On April 5th, 2023 people around the world will remember the Passover. In the time of Moses, God’s wrath passed over the Israelites but not their oppressors the Egyptians. This led to the exodus out of Egypt. One aspect of the timing of Passover is that it coincides with a full moon! God said there will be signs or indications in the moon. With that, we look to the indications in the moon relating to the very first Passover and the next one to come in God’s time, not next week.
“And God said, Let there be lights in the Firmament of the Heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years.”
Genesis 1:14
The New Moon
In Exodus, God explained when the year was to start.
“And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be to you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.”
Exodus 12:1-2
We find out exactly what month it was in the next chapter.
“And Moses said to the people, ‘Remember this day, in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage… This day came you out in the month Abib.'”
Exodus 13:3-4
The name of the month Abib means tender and green as in a young ear of grain. This month is also referred to as Nisan. It is a spring month and occurs in what we now call March and April.
The moon determines the start of a new month or new moon. It is the measurer of time. A new moon is dark and nearly impossible to see until the first sliver of a crescent appears on the right side. Today, astronomers have decided the new moon to be when it is totally dark. This darkness happens at the close of the previous cycle up to the start of the next. But historically and visually a new moon is at the sight of the first crescent of light, when you can see it anew!
Sunlight at Night
From the time of the first light through the next 14 days the crescent grows until the moon is a disc full of reflected sunlight, the full moon. We call this light moonlight, but you could also call it sunlight at night! Looking at the graphic below, in relation to the Sun, the moon has transitioned from being ‘in-front’ of the earth when it was new to being ‘in-back’ of the earth when it is full. Keep this in mind as we look at the exodus from Egypt below. A full moon is when the moon reflects the most sunlight giving you light at night!
The First Passover
Continuing with the scenario of the first Passover, God gives Moses these instructions.
“And you shall keep it (the lamb) up until the 14th day of the same month… you shall eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’s Passover.”
Exodus 12:6-11
God told Israel to keep the Passover on the 14th day of the first month. That very night is when he poured out His Wrath over Egypt. The Israelites, who followed God’s instructions, were ‘passed over’ and kept safe in their homes. Meanwhile, the Egyptians suffered the death of their first-born.
“And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both you and the children of Israel; and go serve the LORD, as you have said.”
Exodus 12:29-31
Fourteen days after the first sliver of the moon appeared was a full moon, the night of the first Passover. Because of God’s Wrath, Pharaoh urgently released the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt. As they were leaving the darkness of Egypt, the full moon would have given them light to see at night, all night.
“And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, ‘We are all dead men.'”
Exodus 12:33
To learn more about the Passover, please read these articles. Much more is contained in this scenario!
Navigating through the Sea
Israel left Egypt and encamped by the Reed (or Red) Sea. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened one more time and he went after the Israelites with his chariots and warriors. The Israelites were trapped between the wilderness and the sea. To escape from the pursuing Egyptians, God instructed Moses to lift up his rod to divide the sea so Israel could go over safely. But right before Moses lifted his rod, this happened.
“And the Angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them (Egyptians), but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.”
Exodus 14:19-20
This pillar of a cloud moved from in front of the Israelites where it was leading them, to in back of the Israelites giving them light to see at night. This is just as the moon starting as a sliver of light when it is ‘in-front’ of the earth, moving over 14 days to it’s fullness when it is ‘in-back’ of the earth, shining its brightest light at night! The pillar of a cloud was referred to as an angel, which means a messenger. The light given by the pillar of the cloud was a shadow or parable of the light of the knowledge of God and His Instruction!
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our heart, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:6
What was the face of Jesus like?!
“After six days Jesus takes Peter, James and John his brother, and brings them up to a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them. His face did shine as the Sun, and his raiment was white as the light.”
Matthew 17:1-2
The Light of Knowledge
Jesus’ face shined like the Sun! He is being compared to the Sun. Likewise, the light of knowledge is compared to the light from the sun which is the teaching of God’s Word!
“And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day (the Sun), and the lesser light to rule the night (the Moon): he made the stars also. And God set them in the Firmament of the Heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.”
Gen 1:16-18
In order for sunlight to be seen at night, it must be reflected by the moon. So the indication in the moon is that there is a messenger that reflects, as in teaching, the words spoken by Jesus. The messenger shadowed in the Moon was not Jesus, because Jesus was shadowed in the Sun! There are two great lights! That teacher shadowed in the escape from Egypt as that pillar of a cloud gave light at night, just as the moon does! What message was given by that teacher shadowed in the moon and a pillar of a cloud?
“And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, ‘This is the way, walk you in it’, when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left. You shall defile also the covering of your graven images of silver, and the ornament of your molten images of gold, you shall cast them away as a menstruous cloth, you shall say to it, ‘Get away from me!'”
Isaiah 30:21
The worship practices of Egypt were idolatrous, just as the worship practices of most religions today are idolatrous. The message is to turn away from the things that turn you away from God!
The moon shinning its full disk of sunlight at night is as a messenger teaching the knowledge of the glory of God to keep you on the righteous path!
The Passover Lamb
The remembrance of the Passover, as kept by the Jews, occurred on the same day as the ‘Christian Passover’ now known as Easter. Why? Because Jesus was murdered on the Passover. In 325 AD Constantine moved the date of the ‘Christian Passover’ to create a separation between the Jewish and Christian feast days. He removed the connection to the Passover, and therefore removed peoples abilities to see the greater significance of this event.
“And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour… then he delivered him therefore to them (the Romans) to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away… they crucified him, and two others with him…”
John 18:14-18
Not only was Jesus killed on the Passover, he was the fulfillment of the shadowed Passover Lamb. Read this article to learn more. John identified Jesus as the Lamb of God.
“And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God!”
John 1:36
One of the last things Jesus would have seen was the full Passover Moon shining at night. It is an indication that God’s Words were not extinguished at his death, but that another messenger would shine his sunlight for him.
“They shall put you out of the places of worship, yes, the time comes that whosoever kills you will think that he does God service. And these things they will do to you, because they have not known the Father, nor me…. Nevertheless I tell you the truth, It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you, but if I depart, I will send him to you…. I have yet greater things to say to you, but you cannot grasp (understand) them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truth.”
John 16:2-14
The Second Passover
There is a second Passover in God’s time. But God’s time is very different from our time as shown here and here. The second Passover is not next week on the 5th, but is the same as the day of tribulation. It is when God’s Wrath is poured out once more on those who do not turn away from idolatry and violence. He has promised to ‘pass over’ those who turn to Him, learn of His ways and keep His Passover. It is just as serious now as it was in the time of Moses.
You are to stop following the pagan worship practices and oppressive ways of the world. You are to eat the ‘meat of the lamb’ in haste. The meat is food for spiritual nourishment, not physical food. The spiritual food is the teachings of Jesus and those who teach his Words correctly.
“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you in unawareness. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
Luke 21:34-36
God has not left you without a guide. He has provided moonlight to keep you on the right path in this time of tribulation and darkness!
Moonlight
“Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD binds up the breach of His people, and heals the stroke of their wound.”
Isaiah 30:26
“Then shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Matthew 13:43