This letter is in response to an article titled “The Passover Memorial” by David Ben-Ariel which was printed in newsletter Issue #39.

 

Dear Darwin & Laura;

Greetings.

 

In reading your last couple of newsletters, it became clear that you and at least a few of your readers correctly understand that the Passover meal was to be eaten on the night FOLLOWING the slaughter of the lambs ...at the "going down of the sun" on the afternoon of Abib 14th. I agree with this completely.

 

“... at the “going down of the sun” starts at noon, when the sun begins to go down. The Passover lambs are slaughtered during the afternoon of Abib 14, and at sunset, Abib 15, the meal starts to be eaten. Some of our readers agree with this and some do not.

 

What David Ben-Ariel's article neglected to address however, was the fact that the very name of this ceremony (i. e: "PASSOVER") is taken from the "PASSING OVER" of the death angel at midnight. (see Ex. 12:25-30).

 

Darwin and I agree with you on this point. I am not sure how David Ben-Ariel looks at this point.

 

Short articles are really not meant to address every single point of any given doctrine in total detail. A person could read five different Passover articles and each article would perhaps focus on totally different points or aspects of that particular subject.

 

The above short article strives to show that the only way for the "PASSING OVER" to occur on the 14th... and ALL scripture testifies that the "PASSOVER" is to be on the 14^th...is if the Biblical "DAY" begins in the morning, and NOT some, twelve hours earlier (or later).

 

I feel another false doctrine coming on.

 

The Passover lambs were killed on the afternoon of the 14^th (Exodus 12:6). Once the lambs were killed, the blood was put on the door posts (Exodus 12:7). At sunset which is now the 15^th the Passover meal was to be eaten (Exodus 12:8). At midnight on the 15^th the death angel Passed Over (Exodus 12:12).

 

The phrase “in the evening” as used in Exodus 12:6 is in Hebrew “ben ha arbayim” and means between the evenings. The first evening is noon and the second evening is sunset. So this gives us the exact time as to when the lambs were killed for Passover. It would have to be done between noon and sunset on the 14^th.

 

Christ was crucified at the same time the Passover lambs were being slaughtered, which was a preparation day for a high Sabbath. John 19:31-33 “The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:”

 

That high Sabbath was the Passover Day/First Day of Unleavened Bread which are one and the same. This preparation day ended at sunset and the Passover Day/First Day of Unleavened Bread started at sunset as you can see by continuing to read to the end of John 19. They entombed Christ very close to where he died because there was no time to take him anywhere because of the High Sabbath. John 19:42 “There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.”

 

So in conclusion, the death angel passed over on the Passover Day which is the 15^th of Abib. The days begin and end at sunset.

Richard Heath writes:

I submit this for your consideration for inclusion in a future newsletter. And; by the way; this is only one of many, MANY scriptural proofs that the Biblical "DAY" was created to commence in the morning. Much more evidence can be provided, if the subject is of interest to you and/or others. In YHWH' s service, Richard A. Heath

 

I knew I felt a false doctrine coming on. Richard there is no Biblical proof that days in the Bible start in the morning. God created the day right from the very beginning to start at sunset. In Genesis 1:5 it says “... And the evening and the morning were the first day.” and this is worded the same for the rest of the days in creation week. See Genesis 1:8, 1:13, 1:19, 1:23 and 1:31.

 

The Holy Days start in the evening at sunset: Exodus 12:18 “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even (sunset), ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even (sunset).” Leviticus 23:32 “It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even (sunset), from even (sunset) unto even (sunset), shall ye celebrate your Sabbath.” Joshua 5:10 “And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even (sunset) in the plains of Jericho.” And we know from Exodus Chapter 12 that the Passover meal started to be eaten at sunset on the 14^th/15^th of Abib.

 

I have read your article titled “A Question of Day and Night” and we will not print or promote the false doctrine which is contained within that article. Your teaching that the Bible day starts in the morning rather than at sunset is not scriptural and nothing contained within your article proves that a day starts in the morning instead of at sunset either. I suggest that you do a deeper study.