Again and again, the Bible describes a celebration that has tremendous historic value, yet has been both forgotten and eliminated from the life of the people of Yahweh - both the seeds of Abraham's family and seeds of Abraham's faith, and while I may not personally subscribe to this particular calendar - I appreciate that it directs its adherents the daily encouragement to consider HIS ways.
What is worse is how so many Christians will argue on behalf of following the pagan calendar than in defense of the Creator's Calendar!
Let's establish some context first:
- The Moon was given to "rule the night" (Gen. 1:16) and to be "a sign (Hebrew Leo'tot, marker) of the seasons (Hebrew Mo'ed, literally "Festivals"), and the days..." With the Sun, this self-generating luminary was given by Yahweh, the Creator to set definition and boundary to TIME. This is both a creation fact and the very first of what I will ever refer to as the "Creation Ordinances" - that which has been set within the testimony of creation to show us how we are to relate to our Creator.
- The initiation or entrance of a new month was indicated by a New Moon. While English is not a language derived from Hebrew, you can clearly see the connection as being historic in our own tongue - 'Moonth' > 'Month'. This marker identifying the beginning of a new 'Moonth' in the Older Testament was in Hebrew a 'cHodesh'. This term is found too often in the Bible to even detail here.
- The Moon was given to be the FIRST marker of redemption, regeneration and resurrection! As each month closes, the Moon becomes dark so that a progressive awakening, or regeneration happens; and like life itself in this period of time we "wax" (grow stronger), "wane" (grow weaker), die and are reborn.
Now if one were to look objectively at any Lunar Month's cycle of nearly 30 days, they would find a very interesting cycle:
- From the first appearance of a crescent sliver of a moon, to 50% illumination takes 7 days;
- From the half-moon to a full moon takes 7 days;
- From the full moon to the waning half-moon takes 7 days; and
- From the waning half-moon to it's full disappearance, takes 7 days.
This final period of darkness takes 2 days of rejuvenation before the first sliver appears again, and it all begins again!
A happy coincidence, or divine design?
"You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath (full-stop) to Yahweh your God..."
Exodus 20:9-10a
"It shall happen, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, says Yahweh."
Isaiah 66:23