These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. 5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Passover’s Foreshadow

Foreshadowing. All of the feasts of God in the book of Leviticus are what we call a foreshadows. So what exactly is a foreshadow? In literature foreshadowing is a hint of something that is going to happen often shown by an object or person who is a symbol or cause of the coming event. But that is not really what we mean by foreshadowing in the Bible.

In the Bible God as the author of all time and history uses events, history, people, nations and things like the feasts as a type of Jesus who is coming. It has been explained as someone moving forward from the sun casts a shadow before it, so the coming of Christ casts many foreshadows throughout the Old Testament. The feasts of Israel are some of the strongest shadows cast forward by Jesus.

Shadow of the Passover

Passover in Hebrew is Pesach. It took place on the 14th day of the first month Nisan. It was a commemoration of the deliverance of Israel from slavery by the Angel of God.

Exodus 12:13-14 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

The lamb was chosen, kept penned up for 4 days and then slain. The blood of the lamb was collected in a basin and then sprinkled with a hyssop branch upon the doorpost and lintel of the house. Then as the Angel of God passed through the land that night, He would see the blood and pass over the home, sparing the firstborn within.

The lamb of the Passover would be roasted with fire and the children of Israel would eat on the lamb roasted with fire.

Passover’s Fulfillment

The Shadow’s Shape / Its First Purpose

Just as the Passover lamb was kept and then slain, Jesus the Lamb of God was arrested, imprisoned, and then slain by crucifixion on the Cross of Calvary.

Just as the Passover lamb was examined and found without spot or blemish, Jesus was put on trial and found without sin. Pilot said, “I find no fault in this man.” Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Just as the Passover lamb was roasted with fire, Jesus was beaten, mocked, scourged and humiliated, before his crucifixion. In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah saw this terrible ordeal and wrote Isaiah 53:4-6 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:
yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Just as those in the house partook of the Passover Lamb, Jesus said, John 6:48-54 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. … 53Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Just as the Paschal lamb kept the Angel of Death’s judgment from the homes of the Hebrews, so also Jesus blood protects us from the eternal wrath of God. So said Peter in 1 Peter 1:18-19 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Just as the Passover Lamb delivered Israel from the slavery of Egypt, Jesus Christ the Lamb of God delivered us from the slavery of sin. John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed!