"And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying, this month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you" Exodus 12:1. Although Elohim did not mention the name of the first month in the above verse, He expressed it clearly in the following excerpt “Observe the month of Aviv, and keep the Passover unto Elohim thy God, for in the month of Abib, Elohim thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night” Deuteronomy 16:1.

Meaning of Aviv

In order to understand this inner meaning of the month of Abib, we can read in Exodus 9:31 that "the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear (aviv) and the flax was bolled." This passage relates that the barley crops were destroyed by the hail while the wheat and spelt were not damaged. The reason that the barley was destroyed and the wheat was not is that the barley had reached the stage in its development called Aviv and as a result had become brittle enough to be damaged by the hail. The name Aviv derived its meaning from the tender and young ear of grain. Aviv indicates a stage in the development of the barley crops. The Biblical year begins with the first New Moon after the barley in Israel reaches the stage in its ripeness called Aviv. A biblical year normally has either 12 or 13 months. As a result, it is important to check the state of the Barley crops at the end of the 12th month. If the barley is Aviv at this time, then the following New Moon would be the "New Moon of the Aviv"). If the barley is still immature, another month is waited to check the barley again at the end of the 13th month.

From the early days of the Jewish people, this season is synonymous with hope, as well as the desire to redefine ourselves

Significance of the month

The month has a lot of spiritual significance. The month of Aviv marks a time for commencement of the feasts of Elohim. It is the season of the year in which the spiritual and physical messages of renewal overlap and flourish. Remember that the Jewish people had been enslaved in Egypt for more than four centuries. However, after partaking the first Passover on 14th of Abib, they were miraculously rescued from the oppression. It is a time that reminds us of how we should chose to follow God, and not to be led by our inflated egos. In Egypt, the Jews oscillated between the twin forces of assimilation and oppression, but they realized that reliance on mortal human beings for their self-definition was a recipe for their annihilation and that's why they chose to follow God. Unlike the Israelites, we have been redeemed from our sins. However, in most cases, people struggle with sin not realizing that they cannot overcome it by themselves. The Jews could not have come out of Egypt were it not by the will of Elohim. Pharaoh had vowed not to let them go. Similarly, the forces of sin won’t let go unless we surrender to the will of Elohim, that we may receive the power to walk in the newness of life. This month reminds us about the love of God to us. How He gave out Yahshua to be the Passover lamb that would wash away all the sins of the world. It wasn't a simple task for Yahshua to be hanged on a tree and bear our curse and shame. Yahshua yielded himself to the will of his father. It is the high time we humble ourselves and yield to the grace and will of Adonai. Have a reflective and fruitful month ahead!

By Dcn. Isaac Mburu