Passover Teaching - Passover in Egypt

Passover Teaching - Passover in Egypt

The Approaching Passover

The upcoming celebration of Passover is a significant time for believers. Founded in Truth Fellowship provides a free Messianic Yeshua-centered Passover Haggadah, available on their website under the resources tab, which offers a walkthrough of the Seder. This Haggadah has received positive feedback and is encouraged as a valuable resource for understanding Passover in a Yeshua-centered context.

The Significance of Passover for Believers

As believers in Yeshua (Jesus), Passover holds a profound and multifaceted meaning that goes beyond the historical event of the Exodus from Egypt. It offers a unique paradigm of the depth, meaning, sacrifice, and freedom demonstrated by Yeshua. Additionally, it is crucial to remember the original Passover in Egypt and its profound significance for the Israelites at that time.

The Original Passover in Egypt

For the Israelites in ancient Egypt, Passover was an event of immense importance, representing redemption, salvation, and a new status free from slavery. This pivotal event became a recurring motif throughout the biblical narrative, illustrating God's redemptive power. The story of the Exodus is foundational to Israelite identity, setting them apart from slavery, and it also provides the context for the giving of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) at Mount Sinai. Understanding this original Passover is essential as it underpins much of the subsequent biblical story.

The Broader Biblical Narrative

Viewing the Bible with a "helicopter view," focusing on the broad narrative strokes, offers a transformative perspective for believers, shaping how one understands and appreciates the Scriptures. This macro view helps in fulfilling the vocation of being God's image bearers on earth. The Torah, consisting of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, is often translated as "Law," but a more accurate translation might be "Instructions". Even "instructions" can be a bit general, but it’s important to avoid seeing the Torah solely as a collection of laws.

Beyond a Checklist of Commandments

A common pitfall is to treat the Torah as a simple checklist of commandments that, if followed sufficiently, can lead to a state of righteousness before God. However, the Torah's commandments are often intentionally vague, making a literal checklist approach problematic. Yeshua himself critiqued this legalistic interpretation prevalent among the Pharisees. The desire to exploit God's blessings by merely adhering to a list of rules is addressed in the book of Job. Job's suffering, despite his righteousness, demonstrates that God's blessings are not simply transactional rewards for obedience. God's grace, mercy, and blessings are given by Him, not demanded by humans. The vagueness of many Torah commandments serves to prompt discussion, meditation, and community engagement to understand God's Word more deeply.

The Torah as Narrative

While the Torah contains laws and commandments, it is fundamentally a narrative. The majority of the first 62 chapters focus on the story of God's interaction with creation and humanity, leading up to the Exodus. This narrative context is crucial for understanding the commandments themselves. For instance, the commandment to observe the Sabbath in Deuteronomy is linked to the fact that the Israelites were no longer slaves, emphasizing freedom and rest. The Torah lays the roadmap for the rest of the Bible, beginning with the poetic creation account in Genesis 1, where God's desire to commune with mankind is central. The narrative then progresses through the flood and the Tower of Babel, before narrowing its focus to Abram (Abraham), through whom God would bring forth a kingdom of blessing.

The Story of Joseph and the Enslavement in Egypt

The story leading to the Exodus begins with Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt. Despite facing hardship, Joseph's faithfulness leads to his elevation as second only to Pharaoh. Notably, Joseph's two Egyptian sons are adopted into Jacob's family, becoming tribes of Israel, which foreshadows the inclusion of outsiders into God's people. The Israelites settle in Egypt and multiply significantly. However, a new Pharaoh, who does not remember Joseph, rises to power and views the growing Israelite population as a threat to his kingdom's security. This fear motivates the king to oppress the Israelites with forced labor and the construction of store cities like Pithom and Ramses. Despite the harsh oppression, the Israelites continue to multiply. In a desperate attempt to control their numbers, Pharaoh orders the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill newborn Hebrew boys. However, the midwives fear God and disobey the king's command, allowing the boys to live. Pharaoh then resorts to a more drastic measure, ordering all his people to throw every newborn Hebrew boy into the Nile.

Application for Everyday Life

• Reflect on Your Freedom: Just as the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt, believers in Yeshua have been freed from the bondage of sin and death. Take time to meditate on this freedom and avoid taking it for granted.
• Remember the Bitterness of Sin: The bitter herbs eaten during the Passover Seder symbolize the bitterness of slavery. Similarly, reflect on the negative impact of sin in your life and remember what you have been freed from.
• Don't Return to "Egypt": The Israelites were warned not to forget their deliverance and return to Egypt. In your life, be mindful of any tendencies to go back to old habits, sins, or mindsets that you have been freed from through Yeshua.
• Embrace New Beginnings: Passover marks a new beginning. Use this season as an opportunity to evaluate your life, leave behind past failures, and embrace the new start that God offers.
• Prepare Your Heart: As Passover approaches, prepare your heart to remember and appreciate the exodus from sin and death through Yeshua's sacrifice.
• Engage with the Passover Haggadah: Utilize resources like the Messianic Yeshua-centered Passover Haggadah to gain a deeper understanding of the Seder and its significance for believers.
• Meditate on God's Word: Spend time reflecting on the stories and commandments in the Bible, allowing them to shape your understanding and guide your life.

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Resources

• Free Messianic Yeshua-centered Passover Haggadah: Available at foundinintruth.com/resources/
• The Bible by Various Authors
• Book of Job by Unknown Author
• Animal Farm by George Orwell

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