“Adonai went before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead the way and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light. So they could travel both day and night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night never departed from the people” (Exodus 13:21–22). 

God called the Israelites out of Egypt, freeing them from bondage to evil masters, not to be without guidance or covering. He led them with His presence in pillars of cloud and fire. He directed them where to go, when to move and when to rest. The Lord still does this for us today. 

Later, He gave Moses the Torah, full of instructions on how we should follow Him as His specially selected people.  When He sent Jesus to usher in the New Covenant, He gave His Holy Spirit to those who believe in Him, writing His law on our hearts and guiding us into all truth. 

As Jesus selected His disciples, He often simply said, “Follow Me.” When Peter wanted to know John’s future, Jesus essentially told him that his business was to follow Him regardless of anyone else.  

Deuteronomy 13:5 gives us an idea of what it means to follow God spiritually. In telling Israel to follow the Lord, Moses revealed it includes fearing Him – having reverent respect for Him and yes, even some awed fear – obeying Him, listening to His voice, serving and clinging to Him.  

But, Isaiah notes that each one of us has gone our own way rather than following the Lord. As Moses prepared to die, he presented a choice to the Israelites, explaining that choosing to follow and obey God was the same as choosing life for themselves. The same choice is ours each day.  

As we remember Passover, the Exodus and the wilderness, we are grateful for the Lord’s leadership of the Israelites then and thankful too for how He guides us into life today. 

“But thanks be to God, who in Messiah always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us reveals everywhere the aroma of the knowledge of Himself” (2 Corinthians 2:14). 

Scriptures 

Exodus 15:13, Joshua 1:8, Jeremiah 31:31–33, John 16:13, Isaiah 53:6, Luke 5:27, John 21:22, Deuteronomy 30:19–20 

Reflection Questions 

• In a world that emphasizes influence and leadership, we’re all called to follow. Are you more prone to following, or do you catch yourself wanting to take the lead? 

• How do you think your life or employment role affect how you follow God? 

• For you, as a Believer, in what ways is choosing to follow God each day the same as choosing life over death?  

“I will take you to Myself as a people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am Adonai your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians”
(Exodus 6:7). 

The Israelites had suffered as slaves in Egypt for 430 years. When God called them out of bondage, He called them into a deeper relationship with Him. He promised to be their God, and they would be His people, and He would walk among them. He said they would be His “inheritance” and His treasured possession. 

The God who created the universe and who owns the whole Earth selected a people to be His special prize – Israel. Passover commemorates the Lord saving His people and drawing us closer to Him. We belong to Him, and He belongs to us.

As Believers in Jesus, we have been brought near to God, reconciled to Him through Messiah’s sacrifice. The Jewish people were first His children, but Gentile Believers have been adopted into the family, and He is Father to us all. We belong to Him, and the Holy Spirit bears witness confirming that we are part of God’s family. Nothing and no one can change our relationship with Him now that we have trusted Jesus.

We have been drawn into a priceless relationship with the Almighty God. As His children, we’ve been given the tremendous privilege of calling Him our “Abba,” or “Father.” It is a precious gift to savor. 

“But whoever did receive Him, those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). 

Scriptures 

Exodus 19:5, Leviticus 26:12, Deuteronomy 4:20, Deuteronomy 14:2, Ephesians 2:3, Romans 5:12, Romans 14:8, John 10:29  

Reflection Questions 

• Think about how God’s love compelled Him to provide the remedy for the separation that your sin caused between you. 
• What does it mean to you that God has called you to be His own? 
• How does that affect your daily life and interactions with Him? 
• Spend some time thanking Him for your salvation and being a part of His family. 

“Adonai gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians and let them have what they asked for. So they plundered the Egyptians” (Exodus 12:36). 

God saved the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt and sent them off into the wilderness as free people. Our ancestors had to leave in a hurry – so much so that their bread didn’t have time to rise, and they took the dough still in their bowls. Yet, even in their haste, they were able to take their livestock. Not only that, God instructed the Israelites to outright ask the Egyptians for their valuable articles of gold, silver and clothing – and Egypt obliged. God supplied the Israelites with an abundance as they set off into their new lives. 

Like the Children of Israel, we, too, have been supplied by God, equipped for the new life of freedom He has given us. Not only has He promised to take care of our practical needs for things like food and clothing, but He has also given us an abundance of spiritual riches.  

Scripture reveals that, through the Holy Spirit, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing along with everything we need to live godly lives. He has supplied us with spiritual armor, spiritual gifts, His Word, and everything we need for doing His will and the works He has prepared for us.  

God provided for the Israelites as they left Egypt – and through 40 years of wandering – and we can trust Him to prepare us for our life journeys as well.  

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). 

Scriptures 

Exodus 12:34–38, Matthew 6:31–33, Philippians 4:19, Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 6:10–17, 1 Corinthians 12:27–28, Ephesians 4:11–13, 2 Timothy 3:17, Hebrews 13:31, Ephesians 2:10, Deuteronomy 29:4  

Reflection Questions 

• When we first place our faith in Jesus, we may not realize it at the time, but we embark on a journey. Take a few moments to look back on your life since then. 

• How did God spiritually equip you for the various life events and challenges you’ve faced along the way?  

• What has He supplied you with for your journey with Him?

Israel has three national holidays within one week of each other in the Hebrew months of Nisan and Iyar. This year, they all land in April.

The apostle Paul urges us to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). We believe that’s part of what standing with Israel means.

Yom HaShoah – Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day

The Holocaust is also known as the Shoah, which is the Hebrew word for “catastrophe.” Yom HaShoah (YOHM Ha-SHO-ah) then means “Day of the Catastrophe” and is a day of remembering victims and heroes of the Holocaust.

Yom HaShoah is designated for the 27th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1941.

The observance begins in the evening, as the Hebrew day starts at sunset. Places of entertainment are closed, and flags fly at half-mast. According to the law passed in 1955, radio and television stations broadcast programs focused on the special nature of the day. Ceremonies and services are held all over the country. At Yad Vashem, the national Holocaust memorial museum, six giant torches are lit, representing the six million Jewish people killed in the Holocaust.

In the morning, a siren sounds for two minutes throughout the country. During that time, Israel stands still in honor of those who lost their lives in the Holocaust or survived its horrific trauma. Work stops. People walking along streets stop. Drivers pull to the side of the road and stop, often getting out to stand by their vehicle for the duration of the memorial siren.

For more about Yom HaShoah, including a Holocaust survivor’s story, see “Yom HaShoah, Keeping the Cry Alive.”

Yom HaZikaron – Israel’s Memorial Day

Yom HaZikaron (YOHM Ha-Zee-kar-OHN) is a solemn day remembering and honoring those who lost their lives fighting to defend and preserve Israel’s freedom. In the early years of statehood, fallen soldiers of the War of Independence were honored on Israel’s Independence Day. However, the mixing of mourning and celebration was hard for families grieving such relatively recent losses.

In 1963, the Knesset, Israel’s governing body, signed into law the designation of Iyar 4, the day before Independence Day, as the national Memorial Day. The placement of the two national holidays makes for a profound connection. Without the sacrifices of those who fought for Israel, there would be no independence. So, first, Israel honors, then they celebrate.

Since its establishment, the day of remembrance has been extended to include soldiers who died in battles prior to statehood, as well as fallen members of the police, General Security Service and Mossad intelligence agency.

The Knesset put much thought into establishing traditions for Yom HaZikaron. They determined the day would be marked by the sounding of a siren, similar to that on Yom HaShoah, candle-lightings, ceremonies in schools and military cemeteries as well as special prayers.

A one-minute siren opens the day of observance at 8:00 p.m., followed by a national ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. A second siren sounds at 11:00 a.m., this one for two minutes. Television and radio stations broadcast programming honoring the fallen. Some include a scrolling list of names, highlighting the fact that each one represents a valuable life with their own story, sacrifice and family left behind. At 1:00 p.m., a national service honors the victims of terrorist attacks.

In the evening, a torch-lighting ceremony closes the day. Flags that have flown at half-mast all day are raised, and the celebration of Israel’s Independence Day begins.

For more about Yom HaZikaron, see “A Surprising Veteran of Israel’s War of Independence.”

Yom HaAtzmaut – Israel’s Independence Day

Upon the foundation of honoring those who gave their lives for the Jewish homeland, Israel celebrates her hard-won freedom with Yom HaAtzmaut (YOHM Ha-AHTZ-mah-OOT). You many know Israel’s rebirth as a nation to have taken place on May 14, 1948. On the Hebrew calendar, that date was Iyar 5. Israel celebrates her Independence Day annually on this date, which means the date on the Gregorian calendar fluctuates from year to year.

Along with official ceremonies and religious services, Yom HaAtzmaut is a day filled with fun and recreation. All over the Land, people attend concerts, festivals, picnics, and barbeques, go hiking, to the beach and enjoy themselves.

Fireworks light up the night sky, and the nationally prestigious Israel Prize is bestowed on selected individuals with outstanding accomplishments in various fields. Major categories include humanities, science, culture, and lifetime achievement and exceptional contribution to the nation, with prizes awarded in several subfields on a rotation cycle from year to year.

For more about Yom HaAtzmaut, see “Who Has Heard of Such A Thing?.”

“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment’” (Exodus 6:6 NIV). 

Can you imagine what it must have been like when the Israelites left Egypt? Everyone had been slaves their whole lives. Yet, all 600,000 men – plus women and children – just walked right out of the country. That’s something that was not permitted before.  

But now the Israelites were free. As with the Israelites who left Egypt after Passover, the end of our slavery is the beginning of freedom. The Children of Israel were saved from bondage to Pharaoh, and we’ve been saved from bondage to sin. 

Jesus stood up in the synagogue and read from the Hebrew Scriptures, quoting a verse in Isaiah about the Messiah who would come to proclaim freedom for captives and release for prisoners. He then rolled up the scroll and said the people had just heard that prophecy’s fulfillment.  

What freedoms do we have as Believers in Jesus? Scripture tells us we can freely approach God with confidence, that we’re free from accusation, free from condemnation, and we are free from the fear of death. Those are some nice freedoms! 

The New Testament writers remind us that freedom goes hand in hand with responsibility. We are to use our freedom for good as though we are slaves to God, and as we have freely received so much from Him, we ought also to freely give.  

At Passover, God dramatically freed His people. Jesus told His followers that if the Son sets us free, we’ll be free indeed. Passover is a time to look back and thank God for setting us free! Emphatically free! 

“For freedom, Messiah set us free––so stand firm, and do not be burdened by a yoke of slavery again” (Galatians 5:1). 

Scriptures 

Exodus 12:37, Luke 4:18–21, Isaiah 61:1, John 8:36, Ephesians 3:12, Colossians 1:22, Romans 8:1, Hebrews 2:15, 1 Peter 2:16, Galatians 5:3, Matthew 10:8 

Reflection Questions 

• What mental images come to mind when you think of being freed?  
• How do you think life expanded for the Israelites once beyond Egypt’s borders?  
• When you think of yourself being saved from slavery to sin and released into God’s freedom, what does that mean to you?  
• What kind of expanded life did Jesus’ blood purchase for you? 
• What responsibilities come with your freedom in Messiah? 

“So when your son asks you in times to come, ‘What is this?’ say to him, ‘By a strong hand Adonai brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage’” (Exodus 13:14). 

Living in freedom as we do, it’s hard to imagine being enslaved, having no opportunity for a different life. For generation upon generation, Israelites in Egypt were servants of cruel masters and without hope. Born slaves, they died slaves. 

Today, during a traditional Passover Seder, a child asks, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” Part of the answer states, “If God had not brought us out, we would still be slaves today in Egypt.”  

What a sobering thought. But God heard the cries and saw the suffering of the people of Israel. He intervened and changed everything. God did the impossible – He broke the shackles of bondage and saved the people from slavery.  

Like God rescued the Israelites from Egypt, Jesus came to save us – from slavery to sin. We had no power to free ourselves, and before we placed our faith in Jesus, we were without hope. We were born slaves to sin, and if not for Jesus, we would also die as slaves to sin.  

Jesus’ name in Hebrew – Yeshua – means “salvation,” and He came to save us from sin. We are no longer slaves to sin. Sin doesn’t own us. God redeemed us out of bondage.  

Paul and Peter remind us that we are slaves to whom we obey, and we are set free to obey God rather than sin. Whenever we feel stuck in a sinful habit, we can know that we have the Holy Spirit’s power inside us, enabling us to choose God over sin.  

Passover is a holiday of remembrance. As we remember how God saved the Israelites from their bondage, we do well to remember whose servants we now are. We no longer serve sin. We are rescued from its mastery over us. 

“But now, having been set free from sin and having become enslaved to God, you have your fruit resulting in holiness. And the outcome is eternal life” (Romans 6:22). 

Scriptures 

Exodus 3:7, Exodus 13: 3, Psalm 102:19–20, Matthew 1:21, Romans 5:12, 2 Peter 2:19, Romans 6:6, 16–17 

Reflection Questions 

• Think back to before you placed your faith in Jesus. What trajectory do you think your life would have taken if Jesus had not delivered you from sin’s mastery? 

• Spend some time meditating on your present struggles or temptations, and ask God to show you where you may have let a defeated mindset settle in to make you believe the sin is too big or too longstanding to uproot.  

• How would you look at that sin differently if you fully grasped that it is not your master, that you are not its slave anymore?