Happy Saturday, friends! We’re leaving the chaos of this world behind for today to focus on the beginning of the feasts of Israel. Monday at sundown marks the beginning of Passover, an 8-day commemoration of God’s deliverance of the Jewish people from Egyptian captivity. Passover is the first of seven major feasts of Israel. Embedded in the 8 days of Passover are two other feasts: Feast of Unleavened Bread and Feast of First Fruits.

We will discuss more as the feast days approach, but it is important to understand that the seven feasts hold tremendous significance for both Jews and Christians. For Jews, it is God’s way of reminding them of His faithfulness in the past and the future. An added bonus for Christians is the obvious picture of Jesus, our Savior, painted in each of the feasts. We’ll focus on the three feasts at hand.

• Jesus is our Passover Lamb who died for our sins. (Passover – rescue of the Jews from Egyptian bondage)
• Jesus was also pierced for our transgressions, striped, bruised and broken for us on the cross. (Feast of Unleavened Bread – God’s provision of the Hebrew people as they fled Egypt)
• But He did not remain in the tomb! He rose again, becoming the First Fruit of resurrection so that we too will live again after death. (Feast of First Fruits – commemoration of God’s miraculous provision in the wilderness)

Those are the springtime feasts and Jesus is evident in each of them. Take some time to understand Jesus in the Passover. You faith will be strengthened and you will be very encouraged by His goodness! Enjoy!

PS: Why not gather some of your Christian friends and commemorate Passover this weekend! True, as believers in Jesus the Messiah we are not bound by Jewish law to uphold the feast rituals. However, studying why those feasts are significant to us is very uplifting. Here is a fantastic resource for you.