Bible Study Seattle

“Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field. Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.” Exodus 23:16

“Celebrate the Festival of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Festival of Ingathering at the turn of the year.” Exodus 34:22

The wheat harvest is in Fall; this is the turn of the year; around the Fall equinox. But then Moses received this instruction:

“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.” Exodus 12:1-2

At the Exodus out of Egypt, God instructs Moses and Aaron to count the Spring equinox as the beginning of the year.

“And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” Genesis 1:3-5

Days and Years were supposed to start with Evening – darkness. Therefore the original Year starting in the Fall is in keeping with this principle. The Fall starts with Evening – cold and darkness. Then the second half of the year is light – Spring and Summer. Having two starts to the year – both Fall and Spring equinoxes – will not be fully appreciated until Christ’s Kingdom is in full bloom. God needed an offset to smooth the transition from Satan’s rule to Christ’s rule. This allows for a 500+ year transition in the first half of Christ’s Millennial Reign.