Biblical Calendar

I came across an article off a website explaining that we are to use the lunar conjunction and equinox to begin the month and year, respectively…what are your thoughts?

The site begins by making the case that the visible crescent is absent from Scripture. They need to look deeper and discover that Exodus and Deuteronomy clearly reveal the crescent: "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you" (Ex. 12:2, KJV).

"Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto Yahweh thy Elohim: for in the month of Abib Yahweh thy Elohim brought thee forth out of Egypt by night" (Deut. 16:1, KJV).

The word "month" in both of the above passages is derived from the Hebrew chodesh meaning, "the new moon; by implication, a month" (Strong's Concordance). Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words offers this definition, "The word refers to the day on which the crescent reappears."

The word chodesh is from the primitive root chadash, meaning, "to be new; causatively, to rebuild" (Strong's). Clearly, the "black moon" or conjunction is neither new nor in the process of rebuilding. The only phase of the moon that fits this description is the first visible crescent.

Another key is in Deuteronomy 16:1. The word "observe" is from the Hebrew shamar. A key meaning of shamar is "to mark, look narrowly for" the new moon of Abib (Strong's). How does one mark or look narrowly for a moon that is black and invisible? It would be impossible.

An argument some cite for a calculated new moon is that David knew in advance when the new moon would fall, 1Sam. 20:5. Anyone capable of counting to 30 could know the same thing. The lunar cycle is approximately 29.5 days. As a result, the new moon falls at either 29 days or 30 days from its last verification. If it were not seen at day 29 we can be assured it will be visible at day 30.

Historical evidence also confirms that Israel began the month with the first visible crescent: "The Hebrew or Jewish calendar had three stages of development: the preexilic, or Biblical; the postexilic, or Talmudic; and the post-Talmudic. The first rested on observation merely, the second on observation coupled with calculation, and the third on calculation only. In the first period the priests determined the beginning of each month by the appearance of the new moon" (International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, "Calendar").

Another source confirms, "The Israelites divided their year according to natural phenomena exclusively, combining the solar and lunar years. The months began with the new moon, but the first month was fixed (after the Exodus and by the necessities of the Passover) by the ripening of the earliest grain, namely, barley. The lunar month averaging 29 1/2 days, a year of twelve months of 30 and 29 days alternately resulted" (The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Calendar).

This reference also verifies that the Israelites marked the year by the ripening of the barley. "The month was a unit of time closely tied to the moon. The Hebrew word for "month" also meant "moon" (Deut 33:14, NIV, NASB). The reason for the connection between the month and the moon is that the beginning of a month was marked by a new moon. The moon was carefully observed by the people of Bible times. When it appeared as a thin crescent, it marked the beginning of a new month" (Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Calendar).

As for the vernal equinox starting the Biblical year, there is no Scriptural evidence to justify such a claim. Besides the fact that the equinox is absent from scripture, perhaps the best evidence is found in the name for the first month, i.e., Abib. Actually, "Abib" is less of a name and more of a description of the stage of ripening grain.

Strong's Concordance offers this definition for Abib: "to be tender; green, i.e. a young ear of grain; hence, the name of the month Abib or Nisan." By its very definition we find the first month firmly tied to agriculture, specifically grain or barley. Notice that the equinox is nowhere referenced.

For more in-depth research see: ABCs of the Biblical Calendar

I have been following the barley Biblical calendar for years. A friend told me that beginning the year with the vernal equinox was the correct biblical calendar. Could you please tell me if you agree/disagree with this?

You will not find "vernal equinox" or even spring equinox in the Scriptures. The argument has been attempted that the vernal equinox corresponds to the Hebrew word tequphah, which is found several times in the Bible. The definition of tequphah (Strong's Concordance No. 8622) is: "A revolution, i.e. of the sun course (of time) lapse: circuit, come about, end." From the definition, we find it next to impossible to attach any firm connection of tequphah to a spring equinox. The meaning of tequphah points to the end of the year, not the beginning.

The following passages contain the verses where the Hebrew word tequphah is found, as well as its meaning in the context of each:

• Exodus 34:22 (Feast of ingathering at the "year's end")
• 2Chron. 24:23 (Syria attacked Judah at the "end of the year")
• 2Chron. 24:23; 36:10 ("end of the year/year was expired")

Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon defines the tequphah (Strong's No. 8622) as: "coming round, circuit;-Ex. 34:22, adv., at the circuit (completion) of the year... sig. Of finished circuit of sun."

The closest we have in the Hebrew to spring as a season is 6779, tsamach, a primitive root meaning to sprout, bear, bring forth, bud, grow, cause to spring (forth, up). Yahweh again reveals that the time for His Feasts is attached to the growing of crops, the barley, not to the scientific vernal equinox.

Yahweh's calendar is agricultural, and begins with green barley ears. An interesting find in Israel called the "Gezer" calendar shows that the Israelites were an agrarian society that based it's months from the bases of agriculture.

If in fact Moshe [Moses] used the sun, moon and stars as given for us to use in Genesis to determine the days, months and years, how exactly did they determine the specifically commanded times for our new moons, Shabbat and moedim 40 years in the desert where no crops grew, and being hundreds of miles from Jerusalem?

The new moons and Sabbath are not determined by crops, but by the moon and sun. As for determining the start of the yearly Feasts, Israel went by the barley crop in the Abib stage of development to establish the first month of the year. Abib is even the name of the first month of the Biblical year, Deuteronomy 16:1. Barley is native to the Mideast, and in the wilderness it doubtless grew wild back then as it does today. Abib barley aside, being in close contact with Yahweh as he was, Moses would need only to ask Him when the first month was.

Read "The Biblical Calendar" for an in-depth look at Abib calculation.

The new moon is the first visible crescent. The word "month" as found in Exodus 12:2 is derived from the Hebrew "chodesh," meaning, "new moon." The root of chodesh, Hebrew "chadash," means to be new or to rebuild. Historically the Jews determined the month by the first visible crescent: "The Hebrew or Jewish calendar had three stages of development: the preexilic, or Biblical; the postexilic, or Talmudic; and the post-Talmudic. The first rested on observation merely, the second on observation coupled with calculation, and the third on calculation only. In the first period the priests determined the beginning of each month by the appearance of the new moon" (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, "Calendar"). Yahweh uses the new moon to establish moedim, or commanded observances, Psalm 104:19.

Special offerings were also given on the new moons, 2Chronicles 2:4; 8:13;23:31. We find many references to the new moon or beginning of months in the Scriptures, including the obligation for True worshipers to observe them, Numbers 10:10; 28:11-15; 1Chronicles 23:31; 2Chronicles 2:4; 8:13; 31:3; Ezra 3:5; Ezekiel 46:1, 3, 6;Colossians 2:16. Apostolic Believers, who remained true to His Word, continued to honor new moon days as well as observe Feast days in the New Testament, Acts 18:21; 27:9; 1Corinthians 5:7-8. Further, we learn from Ezekiel's prophecy (46:3) that new moon days will be kept in the coming Kingdom: "The people of the land shall also worship at the doorway of that gate before Yahweh on the Sabbaths and on the new moons."

For an in-depth study on the new moon read our booklet: What Is a Biblical New Moon

Because of Numbers 15:2-3, YRM believes any sightings outside the North American continent are not valid for us here in the U.S.: "And Yahweh spake unto Moses saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When you come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you, and will make an offering by fire unto Yahweh, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feast, to make a sweet savour unto Yahweh, of the herd, or of the flock…" We don't use the setting of the sun in Israel or Australia to confirm our weekly Sabbath. This is a sign that comes to you locally, at your time and place, just as does the new moon.

What New Moon did King David, Abraham or Jacob use? It's obvious, the moon in their locale. What about the Apostle Paul who traveled for as long as two years and as far away as Macedonia, what new moon did he use? Obviously, the new moon in his local. What if we lost global communication, as could very well happen in the end times? These questions pose very big problems if we implemented a "global" network of new moon spotters.

It's important to note that in the 4^th century, Hillel II changed the biblical calendar and transitioned from a calendar based on observation to calculation, including using the conjunction to begin the month and the autumnal equinox to begin the year. Since the autumnal equinox occurs in the fall, corresponding to the 7^th Jewish month, the Jews count backwards to mark the first biblical month. Along the way, they also add their postponements, ensuring that days like Yom Kippur does not occur alongside of a weekly Sabbath. To ensure the alignment of the seasons, they also employ a 19-year cycle, adding a 13^th month at intervals of 2-3 years.

For more information on the Biblical calander check out our free booklet : The Biblical Calander

Also, watch our video, Deciphering the Biblical Calendar:

Based on this single passage, some advocate the use of the equinox to begin the biblical year. They derive this from the reference to the sun and moon. However, it's crucial to realize that this passage is broad and does not provide any specifics as to how to determine the calendar. For this reason, we must consider additional passages.

Regarding your question, we believe that the sun marks the days, the moon marks the months, and the agriculture (i.e., barley) marks the year. Deuteronomy 16:1 states, "Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto Yahweh thy Elohim…."

The word "observe" comes from the Hebrew shamar. The primary meaning of shamar is to guard, which requires the action of watching. The word "month" derives from the Hebrew chodesh and refers to the new moon. The word "Abib" is Hebrew and literally means, young ears of grain.

Based on the above passage and the Hebrew, it's evident that we're to watch for the new moon in the month when the barley is within the Abib stage (i.e., when there is sufficient dough in the ear to roast).

Psalm 104:19 also provides insight is how the sun and moon relates to the seasons: "He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down." The word "seasons" is moed and refers to the Feast days. Yahweh confirmed here that the moon, i.e., new moon crescent, is for the seasons. In other words, it's the crescent that determines the month and therefore the Feast days.

For additional information on the calendar, read our booklet: The Biblical Calendar

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