HOUSMAIL HM#104 - THE PASSOVER PROPHECY AND THE CRUCIFIXION                                 26 April 2003

The Passover was regarded by Jews as one of THE most important events in the History of the Jewish nation. It was to be kept as an everlasting memorial of the beginning of their history as a nation, when "By strength of hand, The LORD brought them out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage". (Exod 13:3) In our time, religious Jews still do that, all over the world.

At first glance it would be easy for the spiritually lazy to write this topic off as one of those "technical" things of little practical worth. However, it can be FAR more than that. If we put the effort into it, it can be one of the VERY exciting things from the OT prophecies, which identify Jesus as the Messiah. (Luke 24:44-47)

It is the prophecy which told Jesus WHEN He would die; and WHERE He would die; and also WHEN he would rise again -- "on the third day"!

And THAT makes it very important. It is one of the foundation tools God has given us on which to build our FAITH.

THE OLD TESTAMENT PASSOVER TIMETABLE

1. 10th day of the first month - ABIB:

Select the Passover lamb. (Exod 12:3)
Without blemish. (Exod 12:5)
Keep it until the 14th day.

2. 14th day of ABIB -- PREPARATION DAY FOR THE PASSOVER MEAL.

Remove all leaven from their homes.
Eat only UNleavened bread. (Exod 12:18)
[John calls this the "The day of Preparation of the Passover", (John 19:14") and  "the Jewish day of Preparation". (John 19:42)]

3. 14th day of ABIB -- Kill the lamb in the evening. (Exod 12:6)

The Hebrew text actually says the lamb was to be killed "between the TWO evenings".(KJV margin) The Jews interpreted this phrase to mean about mid afternoon, between the 9th and 11th hours -- about 3-00pm to 5-00pm. (Josephus, War 6,9,3)

4. 15TH DAY OF ABIB
     [Note - the 15th day began after sunset on the 14th.]

God calls this day a "Holy Convocation".
It was first day of the feast of UNLEAVENED BREAD.
It coincided with eating the PASSOVER MEAL "that night", with unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. (Exod 12:8) Note - the 15th day began at sunset on the 14th.

No foreigner was to eat of it. (Exod 12:43 cf. He 13:10))

NOT A BONE WAS TO BE BROKEN! (Exod 12:46)
 

6. 16TH DAY OF ABIB -- THE FEAST OF THE FIRST FRUITS. (Num 23:9-14)
    [This refers to the first fruits of the barley harvest. It would always occur during the
     Feast of Unleavened Bread.]

The phrase is a little obscure. It could mean:
"the first day of the week, after the first Sabbath following the Passover Meal".

However, the Pharisees had formalized this to ALWAYS keep the feast on the SIXTEENTH day of the month. [This is confirmed by Josephus in Antique. 3,10,5.] Interpreted this way, the "First Fruits" did not necessarily occur on a "first day" of the week. However God FOUND a way to make sure that, in spite of the interference of the Pharisees, there was no ambiguity about which day He meant!
He simply arranged things so that, in the year in which Jesus was crucified, the "normal" seventh day Sabbath, and the Passover "High Day", coincided! And this meant that the "First Fruits" fell on the first day of the week!

THE NEW TESTAMENT CRUCIFIXION WEEK TIMETABLE

1. 10TH DAY OF ABIB -- Sunday after Sunset.

Jesus arrived near Bethany (Mark 11:1) and threw down His provocative challenge to the Jews. By riding that donkey into Jerusalem He openly declared himself as the Messiah! (Zech 12:9 cf Mattew 21:15)

And when the crowds welcomed Him as "Son of David", (Mattew 21:15) and "King",  (John 12:13) they unwittingly chose Him as their PASSOVER LAMB. When it came to the attention of the Jewish leaders, it reinforced their determination to do away with Him! (John 11:53; 12:19)

2. 14th DAY OF ABIB -- Thursday after Sunset.
It was the preparation day for the Passover Meal and the Feast of Unleavened bread. Jesus sent the disciples to prepare the upper room. Amongst other things they would have made certain that the house was cleared of all leaven. When they sat down to eat that evening it was NOT the Passover meal. It was the evening before. This is clear because Jesus was still alive, and the lamb would not be sacrificed until the next afternoon -- Friday 3-00pm onwards.

3. 14th DAY OF ABIB -- Friday daylight

9-00am Jesus was crucified

3-00pm Jesus died -- at the precise moment the first lamb was slain.

When the Roman soldiers saw that Jesus was already dead, they did not break his legs! ("Neither shall ye break a bone thereof"!) Instead they made sure that he was dead by piercing his side with a spear Before sunset on this "preparation day" Jesus was buried.

4. 15th Day OF ABIB -- Friday after Sunset to Sunset Saturday

This was the day which God called a "Holy Convocation".
John calls it a "High Day", which in that year, coincided with a normal weekly Sabbath.
(John 19:31)

Unaware of the glorious New Covenant fulfillment of what they were doing the Jews ate their PASSOVER Meal.

5. 16th DAY OF ABIB -- Sunday at sunrise

The "feast of the firstfruits" AND the THIRD DAY!

JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD! -- HALLELUJAH!
 

One of the really interesting details has been lost in the translation. The Greek word used by Luke for "departure" (See verse 31) is "EXODUS"!

In His Death and Resurrection, Jesus has prepared the way for our personal EXODUS from "Spiritual Egypt". We may choose to follow Him, leave behind our slavery to sin, and begin our journey to the PROMISED LAND!

And that is just one more of many other very exciting examples of the details which lie hidden behind the story of the Passover, to confirm Jesus as the MESSIAH.