Why is the month of Nisan significant in the biblical calendar? Nisan Introduced: God Redefines the Calendar (Exodus 12:2) “ ‘This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.’ ” • Israel already knew months, but the Lord resets the whole calendar around the coming Passover. • The command is literal: from that moment forward, the month later called Nisan is the starting point for every subsequent date. • By tying “first things” to redemption, God anchors time itself to His saving act. Redemption Sets the Clock: Passover in Nisan • Exodus 12:3-14 – Passover instructions all fall in Nisan, on the 14th day. • Exodus 13:4 – “Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving.” Abib (the early-ear-of-barley) is the agricultural title; Nisan becomes its post-exilic name (Esther 3:7). • Leviticus 23:5-8 – Passover and the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread mark the beginning of Israel’s annual worship cycle. • Every new year thus begins with: – A lamb slain in every household. – Blood applied for protection. – A meal eaten in haste, ready for departure. – A week of unleavened bread, picturing a break with the old life. From Abib to Nisan: A Name that Carries Memory • “Abib” highlights the barley ripening; “Nisan” (adopted during the Babylonian captivity) keeps the same slot but forever recalls the Exodus. • By either name it is always “the first,” reminding Israel—and us—that life begins with God’s deliverance. Annual Reminders Embedded in the Month • Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9-14) occurs the Sunday following Passover, still within Nisan, showcasing the principle of dedicating the first and best to the Lord. • Consecration of kings often aligned with Nisan: 2 Chronicles 29:17 records Hezekiah cleansing the temple beginning on the first day of the first month. • Ezra departs Babylon on the first day of Nisan to restore worship in Jerusalem (Ezra 7:9-10), mirroring Israel’s original departure from Egypt. Prophetic Echoes in the New Testament • John 12–19 places Jesus’ final week squarely in Nisan; He is crucified on Passover day, fulfilling the type of the lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). • Luke 22:7 – “Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.” • Matthew 28:1 – The resurrection (“Firstfruits”) happens early on the first day of the week within that same festival frame. • Thus Nisan not only begins Israel’s calendar but also ushers in the new covenant reality. Living Application: Let Nisan Shape Our Outlook • Start every spiritual “year” with the cross: redemption first, everything else follows. • Treat time as a stewardship redeemed by God (Ephesians 5:15-16). • Keep short accounts with sin—unleavened living is meant for every day (1 Corinthians 5:8). • Celebrate deliverance often; God designed a monthly, yearly rhythm so His acts are never distant memories but present motivations. |
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