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What are the differences between the Passover
and the Lord's Supper? The apostle Paul referred to "the last supper"
of Jesus Christ as "the Lord's supper" (I Corinthians 11:20) in
teaching Gentile Christians to observe the symbols of Christ's death.
WHEN should the Passover, or the "Lord's supper" be observed? At
the beginning of the fourteenth of Nisan (Abib); coinciding with
Jesus' famous last supper - or at the end of the fourteenth, on
the beginning of the fifteenth, when the Jews celebrated the Passover
during the time of Christ? Here is the TRUTH about the Passover
and the Lord's supper from the pages of your own Bible!
When
God commanded Israel to observe the first Passover it was an utterly
unique occasion in all history. The first Passover was a monumental
historical occurrence; an absolutely unique event which had
never happened previously, and which has never happened since.
For centuries,
Israel had been a nation of slaves. Knowledge of annual seasons,
the weekly cycle, the seventh day Sabbath had become submerged in
a tidal wave of paganism; they were completely ignorant of God's
sacred calendar; Almighty God had to reveal to them the months of
the year, the annual holy days and their deep significance, as well
as the weekly Sabbath.
Notice,
"And the Eternal spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it
shall be the first month of the year to you." God called the name
of the first month "the month of green ears." Its name was Abib
(Exodus 13:4) and was later called Nisan (Nehemiah 2:1;
Esther 3:7).
This
marked the beginning of the sacred year of the Hebrew calendar,
commencing with the month of spring harvest.
The Israelites
were instructed to single out an unblemished lamb or kid (Exodus
12:3-5) from their flocks, keeping it "...until the fourteenth day
of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of
Israel shall kill it in the evening" (Exodus 12:6).
Much
controversy has occurred over the meaning of the phrase "in the
evening" from a Hebrew expression meaning "between the two evenings."
This will be thoroughly explained later.
God instructed
"And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side
posts and on the upper door posts of the houses, wherein they shall
eat it.
"Eat
not of it raw, nor sodden [boiled] at all with water, but roast
with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
"And
ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which
remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire" (Exodus
12:6-10).
Obviously,
since they were to eat the flesh "in that night" (that is,
the night following the slaying of the lamb "in the evening") the
lamb had to be killed a sufficient period of time prior to its actual
eating to allow for its preparation according to God's explicit
instructions.
God told
Moses and Aaron to instruct the Israelites that this unusual meal
was to be eaten as if in great haste, with trepidation,
as if poised for immediate flight!
It
was the usual practice to allow an animal to hang in a cool place
after being slaughtered; the aging and then the butchering of the
meat perhaps coming several days or even a week or more later depending
upon the climate.
Thus,
the eating of this lamb (or kid of the goats) within only hours
of its slaughtering, was obviously a very hasty meal; something
unusual, symbolizing a meal eaten during a time of emergency.
The
Israelites were told "And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins
girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in
your hands; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Eternal's
Passover.
"For
I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will
smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast;
and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment; I am
the Eternal.
"And
the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you
are: and when I see the blood, I will PASS OVER you, and the plagues
shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt"
(Exodus 12:11-13).
The girding
of the loins was accomplished by tucking the skirt-like apparel
worn during that day into a leathern girdle, or thick belt. It was
always done just prior to running, or walking rapidly. It
was an unusual command to eat the meal with their "shoes
on their feet," for shoes were not generally worn indoors. Such
a custom prevails to this day in Middle Eastern and Oriental countries.
Foot gear was worn out of doors, but, upon entering a dwelling,
was left outside, or in a foyer. As is evidenced in the later custom
of "foot washing" (in connection with the celebration of Jesus Christ
of His last supper) servants would provide water and wash
the feet of important guests, who would then slip their feet into
slippers or sandals, or perhaps go barefoot on the skins or carpet
on the floor of the domicile.
A staff,
cane, or walking stick would normally be left near the door, or
perhaps in the foyer. However, they were explicitly commanded to
eat this meal one-handed - with their walking staffs
in their hands - as a symbol of great haste!
Consider
all the elements of this meal: It was to be eaten very soon after
the slaughter of the animal (extremely unusual); their canes or
walking sticks in their hands (very unusual); and they were not
to take time to visit, enjoy a drawn-out meal like a family
occasion, but were to eat the food quickly ("ye shall eat
it in haste!") all which showed an extremely hastily-eaten
meal done as if in trepidation, prior to immediate flight!
As
will be seen later, the chronological events leading up to and concluding
in the famous "last supper" of the Lord Jesus Christ are positively
established. There is no question whatever concerning the time
of the "Lord's supper''; its relationship to the Passover,
and the time when the paschal lambs were slaughtered.
However,
because some have assumed the Israelites did not exit Egypt
on the same night of the eating of the paschal meal - after
the "passing over" of the death angel - ; because it is further
assumed that the Israelites spent the entirety of the following
day "spoiling" the Egyptians and it is further falsely assumed
that the Exodus commenced the following night, many have
become confused about when the Exodus occurred, and when the
paschal meal took place.
For example,
those who assumed they were partaking of the New Testament
symbols of the body and the blood of Jesus Christ (unleavened
bread and wine) coincident with the ancient Passover supper
began to believe there were eight days of unleavened bread,
not seven! Their confusion stems from their assumption that the
New Testament observance of Christ - His famous "last supper" -coincided
exactly with the ancient Egyptian paschal meal! But, as you
shall see clearly, it did not!
Following
this assumption, many have partaken of the symbols of unleavened
bread and wine on the Passover (Lord's supper), and then wondered
about the custom of putting leavening out of their homes on the
following day. Having once eaten unleavened bread in connection
with the ceremonies commemorating Christ's death, they feel "strange"
eating anything leavened on the following daylight part of
the fourteenth of Nisan - prior to the actual beginning of
the SEVEN days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Some
have said, "But it doesn't feel 'right' to eat hotcakes the next
morning, or a cheeseburger the next afternoon, after we have already
eaten unleavened bread on the night of the Passover!"
Simply
because they do not understand the clear difference between the
time of celebrating the ancient Passover in Egypt and Christ's
last supper - a difference of around seventeen to twenty
four hours - a vast difference in ceremony, symbols, and typology,
they mistakenly have pangs of conscience from eating anything leavened
on the daylight part of the fourteenth of Nisan - hours before
God says the Days of Unleavened Bread are to commence.
But God
said "seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread!" He further
said "In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at
even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, UNTIL the one and twentieth
day of the month at even!" (Exodus 12:18). Obviously, if
you count inclusively (commencing with the fourteenth
day - meaning at its beginning) you are dealing with eight
days!
But
if you are commencing the eating of unleavened bread "at even on
the fourteenth, meaning just before the going down of the sun;
meaning that your meal, while it may have commenced just
barely before sunset, continues on into the evening hours,
or the BEGINNING of the fifteenth, then there is no problem
whatever! You have SEVEN full days and perhaps a couple of hours
- not eight days.
The "problem"
for many sincere persons was in their misunderstanding of
the truly New Testament character of Christ's famous "last
supper"!
That
there are only seven days of unleavened bread is perfectly
clear. (Exodus 12:15, 19).
That
the ancient Israelites were to eat the paschal lamb and the unleavened
bread "IN THAT NIGHT" (Exodus 12:8), meaning on the beginning
of the fifteenth is also clear! To understand the sequence of
events on the very first Passover, one has but to read the
scriptures carefully, comparing all relevant scriptures, and avoid
erroneous assumptions. Now, from the pages of your Bible,
let's see what happened during that first Passover;
let's come to understand WHEN the exodus occurred!
Between The Two Evenings!
God instructed the Israelites, "And ye shall keep it [the paschal
lamb] up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and
the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it
in the evening... and they shall eat the flesh in
that night..." (Exodus 6-8).
Wide
divergencies of opinions have obtained resulting from the use of
the Hebrew expression "in the evening" which, technically, means
"between the two evenings." Some, including Lightfoot, took
the expression to mean after the going down of the sun, but prior
to full dark. If they were in error, they had thus placed the slaying
of the paschal lamb and the eating of the Passover meal at the close
of the thirteenth, and at the beginning of the fourteenth!
Remember, God begins the days with sunset. Thus, if they
were to kill the paschal lamb on the fourteenth "between the two
evenings," and IF "between the two evenings" meant after sunset
but prior to full dark, then the paschal lamb would have
been eaten in the late evening after the thirteenth, just
after the beginning of the fourteenth!
Speaking
of the precise meaning of the phrase "between the two evenings,"
Kitto's Encyclopedia of Biblical Literature says "Tradition...
interprets the phrase between the two evenings to mean from
afternoon to the disappearing of the sun, the first evening
being from the time when the sun begins to decline from its
vertical or noontime point toward the west; and the second from
its going down and vanishing out of sight which is the reason
why the daily sacrifice might be killed at 12:30 p.m. on a Friday
(Mishna, Pesachim, v. 1; Maimonides, Hilchoth, Korban, Pesach.,
1.4). But as the paschal lamb was slain after the daily sacrifice,
it generally took place from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. We should
have deemed it superfluous to add, that such faithful followers
of Jewish tradition as Sandia, Rashi, Kimchi, Ralbag, etc.,
espoused this definition of the ancient Jewish canons, were it not
for the assertion which is made in some of the best Christian commentaries
and which is repeated in the excellent article Passover in
Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, that 'Jarchi and Kimchi
hold that the two evenings were the time immediately before and
immediately after sunset so that the point of time at which the
sun sets divides them.' Now Rashi most distinctively declares, 'From
the sixth hour (12 o'clock) and upwards is called between the
two evenings because the sun begins to set for the evening.
Hence, it appears to me that the phrase between the two evenings
denotes the hours between the evening of the day and the evening
of the night. The evening of the day is from the beginning of the
seventh hour (immediately after noontime), when the evening shadows
begin to lengthen, whilst the evening of the night is the beginning
of the night' (Commentary on Exodus 12:6). Kimchi says almost
literally the same thing: 'Between the two evenings is from
the time when the sun begins to incline towards the west, which
is from the sixth hour (12 o'clock) and upwards. It is called between
the two evenings because there are two evenings, for
from the time that the sun begins to decline is one evening,
and the other evening is after the sun has gone down, and
it is the space between which is meant by between the two evenings'
(Lexicon s. v.)...
"Eustathius,
in a note on the seventeenth book of the odyssey, shows that the
Greeks too held that there were two evenings, one which they called
the latter evening at the close of the day; and the other the former
evening, which commenced immediately after noon" (Vid. Bochart
Hierozoic, Part I, lib. ii. cap. I, oper., tom. ii. p.559, edit.
1712).
Now,
let's examine the irrefutable internal biblical proof about
what time of day is meant by the phrase "between the two evenings,"
translated "in the evening" in Exodus 12:6.
God said,
"...and they shall eat the flesh in that night" (Exodus 12:8)
proving that the killing of the lamb (or kid) took place a few hours
prior to the going down of the sun. The paschal meal was concluded
in the early hours of the fifteenth of Nisan (within only a
few hours after sunset). "SEVEN DAYS shall ye eat unleavened bread;
even the first day shall ye put away leaven out of your houses:
for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the
seventh day (obviously counting inclusively; seven days in
all), that soul shall be cutoff from Israel" (Exodus 12:15). To
embrace only seven days, the Days of Unleavened Bread HAD
TO BEGIN ON THE FIFTEENTH, and the process of putting leavening
out of their houses had to be completed ON THE FOURTEENTH, prior
to the preparation for the paschal meal.
Otherwise,
if the original Passover had taken place just after the thirteenth,
just at the beginning of the fourteenth, you have EIGHT
DAYS of unleavened bread!
But the
Bible says there were to be only SEVEN DAYS of Unleavened Bread!
Notice
further proof: "In the first month, on the fourteenth day
of the month AT EVEN, he shall eat unleavened bread, UNTIL
the one and twentieth day of the month at even." If you begin
counting WITH the fourteenth or at the end of the thirteenth, including
the whole day, look what you have:
| |
Fourteenth
of Nisan |
First
Day of Unleavened Bread |
| |
Fifteen of Nisan |
Second of Unleavened
Bread |
| |
Sixteenth
of Nisan |
Third
of Unleavened Bread |
| |
Seventeenth of
Nisan |
Fourth of Unleavened
Bread |
| |
Eighteenth
of Nisan |
Fifth
of Unleavened Bread |
| |
Nineteenth of
Nisan |
Sixth of Unleavened
Bread |
| |
Twentieh
of Nisan |
Seventh
of Unleavened Bread |
| |
Twenty-First
of Nisan |
Eighth of Unleavened
Bread |
Do
you see? It follows that the expression "on the fourteenth day of
the month at even" means AT THE END OF THE FOURTEENTH, just as
the fifteenth is about to BEGIN, or there would be EIGHT days
of Unleavened Bread.
The first
Day of Unleavened Bread is the FIFTEENTH, not the fourteenth.
But the
paschal meal was to be in preparation, including the putting
away of leavening, and the killing of the lamb (or kid) very late
on the fourteenth! Therefore, the Israelite's homes would be unleavened
for a full SEVEN DAYS, plus only a few hours, late on the
fourteenth, prior to the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
God said,
"SEVEN DAYS shall there be no leaven found in your houses" (Exodus
6:19).
Notice
further proof: "Observe the month of Abib [green ears], and keep
the Passover unto the Eternal thy God: for in the month Abib the
Eternal thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt BY NIGHT. Thou
shalt therefore sacrifice the Passover unto the Eternal thy God,
of the flock and the herd, in the place which the Eternal shall
choose to place His name there.
"Thou
shalt eat no leavened bread with it; SEVEN DAYS shalt thou eat
unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for
thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt IN HASTE:... and
there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast
seven days; neither shall there anything of the flesh, which
thou sacrificedst the first day AT EVEN remain all night until
the morning."
Here
is further proof that the sacrificing of the lamb was LATE ON THE
FOURTEENTH, just before the going down of the sun beginning the
fifteenth - which was the first day of seven days
of unleavened bread.
Notice,
God said nothing should remain of the flesh they had sacrificed
- when? After the thirteenth, at the beginning of
the fourteenth, perhaps 27 hours BEFORE the fifteenth, or the first
day of unleavened bread? NO! - which they had sacrificed, "THE FIRST
DAY [OF THE FEAST - OF THE SEVEN!] AT EVEN remain all night until
the morning!" (Deuteronomy 16:14).
When Was The Exodus?
Much
confusion has existed in the minds of many over just when the
exodus from Egypt occurred because of a false teaching about the
"spoiling" of the Egyptians and a misunderstanding over the command
to remain indoors that night of the plague against the firstborn,
and the actual passing-over of the death angel.
Various
arguments have been presented attempting to justify the position
that the original Egyptian Passover was identical in frame
of time with the "last supper" observed by Jesus Christ with His
disciples, i.e., at the beginning of the FOURTEENTH of Abib!
The Most
important arguments set forth to justify this belief are:
(1) The
Israelites were told not to go out of their doors "until the morning."
Thus, even though the death angel had already passed over the
houses of the Israelites at midnight; even though the death angel
had already slain countless thousands of the firstborn of Egypt;
even though Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron by night, shortly
after midnight, and were URGENT upon the Israelites that
they leave then, it is believed by some that the Israelites
staunchly refused to cross over the threshholds of their doorways
until the daylight hours of the following "morning," meaning
the daylight part of the FOURTEENTH!
(2) Communication
would have been very difficult. Perhaps more than TWO MILLION Israelites
would have exited Egypt, on foot. Since no mass communication
media existed, it would have been impossible to marshal such
a force, scattered as they were throughout the land of Egypt, then
commence a forced nighttime march within hours after the slaying
of the firstborn.
(3) God
prophesied that the Israelitish women would "spoil" (the erroneous
phrase "borrow from" appears in the King James version) the Egyptians
of jewelry of all sorts, and would therefore "take wages from" or
"plunder" the Egyptians. It is argued they scarcely could have done
this in haste, only moments after hearing of the death of
the firstborn, and that, in any case, Egyptian women would hardly
have given away their personal jewelry within moments or hours after
the death of their own sons, especially to the very individuals
whom they held responsible!
At first
blush, these arguments seem cogent.
Especially,
if one has reasoned from the obviously unmistakable fact that Jesus
Christ of Nazareth observed His last Passover or the "last supper''
(referred to by the apostle Paul as "the Lord's supper." I Corinthians
11:20) after the going down of the sun on the thirteenth, or at
the beginning of the FOURTEENTH!
But
this necessitated the assumption that by the time of Christ, the
Jews were observing the Passover ON THE WRONG DAY!
However,
such a supposition is devastating to arguments set forth by theologians
who present a strong case for the weekly Sabbath, offering
as supportive evidence the fact that time could not have been
"lost," because to the Jews were given the oracles of
God, the sacred calendar, and the knowledge of the weekly Sabbath!
It is argued that it would have been impossible for a scattered
race, numbering into the millions of human beings, to have
all "forgotten" the weekly Sabbath or the weekly cycle at
the same time!
How
ludicrous it would have been for Jesus Christ to have missed
the opportunity to straighten out His own disciples, and Christians
for all time, on the fact that the Pharisees and Sadducees were
observing the Passover on the wrong day! But no, Christ told
His disciples that these leaders of the Jewish religious community
"sat in Moses' seat" and urged His disciples to obey the
theological edicts of such spiritual leaders, even if they did not
emulate "their works."
It is
true that there were chapters in history when the Israelitish nation,
as a whole, abandoned the practice of the observance of God's
annual holy days. It is equally true that, upon restoration of
such knowledge, they were meticulously careful with regard
to the date.
No,
the Jews did not forget the correct date for the Passover.
Now,
let's investigate each of these arguments in depth.
(I) "The
Israelites were told not to go out of their doors 'until the morning,'
so even though the death angel had already passed over the houses
of the Israelites; even though countless thousands of the firstborn
of Egypt had already been slain, the Israelites would have staunchly
refused to cross their thresholds until the daylight hours of
the following morning." But it is clear that the entire tableau
of the paschal supper is rendered completely artificial and
unnecessary if this assumption if true.
Remember,
the Israelites went out of Egypt BY NIGHT!
"Observe
the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the Eternal thy God:
for in the month of Abib the Eternal thy God brought thee forth
out of Egypt by night!" (Deuteronomy 16:1).
We know,
then, unequivocally and without a shadow of a doubt, that the Israelites
first exited their hovels in Goshen to journey from "Rameses to
Succoth" (Numbers 33:4, 5) BY NIGHT!
Remember,
God begins the days at sunset. Thus, the nighttime portion
of a day is the first part of the day, commencing the previous
sunset. Now, on what day of the month of Abib did the Israelites
depart Rameses?
"And
they departed from Rameses in the first month (Abib), on the
fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow AFTER THE PASSOVER
the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of
all the Egyptians" (Numbers 33:3).
Thus,
it is clear they went out of Egypt ON THE FIFTEENTH, and AT NIGHT!
That means they exited Egypt sometime during the nighttime hours
of the fifteenth of Abib, "on the morrow" following the passing
over of the death angel!
Notice
the language of the original Passover instructions: "And ye shall
keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole
assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening
[of the fourteenth!]. And they shall take of the blood, and
strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door posts of the
houses, wherein they shall eat it.
"And
they shall eat the flesh in that night [AFTER sundown, during
the dark hours of the late evening, following the
sacrificing, or killing of the lamb 'at even' meaning late on
the fourteenth], roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with
bitter herbs they shall eat it.
"Eat
not of it raw, nor sodden [boiled] at all with water, but roast
with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
"And
ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which
remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
"And
thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes
on your feet, and your staff in your hands; and ye shall
eat it in haste: it is the Eternal's Passover" (Exodus
12:6-11).
To kill,
prepare, and eat a hasty dinner of roast lamb would require at least
a few hours. It would be difficult for hundreds of thousands
to do so in less time, especially when the killing of the paschal
lamb involved some degree of ceremony, such as selecting
a killing ground, carefully gathering the spilled blood in basins,
going through the ritual of dipping branches of hyssop into the
basin, carefully painting the door posts and lintels with the blood.
The animals
were only to be "field dressed," not completely butchered; notice
that they were to be roast with "the head and the purtenance thereof"
meaning that the animals were not to have been carefully quartered,
or butchered in any fashion, but roast whole.
Since
the killing was to take place "in the evening" or the waning hours
of the afternoon, and the roasting to begin soon thereafter, it
would have been but a matter of a couple of hours or so after starting
the roasting fires that the animals would have been ready for hasty
consumption.
Here
was the enactment of a great emergency! They were to eat
(in the case of males who carried walking staffs) with their shoes
on their feet, their skirts tucked into their leathern girdles as
if ready for instant flight, and to eat one-handed, with
their staff in their hand, and partaking of the roast meat
with the other hand! They were to eat it in trepidation,
in fear, and in great haste!
Notice
further, "And it came to pass, that at midnight (on the FIFTEENTH!)
the Eternal smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the
firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto 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 (note! The death angel
had already passed! Now, even though Moses and Aaron had
been included in the command that they were not to go out
of their doors until 'the morning' following the passing of the
death angel to insure they were not themselves slain, Pharaoh calls
for these two leaders, as representatives of all the people.
They obeyed, for the danger was now passed-over! They
exited their homes, and went to Pharaoh's palace!) and said, Rise
up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the
children of Israel; and go, serve the Eternal as you have said.
"Also
take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone, and
bless me also.
"And
the Egyptians were URGENT upon the people, that they might send
them out of the land IN HASTE; for they said, We all be dead
men.
"And
the people took their dough before it was leavened, their
kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.
"And
the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they
borrowed (had borrowed; see Exodus 3:21-22; 11:2) of the
Egyptians' jewels of silver, and jewels of gold and raiment;
"And
the Eternal gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians
so that they lent (gladly gave) unto them such things as they required.
And they spoiled the Egyptians.
"And
the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about
six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.
"And
a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds,
even very much cattle.
"And
they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth
out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were THRUST
OUT of Egypt, and COULD NOT TARRY, neither had they prepared
for themselves any victual!" (Exodus 12:29-39).
Here
was the logical sequence to their enactment of a meal eaten
in great trepidation, as if poised for instant flight! For, within
a few hours after midnight, they were IN GREAT FLIGHT! Notice the
words of the holy scriptures! The Egyptians were "urgent" upon them.
They were "thrust out." "Neither could they tarry." "They had prepared
themselves no victuals." They were to eat "in haste."
As you
can see from this language, it makes no sense whatsoever to
insist that the Israelites spent the daylight period following the
night of the passing over of the death angel, "spoiling" the Egyptians
during a full day and then begin the Exodus the following
night!
Almighty
God means what He says!
God did
not intend that the Israelites "playact" in preparing an extremely
hasty meal, eating it with their loins girded as if in preparation
for instant flight; virtually eating it with one hand,
while the other clutched a walking stick or cane; eating it
in trepidation and fear as if they were to leave at any moment
- and doing all of this in vain, knowing full
well they were going to spend the entire daylight period of the
following day, more than twelve long hours, in "spoiling"
the Egyptians!
No, the
language used in scripture such as being "thrust out," and the Egyptians
being "urgent" upon them to leave - the plain fact
that they had "prepared themselves no victual" when there
would have been plenty of time to do so had they remained
alt during the following day, PROVES, conclusively, that
the Israelites left Rameses during the early pre-dawn hours
of the nighttime on the fifteenth of Abib!
Obviously,
the command not to exit their doorways "until the morning" was lifted
after the death angel had passed! The plague was now over.
Moses and Aaron, as a type of the whole nation of Israel,
were hastily summoned to Pharaoh's palace. Though they were indoors,
in their own respective homes, having eaten of the paschal lamb
as had all the others, with the blood clearly sprinkled on the door
posts and lintels of their houses, it was now perfectly safe
to exit their homes, since the death angel had now passed
over and was gone from the land!
There
is a further possibility to be considered. The expression "brought
you out" is figurative, rather than literal; metaphorical, rather
than chronological. While it is most logical, according to all the
language of the Bible, that the initial removal from Rameses to
Succoth commenced in the wee hours of the morning, the expression
"brought you out" may well have included all of God's miraculous
manifestations during the plagues, the death angel, and the whole
process of releasing Pharaoh's grip on the Israelites - "bringing
them out" from slavery, rather than referring to a narrow
time frame.
The language
of Numbers 16:1 is illustrative of this: "Observe the month of Abib,
and keep the Passover unto the Eternal thy God; for in the month
of Abib the Eternal thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by
night."
Whichever
of the two possibilities is true; whether the Israelites were on
the move from Rameses to Succoth by 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning,
or whether they waited until about 5:00 or 5:30 (whenever the first
rays of sunlight might have appeared at that season), it is very
clear they left ON THE FIFTEENTH. (See accompanying charts.)
(2) "Communication
would have been very difficult."
It is
nonsense to assume there was any difficulty whatsoever with communicating
within only a matter of minutes, or at the most an hour or so, with
the entirety of the slave nation of Israel.
When
God first appeared unto Moses, commissioning him to lead the people
of Israel out of Egypt, it was understood that the purpose was
for the observance of a sacrificial offering to God - the institution
of an annual holy occasion!
God had
said, "...I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto
the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites,
and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land
flowing with milk and honey.
"And
they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shall come, thou and the
elders of Israel, unto the King of Egypt, and ye shall say
unto him, The Eternal God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now
let us go, we beseech thee, three day's journey into the wilderness,
that we may sacrifice to the Eternal our God.
"And
I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no not by
a mighty hand.
"And
I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders
which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let
you go" (Exodus 3:17-20). Thus, all the leaders were involved
fully.
As Moses
was journeying back to Egypt he was met by Aaron (Exodus 4:27),
who was told all that had transpired between God and Moses.
"And
Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of
the children of Israel: and Aaron spake all the words the Eternal
had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the
people... and afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh,
Thus saith the Eternal God of Israel, Let my people go, that
they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness" (Exodus 4:27-30;
5, 1). The people all knew, in advance, that the exodus
could occur at any time.
Following
the plague of the frogs, Pharaoh said "...I will let the people
go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Eternal" (Exodus 8:8).
The point
is, the elders of Israel were fully informed from
the very beginning of Moses' and Aaron's attempts to extricate
the people of Israel from Egypt, even before the outpouring
of the first plague! Constantly, reference was made to the Israelitish
request that they may "Journey three days into the wilderness to
hold a feast unto the Eternal!" (see Exodus 10:9, 25).
By the
time of the killing of the paschal lamb, the Israelites had already
"borrowed" ("taken wages of" or "spoiled") the Egyptians.
Remember,
the Israelites lived in Goshen. A policy of "apartheid" or
complete segregation between the captive Israelites and Egyptians
was generally in effect. In the main, the Israelites traveled to
their places of work during the day, and retreated to their own
hovels and ramshackle dwellings (as would be befitting es) by night.
They
had witnessed all the plagues falling upon Egypt, and had
noted, with terror and awe, the incredible difference between
themselves and the Egyptians; that the terrible plagues of lice,
boils on cattle, flies, frogs, the rivers turning to blood, etc.,
befell the Egyptians in Egypt proper, but did not touch the
Israelites living in the area called "Goshen."
With
the systematic organization of the tribes according to various elders
(Exodus 6:9-27); with repeated announcements that at any moment
Pharaoh was going to let them go into the wilderness; expecting
such a decree to be issued from moment to moment for the better
part of a week, surely rapid communication through
the elders to the lowliest individual could be accomplished in a
matter of very few minutes, at the most, perhaps an hour or so!
No, the
argument that communication would have required a full twelve
hour daylight period following sunrise on the morning after
the passing over of the death angel is superficial, and erroneous.
Now,
let's examine the next argument: (3) "Spoiling the Egyptians would
have consumed the entire daylight hours of the day following the
passing over of the death angel."
This
assumption is ludicrous, in the light of clear statements in scripture.
Notice well, "And I will give this people favor in the sight of
the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall
not go empty: But every woman shall 'borrow' (require-ask-take wages
of) of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels
of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them
upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the
Egyptians" (Exodus 3:21, 22),
This
promise from God was given to Moses while he was yet in Midian -
BEFORE HE RETURNED TO EGYPT! It was given long before the beginning
of the plagues, and was surely communicated by Moses to the people!
Now read
Exodus 11:2, 3, "SPEAK NOW in the ears of the people, and let every
man borrow [take wages of] his neighbour, and every woman of her
neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.
"And
the Eternal gave the people favour in sight of the Egyptians..."
This
was hours BEFORE the Passover; after the plague of the locusts,
and the plague of three days' darkness. The Israelites were plainly
told to "spoil" the Egyptians long before the death angel
was to pass over.
It becomes
clear, then, that; (I) The paschal lamb was sacrificed at some time
after midday, and prior to the going down of the sun on the fourteenth.
(2) It was eaten after sundown, at the beginning of the fifteenth.
(3) The death angel passed over the Israelites at mid-night, killing
the Egyptian firstborn. (4) Moses and Aaron, no doubt accompanied
by a number of the elders of Israel, were summoned to Pharaoh's
palace immediately following the killing of the firstborn. (5) Pharaoh
was urgent upon them to get out immediately. (6) The people had
been well-prepared in advance for just such an announcement. (7)
They had "spoiled" the Egyptians well in advance - there was no
need for any delay. (8) Moses and Aaron, and the elders of Israel
who appeared before Pharaoh did so at night, but after
the death angel had passed, thus proving the command not to
go out until "morning" had been lifted OR, the expression "brought
you out by night" may be metaphorical, and the bulk of Israel remained
indoors until first light. (9) They left immediately, for their
bread was not leavened, neither had they prepared themselves any
victual.
Study
the accompanying charts, together with all scriptural references,
to create in your mind a vivid impression of the entire week
of Unleavened Bread, and how the whole process of the Exodus
took place.
ABIB 14th: EXODUS WEEK
(Preparation for Passover and Days of
Unleavened Bread)
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00
P.M. |
The
three days of darkness end. Pharaoh calls Moses, says to go,
but insists cattle must stay. Moses says cattle must go. Pharaoh
changes his mind, refuses to let Israelites go (Exodus 10:21-29).
Moses pronounces final plague - that of death of firstborn -
goes from Pharaoh's presence in anger (Exodus 11:1-8). |
| |
7:00 |
|
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
|
| MIDNIGHT |
12:00 M.N. |
|
| |
1:00 |
|
| |
2:00 |
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
|
| |
5:00 |
Moses
gives final command concerning Passover lamb during morning
hours. Explains death angel will pass this night (Exodus
12:12). |
| SUNRISE
(Approx.) |
6:00 A.M. |
|
| |
7:00 |
|
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
"Spoiling"
of Egyptians probably occurred during daylight hours of fourteenth,
while final preparations for Passover meal being made (Exodus
3:22;11:2). |
| |
11:00 |
|
| NOON |
12:00 NN |
|
| |
1:00 |
Paschal
lambs (or kids) slain "at even" or in afternoon of fourteenth,
but allowing sufficient time for preparation - some hours required
for roasting, for was roasted "whole," like barbeque. |
| |
2:00 |
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
Blood
was collected, painted on lintels and doorposts of Israelites'
houses. |
| |
5:00 |
|
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00 P.M. |
Israelites
indoors. Preparing to eat Passover. |
ABIB 15th: EXODUS WEEK
(First day of Unleavened Bread - Annual
holy day; Leviticus 23:6)
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00
P.M. |
Passover
meal being eaten, with loins girded, shoes on feet, staffs in
hand, with roast lamb (or kid), bitter herbs, unleavened bread
(Exodus 12:9-11) |
| |
7:00 |
|
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
Remains
of lamb (or kid) to be burned (Exodus 12:10). |
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
Death angel
smites Egyptians - no house is spared save Israelites (Exodus
12:29). |
| MIDNIGHT |
12:00 M.N. |
|
| |
1:00 |
Pharaoh
summons Moses, Aaron, immediately (Exodus 12:31). Orders Israelites
out of Goshen urgently, Egyptians "urgent" upon them, depart
"in haste" (Exodus 12:31,33,39). |
| |
2:00 |
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
|
| |
5:00 |
This
was a NIGHT to "be much observed" (Exodus 12:42). |
| SUNRISE
(Approx.) |
6:00 A.M. |
"Went out
of Egypt with high hand" (Numbers 33:4). |
| |
7:00 |
|
| |
8:00 |
Probably
about 3 million Israelites, with huge herds of cattle, goats,
sheep, journeyed from Rameses to temporary camping place, later
called "Succoth," meaning "booths" (Exodus 12:37, 38). |
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
|
| NOON |
12:00
NN |
Included
in their number were a number of other races who had become
"proselytes" ("A mixed multitude went up also with them" Exodus
12:38). |
| |
1:00 |
|
| |
2:00 |
They
stopped for food, but baked unleavened bread (1st day of Unleavened
Bread) "for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out
of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for
themselves any victual" (Exodus 12:39). |
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
|
| |
5:00 |
|
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00 P.M. |
Camping in "Succoth."
|
ABIB 16th: EXODUS WEEK
(Second day of Unleavened Bread)
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00
P.M. |
|
| |
7:00 |
At
Succoth for the night |
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
|
| MIDNIGHT |
12:00 M.N. |
|
| |
1:00 |
|
| |
2:00 |
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
"And
they took their journey from Succoth,... and the Eternal went
before them by day in a pillar of fire, to give them light ..."
|
| |
5:00 |
|
| SUNRISE
(Approx.) |
6:00 A.M. |
|
| |
7:00 |
|
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
|
| NOON |
12:00 NN |
|
| |
1:00 |
|
| |
2:00 |
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
"..
He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar
of fire by night, from before the people" (Exodus 13:20-22).
|
| |
5:00 |
|
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00 P.M. |
|
ABIB 17th: EXODUS WEEK
(Third day of Unleavened Bread)
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00
P.M. |
|
| |
7:00 |
3rd
day of travel - on route from Etham, "In the edge of the wilderness"
(Exodus 13:20). |
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
|
| MIDNIGHT |
12:00 M.N. |
|
| |
1:00 |
"And it
came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led
them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although
that was near; for God said, lest peradventure the people repent
when they see war, and they return to Egypt. |
| |
2:00 |
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
|
| |
5:00 |
|
| SUNRISE
(Approx.) |
6:00 A.M. |
|
| |
7:00 |
"But
God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness
to the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed
(armed) out of the land of Egypt" (Exodus 13:17,18). |
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
|
| NOON |
12:00 NN |
|
| |
1:00 |
|
| |
2:00 |
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
Making
camp at "Etham," at the edge of the wilderness (Exodus 13:20).
|
| |
5:00 |
|
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00 P.M. |
|
ABIB 18th: EXODUS WEEK
(Fourth day of Unleavened Bread)
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00
P.M. |
|
| |
7:00 |
Encamped
at Etham. |
| |
8:00 |
God tells
Moses, "Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn, and
encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against
Baalzephon; before it shall ye encamp by the sea. For Pharaoh
will say of the children of Israel They are entangled in the
land, the wilderness hath shut them in" (Exodus 14:2,3). |
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
|
| MIDNIGHT |
12:00 M.N. |
|
| |
1:00 |
|
| |
2:00 |
"And I
will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them"
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
|
| |
5:00 |
"And
it was told the king of Egypt that the people (had) fled, and...
he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:...
he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of
Egypt, and captains over every one of them" (Exodus 14). |
| SUNRISE
(Approx.) |
6:00 A.M. |
|
| |
7:00 |
|
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
Pharaoh's
pursuit begins. |
| NOON |
12:00 NN |
|
| |
1:00 |
Israelites
journey toward Pihahiroth. |
| |
2:00 |
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
|
| |
5:00 |
|
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00 P.M. |
|
ABIB 19th: EXODUS WEEK
(Fifth day of Unleavened Bread)
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00
P.M. |
|
| |
7:00 |
|
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
|
| MIDNIGHT |
12:00 M.N. |
|
| |
1:00 |
|
| |
2:00 |
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
|
| |
5:00 |
|
| SUNRISE
(Approx.) |
6:00 A.M. |
Traveling
toward Pihahiroth. |
| |
7:00 |
|
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
Pharaoh
in pursuit. |
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
|
| NOON |
12:00 NN |
|
| |
1:00 |
|
| |
2:00 |
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
|
| |
5:00 |
|
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00 P.M. |
|
ABIB 20th: EXODUS WEEK
(Sixth day of Unleavened Bread)
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00
P.M. |
|
| |
7:00 |
|
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
|
| MIDNIGHT |
12:00 M.N. |
|
| |
1:00 |
|
| |
2:00 |
Pursuit
continues. |
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
|
| |
5:00 |
|
| SUNRISE
(Approx.) |
6:00 A.M. |
|
| |
7:00 |
"And
they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which
is before Baalzephon: and they pitched (camped) before Migdol"
(Numbers 33:7). |
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
|
| NOON |
12:00 NN |
|
| |
1:00 |
|
| |
2:00 |
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
|
| |
5:00 |
|
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00 P.M. |
|
ABIB 21th: EXODUS WEEK
(Seventh and day of Unleavened Bread; Leviticus 23:8)
| SUNSET
(Approx.) |
6:00
P.M. |
"Pitched
before Migdol" (Numbers 33:7). |
| |
7:00 |
"An
holy convocation"; no work, no traveling. |
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
|
| |
11:00 |
|
| MIDNIGHT |
12:00 M.N. |
|
| |
1:00 |
|
| |
2:00 |
|
| |
3:00 |
|
| |
4:00 |
|
| |
5:00 |
|
| SUNRISE
(Approx.) |
6:00 A.M. |
Pharaoh
overtakes Israel. "But the Egyptians pursued after them, all
the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his
army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth,
before Baalzephon. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children
of Israel lifted up their eyes...and said...Because there were
no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?
...it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians...and
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea" (Exodus 14:9-21).
|
| |
7:00 |
|
| |
8:00 |
|
| |
9:00 |
|
| |
10:00 |
| |