lamb chops with charmoula
regular unleavened bread
gluten-free unleavened bread
slow-roasted beets
apricot almond compote
unleavened desserts
When is Passover? The notation at the bottom of the Passover calendar (see link) says, “The holiday begins at 6 p.m. (or sunset) on the previous day.” In 2007 it listed Passover on April 3rd. April 2nd, 2007, therefore, is the day of preparation; I spend it cooking. I try to do all my spring cleaning the week before Passover. We have our Passover meal of roast lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread at sundown or in the evening of the day of preparation, so in 2007 it was in the evening of April 2nd. This is when most Jews in Israel have their Passover meal as well, in the evening before. The first official day of Passover, which in 2007 was April 3rd, begins the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
We are still very much learning how to celebrate the Passover. We do not celebrate it exactly as modern Jews do; there are many traditions of men included without noting the fulfillment of Jesus – Yashua. So we are developing our own way of celebrating the feast to fulfill its purpose of a memorial for ourselves, and to teach the children. It is subject to change as the Lord continues to teach us. But the following is what we have done so far, with Dad praying the blessings and reading the Scriptures at each stage of the meal.
Begin by placing the food on the table. Mom lights the seven candles in the center of the table.
Dad pours the wine, then prays a prayer of sanctification over the wine. The first sip of wine celebrates our freedom.
Dad reads (or tells) the Exodus story from Exodus chapter 12, and ends with our freedom in Christ in Galatians 5:1 and 13.
The second sip of wine celebrates our deliverance. Dad reads (or tells) the story of Jesus’ crucifixion from John chapters 18 and 19, and reminds us of our deliverance in Christ in Colossians 1:13-14.
Dad prays a prayer of sanctification over the unleavened bread. Dad notes to everyone that the bread is striped and pierced, just as Jesus was for us in Isaiah 53:5 and Psalm 22:16. He reminds us that the Last Supper which instituted Communion was a Passover supper, and that when we eat the bread tonight, and the drink the wine after supper, we will be partaking in the body and blood of our Lord, and warns us from 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 not to eat or drink without examining ourselves.
Dad breaks the bread as he blesses it; prays a prayer of sanctification over the meal; and everyone eats.
Mom gets the dessert ready to serve. The 3rd sip of wine which goes with the dessert celebrates our redemption. Dad reminds us of our redemption in Christ in Ephesians 1:7-10. Everyone eats dessert.
The final sip of wine celebrates the present and coming kingdom of Yashua the Messiah. Dad reminds us that it is the cup of the New Covenant in His blood from Luke 22:15-20. He reminds us that we can live in the kingdom of God – where Jesus is King of our hearts and lives – right now, by opening the door of our hearts upon which Jesus is knocking, inviting Him in, eating with Him and He with us, as in Revelation 3:20. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
