What Is the Night to Be Much Observed?

In Exodus 12:42, we read of a momentous night in Biblical history: "It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations."

From this passage, those who observe Passover at the beginning of Nisan 14 (Abib 14) have concluded that the Night to Be Much Observed is a separate observance to be observed one night later, on the night of Nisan 15 (Abib 15). This night happens to be the beginning of the First Day of Unleavened Bread.

Here are some questions to consider about the Night to Be Much Observed.

• Why is the Night to Be Much Observed mentioned nowhere in Scripture, other than Ex. 12:42?
• Why are numerous Passover observances mentioned in Scripture, but never any observance of the "Night to Be Much Observed"?
• The "Night to Be Much Observed" is not mentioned at Israel's second Passover in Num. 9
• It is never mentioned among any instructions for Passover or the Days of Unleavened Bread
• It is not mentioned at Joshua's Passover in Josh. 5
• It is not mentioned at King Hezekiah's Passover in 2 Chron. 30
• It is not mentioned at King Josiah's Passover in 2 Kings 23 or 2 Chron. 35
• It is not mentioned at Ezra's Passover in Ezra 6:19-20
• There is never any mention of Jesus Christ keeping the "Night to Be Much Observed"
• There is never any mention of any of Jesus' disciples keeping the "Night to Be Much Observed"
• Isn't Passover a night to be much observed?
• Ex. 12:43-51 link Israel's release from Egypt with the Passover observance; is it possible, then, that Passover itself is the "night to be much observed," and not some other night?

The context of Ex. 12, in fact, shows that Passover IS the "night to be much observed"! It is the night when God brought Israel out of Egypt (Ex. 12:14, 43, 51; Deut. 16:6).

This, then, is why there is no mention of the Night to Be Much Observed anywhere else in Scripture. It was never a separate observance; it was Passover! For all of human history, Passover "is a night to be much observed unto the Lord."

Incidentally, God commanded the Passover lambs to be slain on the afternoon (evening) of Nisan 14, on the same day and at the same time of day that Jesus died as our Passover Lamb in the New Testament. Misunderstanding what time of day the Passover lambs were killed has led many, in turn, to misunderstand the night to be much observed.

For more details about the timing of Passover, please see the book The Lord's Passover, available for free in PDF format.