Experiencing Passover as the Israelites Did

“This day shall be for you a Memorial Day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.

Exodus 12:14, ESV

Experiencing Passover as the Israelites Did
By Rhonda Sand.

During a March 30-April 15, 2026 expedition with Todd Bennett and Living Passages, you will visit many locations where unprecedented Biblical events are noted to have occurred, and where they will be re-celebrated. Your journey will cover much of the Exodus route and Todd has carefully planned strategic teachings around the actual, Biblical sites.  Even just five years ago, an adventure of this scope could never have been accomplished. Now, two years into the future, it’s unlikely that it could be duplicated by any other group.

During your journey, lasting from March 30-April 15, 2026, the 5786 Seder dinner will be hosted by author Todd D Bennett on April 2, 2026, at Zoan in Goshen, Egypt. On this date in history, the following also took place:

The Exodus

Two hundred and ten years after Jacob settled in Egypt, God visited the last of the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, killing all of their firstborn offspring. The children of Israel conducted the first "seder" of history earlier that very evening, eating the roasted meat of the Passover offering with matzot and bitter herbs, and sprinkling the blood of the sacrifice on their doorposts as a sign that God would "pass over" their homes when inflicting the plague upon the Egyptians. Six hundred thousand adult males, plus the woman and children totaling several million persons, in addition to a "mixed multitude" of non-Hebrews who joined them—all former slaves of Pharaoh—escaped Egypt on that day and began a trek of 50 days to Sinai and their birth as God's chosen people.

The Covenant and the Jewish People

God consummated a special covenant with Abraham in which the destiny of the Jewish people was foretold: the Holy Land was bequeathed to them as their eternal heritage, but first they would have to experience “galut”—which is exile—as well as persecution. “Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. 16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. 17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, (Genesis 15:13-18 ESV).

Abraham Battles Four Kings

When Lot was taken captive by the four kings who conquered Sodom, Gomorra, Admah, Zevoim and Zoar,  Abraham, aided only by a small band of loyal servants, went to battle to rescue his nephew; "15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the possessions and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.” (Genesis 14:15-16 ESV) You will visit the site of this battle on April 10.

God’s Covenant with Abraham

At the age of 99, Abraham was circumcised as a covenant with God. God also informed Abraham that a son would be born to him and Sarah “at this time next year”. (Genesis 17:21 ESV) Additionally, God established a covenant with Isaac and his offspring. (Genesis 17:19 ESV)

The Birth of Isaac

“The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.[a] 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, ‘God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.’” (Genesis 21:1-6 ESV)

Jacob Wrestles with an Angel

“When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day has broken.’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’ 27 And he said to him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ 28 Then he said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, [f] for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.’ 29 Then Jacob asked him, ‘Please tell me your name.’ But he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’ And there he blessed him.”  (Genesis 32:25-29 ESV) You will visit this site, on the Jabbock River, on April 13.

The next morning, Jacob confronted Esau in the flesh. Esau, who had come with a band of armed men intending to kill his brother, “ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.”  Esau invited Jacob to join him in his mountain kingdom of Seir.  “But Jacob said to him, ‘My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.’” (Genesis 33:13 ESV)

Moses at the Burning Bush

Just one year prior to the Exodus, Moses was at the foot of Mount Sinai, shepherding the flocks of Jethro, his father-in-law, when the angel of the Lord appeared before him:” And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.” (Exodus 3:1-2 ESV) and Moses was instructed by God to return to Egypt, go before Pharaoh, and demand in the name of God: "Let My people go, so that they may serve Me." (Exodus 9:1 ESV) You will be visiting Mount Sinai—Jabal al-Lawz—on April 6 and 7. You will visit Moses’ Altar, Aaron’s Altar, see, far above you, the location of Elijah’s Cave and view other, intriguing aspects of the vast site.

Queen Vashti Banished

King Achashverosh, on the seventh day of his royal feast, demanded that his queen—Queen Vashti—appear unclothed to display the entirety of her beauty to a vast array of attending guests. When Vashti refused to obey his request, the king divorced her and had her banished from the kingdom. Queen Vashti's removal from the throne then afforded the opportunity for Esther to become queen and save the Jewish nation from Haman's evil plot.