from passover to resurrection: understanding god's rescue plan (easter vs. passover)

“Connecting the dots between the shadows of Lent and the light of the empty tomb—because God has always been telling one single story of love.

Last week, we talked about Lent as a season of new beginnings. Just like the earth waking up in the spring, Lent offers us 40 days to pause, breathe, and reset our hearts. But as we get closer to Resurrection Sunday, I’ve been thinking a lot about the bigger picture.

Have you ever stopped to look at how Lent, Passover, and Easter are all connected? If you look through history, you see that God has never been "making this up" as He goes along. He has always been telling one single, beautiful story of rescue—and Jesus is the heartbeat of it all.

The Lamb: From Egypt to Our Hearts

The story of our rescue didn't actually start at the empty tomb. It started centuries earlier in Egypt. During the very first Passover, God saved His people through the blood of a spotless lamb.

Fast forward to the New Testament, and we see John the Baptist pointing right at Jesus and declaring:

"Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" — John 1:29

Think of the Old Testament as the original sketch, and Jesus as the full color masterpiece. Passover was the physical rescue; Resurrection Sunday is the ultimate, spiritual fulfillment.

The Seder: A Ritual of "Order"

To really understand the Last Supper, we have to look at the Seder (which means "order").The Passover Seder is a special meal that Jewish families share to remember how God rescued His people from slavery in Egypt.

What’s on the Seder Plate? (And What It Means)

Each item on the plate tells part of the story:

• Matzah (Unleavened Bread)

  Bread made without yeast, reminding them they left Egypt in a hurry

  No time for the dough to rise

  
  

• Maror (Bitter Herbs)

  Usually horseradish

  Represents the bitterness of slavery

  
  

• Charoset (Sweet Mixture of Apples, Nuts, and Wine)

  Symbolizes the mortar used to make bricks in Egypt

  (Sweet, even in the memory of hardship)

  
  

• Karpas (Green Vegetable, often parsley)

  Dipped in salt water

  Represents both life and tears

  
  

• Zeroa (Shank Bone of a Lamb)

  Reminds them of the lamb sacrificed during the first Passover

  
  

• Beitzah (Roasted Egg)

  Symbol of mourning and new life

  
  

God commanded this sensory meal so that every generation would feel as if they were personally being rescued.

The Cup of Redemption

Most scholars—including biblical teachers like Brad Gray—believe that when Jesus announced the New Covenant during the last supper, He was holding the Third Cup of the

Seder. This is the Cup of Redemption, representing God’s third "I will" promise: "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm."

By holding that cup, Jesus was telling us that His outstretched arms on the cross were the price being paid to buy us back. He wasn't just offering a rescue; He was asking us to be His.

Walking Through the Shadows

We can't get to the joy of Sunday without walking through the shadows of the week.

• Palm Sunday: The crowds cheered for a King, expecting a political conqueror to fix their immediate problems. They wanted their taxes lowered, and the Roman Empire defeated. But God was planning a "rescue" for their souls. How often do we do the same? We ask God for a Palm Sunday miracle. We want Him to fix our bank account, heal a relationship, or take away our stress right now! But sometimes God leads us through our own Gethsemane. Not because He isn’t listening, but because he has a deeper work to do with us.

• Gethsemane: In the darkness of the garden, Jesus felt the crushing weight of what was coming. His "Yes" to the Father in Gethsemane is what makes our "Yes" to eternal life possible.

• Good Friday: This is the day the debt was paid. We call it "Good" because Jesus took our sins and nailed them to the cross. When He cried out, "It is finished," He was declaring that the power of sin over your journey and mine was broken forever.

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The Shadows in Our Own Lives

As I’ve been sitting with this, I realize that we often walk through these same shadows today.

Many of us are in a Gethsemane moment—kneeling in the dark, asking for a "cup" to pass.

Or maybe you're in the Silence of Saturday, where the miracle hasn't happened yet.

We have to remember: The story didn't end on Friday. If you feel like you’re sitting in the dark today, don't forget that the same God who orchestrated the Cup of Redemption is orchestrating your rescue, too.

Why the Tomb is Empty

After a very long three days... Sunday morning happens. Why is the tomb empty? Because death couldn't hold the Creator of Life! Jesus didn't just die for our sins; He rose so that we could have a real, vibrant relationship with Him right now.

A Shift in Focus: Resurrection Sunday

While I grew up using the word Easter, I’ve lately found myself wanting to call it something more intentional: Resurrection Sunday. It brings my focus back to the reality that the stone

rolled away. The debt is paid. The rescue is complete.

“He is not here; He has risen!” — Luke 24:6

Questions to Ponder

1. Does knowing the Seder was a sensory experience change how you view the Last Supper?

   
   

2. What does it mean to you personally that Jesus is called the "Lamb of God"?

   
   

3. Where in your life are you currently walking through a "shadow," and how does the empty tomb give you hope?

   
   

4. What might it look like to live your daily life as if "Sunday has already come"?

The Rescue is Personal

At the end of the day, God didn’t orchestrate thousands of years of history just to give us a holiday to put on our calendars. He did it to bring us home.

Whether you’ve spent this Lent season in deep reflection or you’re just now catching your breath and looking toward the cross, remember this: The story didn't end on Friday. The silence of the tomb was just the beginning of the greatest victory the world has ever known.

As we move into Resurrection Sunday, let’s not just celebrate a historical event. Let’s celebrate a living Savior who knows our names, who walked through Gethsemane for us, and who invites us into a "new beginning" that never fades away.

The stone is rolled away. The debt is paid. The rescue is complete.

He is risen, indeed!

“P.S. This week, every time you see a spring flower breaking through the dirt, let it be a tiny reminder in your heart: Life wins.”

Meet the Author & Her Partner in Faith:

Tammy and Bruce have been married for 38 years, navigating life as best friends and partners in faith. Their days are a beautiful blend of service and creativity: Tammy serves her community as an active EMT when she isn't on the road, while Bruce, a retired Law Enforcement officer, is the visionary artist behind God’s Country Art.

Between the adrenaline of emergency medicine and the peace of the open road, Tammy is a lifelong writer currently preparing to publish her debut Christian Fantasy novel, Beyond the Mirror’s Edge.

Together, they are devoted parents who find God’s handiwork in everything—from a life-saving moment in the field to a quiet piece of hand-carved wood. Whether through fellowship with others online at Your Jesus Journey, or a campfire chat at a new campsite, they are committed to sharing the love of Christ one mile at a time.

You can see some of Bruce's handiwork at Godscountryart.com