The Passover is an argument that certain Lunar Sabbath believers bring up, however, let us just use God’s Word rather than the interpretations of men.
Certain Lunar Sabbath believers state that on the 14th of Nissan the Children of Israel did the Passover sacrifice, and later at midnight the angel of the Lord killed the first born of Egypt. The next day on the 15th, at sunrise, was the Sabbath, so the Children of Israel stayed in Egypt until sundown, where the Pharaoh told Moses that the people were free to go, so they left later at night.
However, the Bible states that on the 14th of Nissan the Children of Israel had the Passover sacrifice, and as the sun went down the 15th began, where they had the feast of unleavened bread. Later that night, the angel of the Lord killed the first born of Egypt, and the Pharaoh called Moses and told him that the people of Israel were free to go, thus they left early the following morning of the 15th.
Lunar Sabbath believers use Deuteronomy 16:1 to say that the Children of Israel left Egypt by night, when the verse just says that’s when they became free: “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.”
But we know from Exodus 12:31 that “by night” is when the Children of Israel received the release to be free men: “And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.”
Further, the Bible speaks that it was “day” when Israel actually left Egypt, not night: “And Moses said unto the people, remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day came ye out in the month Abib” (Exodus 13:3).
“Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life“ (Deut. 16:3).
So, first either Lunar Sabbath believers have to accept that night is part of the whole 24 hour day, or that the Children of Israel left in the day time. Either way, it will disprove that the Sabbath fell on the 15th. Second, over and over it was said that the Children left with haste (Exodus 12:11; 12:33 & Deuteronomy 16:3), so to say that they did not leave in haste, but instead waited in Egypt another day for the Sabbath to end, would contradict the Bible.
Another point is that the feast of unleavened bread begins on the night of the 15th, so how could they have the feast and leave on the same night?
Finally, let us look at Exodus 12:33, 34, which brings up some good points: “And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, we be all dead men. And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.”
So, if the Children of Israel took dough before it was leavened, that certainly means a short time, and not a full day…They left in haste.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
