“The Hebrew word for spring is aviv. This word can be divided into two parts: av, which means father; and iv, which has a numerical representation of 12. Thus, aviv (spring) is seen as the father of the twelve months of the year. Passover, which occurs in this first month of Nisan, is the symbolic ….” (Joe Bobker, Torah with a Twist of Humor, p. 231)
In the bible, we see God creating a new nation of people for Himself who are led by HIS servant Moses. First, HE calls them out of slavery in Egypt using Moses as their leader. The people are eyewitnesses to God’s glory and power as the Almighty shows them many miracles including the ten plagues, parting the Red Sea (Reed Sea), water pouring out of a rock in the desert, manna from heaven, and much more. HE personally leads this selected group of people into the desert where HE began the long process of transforming them from pagan slaves in Egypt into a holy people who can represent HIM in the earth.
This new nation called Israel is given very detailed instructions from God on how they are to live in the earth in a lifestyle that reflects HIS glory. In the books of Exodus and Leviticus we find most of the original instructions. HE changes everything from what they eat, to how they are to dress, and what they must do to build a relationship with HIM.
GOD further sets the Israelites apart from the sinful world of darkness that surrounds them, by giving the Israelites a timeline or a new calendar, different from the pagan calendars of the nations. God gives the people a system of organizing days from sundown to sunrise. New names are given for each 30-day period or months; in the Bible you will see months referenced by their numerical position in the calendar, such as “First Month” or “Tenth Month”. God also added dates on the calendar for special events or Appointed Times of the Lord, sometimes called festivals or feasts; these are dates when HIS people are to gather for special fellowship with HIM.
The name “Nisan” which is given to the first month on the calendar has an interesting history. In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, we find this definition: ” Nisan (or Nissan; Hebrew: נִיסָן, Standard Nīsan, Tiberian Nīsān; from Akkadian: 𒊬𒊒𒄀 Nisanu) in the Babylonian and Hebrew calendars is the month of the barley ripening and first month of spring. The name of the month is an Akkadian language borrowing, although ultimately originates in Sumerian nisag “first fruits”.
We find in the book of Exodus one of the first commandments given to Moses and the Israelites is that their new year begins in the spring. Israel is to begin living on God’s designated calendar, HIS timeline; in other words, they are to begin living by the biblical clock that GOD HIMSELF established
“ … Adonai spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt; he said, “You are to begin your calendar with this month; it will be the first month of the year for you.”
(Exodus 12:1–2) Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
Just to be clear, the month referred to in this verse is Nisan or March/April on today’s Gregorian calendar used in the United States. This is the month of the Lord’s Passover which we read in Exodus 12:3-14:
12 Adonai spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt; he said, 2 “You are to begin your calendar with this month; it will be the first month of the year for you. 3 Speak to all the assembly of Isra’el and say, ‘On the tenth day of this month, each man is to take a lamb or kid for his family, one per household — 4 except that if the household is too small for a whole lamb or kid, then he and his next-door neighbor should share one, dividing it in proportion to the number of people eating it. 5 Your animal must be without defect, a male in its first year, and you may choose it from either the sheep or the goats.
6 “‘You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, and then the entire assembly of the community of Isra’el will slaughter it at dusk. 7 They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the two sides and top of the doorframe at the entrance of the house in which they eat it. 8 That night, they are to eat the meat, roasted in the fire; they are to eat it with matzah and maror. 9 Don’t eat it raw or boiled, but roasted in the fire, with its head, the lower parts of its legs and its inner organs. 10 Let nothing of it remain till morning; if any of it does remain, burn it up completely.
11 “‘Here is how you are to eat it: with your belt fastened, your shoes on your feet and your staff in your hand; and you are to eat it hurriedly. It is Adonai’s Pesach [Passover]. 12 For that night, I will pass through the land of Egypt and kill all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both men and animals; and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt; I am Adonai. 13 The blood will serve you as a sign marking the houses where you are; when I see the blood, I will pass over you — when I strike the land of Egypt, the death blow will not strike you. 14 “‘This will be a day for you to remember and celebrate as a festival to Adonai; from generation to generation you are to celebrate it by a perpetual regulation.”
Bible scholars from Messianic Bible.com also tell us,” The consecration of Aaron and his sons, as well as the desert Tabernacle, took place exactly one year after the Exodus from Egypt, during Nisan — the first month.”
Even today, the biblical clock remains rooted in the land of Israel. Springtime in 2022 in Northern Hemisphere began on Sunday, March 20th and ends on Tuesday, June 21st in Israel Time. The first day of Nisan is April 2, 2022 on the United States’ Gregorian Calendar.
Nisan is the beginning of spring in Israel, when the rainy season comes to an end, the fruit trees begin to blossom, the land is rebirthed as dormant plant life begins to bloom again, and lush greenery and flowers cover the landscape.
“The Hebrew word for spring is aviv. This word can be divided into two parts: av, which means father; and iv, which has a numerical representation of 12. Thus, aviv (spring) is seen as the father of the twelve months of the year. Passover, which occurs in this first month of Nisan, is the symbolic “father” of the twelve tribes of Israel as a new nation.” (Joe Bobker, Torah with a Twist of Humor, p. 231)
Indeed, God continued to forge and grow HIS new nation of followers through HIS son Yeshua the Messiah, who is born of God. Yeshua (Jesus) was crucified and shed His blood on Passover for the sins of all -Jews and Gentiles. This launched a new beginning with an expanded group of covenant people being invited to come into relationship with Almighty God. Using the same pattern demonstrated in the Passover, God grafted into HIS holy nation of Israel, all believers who accepted the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) and his shed blood on the cross (tree), as the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world.
Stay tuned for Part 2, “Yeshua in the Passover”
