The church of God in Truth

The church of God in Truth:

Postponements (Against the Jewish Tradition)

GOD'S FESTIVAL CALENDAR

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork"

Psa. 19:1

Skeptics say, "There is no calendar in the Bible, God's inspired Word. They say its impossible to produce a calendar out of the Bible, God has not spoken on the rules for a calendar! There is no table in the Bible dealing with a calendar!" These are excuses why the Churches of God are told they must use the Hebrew calendar of Hillel II, a Pharisee who produced one in 358-359 A.D.

If there is no instruction in God's Word for a calendar, how are we to know when to start a count for the Sabbath and Holy Days?

What does God's Word tell us. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that

Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, [tribe] and His own [tribe] received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-14).

From the very beginning God set the rules and tools for a calendar in motion! "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light (Gen. 1:1-3). God recreated light out of darkness. Then "God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years" (Gen. 1:14). This is the very beginning foundational instruction for us to understand God's calendar. The moon and the sun are for days, nights, weeks, lunar months, festival years with [seasons] appointed times. God's Word shows four basic units of time to build a calendar. The day, the week, the lunar month and the festival year are the ingredients God used to establish His calendar for us.

Even the world recognizes the heavenly bodies are "to divide the day from the night, and are for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years" (Gen. 1:14). Calendars, watches and clocks are kept in perfect time by the movements found in the heavens! Ship are navigated by heavenly stars. The world depends on God's created movements for their accuracy.

DAY

God said in Genesis, that the end of every day is sunset. "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day" (Gen 1:5). Also in Genesis 1:8; 1:13; 1:19; 1:23; 1:31. "It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath" (Lev. 23:32). God's word starts a day at evening. The sun sets, rises and then sets again. This cycle of setting, rising and setting again is a day. God does not count time by half days, hours, minutes or seconds.

WEEK

The seven day week was established when God rested on the seventh day. This week cycle has been in operation since the beginning of established time. "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made" (Gen. 2:1- 3). A week is seven consecutive days and is dependant upon the sun. One week is completed after the setting of the sun seven times!

MONTH

A month is counted by whole days, not by hours, minutes or seconds. A month of days [Strong's # 3391] is what God's Word says! The New Brown, Drivers, Briggs, Gesenius Hebrew- English Lexicon defines #3391 as: 1. new moon-- month of days ---a month of time; 2. Calendar month with names; 3. Produce of months, ie. Of various season of year. "Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month [month of days] in Samaria" (2 Kings 15:13). "And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month [month of days]: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife" (Deu. 21:13). "And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month [month of days]"Gen. 29:14.

MOON

God established the moon to show us when the month begins and ends. The cycle of the moon determines the lunar month. A new moon is the beginning of the dark moon phase. This cycle begins and ends with a true conjunction of the sun and moon. This begins a new month and moon phases. The day on which the true conjunction of the sun and moon happens is the first day of the month. "He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down" (Psa. 104:19). Sunset, sets the precedent for the new dark moon phase to start the month. When the last of the sun has set, a new day begins! When the last of the waning crescent illumination is gone out, a new month begins with a dark moon phase, at that moment the sun and the moon are in conjunction, that can happen 14 to 22 hours before the mean [middle] conjunction. This can change the date for a Holy Day by as much as a day before the mean [molad]conjunction!

This un-noticed time is referenced by Rabbi's, authors and astronomers. Rabbi Nathan Bushwick, in his book "Understanding the Jewish Calendar" pg.71, ch. 9, writes: "As the moon moves around the earth, there is one moment that it is exactly between the earth and the sun. At that moment the earth faces the dark side of the moon. Already for about a day before this moment the moon has not been visible from any point on the earth and it will remain invisible for about a day more."

Some astronomers say the beginning dark moon phase of a new moon starts long before the mean conjunction! Roper Mountain Science Center and Observatory, Greenville, South Carolina: "Most calendars list New Moon---seeing it in the middle of its "new" phase. Here you are interested in the very beginning of the "New" phase, so that pushed things back as much as nearly a full day."

Royal Observatory, Greenwich, England: "O" illumination happens hours before the mean [middle] conjunction."

God established the moon to show us when the month begins. This cycle of the moon determines the lunar month. It begins and ends with the true conjunction of the sun and moon.

Some have asked why the Church of God, In Truth, uses the term true conjunction. It is important that God's people should recognize that there is a difference between a mean [middle] conjunction and a true conjunction. There is always a true conjunction before a mean conjunction.

The term true conjunction is used in the Encyclopedia Judaica, Vol 5, pages 45& 46, under calendar: "A month is the period of time between one conjunction of the moon with the sun and the next. The true and the mean conjunction: From the true conjunction to the first sighting of the new crescent in the region of Jerusalem observation at which may well be presupposed in the calculations of the astronomical Jewish calendar......shortly before the autumnal equinox the minimum interval from the true conjunction to the phases is approximately 20 hours, while the maximum is close to 72 hours, with the minimum of approximately 18 hours shortly before the vernal equinox."

A crescent moon is used by most pagan religions. The word crescent is in the Bible, but never used for determining a new month. Crescent moons are used only for pagan ornaments found in Judges 8:21,29 and Isa. 3:18.

God's way is harmony in all His creation.

"He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down" (Psa. 104:19). Sunset, sets the precedent for the beginning of the dark moon phase to start a new month! When the last of the sun has set, a new day and date begins. When the last of the waning crescent illumination has gone out, a new month begins with a new dark moon phase, called a true conjunction!! This happens everywhere on earth at the same time

SEASONS

God established the beginning of His Holy Memorial Convocations and Festivals [appointed times] by using the true conjunction of the sun and the moon. "And the LORD 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" (Exo. 12:1-2). The words new moon and month are interchangeable. When acknowledging a new moon we acknowledge the precedent set by the sun. Sunset, sets the precedent! "He appointed the moon for seasons [appointed times]: the sun knoweth his going down" (Psa. 104:19). Gen. 1:14 is the foundation for verses like Psa. 104:19.

We find appointed time was set into God's creation from the beginning of creation. The word Season is [Strong's number 4150] in the Bible meaning-- appointed times or fixed time.

YEAR

God's Festival year is determined by the earths one revolution around the sun. From one spring equinox to the next spring equinox is the most accurate count of a festival year. Equinox is the word turn in God's word. During the month of the turn' is when the appointed times of God's Holy Days should be. "And the Feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the Feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year [turn], when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field" (Exo 23:16). "And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end [turn]" (Exo 34:22). The Hebrew word for turn is called Tekufath. The turns of the year are at the beginning and the middle of the year. This is when the sun turns from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere and vise- versa. The Strong's number for turn is 8622, meaning: coming round, circuit. In reference to Exodus 34:22 its meaning is: at the circuit of the year.

TURN OF THE YEAR

What does the turn of the year have to do with Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread? "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you" (Exo.12:2). "Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance [Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread] in his season [appointed time] from year to year" (Exo. 13:10). "Let the children of Israel also keep the Passover at his appointed season" (Num 9:2). "Thou shalt keep the feast of Unleavened Bread: thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) And the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the Feast of Ingathering, which is in the end of the year [turn], when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field" (Exo. 23:15- 16). "And thou shalt observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end [turn]" (Exo. 34:22).

Vegetation was never included in Genesis 1:14 as a determinant of the year. Just the sun and the moon. "This day came ye out in the month Abib" (Exo. 13:4). Moses named God's first month "Abib"green ears. God simply named it the first month.

By keeping the new moon nearest the spring equinox [with Passover on or after the spring turn], spiritual Israel will keep both the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles at the turns of the year and well within a [30 day] months boundary of the turn. Meaning, we are not to go outside of the range of a 30 day month from the turn for keeping God's Holy Days. We are to keep the Holy Days at the turns. These turns keep you in the proper appointed times, even when there is a leap year.

Some groups always keep the new moon after the spring equinox, some years they keep both the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles too late in the year! Some years as late as Nov. 1st for the Last Great Day! 41 days passed the turn.

When keeping the new moon nearest the spring equinox [with Passover on or after the equinox], we always keep the Holy Days within a months [30 day] window of the turn of the year! God strongly indicates that we should always keep Passover on or after the spring equinox and within the boundary of a month of days. By keeping "Passover" on or after the spring turn--guarantees only one Passover per festival year.

A belief is of no value whatsoever unless it is in conformity with the facts of God's Holy Word.

RULES AND TOOLS

1. Genesis 1:14 proves that the calendar must be in harmony with the movements of the moon around the earth and also with the movement of the earth around the sun.

2. A lunar-solar calendar from God's Word uses the sun and the moon to determine a day.

3. A week is dependant upon the sun, one week is completed after the setting of the sun seven times.

4. The cycle of the moon around the earth determines the lunar month. This cycle begins and ends with a true conjunction of the sun and the moon.

5. The Festival year is determined by the earths one revolution around the sun. From one spring turn [equinox] to the next spring turn [equinox] is the most accurate count of a Festival year. This will keep all Holy Days within the frame work of a Festival year.

6. Using the new moon nearest the spring turn establishes the first day of the year. That is --IF- Passover is on or after the spring turn. If the 14th is not on or passed the spring turn, you are to add a leap month [13th month], you simply go to the next new moon.

These rules show that a calendar can be put together by following God's Word and putting His principles of rules and tools into use! Why would God leave His people without a calendar? God said: " Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them [the sun and moon] be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years" (Gen 1:14). A sign is Strong's #226 meaning: 1. A signal; 2. As a flag; 3. Beacon; 4. Evidence; 5. Mark. What sign does God show us as a sign for seasons [appointed time]? David gives us this answer in Psalms. "He appointed the moon for seasons [appointed time]: the sun knoweth his going down" (Psa. 104:19). God's Holy Days are to be kept at their appointed time. "Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season [appointed time] from year to year" (Exo. 13:10).

By following the "Comprehensive Hebrew Calendar" as written by Arthur Spier that most Churches of God do, then they are not following the instructions from God's Word. The Jewish Rabbis have added to God's Word by incorporating the postponement rules and taken away the truth from the calendar established by God and His Word! "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you" (Deu. 4:2). "What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it" (Deu. 12:32). The Feast of Trumpet is to be on the first day of the seventh month. It is never to be postponed or changed by the will of man. Only God establishes Holy time! God the Father and Jesus Christ never gave the Jews the authority to change His appointed time!

Christ told His disciples, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, He said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that He bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine [teachings] of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees" (Matt. 16:6-12). Again in Matthew 23 Christ denounces eight woes upon the Pharisees! "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by Him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by Him that sitteth thereon. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation" (Matt. 23:13-36).

SYNCRETISM

The Apostle Paul told Titus when choosing elder, make sure they don't teach Jewish traditions. "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth" (Titus 1:5,14). Can that be said any clearer? The practice of syncretism is not obeying God's instructions!!

Christ said, "Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men [Judaism]. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And He said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition"[of Judaism] ( Mark 7:7-9).

Jesus Christ, the Head of God's Church, said that the Kingdom and authority has been taken away from Judah and given to a nation that would obey Him. "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you [Judah], and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard His parables, they perceived that He spake of them (Matthew 21:42-45).

The Jews did not accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God then and they still do not accept Him and His calendar laws today! They do not have the authority to rule over the Church of God or His Calendar! They have no authority today!! The Jews were never given God's Holy Spirit! Christ told them God was not their Father, they are of their father the devil! "But now ye seek to kill Me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to Him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love Me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do ye not understand My speech? Even because ye cannot hear My word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe Me not. Which of you convinceth Me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe Me?" (John 8:40-46).

ANYONE, who tells you that you must practice syncretism today is a liar and is of their father the devil! (John 8:44). Those are Christ's own words. Don't be deceived by scholarly sounding word that will lead you to dis-obey God and Jesus Christ. Do you believe God or man's traditions! The postponement rules in the calculated Hebrew calendar was never a part of the calendar God gave to His people! These are man made rules put in the Hebrew calendar over three hundred years after Jesus Christ died. It is not a lack of faith to obey God rather then human man! "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree" (Acts 5:29-30).

CALENDAR DEFINITIONS

Sun & moon ---------luminaries # 3974

Small luminary moon

Great luminary sun

Gen 1:16

Day sunset to sunset

Gen 1:8; 1:13; 1:19; 1:23; 1:31_

Lev. 23:32

Sunset, sets the precedent for the new month--when the last illumination of the crescent moon goes dark-- -the new month phase begins!

Sabbath 7th day week

End of every 6th day begins a day of rest--Sabbath

Gen. 2:2-3

Exo. 31:12-17

Month yahrayach moon # 3394

Month----as named with the sun

Psa. 104:19 He made the moon

Psa 136:9 Moon & stars to rule the night

Isa. 13:10

Joshua 10:12-13

Month yerach means month # 3391

Exo. 2:2 Measure of time

Calendar month with names

Zech 11:8 Produce of months

Job 39:2 Number the months

Month of days Interlinear Bible # 3391

Deu 21:13 Full month K.J.V.

2 Kings 15:13 Full month

Num 11:20-21 A full month

Gen 29:14 Space of a month

Chief of months to you rosh chief # 7218

Exodus 12:2 Head, front, beginning, first of months

Num 9:1 In the first month # 7223

Num 9:5 First month

Num 33:3 First month

New moon chodesh # 2320

Exo 12:2-3 This month shall be chief month

I Sam. 20:5,18 new moon is tomorrow

Num. 28:11 Beginning of your months

New chodash # 2319

New Brown-Drivers: repair-renew--rebuild

Lev 26:10 Fresh new thing

New chodash # 2318

new cause, to be build,

beginning new phase

When the last illumination of the waning crescent moon goes dark the true conjunction phase starts, the new moon or month begins.

Full moon keceh # 3677

New Brown-Driver:

Psa. 81:3 Fullness, full moon, Festival time,

Appointed.

Season mowadah # 4150

Lev 23:5 Appointed times, place, meetings,

in their fixed time,

Exo 34:18 keep the feast at the fixed time

Exo 23:15 at the set time---set season

Num. 9:13 in its set seasons

Psa. 104:19 Appointed times

Turn tekufah # 8622

New Brown Drivers:

Psa 19:6 Coming around, circuit, completion, finish circuit of the sun orbit to the end, equinox, circuit, revolution, Course of time, come about.

Exo. 34:22 "Observe the feast of ingathering at the turn of the year"

1 Sam. 1:20 time come around

2 Chro 24:23 turn of the year

Psa. 19:6 to his orbit

Ecc. 1:5-6 wind on its circuit---round about from every side # 5439

Interlinear Bible says: "And arises the sun and goes the sun and to its place panting, arises it again. Going toward the south and turn around to the north. And going around and around is going the wind and on its circuits returns the wind" (Eccl. 1:5-6).

James Russell

HOW TO ESTABLISH GOD'S HOLY DAYS

God tells us the new moon is the beginning of the month. The first month is Abib. The Passover is to be celebrated in the Spring. The Spring turn [equinox] is the first day of Spring. Find the date of the Spring turn [equinox] at Jerusalem time zone. This is used as a standard because it will be GOD'S headquarters.

Establish the time of the beginning of the true dark moon phase. This establishes the first day of the year. Count 14 days starting with the first day to find Passover. If Passover is on or after the Spring turn [equinox] you can continue to calculate the rest of GOD'S Holy Days.

If Passover falls before the Spring turn [equinox], then it would not be kept in its appointed season and you simply go to the next new dark moon and establish that as Abib 1. 14 days later would be the Passover. The 15th to the 21st are the Days of Unleavened Bread. The wave sheaf Sunday occurring within the Days of Unleavened Bread establishes the commencement for counting 7 complete Sabbaths before Pentecost, which will fall on Sunday after the 7th completed Sabbath. To find the 7th month, count 7 new dark moons starting with Abib 1. The 7th new dark moon is the beginning of the 7th month and is the Feast of Trumpets. Count 10 days starting with the 7th new moon to find the Day of Atonement, the 15th to the 21ST day are the Feast of Tabernacles and the 22nd is the Last Great Day.

THIS IS WHAT GOD SAYS IN LEVITICUS 23:!