< Introduction >
In the Old testament times, God sent Moses to Egypt to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt through the Passover. This was a copy and shadow of what Jesus would do in the New Testament. Let’s find it out.

< Main Subject >
About 3,500 years ago, the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. They suffered from hard labor for a long time. Then God sent a prophet named Moses to save them from slavery. However, Pharaoh king of Egypt refused to let the Israelites go, even though Moses repeatedly requested their freedom and God sent many plagues upon Egypt. Finally, God said He would send the plague of killing all the firstborn in Egypt(Ex 11:4-7), and He commanded the Israelites to keep the Passover.

Ex 12:5-11 “5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. 10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 11 This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover.”

On the night of the Passover, all the firstborn of the Egyptians, including the firstborn son of the Pharaoh, were killed just as God had said. Only then did Pharoh let the Israelites go. The Israelites were emancipated from slavery in Egypt.

Ex 12:29-33 “29 At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. 30 Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.
31 During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. 32 Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.” 33 The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!”

So, the Passover is the day of freedom, the day of emancipation. This is a copy and shadow of the things to come. The Bible shows that Moses in the Old Testament times is a copy and shadow of Jesus in the New Testament times(Dt 18:18; Act 3:20-24; Heb 3:5-6). Just as the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, human beings are spiritually salves to sin and death in this sinful world. However, many people do not realize that they are slaves to sin. It was the same with the Jews 2,ooo years ago.

Jn 8:32-34 “ 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”

When the Jews said they had never been slaves of anyone, Jesus taught them that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. What sets us free, according to Jesus? The truth sets us free. In other words, the truth frees us from sin. Let's compare these words with what is written in Revelation 1.

Rev 1:5-6 “5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.“

John 8 says that the truth sets us free from sin, and Revelation 1 says that Christ’s blood sets us free from sin, right? The truth is the Passover of the New Covenant.

Matt 26:17-19, 26-28 “17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Thus, Jesus has set us free from slavery to sin through the Passover of the New Covenant. Just as the Israelites were set free through the Passover in the Old Testament times, God’s people are set free through the Passover in the New Testament times, too.
The Israelites were freed by celebrating the Passover with the lamb’s flesh and blood in the Old Testament times. Likewise, God’s people are freed by celebrating the Passover with bread and wine representing Jesus’ flesh and blood in the New Testament times. Jesus is the reality of the Passover lamb.

1Co 5:7 “7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”

In the Old Testament times, God set the Israelites free from slavery in Egypt at the Passover through Moses. This was a copy and shadow of what Jesus did in the New Testament times.
Jesus came as a prophet like Moses and set His people free from slavery to sin through the Passover of the new covenant. What should we celebrate to be free from sin, then? We should celebrate the Passover of the new covenant. Just as the Israelites in the Old Testament times were delivered by celebrating the Passover according to the command times can be delivered by keeping the Passover of the new covenant according to the teaching of Jesus Christ.

< Conclusion >
Let us keep the Passover of the new covenant just as Jesus taught us. By doing that, let us go toward the kingdom of heaven, being freed from sin and death.