There seems to be a lot of confusion about the events of Passover. So, here is a schedule of what happened, comparing the Old Testament activities with their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Please remember that the Hebrew calendar was based on the moon, and a day started at sunset, not midnight!
Day 1 - 11 Nissan (Sunday)
By this time, nine (9) of the plagues had already pressed hard on Egypt, but Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go. The Passover lamb was brought into the home to live with the family for 4 days.
Day 2 - 12 Nissan (Monday)
The Passover lamb was living in the home…no doubt causing some trouble!
Day 3 - 13 Nissan (Tuesday)
The Passover lamb was living in the home…but this was the Preparation Day, to get everything ready for the Passover meal.
Day 4 - 14 Nissan (Wednesday) - People still worked on this day
After sunset, the lamb was slaughtered and eaten by the Hebrews while the Death Angel (10th plague) killed the first-born of all the nation of Egypt, and the livestock also “…for there was not a house where there was not one dead.” Pharaoh then called for Moses and Aaron and said “Rise up get out from among my people, both you and the Israelites, and go serve the Lord, as you said” (Exodus 12:31). Then the people began their first short journey away from Egypt…first to Etham on the edge of the wilderness, then to Pi-hathiroth on the shores of the Red Sea.
Day 5 - 15 Nissan (Thursday) - Feast of Unleavened Bread & High Sabbath
This is the day of celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and also known as the High Sabbath (John 19:31). This is not to be confused with the regular Sabbath (Saturday). The high Sabbath was a holy day for the Jews and no work could be done on this day. All roads and bridges leading to Jerusalem had been cleaned the day before from garbage and the corpses of dead animals were removed. Furthermore, all graves had been whitewashed so that the pilgrims coming to Jerusalem would not be defiled. This was the reason the Jewish leadership did not want to have anyone hanging on a cross on the high Sabbath.
Jesus kept this High Sabbath perfectly, as He was in the grave (at rest).
Day 6 - 16 Nissan (Friday) - "The Morrow After"
This is the day was called “the Morrow After” the high Sabbath, and was the day of cutting the barley sheaves…the first grain of the harvest…from which the First Fruits sacrifice would come.
Jesus was in the grave (at rest).
Day 7 - 17 Nissan (Saturday) - Regular Sabbath
The Israelites were homeless, and did nothing except follow the cloud (God) by day and the fire by night…they were “in the grave”. By the third day, they were camped at the edge of the Red Sea…looking forward to the new home God promised to give them.
Day 8 - 18 Nissan (Easter Sunday) - Day of First Fruits
During the night, the Israelites crossed the Red Sea on dry ground (Exodus 14:20) to a new life, while Pharaoh and his army (the “death King” and his “army of death”) pursued and drowned in the Red Sea.
After the Resurrection until the Ascension (40 days)
The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, finally being admitted to the Promised Land with Joshua (Jesus) and Caleb (the Holy Spirit) in the lead. Moses (the Law-Giver) died before they entered.
I go to prepare a place for you…that where I am, you may be also!