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~Celebrating the Passover of YHWH~
*Passover is the first feast of the new year~ and is also considered the first of the
"Spring Feasts"... it is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which begins the very next evening (see the page for the Feast of Unleavened Bread).
[NOTE--As I began to search the internet for information on the feasts of YHWH, I quickly became OVERWHELMED. And I REMAIN overwhelmed every time I try to gather information. There is just SO MUCH information and SO MANY websites available... it would be IMPOSSIBLE to read it all. Therefore, I have decided to stick with the Scripture and by-pass most of the traditions and rituals this year. As time goes on, I may add a little 'more' to our celebration from year to year-- but we will be celebrating it very simple and basic this year.
Passover is a Memorial Feast~ to remember the day YHWH brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, by His strong hand... Exodus 13:3
*The date for Passover is the 14th of Abib~ which would be April 6th (this year) on the Gregorian calendar... the "Jewish" day begins at evening, therefore, it would be the evening of "April 6th".
Passover occurs in the first month of the new year, as YHWH told Moses and Aaron while they were in Egypt.
{"And YHWH spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you." Exodus 12:1-2}
{ "This day came ye out in the month A'-bib." Exodus 13:4}
It is to be observed on the 14th day of the first month (which begins at evening).
{"In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even." Exodus 12:18}
{"In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is YHWH's passover." Leviticus 23:5}
{"In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it." Numbers 9:3}
{"And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of YHWH." Numbers 28:16}
{"Observe the month of A'-bib, and keep the passover unto YHWH thy Elohiym: for in the month of A'-bib YHWH thy Elohiym brought thee forth out of Egypt by night." Deuteronomy 16:1}
From the very first Passover, YHWH compassionately made provision for those that were not born of Israel... and I'm so thankful! "He made provision for me" :)
{ "And YHWH said to Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: But every man's servant that is bought with money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof... And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to YHWH, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth with you." Exodus 12:43-44,48-49}
{"And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto YHWH; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land." Numbers 9:14}
*Notice the emphasis on circumcision... that seems to be the prerequisit... why? Well, YHWH told Abraham that He would establish an everlasting covenant with him and his seed, and the token (sign) of that covenant was circumcision. It was to be for everyone born in Israel, and for everyone bought with money... and would be His covenant in the flesh for an everlasting covenant. Those not circumcised would be cut off and had broken His covenant. { Genesis 17:7-14 } So... I see it as an obedient sign of commitment to YHWH's covenant, not just a physical act. It holds meaning, and is a permanant physical sign of being included in His covenant... which is to live your entire life in obedience to YHWH-- not just eating a meal. It is an outward sign that you are identified as YHWH's. YHWH sees and recognizes this sign, although others may not. (Needless to say, I am not a man that can be circumcised, but I am a "stranger" that chooses to identify with the covenent He made with Abraham and his seed, and live in covenant with Him.)
That we may always Remember!.....
"And this day shall be unto you for a memorial: and ye shall keep it a feast to YHWH throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." Exodus 12:14
"And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which YHWH will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep his service.
And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?
That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of YHWH's passover,..." Exodus 12:24-27
"Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.... And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him,...." Exodus 13:10,14
"....that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life." Deuteronomy 16:3
*It should also be a rememberance that YHWH did what he said He would do :) Long before Moses was even born, YHWH said He would bring them out of their bondage... before they were even in bondage, YHWH told Abram/Abraham that "his seed" (Israel) would be a stranger in a land that was not theirs and would serve them, and they would be afflicted for 400 years--but YHWH said He would judge that nation that would afflict them, and they would come out with great substance... and they did! He did not leave them there, He brought them out with a strong hand and they came out with great substance. He fulfilled His word! :)
{ Compare Genesis 15:13-14 and Exodus 12:29-36 }
{ Compare Genesis 15:13-14 and Exodus 12:29-36 }
How do we celebrate Passover?
A summary of what we read in the Scripture for the very first Passover, is that a young, healthy (unblemished) male lamb or goat was to be roasted and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. All of it was to be eaten, shared, or burned with fire--so that none of it remained until the morning. They were to eat it in haste, with their loins girded, their shoes on their feet and their staff in their hand. They were also told to sprinkle the blood of the lamb or goat on the two side posts and the upper door post of the houses they were eating in (so YHWH would "pass over" them during the last plague of Egypt). {Exodus 12:1-28}
In the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, YHWH spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Si'-nai and gave permission for those unclean by being defiled by a dead body, or for those gone on a long journey, that they could keep the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month. They were still to eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, not leaving any of it until the morning... nor break any bone of it (unblemished?). I don't know if they still had to sprinkle the blood, since they were in tents without doorposts-- and since YHWH wasn't actually going throughout the camp to take the first born like He did the first time. I also don't know if they were suppose to eat it quickly (in haste) with their loins girded, shoes on, and staff in hand. It's hard to know if that was just the first time, so they would actually be ready to leave-- or if it should be done continually as part of the "rememberance". {Numbers 9:1-14}
When they were getting ready to enter the land YHWH had promised them, they were told "how and where" to sacrifice... according to the place YHWH would tell them-- the place He would choose to place His name. They were to continue to roast it, and not leave any until the morning. And they were to have no leaven. About the blood-- they were to sacrifice outside the gates at the going down of the sun, then eat the Passover at the place where YHWH would choose, and then return to their tents in the morning... because of this, I don't think they put the blood on the doorways of their tents. They, evidently, sacrificed outside the gates when it was getting dark, then went somewhere to prepare the meat and meal and eat it together, then finally returned to their own tents in the morning; so I don't think they went back to their tents to place the blood on the doorways (when they weren't even going to be eating it there) and then left again to go prepare the meal and eat it somewhere else. { Deuteronomy 16:1-8 }
In the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, YHWH spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Si'-nai and gave permission for those unclean by being defiled by a dead body, or for those gone on a long journey, that they could keep the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month. They were still to eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, not leaving any of it until the morning... nor break any bone of it (unblemished?). I don't know if they still had to sprinkle the blood, since they were in tents without doorposts-- and since YHWH wasn't actually going throughout the camp to take the first born like He did the first time. I also don't know if they were suppose to eat it quickly (in haste) with their loins girded, shoes on, and staff in hand. It's hard to know if that was just the first time, so they would actually be ready to leave-- or if it should be done continually as part of the "rememberance". {Numbers 9:1-14}
When they were getting ready to enter the land YHWH had promised them, they were told "how and where" to sacrifice... according to the place YHWH would tell them-- the place He would choose to place His name. They were to continue to roast it, and not leave any until the morning. And they were to have no leaven. About the blood-- they were to sacrifice outside the gates at the going down of the sun, then eat the Passover at the place where YHWH would choose, and then return to their tents in the morning... because of this, I don't think they put the blood on the doorways of their tents. They, evidently, sacrificed outside the gates when it was getting dark, then went somewhere to prepare the meat and meal and eat it together, then finally returned to their own tents in the morning; so I don't think they went back to their tents to place the blood on the doorways (when they weren't even going to be eating it there) and then left again to go prepare the meal and eat it somewhere else. { Deuteronomy 16:1-8 }
...bringing it all together
From the information I've seen in the Scripture, and considering we are not living in the promised land and there is no longer a tabernacle, Levitical priesthood, or sacrificing-- I have come to a simple idea of what it would mean to keep the Passover:
"Roast" (cook) 'a lamb' (lamb meat) and prepare a meal at sundown, making sure there is no leaven in the meal (and no leaven within your house or property) and having some type of bitter herbs. Eat your meal quickly with your clothes (clothes you would wear "out" somewhere) and shoes on. You could have your vehicle keys beside your plate (to symbolize your staff-- "getting ready to leave") or actually get a cane or walking stick or staff of some sort... remember these things are "visuals" and "symbols".
You could have candles, special dishes, or anything else you would like to make this a special time and meal.
After you have eaten, you could READ the Scripture or a paraphrased "account" of YHWH calling Moses from the burning bush all the way through the first Passover. This is a time for remembering and talking about what YHWH has done for Israel. You could watch "The Ten Commandments" movie together (making sure to point out any errors) or anything that focuses on that time. You can sing songs, play games, have trivia questions, whatever you would like-- but you need to make sure it remains a memorial of how YHWH brought Israel out of the bondage of Egypt with a strong and mighty hand.
"Roast" (cook) 'a lamb' (lamb meat) and prepare a meal at sundown, making sure there is no leaven in the meal (and no leaven within your house or property) and having some type of bitter herbs. Eat your meal quickly with your clothes (clothes you would wear "out" somewhere) and shoes on. You could have your vehicle keys beside your plate (to symbolize your staff-- "getting ready to leave") or actually get a cane or walking stick or staff of some sort... remember these things are "visuals" and "symbols".
You could have candles, special dishes, or anything else you would like to make this a special time and meal.
After you have eaten, you could READ the Scripture or a paraphrased "account" of YHWH calling Moses from the burning bush all the way through the first Passover. This is a time for remembering and talking about what YHWH has done for Israel. You could watch "The Ten Commandments" movie together (making sure to point out any errors) or anything that focuses on that time. You can sing songs, play games, have trivia questions, whatever you would like-- but you need to make sure it remains a memorial of how YHWH brought Israel out of the bondage of Egypt with a strong and mighty hand.
Preparing For Passover~
The preparation for Passover, besides getting your meal planned and bought, is CLEANING YOUR HOUSE OF ALL LEAVEN. This is a little difficult for those of us that have not been raised or taught about this. Clean, clean, clean! ;) *Make sure* you have eliminated all leaven from your home/property... hmmm... could this possibly be where "spring cleaning" comes from? Just a thought! :)