"The Calendar in the Bible"
(This ain't rocket science.)
The main reason, in fact the only reason, to understand a "Biblical" calendar is to be able to correctly identify and to celebrate those days which God declared to be holy "feasts" and "sabbaths". The Jewish scholars who explain the history and workings of their calculated calendar also refer to "the calendar in the Bible" (Footnote 1), obviously a 'different' calendar than the one they now use.
Some teachers and "ministers" in the churches of God insist that there is no usable calendar in the Bible although they do admit that all the elements are there (2). These men insist that they have no choice but to accept the Jewish calculated calendar for identifying the holy days of God, although they simultaneously reject how the Jews use it and observe different days from one-half to two-thirds of the time.
It is not difficult to understand the Jewish calculated calendar. John Kossey in his book published by Ambassador College (3) said that even the math involved in performing the calculations requires only a "fifth grade" education. On the other hand, to attempt to harmonize the Jewish calculated calendar with scripture is impossible. Not even the Jews attempt this, nor do they feel compelled to as their sole basis for using it is simply "tradition".
To attempt to justify the use of the Jewish calculated calendar, as modified by the churches of God, does begin to approach 'rocket science', but not because of the use of logic.The "Jewish" Calculated Calendar According to Jewish history and secular history, visual observation of the moon and solar events (seasons) was used to recognize the holy days until the calculated calendar became available. According to Jewish and secular history the Jews began to develop a calculated lunar/solar calendar in Babylon sometime during the 5th cent. BC. An "early form" of it was sent to the priests in Jerusalem by the Babylonian astronomer Samuel (165-250 AD).
[Modern astronomical science (as opposed to a combination of primitive astronomy, astrology and superstition) began in the 5th cent. BC. It was about this same time that the math necessary to describe the cycles of the sun, moon and stars was developed. Astronomy as a science could not have progressed without the math to support it. Modern calculations, including those of the Jewish calendar, could not have been possible prior to this time because the necessary math was as yet unknown.]Even after a calculated calendar was proposed, it was used only to check the observations, until Hillel II allegedly published an early version of it in 359 AD as a result of political pressure (4).
According to Jewish history, the proposal of a calculated calendar was a source of great disputing, to the point of threats of excommunication and actual divisions within Judaism. It underwent major changes and revisions and did not approach its current form until the 9th cent. AD (5). Intercalation (the adding of a 13th lunar month) was inconsistent at first, with various sequences being attempted over the centuries. Once it was done in three consecutive years (6) in order to correct an accumulated error.The Jews have been concerned, for at least 50 years, about another inherent error in their calculated calendar ( 7). It is a very small rate of error, but then the Jews probably never expected to be cut off from Jerusalem for nearly 2000 years. This accumulated error now affects their calculated calendar by scheduling the holy days one month late in some years, as compared to the agricultural seasons. (8).
Because the Jews place great faith in "tradition", [and because it is mathematically and astronomically impossible to construct a truly accurate, perpetual, lunar/solar calendar (5)] they continue to use their calculated calendar.
However, just as soon as a sanhedrin can be convened in Jerusalem, they plan to "return to the calendar in the Bible" (1). It is interesting that although the calculated calendar was instituted by a sanhedrin (actually a "Beth Din" in Samaria, composed of scribes) outside of Jerusalem ( 9), they do not believe their observance of holy days can be changed without a Jerusalem High Court (sanhedrin) presiding. Apparently this will require a High Priest who is a descendant of Aaron and who has been sanctified according to the instructions given to Moses in Ex 29. Since Judaism is divided into several major sects, it will be interesting to see if any of the opposing sects will accept decisions made by whichever sect controls the sanhedrin and through it, the proclamation of holy days.Where does this leave those churches of God which base their use of the Jewish calendar upon Jewish "tradition"? Before we answer that, we should realize that the churches of God don't actually use the Jewish calendar. They only use parts of it. They keep passover and the feast of weeks (Pentecost) on days different from the Jewish calendar. Outside of Israel, Orthodox and Conservative Jews observe two consecutive days for each of six of the seven annual holy days (10), while the churches of God observe only one day for each holy day. For the Jews, this means that they often have back-to-back sabbaths or holy days(11), a situation with which they see no problem. [There is a certain irony here, in that the churches of God use the attempted prevention of back-to-back sabbaths as evidence that the Jewish calendar and its postponements were divinely instituted.]
When the Jews convene a new sanhedrin and "return to the calendar in the Bible" (1), the churches of God that have relied on Jewish traditions for their calculated calendar will be left to rely upon their own "tradition", that of a pharisaically "traditional", humanly-calculated, often modified, partially-borrowed, partially-rejected, and still erroneous calendar. Or they could also return to the "calendar in the Bible".
"Did you never read in the scriptures. . .?" --Jesus Christ
(borrowed from the context of Mat. 21:42).God commanded observance of specific "holy days", also called "feasts" and "sabbaths".
"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; you shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.
These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons.
In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover.
And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days you must eat unleavened bread.
In the first day you shall have an holy convocation: you shall do no servile work therein
But you shall offer an offering . . .unto the Lord seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: you shall do no servile work therein." (Lev. 23:1-8).The "feasts of God" include:
1. The weekly, 7th day Sabbath.
2. Passover, on the 14th day of the first month, at "even" (sunset).
3. The "feast of unleavened bread", beginning on the 15th day of the first month, and continuing for seven days. The first and seventh days are "holy", or "sabbaths".
4. The "feast of weeks", also called the "feast of harvest", feast of firstfruits" and "Pentecost".
5. The "day of trumpets".
6. The "day of atonement".
7. The "feast of tabernacles" or "feast of ingathering" in which the first day is a holy day.
8. The "eighth day of the feast" also called the "last great day".
"Three times in a year . . ." All of the annual "feasts" are divided by God into three groups:
"Three times you shall keep a feast unto me in the year,
You shall keep the [1] feast of unleavened bread: (you shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, in the time appointed of the month Abib: for in it you came out from Egypt: . . . .
And the [2] feast of harvest, the firstfruits of your labors, which you have sown in the field: and the [3] feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when you have gathered in your labors out of the field.
Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord God." (Ex. 23:14-17).
"Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel." (Ex. 34:23).
"Three times in a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place which he shall choose; in the [1] feast of unleavened bread, and in the [2] feast of weeks, and in the [3] feast of tabernacles: . . ." (Deu. 16:16).The Feast of Unleavened Bread (including Passover) The seven-day "feast of unleavened bread" includes "passover" (Ex. 12:1-20, esp. 8, 15, 18, and 19). The first and seventh days are holy days. In other words they are "sabbaths" in which no work can be done except the preparation of meals.
[The passover meal was eaten with unleavened bread (Ex. 12:8). Unleavened bread was eaten for seven days (Ex. 12:15, 18-20). From the evening of the 14/15 until the evening of the 21/22 is seven days. In scripture, days begin and end at sunset, or at "even".
If Ex. 12:6 were interpreted to mean that passover is on the evening of the 13/14, then verse 18 must be interpreted to mean the evening of the 20/21, which means you would only eat unleavened bread for six days or else you must begin eating unleavened bread on the 13/14th at even (sunset) which contradicts Lev. 23:6, Num. 28:17 and 33:3.]The "feast of weeks", or "Pentecost" The "feast of harvest" or "firstfruits" is also called "the feast of weeks" and "Pentecost."
"And you shall observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, . . ." (Ex. 34:22.) Also Deu. 16:16, above.The "feast of weeks" was counted by weeks or by days.
"Seven weeks shall you number unto you: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as you begin to put the sickle to the corn.*
And you shall keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord your God with a tribute of a freewill offering . . .which you shall give unto the Lord your God, according as the lord your God has blessed you:" (Deu. 16:9-10).*[Israel couldn't harvest anything while wandering in the wilderness for forty years. Besides, the manna from God and their livestock was all that was available for food. It was only after the next generation (under Joshua) came into Canaan that they had access to crops for harvesting.
"And they did eat of the old (stored) corn of the land on the morrow after passover, unleavened cakes and parched corn in the selfsame day.
And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year." (Josh. 5:11-12).]
They ate "old" corn out of the Canaanites' storehouses on the morning after passover, the first day of unleavened bread, a sabbath holy day. They began harvesting the crops for food on the following day, the second day of unleavened bread, which is not a holy day. On holy days they could not do harvest work.
The "seven weeks" is numbered from the second day of unleavened bread, the day Israel began the first harvest in the land of Canaan, the day the "wave sheaf" was offered."In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover.
And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the lord: seven days you must eat unleavened bread.
In the first day you shall have a holy convocation: . . . "
". . . When you have come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath* the priest shall wave it." (Lev. 23:5).*[The context of Lev. 23:4-14 and Josh. 5:10-12 is passover and unleavened bread. The sabbath here is the annual sabbath, the first day of unleavened bread (Ex. 12:15-16). The concept and observance of this annual sabbath was introduced to this group of Israelites while they were still in Egypt (Ex. 12). The weekly sabbath, although already in existence, was not introduced to this group until the second month after leaving Egypt (Ex. 16).]
They could not eat of the new spring crops, whether baked, parched or raw, until this wave sheaf offering had been made. ( Lev. 23:14). This corresponds to events in Josh. 5:10-12. The wave sheaf was offered on the second day of unleavened bread.
"And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven sabbaths shall be complete:" (Lev. 23:15).
God also uses the word "sabbath" which means "seven", "seventh" or "week". In Gen. 2:2-3, he refers to "the seventh day" which he later calls the "sabbath" (Lev. 23:3).
"And you shall number seven sabbaths of years unto you , seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto you forty and nine years." (Lev. 25:8).
Here he uses "seven sabbaths" to refer to "seven weeks" or "seven sevens" (of years) which equals "49"."Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall you number fifty days; . . . " (Lev. 23:16).
If you count seven sevens (or 49) then the "morrow after" would be the 50th day. In the New Testament, this is called "Pentecost" (Greek, pentekoste, fiftieth), (Acts 2:1, 20:16, 1 Cor. 16:8).
Notice that the instructions allow for counting either by days or by weeks. The result is the same. Regardless of which day of the week on which the first day of unleavened bread occurs, fifty days from the second day of unleavened bread will also include seven weekly "sabbaths".[If, in spite of the context of this and related verses, we interpret "sabbath" in Lev. 23:15 to mean the weekly sabbath, we would always arrive at a Sunday. Notice that all the annual sabbaths, or "feasts", or "holy days" are counted based on the "month" (Heb. chodesh, "the new moon"), (Ex. 12, 16, Lev. 16, 23, 25, Num. 9, 28, 29, Deu. 16, Josh. 5) which can begin on any day of the week, unless we use the Jewish calculated calendar which sometimes "postpones" the "new moon" of the seventh month, to prevent holy days from falling on certain days of the week. Of course men cannot actually "postpone" an astronomical event (new moon) but the Jewish calculated calendar which defines a new moon as the "mean" and invisible conjunction, often "declares" the second or third day after the conjunction and sometimes the day before conjunction, as the "first day" (or conjunction) of the lunar month. This is done in order to prevent some holy days from falling on certain days of the week or to prevent the calculated year from being too long or too short.
A more thorough explanation of the Jewish calculated calendar would begin to sound like 'rocket science'. (See "How the Jewish Calendar Works".)If we count 50 from a weekly sabbath, we disconnect the feast of weeks from the lunar calendar and connect it to the solar calendar. The Jews do not do this. Only some of the churches of God do this.
Some say that Pentecost is always on Sivan 6 (3rd month, 6th day). This is said in context of the Jewish calculated calendar which fixes the length of each month regardless of the actual length of the lunar month. Since the actual lunar month can correspond to either 29 or 30 solar days, fifty days from Abib 16 will not always correspond to Sivan 6. In other words, Sivan 6 on the Jewish calculated calendar will sometimes vary from the actual 6th lunar day by one day.]
If the feast of weeks or Pentecost was to always be Sivan 6, he could have easily given that instruction, which would have been consistent with the counting of the other feast days. But he didn't. It is to be counted differently. By the nature of God's instruction, it is linked to Passover by a fixed time period (50). God doesn't do anything without a purpose, so there is some significance to this which we need to understand. That is beyond the scope of this article but we shall address it in a separate article.The Third Group of Holy Days The third group, as divided by God, includes "the feast of trumpets", "the day of atonement", "the feast of tabernacles" and "the eighth day". Since all the holy days were given in the northern hemisphere and had symbolic meaning relating to the agricultural seasons of the land of Canaan, these are often called the "fall feast days". Passover, Unleavened Bread and Pentecost are also called the "spring feasts".
Outside of Palestine, the agricultural seasons differ depending upon latitude and geography. In the southern hemisphere, the seasons are completely reversed from those in the northern hemisphere with Passover is always occurring in the fall and the feast of tabernacles in spring. This means that those south of the equator, and actually most everyone outside of Palestine will not be keeping the holy days "in season" as defined by an agricultural growing season. They can however, all keep the holy days in their "moed" or appointed "time" as defined by the lunar calendar. The entire world sees the same phases of the moon at the same time regardless of the local climate or the solar (equinoctial or solstitial) season.
The instructions to keep these holy days "in season" (e.g. Ex. 13:10) always use the Hebrew word "moed" [Strong's 4150], which properly means a "fixed time" or "appointment" and is also translated "season" in the sense of "time". Scriptural references to agricultural crops and events almost always use the word [6256] "eth" for "season" as in "I will give you rain in due season" (Lev.26:4, also Deu. 11:14, 28:12, and more.) [The one exception is Hos.2:9 which involves prophetic symbolism of judgement for sins.] God scheduled his holy days with reference to the moon's orbit around the earth. The moon has no effect upon agricultural seasons. Agricultural seasons are determined by the earth's annual orbit around the sun."Speak unto the children of Israel, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation." (Lev. 23:24).
"Also in the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and you shall afflict your souls [fast] . . . " (Lev. 23:27).
". . . The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord.
On the first day shall be an holy convocation: you shall do no servile work therein.
Seven days you shall offer an offering . . ., on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and you shall offer an offering . . ., it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no servile work therein."
These are the feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations . . ." (Lev. 23:34-37).
"Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month,. . . on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath." (Lev. 23:39).Notice that the weekly, 7th day sabbath is called God's "feast day" (Lev. 23:2-3) and that God's feast days are called "sabbath(s)" (Lev. 23:29).
"These are my feasts" . . . God, Lev. 23:1 1. The weekly, 7th day Sabbath. Lev. 23:2-3. The seventh day of the week is Saturday. Secular history shows that this has not changed since the time of Christ, so we can be confident that we can observe the same day he observed.
2. Passover, on "the 14th day of the first month, at even" (sunset). Lev. 23:5.
3. Unleavened bread (7 days), "in the first month, on the 14th day at even (sunset), . . . until the 21st day at even (sunset)." Ex. 12:18. "On the 15th day (for) seven days you must eat unleavened bread." Lev. 23:6.
[Note, The 15th to the 21st is only six days unless you count both inclusively, in other words from the beginning of the 15th until the end of the 21st. If you count from the beginning of the 14th to the end of the 21st, you would have eight days of unleavened bread. If you say that passover is at the beginning of the 14th, based upon Lev. 23:5, then you must also say that Ex. 12:18 says that the seven days of unleavened bread starts at the beginning of the 14th. From the 14th to the 21st, inclusively is eight days or one too many.
The only solution is that passover is at sunset on the 14th/15th. Unleavened bread is eaten with the passover and is eaten for 7 days. From the 14th/15th at sunset, until the 21st/22nd at sunset is 7 full days. This eliminates any apparent contradictions without a need for interpretative explanations.
The events of Ex. 12 are more correctly understood when one acknowledges rather than interprets the sequence of Lev. 23.]4. Feast of Weeks, Firstfruits, or Pentecost
"When you have come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it." (Lev. 23:10-11).
"And you shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that you have brought an offering unto your God . . . " (Lev. 23:14).
"And you shall count . . . from the morrow after sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths ('seven sevens' or 'seven weeks') shall be complete: even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath (seventh seven) shall you number fifty days; . . ." (Lev. 23:15-16).Joshua understood that they could not begin to eat or to harvest the new crops until a wave sheaf was offered on the day after the first "sabbath" (holy day) of unleavened bread. God had provided manna for 40 years while Israel was in the wilderness. This miracle of divinely-provided food was continued into the land of Canaan, until the second day of unleavened bread, when the wave sheaf was offered.
"And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month as even in the plains of Jericho.
And they did eat of the old (stored) corn of the land on the morrow (15th) after the passover, unleavened cakes and parched corn in the selfsame day.
And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land (16th); neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the (newly harvested) fruit of the land of Canaan that year." (Josh. 5:10-12).5. Feast of Trumpets.
". . .In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation". (Lev. 23:24).6. Day of Atonement.
"Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you;" (Lev. 23:27).
"It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and you shall afflict your souls (fast): in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall you celebrate your sabbath." (Lev. 23:32).7. Feast of Tabernacles.
". . . The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord."
"On the first day shall be an holy convocation: you shall do no servile work therein."
"Seven days shall you offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord: . . ."
"Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, . . . you shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, . . ."
" . . . and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days."
"You shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. . . ."
"You shall dwell in booths seven days; . . . " (Lev. 23:34-36, 39-42).
"You shall observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, . . . Seven days shall you keep a solemn feast unto the Lord your God . . ." (Deu. 16:13,158. "The eighth day" (from the first day of tabernacles, from the 15th day of the seventh month).
". . . on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; . . . it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no servile work therein."
". . . and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath." (Lev. 23:36, 39).
"In the last day, that great day of the feast Jesus stood up and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (Jn. 7:37-38).
"Who's on first?". . . Lou Costello Since the list of holy days is clearly given in scripture, all that remains is to identify the first month of the year and the first day of the month. The length of months and years is irrelevant to observing the holy days, unless you attempt to construct an error-free perpetual lunar/solar calendar. God never commanded this and astronomers tell us that it can't be done.
Man was created about 4000 years before Christ or about 4004 BC, according to some. The weekly sabbath was the only "feast" or "holy day" given to man until the events of Exodus and Leviticus in the time of Moses, or 1491 BC. This is 2,503 years after creation (4004 - 1491 = 2503). During this time the first day of the month or the first month of the year was irrelevant to obeying God's law as the sabbath command requires only that one be able to count to seven and to recognize a sunset when he sees it. Hence, Noah, like most everyone else prior to the rise of modern astronomy (circa 5th cent. BC) used a solar year of 12 months with 30 days each month and ignored the 5-6 leftover days at the end of the solar year (Gen. 7:11, 24; 8:3-4 shows five consecutive months of 30 days each.) This calendar was still used in Egypt at the time of the Exodus (12).
The earth's orbit around the sun is called a "year" or "solar year". There is nothing "monthly" about this orbit. It takes about 365 1/4 days (or rotations of the earth) which is a convenient way to roughly measure it. Every fourth year we add a "leap" day to keep the agricultural seasons in approximate alignment with the months as the Romans have named them. Otherwise, after 728 years, summer (in the northern hemisphere) would be in December and January, winter would be in July and August.The English word "month" is derived from the word for "moon". The Hebrew word "chodesh" which means "newness" or the new crescent or first day of the month, is translated in all places in scriptures as "the new moon". The Hebrew word "yerah" means "month" in the sense of a full lunar cycle and is translated as "month".
The moon's orbit around the earth takes about 29 1/2 solar days (or earth rotations as measured in relation to the sun). This is a convenient way to roughly measure the moon's orbit. The moon's orbit, of approx. 30 solar days is a fairly convenient way to roughly measure the earth's orbit around the sun. None of these cycles can be compared to each other in even units. They each have multiple variations within their cycles. Because of these facts, astronomers say that no reliable perpetual lunar/solar calendar can ever be constructed. The fact that after centuries of tinkering with their calendar, the Jews' lunar/solar calendar still contains errors, confirms this.
Twelve lunar orbits equals only 354 solar days, or 11 1/4 days less than the earth's annual orbit around the sun. To turn this around we can say that the earth's orbit around the sun is roughly equal to 12 1/3 orbits of the moon around the earth. In the time that it would take the earth to travel around the sun three times (or three years), the moon would make about 37 orbits (or 3 x 12 + 1) around the earth. This "extra" lunar month is called an "intercalary" month in the Jewish calculated calendar. It is simply an astronomical phenomena and a "non-event" unless you are attempting to create a perpetual lunar/solar calendar. It occurs mathematically, in seven years out of any nineteen.
Since the moon's orbit is very close to 29 1/2 solar days, it's possible and convenient to count time in intervals of 30 days. From any phase of the moon until the next identical phase is about 30 solar days. You can count in increments of 30, even if it's impossible to see the moon every month, and still remain very close to the moon's cycle. It's only after 36 months, if you completely ignored the moon's phases, that you would be one full month out of time with the moon. If you continued using 30-day months, eventually your winter would be in July and your "spring feasts" would be in the "fall" months.
This is why the Jewish astronomers, in attempting a perpetual calendar, had to make some allowance for intercalation or the adding of a 13th lunar month in some years. Even in the time of David and Solomon, this was a non-issue (Note 1 Chr. 27:1-15, only 12 months of assignments). Remember that Israel only had a "king" because they insisted (in their rejection of God) on being more 'like the nations around them' (1 Sam. 8:4-22). The 'nations' around them all used a calendar of twelve 30-day months and were unconcerned with the days "left over" at the end of the year (12).
As long as you can recognize the first month of the year, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this practice. And the length of any lunar or solar year becomes irrelevant to recognizing God's holy days. [ The main purpose of perpetual calendars is for business, particularly financial business.]
God made it simple for the Israelites, saying, "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you." (Ex. 12:2). He instituted the passover and unleavened bread as Israel prepared to leave Egypt. Afterwards he referred to it as "Abib", using a name they were familiar with. In Hebrew, "Abib" or "abiyb" means "green", i.e. a young ear of grain. It refers to the state of the spring barley crop.
When Israel finally came into the land of Canaan forty years after leaving Egypt, it was in the "tenth day of the first month" and they "kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month. . ." (Josh.4:19; 5:10). On the second day of unleavened bread, after offering the wave sheaf before God, they were able to harvest the spring grain crop of Canaan for food (verses 11-12).
So the "first month" is linked to the (Palestinian) spring harvest. God's covenant with Israel required obedience to God's laws and promised blessings for obedience, including "rain in due season" (Lev. 26:3-4). This means that they would not have difficulty seeing the "new moon" as rain at harvest time is not a blessing. It also means that the winter rains would have come at the right time and in the right amounts so that a wave sheaf would be available on the second day of unleavened bread for the pre-harvest ritual.
Since Israel never obeyed for more than one or two generations and disobeyed more often than not, God was seldom obligated to uphold his promise of rain in due season. This made it difficult to co-ordinate the spring feast, when they even bothered to keep it. It made it difficult to have a wave sheaf available at the right time and late rains would make it difficult or impossible to see the "new moon" of Abib. Since the twelve tribes of Israel are still "scattered" among the nations and present-day Judah or "Israel" is still not obedient to God's laws, God is still not obligated to provide "rain in due season". Therefore those few who go to great lengths to determine the state of the crops in Israel, still have difficulty in scheduling their observance of God's holy days.
Spring, in the northern hemisphere, begins with the spring equinox. It is one of the two times in the year when the sun is directly above the earth's midpoint, called the equator. It is commonly believed that at these two times, the day and night all over the world are of equal lengths. Astronomically this is not true, even on the equator where the days are always a few minutes longer than the nights. In the northern hemisphere the days of equal lengths of light and darkness are just before the equinox. (For a complete explanation, see "What is the "New Moon"?", later in this series of articles.)
Originally, God himself proclaimed the first month (Ex. 12:2), but the people did not want to hear directly from God. Originally, God's people, if obedient and therefore blessed, could recognize the first month by the state of the crops. Since modern astronomy and the math to support it has developed, today we can obtain the actual (not mean) equinox from the U.S. Naval Observatory on the internet. There is a period of about eight days on which the lengths of the night and day are within 60 seconds of equal. The relation of the equinox to this period of time will vary according to your location. Because of this long period of almost equal day and night, even the earliest astronomers could have recognized the equinox. In addition, the equinox has always been observable by the stars. The Egyptians used this method. The equinox occurs 88-90 days after the winter solstice, both of which can be recognized by using an upright stick, pole or other structure. It can also be recognized by the position of the sunrise, by reference to the stars, or by using a sundial.
For Israel to "keep passover at his appointed season" (Num. 9:2-3, 13), it meant that it had to be kept in (Palestine's) "normal" spring ("normal" meaning as in blessed, not cursed). Christ's sacrifice of himself, replaced all of the physical sacrifices or offerings including the wave sheaf offering. Christ was a type of "wave sheaf" offering as the first of the firstfruits (1 Cor. 15:20, 23). For us, regardless of where we live in the world, the "appointed season" or "time" would still be the original time and would still correspond to Palestine's spring, regardless of the state of the crops anywhere.
If passover is observed before the spring equinox, it is in winter or "out" of season. If, as some believe, the entire month of Abib has to be "in spring" then, in some years, the feasts will actually be a month later than the agricultural conditions would indicate. The commandment was that "passover" be "in season" not that "Abib" be in season. Delaying the "first month" by a regularly scheduled intercalation of a 13th lunar month, in spite of the existing agricultural conditions or in spite of the actual lunar cycle will often cause the feast days to be a month late in relation to the agricultural seasons. This is how the Jews first recognized that there is a problem with their current form of their calculated calendar. They have been aware of it's frequent lateness for over 50 years.
Using the "new moon" closest to the spring equinox, passover will always be on or after the day of the equinox and "in season" by any definition.
Before there was (modern) astronomy and the math necessary to support it, and before there was sufficient observed and recorded data to understand and project the cycles of the earth, moon and sun, men could still see the monthly phases of the moon. Before men could calculate the "mean" conjunction, they could see the moon appear as "new", wax (increase) to fullness, and then wane (decrease) until it disappeared. From ancient times, men referred to the moon's birth and death. They referred to it's being "dead" and "in the earth, or grave, for 3 days". [Note, the "sign" of Christ.] The first crescent has always been called "new" while past it's fullness, it was called "old".
Astronomers, who for convenience of calculations, began in the fifth millennium after Creation (1st century AD) to define a "day" as the period from noon to noon (but since 1925, midnight to midnight). They adopted the previously existing term "new moon" to describe the instant of conjunction, which occurs at high noon by virtue of it's alignment with the sun and earth. It is therefore always invisible to man. Since man cannot "see" it, you could say that it's impossible to "observe" it.
Aside from light, God's purpose for the sun and moon was "for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:" (Gen. 1:14). A "sign" is only of value if it can be "seen". For all of human history, the visible first crescent has been and still is called the "new moon". Only in the conversations or writings of astronomers is the new moon understood to be the instant of conjunction, an invisible event for all mankind.
Conclusion The first month is the one beginning closest to the spring equinox. The equinox can be "observed" by watching the length of the day and night or by using the data from the US Naval Observatory, or by any of several other methods. God's feasts are found by counting. The weekly sabbath involves counting to seven. The annual feasts are counted from the first of each month. Pentecost is counted from the second day of unleavened bread, or indirectly from the first day of the first month. Until astronomy became a science, the first day of the month was the first visible crescent. With the "increase in knowledge" as prophesied by Daniel, we can now know by measurements, the minute when, because of the angle of the moon from the sun, as seen from earth, that the moon's disc will be illuminated to within 1 %. For the lunar months 1-7, there will be some illumination on the Hebrew day (sunset to sunset) following the (noontime) astronomical conjunction of the moon with the sun. Because God has allowed our knowledge of the creation to increase, we can know when the first crescent will occur, despite pollution, bad weather, or failing eyesight. And from personal experience, we have always seen his "sign" when we need to see it.
"This ain't rocket science." In spite of some trying to make it so."And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Mat.18:2-3).
*** Footnotes:
1. Calendar ,The Encyclopedia Judaica Jerusalem, Keter Pub. House Ltd. Jerusalem, Israel, 1971, pp. 43-54.
2. "Doctrinal Statement Adopted by the Council of Elders", UCG, AIA, 1996.
3. The Hebrew Calendar: A Mathematical Introduction, John A. Kossey, Ed. by Herman Hoeh, Ambassador College, 1971, 1974. Now online at http://cgca.net/coglinks/wcglit/hebcal.txt
4. "Hillel II", The Encyclopedia Judaica Jerusalem, Keter Pub. House Ltd. Jerusalem, Israel, 1971, Jewish Ency. p. 486.
5. "Calendar (Jewish)", Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, edited by James Hastings, Vol. 3, pp. 117-124.
6. "It is related in the Talmud (Sanhedrin, 12a) that Akiba (first half of 2nd cent. A.D.) reckoned three successive years as intercalary--a fact which proves the non-existence of any intercalary cycle at that time."
Ibid. Emphasis ours.
7. "Calendar, History of:", The Jewish Encyclopedia, Funk and Wagnalls, 1903, pp. 498-503.
8. For instance, 1997.
9. "Sanhedrin", The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 3, Tyndale, 1980, pp. 1390-1391.
10. "Calendar", The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 633, New York, 1940.
11. For instance, the "feast of weeks" (also called Pentecost or Shavuot) was observed by the Jews on Friday, June 9, 2000.
12. "Calendar", The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 1, Tyndale, 1980, pp. 222-225.Next Calendar Index
Copyright M.H. and G.H. 2000, 2007. All rights reserved.
