Passover: From Haste to Reflection

Feasts of Israel Series: Part 6

The first Passover was necessarily celebrated in a rush. After all, Israel was on the verge of freedom. Pharaoh and his people would become be so desperate for them to leave, they’d virtually thrust them out (Exodus 12:31–33). Knowing the need for speed, God warned them to eat standing up, “with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand” (Exodus 12:11).

Sure enough, while Egypt was still awash in grief, Pharaoh commanded Israel leave before the night was through. There was no time for a good night’s sleep. Instant obedience put significant distance between Israel and an enemy who would soon change his mind and pursue.

From Standing to Reclining

Subsequent Passovers were anything but hasty. They were no longer slaves at the ready for escape, but free men and women. As such, they no longer stood around the Passover table, they reclined.

Alfred Edersheim describes it this way in his book The Temple. Resting their left elbows on the table with their heads on that hand, they all but leaned against each other with just enough space between them to allow free movement of their right hands.^[1] This is the posture in which we find the disciples in their final Passover together. Reclining just to Jesus’ right, John was so close, he couldn’t just turn his head to address Jesus. He had to almost lean back into his teacher’s chest to ask Him a question (John 13:25).

Over time, Passover rituals expanded and deepened. The only menu items mentioned in Exodus 12:8 were roasted lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Serving as memorials, subsequent Passovers benefited from a more leisurely approach. Meals eventually included multiple cups of wine, additional scoops of bitter herbs, and specialized rituals involving breaking, sharing and hiding unleavened bread. Instead of running off hastily in the middle of the night as the Patriarchs had, succeeding generations lingered into the evening reciting multiple Psalms of praise.

Opportunity to Reflect

Memorials serve as opportunities to rest and reflect on the past with thoughtfulness, gratitude and a search for meaning. Once in Canaan, Passover became the lead-in to the weeklong Feast of Unleavened Bread. After fasting from leaven as they examined their hearts for telltale sin, the final day of the Passover celebration ended with the joyous Feast of the Sheaf of First Fruits. Only then did they restart their lives and go back to work.

The whole season of Passover required their presence in Jerusalem for eight continuous days. This was more than a simple family get-together, as many of us celebrate during Thanksgiving or Christmas. It was “the Lord’s Passover”—a memorial of God’s faithfulness observed in God’s presence.

Today, Gentile believers often celebrate Easter with little thought to Passover. It’s a shame because the meaning behind the resurrection lies within the mysteries of Passover. Had God not intervened for Israel, we’d have no Easter today. Which makes this whole season such an opportunity to memorialize what God’s long-ago goodness means for us now.

We’ll continue to dig into the symbols of Passover in upcoming blogs. For now, spend some time identifying with Israel’s moment of release. How has God intervened in your life in a similar way? How do you memorialize it today? Has your own deliverance moment changed your posture as you commune with Him today? Are you reclining with Him yet or are you still ready to run?

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^[1] Alfred Edersheim, The Temple: its Ministry and Services as they were at the time of Jesus Christ (Arcadia Press, 1874), 84.