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We are eagerly looking forward to attending or observing this yearly memorial as we have done since God called us some years ago. This richly momentous occasion occurs the following night after the Passover, and this year it falls on Friday April 15th which means the Night to be Much Observed (or Remembered - NTBMO) occurs in the evening, at the beginning of the weekly Sabbath. Our small congregation has always joined together as a whole group of brethren able to attend as health permits -- around 20, sometimes up to 30 if and when we are blessed with visiting members from other areas. This year just over half of the members will sadly not be with us due to illness and we will miss all 13 of them!
This evening -- NTBMO -- is when we begin the First Day of Unleavened Bread as sunset arrives, as opposed to following the clock deeming midnight as marking the next day. God signals the beginning of each day at sunset for good reason just like He always has with times and seasons revolving around the sun and moon as these are familiar and reliable constants in our lives which He has purposefully provided for us. If we think about it, clocks, pocket and wristwatches did not even exist in ancient times nor were they invented until many many years after creation. The Bible speaks about sundials in various places being the earliest inventions to measure daylight but these were much more limited and were confined to the position of the sun in the sky relative to its shadow cast on a measuring device.
God who created the earth and all the planets, the vast limitless universe replete with sun, moon, constellations or portions thereof, such as the cluster of Pleiades or Belt of Orion as referred to by God in Job 38:31, and also the Bear by Job in Job 9:9 and everything else we see, of course He created the beginning of time, the study of which is known as horology. Furthermore, all people including young children could understand the cycles of the sun rising and setting, and the moon changing in size which is known as waxing and waning, just by looking up to the skies. The next full moon here in Adelaide is right on time for God's first annual holy day season. The firm elements created by God are 100% reliable and cannot fail but watches and clocks are fallible as they are man-made, wear out and fail to keep correct time eventually breaking down altogether.
On this night church members bring flat bread or bread that has not puffed up or risen from the addition of leavening agents such as yeast (symbolic of sin) -- hence the term unleavened bread to replicate the same experience of when the Israelites left their plight of bondage in haste with no time for their bread to rise. This night is incredibly meaningful and special as we graciously share in the food and beverages all have prepared. Sitting down around the table to enjoy in the provision of bountiful blessings given by our great God, we recount through considered verbal expressions when communicating amongst ourselves in order to remember what the Hebrew people experienced all those years ago after fleeing from the oppressive and tyrannical rule of Pharaoh in the land of Egypt (Exodus 12, 13, and 14).
During this night and throughout the course of our potluck meal it is most interesting to hear from others of like-mind when they share their thoughts based on biblical scriptures revealing lessons learned through meditating on various aspects of what God's people went through. There is so much to refer to and learn from that is packed into this 7 day festival beginning with Passover, then the celebrations of the NTBMO, and the subsequent days of Unleavened Bread. Each year adds to the depth of our experience to make for quite a circumspect time for which we are truly grateful. As always we look forward to the NTBMO and treasure the joyous celebration after such a solemn occasion on the previous night for Passover. While the contrast is great, the experience is profoundly meaningful as we come to understand the ultimate sacrifice Christ made in order to pay the penalty for our sin -- thereby releasing us from permanent death.
In the lead up to this holy day season thoughts occur to me on how excited the people must have been to leave their life of slavery. After a long physically punishing day as bondservants, the people enjoyed a shared family feast of hot, freshly roasted and succulent lamb along with the unleavened bread, then all should have slept soundly until morning. Or did they? Won't it be fascinating to find out these details in the future? As a child I was always too excited to sleep the night before leaving on any sort of trip anywhere, especially if it was interstate to see my beloved grandparents. Now, as an adult, I still have the same issues when travelling long distances such as overseas the following day. Once asleep after tossing and turning with a myriad of thoughts swirling and overloading my cognitive capacity, eventually I succumb to some "shut eye" before the alarm all too quickly and urgently signals it is time to get up. However, instead of the needed 7 hours of good quality therapeutic sleep I usually end up only achieving around 4 hours due to all the excitement about thinking of things to do and hoping I do not forget anything. Was it like that for them? They were, after all, not returning ever again after their exodus -- God's people imagined that they were completely certain at this time that they never wanted to return again to a miserable life of servitude.
Just like the Israelites all those thousands of years ago, who wandered about for 40 years in the wilderness before reaching the Promised Land, after being released from slavery in Egypt, we too have been mercifully released from the slavery of sin, and are currently travelling for some considerable years while passing through this temporary time in our physical lives. We are learning to appreciate where God has placed us, that we need to be content in whatever state we are in rather than complain or murmur about physical conditions, all the while we are learning to resist and overcome further sin. God always provides for His children. The Israelites were well provided for. He ensured their sandals (and clothing) never wore out -- that in itself is a miracle right there (Deuteronomy 29:5, Nehemiah 9:21). The people walked about 20 miles each day when they travelled meaning it would take around 40,000 steps per day in order to achieve this distance which is quite significant. My shoes are already wearing out just from walking around 10,000 steps per day which is what we would normally expect to see.
While it is fascinating to compare some or all of the parallels between ourselves and the Israelites, we know that God has indeed given us everything we need to get there -- the Promised Land awaits us as we go forward step by step, day by day, festival after festival, participating in every annual holy day season keeping these holy times in the manner to which they were intended to be kept -- with great meaning and in heartfelt thankfulness to God. Each year we think about those who have gone before us and remember them while we endeavour to earnestly do our best to give God the honour and glory He deserves from living our lives in dedicated service and humble obedience. So let us respectfully and reverently celebrate the release and freedom we have been given amongst our dear brethren on the NTBMO as God will be amongst us observing all that we say and do.