It sometimes happens that a true believer is unable, for one reason or another, to celebrate the Passover Service in the first month Abib (Nisan). We thank the Almighty that He has made provision for these folks to keep this service on the evening of the 14th. day of the second month, Zif. (1 Kings 6: 1) The following passages tell of this provision and how ancient Israel celebrated the Passover and the Week (& Feasts) of Unleavened Bread in the second month Zif.
| Numbers 9: | 1: “And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
2: Let the children of Israel also keep the Passover at his appointed season. 3: In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it. 4: And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover. 5: And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel. 6: And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the Passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day: 7: And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel? 8: And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you. 9: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 10: Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover unto the LORD. 11: The fourteenth day of the SECOND MONTH at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12: They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it. 13: But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the Passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. 14: And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the Passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the Passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for himthat was born in the land.” |
| 2 Chron. 30: | 1: “And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.
2: For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the SECOND MONTH. 3: For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem … 13. And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the SECOND MONTH, a very great congregation. 14: And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron. 15: Then they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the SECOND MONTH: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD … 18: For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one. 19: That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. 20: And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. 21: And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.” |
The original calendar, incidentally, is not altered; i.e. the Feast of Pentecost should still be kept on the 50th. day from a Passover Sabbath in the 1st. month and not 50 days from that emergency date in the second month. The seventh month will also still be the original seventh month. Read the whole chapter in 2 Chronicles 30 and you will see how Yahweh in His wisdom has provided for just this kind of situation, where distance, disease or unforeseen circumstance have made it impossible to keep the Passover in the 1st. month.
See the Beginnings of Months for information as to when the second month of Zif begins each year.
May Yahweh, the Almighty God of Israel, bless all those who seek to learn and do His will.
AMEN!
