Few events in Scripture so clearly unite God’s saving work in the Old Testament with its fulfillment in the New Testament as the feast of Passover. Instituted by God in Egypt on the night of Israel’s deliverance, it was a feast of remembrance, designed to root the nation in God’s redemptive power. Every Israelite family remembered that they had once been slaves, and by the blood of the lamb they were set free. The Passover was not simply a national tradition; it was the defining moment of Israel’s history, a testimony of God’s mighty hand stretched out to redeem His people.
Yet the Passover was never meant to be an end in itself. Like all of God’s ordained festivals, it pointed forward to something greater. It was a shadow, a type, preparing the way for Christ who would be revealed as the true Lamb of God. Paul made this connection explicit when he wrote, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). For the believer today, Passover enriches our understanding of salvation, showing how God’s sovereign plan unfolds across the ages. It reminds us that deliverance from bondage—whether Egypt or sin—requires the blood of a substitute. This essay will trace the Passover from its origins in Exodus, through its observance in Israel’s history, to its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, and finally to its application in the lives of believers today.
Words: 1785 / Time to read: 9 minutes
Historical & Cultural Background
The first Passover took place in the crucible of Egyptian bondage. Israel had endured generations of slavery under Pharaoh, and though God had raised up Moses as a deliverer, Pharaoh’s heart grew harder with each plague. The final judgment, the death of the firstborn, was unlike any before it. God declared that on that night He Himself would pass through Egypt in judgment. But He also provided a way of salvation. Each household was to select an unblemished lamb, kill it, and place its blood on the doorposts of their home (Exodus 12:3-7). God promised, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt” (Exodus 12:13).
This act of deliverance was to be remembered through every generation as a “lasting ordinance” (Exodus 12:14). God commanded that no leaven be eaten during the feast, symbolizing the putting away of sin and corruption. The people were to eat the lamb in haste, with staff in hand, ready to depart. Passover was not merely a festival of memory; it was a reenactment of God’s saving power.
Culturally, Passover shaped Israel’s national identity. It reminded them annually that they were a redeemed people, not by their own strength but by the grace of God. Historically, it also distinguished them from the surrounding nations. No other people had such a feast rooted in both judgment and mercy, in both blood and deliverance. The blood of the lamb not only secured their redemption from Egypt but also marked them as belonging to the Lord. This symbolism laid the foundation for the deeper truth that would be revealed in Christ.
Biblical Narrative
The story of Passover begins in Exodus 12, but its echoes resound throughout Scripture. In the wilderness, God reaffirmed its observance (Numbers 9:1-14), even providing exceptions for those who were ceremonially unclean, showing that His provision of redemption was not to be lightly neglected. When the people entered the land of promise, they celebrated Passover at Gilgal (Joshua 5:10-12). That celebration marked a turning point, for the manna ceased, and the people ate of the produce of Canaan. God’s provision shifted from wilderness sustenance to covenant inheritance.
In later history, the Passover became central to Israel’s renewal movements. Hezekiah, in a time of spiritual decline, called the nation back to God through the celebration of Passover (2 Chronicles 30:1-27). His invitation extended even to remnants of the northern tribes, demonstrating the unifying power of redemption. Josiah, too, reinstituted the Passover during his reforms, celebrating it with such faithfulness that Scripture notes, “Not since the days of Samuel the prophet had any king in Israel celebrated such a Passover” (2 Chronicles 35:18). After the return from exile, Ezra and the returning exiles kept the Passover with joy, “because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God” (Ezra 6:22).
In the Gospels, Passover provides the setting for the most significant events of Christ’s ministry. It was during Passover that He entered Jerusalem, hailed as King. It was in the context of the Passover meal that He instituted the Lord’s Supper, taking bread and wine and giving them new meaning in light of His imminent sacrifice. And it was on Passover that He was crucified, fulfilling the type in its entirety. John the Baptist had already identified Him as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The timing of His death during Passover was not coincidental but divinely ordained. He was the true Passover Lamb, slain so that judgment might pass over those who are under His blood.
Theological Significance
The Passover is rich in theological meaning. At its heart, it reveals the principle of substitution. The lamb died in place of the firstborn. Its blood shielded the family from God’s judgment. This principle of substitution runs throughout Scripture and culminates in Christ, who died in our place. As Peter declared, “You were redeemed… with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Passover also reveals the seriousness of sin. The judgment on Egypt was not arbitrary; it was the righteous outpouring of God’s wrath. The blood on the doorposts did not deny that wrath but acknowledged it. Salvation was not obtained by ignoring judgment but by finding refuge under the blood. This same truth is central to the gospel. Paul explains that “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith” (Romans 3:25).
The feast also demonstrates God’s sovereign plan of redemption. The deliverance from Egypt was not only about freeing Israel from slavery; it was about setting apart a people for Himself, through whom He would bring the Messiah. In dispensational terms, Passover belongs to Israel’s redemptive history, yet it points forward to the church’s redemption in Christ. The two are not confused, but they are connected through the progressive unfolding of God’s plan. The continuity of the shadow and the fulfillment reminds us that God works with precision across the ages, moving history toward the goal of Christ’s glory.
Finally, Passover teaches that redemption leads to covenant. Israel was not only freed from Egypt; they were bound to God. Likewise, believers are not only saved from sin but saved for God, called into covenant relationship through Christ’s blood, which established the new covenant. At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). In Him, the promises of God find their yes and amen.
Spiritual Lessons & Application
For the believer today, Passover holds abiding lessons. It teaches us to see sin as God sees it. Egypt’s judgment and Israel’s deliverance remind us that sin brings death, but the blood of Christ brings life. As Paul wrote, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
It also teaches us to live in freedom. Israel walked out of Egypt that night no longer slaves but a redeemed people. In Christ, believers are no longer bound to sin but have been set free to serve God in righteousness. Paul wrote, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life” (Romans 6:22).
Passover further teaches us to live in purity. The command to remove leaven was symbolic of putting away corruption. Paul applied this truth directly to believers: “Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Holiness is not optional for the redeemed; it is the natural expression of gratitude and obedience.
The feast also points us to worship and anticipation. The Lord’s Supper, which Christ instituted in the context of Passover, carries forward the same themes of remembrance and deliverance. Every time believers partake, they proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:26). Communion not only looks back to the cross but forward to the return of Christ, when redemption will be complete and the marriage supper of the Lamb will be celebrated (Revelation 19:9).
In all of these ways, Passover is more than an ancient festival. It is a living testimony of God’s redemption, fulfilled in Christ and experienced by believers every day.
Conclusion
Passover is a feast that reveals the heart of God’s redemption plan. It commemorated Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, but its greater purpose was to point to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In its rituals we see substitution, blood, covenant, and deliverance—all fulfilled perfectly in Jesus Christ.
For the church today, Passover is a reminder to live under the blood, to walk in freedom, and to worship in anticipation of the coming King. It is a call to holiness, gratitude, and confidence in God’s sovereign plan. As Paul affirmed, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Because of Him, judgment has passed over us, and eternal life is our inheritance.
“You know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed… but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
(1 Peter 1:18-19)
All Scripture quoted from:
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.