April 6, 2026
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
History’s Divine Orchestrator
We are in the Hebrew month of Nisan, “the first month of the year” on God’s calendar (Exodus 12:2). This is when the Genesis creation occurred, as well as the Cross–the “new creation.” Consequently, it is considered the month of creation, of redemption, and of miracles. It is also considered “the month of speech,” for it is when God said, “Let there be…” (Genesis 1). In past posts, I have summarized many events that occurred throughout history during this month, and which symbolized redemption and new beginnings. [Link 1 and Link 2]
If you have not read these previous two posts, I highly recommend that you do so; they will give greater context for today’s post, which is about seven events that took place in history on the 17th day of Nisan, the day Christ rose from the dead, which we believers celebrated yesterday. In Scripture, the number 17 represents “complete victory, overcoming the enemy”(1) and “the perfection of God’s divine order.”(2)
Here are the seven events that occurred on Nisan 17, the seventh being the resurrection of Christ. The first six picture our redemption and Christ’s resurrection.
Noah’s Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. (Genesis 8:4)
The Israelites entered Egypt to survive a severe famine and lived there for 430 years. (Genesis 46; Exodus 12:40-41)
Israel crossed the Red Sea in the Exodus on Nisan 17, 430 years to the very day from when they entered Egypt. (Exodus 12:40-41)
After crossing the Jordan River under Joshua’s leadership, Israel ate the fruit of the promised land for the first time on this day. God had told them they would spend 40 years in the wilderness because of their unbelief (Numbers 14:34). On the 40th anniversary of their crossing the Red Sea - “on that very day” – they ate the first fruits of Canaan. (Joshua 5:10-11)
King Hezekiah, in his reformation, rededicated and reopened the cleansed temple that had been defiled (2 Chronicles 29:1-28), which, of course, pictured our cleansing and becoming God’s “temple.”
After Queen Esther led a three-day fast, the tables were turned on wicked Haman, (of Persia, present day Iran), and he was hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordecai. (Esther 7:10)
Jesus rose from the dead. (Luke 22:1-8)
We don’t have time in one post to look at each of these events in detail. But it is inconceivable, apart from divine causation, that these events all occurred on the same day in history, Nisan 17. One article said the odds against it are about 1 in 784 quadrillion (1 in 783,864,876,960,000,000, to be exact!).(3) Think about the flood, followed by Noah’s Ark coming to rest ON THE SAME DAY Jesus rose from the dead. “Thousands of years before the Resurrection, God engineered history to point toward the pinnacle event of salvation. Just as the ancient judgment ended on the day the ark touched the ground, so the judgment of the restored world ended on the same day of the year, when the tomb could not hold [Jesus].”(4)
What, other than the omniscient mind and omnipotent power of God, could produce such a feat? The exact amount of rain had to fall; the weather patterns had to cause enough water to evaporate, causing the Ark to touch ground ON THAT DAY, which would later become Resurrection Day!
Causing Israel to leave the land of Egypt ON THE EXACT SAME DAY, 430 years after they entered, is just a bit mind-boggling also. As you think about just how incredible that is, remember that God had to orchestrate all the events leading up to it occurring at the exact right time. He orchestrated Moses’ birth and rescue. He had to encounter Moses at the burning bush well in advance to overcome his insecurities and get him back to Egypt. He had to calculate the timing of all the plagues, factoring in how long the Egyptians would take to give their answers. He had to time how long it would take the thousands of Israelites to pack and journey to the Red Sea. Then he had to roll back the Red Sea at exactly the right time for them to cross out of Egypt – ON THE EXACT DAY they had entered it 430 years earlier!
Then there is that Nisan 17, just after Joshua had led Israel across the Jordan and into the promised land. They ate the first fruits of the land ON THAT DAY, and began the seven-day conquest of Jericho (Joshua 5:13-6:5). That means that the day Joshua met Jesus, “the Captain of the host of the Lord” (Joshua 5:13), was THE EXACT SAME DAY hundreds of years later that “The Captain” stepped onto earth’s battlefield, conquerred death and emerged from the tomb.
Did you get that? ON THE VERY DAY! This might be a good place to pause and remind yourself that God can do what He says. If He can take out Haman on the very day He would rise from the dead a few centuries later, He can deal with all that Haman’s bosses, satan and the Prince of Persia, sends your way. (Feel free to pause the video and run around the room for a few minutes, if necessary.)
Nisan 17 – Resurrection Day – was yesterday. As you move forward, remember – in the face of all adversity and difficulty – that Pharaoh was destroyed, Jericho fell, Haman was hanged, satan is defeated, and the tomb is empty. Your “Captain” won the war, and He will take care of you.
Pray with me:
Father, You are Creator and Redeemer, well able to save and redeem. Christ our Savior, Healer, Deliverer, and conquering King, will not fail us; He will do all He has promised. In this “month of miracles,” we ask You to release another wave of Your mighty redemptive power, bringing victory and new beginnings throughout the earth.
In this “month of speech,” we declare that we will experience breakthroughs, salvations, miracles, the return of prodigals, and the great awakening You have promised. Lives will be saved, and America shall be saved. And millions around the world will be saved.
As we move forward, we will celebrate the victory of the Cross and Resurrection every day, doing so with a new and fresh revelation of our salvation and Your desire to save. You love to save and redeem, not destroy. You love to bless, not curse. You are the Giver, not the taker. And you are our Father.
Our decree:
We have crossed from spiritual death to abundant life, and with grateful hearts will eat the fruit of our salvation.
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
https://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/17.html#google_vignette.
Ethelbert W. Bullinger, D. D., Number in Scripture (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications), p. 258.
Ibid.
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