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A Matter of Timing?? Or?? A Matter of Chance???
Have you ever wondered if the New Moons or the First Day of the Sacred Months ever meant
anything special to God the Father and Jesus Christ?
Have you ever wondered if the Hebrew Calendar was just some abstract means
of telling the seasons with no real attachment to anything in God’s plan; with no
real use if a better calendar (Roman) came along? Many
teachers would have you believe that. Or, is
the lunar calendar used in the Bible just an archaic method of keeping track of time that
is outdated with no use today or in the future? Is
it just by random chance that God gave this calendar to a bunch of illiterate, ignorant
people who could not understand anything more precise and culturally beneficial? Do you sometimes think that it makes no difference
at all whether or not you observe these festivals? Do
you think that observance of these days is not a matter of salvation so it really does not
make any difference whether you observe them or not?
I have found myself asking
these questions and having no formal church position to help explain these questions, I
was forced to find answers myself. The only
formal church doctrine existing was that these festivals were not applicable today in our
society. The issue had been totally buried in Worldwide and still is in all of the larger
groups following the breakup of the Worldwide Church of God. Yet, many smaller groups associated with the
broader Church of God have definite beliefs concerning how important the New Moon festivals are in God’s plan. They have definite beliefs as to how these
festivals can be kept in a new spirit, without animal sacrifices, and actually benefit the
believers’ relationship with God.
I
decided to find out whether anything important ever occurred on these days other than a
new crescent of the moon showing up whenever the skies were clear. To my surprise, I found that many significant
things are recorded in the Bible that happened
on the New Moons or First Day of the Sacred Months.
Herbert W. Armstrong
Many people have
wondered why the church grew and followed a man like Mr. Armstrong for about fifty years. He obviously changed back and forth on several
church doctrines many times such as Makeup, Divorce and Remarriage, & Counting
Pentecost. He restored many truths to the
church, but was unable to make a solid determination on the New
Moons. A study of the issues shows
that he knew about New Moons and received counsel from
such notable figures as Herman Hoeh, but the importance of these festivals was not
realized. The answer to why people followed
him, no matter what, concerns his reputation for trying to follow and please God. Without a doubt, Mr. Armstrong paid his dues and
was tested for many years by God. His
autobiography details many of the trials he endured trying to be faithful to the Word of
God.
Mr. Armstrong
led, even when he went the wrong way. Unlike
many ministers today, he would not play politics with the Word of God. When
he saw he was wrong he would simply change and go another way. The common people never had to doubt that he was
sincere in trying to follow God and get doctrine right. He
would stand and be counted. He would not
try to hide in the shadows and be a chameleon. If
he thought he saw an open door, he would try to lead the church through it.
Having said
this, I will preface the study to follow with two important quotes from Mrs. Armstrong.
Quote #2: “ Don’t believe me, believe your Bibles.”
Lets blow
the dust off our Bibles and see what if anything
significant was ever done on the New Moon or First Day
of a Sacred Month.
Genesis
Genesis is
called the Book of Origins. A check of the book of common usage will show that
Origins can be called Beginnings. A New Moon marks a New Beginning
in God’s method of tracking his plan of salvation for mankind. The first place we encounter the Sacred Calendar
is in Genesis Chapter 6 where we start the story of the Great Flood. When
we put all of the account of the Great Flood in
chapters 6-8 together, we see an interesting situation.
It appears that Noah was born on a New Moon on
the First Day of the First Month of the Sacred Calendar.
Using Genesis 8:13 as the place to begin calculations, we find that whenever
Noah was born, it was either on or before the beginning of the calendar year. Some authorities believe he was born on the New Moon of the First Month of the Sacred Calendar. They substantiate this partly because one
translation of Noah’s name means “New Beginning.”
Continuing, in
Genesis 8:5 the tops of the mountains appeared, coincidentally on a New Moon. The Ark
had already landed on the highest mountains. This
New Moon marked the time when a significant amount of
land was appearing.
Genesis 8:13
shows that the earth had dried up on the First Day (New Moon)
of the First Month. This marked the time of a
New Beginning. Noah
then waited inside the Ark for about 57 days before letting the animals out because of the
mud, unstable conditions of the soil and lack of vegetation.
It is worth
noting here that the calendar Noah used must have been a calculated calendar. Much debate has been centered around how to
determine the proper calendar in the Churches of God, but the Bible gives no account to indicate Noah was going
out on deck to take moon sightings. He simply
stayed in the Ark until the right time to come out. John
Ogwyn has an excellent series of articles concerning the Hebrew Calendar showing that the
calendar was calculated.
Israel in Egypt
I think it is
important to note the first directive given to Moses and Aaron in Egypt. It is purely speculative, but can you envision The Eternal, the great spirit being we know as
Jesus Christ, telling Moses and Aaron under a New Moon;
Exodus 12:1-2 The LORD said to Moses and
Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your
year.”
Whenever Moses and
Aaron were instructed on the matter of the Passover, we do know it was before the 10th
of Abib. The Congregation of Israel was to
follow, a calendar based upon the moon and its phases.
The month of Abib or Nissan was to be the beginning of the year on this
sacred calendar. It is worthy to note the
authority given to the highest officials, Moses and Aaron, to maintain this calendar. This authority and the techniques for calculating
the months (Part of the Oracles of God) was given to a specific governmental office (See
John Ogwyn’s series on the Hebrew Calendar). Also,
the calendar was given to man for his use, just like the Sabbath was made for man Mark 2:27-28).
The Exodus
1)
Exodus 40:1-2. God instructs Moses to set up the tabernacle on
the First Day of the First Month (New Moon). This would be in the second year after they came
out of Egypt. Moses fulfilled these
instructions (Exodus 40:16-18). Moses set up
the tabernacle on the First Day of the First Month (New Moon).
2)
The Presence of
God rested on the Tabernacle on the same First Day of the First Month (New Moon) as recorded in (Exodus 40:2, 17, 33-34; Numbers
9:15).
3)
God gave
specific instructions concerning special sacrifices and offerings to be made on the
beginning of a new month (Numbers 28:11-15).
4)
God instructed
Moses on the First Day of the Second Month, in the Second Year following Israel’s
Exodus from Egypt to take a special census (Numbers 1:1-18).
The Feast of Trumpets
The Feast of
Trumpets is to always be celebrated on the day of a New Moon
(Leviticus 23:34; Numbers 29:1). This
festival pictures the time of a real New Beginning, the beginning of the reign of Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Matthew 24:30-31 pictures the time when all
humanity will have this New Beginning. The significance of the New
Moon as a New Beginning
undoubtedly entered into God’s decision to always schedule this Feast of Trumpets on
the First Day of the Seventh Month.
The Death of Aaron
The death of
Aaron is recorded as occurring on the beginning of the month. When he was 123 years old Aaron died on the First
Day of the Fifth Month. This ended the line
of priests that came out of Egypt. Once again
a New Moon was significant in a New
Beginning. The Israelites mourned
Aaron for one month and on the First Day of the Sixth Month began their journey toward the
Promised Land with a new High Priest (Numbers
33:38-39). The death of the old priesthood
marked the beginning of a new priesthood.
Israel Prepares to Enter the Promised Land
The book of
Deuteronomy records what must have been the greatest teaching lesson and pep talk in
history. Moses assembled the Israelites on
the First Day (New Moon) of the Eleventh Month of their
40th year of wilderness punishment. He
reminded them of their covenant with God ( Deut. 1:3).
He instructed them on this same day (Deut. 1:3-8) to enter the Promised
Land. The entire book of Deuteronomy seems to
be an extension of this special day of instruction to Israel. A New Beginning was
taking place.
It appears that
Moses died on this same day and Joshua became the new leader (Deut. 34:5-9). This change in leadership marked another New Beginning. The
Israelites then mourned the loss of Moses for one month.
Then in the First Month of the 41st year after they had came out
of Egypt they entered the Promised Land. They crossed the Jordan River and took Jericho
during the Passover Season.
Hezekiah
King Hezekiah
ordered the repairs of the temple. The
repairs began on the First Day of the First Month ( 2 Chron. 29:3, 17). It is significant that this represented a new
start, a New Beginning.
Post Captivity
1)
King Cyrus
commissioned the Jews to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
After they arrived, they offered sacrifices on the First Day of the Seventh
Month, the Feast of Trumpets (Ezra 3:1-6).
2)
Ezra left
Babylon on the First Day of the First Month with the decree from King Artaxerxes to free
the Jews from Babylonian captivity. He
arrived in Jerusalem on the First Day of the Fifth Month (Ezra 7:8-9).
3)
After the temple
was dedicated, Ezra read to the people from the Book
of the Law on the First Day of the Seventh Month (Feast of
Trumpets). This marked another New Beginning and was the first time the Book of the Law had been read from since the Jews
returned from captivity (Neh. 8:1-3).
4)
A severe problem
existed with the Jews having intermarried with the natives at the return of Ezra. On the First Day of the Tenth Month, Ezra and
other priests began deciding how to solve this problem.
This probably had something to do with the customs regard the revelation of
prophetic events and consulting with God. This
was commonly done on the New Moons. On the following year, on the First Day of the
First Month, they formally rendered their decision (Ezra 10:16-17).
Prophecy
The Bible records that God often spoke to his
prophets concerning instructions and prophetic events on the First Day (New Moon) of a New Month.
Ezekiel received prophecy concerning the destruction of Tyre (Ezk. 26:1-4). He also received prophecy concerning the
destruction of Egypt (Ezk. 29:14. 17-19; 31:1-2; 32:1-2).
Haggai received
word that the temple in Jerusalem would be rebuilt prior to the return of Jesus Christ
(Hag. 1:1). This prophetic information came
on the First Day of the Sixth Month.
The Return of Christ
When Christ
returns a new temple will be set up for the purpose of worshipping God. These prophecies are recorded in Isa. 66:22-23 and
Ezk. 45:17-18. Note that on the First Day of the First Sacred Month (New Moon) this temple will be purified.
Thus
says the Lord God: “In the first day of the first month, you shall take a young bull
without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary” (Ezk. 45:18). Just by chance, this New
Beginning will take place on a New Moon.
It is well known
that many of the Prophetic Revelations came to the Major Prophets on a New Moon. ASK
YOURSELF!! What will happen to the Church of
God that Christ will be returning to if, JUST BY CHANCE, Jesus Christ really is the same
yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13: 8)? In
Amos 3:7, we are told that the Eternal does
nothing unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets. What would happen if Jesus Christ would try to
send a major prophetic message to the leaders of his church on a New Moon? I think
the answer is obvious. The Church of God
would not get the message.
This idea is not
that preposterous. The Book of Esther records one of Satan’s master
plans. We have all heard Bible studies and
sermons over the years on how Satan tried to thwart God’s plan of salvation by
destroying the Jews and getting them to intermarry with other races. Satan’s use of Haman the Amalekite to try to
destroy the Jews was so serious and the deliverance of them so important to the Tribe of
Judah, that they initiated a special festival called Purim
(Esther 9:26-32; See Purim Link) to mark this
supernatural deliverance. The observance of
this festival is commanded throughout their generations.
When it comes to
deception, Satan is really good, I MEAN, really good!
The successful breach he has created in understanding, concerning the
importance of New Moons in God’s Church today,
cannot be underestimated. A tragedy of untold
magnitude would occur if God’s People were
to miss a major prophetic message just because their leaders were too proud to consider
the possibility that New Moon festivals are meant to be
observed by the church today.
Why All the Confusion
God is not the
author of confusion but Satan is. Somehow he
was able to influence the thinking of Herman Hoeh and other church scholars into thinking
these festivals really did not matter. After
all, we had the Roman Calendar. Satan hates New Beginnings because he knows that very soon there will be a
most important New Beginning. Most of us in the Churches of God believe that
Jesus Christ will return to set up the Kingdom of God on the Feast
of Trumpets. We arrive at this
conclusion by faith and understanding that God is predictable (Heb. 13:8) and has a plan. Satan has successfully created a breach in the
understanding of God’s people concerning the New Moons.
Satan must really hate this festival and the New Beginning it pictures and reminds Christ’s disciples of
every month, because he has nothing to look forward to except his removal from power and
punishment at Christ’s return. Just as
the weekly Sabbath Day is a reminder of Creation, the New Moons
are a monthly reminder of the New Beginning for all people
when Christ returns.
Post Hoc Analysis
About 500 BC the
Greek Philosopher Plato developed a classic work called The Republic.
This classic work in philosophy recognized that strong family ties and
loyalty stood in the way of the Ideal Society
(Satan’s Version of Society). The
effects of this philosophical approach to the doctrines of the Worldwide Church of God may
be seen in an article by Herman Hoeh and manuscripts from the infamous SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY PROJECT. An example of this philosophical approach and
human reasoning, coupled with a latent anti-Jewish sentiment can be seen in the last
official, written statement this author could find concerning doctrine toward the
observance of New Moon festivals. This statement is in the January 1961, Volume X,
Number 1, Issue of the Good News magazine. The entire article, How FAR Does CHURCH GOVERNMENT Extend into YOUR Life?,
is a classic in philosophy but has little in it concerning scripture. Now it does sound intellectual, but close scrutiny
will shoot the entire article full of several holes.
In this article, under a section concerning the calendar, Dr. Herman L. Hoeh
states it is not for us (The Church) to observe the New Moons, it is for the Jews.
The precepts of philosophy were used to reason away a most important point
of doctrine.
Only now that a
general approach to searching for and trying to find the faith once delivered to the
Saints and an approach in the church of trying to model Apostolic Christianity, have the
doors opened to new understanding of the scriptures.
It would be a shame to close these open doors again. An attitude reminiscent of the Bereans (Acts
17:10-11) should be used to approach the doctrinal topic of the New
Moon festivals.
Foremost would
be the need to consider the validity of the New Moons
today as a means for the leadership of the church to be available for prophetic
revelation. If we believe that Christ is very close to returning, it would be
prudent for the leadership of the church to consider every possible way that they might
enhance their relationship with the Eternal. If there was any chance that Jesus Christ might be old-fashioned and stubborn;
still using the period of the New Moon festivals for
major prophetic revelations, that should be a primary concern of the church leadership.
One of the goals
of the leadership should be Divine Healing. In 2 Kings 4:23 we see an example showing how it
was a common custom to approach the prophet for divine instruction and Healing on a New Moon or a Sabbath. We
understand, just as the Shunammite Woman did, that sometimes it is proper to approach the
elders immediately with the request for divine healing because of the gravity of a
situation. However, the novel idea existed that if possible, there were
special days designated for the purpose of requesting healing. This idea was passed down from somewhere,
probably from the Eternal through the prophets. It would seem proper for an elite headquarters
staff of elders to gather all prayer requests and make a specific point of addressing God
concerning these requests on a New Moon, even if proper
anointing had already taken place. This could
be just one more extension of the principles of Servant
Leadership.
Reflection
Can all of these
significant events be just a MATTER OF CHANCE? I discern that these events are not mere chance
happenings! The logical explanation would be
that God is very organized and not the author of confusion.
He has a plan and it is intricately connected with the New Moons. The master plan of God the Father and Jesus Christ
is all a MATTER OF TIMING.
There are about
twenty-two (22) significant events listed in the study above. Figuring that the Great Flood happening in about 2319 BC, this
allows for about one significant event to happen on the average of once every TWO HUNDRED
years. The skeptic will say, “NAW!!” “It is just a MATTER OF CHANCE, once every
200 years or so?” “Who are you
kidding.” PURE COINCIDENCE.
What then is the
answer to the doctrinal questions concerning the proper place of New Moon festivals in God’s Church today? WHAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER? The doctrinal questions involved concerning the New Moon festivals test our
approach to God’s truth and how we react to the truth God reveals to us. It also involves our approach to God’s Word. Do we use the Scissors Approach?
In my opinion Mr. Armstrong addressed the proper approach to doctrinal
topics in his 1976 classic work, Pagan Holidays
– or God’s Holy Days -- Which? See
Appendix A. Just by chance, New Moons are mentioned within the context of this excerpt
from the aforementioned booklet.
Danie7:20-21 “and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came
up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke
pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.
I
was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against
them,”
Daniel
7:25-26 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of
the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a
time.
But
the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy
it forever.
Yes, this false
religious system has tricked people and changed Times. Most of the world follows the pagan Roman Calendar
and all its festivals, not God’s. Most
of the people of God have been led astray by this calendar system and the human reasoning
Mr. Armstrong warned us of so often. The New Moon festivals under the New Covenant would not require elaborate and
costly meeting halls. They would in no way
detract from the commission to give the warning message.
Rather, these festivals could be observed as small family groups through
festive family meals. Proper guidance and
balance from the church would be necessary in coordinating the calendar for these events
and teaching about these festivals to return a lost piece of knowledge to the church. All it would require to not change times, and not
bow the knee to Baal would be desire and leadership within the church. New Moon
festivals are a most important piece of the puzzle, which has been neglected and
misunderstood for a long time. Are we ready to grow in knowledge?
Are we really ready to teach and hear the full council of God?
______________________________________________
APPENDIX A
Excerpt from 1976 Edition of:
Pagan Holidays -- or God's Holy Days -- Which?
Pages 2-4
Banishing Prejudice
Let us honestly open our
Bibles, and prayerfully investigate. We are
told to study -- not argue, not to refute, but -- to show ourselves approved unto God --
to learn God's will. We are commanded, as Christians, to grow in
knowledge as well as in grace (II Peter 3:18). All
Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to correct and to reprove us,
where we have, through assumption, false teaching, or prejudice, been in error.
Most people have supposed that all the
annual Sabbaths and feast days of Israel were done away.
And yet Church history shows that the early true Church did, for more than
four hundred long years at least -- perhaps much longer -- after Christ's resurrection,
continue to keep and observe these annual holy days given by God!
And just as the Sunday observer is
inclined to look, at first, upon any argument for the weekly Sabbath with prejudice -- as
a heresy -- and to examine every argument only in an attitude of attempting to refute it,
so it will be only human -- only natural for us, if we are not on our guard against it, to
look upon any presentation of these annual Sabbaths in the same spirit of prejudice.
But
remember that "he that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame
unto him" (Prov. 18:13).
Let us, therefore, in willing
submission to God, to His will, with yielded hearts free from prejudice, with open minds
desiring truth more than our own way, trembling before the sacred and holy Word of God,
ask God humbly for the direction of His Holy Spirit.
And in this prayerful, submissive, willing, yet careful and cautious
attitude, study this question -- proving all things.
Study This Twice
Let
us warn, too, that certain objections will be sure to come to the mind -- all of which,
will be dealt with and explained later on. But
unless the reader is careful to guard against it, the mere presence of this objection in
his mind will, to him, overthrow each point as it's presented -- and then, when the
objections are later explained, the points made will not come back to the mind, unless the
whole exposition of the subject is carefully studied again from the first.
And in each case, the objection will
be one of the very arguments used by Sunday preachers in attempting to overthrow the truth
of the weekly Sabbath! For the weekly Sabbath and the annual Sabbaths stand or fall
together. The arguments used against the annual
Sabbaths will be the identical arguments used to overthrow the Sabbath -- and if these
arguments could hold, then they would abolish the weekly Sabbath! (For a complete
explanation -- proving the weekly Sabbath is for New Testament Christians -- write for our
free booklet, "Which Day Is the Christian Sabbath?") Such arguments
as "the annual Sabbaths are part of the law of Moses," or "they offered
sacrifices on the annual Sabbaths," or "Colossians 2:16 does away with the
annual Sabbaths," are not scriptural.
For
the annual Sabbaths were not part of the law of Moses, but were observed before the
ritualistic ordinances contained in the law of Moses were given. Sacrifices were offered
on the weekly Sabbath, but this does not do away with the Sabbath. In fact, sacrifices
were offered on every day of the year (Num. 28:3).
Colossians
2:16 refers, not alone to the annual Sabbaths, but to the annual days, the monthly new moons,
and the weekly Sabbath. Whenever the Bible
uses the expression "Sabbath days" with new moons and holy days, it is referring
to the weekly Sabbath days, the new moons and the annual holy days or feast days. The
"Sabbath days" of Colossians 2:16 refers to the weekly Sabbath. Compare I Chron. 23:31 with II Chron. 2:4,
31:3; Ezra 3:5; Neh. 10:33; Ezek. 46:3. If Colossians does away with the one, it also
abolishes the other.