Este sábado se verá la luna más grande y brillante de lo habitual

Por: Agencia EFE

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. “The Mighty One 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>

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

1. Leviticus 23:32. 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.
2. Deuteronomy 16:6. But at the place where ETERNAL CREATOR chooses to make His name abide, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at twilight at the going down of the sun, at the time you came out of Egypt.”

The English words “twilight, ^[19> (smaller) even, and evening” come from the Hebrew word ^[20> “`ereb” and means “dusk, through the idea of covering with a texture, thus to grow dusky at sundown.”

The next verse clinches the argument that the evening is the going down of the sun:
Joshua 10:26-27. And afterward Joshua struck them [the enemy kings> and killed them, and hanged them on five trees; ...until evening. So it was at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees.

And there you have it! The Mighty One said: “evening is the going down of the sun, ” and that is just as plain as day (pardon the pun).

Week: The English word “week” comes from the Hebrew word ^[21> “shabuwa” and means, “a complete group of seven days.” The week is seven days in length and owes its unalterable uniformity to the fact that it is neither an aliquot part of the lunar month nor of the year. The seven days that our CREATOR worked to refashion the earth are referred to as the “creation week” because it is a group of seven days ^[22> as the next verses explains:
Genesis 1:31-2:3. Then CREATOR saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day CREATOR ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then CREATOR blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which CREATOR had created and made.

In the Hebrew calendar, the days of the week are numbered but are not named. The exception is that the CREATOR calls the seventh day Shabbot or the Sabbath.

The seven-day week is not based on any celestial movement at all but was established by the Mighty One of Israel in the Garden of Eden. First, He defined a day as a block of time beginning each evening. He established the beginning and ending of a day at evening so that a day includes a period of darkness and a period of light. We thus see that a day encompasses the time from evening to evening noting that the day also includes the morning. He also established a week consisting of a period of seven days of which the first six days are workdays. The Seventh Day, which the CREATOR calls the Sabbath, is set-apart as a day of rest and a day to worship our loving SOVEREIGN. Because the Mighty One purified the Seventh Day and rested on it, He set the example for us to remember to do so as well.

Month: The English word “month” comes from the Hebrew word “chodesh.” It refers to the moon and means, “to be new, to rebuild, or renew: by implication a month.” A month is the time it takes the moon to make one complete revolution around the earth which is 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.841 seconds. Thus, an observational calendar 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. The English word “Abib” comes from the Hebrew word ^[23> “`abiyb” and means “the moon of the green barley.” The Hebrew word ^[24> “chodesh” means “new moon.” The reason is that ETERNAL wants every month to start with “a new moon.” So, it is allowable to translate Exodus 12:2 into English in two possible ways: first is quoted from the KJV which is identical to the JPS translation of the referenced verse, and second is quoted from the AV and it shows the actual meaning of the Hebrew..

1. Exodus 12:1-2. (KJV) And 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."

    

2. Exodus 12:2. (AV) This NEW MOON shall be unto you the beginning of NEW MOONS (or months): it shall be the FIRST NEW MOON of the year to you.

Year: The English word “year” comes from the Hebrew word ^[25> “shaneh,” which is a year (as a revolution of time). A year is the time it takes for the earth to make one revolution around the sun which is 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46.069 seconds. A year of the Hebrew Calendar can have either 12 or 13 months.

Turn of the Year: This is the Scriptural phrase for the passing of both equinoxes for a given year. (The NKJV says “the year’s end.”) 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 34:22-23. And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year’s end.

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 seasons change at the equinoxes. An equinox is not visible per se, but it can be observed after it has passed. “The largest Full Moon of the year [The Harvest Moon> is the first Full Moon after the autumn equinox. The smallest Full Moon of the year is the first Full Moon after the spring equinox.”^[29>

Note however, that the first day of the year is determined by the Full Moon in combination with the GREENNESS OF THE BARLEY AND IS NOT based upon the equinox or any season.

Set Times and Seasons

The English word “signs” comes from the Hebrew word ^[30> “‘owth” (oth) and means “to come or assent in the sense of appearing; a signal as a flag, or beacon.”

The English words “set times” come from the Hebrew word ^[31> “mow’ed” which comes from two root words #H2 and #H3259. Number #H2 is “ab” (Chaldean ab) corresponding to #H1 “`ab” which is a primary word; Father. #H3259 is “ya´ad” (yaw-ad´) which is a primary root; to fix upon (by agreement or appointment); to summon (to trial), to engage (for marriage).”

Mow´ed has several has several meanings:

1. a) A fixed time or an appointment as in: “A Festival Day is a fixed appointment with ETERNAL.”
   b) A space of time as in: “We are summoned, as to a court, to keep the specified times with the Mighty One.”
2. An assembly or congregation with emphasis on a meeting for an appointed time with the SOVEREIGN of the cosmos. The moon was appointed to determine the Festival Days as the next scriptures show:
   Psalm 104:19. He [the Father> appointed the moon for seasons [mow’ed>; the sun knows its going down.

   Leviticus 23:4. These are the feasts of ETERNAL, holy [set apart> convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times [mow’ed>.

   Leviticus 23:4 (KJV). These are the feasts of ETERNAL, holy [set apart> convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons [mow’ed>.

The Hebrew word “mow’ed” is translated in the Tanakh as “set time,” in the KJV as “seasons,” and in the NKJV as “appointed times.” All renderings come from the same Hebrew word “mow´ed.” Note that none of the meanings of “mow´ed” even indicate a phase of the moon much less indicate which phase it is.
The question will arise as to which phase of the moon is the “Father concerned with” as compared to the other phases? The word also means a set time, assembly location, or a troop as in the next examples:

1. Genesis 18:14. Is anything too hard for ETERNAL? At the appointed time [mow’ed> I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
2. Leviticus 8:3. ...and gather all the congregation [mow’ed> together at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
3. Chronicles 8:12-13. Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to ETERNAL; ...for the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the three appointed [mow’ed> yearly feasts; the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

The “set times” or “seasons” are primarily the Festival Days. Of the 240 times that “mow’ed” is used in Scripture, the vast majority of times it is translated as “congregation” referring to Israel.

Moon: The English word “moon” comes from the Hebrew word ^[32> “yareach” and means “a lunation, or moon i.e. month.”

The moon goes through a change from a Full Moon to adark moon and then back to a Full Moon. The total shining surface of a FullMoon decreases until the surface is black and has become a dark moon or anon-moon. The shining surface increases back to the total area shining again asthe Full Moon. This cycle takes approximately 29 1/2 days. The decreasingportion of the cycle is called “waning,” and the increasing portionis called “waxing.” The illustration of Figure Onedemonstrates the cycle of the moon in March 1999 gives a perfect example ofthis by having two Full Moons in onemonth.^[33>

The English word “moon” in the above Scripture comes from the Hebrew word “yareach” which means “TO BE YELLOW.”^[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. In the third month [#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. And David said to Jonathan,“Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon [#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^[35> “chodesh,” 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 ETERNAL’s main purpose indisclosing His Scriptural Hebrew calendar was to enable His worshippers to identify and keep their spiritual appointments with Him on the SET DAYS OF HISCHOOSING. If 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. Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be a memorial for you before your G-d: I am the L-rd your G-d.

“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 biggerthen 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.

	Psalm 81 so plainly states the Full Moon is the New Moon.

“Psalm 81:3 addresses the subject directly, but its exact meaning is in dispute. “The KJVcompletely dodges the issue of the New Moon being the Full Moon as follows:
Psalm 81:3 KJV. Blow up the trumpet in the newmoon, in the time appointed [‘keceh’>, on our solemn feast day.

“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 [‘keceh’>, on our solemn feast day.”

[The New English Bible^[36> correctly states:
Psalm 81:3-4 NEB. Blow the horn for the new month, for the Full Moon {‘keceh’} on the day of our pilgrim-feast. This is a law for Israel, an ordinance from the Mighty One of Jacob.>

“The Hebrew word ‘keceh’ definitely means ‘Full Moon’^[37> as translated above. The Tanakh (1985 Jewish translation) says:
Psalm 81:3 Tanakh. Blow the horn on the New Moon, on the Full Moon for our 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.
*Ed Note: How else other than literally, pray tell, do you read Scripture? What it says is what it says. I think ETERNAL is smart enough to inspire what it means.

“Our first human reaction to this might be, “that’s impossible!” The Full Moon occurs at the 15th of the month, on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles and of Unleavened Bread. But the question is this: “DO WE FOLLOW WHAT THE SCRIPTURE SAY, OR DO WE FOLLOW JEWISH TRADITION? ”^[39>

The author closes that part of his article with a very pertinent question that is the absolute crux of the entire calendar problem: “DO WE FOLLOW WHAT THE SCRIPTURE SAY, OR DO WE FOLLOW JEWISH TRADITION?” To follow any human tradition is to nullify Scripture by using man’s tradition and obeying some man or men rather that the SOVEREIGN, the ETERNAL CREATOR of the cosmos and that is a total abomination to Him. In addition, it does not matter which man or group of men you follow. It could be the Pope, the Rabbis, or some preacher and if they tell you different than plain Scriptural statements that is a big, big sin.

In regards to a simular situation, Winston Churchill once said, “Once in everyone’s life they will stumble over the truth, but most will get up brush themselves off and hurry on their way.”    The author of the above section has done just that. He fully and correctly explains Psalms 81:3 in stating that the Full Moon is the first day of the month; then in the remaining portion of his article, he covers the “traditional” explanation and ends it with this statement: “Do not criticize anyone else’s calendar.” However, Questing for ETERNAL’s truth is not criticizing anyone unless they refuse to believe what the Hebrew Scriptures plainly state.

For the Fall Feast Days ETERNAL set the Harvest Moon as the brightest Full Moon of the year. In the Hebrew calendar, it occurs at the first of the month. Only an all-wise Creator would think to put the big Harvest Moon as the first moon of the fall harvest. This would give the farmers extra light after sunset to garner all the crops before the Fall Festival Days begin. If the full Moon occurred in the middle of the month, the harvest would be over and extra moonlight would not be of any help during the harvest. Have you seen a Harvest Moon? The bright yellow, big full Harvest Moon is a sign for all creation that the CREATOR is in charge of time and seasons!

Fig. 2 - The visible Full Moon occurs the specific time that the moon is rising in the east and the sun is setting in the west. It is at this point that 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 of more days.

Genesis 1:14. Then CREATOR said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years.”

Psalm 104:19 (NEB). Thou hast made the moon to measure the year and taught the sun where to set.

Significance of Abib

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 ETERNAL gave to Moses:
Exodus 34:18. The Feast of Unleavened Bread you shall keep. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, in the appointed time of the month of Abib; for in the month of Abib you came out from Egypt.

Using the true meaning of the Hebrew words, this verse should translate something like this:
Exodus 34:18. You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread. You shall observe the days of unleavened bread by eating unleavened bread for seven days. You will do this at the (mow’ed) appointed time as I have Commanded you in the (chodesh) new moon which is the Full Moon that begins at Abib. This is the month the barley is young, green, verdant, and has just appeared as (or just like) when you came out from Egypt.

These instructions to Moses are not complicated at all. A small child can observe when the barley is green. That same child can then tell you when a setting sun in the west accompanies the next Full Moon in the east. He could then count fourteen days until the Night of Protection (Passover).

If a small child can determine the beginning of the year by observing the barley plants and the moon and sunset, why do we, in the twenty-first century, need 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, the young barley plants, our eyes, and a logical mind.

Mankind monkeying with the calendar is the reason the whole calendar system is now so convoluted, when in fact, ETERNAL has designed a perfectly simple, accurate system. Notice the following verse:
Exodus 12:1-2. Now ETERNAL spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.

The determination of the Full New Moon, the first day of the year, and of each month is crucial for accurately observing all of the Festival Days as required by ETERNAL. If the beginning of the year were observed on the wrong day, then all of the Festival Days that follow would also be observed on the wrong days and would give cause for ETERNAL to state: “I hate your Feast Days.”

The actual time event of the Full Moon occurs the moment the center of the moon intersects a straight line through the centers of the sun and the earth. At this instant, the moon is new and at its fullest and this moment in time is called the Full Moon event. 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.

Calculating a Full Moon Sighting in Jerusalem^[42>

If a person were in Jerusalem, they could observe which day the Full Moon occurred. They would see the Full Moon rise in the east as the sun sets in the west or observe it shortly after sunset. Thus, they would make an actual visual Full-Moon sighting. Nevertheless, what if you were not in Jerusalem to actually see the Full Moon, could you determine when it occurred? The answer is: “yes you could.”

Since the Gregorian calendar begins at midnight and the observational Hebrew calendar begins at sunset and Full Moon events are given in Gregorian time, a determination must be made to determine which day of the Hebrew calendar the brightest Full Moon event would be visible on.

Now it is possible to calculate the time of the Full Moon visual sighting in Jerusalem without actually being there. The calculation is done using statistics from one of the astronomy observatories. All that is needed is the time of the Full Moon event, the time of sunset in Jerusalem for the day of the event, and the time of sunset for the day following the event. The calculations required are quite simple:

First: Determine the midpoint in time between the sunset of the day of the Full Moon event and sunset of the following day. For example, if the sunset is at 6:03 p.m. on the day of the Full Moon event and at 6:04 p.m. on the following day, then the midpoint would be at 6:03:30 rounded to 6:04 a.m. of the morning of the Full Moon event.

Second: Compare the time of the Full Moon event with the calculated midpoint. If the Full Moon event happened before the midpoint, the fullest appearing moon will be seen in Jerusalem on the evening of the Full Moon event. If the Full Moon event happened after the midpoint, the fullest appearing moon will be seen in Jerusalem after the next sunset on the evening following the Full Moon event.

For example: The time of the Full Moon event on May 23, 2005 was at 10:39 p.m. Sunset in Jerusalem for May 23, 2005 was at 6:55 p.m. and on the 24th was at 6:55 p.m. Midway between the two sunsets was 6:55 a.m. on May 24. Since the Full Moon event occurred at 10:39 p.m. which is before the midpoint on May 23rd – then the fullest appearing moon sighting in Jerusalem would be after sunset on May 23rd which would begin the first day of the 5th month.

In a different example, since the Full Moon event occurred at 7:15 a.m. on February 24 which is after the midpoint on February 24th, then the date of the fullest appearing moon sighting which would occur was after sunset on the February 24th.

The Hebrews of Old

You might be wondering, which calendar the Hebrew Patriarchs used?.  There are many examples, but only one is given below:
Genesis 7:11. 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 7:13. 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.

The Full Moon

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.

Big Yellow Moon

1 King 6:37-38. In the fourth year the foundation of the house of ETERNAL was laid, in the month [yareach> of Ziv. And 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. This month [chodesh> shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak 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. Observe the month [chodesh> of Abib, and keep the (Night to be Protected) to ETERNAL CREATOR for in the month of Abib ETERNAL CREATOR brought you out of Egypt by night.

The English word “observe” comes from the Hebrew word^[45> “shamar” and means “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:
Psalm 130:6. My soul waits for 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 18:12 (KJV). Whilst it is yet in his greenness (#H3 , and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

Both #H3 ('eb ) and #H23 (`abiyb ) come from an unused root word and means “greenness, verdure of an herb.” So, ETERNAL is literally saying:
Psalm 130:6. Watch for the big yellow new moon following the fresh, young green barley and keep/do the Night of Protection to ETERNAL your SOVEREIGN.

Therefore, the first month of ETERNAL’s year is the month in which one may find fresh, young barley plants. Thus, by simple observation, 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 signs to His people that His new year had begun when they would see the new big yellow moon that follows the growing green barley.

Because both of these events have to occur in sequence, (green barley then the Full Moon) to signal the beginning of a new year, this could mean that some years contained an extra month. This could happen after the twelfth moon if the barley would not be in the green 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 of 1999/2000 and 2006/2007

The second year of UHC, Gregorian year 1999/2000, Jewish year 5759/5760, or Year 5999 of the World^[47> was an odd year calendar-wise as it had thirteen months. The ninth year of UHC in the Gregorian year 1999/2000 was also a leap-year. If you are asking yourself what determines a thirteen-month year, you’re asking yourself a fine q

Why 13 Months in the Hebrew Calendar of 1999/2000 and 2006/2007

A revolution 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 in the calendar to adjust for this variance. The Gregorian calendar accomplishes this by the addition of a leap year which adds a day about every four years. An adjustment is also required in the Hebrew observational calendar but it does not add days to individual months. Instead, days accumulate over a period of several years in order to create an entire month. The occurrence of this added month is determined by the ripening of barley.

The second year of UHC, Gregorian year 1999/2000, Jewish year 5759/5760, or Year 5999 of the World^[47> was an odd year calendar-wise as it had thirteen months. The ninth year of UHC in the Gregorian year 1999/2000 was also a leap-year. If you are asking yourself what determines a thirteen-month year, you’re asking yourself a fine question. Our CREATOR has provided us with a method to keep the calendar in tune with nature without using astronomy or astrology. He simply states that the first new Full Moon after the barley is green is Abib 1 - the first day of the New Year.

Our agricultural sources in Israel have advised us that the barley was in the green stage somewhere between March 2 and March 15, 2000, near Jerusalem. There was a New Moon just BEFORE that time but the first new moon AFTER the green barley stage was April 7, 2000. By tying the first of the year to green barley, ETERNAL’s Observable Calendar will always be coordinated with nature:
Exodus 23:15. You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (you shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt...

The word “Abib” means “young, tender, verdant, barley.” This means that 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 ETERNAL’s new year and the first fruits of this grain are used in the Wave Sheaf offering at the Feast of Weeks. Therefore, we can see that our CREATOR’s calendar is based upon the observation of watching for the green barley and then watching for the big new, Full-yellow 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? There ARE NOT ANY SCRIPTURES to 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 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 (Interlinear Bible). Blow in the new moon, the ram’s horn, at the Full Moon on day our feast.”

Verse three (four in the Tanakh) was explained perfectly in the Servants News article as quoted above. How many times must 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” 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 in the example from Servants News above, the KJV completely dodges the issue but this time so does the NKJV. 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:

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

KJV - Proverbs 7:20:
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 when compared with the earlier 1917 or 1955 version of the Tanakh:

Tanakh 1985 - Proverbs 7:20:
He took his bag of money with him and will return only at mid-month [kece>.

Tanakh 1917/1955 - Proverbs 7:20: He hath taken the bag of money with him; he will come home at the FULL MOON [kece>.

The New English Bible - Proverbs 7:20:
He has taken a bag of silver with him; until the moon is full [kece>, he will not be home.

NIV - Proverbs 7:20:
He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till FULL MOON [kece>.”

NRSV - Proverbs 7:20:
He took a bag of money with him; he will not come home until FULL MOON [kece>.”

The New World Translation - Proverbs 7:20:
A bag of money he has taken in his hand. On the day of the FULL MOON [kece> he will come to his house.

The American Standard Bible - Proverbs 7:20:
He has taken a bag of money with him: he will come at the FULL MOON [kece>.

The New Revised American Standard Bible - Proverbs 7:20:
He has taken a bag of money with him. At FULL MOON [kece> he will come home.

Moffatt - Proverbs 7:20: 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, 18. And David said to Jonathan, “Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon [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.” ...18 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.

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 tow nights of a dark moon.

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

The rotation 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 conjuncture of the moon happens just prior the midpoint of a time-line between sunset one day and sunset the next day. See Figure 3 below.

Fig. 3 - Conjuncture of the Moon - The conjuncture happens when the old moon is totally dark. This happens because the moon is between the sun and the earth. The side of the moon facing the earth has no direct sunlight striking its surface; therefore, the moon has no light to reflect and appears dark. The old dark moon happens in the exact middle of the month.

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.

Fig. 4 - The Nearly Full New Moon David Saw - While speaking with Jonathan, David saw the moon of day 2 and knew without a shadow of a doubt that the next day would be the new full moon

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 before dawn and then you can 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.

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? I realize that what I am teaching here is not the popular way to determine time and seasons, but I hope and pray that my reasoning has not entered this article. My only concern is that we follow our loving CREATOR SOVEREIGN’s instructions on this very important subject! This is because He is worthy, He is righteous, His ways are for our good, and He set the calendar for us to be able to keep His appointed set Festival Days.

What Heralds a New Moon?

Other Scriptures also indicate the fact that a Full Moon begins the month:
Genesis 1:14-16 Tanakh. CREATOR said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate day from night; they shall serve as signs for the set times-the days and the years; and they shall serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so. CREATOR made the two great lights, the greater light to dominate the day and the lesser light to dominate the night, and the stars.

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 the appointed set times. Reviewing verse 14, we can see that point:
Genesis 1:14 Tanakh. CREATOR said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate day from night; they shall serve as signs for the set times--the days and the years.”

The English words “set times” come from the Hebrew word^[50> “mow’ed” and means “appointed or fixed time.” This means that both the sun and moon together would be a sign to show the appointed fixed time for the Festivals of ETERNAL as well as the new month.

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, New Moon will be used to determine the days for worship at the Temple.

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. Thus said 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 in the early morning, and the dark moon is, well, is 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 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 81:3-5 Tanakh) take up the song sound the timbrel the melodious lyre and harp blow the horn on the new moon on the full moon for our feast day for it is a law for Israel a ruling of the Mighty One of Jacob In Hebrew, as the English example above, there is no punctuation.

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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. Therefore 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’ (136) ‘Yehovih’ (3069) lives. Behold, 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. Yet a small number who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, [but with out 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.”*
* 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” (3069), a variation of “Yehovah” (3068) used after Adonay (136), and pronounced by Jews as Elohiym (430), in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since they elsewhere pronounce Yehovah (3068) as Adonay (136).
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 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. Thus says ETERNAL, who made the earth, ETERNAL, who formed it to established it, ETERNAL is His name. “Call to Me and I will answer you. 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 ETERNAL answer that through Isaiah:
Isaiah 52:6. 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.

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; 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 ETERNAL (Strong’s #H3068 Yehovah, from H1961; {the} self-Existent or ETERNAL).

ETERNAL also stated that we should not even “make mention of the name of the heathen g-ds” (Josh 23:7; Jer 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 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. 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, 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.

http://www.uhcg.org/Cal-Fl-Moon/cal-article.html