In this article we will be looking at the time. In doing so we will determine what the most High’s biblical new year and months are according to the scriptures.
I like keeping things simple and I will do the same here.
We will look at what a month is according to the scriptures, and when the year begins.
The books that we'll be using are:
the King James Bible; the book of Jubilees and the Book of Enoch.
I have previously explained what the Most High’s months and years are in an article here.
However this explanation will touch on some of the same issues, the main purpose here though, is to give a clearer understanding how anybody can calculate the beginning of the year based on the scriptures that we have available.
How Long Is The Hebrew Year?
The first thing to understand is that the Most High has created everything we see as signs we can use to refer back to him and his creation. And he has left the scriptures as the greatest guide for us to understand this.
It is from this understanding that we can calculate the year and months.
The most High has created the dark, light, sun, moon, and stars as signs to us (Genesis 1:3-5), which we can see in the scriptures below:
Enoch 72:32-35
32 On that day the night decreases and amounts to nine parts, and the day to nine parts, and the night
33 is equal to the day and the year is exactly as to its days three hundred and sixty-four. And the length of the day and of the night, and the shortness of the day and of the night arise-through the course
34 of the sun these distinctions are made (lit. ' they are separated '). So it comes that its course becomes
35 daily longer, and its course nightly shorter
When we read the book of Enoch we are told that when there are equal parts day and equal parts night the year begins.
It also tells us that after this time the days become longer and the nights shorter and that this begins to happen after the 364th day, which is the confirmed number of days in the book of Jubilees (Jubilees 6:32). And we know that days begin to get longer as we approach springtime, also known as the months of Aviv/Abib or Nissan in Hebrew.
Reference to the beginning of the year is also found in Exodus 12:1-2 and Exodus 23:15 (we see in the month of Abib unleavened bread is eaten).
These revelations in Enoch and Exodus give us the first starting point when determining the year's beginning and end.
The Significance Of A Biblical Equinox
When we look at conventional understanding we find an event that refers to equal parts day and equal parts night.
It's called Equinox. It happens two times a year. Once in the spring and again in the winter.
The scriptures tell us that the beginning of the year is in the Spring time or the time of Abib, which is also called the month of Nisan in the scriptures.
So the bible through Enoch documented that there was a day with equal parts day and equal parts night, which signifies the beginning of the year.
This is a time of the year a day has an equal amount of day and night i.e. equal amounts of time on either side.
With all the information presented we can deduce this day signifies the beginning of the year and in conventional understanding it's called an Equinox.
This occurrence is validated by modern-day science (Note: Science is not the authority here, it’s just good to know men have come to the same conclusion God already put in the mind of Enoch).
What Is The First Month Of The Biblical Calendar?
So now we know the year starts during the Spring vernal Equinox we need to know what day it begins.
We are told in the book of Jubilees that Israel would forget the Most High's days, months, and the beginning of the year, once they stopped following a 364-day calendar.
Jubilees 6:36-38
36 For there will be those who will assuredly make observations of the moon -how (it) disturbs the seasons and comes in from year to year ten days too soon
37 For this reason the years will come upon them when they will disturb (the order), and make an abominable (day) the day of testimony, and an unclean day a feast day, and they will confound all the days, the holy with the unclean, and the unclean day with the holy; for they will go wrong as to the months and sabbaths and feasts and jubilees.
38 For this reason I command and testify to thee that thou mayst testify to them; for after thy death thy children will disturb (them), so that they will not make the year three hundred and sixty-four days only, and for this reason they will go wrong as to the new moons (months) and seasons and sabbaths and festivals, and they will eat all kinds of blood with all kinds of flesh.
We are told more specifically that there would be people that would begin to use the moon to judge the months, days, and years, which would be in error because it would bring in Passover around 10 days too early...
This prophecy can be seen within the Judaic religion as well as many so called black Hebrew Israelite communities today, who swear by the sighting of the Moon as a way to determine months, feast days.
Some even determine sabbath days using the moon rather than keeping the seventh-day sabbaths on each Saturday (which should start on Friday sundown and end Saturday sundown).
Hebrew Moon Biblical New Year Calendar Explained
Let's look at the reasoning behind the idea that a new moon begins the month to clear things up.
When we look at the Hebrew scriptures we see the use of the words “Month” and “Moon”.
The issue here is that a problem occurs when they're interpreted, because the words Month and Moon in Hebrew are different, but they are translated as the same word, which is Moon in many scripture.
Just to clarify...
The Moon denotes the actual physical Moon we see in the sky as you can see in the image below:
…and a Month denotes a 30 and 31-day month which is how Yah separated the days of his calendar given to his chosen people Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6).
The Calendar we use today has 28, 29, 30, and 31 days
Let's look at an example of the two words being translated:
The actual word for Moon is:
#3394 Yareah (Moon)
In contrast, the word used for Month is
#2320 Chodesh (New Month)
He is an example so that you can see the scriptures referencing the actual physical moon, interpreted from "Yareah".
Deuteronomy 17:3
3 And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;
Here the scriptures reference the sun and "moon".
The word for the moon here in Deuteronomy 17:3 is #3394 Yareah (Moon), which is the physical moon. Now let’s look at Psalms…
Psalm 81:3
Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
Here we see the scriptures telling us to have a "new moon" celebration, but it should read “new month” celebration.
The word Chodesh is used when you look at the Hebrew, but the interpretation is "new moon". This misinterpretation is one of the reasons that many use the moon wrongly to determine the months...
...this is also known as a Lunar calendar, as Lunar refers to the moon cycles. But in actual fact Yah’s calendar is a Solar calendar.
But what do the scriptures say about the Lunar Moon practice?
As highlighted above, when the scriptures tell us to blow the trumpet in the “new moon” evidence shows it has been interpreted wrongly, and Israel was never told to worship what Yah created because this would be in direct opposition to the second commandment (Exodus 20:4-6).
Exodus 20:4-6
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
The correct interpretation should be “new month”.
Hopefully, this shows you why those who swear by using the moon to determine months have been misguided.
Now let’s continue with the prophecy...
Jubilees 6:37
For there will be those who will assuredly make observations of the moon -how (it) disturbs the seasons and comes in from year to year ten days too soon.
When we read the scriptures above in the book of Jubilees, we are expressly told that some Hebrews (and other groups today) would use the moon (Lunar calendar) to determine years, and in doing so, it would bring the year in around 10 days too early.
The above scriptures show that there is a separation between month and moon; they are not the same word.
As previously highlighted the problem arises when the word "moon" is interpreted as "month" in the scriptures, which we can find in numerous places.
This bad interpretation has led many to believe that the new moon is being referenced, when in fact the word used was "month" in some instances.
What Month Is Passover In The Bible?
In this next scripture, the Most High tells Israel that the "month" they came out of Egypt is to be the first month. Just by the process of elimination we now know this would have been on the vernal spring Equinox according to the books of Enoch and Jubilees which we have as witnesses.
Exodus 12:1-2
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,
2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
We now know from the previously stated information that this first day of the month is when daylight begins to get longer and when day and night are equal. There are only two times this happens, the first is Vernal Spring Equinox, which is in March and the second is the Autumnal Equinox, in September. You can check out the Equinoxes here
We know that it has to be the Spring Equinox, because it is from the time the days start to get longer (Enoch 72:32-34), after the Autumnal Equinox (September) the days begin to get shorter.
Why Was The Moon Created?
Now let's see what the Moon was created for to get a better understanding of why we should appreciate it.
Psalm 104:19
19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
Here we are told that the Moon was appointed for seasons. We are not told the Moon was created to determine the beginning of months or Years and this is congruent with the Books of Enoch, Jubilees, and the scriptures as a whole.
Even if it is argued that the Moon is for feasts and sabbaths. We have the books of Enoch and Jubilees that point out the contrary.
Determining The First Day Of The Year
Now we have the background out of the way - let's look at how we calculate the beginning of the year so you can use it as a guide and get a better understanding about what New year means in the bible.
What you’re about to understand is that the days, years, and feasts are all supposed to take place on the same day every year. And in modern times the real new year is in March.
The scriptures in Jubilee refer to the holy days all being corrupted because of the miscalculation of the years and months.
Just like the Sabbath is the 7th day, i.e. Saturday, feast days are also supposed to fall on the same day each year.
Unlike the modern calendar that has leap years and no exact count, the most High told Israel that the year he created has a 364-day count with exactly 52 weeks.
When we cross-examine the book of Enoch and Jubilees we see the same understanding in both.
We are also told that each season has 91 days, which of course equals 364 days because there are 4 seasons.
The seasons for clarity are;
1. Spring (91 Days)
2. Summer (91 Days)
3. Autumn/Fall (91 Days)
4. Winter (91 Days)
Each season has 91 days in it according to the book of Enoch. Each of the 3 months is broken up as follows:
Month 1 = 30, Month 2 = 30, Month 3 = 31
Enoch 72:31-36 (Speaks of the 31st day)
31 And on that day the sun rises from that portal, and sets in the west, and returns to the east, and rises in the third portal for one-and-thirty mornings, and sets in the west of the heaven.
32 On that day the night decreases and amounts to nine parts, and the day to nine parts, and the night is equal to the day and the year is exactly as to its days three hundred and sixty-four.
33 And the length of the day and of the night, and the shortness of the day and of the night arise--through the course of the sun these distinctions are made (lit. 'they are separated').
34 So it comes that its course becomes daily longer, and its course nightly shorter.
35 And this is the law and the course of the sun, and his return as often as he returns sixty times and rises, i.e. the great luminary which is named the sun, for ever and ever.
36 And that which (thus) rises is the great luminary, and is so named according to its appearance, according as the Lord commanded.
Enoch 72:20 Equal Parts Day And Night
Vernal Equinox, Summer Solstice (Days get longer), Winter Solstice (Days get shorter)
So as you can see the first 2 months of every season are 30 days and the 3rd month of each season is 31 days. The 31st day is a transitional day between the seasons and the new year so there are 4 of them in total, one before Spring, Summer, Autumn (Fall), and Winter.
Now let's first look at creation to determine when the first recorded day for man began.
When we read Genesis we see the order of creation. The most significant day for us is the middle of the week. This is commonly called Wednesday.
On Wednesday Yah made the Sun Moon and stars. This is very significant and ties into the Messiah being sacrificed which you will see as you read on…
It's important to note what the sun, moon, and stars were created for
Genesis 1:14-18
14 And 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:
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
The scriptures tell us the lesser light (moon) and the greater light (sun) were made to separate the night from the day. Meaning the Moon was made to signify that it’s nighttime.
The Messiah As The Passover Lamb
We can check the accuracy of the day the year starts by referring to prophecy and the Messiah's death in the book of Daniel below:
Daniel 9:27
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
The scriptures tell us that the Messiah was killed in the "midst", which means “middle” of the week, which is a Wednesday.
The Messiah himself said that he would be in the earth i.e buried 3 days and 3 nights.
Matthew 12:40
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
When we count 3 days and 3 nights from Wednesday, it confirms that the Messiah resurrected early on a Sunday which is the day of the first fruits (Pentecost), one day after the Sabbath.
Scriptures also confirm the Messiah as the first fruit.
1 Corinthians 15:20
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
The spiritual significance of this is that the Messiah defeated death and was the first fruit to resurrect from the dead, something we as believers have to look forward too…
Leviticus 23:10-11
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
Above you see the description of the last day of the feast of weeks (i.e. the Sunday after Saturday), also called Pentecost which is 50 days after Passover (the last supper).
All that being said this is something we can all look forward to if we keep his commandments to the end.
Knowing all this, we know the Messiah became the Passover lamb, so his death would have taken place on the 14th day of the first month on a Wednesday, the 4th day of the week.
So now we know the vernal equinox is a sign to help us locate the end and beginning of the year. The next step once we have it is to find a Wednesday to determine the year's end and beginning. The day after Wednesday. So the first day of the year always starts between Tuesday and Wednesday, which is Tuesday sundown to Wednesday sundown i.e Passover then begins in the evening between Wednsday (4th day) and Thursday (5th day).
And the Passover lamb is the Messiah, who is the sacrifice offering for Israel and the whole world.
John 1:29
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
We also see this in prophecy which gives us an exact day to begin the year, found in Daniel 9:27
Daniel 9:27
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
This allows us to know the day the Messiah was murdered (Wednesday). The scriptures show us this as they tally up with the Messiah's death when we count 14 days backward from his death, as follows:
Wednesday (14), Tuesday (13), Monday (12), Sunday (11), Saturday (10), Friday (9), Thursday (8), Wednesday (7), Tuesday (6), Monday (5), Sunday (4), Saturday (3), Friday (2), Thursday (1)
As you can see when we count back 14 days from the Messiah's sacrifice in the midst (middle) of the week (Wednesday) the First day of the Year falls on a Wednesday. This is a fixed date which means it will occur on the same day forever each year.
Conclusion
So what is the first month of the year in the bible?
So to find the beginning of the year and first month we must use the vernal Spring Equinox as a guide because it is during the spring, which is the year of Abib (Deuteronomy 16:1), which is, the season that begins Yah’s year.
Once we know what day it falls on, we then have to find a Wednesday (Which is the “midst”, middle of the week) and start the count which i.e Tuesday sundown and a Wednesday. So the beginning of the week is on a Tuesday sundown, which begins the 4th day Wednesday.
We know that once we have the first day of the year, all the Holy days going forward will take place on the same day of the year because they are fixed days. That means if Passover betweeen Wednesday/Thursday, the 4th/5th day it will always be at this time. Unlike the confusing calendar we have today Yah made the keeping of the days straightforward.
Jubilees 6:30-38
30 And all the days of the commandment will be two and fifty weeks of days, and (these will make) the entire year complete. Thus it is engraven and ordained on the heavenly tablets.
31 And there is no neglecting (this commandment) for a single year or from year to year.
32 And command thou the children of Israel that they observe the years according to this reckoning- three hundred and sixty-four days, and (these) will constitute a complete year, and they will not disturb its time from its days and from its feasts; for everything will fall out in them according to their testimony, and they will not leave out any day nor disturb any feasts.
33 But if they do neglect and do not observe them according to His commandment, then they will disturb all their seasons and the years will be dislodged from this (order), [and they will disturb the seasons and the years will be dislodged] and they will neglect their ordinances.
34 And all the children of Israel will forget and will not find the path of the years, and will forget the new moons (months), and seasons, and sabbaths and they will go wrong as to all the order of the years.
35 For I know and from henceforth will I declare it unto thee, and it is not of my own devising; for the book (lies) written before me, and on the heavenly tablets the division of days is ordained, lest they forget the feasts of the covenant and walk according to the feasts of the Gentiles after their error and after their ignorance.
36 For there will be those who will assuredly make observations of the moon -how (it) disturbs the seasons and comes in from year to year ten days too soon.
37 For this reason the years will come upon them when they will disturb (the order), and make an abominable (day) the day of testimony, and an unclean day a feast day, and they will confound all the days, the holy with the unclean, and the unclean day with the holy; for they will go wrong as to the months and sabbaths and feasts and jubilees.
38 For this reason I command and testify to thee that thou mayst testify to them; for after thy death thy children will disturb (them), so that they will not make the year three hundred and sixty-four days only, and for this reason they will go wrong as to the new moons and seasons and sabbaths and festivals, and they will eat all kinds of blood with all kinds of flesh.
We see from the scriptures above that Moses was told that Israel would stop observing the Years as Yah intended after the death of Moses.
This allows us to understand that the days and years are something that would need to be restored, even in the days before the Messiah appeared in Jerusalem.
Understanding this is evidence that reinstating the years the best we can today is something we should endeavor to do, because it will only enhance our faith as believers in Christ.
You can take a look at the Holy days and their dates here
Shalom! And share this with someone that needs it .