APPROACHING YOUR YEAR-III—Exodus 12:2(:1-13)
•God’s people must approach their ‘New Year’ within the confines of His exclusive worldview.
Need:
For all that this New Year will hold, God’s people should & can approach it with Confidence! Even when we cannot know all that our future holds, we can live in peace & certainty thru it’s challenges, because our confidence rests in the absolute faithfulness of Almighty God!
God established a novel way for Israel to approach their calendar year.
God’s people today—Christians— are to have a particular approach toward understanding their calendar year.
How are we to approach our new year?
5 paths/trajectories for approaching the new year.
Rom. 14:7-8—“For none of us lives to himself, & no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; & if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”
We’ve found previously that
A proper approach toward your year is found in...
1. Your GOD(:1a)
2. Your SPOKESMEN(:1b)
3. Your EGYPT(:1c)
4—A proper approach toward your year is also found in...
Your PATTERN(:2)
Explanation:(:2)Reset/Shifted
:2—““This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.”
“This month...”
•Israel would come to use what may be called: a ‘Lunisolar’ calendar.
•Their 'year' was decided by the sun.
•Whereas, the divisions & organization of each year were broken down into months, determined by the phases of the moon.
•Interestingly enough, 4 of the months that Israel would come to use, referenced in the Old Testament, have ‘Canaanite’ names. Those months are associated with major agricultural periods:
1)Abib, meaning—‘fresh ear’(of grain)
2)Ziv, meaning—“Beauty”(a time for flowers)
3)Ethanim, meaning—“Permanent streams”
4)Bul, meaning—“Rain”
•Also, some names for Israel’s months, that are recorded in the Bible, would arise from a much later time during Israel’s exile to Babylon[ca.- 600BC]. And those month names are ‘Babylonian’ in origin.
•1)Nisan; 2)Sivan; 3)Elul; 4)Chislev; 5)Tebeth; 6)Shebat; & 7)Adar.
•Also, some of those Canaanite/Babylonian month names overlap with each other.
•The “first month of the year” Abib[Canaanite], AKA--Nisan[Babylonian].
•The beginning of every month, including Abib/Nisan(March-April)[Jesus’ death, burial, & resurrection—AKA—‘Easter’], was/is marked by the ‘new moon.’, followed by the waxing moon, full moon, waning moon, & again, ending each month with another new moon.
“...Shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.”
Because of Israel’s accepting YHWH as their God, the yearly/annual cycle AND the monthly divisions, that they knew in Egypt, would change dramatically. Likewise, events that would become important for Israel’s recognition would also have different weekly & daily importances
•Normative divisions of time were intentionally changed.
•And that change/shift was NOT built upon Israel’s RELIANCE on the Egyptian state. Israel’s reliance was INSTEAD to be built on YHWH God’s provision for them in love!...both Physical & Spiritual.
•Likewise, every division in YOUR yearly/annual cycle, from the beginning of your trust in Christ on, is to be lodged/contained/couched/bound up in Christ Jesus! It is to be bound up in the ‘hold’ that He has on your life as your Lord....
•IF Christ Jesus has NO hold on you, so that there is positive change in your life toward God, THEN there is NO NEW life in you...AND IF there is no ‘new life’, THEN any new PATTERN you establish, will be temporary, anemic, weak, & empty at best! It may even be ‘religious’ but NOT built on relationship with Jesus!
Remember that ALL time, is actually GOD’S time!...So there is no TRUE ‘Pattern’ that anyone should follow, except God’s ‘Pattern’!
•So the manner in which you divide the time allotted to you by God, should & can be a reflection of how God is working in your life!
•Israel’s 1st month as the FREE people of God—free from the oppressions of Egypt—would be based upon the Passover(described in verses :3-13). God would indeed, ‘Pass-Over’ their houses in recognition of their individual family’s faith.
*That original Passover pictured the far-future sacrifice for God’s people, by Jesus the sacrificial Lamb of God.
!Jesus is our Passover.
•Israel’s ‘first-of-the-year’ was based upon Israel’s/the people’s/nation’s ‘freedom’ thru their faith. That first-of-the-year was based upon their freedom from condemnation’(physical death of the firstborn).
•And one result of their faith, would be their ‘freedom from slavery’ to Egypt.
•And as a result of ‘that Passover’, Israel would come-into-their-own as a nation.
•So Israel’s 1st month of the year, would be a constant reminder of, the extension of YHWH’s mercy & grace to secure their national freedom as well as their personal freedom.
Argumentation:
Rom. 8:7-8—“....the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; & those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Jn. 3:3-5—“Jesus answered & said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb & be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water & the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
*Being born again means a new & different life!
2Cor. 5:17—“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
1Cor. 4:9-17—“For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels & to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! To the present hour we both hunger & thirst, & we are poorly clothed, & beaten, & homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now. I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved & faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.”
1Cor. 10:31-11:1—“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
Php. 3:16-18—“Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. Brethren, join in following my example, & note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, & now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:”
Mat. 23:1-12—“Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes & to His disciples, saying: “The scribes & the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. “Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe & do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, & do not do. “For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, & lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad & enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, “greetings in the marketplaces, & to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ “But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, & you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, & he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
1Pet. 2:18-25—“Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good & gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good & suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd & Overseer of your souls.”
Illustration:
Do NOT PATTERN your life after...
•Actors/Actresses
•Social Media influencers
•Financial Moguls
•Politically Powerful people
...UNLESS these are ‘OBVIOUSLY’ guided by Almighty God’s direction thru Christ Jesus!
James 4:13-17—“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such & such a city, spend a year there, buy & sell, & make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time & then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live & do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good & does not do it, to him it is sin.”
*In the Nineteen Sixties, when I was a little guy, I remember my Momma—the dentist’s wife—buying patterns, fabrics, & tools, in order to make dresses for herself. My Momma & I would ‘regularly’ go to the local fabric store. I remember that much of the time in the fabric store, my eyes would begin to ‘burn.’ Momma told me it was because of some of the dyes used in the fabrics. I can remember my Momma at home after she got the supplies, pinning a cut-out paper pattern to the fabric she had laid out on the dining-room table. YOUR PATTERN to follow.
*Police investigators find criminals by examining certain behavioral patterns—MO(Modus Operandi)—habits, dress, social, businesses, etc. Profiling is an attempt to take advantage of a criminal’s daily patterns. YOUR PATTERN.
Application:
?Is the ‘PATTERN’ that is set for YOUR year, born from YOUR life in Christ!
?Is Your ‘PATTERN’ a reminder to others, of how to approach their year?
?Who is the author of YOUR approach toward the new year?
“Pay attention to your PATTERNS. The way you learned to ‘survive’ may not be the way you want to continue to live.”—Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis(I do not endorse this person, nevertheless this one quote is applicable.)
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
God’s people can have Confidence facing the New Year!
Action:
A proper approach toward your year is found in...
4. Your PATTERN(:2)
1. Your GOD(:1)
2. Your SPOKESMEN(:1)
3. Your EGYPT(:1)
Pt# 4 only! Presented 01/14/2023am to:
Salem Baptist Church
1618 Salem Rd.
Bennettsville, SC 29512
Pt#s 4 & 5 Presented 01/03/2010pm to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
Pt#s 1-5 Presented 01/01/2006pm to:
Richland Baptist Church
40510 Stewart Rd.
Zephyrhills, FL 33540
Pt#s 1-5 Presented 12/29/2002am to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 39897
