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First Lesson.
Years are NOT based on solar cycles or upon lunar cycles!
Years are based on maintaining 'approximate' harmony with the start
of the annual grain harvest cycle in Israel.
Second lesson.
Months are there to segment time over a year.
To form a structure upon which the appointed ceremonies would be
placed.
(They are NOT there to attempt to mirror lunar cycles.)
Third Lesson.
Seven day weeks cycles are NOT harmonised with month or year cycles.
The seven day weekly cycle is entirely independent.
Fourth Lesson.
Days do NOT end at sunset.
Days end when people are normally asleep. Days end at the completion
of evening and the beginning of early morning.
Modern Jewish and Christian perspectives hold no value.
OVERALL APPROACH
The topic MUST be studied from Scripture!
There is NO value in referencing:
any of the books of the Apocrypha,
or modern Jewish teaching.
In addition, there is NO value in taking a single text of Scripture,
Gen 1:14 Then God 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 [appointments],
and for days and years;
and trying to build an elaborate 'sun and moon' calendar arrangement
thereafter.
One must search Scripture and seek wisdom from the entire Word of God.
[NB: It is true that the Word of God can not lie, but it is
also true that some texts embody symbolic teaching and
need to be understood accordingly.]
REASON FOR STUDY
People are usually interested in this topic for one of two reasons.
1) They wish to gain a better general understanding.
2) They are seeking to observe the Old Testament
appointed days.
For those that fall in the second group. It can be appreciated that
non-biblical celebrations, of Easter and Christmas, may have lost
their appeal.
However, the New Covenant is a completely different arrangement and
God Himself may not be desiring for them to fully immerse themselves
in these Old Covenant observances.
In addition, God may not be providing, in Scripture, enough guidance
to enable precise identification of our position in His annual calendar.
As a result it may be impossible in our own lives to appropriately
identify upon what days these observances are to be kept.
It is also likely that some future biblically prophesied events will
fall on these appointed days. For this reason such uncertainty may
also be deemed desirable.
THE YEAR
The year arrangement is somewhat complex.
While God's calendar year is not solar based, it does have a shorter
duration than the solar year.
For this reason some bible years span 13 months, while most years
span the normal 12 months.
The extra month being added when it was necessary to maintain
harmony with the grain harvest cycle.
In determining whether is was necessary, in any given year, to add an
extra month, it was necessary to determine upon what calendar date,
in the first month, the harvest would in that year otherwise be due
to begin.
The plucking of the first of the harvest - to be offered by the
priesthood to God - would occur between the 15th to the 21st of
the month. (The seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.)
The particular date (within the 15th to 21st range) was determined
by the weekly cycle - as the date had to follow a weekly Sabbath.
[NB: If the date fell on the 15th or 21st - the sheaf offered
to God would be plucked that morning, but as the 15th
and 21st were commanded annual rest days - the actual
beginning of the harvest would start on the day that
followed. ]
If it was determined that the grain in the field would not be ready
for harvest by the derived date (of the first month), then the harvest
would be delayed to the second month.
Based on the rules above a new date, in the second month, would then
be derived.
THE MONTH
The month arrangement was straight forward.
Every month was composed of 30 days.
The start of each new month was therefore very predictable.
[NB: There was never any requirement to perform
'new moon' sightings!
Certain specified annual celebration days
were labelled 'New' because they reflected
or foreshadowed times of major change in
God's work with Israel. ]
THE WEEK
The week was a continuous cycle of seven days.
The seventh day being established as a commanded rest day.
THE DAY
The day ended and began at midnight.
Midnight was the time of the latter 'evening' and the initial 'morning'.
Note: The initial 'evening' was sunset and the latter
'morning' was sunrise.
With the commanded festive gatherings at the temple, the celebrations
began at sunset and ended at midnight (with the close of the day).
How do we know all the above is correct?
The study and thoughtful analysis/compilation of the Flood chronology
provides an excellent literal example of the workings of God's calendar.
This is due to the Flood chronology spanning a period of over one year
and providing durations of time between stated points in time.
It provides a reliable and tangible example of God's actual calendar.
Refer - TIMELINE OF NOAH'S FLOOD
In addition to this the following webpages provide further discussion of
various details.
Refer - THE BIBLE'S 'NEW MOON' - CHODESH
- WHEN THE BIBLE DAY ENDS AND BEGINS
The following webpage provides a summary of the observance celebrations
the Old Covenant required.
Refer - GOD'S ANNUAL HOLY DAYS IN PROPHECY
While not required by the New Covenant, knowledge
of these celebrations is extremely helpful.
Consequences of the Calendar
- Region Specific
The calendar for the year was designed to provide a mirrored view
of God's long-term plan via the seasonal harvesting cycles - firstly
for grain from the fields and secondly for grapes plucked from the
vineyards.
The calendar was specifically designed to have meaning for the those
dwelling in (or near) Israel.
From an international perspective it goes without saying that those
living in other locations, distant from the land of Israel, would
have different timetables for their cropping cycles and potentially
even be focused upon different crops.
Hence, the calendar provided in the Old Covenant was intended to be
region specific.
- Timing Awareness Needed
With this calendar there is a repeating cycle of 7 days and a
repeating cycle of 30 days.
There is no information, within God's Word, which would allow the
transparent current day identification of these cycles.
Nevertheless, for the weekly cycle it can, perhaps, be reasonably
assumed that the Jews have been able to maintain awareness of the
Sabbath cycle.
However, ... the Jews today have no awareness of the 30 day cycle and
as a result have no ability to provide any guidance.
Therefore, without clarification (from God) it would be impossible
(at this time) to observe the annual observances at the appropriate
time.
Does it matter? ... No.
The observance of these days is no longer required.
Final Lesson
At this juncture of God's Work - awareness, preparation and involvement
in the roll out of end-time prophesied events is what would represent
pertinent and genuine action based faith.
Be aware that observance of days and festivals, which were once strictly
required, were only ever shadows of far more important realities.
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