This is my belief based on what I understand from scriptures and simple logic, ask questions instead of hanging on to tradition. Things to Ponder:
Q: Why did God create the Sun, Moon ... and Stars?
A: "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: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so." {Genesis 1:14-15 KJV}
Q: Since He created three witnesses in the heavens - the Sun, Moon, AND Stars, should people be watching only one or two of them to tell celestial time by?
A: No. We need to be telling time by ALL THREE WITNESSES - just like our clocks today, His celestial clock has an hour hand (Sun), a minute hand (Moon), and the seconds hand (Stars) - all three are required to accurately tell time by the heavens.
Q: Does God need man to be a witness of His heavenly clock? If not, why?
A: No. Because He placed His own witnesses in the heavens. At best mankind is an additional witness of His already occurring three witnesses in the heavens.
Q: How has God set His timepiece in the heavens as a triple witness?
A: The Sun, Full Moon and its accompanying Stars are at (or near) the horizon at the same time, though on opposite ends thereof. If one's view of both the East and the West horizons were unobstructed, as in the old days when Israelites would stand atop a high hill, one could see the setting Sun in the West while the Full Moon is rising to "rule the night" with its accompanying Stars in the East. The rising Full Moon greets the setting Sun every month.
Q: Did God create the Moon in full darkness? Or did He create it in full light, that is, fully reflecting the Sun?
A: "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." {Genesis 1:16 KJV}
Q: Can a dark Moon that isn't seen at all "rule the night"? Or a sliver/crescent Moon? If not, why?
A: No. Because it's not seen at all, or barely so. These are the darkest days of a month. A dark/crescent Moon does not "rule the night"? It can't. The scripture above is referring to the Full Moon.
Q: According to Genesis, God created the Sun as the greater light. He created the Moon as the lesser light. Ask yourselves ... if the Moon represents the bride of Christ then which makes the most sense?
A: The Full Moon (bride) fully reflects the Sun (Son) in her fullness ...because... the dark/crescent moon (at best the foolish virgins) does not reflect the Sun (Son) at all, or barely.
Q: Would David hide in a field until the third day at evening on the darkest night of a month? Or, would he be hiding due to the light of a Full Moon?
A: He said this because the monthly festival of the "new moon" was at hand.
"And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow [is] the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third [day] at even." {1 Samuel 20:5 KJV}
Let's examine that shall we?
Strong's H2320
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2320/kjv/wlc/0-1/
Outline of Biblical Usage [?]
> the new moon, month, monthly
>> the first day of the month
>>> the lunar month
Strong's Number H2320 matches the Hebrew חֹדֶשׁ (ḥōḏeš), which occurs 283 times in 224 verses in the WLC Hebrew. Codesh/Chodesh/Hodesh means "month", it does not indicate whether the Moon was dark, crescent or full ... but because it was a festival for two evenings every month, by implication it was a Full Moon, which was the safest for people to travel to/from ... by the fullest light of the Moon.
So, ask yourselves ...
Q: Would people gather for a festival on the nearly darkest night of a month? Or, would they gather on the night of the brightest, fullest Moon of the month? Would people travel to/from a festival on the darkest evening of the month? Or, would people travel to/from a festival on the brightest, fullest Moon of the month?
A: The brightest, fullest Moon. Think on this, if the crescent moon were the correct night to have their festival then they wouldn't even know when their festival meal nights were until the actual *official sighting* of the first crescent moon!
Q: Why would David hide himself in a field for the darkest nights of the month?
A: He didn't. The Moon was its brightest & fullest of the month, therefore, New Moon day was the FULL Moon and he hid in a field because otherwise he'd be too easily found. He would not have such a fear if the Moon were either dark or crescent.
Psalm 81:3 - translations to consider ...
KJV Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
NKJV Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day.
ESV Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.
NASB Blow the trumpet at the new moon, At the full moon, on our feast day.
RSV Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.
ASV Blow the trumpet at the new moon, At the full moon, on our feast-day.
AMP Blow the trumpet at the New Moon, At the full moon, on our feast day.
YLT Blow in the month a trumpet, In the new moon, at the day of our festival,
DBY Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the set time, on our feast day:
WEB Blow the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
HNV Blow the shofar at the New Moon, At the full moon, on our feast day.
RHE Blow up the trumpet on the new moon, on the noted day of your solemnity.
WYC Blowe ye with a trumpe in Neomenye; in the noble dai of youre solempnite.
JPS Blow the horn at the new moon, at the full moon for our feast-day. {JPS 81:4}
^^^ This is the "new moon" festival that David was observing, the monthly Full Moon festival.
Q: Why has this monthly festival been lost on Israel to this very day?
A: Because she observes the crescent Moon sighting rather than the rising Full Moon with its accompanying Stars greeting the setting Sun on the horizon every month, the two (or more) great celestial witnesses ignored.
Q: Why would He say that the gates to the city shall remain open on a New Moon?
"Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened." {Ezekiel 46:1 KJV}
A: The "New Moon" was a festival day, and people would be traveling to/from (through the gates) on that day. It is most likely that they would be traveling during a Full Moon, not a dark/crescent moon.
Proverbs 7:20 - translations to consider ...
KJV For the goodman [is] not at home, he is gone a long journey: He hath taken a bag of money with him, [and] will come home at the day appointed. {Proverbs 7:19-20 KJV}
NIV He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.
ESV he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.
CSB He took a bag of silver with him and will come home at the time of the full moon.
NASB He has taken a bag of money [fn]with him. At the full moon he will come home.
RSV he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.
ASV He hath taken a bag of money with him; He will come home at the full moon.
AMP He has taken a bag of money with him, And he will come home on the appointed day.
YLT A bag of money he hath taken in his hand, At the day of the new moon he cometh to his house.
DBY he hath taken the money-bag with him, he will come home on the day of the full moon.
WEB He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
HNV He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.
RHE He took with him a bag of money: he will return home the day of the full moon.
WYC He took with hym a bagge of money; he schal turne ayen in to his hous in the dai of ful moone.
JPS He hath taken the bag of money with him; he will come home at the full moon.
^^^ Notice these are all either Full Moon, or our Solemn Day, or the Appointed Day ... Day Appointed. The day appointed that is their solemn feast/festival days for the Full Moon, NOT the dark (conjunct) nor the crescent moon. Logic should prevail here ===> WHEN is it safest to travel if doing so at night? The Full Moon.
Q: Did you know that Jesus refers to Proverbs 7:19-20 speaking of Himself in the Parable of the Landowner / Vine-grower?
A: Matthew 21:33-46, Mark 12:1-12, Luke 20:9-19
^^^ He (Jesus) went into a "far country" (the world) for a "long time", that being the "times of the Gentiles", to obtain for Himself a kingdom (bride).
James also understood ...
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." {James 5:7 KJV}
Q: Did you know that when Jesus told the Parable of the Talents that He was speaking of Himself, a man taking a long journey?
A: Matthew 25:14-30, Mark 13:35-37, Luke 19:11–27
Q: Did you know that the setting Sun is on or near the horizon at the same time as the rising Full Moon & its accompanying Stars ... every month?
A: These are the heavenly two (or more) witnesses; not a singular dark/crescent moon for which Israel had to have "two witnesses" - you should read their ancient writings about what trouble this was to the governing persons of that time.
Q: When did God retract or abolish these statements?
"Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; [it is] iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear [them]. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." {Isaiah 1:13-17 KJV}
...OR...
"I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts." {Hosea 2:11 KJV}
A: He didn't. Read the whole chapter, still true, thus, and sadly, Jacob's trouble is coming.
BTW, I can only find three instances of the word "crescent" and that's in the following ...
"Strong's Number H7720 matches the Hebrew שַׂהֲרֹנִים (śahărōnîm), which occurs 3 times in 3 verses in the WLC Hebrew." Strong's H7720 https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7720/nasb95/wlc/0-1/
"Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Rise up yourself, and fall on us; for as the man, so is his strength." So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent[H7720] ornaments[H7720] which were on their camels' necks." ... "The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 [shekels] of gold, besides the crescent[H7720] ornaments[H7720] and the pendants and the purple robes which [were] on the kings of Midian, and besides the neck bands that [were] on their camels' necks." {Judges 8:21, 26 NASB95}
"In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of [their] anklets, headbands, crescent[H7720] ornaments,[H7720] ..." {Isaiah 3:18 NASB95}
You can look at various other translations here ...
https://www.blueletterbible.org/nasb95/jdg/8/21/p0/t_bibles_219021
https://www.blueletterbible.org/nasb95/jdg/8/26/p0/t_bibles_219026
https://www.blueletterbible.org/nasb95/isa/3/18/p0/t_bibles_682018
Q: What were the "crescent ornaments" (jewelry) a symbol of? Why would the Lord take these away?
A: Read the whole chapter of Isaiah 3.
Q: Did you know that the exodus occurred on the evening of a Full Moon? And that the Lord said that that would be the beginning of months for Israel? Would the Lord lead Israel out of Egypt on the darkest night of the month?
A: To this day Israel observes Passover on the eve of a Full Moon. Jesus died on a Full Moon (April 6, 30AD).
"This month [shall be] unto you the beginning of months: it [shall be] the first month of the year to you. ... For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I [am] the LORD. ... And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that [was] in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for [there was] not a house where [there was] not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, [and] get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We [be] all dead [men]. ... Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, [was] four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. ... And it came to pass the selfsame day, [that] the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies." {Exodus 12:2, 12, 29-33, 40-41, 51 KJV, read the whole chapter}
So then, the next question is ...
Q: What day, 430 years prior, did Israel (Jacob & clan) enter Egypt?
A: Abib/Nisan 15, a Full Moon.
"This month [shall be] unto you the beginning of months: it [shall be] the first month of the year to you." {Exodus 12:2 KJV}
1st Month (Abib/Aviv) - "And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this [place]: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day came ye out in the month Abib." {Exodus 13:3-4 KJV}
^^^ "This day" was the FIRST DAY of Israel's first month, to the day, when she departs out of Egypt (aka: Abib/Nisan 15).
2nd Month (Iyar/Iyyar) - "And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which [is] between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt." {Exodus 16:1 KJV}
^^^ 2nd month, to the day, Israel arrived at the wilderness of Sin on yet another Full Moon day of Iyyar 15.
3rd Month (Sivan) - "And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. ... And it came to pass the selfsame day, [that] the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies." {Exodus 12:41, 51 KJV}
^^^ 3rd month, to the day, Israel arrived at Mt Sinai on Sivan 15 (their date is Sivan 6, a dark moon on their Hillel II pre-calculated calendar), but truly yet another Full Moon.
The 14th to 15th day of the month is the Full Moon, not the crescent moon. To this day, both Passover & Tu B'Av are celebrated on Full Moon days. Shavuot is celebrated on a dark moon but you can clearly see in scripture that Israel arrived at Mt Sinai on the "selfsame day" that they left (Nisan 15) Egypt, so the correct date (in the third month) of Shavuot should be Sivan 15 (not Sivan 6 as they observe). Three days later Israel met her Betrothed on Sivan 17-18 ... which exactly mirrors Passover and Jesus' death on April 6, 30AD (Nisan 15), which was a Full Moon, to His resurrection three days later on April 9, 30AD (Nisan 17-18). I am NOT disputing the dates such as Nisan/Abib 14, 15, etc ... I am disputing whether those dates fall on a dark/crescent moon or a Full Moon and obviously they are a Full Moon. I believe the naming/numbering still follows those by whom she was captive and don't correctly reflect the true new moon, which is the Full Moon.
Israel could NOT have left Egypt on the "first day" of the "first month" (dark/crescent moon), likewise, Israel did NOT arrive at Mt Sinai on the "first day" of the "third month" as some rabbinic teaching says, we clearly see the dates in scripture as the 15th day. The 15th day is a Full Moon. https://www.sefaria.org/search?q=day%20month%20left%20Egypt&tab=sheet&tvar=1&tsort=relevance&svar=1&ssort=relevance
Sefaria search for "full moon" https://www.sefaria.org/search?q=%22full%20moon%22&tab=text&tvar=1&tsort=relevance&svar=1&ssort=relevance
BTW, based on scripture, I believe Shavuot is indeed a 50th day count from Passover. However, Jesus also said the following at the time of Passover ... "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." {John 4:35 KJV} ... if the true Passover on a Full Moon should have been April 26, 2021 (not March 27, 2021 as Israel incorrectly observed) then four Jewish months from that date brings us to the Full Moon of August 22, 2021.
From Monday, April 26, 2021 Passover, Full Moon
Added 118 days <=== by the Jews' calendar
(Nisan 30, Iyyar 29, Sivan 30, Tamuz 29 = 118 days)
(4 months then cometh the harvest, John 4:35)
Passover -to- Shavuot/Pentecost/Tu B'Av
Result: Sunday, August 22, 2021 Shavuot/Pentecost/Tu B'Av, Full Moon
How do I reconcile that Israel observes the "New Moon" as the sighting of the first crescent rather than a Full Moon? I believe that in David's day the Full Moon was indeed the New Moon, but sometime thereafter, likely during one of their extended captivities & exiles, possibly as late as the Roman empire, they lost the truth and believed a lie from a kingdom in which they were captive under, and still do to this day. Just because something is observed by tradition doesn't make it right. ALL answers are in His word. And these passages, although not "cannon", do support scripture quoted above {Isaiah 1:13-17 KJV & Hosea 2:11 KJV} - I think this portion of the book of Jubilees, chapter 6, sums it up ...
"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.
And all the children of Israel will forget and will not find the path of the years, and will forget the new moons, and seasons, and sabbaths and they will go wrong as to all the order of the years.
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.
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.
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." {Jubilees 6:33-37} http://www.pseudepigrapha.com/jubilees/6.htm
IMHO: The Full Moon -IS- the true "New Moon". It was also a Full Moon on the day Jesus died (April 6, 30AD @ 3PM Israel time) for His bride, the church, and I believe it will be the day He appears for her at the rapture ... perhaps that day is August 22, 2021.
What's happening on August 22, 2021? The *possible* day (August 22, 2021) and hour (3:01PM, Israel time).
*** The last potential 2021 date for Shavuot/Pentecost, in the fifth month - which is four months from the true Full Moon Passover of April 26, 2021!
*** The last possible date of Tu B'Av - which according to Jewish tradition as written by Gamliel (Gamaliel, Paul's teacher) is second only to Yom Kippur in importance!
*** It will be a "Blue Moon" - being the 3rd Full Moon in a season (summer).
*** This month's moon name themes are fish & harvesting - reminiscent of the two miracles (fish/loaves) Jesus did, eh!? But hey, how's about that "Flying Up" moon!? WOW!
From The Old Farmer's Almanac site:
• Sturgeon <=== fish
• Black Cherries <=== harvest
• Corn <=== Wheat is also called Corn in the bible
• Flying Up <=== 0.o
• Harvest <=== self explanatory!
• Mountain Shadows <=== meeting at Mt Sinai?
• Ricing <=== harvest
In addition, Time and Date site has the following:
• Barley <=== harvest
• Fruit <=== harvest
• Grain <=== harvest
(but they have the Harvest moon in Sep or Oct)
*** Interestingly, the Jews are now on their sixth month called Elul (look it up on Chabad), when (according to their rabbinic writings) ===> "the King is in the fields" <=== and the English word "Elul" is an acronym for the Hebrew words in Song of Songs (see chapters 5-7) ... "אני לדודי ודודי לי, “I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me,”" Is the King inspecting the fields looking for those ripe to harvest (rapture)? ;o}
*** More on my previous blog post here ===> https://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2021/07/071421-august-22-2021-rapture.html
To the bride (Full Moon) ... are you fully reflecting the light of the Son (Sun)? Are you ready for His appearing? We don't know for sure when exactly that will be,
but I believe I may have discovered some good math on this date. Here's
to hoping our redemption is sooner than later!
Maranatha to our King & Bridegroom!
