Monday: Passover
Daily Lesson for Monday 10th of November 2025
Why is it significant that Joshua chose to celebrate Passover despite the pressing and immense task of taking the Promised Land? Read Joshua 5:10; Exodus 12:6; Leviticus 23:5; Numbers 28:16; Deuteronomy 16:4,6.
The second important activity that precedes the conquest is the celebration of Passover. This takes place in the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, in careful compliance with the instructions given by God.
Image © Steve Creitz at Goodsalt.com
The symbolic significance of the Passover observance receives special emphasis: the events in Joshua mirror those of the Exodus. Passover evokes the night of the tenth plague (Exodus 12:1-51), when the angel of the Lord killed all the firstborn in Egypt and spared the Israelites. This is followed by the Exodus from Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, and the journey through the wilderness.
In contrast, the story of the second generation starts in the wilderness, continues with the crossing of the Jordan, involves circumcision and the celebration of Passover, and leads to the crucial moment when another miraculous intervention of the Lord is to be expected against the enemies of Israel, the inhabitants of Canaan. Together with all the preceding acts, the celebration of Passover marks the beginning of a new era in Israel’s history.
Also, through the symbol of the sacrificial lamb, the Feast of Passover pointed back to the redemption of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. But it also pointed forward to its antitypical fulfillment in the Lamb of God (John 1:29,36; 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19), who ransomed us from the bondage of sin. At the Lord’s Supper, before offering Himself as the Ultimate Sacrifice, Jesus transformed Passover into a memorial of His death (Matthew 26:26-29, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
However, Passover and the Lord’s Supper signal an even more glorious reality: that of the redeemed multitude passing into the heavenly Canaan. John the revelator portrays this antitypical “crossing” event as the 144,000 walking on the sea of crystal, the antitypical Red Sea and river Jordan, before the throne of God (Revelation 4:6; Revelation 7:9-10) and celebrating the antitypical Passover and Lord’s Supper at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Matthew 26:29, Revelation 19:9).
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What are ways that we can keep the reality of the Cross always before us, even when we are not celebrating the Lord’s Supper? |
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The Passover was and still is one of the defining Jewish cultural celebrations. While many of us will talk about its spiritual meaning and note its transformation into the Christian communion service, it is also worth remembering the importance of deeply meaningful cultural celebrations in helping to establish and retain identity.
The Passover was a reminder of the events surrounding the escape from Egypt and being spared from the angel of death. It was also a reminder that the Israelites were once slaves and had a responsibility for working for freedom of repressed people everywhere. An important personal application was the view that each of us comes out of the narrowness and bondage of sin into the light of spiritual freedom.
Celebrated at the very beginning of the conquest of Canaan, it was an important bonding moment. Its spiritual connection with Yahweh was also a time of connection with one another. In the modern Seder celebration children play an important role in retelling the story of the Passover. I have seen it. A little child sitting in the lap of his grandmother telling the story with the family gathered around prompting him when he needed help and cheering when he finished. It was celebrated with a special meal in a public place where us gentiles were envious of their wonderful sense of celebration and bonding.
I think it is worth considering that our modern communion service has, in comparison, become an exercise in tokenism. Most communion services last only a few minutes with the community participation limited to a sip of grape juice and a crumb of biscuit. It is usually so solemn one could be excused for thinking it was a funeral service. If there is one thing I would like to change in modern Adventism, is to see our communion as a celebration that we invite our friends to. Jesus is alive and we are free from the bondage of sin. And it would leave the participants with the feeling they would like to present for the next one. That would add meaning and purpose to the idea of open communion.
You wrote,
Some of that we can do even without a pastor's help. As a head deaconess, I have a little more control over the foot washing component than other members, but even without that position, it's possible to start singing, and other will join. Your remarks just gave me the idea to finish with "Thankfuls." The men may have to wait longer next time! 😉
The bible says that Jesus instituted the communion as a service of remembrance of his death, 1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
Christ's death was so ugly that God turned his back on it. The boble confirms this in Mark 15:34. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
The communion service is designed to remind us of the ugliness of sin. Sin caused the blood of Jesus to be shed and his body to be broken. My sins did it! Each time I partake of the emblems of the communion, a feeling of sadness comes over me because of what my sins did to God.
I understand. It’s like in a funeral that’s so sad and one cries but then there is celebration of life. I think both points are and have their place …..
Dear Maurice,
Thank you for this reflection. Indeed it is worth our church revising it’s presentation or representation of the Passover/Communion Service. I’ve just realised that in my experience we have hardly connected it to the first Passover-missed opportunity for our children and visitors to learn.
I pray I will now share this suggestion with my local churches, to make communion a time for celebration and looking forward to the day when Jesus will drink wine with us🙌🏽
I agree with you, but I guess with a few caveats. We do practice open communion, but for those who have accepted Jesus. I'm not sure that it is appropriate for those who have not accepted Jesus to take part in communion.
There are a lot of things I would feel comfortable inviting non-believers to, but I don't know if communion is best.
I think communion will only be tokenism if you allow it to be. I appreciate the services I've been part of and I've been to many - the more traditional and the agape feast model. Each one blesses me. And maybe we need a bit more solemnity in the world as it is so casual now. But that is just my perspective.
I would like that. But almost impossible when church emphasized on ONLY Baptized members take part in the celebration.
Seventh-day Adventists normally celebrate "open communion," and that means that anyone who feels ready may participate in the communion service.
If your local church does not do that, it is out of step with the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church. Check out the Church Manual.
On page 135, you will find this:
“This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations…” (Exodus 12:14)
The essence of the Passover was remembrance, redemption, and relationship. Israel celebrating the Passover on the soil of the Promised Land was profoundly an act of obedience. How can believers practically “keep the Passover” in our time? The only meaningful way that we can “keep the Passover” is to live a redeemed life. “Let us keep the feast, not with old leaven… but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:8). To keep the true spirit of Passover is to live a purified life, free from the “leaven” of hypocrisy, pride, or sin. Each day we live a honest and righteous life we demonstration that Christ’s redemption is real. When we serve others, forgive our enemies, feed the hungry, or comfort the suffering, we manifest the spirit of Passover, that is redemption expressed through love. The world will come to understand the meaning of the Passover not through our rituals but through our redeemed characters.
Live a Life of Sacrificial Love
The Cross is about self-giving love.
Every time we forgive, serve, or show compassion, we live out the meaning of the Cross.
Each time you choose to obey God rather than follow the world, you honor the Cross.
The Cross teaches us to love even when it’s hard.
Serving the poor,comforting the hurting, or showing kindness to the undeserving are all ways to make the Cross visible in our actions.
In our walk with God, we often face moments that seem impossible to overcome. As the Israelites stood before the walls of Jericho, we at times might feel uncertain or overwhelmed. Yet it is in such times that God reminds us of His faithfulness. Before great victories, the Israelites celebrated the Passover at Gilgal (Joshua 5:10), remembering the God who brought them out of Egypt. In the act of remembrance, they renewed their trust that the same God who parted the Red Sea could also make a way through their present challenges. God’s divine interventions often come when we choose to remember and trust Him.
After the Passover, the manna that had sustained Israel for forty years ceased, and they began to eat from the produce of the land (Joshua 5:12). This shift was a divine surprise, a sign that God was ushering them into a new season. What once sustained them was replaced to lessons to depend on the great supplier of all times as food production depends on seasons and manybother factors....Likewise, a reminder that when God changes His methods in our lives, it is not a sign of His absence but a sign of His movement. His ways may differ from time to time and even from our own expectations, but His faithfulness remains constant (Hebrews 13:8).
As the Israelites positioned themselves in faith before entering the Promised Land, we too must stand firm in trust, knowing that God’s timing is always perfect. His interventions come not when we predict them, but when we are ready to see His glory revealed. The Passover in Joshua’s time teaches us that God’s surprises are never late, they arrive at the right time, in the right way, and always for His glory (Romans 8:28).
When we think we are suffering unfairly, we can remember what Jesus suffered for me, and for everyone on this planet. He indeed suffered unjustly!
The way Israel celebrated Passover in Canaan holds deep significance for us today. When Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land, they paused to observe Passover as a powerful reminder that their victory was not by their own strength or military might, but by God’s faithfulness and deliverance.
This celebration in Canaan was the first Passover in the land God had promised, symbolizing a new beginning and fulfillment of His covenant. It reinforced that every step of their journey from slavery in Egypt, through wilderness wandering, to conquering the land was guided and empowered by God.
Similarly, when we celebrate Passover today, we acknowledge:
God’s Faithfulness: Just as God was faithful to Israel, He is faithful to us in our spiritual journey.
Victory Through God: Our battles against sin, hardship, and life’s challenges are won not by human effort but through God’s power.
A New Beginning: Passover marks a new chapter in our lives freedom from sin and entrance into God’s promises.
Continual Remembrance: Like Israel, we pause to remember and give thanks, ensuring our hearts remain humble and our faith strong.
So, celebrating Passover today, just like Israel did in Canaan, connects us to God’s ongoing story of redemption and reminds us to rely fully on Him for victory in our own lives.
What beautiful tokens of remembrance established by God to evoke in us the longing and the desire to be part of the glorious climax of the marriage supper of the Lamb and to sit at that banquet table. But until then I would use the weekly celebration of Sabbath to recognize my Jesus as Creator and One who had to pay the price to buy us back after sin and is now preparing the banqueting table for us when He shall again sub with us and we with Him.... eternally
... today is a good day to Hope in the Lord
Heavenly Father, I confess that too often I have allowed the cares and busyness of life to crowd You out of my heart. I have pursued many things, but not always Your kingdom first. Forgive me, Lord, for placing my plans, worries, and desires above the pursuit of Your righteousness.
Today, I humbly renew my commitment to You. Teach me to seek You before all else, to trust that in Your perfect timing You will provide all that I need. Help me to make You the center of my thoughts, my choices, and my days. May my life reflect a heart that truly puts You first. In Jesus’ name, amen.
As I read today'slesson, I was struck by Joshua’s decision to celebrate the Passover before beginning the conquest of Canaan (Joshua 5:10–12). With such a massive task ahead, it would have been easy to focus on strategy and preparation for battle. Yet Joshua paused to honor God first. That really speaks to me.
By keeping the Passover, Israel was reminded of their identity as God’s covenant people. Before they could take possession of the land, they had to remember who brought them there — the same God who delivered them from Egypt. Their success would depend not on their strength, but on their relationship with Him.
I also see this as a powerful act of faith and obedience. From a human point of view, stopping to observe a feast in enemy territory, especially after all the men had just been circumcised, didn’t make sense. But Joshua trusted that obedience and worship were more important than military readiness. Before they could conquer new territory, their hearts had to be right with Him.
For me, the lesson is clear: before facing life’s challenges, I need to pause and remember what Christ, my Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), has done for me. Like Joshua, I’m reminded that true victory begins not with action, but with worship and trust in the God who saves.
We can train ourselves to take note of the crosses in our experience. Here are a few, the intersections at road junctions, the corners of every rectangular tile, in the floor, on the balcony wherever. Every door entrance becomes "the lintel and doorpost" of the exodus. Imprint these on our memory linking them to the life and sacrifice of Jesus. When we let this mindset be in us realizing what he endured for us we will be better equipped to share, live and relate this Christian life to others.
What a beautiful way to think of this humble celebration as a way to remind us amidst our struggles, trials and sometimes overbearing issues in life. In times like these we are often bombarded with what's going on around us each day as we live, shop, drive, work! Sin has painted its evil design on and in everything about us! As we look to the cross from within we too as Christians are not exempt from satans tactics and attack! So as we contemplate The Love in which CHRIST has Given to us, may we each, including myself use this beautiful way of remembering in our daily life to keep pressing on homeward bound to "a country called HEAVEN! Thank you Luther for this illustration of a beautiful reminder of Passover!
I do believe, or if you prefer the way I see it. I really like our New Seventh-day Adventist President Erton Kholer. He said: we do not disfellowship Seventh-day Adventist just because they have a different opinion. I also liked President Ted Wilson, because he taught the soon coming of Jesus Christ, without a date setting. My source, a speech after the late General Conference, and the latter, a speech to pastors at a pastors' conference. I do believe they both stand and honor the ancient paths, oh yes, and walk in it.
Jeremiah 6:16. (-.--, ., ...) "Thus says the LORD:
“Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. (---, ...., -., ---) But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ "
Now I do believe the significance of the Passover celebration was commanded as a reminder until Christ died on the Cross. Then we go to the foot of the cross within our cognition, or hearts if you prefer, sharing till death doest part temporally, and then when Christ comes in the air, we pick up our knowledge and belief for eternity as a testimony to the Love of God, vindicating God for eternity. Not that He needs vindication, yet His creation does.
Revelation 19:7-9 describes future feast:
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready... Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”
The Passover we observe is like a foretaste of the glorious celebration we will share with God forever not just remembering deliverance but living fully in it.
I see in the Cross the symbol of man’s fallen estate – his sin-nature causing harm to what is pure, and at the same time, I see it as the symbol of uncompromising devotion to defend that which is pure - Jesus, faithfully following the Father’s Will - choosing life by dying to self - accepting the promise of God to resurrect the faithful - Matt.16:25.
Contemplating my answer to today’s question lead me to consider that, because sin always ‘crouches at the door’, ready to lead me into compromising my promise to remain faithful, I should never let my guard down. The Holy Spirit, by faith and trust in the ‘Way’ Jesus Christ lived, died, and was resurrected has become my 'compass' in life - 2.Cor.2:14-16.
Jesus died as He trusted His Father’s Will to keep Him save. His earthly body was destroyed by His tormentors, but His unwavering love asked the Father to forgive them because they did not understand what they were doing.
God's Glory passed over the earth - His Power, Mercy and Grace - manifest in the Spirit of His Son - Christ Jesus became the cornerstone of Life for all who believe. He is now the mediator and intercessor for all who cry out: 'Abba-Father' protect me – Rom.3:22-24; 2 Cor.12:10; Acts 13:48; Luke 23:34; Matt.10:18.