jerusalem on the same 10th
day of Nisan nearly 2,000 years ago. In fulfillment of prophecy He entered the
city riding on the foal of an ass. Most likely Jesus followed right behind the
High Priest and his little Passover lamb. The crowds that just heralded the
sacrificial lamb led by the High Priest now heralded the Lamb of God -
Messiah! Jesus identified Himself with the Passover sacrifice by fulfilling
precise Messianic prophecy on this occasion (John 12:9-19).
There are 3 specific references to the Passover lamb – a lamb; the lamb; your
lamb (Exod. 12:3-5). It matters what individuals think of Jesus Christ - “The
Lamb of God.” Many simply believe He was “a” good man, but nothing
more. Many believe He was “the” prophet of God, but this is not enough to
save one’s soul. Unless He is personalized by faith as “your” Lamb, He is of
no efficacy to you. Salvation is as personal as was the paschal lamb in the
days of Moses, “…they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the
house of their fathers, a lamb for an house… every man according to his
eating shall make your count for the lamb” (Exodus 12:3-4).
Notice also that there are 3 characteristics of the Lamb mentioned in Exodus
12:5-6. The lamb must be spotless; select; and sacrificed. Not just any lamb
would do! The lamb had to be a “spotless lamb” - “without blemish” (Exod. 12:
5). Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God was without sin. Peter declares we are
saved by “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and
without spot” (1 Peter 1:19). The lamb had to be a “select lamb” - “a male of
the first year: taken out from the sheep or goats” (Exod. 12:5). Only Yeshua
(Jesus) was qualified to be our Redeemer, to be the “propitiation” for the sins
of the world (1 John 2:2). Just as important, the lamb had to be a “sacrificial
lamb” - “The congregation of Israel shall kill it” (Exod. 12:6). Under the
Law, redemption was only possible by the blood. Leviticus 17:11 declares,
“…for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” The same is
true today - “…without the shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb. 9:22).
The Passover lamb is a portrait of the “Lamb of God slain from the
foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8).
Jesus observed the Passover meal with His disciples on the eve of His
crucifixion. After the meal, He led His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane
where He would later be arrested (John 18:1). In the garden, Jesus wrestled
and agonized in prayer because He knew what would occur shortly thereafter.
Luke 22:44 reveals the only time that the word “agony” is used in the King
James Version Bible, “And being in an agony he prayed ore earnestly: and his
sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
This word literally means to be “engaged in combat”. Jesus was 100% God,
but He was also 100% human – God incarnate. There is a medical condition
called hemohidrosis or hematidrosis that has been found in patients suffering
from extreme stress or shock. The capillaries around the sweat pores become
fragile and literally leak blood in the sweat. There are documented cases that
reveal how some people have died under extreme stress because of this
medical condition. One such case involved a nun who, as she was threatened
with death by the swords of enemy soldiers, “was so terrified that she bled
from every part of her body and died of hemorrhage in the sight of her
assailants.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ knew the agony of spiritual combat. He knew the pain
of anguishing in the flesh. Mark 14:34 reveals, “And saith unto them, My
soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.” It is
impossible for us to comprehend the agony, sorrow, and pain that Jesus
suffered for us even before Calvary. However, we do know that Messiah died
just as thousands upon thousands of lambs had died under the Law. Not one
bone of a sacrificial lamb was broken (Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12), and not a
single bone of Messiah was broken that dreadful day.
During the Passover, a sign was hung about the neck of each lamb bearing
the name of its owner. When Jesus was crucified, a sign was hung above His
head bearing the name of His Father. It is possible that the sign written over
Jesus’ head was the Hebrew Tetragrammaton, YHWH. Messages were
commonly abbreviated by writing the first letter of each word. In the case of
this particular sign, “Jesus of Nazareth and King of the Jews”, was written in
three different languages. The Hebrew initials for the title inscribed would
have been YHWH; the same letters used in Hebrew for “Jehovah”- the God
of Israel. This is possibly the reason why Jewish religious leaders asked
Pilate to change the title - “…Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he
said, I am King of the Jews” (John 19:21). Pilate refused to change the sign
and answered, “What I have written I have written” (John 19:22).
There are foreshadowings of Messiah as well in the other two Passover
elements - unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The unleavened bread reveals
3 characteristics of Messiah. 1) It was “pure” – it contained no leaven (a
symbol of sin). Jesus knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5). 2) It was
“pierced” – Jesus was pierced with a crown of thorns, with nails, and with a
Roman spear. 3) It was “pin-striped” - Isaiah wrote how Messiah was striped
in our stead, “And He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for
our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with his
stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:5).
The bitter herbs reveal the bitterness of Calvary. Jesus willingly drank the
bitter dregs of the cup of our salvation (Matt. 26:39). He bore the bitterness
of our sins and nailed them to His cross (Colossians 2:14). Only by faith in
His precious blood can sinners be redeemed from the bitterness of sin. No
wonder the Apostle Paul loudly proclaimed, “Christ is our Passover!” (1 Cor.
5:7).
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