Passover Part 8: The Four Cups

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Good Day, Friends!  We have been picking up bread crumbs
together for a while.  Now let's trade in that loaf of bread for some matzah as we begin to look more closely at what a Passover Seder might look like in the home of a follower of Messiah Yeshua.  Better yet, let's start with some grapes, as today we will be talking about the "Four Cups" of the fruit of the vine.

Last we were together, I shared just a bit about the elements that should be included in a Passover celebration according to scripture.  Please refer back to Part 6 and Part 7 for scripture references and that list of elements.  

Now we can chat a bit about how to put scripture and elements together in a way that guides the celebration.  Our Jewish brothers and sisters use a program similar to a church bulletin called a "Haggadah." 


The basic structure of a Passover Haggadah revolves around "the four cups."  The four cups of what, you ask?  Well, they are literally four cups of wine or grape juice that symbolize the blood of the Passover (threshold) covenant.  They do not have to be 4 literal cups...as they can be 4 sips from 1 cup for each participant.  It's all a matter of preference and how much room you happen to have on your table 😉 

According to Jewish tradition, the 4 cups symbolize the following:
  1. The cup of sanctification
  2. The cup of plagues
  3. The cup of redemption
  4. The cup of praise
Have you ever wondered what Messiah Yeshua was referring to when He said, "I will never drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:29) 

????

He was speaking during His final earthly Passover Seder of ...

these

four 

cups 


So where do we get the 4 cups in scripture?

Tradition relates that they originated from Exodus 6:6-8. 

"Therefore say to Bnei-Yisrael: I am YHVH, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.  I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.  I will take you to Myself as a people, and I will be your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.  So I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, and give it to you as an inheritance.  I am YHVH."

Is it just me, or does that seem more like 5 cups? 💁


Notice how nicely the verbiage looks back ← to the exodus from Egypt and also forward → to the second exodus prophesied in Isaiah. 👀 (See Part 7 for a brush up on the second exodus)

So, as we begin to look at Haggadahs, (in Hebrew it is actually Haggadot for plural...the nerd in me just had to say that...forgive me!), we will see that they are structured around these 4 cups.  

I am still working on my 2021 Haggadah, but I found a nice example from Chosen People Ministries for you to check out.  To be transparent with you, I am not very familiar with this ministry.  However, their Haggadah and Interactive Passover Seder videos are Messiah focused and seem appropriate for the purpose of learning more about how to celebrate Passover.  Use your own discernment and judgment moving forward...test everything.  

Here is a link to their Haggadah.  
The Chosen People Ministries Haggadah is more formal than I usually create, but it is a good learning tool and option for those who like more formality and tradition.  

Here is a link to their Interactive Passover Seder.
I really enjoyed this!  Chosen People Ministries has created a series of very short videos that explain many aspects of a Messianic Seder.  After you view the first one, scroll down the page and see the Seder table that is pictured.  You can click on each item on the Seder table to see a super quick video about how the item is used as part of the Seder service.  This is GOLD!

If you follow these links, I would love to hear what you think about them.  They would be a fine resource for your Passover Seder this year.  

It is certainly my goal to be back soon with a link to my 2021 Haggadah to share with you.  As long as you are following scripture, there are many right ways to celebrate Passover.  So, enjoy this journey!  I will be back soon to invite you to...

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