Today marks the beginning of the Passover holiday.
As with the many celebrations of many other Bible-centered religions, the celebrations revolve around food, family, and a story of faith.
This story is one which is shared in the synagogues, the cathedrals, churches and other places of worship of those who call themselves Jewish, Catholic and Christian. It is a story of mystery, of miracles, of redemption (The Theme of the Best Stories is Always …).
Although the story in Exodus begins with a conversation between God and Moses and Aaron, really it began at almost the beginning of time:
“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing .”
Genesis 12:2
God has had a plan for His people, a plan of blessing.
But God’s people had been enslaved by the Egyptians, for generations. And, through the God’s use of the Egyptians, Moses was saved when Pharaoh demanded the killing of the firstborn males of his slaves, the Jews. God has a funny way of accomplishing His plans.
God, through Moses and Aaron, tried to convince Pharaoh to let His people go free, with locusts, with plagues, with blood, with gnats, with frogs, with boils, with darkness. Pharaoh knew he had a good thing, and he refused to let them go.
It was not until God sent death … death of the firstborn sons (sound familiar?) of Egypt, that Pharaoh had ears to hear.
God had given the very specific directions to Moses and Aaron:
- a specific date and time
- a yearling male lamb … with no imperfections
- slaughtered at twilight
- blood wiped on the door frames of all of the Israelite people
- roasted
- all the meat eaten, with bitter herbs and yeast-free bread
- dress code applicable
- all left-overs burned up in the fire
Then, in the night, God past over the town, killing every firstborn, except for His chosen people, safe behind the doors with the blood of the innocent, perfect lamb dripping between their past of slavery and bondage and their future as a great nation.
All was accomplished, just as God said, and Pharaoh let the people go.
This celebration called Passover, is an everlasting reminder, of the devotion and promise that God has made with His chosen people. One worth celebrating, when Jew or Gentile.
“God kept watch all night,
watching over the Israelites as he brought them out of Egypt.
Because God kept watch,
all Israel for all generations will honor God by keeping watch this night
—a watchnight.”
Exodus 12:41-42
itsawonderfilledlife 