Passover​—Festival of Salvation

3. What is the background of the Seder?

³ Recall that the Israelites were slaves in Egypt under an oppressive Pharaoh. Finally, Jehovah raised up Moses to lead His people to freedom. After God brought nine plagues on Egypt, Moses announced the tenth. Jehovah would strike down the firstborn in every Egyptian household. (Exodus 11:1-10) The Israelites could be spared, though. How? They had to slaughter a sheep, put its blood on the doorposts and lintel, and stay inside eating a meal of lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter greens. During that Seder, God would “pass over” without slaying their firstborn.​—Exodus 12:1-13.

4, 5. How did the Passover lead to salvation for many? (Psalm 106:7-10)

⁴ In response to this tenth plague, Pharaoh told Moses: “Get up, get out from the midst of my people, both you and the other sons of Israel, and go, serve Jehovah.” (Exodus 12:29-32) After the Hebrews and “a vast mixed company” of sympathizers left, Pharaoh changed his mind and chased after them. God then miraculously helped his people to escape through the Red Sea, where Pharaoh and his pursuing army died.​—Exodus 12:38; 14:5-28; Psalm 78:51-53; 136:13-15.

⁵ Moses told Israel at the Red Sea: “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will perform for you today.” Later they sang: “My strength and my might is Jah, since he serves for my salvation. This is my God, and I shall laud him.” (Exodus 14:13; 15:2) Yes, Israel’s deliverance, both from the tenth plague and from the Red Sea, was a salvation. Well could the psalmist describe Jehovah as a God “performing grand salvation in the midst of the earth.”​—Psalm 68:6, 20; 74:12-14; 78:12, 13, 22.

6, 7. Why was the Passover instituted, yet why is it now kept with differences from the first Passover?

⁶ The Hebrews were to keep the Passover as a salvation memorial. God said: “This day must serve as a memorial for you, and you must celebrate it as a festival to Jehovah throughout your generations.” (Exodus 12:14) At each Passover meal, or Seder, the father was to remind his family of that salvation. Jehovah directed: “When your sons say to you, ‘What does this service mean to you?’ then you must say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the passover to Jehovah, who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when he plagued the Egyptians, but he delivered our houses.’”​—Exodus 12:25-27.

Lifesaving Blood

12. What role did the lamb’s blood play in the first Passover?

¹² Back in Egypt the lamb’s blood was pivotal to salvation. When Jehovah slew the firstborn, He passed over houses where there was blood on the doorposts. Moreover, because the Hebrews were not mourning the death of their firstborn, they were in position to march through the Red Sea to freedom.