Numbers 28:16 - “‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Yahweh’s Passover.

Generated Verse: Numbers 28:16

What does "Numbers 28:16" mean?


Numbers 28:16, "‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Yahweh’s Passover," is a straightforward instruction regarding when the Passover holiday should be observed. Let's break down the meaning:

"In the first month...": This refers to the first month of the Hebrew religious calendar, known as Nisan (or Abib in earlier texts). Nisan typically falls in March or April in the Gregorian calendar.
"...on the fourteenth day of the month...": This specifies the exact date of the Passover observance. It is celebrated on the 14th of Nisan.
"...is Yahweh’s Passover.": This emphasizes that the Passover is a festival belonging to Yahweh, the name of God used in the Old Testament. It's not just a cultural tradition; it's an event ordained by God himself.

In essence, the verse is a calendar directive for the people of Israel, stating that the Passover festival, a celebration ordained by God, should be observed on the 14th day of the first month (Nisan).

Significance:

Reminder of Liberation: The Passover commemorates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. It remembers the night when God "passed over" the houses of the Israelites during the tenth plague, sparing their firstborn sons while the firstborn of the Egyptians perished.
Central Holiday: Passover is one of the most important and widely observed holidays in Judaism.
Sacrificial Aspect: Historically, the Passover involved the sacrifice of a lamb.
The Lord's Passover: The verse's reference to it being "Yahweh's Passover" underscores the divinely appointed nature of the festival and its connection to God's covenant with Israel.

In the Christian context:

Christians see the Passover as a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, who is considered the "Lamb of God" who was sacrificed to redeem humanity from sin. The Last Supper, which Jesus shared with his disciples before his crucifixion, was a Passover meal. Therefore, for Christians, Passover also takes on the added significance of remembering Christ's sacrifice.

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