In the same way a weekly sabbath causes us to redirect our focus to what is truly important so do the Spring holidays and feasts. The feast of Purim which was March 2-3 this year commemorates the time when God’s people were delivered from the evil plot of Haman that sought the annihilation of the Jews in Persia. Passover which is April 1-9 this year, commemorates the eve before God’s miraculous deliverance of His people from the evil bondage of Pharoah in Egypt. Easter, which is celebrated beginning Good Friday through Resurrection Sunday is April 3-6 this year is the celebration of all of God’s promises fulfilled in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ–the promised Messiah or Deliverer.
Considering the deeper meaning of each of these holidays and how they are connected has helped me take hold of all the hope we have in Jesus, which is why I selected the image of a yellow bird. Did you know a yellow bird symbolizes, joy, hope, renewal and spiritual awakening? It is often interpreted as a sign of positive change, or divine encouragement. For these reasons a yellow bird is a symbol of springtime and renewal. Certainly God has all this symbolism and more in mind with the events commemorated with the Spring Feasts on the Hebrew calendar.
Let’s consider the historical events and the corresponding feasts.
Purim: Because of Queen Esther (representative of Christ’s Bride), King Ahasuerus allowed a decree greater than the evil decree written by Haman, (representative of Satan) which out-maneuvered Haman, delivering God’s people from Haman’s plot for their death. Purim is celebrated as a joyous Jewish holiday commemorating the salvation of Persian Jews from Haman’s plot, as told in the Book of Esther. Celebrations include reading the book of Esther, wearing costumes (representing how Esther’s identity was hidden), giving gifts of food and donating to the poor.
Passover/Exodus: Moses (type of Jesus) instructed the people to prepare and faithfully observe the eve of their deliverance with a meal of a lamb (symbol of Jesus the sacrificial lamb) and unleavened bread (representing absence of sin) while God passed judgment against evil that sought to keep God’s people in bondage. On the first Passover the death angel passed over the homes of God’s people who obediently placed the blood of the lamb over the doorposts of their home. Then in the days that followed, through Moses, God miraculously delivered His people out of sin and into a new life. God instructed His people to commemorate the Exodus, with three feasts: Passover Seder, Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of First Fruits. The three interconnected spring festivals celebrate God’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery and His provision. The Passover Seder points to Jesus as the sinless Passover Lamb whose blood delivers from the bondage of sin. The Feast of the Unleavened Bread points to the sinless life of Jesus and how His sacrifice allows believers to be deemed sinless. The Feast of First Fruits points to the resurrection of Jesus who is termed the “first fruits form the dead” (1 Cor. 15:20).
Pentecost: Fifty days after the Passover, [50 represents freedom, liberation, and the culmination of a cycle, symbolizing a return to one’s original state] God instituted Pentecost known as the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot. Shavuot commemorates the day the Law/Torah was given to Moses for God’s people to observe and the covenant God established with His people. Jews celebrate Pentecost studying the Torah, attending Synagogue where the Ten Commandments and the book of Ruth are read, and eating dairy, specifically sweet dairy in remembrance of God taking them to the land filled with “milk and honey.” The Old Testament Pentecost represents the giving of the Law. The New Testament Pentecost represents Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law. The first Pentecost after Christs resurrection, the Holy Spirit was given to God’s people (Acts 2:1-13) as a deposit or guarantee of our salvation.
Easter: Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday is the celebration of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, who ushered in the new Law of Grace for all who receive salvation by faith in Jesus. Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Promised Deliver so they don’t observe Easter. Christian traditions for the celebration of Easter are varied by countries and cultures. Good Friday services, Sunrise services, special mass services, and festive family meals of ham or lamb are fairly common. And what about “Easter eggs”? Easter eggs originated with early Christians who used the egg as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and new life. The sealed shell represented the tomb, and cracking it open symbolized Christ rising from the dead. Early Orthodox churches distributed blessed eggs at Paschal vigil services on Holy Saturday. The tradition of dyeing eggs began in Mesopotamia, where Christians dyed them red to represent the blood of Christ. Over time, Missionaries expanded the egg color palette with each color assigned meaning to tell the Easter story. Red represents the blood of Christ; yellow represents resurrection and new life. Blue represents the love of God; green represents everlasting life. The tradition of hiding eggs for children to find represents “finding new life.” The joy and delight children experience when finding eggs is intended to mirror the joy the women experienced on the first Easter morning when they found the tomb empty; Jesus had indeed risen and was and is alive! Even with varied traditions however, all Christians celebrate Easter as the highest of all holy days.
It is highly interesting that when Jews celebrate Passover all of the elements of the Seder Meal, are symbolic of Jesus. For example, the unleavened bread is often striped and pierced, as was Christ’s body. The Afikoman is a broken piece of Matza bread that is hidden and then brought back, symbolizing Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.
When Jesus observed Passover (which Christians call the Last Supper), He transformed the traditional Seder meal using the unleavened bread to represent His body, and the third cup of wine known as the cup of redemption to represent His blood. He provided the connection of the Passover to His life, death and resurrection, establishing the New Covenant.
All of these blessed events, Purim, Passover, Exodus, Easter and Pentecost occur in Spring and give us cause to reflect on all God has done. Genuinely contemplating these holy days brings us to a proper humble and reverential disposition.
No matter what we may be personally enduring, being mindful that the hope of spring is eternal,
brings perspective that in Christ we have a new beginning.
I have always associated a new beginning with Isaiah 43:8-9 which reads, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Since God asks if we perceive “this new thing” it seems it must be possible we don’t at times, else He wouldn’t ask. I for one don’t want to miss all that God is doing, neither do I want you to miss it. I hope you will allow this reflection of mine to help deepen your embrace of all God desires for you. As you observe Easter this year, make a point of embracing the real and certain Hope of Spring which is yours for all eternity.
I welcome your comments and wish you a most blessed Easter.
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