Table Of Contents...

Quest For The Hebrew Calendar.

Blow the horn at the new moon, at the full moon
for our feast-day. (Psalm 81:3) (Tanakh).
 

The Quest for the Scriptural, Observable, Hebrew Calendar.
It is not widely known in today's religions, that the CREATOR Ordained an official calendar.

Have you ever wondered what calendar the CREATOR referred to, when He spoke to Moses and Aaron and said: This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you? The universe is self-contained with everything it needs, including a built in Observable Heavenly Calendar for finding days, months, years, New Moons, Sabbaths, and signs and seasons. The Almighty CREATOR of the universe, wisely placed His calendar in the Heavens, where it could not be touched by mankind or it's advesary:

(Genesis 1:14-19) (KJV) ¹⁴And the CREATOR said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: ¹⁵And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. ¹⁶And the CREATOR made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. ¹⁷And the CREATOR set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and the CREATOR saw that it was good. ¹⁹And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

(Psalm 81:3) (EXB) Blow the trumpet [ram's horn] at the time of the New Moon [the month; a monthly religious festival], when the moon is full, when our feast begins.

(Psalms 104:19) (KJV) He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

Given enough time, man corrupts everything that our CREATOR has established whether it is the Sabbath, the Commandments, or the Calendar. The man-made calendar that hangs on the walls in our homes and offices is no exception. In all likelihood, it is probably the standard Gregorian Calendar, that is used worldwide today. It is named after the Catholic Pope, Gregory XIII of the 16th century, who decreed it.

Today, anyone who desires to observe the commanded days of Leviticus 23 would most certainly be keeping the wrong days. Moreover, the only Scripturally Ordained Calendar revealed in the Torah [OT], for the purpose of observing the CREATOR's Sabbaths, Feasts, and Holy Days is not recognized by any Jewish or 'Christian' [1] religions today, and it is even ridiculed by them.

The place to begin the Quest for the Scriptural Calendar is by asking the question: "What is a calendar?" A calendar is:

The accepted means of ordering the year by the designation of days, months, and so on. Every culture has its calendar, and all are based on the motions of heavenly bodies. Some, such as the Hebrew Calendar, are defined by the phases of the moon and are called lunar calendars. [2]

An Observational versus a Calculated Calendar.

There are three types of calendars:

1. The Observational Scriptural Calendar
2. The Calculated (reckoned) Calendar
3. Combination calendar

An observational calendar is based on things that humans can observe such as the stages of the moon and the growth of barley plants. Thus, "an observational calendar is unpredictable in advance for the length of the year or month." [3]

In contrast, a calculated calendar is based purely on mathematical calculations, astronomical calculations, and astrological locations of the heavenly bodies in the sky. It is predictable many years in advance.

A combination calendar is a type of calculated calendar in which the Festival Days are inserted into it by using the phases of the moon and is similar to a purely calculated calendar because it is also predictable years in advance. However, it is not an observational calendar because the change of seasons is based on the equinox which is ruled by the sun and not the growth of barley plants.

The Types of Jewish Calendars.

The Jewish Encyclopedia[4] states:

The history of the Jewish calendar may be divided into three periods; the Scriptural, the Talmudic, and the post-Talmudic. The first [revealed & observable] rested purely on the Observable Heavenly Calendar by OBSERVATION of the sun and the moon, the second [Talmudic] on OBSERVATION AND RECKONING, and the third [post-Talmudic, used today] entirely on RECKONING.

According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, over the eons of history there were two Jewish calendars: the Talmudic and the post-Talmudic calendars. However, the Observable Heavenly Calendar mentioned above, was given to Moses by the CREATOR for all His people, the 12 tribes of Israel [the Hebrews], to determine signs and seasons (i.e. Sabbaths, Feasts and Holy Convocations). It is strictly an Israelite or Hebrew Calendar, and is NOT a Jewish calendar in any way shape or form. It comes directly from the CREATOR Himself.

The article in The Jewish Encyclopedia [5] also includes information on the Babylonian Calendar and shows the antiquity of its origin:

The Babylonian calendars are preserved in the inscriptions [cuneiform tablets that were discovered], and in both, each month has 30 days as far as can be learnt. The Babylonian years were luni-solar: that is to say, the year of 12 months containing 354 days by intercalation, as occasion required, a thirteenth month.

The Babylonian Empire referred to here, is the ancient civilization dating back to Nimrod and Semiramis after the flood. The calendar used in ancient Babylon [6] had many similarities to the calendar used in Egypt at the time of Moses. With that thought in mind, notice the statement Josephus makes in dating the flood:

This calamity [flood] happened in the six hundredth year of Noah's government (age), in the second month, called by the Macedonians Dius but by the Hebrews Marchesuan: for so did they order their year in Egypt. However, Moses appointed that Nisan, which is the same with Xanthicus, should be the first of the month for their festivals, because he brought them out of Egypt in that month. So that this month began all the solemnities that they observed to the honor of 'god' although he preserved the original order of the months as to the selling and buying, and other ordinary affairs." [7]

Notice the two significant factors of Josephus statement:

First, he said, Moses appointed that Nisan should be the first month for their festivals, so that this month began all the solemnities that they observed to the honor of 'god'.

Actually, the ETERNAL appointed through Moses the first month to be ABIB (Exodus 13:4). [8] The Jews changed the name to Nisan while in Babylonian captivity. When Josephus uses the word Nisan, he is using the Babylonian name for the first month as used in the Jewish post-Talmudic calendar which uses the names of Babylonian 'gods' for all the months.

Secondly, Josephus stated Moses "preserved the original order of the months as to the selling and buying, and other ordinary affairs," thus they continued to also use the civil calendar they had used in Egypt!"

However, the ETERNAL actually gave Moses the Observable Heavenly Calendar to determine His appointed signs and seasons (i.e. Sabbaths, Feasts and Holy Convocations). Therefore, we see that Moses and the children of Israel USED TWO CALENDARS: a purely observational calendar from The Mighty One and a purely calculated one from the Egyptian civil calendar. Interestingly, the practice of using both a religious and a civil calendar originated with Moses.

To simplify the usage of the various calendar names, we will refer to the Scriptural Observational Hebrew Calendar that the ETERNAL gave to Moses, as the Observable Heavenly Calendar or the Hebrew calendar.

Origin of Gregorian Calendar.

Josephus states that the second month of the ancient civil calendar was called Marchesuan in Hebrew. Does that remind you of March in today's Gregorian [9] civil calendar? Josephus also tells us this Egyptian calendar was the same calendar the Greek Macedonians were still using during his day (37 CE [10] to 100 CE). Since our present day Gregorian calendar is patterned after the Greek calendar that was the Egyptian calendar of antiquity, the civil calendar we use today is very similar to the civil calendar of ancient pagan Egypt.

The Jewish Encyclopedia states that the (pre-captivity) Talmudic calendar rested on "observation and reckoning." This early Talmudic calendar was probably a combination of the observational Hebrew calendar and the Egyptian civil calendar. It was created by forcing the Scriptural, lunar calendar into the framework of the Egyptian solar calendar. Therefore, the Talmudic Jewish calendar was not and is not the Hebrew calendar given to Moses.

The post-Talmudic (the Jewish calendar of today) and the Gregorian calendar use a crescent moon and a dark moon, respectively, as the new moon. Therefore, the Egyptian calendar they sprang from must have also considered the new moon to be a crescent moon or dark moon.

Since the Scriptural Observable Heavenly Calendar is based solely on observation, the length of the months and years cannot be predicted in advance. The number of months in a year, and the first month of the year [ABIB], cannot be predicted in advance of the barley being at the tender budding stage. So, it is easy to see why human reasoning would want to eliminate the unpredictability of the Hebrew calendar. It is unpredictable in that forthcoming dates cannot be determined over a year in advance.

Thus, the Jews combined the Hebrew calendar with a calendar derived by astrological reckoning and mathematical calculations. Although this action makes the Festival Days predictable, it places His appointed signs and seasons (i.e. Sabbaths, Feasts and Holy Convocations) on the wrong days because now they are based on a solar calendar rather than the Scripturally Ordained lunar calendar. This combined calendar was not the one our CREATOR revealed to Moses.

The combination of the two different types of calendars obscures the true times of His appointed signs and seasons (i.e. Sabbaths, Feasts and Holy Convocations) and causes the people who keep it according to this new combined calendar, to go astray. Notice the next two Scriptures[11]:

(Isaiah 1:13-14) (KJ21) ¹³Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto Me. The new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure. It is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. ¹⁴Your new moons and your appointed feasts My soul hateth; they are a trouble unto Me, I am weary of bearing them.

(Amos 5:21) (NKJV) I hate, I despise your feast days, and I do not savor your sacred assemblies.

My former Sabbath-keeping church taught that the only reason the ETERNAL despised the feasts Israel kept was because of the attitude of the people. However, by using the wrong calendar, they were, and still are, observing His Scripturally Ordained Days, Months, Years, New Moons, Sabbaths, Feasts and Festival Days on the wrong days! Church leaders today, like the Israelites of ancient times, have knowledge of the difference, but deliberately keep them on the wrong days, in willful disregard of His word. Notice that the CREATOR established His calendar, and ordained the MOON to determine signs and seasons (i.e. Sabbaths, Feasts and Holy Convocations):

(Genesis 1:14-19) (KJV) ¹⁴And the CREATOR said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: ¹⁵And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. ¹⁶And the CREATOR made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. ¹⁷And the CREATOR set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and the CREATOR saw that it was good. ¹⁹And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

(Psalm 81:3) (EXB) Blow the trumpet [ram's horn] at the time of the New Moon [the month; a monthly religious festival], when the moon is full, when our feast begins.

(Psalms 104:19) (KJV) He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

The ETERNAL's main purpose in establishing and disclosing His Observable Heavenly Calendar was to enable His worshippers to identify and keep their spiritual appointments with Him as He set them! When He refashioned the surface of the earth, the ETERNAL set the Heavenly bodies in motion, in such a way that His people would be able to observe His Set-apart Days at their appointed times. The lights in the firmament were to be used to determine those sacred days. The MOON still has its intended purpose of helping us to determine when His signs and seasons (i.e. Sabbaths, Feasts and Holy Convocations) will occur.

Before jumping into the Scriptural evidence of the calendar, we must first establish a foundation of terminology that we will use.

English Gregorian Calendar Glossary.

NOTE: Although the words may be spelled the same in the Scriptural Hebrew calendar, as in the Gregorian calendar, many of the meanings are quite different.

Day:
The most fundamental unit of time is the twenty-four-hour day and it is arbitrarily divided into hours, minutes, and seconds. In the Gregorian calendar, this twenty-four period is reckoned from midnight to midnight. However, in medieval England time was counted by nights. [12] To count time by nights means you have to start counting at sunset.

Week:
a) A period of seven days. b) A seven-day-calendar period starting with Sunday and continuing through Saturday on the Gregorian calendar. [13]

Month:
A unit of time corresponding approximately to one twelfth of the year - which can vary from 28 days to 31 days in length, or about 4 weeks on the Gregorian calendar. [14]

Year:
A year is the time it takes for the earth to make one orbit around the sun which is 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46.069 seconds.

Equinox:
The time when the sun crosses the equator makes night and day of equal length in all parts of the earth. In the Northern Hemisphere, the vernal equinox occurs on or about March 21 and the autumnal equinox occurs on or about September 22. [15] Spring [for the Gregorian Calendar] starts at the spring equinox on March 20 or 21. On that day, there are 12 hours of daylight all over the world because the sun is directly over the equator. During spring, the sun moves farther north and the length of the day increases. As the earth's angle of insolation [tilt of the earth] increases, the weather becomes warmer in the Northern Hemisphere. Autumn or fall begins at the autumnal equinox on September 22 or 23. Daylight is back to 12 hours, and the sun is again over the equator. The decreasing insolation angle of the earth brings cooling of the weather in the Northern Hemisphere."[16]

Hebrew Calendar Glossary.

NOTE: Although the words may be spelled the same in the Scriptural Hebrew calendar, as in the Gregorian calendar, many of the meanings are quite different.

Day: The most fundamental unit of time is the day which is the length of time it takes the earth to make one complete rotation on its axis.

(Genesis 1:5) (KJV) The CREATOR called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

The word "day," depending on its use in a sentence, can refer to 12 hours of daylight or to a 24-hour day beginning at sunset (evening). A 24-hour day consists of a dark portion and a light portion. Do you know what the natural marker is to indicate the beginning of the twenty-four-hour day? This answer is "sunset[17]".

On the Hebrew Calendar, a day begins at sunset and ends at the following sunset as shown by the way the ETERNAL instructed the 1) Day of Atonement to be kept and 2) the time the lamb is killed for the Night of Protection: [18]

(Leviticus 23:32) (KJV) It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your Sabbath.

(Deuteronomy 16:6) (KJV) But at the place which the ETERNAL thy CREATOR shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.

The English words evening, and even, come from the Hebrew word "ereb"[19-20] and means evening, night, sunset. The next verse confirms that the evening, is the going down of the sun:

(Joshua 10:26-27) (KJV) ²⁶And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. ²⁷And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.

Week: The English word 'WEEK' is (Strongs #H7620 'shabuwa') meaning: seven, period of seven[21] as in [days, so-called WEEKS, years etc]. There are many different opinions as to how the so-called seven-day WEEK came about, but the most common explanation is that the seven-day WEEK seems to have originated when Babylonian astrologers assigned their 'planet gods' to the days of the WEEK around 700 BCE. The Jews picked up the term WEEK, during their captivity in Babylon, and incorporated it into their writings from then on. The seven days that our CREATOR worked to refashion the earth are also erroneously referred to as the "creation WEEK"[22], because it is a group of seven days. However later on in Scripture the CREATOR himself, reffers to this 7 Day time period as a 'Sabbath Complete'. Nowhere in Scripture does the CREATOR use the word WEEK, as these verses show:

(Genesis 1:31-2:1-3) (KJV) ^1:31Then the CREATOR saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth Day. ^2:1Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. ^2:2And on the seventh Day the CREATOR ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh Day from all His work which He had done. ^2:3Then the CREATOR blessed the seventh Day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which the CREATOR had created and made.

(Leviticus 23:15-16) (KJV) ¹⁵And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the Day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: ¹⁶Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty Days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the CREATOR.

On the Hebrew calendar given to Moses by the CREATOR, there is no such thing as a WEEK. Days on the Hebrew calendar are numbered but are not named. The exception is that the CREATOR calls the seventh Day, the 'Shabbot' or the 'Sabbath' Day, of which there are four each lunar month. Today the term WEEK is used to promote the false claim of the so-called 'unbroken chain of consecutive seven-day WEEKS since creation' myth. You will notice that it does NOT say in seven WEEKS plus one day, it says the Day after seven Sabbaths are complete, you shall number 50 Days; a very important distinction. For a more complete discussion of the [SEVENTH-DAY] Sabbath, see the article: 'The Lunar Calendar Of The Scriptural Sabbath'.

Month: The English word "month" comes from the Hebrew word 'chodesh', (Strongs #H2320 'chodesh') meaning: the new moon, month, monthly, the first day of the month, the lunar month. A month is the time it takes the moon to make one complete orbit around the earth which is 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.841 seconds. Thus, on the Scriptural Observable Heavenly Calendar a lunar month will vary from 29 to 30 days and usually alternates from one to the other. The first month of the Hebrew calendar is the month of Abib[23]. The English word "Abib" comes from the Hebrew word 'abiyb', (Strongs #H24 'abiyb') meaning: fresh, young barley ears, barley, month of ear-forming, of greening of crop, of growing green Abib, month of exodus and passover. The Hebrew word "chodesh"[24] means "new moon." The reason is that the ETERNAL wants every month to start with a 'new moon'.

(Exodus 12:1-2) (KJV) ¹And the ETERNAL spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, ²This MONTH shall be unto you the beginning of MONTHS: it shall be the FIRST MONTH of the year to you.

To sum that up: a month is only a month BECAUSE it starts with a 'New Moon', and as we shall see, the Full Moon is the 'New Moon' that the CREATOR uses as the beginning of every month.

Year: The English word "year" comes from the Hebrew word 'shaneh'[25], (Strongs #H8141 'shaneh') meaning: year, division of time, measure of time, indication of age, a lifetime (of years of life). A year is the time it takes for the earth to make one orbit around the sun which is 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46.069 seconds. A year on the Hebrew Calendar can have either 12 or 13 months [354 or 384 days].

Turn of the Year: This is the Scriptural phrase for the passing of all the lunar months in a given year. The Hebrew words are "shaneh and tequwphah." To get an overall feel for the Festival Days in light of the grain harvests, note this next passage:

(Exodus 34:22) (DARBY) And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the first-fruits of wheat-harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the turn of the year.

The Tanakh[26] uses the words, "turn of the year." In English "year's end" and "turn of the year" come from two Hebrew words; "shaneh"[27] means "the course (or the changing) of the season" and "tequwphah"[28] means "after the courses of a year." Taken together they mean, "the turn of the year". The largest Full Moon of the year [The Harvest Moon] occurs in the autumn. The smallest Full Moon of the year, occurs in the spring.[29]

Note: The first day of the Scriptural year is determined by the first FULL MOON after the BUDDING OF THE BARLEY while it is still tender, and is NOT based upon the equinox or any season.

What Is The Meaning Of Signs And Seasons?

In the book of Genesis, we encounter this very interesting set of Scriptures that occurred on the fourth day. In them, the CREATOR establishes and Ordains His Observable Heavenly Calendar. In (Leviticus Chapter 23), the ETERNAL further establishes and Ordains all of His Holy Convocations, concerning the [Seventh-Day] Sabbath and His Feasts [mow-ed]. Later on in Psalms, King David expounds on the function of the MOON and the SUN. We will begin our examination of Signs and Seasons, with the following Scriptures:

(Genesis 1:14-19) (KJV) ¹⁴And the CREATOR said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: ¹⁵And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. ¹⁶And the CREATOR made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. ¹⁷And the CREATOR set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and the CREATOR saw that it was good. ¹⁹And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

(Leviticus 23:1-4) (KJV) ¹And the ETERNAL spake unto Moses, saying, ²Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the ETERNAL, which ye shall proclaim to be Holy Convocations, even these are my feasts. ³Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the ETERNAL in all your dwellings. ⁴These are the feasts of the ETERNAL, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

(Psalms 104:19) (KJV) He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

Despite the clearest possible wording and meaning of the above Scriptures, it is claimed by the Jews and others, that there has been an unbroken chain of consecutive seven-day WEEKS since creation, and that somehow the [Seventh-Day] Sabbath should not be included or observed in the same way as any of the other 'Signs' and 'Seasons' [mow-ed] of the CREATOR, because it is listed in the book of Genesis as part of the so-called 'Creation WEEK' (Genesis 1:31-2:3) and as such, is not ruled by the MOON but by the SUN; the same heavenly body that rules every 'man-made' calendar ever devised.

We will now examine that statement using the above Scriptures to see if the CREATOR observes the [SEVENTH-DAY] Sabbath differently than any of the other 'Signs' and 'Seasons' [mow-ed]:

In the above Glossary, we can clearly see that the English words 'signs' and 'convocations' are the same Hebrew word 'owth' meaning proof, and sacred assembly. The English words 'seasons' and 'feasts' are the same Hebrew word 'mow-ed' meaning appointed time, sacred season, and set feast. The English words 'made' and 'appointed' are the same Hebrew word 'asah' meaning to appoint, ordain, institute, and bring about.

So what we have here, is crystal clear proof that the [Seventh-Day] Sabbath is a sacred assembly, a distinct appointed and ordained set feast, occurring at an appointed time, in a sacred season the same as any other 'mow-ed' of the ETERNAL, ALL of which are governed by the MOON. Furthermore it is an everlasting 'Sign' between the ETERNAL and the children of Israel that He is the SOVEREIGN that sanctifies them:

(Exodus 31:13) (KJV) Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the SOVEREIGN that doth sanctify you.

Moreover, by observing the [Seventh-Day] Sabbath based upon the ETERNAL's Observable Heavenly Calendar, you acknowledge your alliegence to the Mighty One Of Israel, and declare your commitment to look to Him and all His works, and all His commandments, laws, ordinances, and statutes, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might, in order to do His will, and walk in all His ways (Deuteronomy 6:1-5). You should allow no one to dissuade you from believing that which the ETERNAL has personally shown you in his word concerning His Mighty works.

Here's what the Jews themselves have to say about the [SEVENTH-DAY] Sabbath. And I quote: 'The New Moon is still, and the Sabbath originally was, dependent upon the lunar cycle'. (Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, p. 410).

Moon: The English word 'moon' comes from the Hebrew word (Strong's H3391 'yareach[32]') meaning: month (lunar cycle), moon; calendar month.

The moon goes through a change from a Full Moon to a dark moon and then back to a Full Moon. The total shining surface of a Full Moon decreases until the surface is black and has become a dark moon or a non-moon. The shining surface increases back to the total area shining again asthe Full Moon. This cycle takes approximately 29 1/2 days. The decreasing portion of the cycle is called "waning," and the increasing portionis called "waxing." The illustration below demonstrates the cycle of the MOON on the ETERNAL's Observable Heavenly Calendar as Ordained in Scripture[33].

The English word "moon" in the above Scripture comes from the Hebrew word, (Strong's 2320 'chodesh') meaning: the new moon, month, monthly; the first day of the month; the lunar month.[34]

The real debate around which the calendar issue revolves is the various opinions regarding which phase of the moon actually begins the New Month. Without this vital starting point, one cannot accurately know with any certainty when the Festival Days will occur.

New Month: This is the Scriptural phrase for the first day of the new month. Note: there is no reference to which phase the moon is the first day of the month. The Hebrew word used is "chodesh." Notice the wordings in the following two scriptures:

(Exodus 19:1) (KJV) In the third month [Strong's H2320 chodesh], when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.

(1 Samuel 20:5) (KJV) And David said to Jonathan,"Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon [Strong's H2320 chodesh], and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go, that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening."

Both of these English words, "month" and "new moon" come from the single Hebrew word "chodesh"[35], which means: "a lunar month beginning at the new moon." Notice there is no mention of which phase of the moon occurs at the beginning of the month. Also, neither Strong's nor Gesenius' indicate which phase of the moon begins the new month: "chodesh: the new moon; by implication a month, new rebuilt moon."

As stated previously, we all have grown up using the Gregorian calendar which IS BASED ON THE EGYPTIAN CALENDAR of antiquity. The pagan Egyptians used the crescent or dark of the moon to be the new moon. Just look at any calendar today and the dark of the moon is called the new moon. Is that what The Mighty One says the New Moon is?

We MUST look to the Hebrew Scriptures to determine which phase of the moon is really the new moon. We MUST see what our CREATOR says and base our understanding on that information.

Remember that the ETERNAL's main purpose in disclosing His Scriptural Hebrew calendar, was to enable His worshippers to identify and keep their spiritual appointments with Him on the SET DAYS OF HIS CHOOSING. If the ETERNAL gave specific days for worship, then He must also have given a means for determining those days.

So when Does a New Month Begin?

Every one agrees that a month should begin on a New Moon. However, when is the new moon? Jewish TRADITION as well as Islamic tradition says the month begins when the first crescent after the dark moon appears in the sky. Others say the new month should begin as soon as you cannot see the moon. Still others have said the crescent moon is an object of pagan worship and the month should start at the calculated period when the moon is dark. Finally, some believe the month should start with the Full Moon.

There is no Scriptural command saying, "You shall start your month this way." So, what indicators do we have for us to uncover the truth? Numbers 10:10 tells us:

(Numbers 10:10) (KJV) Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your CREATOR: I am the ETERNAL your CREATOR.

This shows that a trumpet was to be blown at 'the beginning of months.' The Hebrew for 'beginning' in this verse is 'roshe' which is usually translated 'head' or 'top'. What is the top of the month? WE HAVE BEEN CONDITIONED TO THINK [that the top of the month] is when the moon begins to first show; we say that the moon "waxes" or "wanes" (grows bigger then smaller). On the other hand, would it not also make sense to say that the full [moon] is the 'top' or 'head' because that is when the moon is the largest? It all depends on what you are used to and what you want to believe.

Psalms chapter 81 plainly states that the Full Moon is the New Moon. Here we see that Psalm 81:3 addresses the subject directly, but its exact meaning is in dispute because the King James Bible completely dodges the issue of the New Moon being the Full Moon as follows:

(Psalm 81:3)[36] (KJV) Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

However, if we look up the Hebrew definition of the English word 'appointed' which is (Strong's H3677 'kece'), we can then see that it clearly means: Full Moon[37].

The NKJV is much more accurate here:

(Psalm 81:3) (NKJV) Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the Full Moon, on our solemn feast day.

If we read this verse literally,* it is saying that the New Moon and the Full Moon are the same moon.[38] There is no "and" in the Hebrew to imply these are separate events. When things are stated without a connector in Hebrew, the implication is that they are equivalent. Hence, we see the Scriptural basis for those who begin new months when the moon is full.

*NOTE: You should always research the Hebrew meanings behind all words found in the Hebrew Scriptures [OT], as that is the language they were originally written in. Moreover, you should also consult several different Bible versions because it is probable that reading only one version will give you a single (possibly slanted) view based upon the agenda of the writer.

Now, our first human reaction to this might be, that's impossible! The Full Moon occurs at the 15th of the month, and on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, and on the first day of Unleavened Bread. But you have to remember that can only happen on man-made calendars, because they are all based on the sun, solar equinoxes, and mathematical calculation. The Scriptural Observable Heavenly Calendar of the CREATOR, is based on the lunar cycle only. The ETERNAL does not consult man-made calendars to know when His Holy convocations will occur! The question is this: "Do we follow what the scripture say, or do we follow jewish tradition"[39]? See (Leviticus 23) for the complete list.

The Full Moon.

The New [visiblably full] Moon[40] occurs when the moon is rising[41] in the east as the sun is setting, or has just set, in the west. It is at this precise point that the Full Moon is at it's maximum, when it is directly opposite from the sun. At this point, the moon is truly full even though it has already looked full for a couple of days and will continue to look full for a couple more days:

The precise moment that the Full Moon occurs, is exactly when the center of the moon intersects a straight line through the centers of the sun and the earth. At this instant, the moon is at its fullest and is called a New Moon, and the moon is considered to be in opposition. Thus, the moon begins a new journey around the earth which will take exactly 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.841 seconds for the next specific Full Moon event.

On the fourth day of creation, the CREATOR said, 'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night', not only to provide light, but also to establish and appoint them as the markers or beacons on His observable heavenly calendar for the purpose of marking signs and seasons, and days and years:

(Genesis 1:14) (KJV) And the CREATOR said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years...

(Psalm 104:19) (KJV) He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

The English word 'seasons' comes from the Hebrew word (Strong's H4150 'mow-ed') meaning: appointed place, appointed time, appointed meeting, sacred season, set feast, appointed season, appointed sign or signal.

Significance of Abib.

While the Jews were in Babylonian captivity, they adopted the calendar used by their captors; a calendar derived from the ancient calendar of pagan Egypt. This meant that their New Moon would now be a crescent moon, and that their calendar was now a man-made calendar, calculated with mathematical formulas based on the sun and astrology. The names of the months were also changed from the names/numbers given by the ETERNAL, to the names of false Babylonian pagan 'gods'. For example, they changed the name of the first month from Abib to "Nisan". By making this change, they lost the key to the true meaning of the beginning of the year as revealed to Moses by our CREATOR.

Remember, the English word "Abib" means "young, verdant, green barley". This word is used to describe a time of year in the spring when barley is young green and verdant, so that the field appears green. Notice the instructions the ETERNAL gave to Moses:

(Exodus 34:18) (KJV) The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.

The English word 'Abib' comes from the Hebrew word (Strong's H24 'abiyb') meaning: fresh, young barley ears, barley; month of ear-forming, of greening of crop, of growing green Abib, month of exodus and passover.

In other words; You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread by eating unleavened bread for seven days. You will do this at the appointed time (mow'ed[42]), as I have Commanded you in the New Moon (chodesh), which is the first Full Moon of Abib. This is the month the barley is young, green, verdant, just as it appeared when you came out from Egypt.

These instructions to Moses are not complicated. Why then, in the twenty-first century do we need man-made calendars determined by overly complicated mathematical formulas? Our CREATOR gave us all that we need to determine the beginning of the month and the beginning of the year. He gave us the sun, the moon, young barley plants, and our eyes. This is all that is needed to follow the scriptural Hebrew Calendar. It is based on naturally occurring events found in nature. Notice the following verse:

(Exodus 12:1-2) (KJV) And the ETERNAL spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

As you can see, knowing when New Moons and the first day of the year begins, is crucial for accurately observing all of the Feasts and Holy Convocations as required by the ETERNAL. If the first day of the year were observed on the wrong day, then all Feasts and Holy Convocations that follow would be observed on the wrong days. Sadly, because we choose to decide for ourselves how to set up and use our own man-made calendar, none of His Feasts and Holy Convocations are observed at their proper appointed time. This is what caused the ETERNAL to exclaim:

(Isaiah 1:14) (KJV) Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

(Amos 5:21) (NKJV) I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.

The Hebrews of Old.

Our patriarchal Hebrew fathers used the Hebrew Calendar from the ETERNAL and not the civil calendar of pagan Egypt or Babylon. Consider the period from Noah and Shem until the death of Joseph in Egypt. Shem, Eber, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would have used the same calendar our CREATOR had to re-give to Moses in his time. The sons of Jacob would have also used the Hebrew calendar in Egypt. Then, following the death of Joseph, the children of Israel strayed into the customs of the Egyptians round about them - not having a Hebrew leader to keep them focused on the ETERNAL and His Way. They eventually adopted both the pagan religion of Egypt along with their pagan calendar. Ask yourself this question. Why would the ETERNAL have to re-give Moses a calendar for the children of Israel if they were still using the right one?

You might be wondering, which calendar the Hebrew Patriarchs used?. There are many examples, but only one is given below:

(Genesis 7:11) (KJV) In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the SECOND MONTH, THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF THE MONTH, on that day[43] all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

In the Hebrew calendar, the months and years are numbered, but the year is given as the year of some person's life. If a month is named, it is one of the four known Hebrew names: Abib, the first month (Exodus 13:4); Zif, the second month (1 Kings 6:1); Ethanim, the seventh month (1 Kings 8:2); and Bul, the eight month (1 Kings 6:38). The original Hebrew names for the other months are apparently unknown.

Although a number generally refers to a month, there are two systems of referring to months in The Hebrew Scriptures. The original system uses Hebrew names or numbers and the second uses Babylonian names acquired when the Jews were in captivity in Babylon as in the following verse:

(Esther 3:13) (KJV) And the letters were sent by couriers into all the King's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.

Speaking generally, the Babylonian names for the months are used only in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. The use of Babylonian names for the months in the Talmudic Calendar is part of the proof THAT IT IS NOT the Scriptural Hebrew calendar given to Moses.

(Exodus 2:2) (KJV) So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months [yareachs].

(1 Kings 6:37-38) (KJV) ³⁷In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the ETERNAL was laid, in the month [yareach] of Ziv. ³⁸And in the eleventh year, in the month [yareach] of Bul, which is the eighth month [chodesh], the house was finished in all its details and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.

The next verse is the beginning of the Mighty One's Commandment concerning The Night of Protection[44] (Passover):

(Exodus 12:2-3) (KJV) ²This month [chodesh] shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. ³Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: "On the tenth day of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household.

The Night of Protection month is called the month of Abib:

(Deuteronomy 16:1) (KJV) Observe the month [chodesh] of Abib, and keep the (Night to be Protected) to the ETERNAL CREATOR for in the month of Abib the ETERNAL CREATOR brought you out of Egypt by night.

The English word 'observe' comes from the Hebrew word (Strong's H8104 'shamar')[45] meaning: to protect, to take heed, mark, and to watch. Its meaning has the essence of watching and waiting for something. In fact, this word is translated "watch" in the following verse:

(Psalms 130:6) (KJV) My soul waits for the ETERNAL, more than those who watch [shamar] for the morning; Yes, more than those who watch [shamar] for the morning.

The English word "Abib" comes from the Hebrew word "(#H24) and means "to be tender, green." Notice the word used in Job eighteen:

(Job 8:12) (KJV) Whilst it is yet in his greenness (#H3) , and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

Both (#H3) ('eb ) and (#H24) ('abiyb ) come from an unused root word and means "greenness, verdure of an herb." So, the ETERNAL is literally saying; Watch for the 'Full Moon' following the fresh young green barley, and keep/do the Night of Protection [passover] to the ETERNAL your CREATOR:

(Deuteronomy 16:1) (KJV) Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the ETERNAL thy CREATOR: for in the month of Abib the ETERNAL thy CREATOR brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.

Therefore, the first month of the ETERNAL's year is the month in which one may find fresh young budding barley plants. Thus, by simple observation, the ETERNAL's people could have kept up with the seasons according to His Word. They did not need astronomical calculations or astrology to keep His Word. Why? Because He had given clear instructions to His people, that His new year had begun when they would see the first Full Moon [New Moon], that follows the fresh budding of the young green barley plants.

Both of these events naturally occur in sequence; first comes the budding of the tender green barley followed by the next Full Moon. That is the signal of the beginning of a new year. Occasionally, some years may contain an extra month. This will happen after the twelfth month if the barley was not yet in the tender green budding stage because it was too early in the spring. In those years, a thirteen-month[46] would be added.

Why 13 Months in the Hebrew Calendar?

An orbit of the moon around the earth (a lunar month) is not an exact number of days but is just over 29.5 days. Therefore, an adjustment must be made to account for this variance. The solar-based Gregorian calendar accomplishes this by the addition of a leap year which adds an extra day about every four years. Likewise, an adjustment is also required in the lunar-based Hebrew observational calendar, but it does not arbitrarily add days to individual months like the man-made solar calendar does. Instead, days accumulate over a period of several years in order to create an entire month. The occurrence of this added month is naturally determined by the ripening of the barley crop.

If you are asking yourself what determines a thirteen-month[47] year, you're asking yourself a fine question. The CREATOR has provided us with a method to keep the calendar in tune with nature without using complicated man-made mathematical formulas based on astronomy or astrology. All that is required is your eyes and observation. He simply states that the first new Full Moon after the barley is in the tender green budding stage, is Abib 1 - the first day of the New Year:

(Exodus 23:15) (KJV) Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)

The word "Abib" means "young, tender, verdant, barley." This means that the ETERNAL identifies "THIS NEW MOON" as following the first appearance of the young green barley.

How simple! The green barley is always the beginning of the ETERNAL's new year and the first fruits of this grain are used in 'the firstfruits unto the ETERNAL' offering:

(Leviticus 23:17) (KJV) Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the ETERNAL.

Therefore, we can see that our CREATOR's calendar is based upon observation; first by watching for the green barley, and then watching for the next Full Moon.

Support for Beginning Months on the Full Moon.

The people who use the dark moon or first visibility (crescent moon) as the first of the month do not base their usage on the Hebrew Scriptures. Why? Because, there ARE NO SCRIPTURES that support their claim. Their claims are based on astronomy or astrology just like the Jewish calendar is.

The belief that the 'Full Moon' is the 'New Moon' that begins the new month is by far the least popular concept for a 'New Moon'. There is almost universal disagreement and animosity with the concept of the 'Full Moon' being the 'New Moon'. Yet, ironically, this viewpoint is the only viewpoint with support from the Hebrew Scriptures. (Psalm 81:3) plainly states that the 'New Moon' and the 'Full Moon' are the same. Please notice the Scripture again:

(Psalm 81:3) (KJV) Blow up the trumpet in the New Moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

(Psalm 81:3) (NKJV) Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the Full Moon, on our solemn feast day.

In the King James Bible, the fact that the New Moon, and the Full Moon are one and the same, is hidden and poorly translated by using the english word 'appointed' which is (Strong's H3677 'kece' in Hebrew) meaning: Full Moon. The New King James Bible however, plainly states that the New Moon, and the Full Moon are indeed, one and the same. How many times must the ETERNAL make a straightforward statement before it is followed?

There is one other point that needs to be made about (Psalm 81:3). The KJV uses the English word "appointed" which comes from the Hebrew word[48] "kece." Its only meaning is 'Full Moon'. The Hebrew root word for 'kece' is 'kacah', (Strong's H3680) and means to cover over or clothe. In this case, the moon is clothed with light. 'Kece' is only used in one other place in the Hebrew Scriptures.

The other verse where the Hebrew word 'kece' is used is (Proverbs 7:20). It will be quoted from several versions. Remember that "kece" ONLY MEANS A FULL MOON, a moon clothed in light. To use any other word(s) for the translation of 'kece' other than 'Full Moon' is a total mistranslation and is incorrect.

Just as the King James Bible completely dodges the issue, in this case, so does the the New King James Bible. The NKJV will be quoted starting in verse 18 to get the story flow and the other translations will be quoted only in verse 20:

(Proverbs 7:18-20) (NKJV) ¹⁸Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with love. ¹⁹For my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey; ²⁰He has taken a bag of money with him, And will come home on the appointed [kece] day.

(Proverbs 7:20) (KJV) He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed [kece].

Interestingly, the 1985 Tanakh gives a total mistranslation [mid-month vs. full moon] when compared with the earlier 1917 or 1955 version of the Tanakh:

(Proverbs 7:20) (Tanakh) He hath taken the bag of money with him; he will come home at the FULL MOON [kece].

(Proverbs 7:20) (HCSB) He took a bag of money with him and will come home at the time of the FULL MOON [kece].

(Proverbs 7:20) (CSB) He took a bag of silver with him and will come home at the time of the FULL MOON [kece].

(Proverbs 7:20) (NIV) He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till FULL MOON [kece]."

(Proverbs 7:20) (NRSV) He took a bag of money with him; he will not come home until FULL MOON [kece]."

(Proverbs 7:20) (NWT) He took a bag of money with him, And he will not return until the day of the FULL MOON [kece].

(Proverbs 7:20) (ASV) He hath taken a bag of money with him; He will come home at the FULL MOON [kece].

(Proverbs 7:20) (NASB) He has taken a bag of money with him. At the FULL MOON [kece] he will come home.

(Proverbs 7:20) (Moffatt) He has taken a bag of money with him; he will not be home till the FULL MOON [kece] feast.

Thus, it is crystal clear that the Hebrew tells us very plainly that the 'kece' or Full Moon is the 'chodesh' which is both the New Moon and New Month.

King David and the Full Moon.

Moffatt (above) brings out an interesting point that the Full New Moon was a time of feasting[49] as the next scriptures also show:

(1 Samuel 20:5) (KJV) And David said to Jonathan, Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon [chodesh], and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat:...

(1 Samuel 20:18) (KJV) Then Jonathan said to David, "Tomorrow is the New Moon [chodesh]; and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.

Notice David and Jonathan were speaking in the daylight hours just before dusk. So how could they be so exact in saying, "Tomorrow is the New (Full) Moon?" Read the full context between verses five and eighteen to confirm that their conversation was held just before dusk (1 Samuel 20:5-18).

The Full Moon "comes up" in the early evening at sunset (or within a few minutes of it) and "sets" in the early morning around sunrise. The determination that "Tomorrow is the Full Moon" is easily made in the late afternoon as we will cover with Fig. 4 below.

In the verses above, David and Jonathan were talking DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON DAYLIGHT HOURS and both of them said, "Tomorrow is the New (Full) Moon" and therefore was the first of the month. How could this be? How could they identify the New Moon in the daylight?

Dark moon advocates say that the dark moon can be predicted by determining the last visible part of a waning crescent moon. The next night would be the first of the month. There are two problems with this line of reasoning:

The first problem is how to determine which night of a waning moon is the last night that you will see a slight crescent? In addition, there may be two nights of a dark moon.

The second problem would be how to determine which night of a non visible dark moon is the last one. In addition, the last visible crescent is a nighttime determination, while David and Jonathan made their observation during the daylight hours.

The orbit of the moon around the earth is approximately 29 1/2 days making the dark of the moon non-predictable by simple observation during the daylight hours. If the dark moon was the first of the month, the only way that it can be determined by observation is for someone to go out at night and see if they observe a moon. If they do not see one, then one might say, "Tonight is the first of the month" but they could never say, "Tomorrow is the dark moon and therefore the first of the month." Because you cannot just observe the dark moon one night and say, "Tonight is the first of the month," because there may be TWO nights of a dark moon which does happen. It occurs when the Conjunction of the moon happens just prior to the midpoint of a time-line between sunset one day and sunset the next day. See Figure 3 below.

Therefore, the only accurate method by using observation to determine when the dark of the moon occurs is to observe the first slight crescent of the waxing moon; then you could say, "Yesterday was the dark moon - the first of the month." The dark moon advocates will counter the argument with: "We have Naval Observatory data that tell us exactly when the dark of the moon will occur." That statement would be true today, but remember Moses, David, and Jonathan did not have access to Naval Observatory data, and besides they used simple observation only to determine the first of the month. Although the astrologers of the day did have accurate data on the movement of the heavenly bodies, these conclusions were made by simple observations.

King David and Jonathan were making their observations during the sun-light portion of the day and said, "Tomorrow is the Full, New Moon" and, therefore, the first of the month. Also, consider that since King Saul gave a banquet on the Full, New Moon, the cooks had to know in advance when to prepare the meal. How could that determination be made?

About three days before the actual Full Moon, the nearly-full-waxing moon is visible high in the eastern sky just before sunset (see Figure 4 below). Each day, the waxing moon is larger than the day before as both it and the sun get closer to the horizon for the time of the sunset and the rising of the moon. On the day of the actual Full, New Moon, it is rising in the east as the sun is setting, or within minutes after the time of its setting, in the west. Thus, the first of the month (Full, New Moon) can be predicted a day or two in advance.

The same logic, against a dark moon being the first of the month also applies to a first of the month based on the first visible crescent of a waxing moon. The only way to accurately determine a crescent first-of-the-month moon is to see the crescent moon in the west just after sunset, and then you could say, "Today is the first of the month." BUT YOU COULD NOT SAY, "Tomorrow is the first of the month." Also, consider that it takes a committee to determine the crescent moon and not just two guys in a field talking the day before as Jonathan and David did.

What we have to be so very careful about is determining in our hearts and minds to do everything our CREATOR's way! If we are haughty and stiff-necked, we will think that our way is better than our CREATOR's and find any way that we can to rebel against Him. Can you see any difference in your attitude and in the attitude of the children of Israel before they were given over to captivity for their rebellious ways? He created and set His unalterable Observable Calendar safely in the Firmament of Heaven for us to be able to keep His 'Signs' and 'Seasons [mow-ed]' with nothing more than our eyes and simple observation. The CREATOR gives us a natural way to determine 'Signs' and 'Seasons' [mow-ed], so shouldn't we follow the CREATOR'S instructions on this very important subject!

What Heralds a New Moon?

Other Scriptures also indicate the fact that a Full Moon begins the month:

(Genesis 1:14-19) (KJV) ¹⁴And the CREATOR said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: ¹⁵And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. ¹⁶And the CREATOR made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. ¹⁷And the CREATOR set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and the CREATOR saw that it was good. ¹⁹And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

Several points are worth mentioning here. First, He created two great lights. One to rule the day, and one to rule the night. Which phase of the moon rules the night? A sliver of a crescent moon? An invisible conjunction? Does a sliver of a crescent of the sun or an invisible sun rule the day? No! Just as a fully round sun rules the day, so a fully round moon rules the night and both are used to determine time. Reviewing verse 14, we can see that point:

(Genesis 1:14) (KJV) And the CREATOR said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

The English word 'signs' is the Hebrew word 'owth' meaning proof, and sacred assembly. The English word 'seasons' is the Hebrew word 'mow-ed' meaning appointed time, sacred season, and set feast. This means that the sun and moon would act together to show the time of all the 'signs' and 'seasons' of (Leviticus 23), including the [SEVENTH-DAY] Sabbath. For more on the [SEVENTH-DAY] Sabbath see: 'The Lunar Calendar Of The Scriptural Sabbath'.

The Full Moon occurs at a specific time. It occurs when the moon is rising in the east as the sun is setting or has just set in the west. It is at this point, when the moon is "fullest," that the "New Moon" occurs beginning the month. Only at this specific time is the moon truly full although it has already looked nearly full for a couple of days. This interpretation of the Full Moon as the New Moon is Scriptural because both the sun and moon are used together to determine the Full Moon and therefore, a new month as in Genesis 1:14 above. In the coming Messianic Age, the Full Moon [New Moon] will be used to determine all worship days at the Temple, including the [SEVENTH-DAY] Sabbaths.

Messianic Age.

During the future time of the Messiah after the Temple has been rebuilt, the gate facing East shall only be opened on the Sabbath day and on the New Moon. As discussed previously, only a Full Moon would be visible on the eastern horizon at sunset:

(Ezekiel 46:1) (KJV) Thus said the ETERNAL CREATOR, "The gate of the inner court which FACES EAST shall be closed on the six working days. It shall be opened on the Sabbath day and it shall be opened ON THE DAY OF THE NEW MOON."

A crescent moon is visible only in the west just after sunset, and the dark moon is, well, just not visible. The diminishing light from the setting sun will shine on the Temple from the west, while the rising Full Moon will shine its light on the Temple through the open East Gate. The moon will have completed its celestial journey as designed by the ETERNAL and will be welcomed back as the new Full Moon.

Which is the New Moon? You must decide for yourself and then be faithful for that decision before your CREATOR:

(Psalms 81:2-4) (NKJV) Raise a song and strike the timbrel, The pleasant harp with the lute. Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day. For this is a statute for Israel, A law of the SOVEREIGN of Jacob.

Footnotes:

[1] In the Hebrew Scriptures our CREATOR tells us to call upon His Name in the older Paleo Hebrew, being translated into English as the "Ever Living One" or simply "ETERNAL." Note that this is a translation of the meaning and not a transliteration* of the sound as the sound of His Name is not know at this time.

* A Hebrew name is transliterated into English by a phonetic spelling of its sound.

The Name of our SOVEREIGN is not known today because He took it away. Notice these startling statements (Please read the context for these verses beginning in chapter forty):

(Jeremiah 44:26-28) (NKJV) ²⁶Therefore hear the word of 'Yehovah' (#H3068), all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt. Behold, I have sworn by My great name, says 'Yehovah,' that My name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, 'Adonay' (#H136) 'Yehovih' (#H3069) lives. ²⁷Behold, I will watch over them for adversity and not for good. And all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, until there is an end to them. ²⁸Yet a small number who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, [but without the ETERNAL's the Name] and all the remnant of Judah, who have gone to the land of Egypt to dwell there, shall know whose words will stand, Mine or theirs.*

* The ETERNAL gives this as proof of Scripture, that the Jews do not know His Name. In addition, by this time period, Israel had long since been taken into captivity and did not use or know the Name: thus the Jews were the only ones who had it and it was taken from them and locked up. Therefore, according to Scripture, no one now has it. The Name is now unknown.

Strong's states that "Yehovih" (#H3069), a variation of "Yehovah" (#H3068) used after Adonay (#H136), and pronounced by Jews as Elohiym (#H430), in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since they elsewhere pronounce Yehovah (#H3068) as Adonay (#H136).

Ed Note: No wonder it is lost! In addition to that the Jews in Babylon chose to lose it:

When in captivity in Babylon the Jewish people learned certain practices from their heathen captors. One of these items was the practice of "ineffability." This was the practice of not speaking the name of your mighty one in an effort not to make him angry. After this practice was adopted by, the Jewish scribes, the Name disappeared some 6813 times from the Hebrew Scriptures and was replaced by "Adonai." This Babylonian substitution was justified by saying that the Name was so reverent that it just could not be spoken. Eventually, "Adonai" was replaced with "HaShem," which means "the Name." The English 'Bibles' have put "the LORD" in all of those 6813 places." (adapted from K. Laymon)

Notice in the below quotation how the CREATOR uses His Name constantly in the first person. The Scriptures speak of "calling upon the name of the ETERNAL" which conveys a completely unrelated meaning when mistranslated and says, "calling upon the name of the L-rd." People call upon many so-called gods and lords. We hear constant talk of the lord of this or the lord of that and one might just ask, "Well, who is this lord? What is his name? What L-rd of what religion are you talking about?" Notice what Jeremiah says:

(Jeremiah 33:2-3) (NASB) ²Thus says the ETERNAL who made the earth, the ETERNAL who formed it to established it, the ETERNAL is His name. ³Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

But you may ask, "If we do not know what His Name is how can we call on it?" Let's let the ETERNAL answer that through Isaiah:

(Isaiah 52:6) (KJV) Therefore, My people shall know My Name; therefore, they shall know in that day* that I am He who speaks: Behold, it is I.

* In that day refers to the Time of Jacob's Trouble, and the Advent of the Mashiach and the Prophet.

The ETERNAL took His Name away and He will give it again. Notice that "shall know" is future. We will know when we are given a new language See: (Zephaniah 3:8-9; Jeremiah 16:21; Ezekiel 36:23; Ezekiel 39:7). In the meantime for His Name we must use the best that we have, and that is the meaning of His Name which is 'the ETERNAL' (Strong's (#H3068) Yehovah, from (#H1961); {the} self-Existent or ETERNAL One).

The ETERNAL also stated that we should not even "make mention of the name of the heathen g-ds" (Joshua 23:7; Jeremiah 23:26-27). Humankind again, has done just the opposite. Therefore, whenever I speak or write about one of the b-als, I will leave out a vowel or two (e.g. j-sus or jc). However, if it is a direct quote of someone and they use one of these names I will put them in quotes, either single '~' or double "~". When quoting Scripture, I will use the ETERNAL for "the L-rd" and I will use CREATOR, The Mighty One, or SOVEREIGN for "G-d." Furthermore, notice what Unger's Bible Dictionary states:

Jehovah (je-ho'va) Heb. the ETERNAL, (LXX usually ho Kurios), the name of "God" most frequently used in the Hebrew Scriptures; but commonly represented - we cannot say rendered - in the Authorized Version by "Lord." The true pronunciation of this name, by which "God" was known to the Hebrews, has been entirely lost by the Jews. The Jews themselves scrupulously avoiding every mention of it, and substituting in its stead one or more points in how it may happen to be written, usually the name "Adonai." They continued to write "YHVH" but read Adonai, where "God" is called "My Lord Jehovah" ("Adonai" "God").

In addition, the name of a supposed god being that is in quotes (i.e. "some name") is the word of the original author, as I do not use these words myself.

[2] American Concise Encyclopedia, Webster's electronic media CD-ROM.

[3] "The Calendar in Jewish History" Britannica On-line, version 97.

[4] The Jewish Encyclopedia article on "Calendar, History of" p498-505. I have photocopies of these pages from The Jewish Encyclopedia that I have had since my early days in WWG in 1968.

[5] ibid. I do not know which year the encyclopedia was published; however, the word "learnt" indicates this is from an older version.

[6] "Genesis 11 shows that after the flood people began livings in groups (city/states) in Babylon. Soon however, the ETERNAL confused the languages and the people spread abroad taking their calendars with them. The first civil calendar in ancient pagan Egypt was based on a solar year of 365 days of 12 months with 30 days each. It had no corrections for the approximately six hours difference in the exact solar-year which resulted in the civil calendar creeping ahead of the true solar cycle one day in every four years." (What Life was Like on the Banks of the Nile? p22, Time-Life Inc., 1997. Lib. of Cong. #ISBN 0-8094-9378-0.) The later calendar under the Babylonians was upgraded to a solar-lunar calendar.

[7] Flavius Josephus, Antiquity of the Jews, Book I, Chap. 3, Sec. 3.

[8] Outdated reference.

[9] "The Gregorian calendar takes its name from Pope Gregory XIII, who reformed the Roman Calendar in the year 1582. Before that, the civil calendar was called the Julian calendar after the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar who had also altered the calendar in the year 46 BCE. One of Caesar's amendments was TO PATTERN THE CIVIL CALENDAR ON THE CALENDAR OF ANCIENT EGYPT, which was at that time the only calendar in which the lengths of the months and years were fixed by definite rules. In other words, the civil calendar, which hangs upon your wall in your home or office, is similar in parts of its structure to the calendar that was used in ancient Egypt. Like its Egyptian ancestor, the sun alone governs the civil calendar, and its months (January to December) are in no way influenced by the moon. In the civil calendar of today, a new moon can occur on any day in the month; days begin in the middle of the night, and years in the northern hemisphere begin in the middle of winter on the 1st of January." The Sacred Calendar of the 'God' of Israel, A Stewarton Bible School Publication, David Loughran, p5. For a complete evolution of our present day Gregorian civil calendar, see the article "Calendar" in The Encyclopedia Britannica, eleventh edition.

[10] Common Era (CE) is the same time-frame as "AD."

[11] [a]All scriptural links point to the Bible Gateway, A Searchable Online Bible In Over 100 Versions And 50 Languages, located at "BibleGateway.Com", a vast biblical resource containing all the major texts and reference materials useful for in-depth bible studies. Most scriptual quotations are from the (KJV) of the Bible, however versions noted in (parentheses) should also be consulted. [b]All Strong's scriptural references point to the Blue Letter Bible Lexicon, located at "BlueLetterBible.Org", another vast biblical resource which has over 4,000,000 links available, pointing to more than 165,000 pages of concordances, lexicons, dictionaries, commentaries, images, and several Bible versions.

[12] NIGHT, that part of the day of 24 hours during which the sun is below the horizon, the dark part of the day from sunset to sunrise (see Day). The word in Old English takes two forms neaht and night, the latter form apparently being established by about the 10th century. The word is common in varying forms to Indo-European languages. The root is usually taken to be nak-, to perish, the word meaning the time when the light fails (cf. Gr. ve'kus, Lat. nex, death; nocere, to hurt). It was customary to reckon periods of time by nights, and "fortnight" (Old English feowertyne niht, fourteen nights) is still used, but "se'n-night" (seven nights) has been displaced by "week" (q.v.), Encyclopedia Britannica, 1953, Page 445.

[13] The American Heritage Dictionary, Standard Edition, Electronic Version.

[14] Ibid.

[15] Webster's New World Dictionary, an electronic version of "The Third College Edition."

[16] American Concise Encyclopedia, op. cit.

[17] Although the meaning is clear that the dividing marker is sunset, there are groups that use the following verses to say that dawn is the marker for a new 24-hour day. Still other groups say that noon is the marker to begin a new day, and so it goes.

[18] I prefer to use the term "Night of Protection" rather than "Passover" because the lamb was killed and its blood put on the doorposts to protect the Israelites from the Death Angel. It really was not a sacrifice and that misuse might tend to point to the dead Galilean.

[19-20] "'Ereb" (eh'-reb) is (#H6153) in Strong's and comes from (#H6150) which is a primary root; to grow dusky at sundown. (#H6148) "'arab" (aw-rab') a primary root; to braid, (i.e. to intermix daylight with darkness).

[21] See the article: 'The Lunar Calendar Of The Scriptural Sabbath'.

[22] See the article: 'The Lunar Calendar Of The Scriptural Sabbath'.

[23] ABIB: The Aid to Bible Understanding states: "The original name of the first lunar month of the [Hebrew] calendar. Following the Babylonian exile, this name was replaced by the name 'Nisan' after a Babylonian g-d."

The word is believed to mean "ripening grain" or "green ears" as the King James states in its mistranslation of (Leviticus 2:14). In an effort to support the mistranslation Strong's states: "Abib (#H24) 'abiyb (aw-beeb') from an unused root (means to be tender); green, i.e., a young ear of grain."

However, notice carefully the English letters, "i.e." and what Webster's Dictionary states their meaning is: "that is to say." An author will make up an example to explain the word in question and use the letters i.e. to indicate that. Sad to say, the example that Strong's used in this case was to try to explain away the true meaning of the word "abib" which is simply: "(#H24) to be tender, green."

Strong's does not give a root word for the Hebrew word "'abiyb." However, checking further in Gesenius' Hebrew Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament, Baker Books, 1996, "(#H24) (aleph beth yod beth)" means: "beginning at the new moon of April, the first of the month of the old year as instituted on coming out of Egypt. " (#H24) is from (aleph beth beth) which Gesenius' states in Hebrew to mean: "to be verdant, to germinate, see Job 8:12. In Aramaic, it means: 'to produce fruit, especially the early fruit,' and, 'abiyb means this in Hebrew as well when it was translated at a later time."

Ed Note: In summary please note the two statements Gesenius' is making about the 'old calendar' used when coming out of Egypt:

1. When Israel came out of Egypt the first of the year was determined by the [Scriptural] new moon in April.

2. The ancient Hebrew word 'abiyb took on the Aramaic meaning of "producing early fruit or in the ear" at a later time after coming out of Egypt!!! In addition, the belief that the crescent moon is the first of the month is also of Arabian origin. Backing up and looking at the meaning of "abiyb" in Job 8:12, the text states from the root in Gesenius': "greenness, verdure of an herb."

(Job 8:12) (KJV) Whilst it is yet in his greenness (#H3), and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

Therefore, Dr. Gesenius is telling us that the meaning of 'abiyb in the Arabian tongue is: "young fruit or in the ear." Likewise, Dr. Gesenius is showing that in the 'old calendar' instituted on coming out of Egypt that 'abiyb meant: "verdant, young green barley." "WHILE LATER," he states, "the meaning changed to 'young fruit or in the ear'."

Did you notice that in quoting (Job 8:12) we included Strong's number (#H3)? Now, we have caught Dr. Strong in a bald-faced untruth. Let's see where Strong's contradicts itself! Strong's states for (#H3) that "(#H3) and (#H24) come from the same Hebrew root word "'eb" (abe or ) which means: 'a green plant'." Strong's now finally admits that (#H24), abib, is a green plant and has nothing to do with ears of grain. In my opinion, Dr. Strong's may have had an agenda because we have just caught him slanting the the Scriptures in favor of the beliefs of the church of rome.

In addition, now notice what the Karaites admit on their "Abib FAQ" page at: (http://www.karaite-korner.org/abib_faq.shtml)

Q: Does Abib mean 'Green Ears' or 'Green, tender ears'?
A: No. Abib does not mean 'green ears,' despite the incorrect translation in the King James Bible. The precise meaning of Abib must be reconstructed by going into the fields and studying the barley and cross-referencing this with the Biblical evidence. The Bible often speaks of 'Abib parched in fire.' This refers to grain which is developed enough to be eaten after it has been parched. In contrast, 'Green Ears' is such a broad term that it can refer to grain which when parched will shrivel up leaving no edible material. This has been confirmed by experiments. In order to be Abib, the barley must be more developed than green, tender ears."

Even the Karaites do not believe the Scriptures! They stated in their "Frequently Asked Questions" section that Abib does not mean "green ears" and the Scriptures need to be reconstructed! To come up with this reconstruction, they had to decide on their own authority that Abib could not be understood through Scripture. Therefore, to get the meaning of Abib, they determined that someone would have to go into the fields to reconstruct Abib by studying the barley and cross-referencing this information with Biblical evidence. So, what are they saying here? Are they saying that the CREATOR did not know what He was talking about? That He needs help in determining when Abib is? Sure, when preconceived ideas have to be given a semblance of fact, truth and real facts have to be explained away when in essence the evidence was there all of the time.

Here, the Karaites concluded that Abib must mean "hard ears" to explain of their pre-conceived beliefs. Everybody refuses to believe that "abib" means "green, verdant," barley plants. Webster states that verdant means:

1. Green with vegetation; covered with green growth.
2. Color. Green in hue.
3. Lacking experience or sophistication; naive.

In addition, most everybody refuses to believe that the first Full Moon after the barley is first seen in the fields, as green verdant plants, is the first day of the month of Abib and thus the first day of the new year. So, what will you believe about abib? Do you believe the KJV mistranslation? Do you believe the folks walking around in the field trying to figgure it out? Or do you believe the plain statements that our SOVEREIGN declares through the Scriptures?

[24] Strong's (#H2320) "chodesh" (kho'-desh) means "the new moon," then Strong's adds by implication the new month and it comes from (#H2318) "chadash" (khaw-dash') a primary root; meaning, "to be new." In English, it is awkward to say that something happens in the moon of May rather than the month of May and the two are frequently interchanged in English. However, Chodesh in Hebrew is represented by the three constants "chetch daleth shin" or "" Strong's words (#H2320), (#H2319), and (#H2318) are all these same three Hebrew letters "" and the meanings are "new moon, new, and new" respectively. In Gesenius' the same three meanings are "the day of the new moon, new, and to produce something new as a polished sword." Now you tell me, what phase of the moon appears as polished? Of course, the only answer is the Full Moon!!!

[25] "Shaneh" (shaw-neh) (#H8141) in Strong's.

[26] Tanakh, The Holy Scriptures, (Philadelphia, Jerusalem: Jewish Publication Society) 1985.

[27] "Shaneh" (shaw-neh') (#H8141) in Gesenius'

[28] "Tequwphah" (tek-oo-faw') (#H8622) in Gesenius'.

[29] The Encyclopedia Britannica, op. cit.

[30] "'Owth" (oth) (#H226) in Strong's (from (#H225), "in the sense of appearing, to come or to assent." Therefore, it is a summons to appear on the Feast Day.

[31] "Mow'ed," (#H4150) in Gesenius' and comes from "ya'ad" (yaw-ad') from (#H3259) "to fix upon (by agreement or appointment); by implication to meet (at a stated time), to summon (to trial), to direct (in a certain quarter or position), to engage (for marriage)." Also from (#H2) "'ab" (Chald ab); corresponding to H1 "'ab" (awb) and is "a primary word meaning father"

[32] The Hebrew word "yerach" (yeh'-rakh) in Strong's is (#H3391), (#H3392), (#H3393) and (#H3394). Gesenius' gives the same Hebrew letters for all four of Strong's numbers "cheth, resh, and yod" Therefore, all four usages of the word must have the same or nearly the same meaning. The combined meanings of the four are: (#H3391)"month (lunar cycle), moon", (#H3392)"new moon", (H3393)"month,", (H3394)"moon." In summary it would be "the [New] Moon that sets the first day of the month.

[33] Incidentally, in the Gregorian Calendar a month with two Full Moons the second one is called "a blue moon" and gives rise to the expression "once in a blue moon." This is based on the moon g-dess "Diana" as her color was blue.

[34] See footnote #35.

[35] "Chodesh" (kho'-desh) (Strong's #H2320), and from (Gesenius' #H2318) chadash, (khaw-dash') a prim. root; to be new, to rebuild.

[36] Outdated reference.

[37] Strong's "(#H3677) kece' (keh'-she) apparently from (#H3680); prop. fullness or the full moon, i.e. its festival." - Notice that Dr. Strong said "apparently from" which shows that he does not really know if it does or not. Now looking at: Strong's "(#H3680) kacah (kaw-saw') a prim. root; prop. to plump, i.e. fill up hollows; by impl. to cover (for clothing or secrecy)." - The natural moon has no light, so if it is covered, what is the only thing that can cover it? Light. How simple that is once you get past your preconceptions and prejudices.

[38] How else other than literally, pray tell, do you read the Scripture? What it says is what it says. I think the ETERNAL is smart enough to inspire what it means, so who does some "scholar" think he is, to think otherwise?

[39] The above section is from Servants News, "Biblical Calendar Basics" by Norm S. Edwards, 1995.

[40] American Heritage Educational Dictionary electronic version.

[41] Rise, Set: During the course of a day the Earth rotates once on its axis causing the phenomena of rising and setting of heavenly bodies. All celestial bodies, stars and planets included, seem to appear in the sky at the horizon to the East of any particular place, then to cross the sky and again disappear at the horizon to the West. The most noticeable of these events, which is the most significant concerning ordinary affairs, are the rising and setting of the Sun and Moon. Because the Sun and Moon appear as circular disks and not as points of light, a definition of rise or set must be very specific, for not all of either body is seen to rise or set. Sunrise and Sunset conventionally refer to the times when the upper edge of the disk of the Sun is on the horizon, considered unobstructed relative to the location of interest. Atmospheric conditions are assumed to be average, and the location is a level. Full Moon rise and set times are computed for exactly the same circumstances as for sunrise and sunset. However, other than the Full Moon a moonrise and moonset may occur at any time during a 24 hour period and, consequently, it is often possible for the moon to be seen during daylight hours, and to also have moon-less nights. It is also possible that a moonrise or moonset does not occur relative to a specific place on a given date. US Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications Department.

[42] "Mow'ed" in Strong's (#H4150).

[43] Many people ask how Noah on the waters and the Israelites in the desert knew when the first of the year began? Elementary, dear Watson - the CREATOR told the leaders Noah and Moses.

[44] Since the Hebrew word that is translated "passover" is (#H3957) pascha a Chaldean word replacing the Hebrew (#H652). Pacach (Strong's (#H652) paw-sakh') is a primary root meaning "to hop or skip over" and since the ETERNAL "skipped over" the houses with blood on the door frames and they were protected - I prefer to say "The Night of Protection." In addition the word "Passover" has a wrong connotation and is tied to the supposed human sacrifice of a man from Galilee.

[45] "Shamar" (shaw-mar') (#H8104) in Strong's and Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius' Hebrew and English Lexicon

[46-47] Is There a 13th Month? Some have been astonished upon learning that some years in the ETERNAL's calendar have 13 months. Since the lunar month consists of approximately 29.5 days, a year of only 12 months equals 354 days; 11 days short of the solar year. If there never was a 13th month in the year, the harvest festivals would soon be out of season, in less than 28 years they would rotate through all the months of the year. This is what happens with the Muslim Calendar. If we truly accept the Scriptural calendar, then we will not have a problem arranging the 13th month, because the ETERNAL will do it for us. Always choose the new Full Moon which comes next after the time "the barley is in the green" and the 13th month will automatically fall in place in the proper year. It is interesting to note that there is a 13th month a little more than every seventh year.

[48] "Kece" (keh'-she) (#H3677) Gesenius', its only meaning is Full Moon.

[49] Outdated reference.