Exodus 12:14 meaning
The command to commemorate the Passover establishes a critical ordinance for the Israelite community, marking their liberation from centuries of bondage in Egypt. This event not only embodies a moment of historical significance but also serves as a catalyst for spiritual remembrance that transcends generations. The Passover meal, with its specific rituals, functions as a vivid reminder of God's mighty hand in delivering His people, and it sets a foundational pattern for future worship and remembrance.
In Exodus 12:14, God instructs that this day is to be remembered and celebrated as a lasting ordinance, emphasizing its permanence within Israel's religious life. The Hebrew term for "memorial," zikarôn, indicates that this observance is to engage all the senses, making the act of remembrance an immersive experience. Moreover, the term "permanent" reflects a divine declaration that this feast will endure throughout the generations, both as a commemoration of past deliverance and as a foreshadowing of future redemption through the Messiah.
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Deeper Commentary Covering this Verse:
- Exodus 12:1-20 meaning. In preparation for the coming of the last plague, the LORD gave explicit instructions to Moses and Aaron about how to commemorate their deliverance by their LORD. It consisted of celebrating the Passover of the LORD when He would "pass over" the houses having the blood of a sacrificed animal on the door frame and not inflict the death of the firstborn on the household. They were to eat the Passover meal as a family. Along with this, they were instructed to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread after removing all leaven from their homes. They were to eat the unleavened bread for seven days, beginning and ending with a communal feast. The Passover and Unleavened feasts were to be celebrated every year from then on. It was to be a way for the people to be reminded of the LORD's deliverance. The Feast of Unleavened Bread continues in the Church in the form of the LORD's Supper, in which New Testament Christians are to remember that He delivered us from the power of sin and death.
Other Relevant Commentaries:
- Exodus 7:14-25 meaning. Since the account of the plagues upon Egypt begins here in verse 14 and extends to 12:32, it is useful to include a word of introduction.
- Exodus 12:21-28 meaning. Verses 21 – 28 record what Moses did after receiving the description of what the LORD was about to do.
- Exodus 23:14-19 meaning. The LORD establishes three feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of the Harvest, and the Feast of the Ingathering. Added to the discussion are laws concerning how to worship during the feasts. They were designed to give the people times to share the bounty of the LORD with Him, with one another, and with the poor. There is much more discussion about these feasts in the book of Leviticus.