As the Passover season draws near, we want to wish our Jewish friends Chag Sameach, and our Christian friends Happy Easter. May you and your loved ones be blessed in this time as you celebrate God’s mercy and redemption.
Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, commemorates the slavery of the Israelites in Egypt and their ultimate exodus to freedom. This story of redemption from slavery is the “master story” of the Jewish people that has shaped its values of religious freedom, caring for the stranger, and standing up to oppressive tyrants.
The story harks back 3,400 years to the family of Jacob, who fled their home in Canaan, or ancient Israel, in the face of a terrible famine. They made their way to Egypt where they were welcomed, and grew in population and in acceptance. But when a new pharaoh came to power in Egypt, he feared the growing Israelite population and enslaved them, oppression that continued for the next 210 years.
Moses, an Israelite baby who survived Pharoah’s decree of Jewish infanticide and ended up growing up “half-Egyptian” in the palace itself, heard God’s call at a burning bush out in the desert to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He negotiated with Pharoah for the Israelite’s freedom. This led to a famous show-down between God, who demanded freedom for the Israelites, and Pharaoh, who symbolizes the hard-hearted forces of tyranny and enslavement. God breaks Pharaoh’s spirit by inflicting Egypt with 10 plagues.
During the night of the final plague, God “passed over” and protected the houses of the Israelites, giving the festival its name. Finally, with the Egyptian army chasing after them, God (symbolized by Moses’ outstretched arm) split the waters of the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to cross the sea on dry land and escape. Since they ran out of Egypt in a hurry, the Israelite slaves did not have time for their plain bread to leaven and rise, giving Passover it’s most famous symbol, matzah, which is Hebrew for “unleavened bread.”
Today the Jewish community holds the messages of this story dear. Our perspectives have evolved but reading this episode as a historical metaphor can still lead to deep spiritual reflection. We hope you will find your own connection with the Exodus story during Passover!
As was commanded, we are to teach our children of His great deliverance, that “With a mighty hand did the Lord take us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” (Exodus 13:14). Our celebration of God’s provision demonstrates to our children what is important, and sets an example for them to walk in.
May our sons and daughters rise up and walk boldly in the Truth without fear and never shrink back from His calling.
“Tell your children about it, and your children to their children, and their children to another generation.” (Joel 1:3)
