Passover (October 9 in KidQuest and FirstLook)

Every 6th and 13th lesson, we pause to remember and celebrate, just as God instructed His people to do. Here is some info that will help you talk about the feast of Passover at home.  If you go to our Parent Resource page on the WCC website and find the HomeFront Weekly section, you will find a great activity to do at home to help introduce Passover with your kids.

Feast of Passover
During the Feast of Passover, the Israelites celebrated their deliverance from the Egyptians, as well as God as the Deliverer. The Passover meal is symbolic in form and also in the food choices. Each food represents a different part of the story of their escape from Egypt. The meal includes lamb to symbolize the slain lambs whose blood marked the Hebrews’ doorposts on the night of the 10th plague, on which the angel of death “passed over” their homes. In the New Testament, Jesus became the sacrificial Passover Lamb to offer deliverance from sin to all people for all time, for those who receive it.

Old Testament Significance
Several times a year the Israelites gathered together for a feast or festival. In Leviticus 23, “the Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed feasts … which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.’” These seven feasts and festivals are: Feast of Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Festival of First Fruits, Feast of Harvest, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths). In addition, the Israelites would gather weekly to celebrate the Sabbath. These were times to remember what God had done for His people and to celebrate His goodness. They were a time for the entire faith community to gather together without the burden of work to simply worship and celebrate. During the feasts, the Israelites ate, danced, sang, played instruments, prayed, and offered sacrifices to God.

New Testament Significance
The Feast of Passover was fulfilled by the death of the Messiah, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was fulfilled by His sinless sacrifice, and the Festival of First Fruits was fulfilled by the resurrection of the Messiah. The Feast of Harvest began with a great harvest of three-thousand souls by the coming of the promised Holy Spirit, who continues to harvest souls today. The Feast of Trumpets will announce Christ’s return, the Day of Atonement anticipated the Messiah’s perfect sacrifice, and, finally, the Feast of Tabernacles begins the journey to our new home in a new heaven and new earth.