Passover Blessings in the Beloved,

Passover: When God Came Down

There is a prayer in Isaiah 64:1 that the God of the Bible has answered many times in the history of the world: “Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before You!” (NIV). God came down to make an everlasting covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15:17). He came down to rescue Issac from being slain (Gen. 22:11-12). He came down to wrestle with Jacob at Jabbok (Gen. 32:24). He came down to speak to Moses from a burning bush (Ex. 3:4); and God came down on Mount Sinai to give the Torah to His People Israel (Ex. 19:1,10-11).

What about at Passover? Did God come down? The Lord spoke the following words to Moses as he stood on holy ground: “…I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey…” (Ex. 3:7-8).

Each time God “comes down” to earth, He humbles Himself. He is the Great King of the entire earth: El Elyon, Melech HaM’lachim, El Gibor, the Supreme Ruler, Melech HaKavod, the King of Glory. Covenantal love is at the root of His gracious condescension, leaving His throne to enter our world.

Coming Down: God’s Way of Humility

Humility is a core value of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The most common word for humility in Hebrew is anavah (ah-nah-VAH). Humble is ani(ah-NEE). The plural is anavim (ah-nah-VEEM).

The first time the word “humble” is used in the Scriptures is in Exodus 10:3, “So Moses and Aaron came into Pharaoh and said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: How long will you refuse to humble yourself [lay-anot] before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.” An earthly king, proud and arrogant, refuses to humble himself—to a God who, in His Greatness, sets an example of humility and hates pride (Prov. 8:13).

The first time the word “humility” is found in the Bible is in Proverbs 15:33, “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility [anavah].” God wants His People to be humble. “Humble” and “Humility” are found numerous times throughout the Tanakh. Similar to Proverbs 15:33 is Proverbs 22:4, “By humility [anavah] and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life.” God gives grace to the humble (Prov 3:34) and lifts them up (Ps. 147:6). He beautifies the humble with salvation (Ps. 149:4), and saves them (Ps. 18:27). “The humble [anavim] He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way” (Ps. 25:9). “‘ For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,’ says the Lord. ‘But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word'” (Is. 66:2).

Humble Bread: Lechem Oni

The Hebrew word for bread is lechem (LEH-khem). A special type of bread is used for Passover and the following Feast of Unleavened Bread. We call it matzah, but during the Passover Passover Blessings in the Beloved, Passover 2025: April 12th-20th Sundown to Sundown Seder, it is often called “The bread of affliction or poverty.” It is interesting that the Hebrew word for “poor” is the same as the word for “humble” (ani). In the Hebrew mind, the two are connected. It is probably easier to be humble when you are poor than when you are rich. (Consider Matt. 19:24).

So, “poor man’s bread,” the bread of slavery, and of humble status, becomes a central feature of the Passover Seder. In fact, the bread, according to the Orthodox Union, is the MAIN symbol of Passover. (For Messianic Jews, the Lamb is the central focus). In referring to the telling of the Exodus story at Passover, Dr. Ron Wolfson in The Art of Jewish Living–The Passover Seder says, “Why should the story be told over matzah and not the z’roah, the symbol of the Pesach sacrifice, or the maror? Because the Pesach sacrifice is no longer, and maror is not a symbol of both freedom and slavery. Matzah is the one symbol that applies in all generations.”

May the Lord open the eyes of our Jewish people to see that the real Humble, Unleavened, Bread of Affliction came down from heaven over 2,000 years ago. He is also the Eternal Pesach sacrifice. Yeshua said of Himself, “For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (Jn. 6:33). “…I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (Jn. 6:35). (This is the answer to the traditional Passover invitation: “This is the bread of poverty which our forefathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry enter and eat; let all who are needy come to our Passover feast.”)

As I am writing, the Lord just gave me a wonderful revelation, so I must digress: the special matzah for Passover is ritually supervised from the planting of the grain through the baking of the bread, which must be baked in less than eighteen minutes to avoid the beginning of leavening or rising. This matzah has a special name: matzah sh’murah, literally “guarded matzah.” (Sh’murah is Hebrew for guarded.) Remember what the Romans did after Yeshua died? They “guarded” Him, lest He should “rise.” He rose anyway, since death could not hold Him! (See Matt. 27:64-66).

Yeshua is both the eternal Passover Lamb who rose from the dead and the “Guarded” Unleavened Bread of sincerity and truth (I Cor. 5.8) who came forth from the earth, just as during the Passover Seder the middle matzah is broken, then “resurrected.”

Yeshua Came Down from Heaven

Messiah’s Teaching on Humility

The kingdom that Yeshua came to usher in is not like the kingdoms of this world, centered in pride, arrogance, ambition, self-interest, and exaltation. God’s ways are not like men’s ways: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Is 55:9).

A defining characteristic of Yeshua’s kingdom is humility. One of His most important teachings focused on becoming like children: humble and trusting. “Then Yeshua called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven'” (Matt. 18:2-3). But Yeshua’s disciples did not “get” their Master’s emphasis. “Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Yeshua saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to Me and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Mk. 10:13-15).

Strong words. I sense the need to pray this Passover season: “Dear Heavenly Father, Abba, I want to become more childlike in my relationship with You. Please help me to go lower, in greater simplicity and humility of heart, and follow You in childlike faith. Increase my unquestioning trust in Your love and goodness. Please forgive my doubts, my skepticism, worrying, sarcasm, and everything contrary to a simple, loving, joy-filled life with You. In Yeshua’s Name, Amen!”

When Yeshua taught about being a “guest,” humility was always the preferred posture. The heading for the teaching in some versions of the Bible says, “Take the lowly place.” In Yeshua’s words, “But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then, you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Then He also said to him who invited Him, ‘When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:10-14).

I was surprised to find that some biblical scholars believe that humility in the Bible is not primarily an inward posture of the heart, but rather something with an outward look—being willing to embrace humble circumstances and be associated with those of “low estate.” The scriptures in Luke seem to agree with this, but I believe humility is both—beginning in the heart and extending to social circumstances such as keeping company with the poor, even with sinners. (See Matt. 9:10-13).

This reminds me of the years when our two boys were in middle and high school, and we had a guest for dinner about once a week. Neil picked him up from his group home and brought him to ours. But first, he stopped at Publix to buy him his favorite sugar-free dessert. Then, he sat down at our table, as part of the family, and devoured (sans table manners) his weekly request—meatloaf and macaroni and cheese. A man in his 60s, he called me “Mommy.” Our weekly dinners made an impression on our children. They will never forget Frankie.

An Upside-Down Kingdom

The way of humility is: The last will be first, and the first will be last. Who is the greatest in Yeshua’s kingdom? One time, when the Lord’s disciples were disputing among themselves who would be the greatest, He gave them His thoughts on the matter: “…If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mk. 9:35). When James and John, the sons of Zebedee, asked to be able to sit at Yeshua’s right and left hand in His glory, the Messiah re-emphasized the necessity of humility: “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10:42-45). Being humble is being great in Yeshua’s kingdom.

Passover and Washing Feet

What god stoops to wash the feet of his followers? Our God. Yeshua, in a supreme act of humility, at His final Passover on earth, made Himself low, bowed down, and washed His disciples’ feet. “It was just before the festival of Pesach, and Yeshua knew that the time had come for Him to pass from this world to the Father. Having loved His own people in the world, He loved them to the end. They were at supper, and the Adversary had already put the desire to betray Him into the heart of Y’hudah BenShim’on from K’riot. Yeshua was aware that the Father had put everything in His power and that He had come for God and was returning to God. So He rose from the table, removed His outer garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist. Then He poured some water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the talmidim and wipe them off with the towel wrapped around Him” (Jn. 13:1-5 CJB). Note the context: Yeshua knew who He was—the King of Glory. He made a decision to humble Himself as if He was a slave, a lowly servant. “After He had washed their feet, taken back His clothes, and returned to the table, He said to them, ‘Do you understand what I have done to you? You call Me ‘Rabbi’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because I am. Now if I, the Lord and Rabbi, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other’s feet. For I have set you an example, so that you may do as I have done to you” (Jn. 13:12-15 CJB).

The Lord is calling us to humble ourselves and say, as Yochanan the Immerser said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30). “He Gets Us” says the following about the Passover foot washing: “When Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, He set an example of how we should treat one another, even those people with whom we don’t see eye to eye.” (e.g. Yeshua washed the feet of Yehuda, His betrayer). “Foot washing required humility on the part of both parties: the one willing to wash another’s feet and also the one willing to have their feet washed.” Yes. It’s true. Perhaps this is the year for you to humble yourself and wash someone’s feet.

A Humble Bride

One of the ways in which Yeshua’s bride makes herself ready (Rev. 19:7) is by putting on humility. An exhortation from I Peter 5:5-6, “…Yes, all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”

Let’s pray: “Dear Heavenly Father, Abba, I humble myself before You today and ask You to help me to not think of myself more highly than I ought to think (Rom. 12:3), to not be wise in my own opinion (Rom. 12:16), to associate with the humble (Rom. 12:16), to bear with others in love (Eph. 4:2), and to esteem others better than myself (Phil. 2:3). Finally, as God’s child, and part of Messiah’s bride, holy and beloved, please help me to put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering. I want to be able to bear with others, forgive others as I have been forgiven, and above all, put on love, which is the bond of perfection (Col. 3:12-14). “…Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts” (Zech. 4:6). In Yeshua’s Name, AMEN.

Choosing humility by the grace of God,

P.S. The correct attitude of the Church towards Israel: “Do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you” (Rom. 11:18). A posture of humility and gratitude.