By Youval Yanay

Israel is in full bloom during the Passover season. All across the country, the land is green, lush, and full of new growth. It is a time where we celebrate liberation from slavery in Egypt as well as the onset of spring. It is a time for us to reflect on the death and resurrection of Yeshua, whose story is intimately connected with the themes of Passover.

One of the most striking connections between nature and the parable of Yeshua is the metaphor of the seed that falls into the ground. In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells his disciples that

“unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).

This statement can be seen as a reflection of the natural cycle of life and death that takes place every year in Israel during the season of Passover.

In Israel during the season of Passover, plants bloom and produce seeds. The flowering is the death of the plant, as it produces seeds. The seeds come from the flowers, and after they fall to the ground, the plant dries up and dies. This process is a powerful symbol of the death and resurrection of Yeshua. Yeshua was hanging on the cross, on the tree, at the exact time when the plants bloom in Israel, and yield the seed. Just as the seed must first die in order to produce new life, so Yeshua had to die on the cross and be put in the ground in order to bring about the salvation of humanity. And just as the new plants grow and bear fruit from the seeds buried, so too does the resurrection of Yeshua bear fruit in the form of new life for all who believe in Him.

It is beautiful and encouraging to see and understand the connections between God’s creation and nature in Israel during the season of Passover and the story of Yeshua. The metaphor of the seed that falls into the ground serves to deepen our understanding of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the significance of this event for Jews and Christians alike.

As we celebrate the season of Passover and reflect on the death and resurrection of Yeshua, let us remember the beauty and power of nature and the way in which it can help us to understand the mysteries of faith. As the Psalmist writes in Psalm 19:1,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”