Sabbath Thought – Night to be Much Observed

In spite of the snow on the ground, we are officially in the Spring season.  Based on past years, I am confident that warmer weather will eventually come J.

In just a few weeks we began once again rehearsing God’s plan of salvation through His Festivals and Holy Days. I pray that the Passover service will be deeply meaningful for you, wherever you will be. On the evening following Passover, we will gather in small groups for a special occasion as the Days of Unleavened Bread begin at sundown. This evening is the “Night to be Much Observed” as it is in the King James Version of the Bible.

Why is this evening important enough for God to tell Israel then (and us now) to remember it? In Exodus 12 God re-established His calendar with Israel, explained to them how they should keep the Passover (Exodus 12:3-14) and then how they should keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (v. 15-20). In Exodus 12:42 Moses told Israel, “It is a night of solemn observance to the Eternal for bringing (us) out of the land of Egypt.”  The night prior had been the death of the first-born (Passover) and Israel was to stay in their homes – so the next evening was a solemn observance so that Israel would remember God’s deliverance from Egypt (a type of sin).

This is what we say in our doctrinal paper, The Night to be Much Observed:

“We celebrate the evening in commemoration of these events from long ago as described in the pages of the Bible. We also recognize the symbolism for a Christian today. As the Israelites departed from Egypt, so must we repent of sin. As we remove leavening from our homes, we symbolize our repentance of sin and our acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice as our Passover. It is only through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ that our sins may be removed from us.”

The Night to be Much Observed is a night to gather with other brethren and reflect on the deliverance God has given us from spiritual Egypt. It is a night to reflect on the week starting that evening showing us the need to come out of sin. It is a night to reflect on what God did for His people then and what He is doing for them now. In keeping the Night to be Much Observed we add to the meaning and appreciation for God’s Days of Unleavened Bread. Let’s be prepared for those Holy Days and keep them with all of the meaning they represent.

I wish you a profitable and value filled coming Night of Solemn Observance and a profitable Holy Day,

Dan Dowd

21 March, 2026