20130922 Sunday, September 22 2013
Exodus 11: The Passover Moon At Midnight

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die"

The LORD's calendar of days, months and years is determined by His Creation (the week, which is not directly observable in nature, was created separately with and by His true Sabbath Day: "2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." Genesis 2:2-3 KJV).

"1:14 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: 1:15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 1:17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 1:18 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.

1:19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day." (Genesis 1:14-19 KJV)

The geometry of the moon's orbit around the Earth provides a stable, predictable cycle of moon phases. The full moon always rises at sunset, transits the meridian (i.e. reaches the highest point in the sky, half-way between rising and setting) at midnight and sets at sunrise. The same progressing schedule applies to all of the other phases of the moon through the month (the English word "month" originally meant moon).

The New Moon always rises at sunrise, transits the meridian at noon, sets at sunset

The First Quarter Moon always rises at noon, transits the meridian at sunset, sets at midnight

The Full Moon always rises at sunset, transits the meridian at midnight, sets at sunrise

The Last Quarter Moon always rises at midnight, transits the meridian at sunrise, sets at noon

The LORD's calendar month begins when the crescent new moon becomes visible to anyone whose view of it is not blocked by clouds (see the Fact Finder question below), thereby always making the middle of the month, around the fourteenth, the time of the full moon. Passover was also declared to be observed from the fourteenth day of the month - the time of the full moon, that always rises at sunset and reaches its highest point in the sky at midnight.

"12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 12:6 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.

12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 12:9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 12:10 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. 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover." (Exodus 12:5-11 KJV)

So it was then that the death of the firstborn would occur at midnight - with a bright, full moon overhead.

"11:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.

11:2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. 11:3 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.

11:4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 11:5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. 11:6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.

11:7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 11:8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.

11:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.

11:10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land." (Exodus 11:1-10 KJV)

Fact Finder: How was the New Moon crescent used to determine the beginning of the month of the LORD's commanded (Genesis 1:14-19) true Christian calendar? (the LORD God was and is Jesus Christ; see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God).
See The New Moon Calendar