The Vernal Equinox is the moment in the Spring when the spin axis of the Earth is exactly at 90 degrees to the line between the Earth and the Sun. For 2018 it is 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, March 20, 2018. As the sun crossed the celestial equator, heading northward, both the Southern and Northern Hemispheres will experience an equal amount of daylight hours.
A Common Holiday
Is there a common holiday for Muslim, Jew, and Christian?
We learned while on our mission in West Africa that the most important holiday for the Muslims is “The Feast of the Sacrifice,” (Eid Al-Alha), which commemorates Father Abraham offering his son (for them it is Ishmael), and the date for this is always in the Spring of the year. To this day each year for Eid Al-Alha, the devout Muslims sacrifice a ram.
The Jews celebrate Passover in the Spring of the year – a very important celebration as they were delivered by Jehovah through Moses out of bondage in Egypt.
Christians celebrate Easter, which commemorates the resurrection of Christ, according to the dictum of the 325 AD Council of Nicaea as the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox.
The Atonement of our Lord and Savior.
When one studies these three celebrations carefully, we find out that the Lord Jehovah had Abraham take his THREE DAYS journey to Mount Moriah at the same time of year as He would be giving to the world the THREE DAYS of His infinite atonement. And He brought the House of Israel out of bondage so that the Passover celebration would coincide as well. And Mount Moriah is the same place as where He knew He would be crucified.
The wording in Genesis 22 describing Abraham’s massive trial as he took Isaac to the mount is most interesting as well. The first time “love” is mentioned in the Bible is, “Take now thy son thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest… and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” When Isaac asks, “…where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham responds prophetically and profoundly, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” In the original Hebrew, this verse indicates that Jehovah will give himself to be the final and great sacrifice.
Encompassing All God’s Children
So we see whether Arab, Jew, or Gentile, if one studies the history carefully, all will be turned to the infinite and all-encompassing atonement of our Lord and Savior. Most Christians focus on the Cross of Calvary, but the atonement of our Lord was cap stoned by His Glorious Resurrection – the most well documented miracle in all of history. It is fascinating that there are seven steps to the atonement with seven events within each step, and seven is the number of completion or perfection in the Lord’s arithmetic.
The Vernal Equinox or Spring Equinox can be a time of reflection on how the atonement blesses all of us individually. Perhaps this season should be the most important celebration for Muslim, Jew, and Gentile for the atonement offers the greatest gift of God — Eternal Life.
David W. Allan