The question that was on the minds of the Israelite people as Exodus 11 drew to a conclusion was simple, yet carried many implications; how would they avoid the consequences when the angel of the Lord carries out the recently delivered tenth plague. The tenth plague, or the Plague of the Firstborn, would soon be carried out against the people of Israel. A plague that would see all first born, both of man and animal, killed throughout the night. The reasons to celebrate the original Passover become quickly evident. How would this original event evolve in the years to come? Why celebrate it after the initial occurrence? This paper will endeavour to uncover why the Israelites had to engage in the first celebration, how they celebrated it, and why many people today still celebrate the sacred tradition.
Although the origins of the Passover may be debated among scholars , there is common thought that the festival celebrates the Israelite’s exodus from the land of Egypt. Modern day thinking tells us that Passover is known as a memorial of the original festival, rather than something that is still practiced today. This festival can be compared to the Lord’s Supper that Christians celebrate regularly today. Although the act may not be a necessary to sustain life, the celebration remains as a tribute to the graciousness of God.
During the Exodus, there were a number of plagues placed upon the people of Egypt. The final of these ten plagues was the Plague on the Firstborn. A plague that would see each of the firstborn son’s of every Egyptian family die. This curse would also be applied to the cattle of the Egyptians as well. This plague was placed upon the Egyptians as a result of their behaviours towards Moses and the Israelite people. ...
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...el Press. 1998
Christensen, Duane, Ed. Experiencing the Exodus from Egypt. Berkeley, CA: Bibal Press. 1988
Janzen, J. Gerald. Exodus. Louisville, KN: Westminster John Knox Press. 1997
Janzen, Waldemar. Believers Church Bible Commentary: Exodus. Waterloo, ON: Herald Press. 2000
Mann, Thomas. The Book of the Torah: The Narrative Integrity of the Pentateuch. Louisville: John Knox Press. 1988
Motyer, Alec. The Message of Exodus. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press. 2005.
Rosen, Ceil and Rosen, Moishe. Christ in the Passover: Why is this Night Different? Chicago, IL: Moddy Press. 1978.
Sarna, Nahum. Exploring Exodus: the Origins of Biblical Israel. New York, NY: Shocken Books.
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Wenham, Gordon. Exploring the Old Testament: A Guide to the Pentateuch. Downers Grove, IL:
Inter-Varsity Press. 2003
Youngblood, Ronald. Exodus. Chicago, IL: Moody Press. 1983
The Bible: The Old Testament. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed. Sarah Lawall et al. Vol 1. 7th ed. New York: Norton, 1999. 47-97.
Judaism is one of the oldest religious practices all over the world. It literally gave a start to two the most popular religions nowadays: Islam and Christianity. It seems that everybody must be familiar with the basics of this religion, though it is not true. The majority of people know only a few attributes or ceremonies that Judaism is using until modern times, such as Menorah (the candelabrum with seven branches), Star of David (traditionally known as the symbol of Judaism) and, let’s say, the Bar Mitzvah ceremony. What people are missing (apart from the associations) is how truly symbolic all of them are in the practice of Judaism. Bar or Bat Mitzvah, for example, present practically the basis of Jewish culture and religion. The idea of how and why it became so important is what we will try to look through.
...presentation of the meaning of the Christ-event, suggesting the Eucharist and the eschatological picture of fellowship and plenty. (Boring:P.326).
Why Jesus' Last Meal was Important for Him and His Disciples and How Christians Might Interpret and Celebrate this Meal in the Church Today
Fellner, Judith B. & Co. In the Jewish Tradition: A Year of Food and Festivals. The. New York: Michael Friedman Publishing Group. 1995. The 'Se Raphael, Chaim. Festival Days: A Jewish History.
Cohen, Mark R. (1994) ‘Under Crescent and Cross, the Jews in the middle ages’ Princeton: Princeton University Press pp 30-50
The primary religious rituals of Israelite religion involved sacrifices and offerings. The ritual system within the Israelite cult evolved around gifts and offerings that were presented before Yahweh. In examining the book of Leviticus, the sacrificial system of the Israelites can be identified. It is this sacrificial system that was handed down by God through Moses that allowed the people of Israel to cross over the gap between their own weaknesses and corruption to the expectations presented by God. Sacrifices symbolized an acknowledgement of guilt and a need for divine grace and forgiveness.
Here in the United States of America on the forth Thursday in November each year we, as a nation and as individual families, celebrate Thanksgiving. For most Americans we bring out our best dishes and have an enormous meal with turkey, dressing, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie. Families gather together, we eat until we are stuffed, we play games and watch football, but why? Have we lost the true meaning behind the beginning our nation? We have our tradition but somehow we have lost them important meaning of the treacherous start of a nation. Like various other cultures that have a celebration of thanks the Jews have a Passover celebration with rich family meal inundated with tradition and meaning. They have not forgotten why they celebrate. The hardship that they endured and the pivotal point in the transformation of their freedom to a better life is vividly remembered with Passover each year and passed down from generation to generation. If we reincorporate the true story of thanksgiving into our celebrations, we should be able to ensure a change in ourselves and our families to come together and become a stronger nation.
Noth, "God, King and Nation in the Old Testament", The Laws in the Pentateuch and other Essays, Oliver & Boyd 1966.
The five plagues that destroyed Egypt are the Nile river turned to blood, the frogs, the gnats, the flies, the pestilence, the boils, the nail, the locusts, the darkness, the death of the firstborn. The first plage was turning into the Nile river to blood this kills all the fish and all other life that only lives underwater and this makes them uneatable which made people who fished for food, starve or find a new way to get food. Then the second plage was the frogs which mad a bunch of frogs come out of the water and there was a frog wherever you looked there was a frog. Ones all the Frogs died the Gnates came in spreading the next plague the Pestilence. then there was Boils. The Pestilence killed all of the animals which means that they have
Carson, D, & Moo, D. (2005) An introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
The Passover starts out as the threat made to the people of God over many years with the Egyptians. Pharaoh is a man with great power that has cruel intentions and
The Hebrew Bible is studied, analyzed, and worshiped by millions each day, it gives insight into the teachings and laws of God. The article “Pentateuch”, obtained from The Zondervan Pictoral Encyclopedia of the Bible by Merrill C. Tenney, deeply examines the authorship of the Pentateuch and displays two compelling arguments of weather the Pentateuch is of Mosaic authorship, or written by authors other than Moses. The Pentateuch is the bases of the entire Bible, it contains the first five books, including Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, thus the literal meaning of “five volumes”. Theses five books make up the Old Testament and are roadmap to God’s teachings.
Collins, John J. A Short Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2007.