The commencement of years in the biblical narrative underwent a significant change following the Exodus, marking a pivotal moment in the history of the Israelites. Prior to the Exodus, the reckoning of years was likely aligned with the agricultural calendar, which was common in ancient Near Eastern cultures. However, the Exodus event instituted a new beginning for the Israelites, both spiritually and temporally.

Biblical Context

The change in the commencement of years is explicitly commanded by God in the book of Exodus. In Exodus 12:1-2 , the Lord speaks to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, saying, "This month is to be the beginning of months for you; it is the first month of your year." This directive establishes the month of Nisan (also known as Abib) as the first month of the religious calendar, marking a new era for the Israelites as they prepare to leave Egypt.

Significance of the Change

The change in the commencement of years signifies a new identity and covenant relationship between God and His people. The Exodus is not merely a historical event but a foundational act of divine deliverance and redemption. By resetting the calendar, God emphasizes the importance of this event as the starting point of Israel's national and spiritual life.

The Passover, instituted in the same chapter, becomes the first festival of the new calendar, commemorating God's deliverance of the Israelites from slavery. This annual observance serves as a perpetual reminder of God's faithfulness and the beginning of Israel's journey to the Promised Land.

Theological Implications

Theologically, the change in the commencement of years underscores the theme of new beginnings and redemption. It reflects the transformative power of God's intervention in history, setting a pattern for future acts of salvation. The Exodus narrative foreshadows the ultimate redemption through Jesus Christ, who is often seen as the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Cultural and Historical Impact

The shift in the calendar had profound cultural and historical implications for the Israelites. It distinguished them from surrounding nations and reinforced their unique identity as God's chosen people. The new calendar also structured their religious life, with festivals and holy days that commemorated key events in their history and relationship with God.

Conclusion

The change in the commencement of years after the Exodus represents a divinely ordained reset for the Israelites, marking the beginning of their journey as a nation under God's covenant. This change highlights the significance of the Exodus as a foundational event in biblical history and theology, shaping the identity and faith of the Israelite people for generations to come.Exodus 12:2
This month shall be to you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Flood-Tide of Power.
... talent, Mary Lyon's teaching gift are not changed but developed ... to shape for God
the tender years of earth's ... He is in college getting ready for commencement day ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on power/the flood-tide of power.htm

Introduction
... before us a state of society which changed but little ... fashion by the events which
characterised the years of a ... much, but it is only a commencement; Egypt is ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/introduction.htm

The Annunciation of St. John the Baptist
... were derived from their mission, and might be changed with it ... from Aboth v. 21 we
learn, that sixty years was considered the commencement of agedness ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter iii the annunciation of.htm

The Section Chap. I. -iii.
... performed outwardly, would have continued for several years. ... former names, announcing
disaster, are changed, in ver ... the [Hebrew: ki] at the commencement of ver.7 ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the section chap i -iii.htm

Olney Hymns
... after Sermons to young people, on new-years evenings, suited ... Hymn 64 On the commencement
of hostilities in America ... Hymn 63 The heart healed and changed by mercy ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/

On the Words, Maker of Heaven and Earth, and of all Things visible ...
... for sowing, and others shew the commencement of navigation ... and for seasons, and for
years [1081] , not ... as Incomprehensible," some portions are changed to suit ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture ix on the words.htm

In the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius C??sar and under the Pontificate ...
... that of which it gave indication at its commencement. ... whom Tiberius appointed over
Jud??a, changed the occupancy of ... of Christ being about thirty years old' at ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xi in the fifteenth.htm

Letter Lxix. To Oceanus.
... would have taken him for Niobe changed to stone ... devil." [2025] While immediately
at the commencement of the ... his nakedness which through sixty years of sobriety ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter lxix to oceanus.htm

The Assumption of Moses
... be two hundred and fifty times." At the commencement of the ... AUC 691; the nine weeks,
or 63 years, at the ... Latin, di being pronounced as z, and o changed into u ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the assumption of moses.htm

Letter Liii. To Paulinus.
... 1506] and of a leopard which has changed its spots. ... in so great obscurity that like
the commencement of Genesis ... by the Hebrews until they are thirty years old. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter liii to paulinus.htm

What is the Tribulation? How do we know the Tribulation will last seven years? | GotQuestions.org

What were the 400 years of silence? | GotQuestions.org

Why did God send the Israelites to Egypt for 400 years (Genesis 15:13)? | GotQuestions.org

Years: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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