The Paschal Lamb

The eight day Feast of Unleavened Bread is called Pasch which was derived from the Hebrew word meaning passage.  It celebrates the deliverance of Israelites from their enslavement in Egypt when the angel of death passed over their houses sparing all firstborn Hebrews.  Male lambs, one year old and without blemish, were slain and eaten by the departing Israelites.  The blood of the slain lambs was smeared on the doorposts and lintel of each Israelite house as a pass over sign to the avenging angel. 

The Passover is the first day of Pasch and is celebrated on the 14^th day of the Jewish month of Nisan.  In ancient times, every Israelite family gathered together for the ritual eating of the paschal lamb. 

Christ was slain for our sins on the Passover Friday in 30 AD.  His shed blood saves believers from the avenging sword of God’s judgement.  Thus Christ is called the Paschal Lamb.

Reference: “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover.  Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.”  (Leviticus 23:5-6)

Special Note: Unlike our contemporary day that runs from midnight to midnight, the Jewish day ran from sunset to sunset.  It started in the evening about 6 PM and ended at 6 PM the following evening.  Twilight can be defined as the light diffused over the sky from sunset to dark.