Next Year in Jerusalem!

"Barak atah adonai..." I could just imagine the words being intoned in a rich, rabbinical voice. "Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has...," followed by the particular blessing being enumerated. We were at our first Seder, a Messianic Passover Haggadah, and found ourselves immersed in the ancient ritual of recounting the Jewish deliverance from the bondage of Egytian slavery.

The church fellowship hall was set up like the finest banquet: White tablecloths, cloth napkins standing in folds beside the formal place settings, their deep hue echoing the "wine" in clear cups beside each plate. On the opposite side of the dinner plate was an individual seder plate holding ceremonial items of Passover: Bitter herbs (horseradish), a sprig of parsley, and an apple/nut mixture. A seder plate on the communion table in front of the pulpit held these things, plus a roasted egg and a bone.

Everyone was handed a booklet called a Haggadah (which means "the telling"),which gives the "seder" or the order of service. The service began with the lighting of the candles, by a woman. From there the pastor led in the fifteen points of the ceremony, which included responsive readings from the participants. We ate the bitter herbs scooped on matzah bread (the bread of affliction), then the apple mixture was eaten to camouflage the taste of the herbs, illustrating that with every hardship God brings times of sweetness.

Dipping the parsley in salt water represented the tears shed in the Egyptian bondage. At one point, a pinky finger was dipped into the wine, once for each Egyptian plague, then drops fell like blood when shaken onto the seder tray as each plague was recited three times: mice, mice, mice, etc.

The unleavened matzah bread represented Christ. Pierced like crackers, it reflected the piercings of Christ. The brown lines streaked across it in the baking process formed stripes which brought to mind the stripes he suffered on his body.

In recounting the Passover story, Gamaliel, the teacher of Paul, taught that three things must be included: The unleavened bread, the bitter herbs, and the Passover lamb. The lamb was represented by the roasted shank bone of the lamb whose blood had marked the houses of the children of Israel.

Much more symbolism was incorporated in the 2-3 hour service, ending with the cup of praise, the last of four partakings of wine. We recited the Hallel as we responded, "His love endures forever," to the commands of "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good," and other other divine attributes found in Psalm 136:1-16,26.

This was the 22nd year the seder has been presented by the group in Winfield, and I hope it won't be the last one we get to attend. "The Passover seder is now complete, just as our redemption is forever complete," read the leader. "Let us conclude with the tradtional wish that we may celebrate Passover next year in Jerusalem."