Pastor Paula White, the leader of the White House Faith Office, released a two-video series encouraging Christians to observe the Biblical feast of Passover, claiming that the ritual can unlock seven blessings that are listed in Exodus 23:14–30.
According to White, for those who observe the Passover Seder, God will
- Assign an angel to you. “Behold, I send an Angel before you…” (verse 20).
- Be an enemy to your enemies “I will be an enemy to your enemies…” (verse 22).
- Give you prosperity “So you shall serve the LORD, your God, and He will bless your bread and your water” (verse 25).
- Take sickness away from you “And I will take sickness away from the midst of you” (verse 25).
- Give you a long life “I will fulfill the number of your days” (verse 26).
- Bring increase and inheritance “… until you have increased, and you inherit the land (verse 30).
- Give a special year of blessing (verse 29).
On her website, Pastor White notes, “If it’s important to God, it MUST BE important to us!”
“We are entering into one of the year’s most life-changing, miracle-working seasons,” White wrote. “It’s the season of Passover and Resurrection Sunday (Easter). As Christians, we traditionally celebrate Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday (Easter); however, we do not give much thought to the Jewish feast of Passover.”
She explains that Palm Sunday falls on April 13, Great Friday on April 18, Easter/Resurrection Sunday on April 20, and Passover is celebrated from Sundown April 12 until April 20.
“Most Christians know Passover celebrates the journey of the ancient Hebrews from the slavery of Egypt to the freedom of the Promised Land-Israel, as told in the book of Exodus,” White wrote. “Frankly, that’s just the beginning.”
“It’s about God’s redeeming power on earth! It is about your deliverance, freedom, and protection,” Pastor White explained. “Passover revealed that the Lord distinguished between His people and those who were not His people. The Passover feast remembers the Israelites’ exodus from hundreds of years of slavery in Egypt and the redemption of a newborn nation belonging to the Lord.”
White then explains the history and details of Passover as related in the Bible.
“The Passover is important to God because it illustrates His power and His love for His people,” White wrote. “God delivered His people, the Hebrews, from the slavery of Egypt. God is able to DELIVER you too!”
“During this season of remembrance, as we remember the freedom God gave the Hebrews and the price that Jesus paid with His death and Resurrection, let’s remember that we were once entrapped and enslaved by sin. We were once headed down the path of death and destruction!”
“We don’t forget that we were once slaves to sin…we rejoice that we have been set FREE!”
She wrote a detailed explanation for Christians, stating, “Jesus celebrated the Passover with the Disciples… and He instituted The Lord’s Supper!”
“Just like the early Church of New Testament believers, it is vital to every aspect of our lives that we recognize that God’s COMMANDED APPOINTMENT with us is an OPPORTUNITY to HONOR Him for everything He has done in our lives – to everything He has PROMISED to do when we respond to His command in faith and obedience.
“Passover is truly a CELEBRATION of WHO He is to us!”
David Nekrutman, director of Biblical Excavations, an outreach organization, supports Christians embracing the Hebraic roots of their faith. Still, Nekrutman stresses that the seder should “emphasize the national redemption of the Jewish people.”
“One of the central commandments of Passover is feeling as one has left Egypt in the present moment. Knowing that I cannot be the Jew I am today without that redemptive moment over 3,000 years ago,” Nekrutman said. “Passover ” is how the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob intervened in human history to liberate powerless people. God’s miraculous freeing of the Hebrew slaves was never meant for Israel alone. Every human being is created in the Divine image, and therefore every individual has the inalienable right to be free.”
He explained that the holiday is about freedom, not atonement, which most Christians see in the paschal lamb. “Connecting atonement to the paschal lamb has no basis in the Bible nor in Jewish tradition,” Nekrutman pointed out. “The word l’chaper (to atone) is never associated with the korban pesach (Passover offering). Not every Old Testament sacrifice is about wiping away sins. Passover is not the Day of Atonement.
“While I understand that for Christians Jesus came into the world to atone for humanity’s sins, infusing Christological elements into the seder takes away from the significance of the Jewish holiday,” he said.
“As the former Chief Rabbi of England, Jonathan Sacks, said, Pesach is the eternal critique of power used by humans to coerce and diminish their fellow human beings. We invite Christians to join in the holiday of redemption, but we urge them to respect the roots of this commandment as celebrated in Judaism.”
Biblical Excavations, an outreach organization run by David Nekrutman, offers a free resource guide for Christian families wishing to celebrate the Festival of Freedom that can be downloaded at their website.
