There are currently four possible dates for Passover (fourteenth day of the first month) which begins the spring Feasts of the LORD.

1. Sundown March 24 – Sundown March 25
2. Sundown March 25 – Sundown March 26
3. Sundown April 22 – Sundown April 23
4. Sundown April 23 – Sundown April 24

Why is there uncertainty about this date? Rabbinical Judaism has Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread beginning at Sundown on April 22. The problem is that this date is based solely on calculations. The Karaite Jews, on the other hand, base their determination on the ripening of barley and the sighting of the new moon in Israel. This is how God commanded the observance of the Feasts of the LORD in the Old Testament. This is why there is still uncertainty as to the actual date of Passover as commanded by God. The month that Passover occurs will be determined by the ripening of barley in Israel. If the barley will not be ripe in March then a thirteenth month will be added and Passover will occur in April. The day that Passover occurs will be determined by the sighting of the new moon in Israel. Hence, each month has 2 possible days for Passover to occur. With this in mind, these are the possible dates of the spring Feasts of the Lord:

If there will be ripened barley in March:

• New Moon is visible on March 11:
  1. Passover: Sunset March 24 – Sunset March 25
  2. Feast of Unleavened Bread: Sunset March 25 – Sunset April 1
  3. Pentecost: Sunset May 18 – Sunset May 19
• New Moon is not visible until March 12:
  1. Passover: Sunset March 25 – Sunset March 26
  2. Feast of Unleavened Bread: Sunset March 26 – Sunset April 2
  3. Pentecost: Sunset May 18 – Sunset May 19

If there will not be ripened barley until April:

• New Moon is visible on April 9:
  1. Passover: Sunset April 22 – Sunset April 23
  2. Feast of Unleavened Bread: Sunset April 23 – Sunset April 30
  3. Pentecost: Sunset June 15 – Sunset June 16
• New Moon is not visible until April 10:
  1. Passover: Sunset April 23 – Sunset April 24
  2. Feast of Unleavened Bread: Sunset April 24 – Sunset May 1
  3. Pentecost: Sunset June 15 – Sunset June 16

The problem with basing these dates on calculations is that Passover might be scheduled at a time when there is no ripened barley. On the other hand, Passover might be scheduled four to six weeks after the barley has ripened. It was during the Feast of Unleavened Bread that the sheaf of the first fruits of the barley harvest was to be waved. This is why determining the feast days purely by observation (ripening of barley and the new moon) was so important. In the year that Christ was crucified that day was the day of His resurrection. Christians believe that the waving of the sheaf of barley was prophetic of Christ’s resurrection. Paul wrote about this to the Corinthians:

²⁰ But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

²¹ For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

²² For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

²³ But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

1 Corinthians 15: 20 – 23 (KJV)

 As we get closer to the actual dates and it becomes clear which are the correct dates for the spring Feasts of the Lord I will post the actual dates for the feasts. If you want any further information on this subject, there is a woman who lives in Jerusalem who is an expert on this topic. Her name is Devorah Gordon and she has a Facebook page called Devorah’s Date Tree.