Thoughts on the Calendar

by Garry D. Pifer

Over the last several years there has been much written and discussed within the greater Church of God about the “Calendar.”  Some small groups and individuals have rejected the generally accepted “Hebrew Calendar” for various reasons but most of the organizations continue to accept and promote the “Jewish” or “Hebrew Calendar.”  The basic tenet and premise is that God does not tell us in His Word, the Bible, enough to determine a calendar.  It is stated that one must rely “solely on their own opinions” if they reject the Hebrew calendar.

I will show you in this article that the Bible does, in fact, give us enough information for a calendar that enables us to correctly celebrate God’s Feast days on the days He instructed us to celebrate them, and that there is no need for complicated calculations and rules of postponements.  But, before we look at what the Bible does say, we will address some of the questions, non-questions and “red herrings” that are brought up by those who support the Hebrew calendar.  I specifically will use some statements and questions that happen to be in one of  the latest of the many articles written.  I mean no offence to the writer of that recent article.

Near the end of his article he says, “We must then ask the question, What is the origin of the Hebrew calendar?  The simple answer is, we do not know.”  Although we may not know the exact details of its origin we do know, and it is common historical knowledge, that the Hebrew calendar that is currently in use IS NOT what Moses and the Israelites used.  Let me share with you a quotation from the INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPEDIA. “The Hebrew or Jewish calendar had three stages of development: the preexilic, or Biblical; the postexilic, or Talmudic; and the post-Talmudic.  The first rested on observation merely, the second on observation coupled with calculation, and the third on calculation only.” What we have today is the THIRD stage.  The first stage, which was based on observation, is documented in many early sources, including Orthodox Jewish writings, as an ancient law in Israel.  The establishment of a calendar which was unconnected to the appearance and observation of the moon has been attributed to a Rabbi, Hillel the Elder. Hillel, perhaps did not actually establish the calculated calendar, but revealed the numerous rules regulating the postponements, intercalation, etc.  For many years the method was guarded as a secret to keep the people from knowing about the change and was called “The Secret of Intercalation.” 

The author of the article continues by saying, “While we do not know the history of the Hebrew calendar, we do know that God used the Jewish people to preserve His Word.  Isn’t it also logical to conclude that He used the same Jewish people to preserve a calendar that will enable us to keep His Holy Days at the correct time?”  There are quite a number of things about this quote we need to consider.

How is this “conclusion” arrived at?  For many years we have been told that the “oracles of God” were committed to the Jews (Rom. 3:2) and that included the calendar.  However, the Greek word translated “oracles” indicates “the words or utterances of God.”  Nothing there would indicate the calendar is included.  Then where did we get that idea?  From the list of 613 mitzvot (commandments) compiled by Maimonides (Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, 1135-1204, Spanish-Jewish physician, theologian and philosopher) in the Mishneh Torah.  In one listing of these 613 found on the internet the mitzvot for the calendar is stated along with a citation to the biblical passage from which it is derived. “That the new month shall be solemnly proclaimed as holy, and the months and years shall be calculated by the Supreme Court only (Ex. 12:2) (affirmative) (the authority to declare months is inferred from the use of the word ‘unto you’).”   That “inference” appears to be a “grasping at straws.”

Others, referring to Matthew 23,  tell us that Christ said that the Jewish leadership was “in Moses’ seat” and whatever they said was to be followed and obeyed.  But, is that what Christ was saying?  Was He stating that this group of men could legislate and create laws?  Hardly!  Read this statement in context.  Christ repeatedly calls these individuals “hypocrites” in this chapter.  He had earlier told His disciples to “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” (Matt. 16:6) Then after discussion they understood that He “bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine” (the teachings) “of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”  IF we honestly look at Christ’s instructions we will have to admit that He is saying that “if” we recognize these individuals as leaders, then we should obey what they read and teach from the Law of God.  But, I believe it is even clearer that He is telling them NOT to look to them as their teachers, as  He was their Teacher.  They “loved to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.”  (verse 7)   Then Christ told them, speaking to the multitude as well as His disciples, “But be not ye called Rabbi:  for one is your Master, even Christ;”

The Jewish “Supreme Court” is known by most of us as the Sanhedrin.  I personally question why we should listen to these 70 individuals.  After all, they were the court that condemned our Savior to death!

The writer, in his statement, says that the Jewish people have preserved the Word of God and that we logically should look to them for the calendar.  We might ask, “Which of the Jewish people?”  Do ALL Jewish people accept the Hebrew calendar?  The answer, surprising as it might be to some, is that ALL Jewish people don’t accept and follow the Hebrew calendar.  For example, the Karaite Jews continue to hold to the method of “observation.”  A number of Jews, members of Rabbinical Orthodox Judaism, recognize that the Hebrew calendar does not match that fixed by observing the moon.  They do not attempt to change or alter the calendar since they believe they must wait until a new Sanhedrin is reestablished.  But, a number of individuals and groups have begun to observe the moon each month to practice for the commandment of observing the moon.  They have formed the Israeli New Moon Society and even ask the public at large to join them in attempting to observe the New Moon at the beginning of each month.

As quoted above, we are asked to conclude that it is “logical” to accept the Hebrew calendar.  I would rather appeal to the “logic” that when a merciful and loving God (and a God who is quite logical) gave His people His Festivals, with specific days of the months on which to celebrate them, He would give them the means to determine WHEN those days were.  As I will show you, the God that we serve DID give that information to His people then, and it is clearly preserved in His Word for us today.

But first let us look at a few more issues that are brought up in the referenced article.    The author does say, “Therefore, we can conclude that the month begins with the new moon.”  But, he then asks, “But does the Bible define when the new moon begins?  No, it does not.”  He then discusses the various views that some have put forth.  The predominate views are the “last faint crescent of the old moon,” “the precise point of total obscurity of the moon,” and “the first faint crescent of the new moon.”  But, he has concluded that the Bible doesn’t tell us.  Let’s see.

Let’s begin by looking at Genesis 1:14.  “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:” (The author of the before referenced article quotes this verse, as I have, from the King James Version of the Bible and states that what is mentioned is “not enough for a calendar.”) In verse 16 it mentions two great lights, referring to the sun and the moon, and says in verses 17 and 18 that they were to give light and to rule over the day and the night.  In verse 14 it says they were for “seasons.”  The Hebrew word translated into the English word “seasons” is “mowed”, 04150 in Strong’s.  The primary lexicon meaning is “appointed place, appointed time, meeting.”  A secondary meaning is “sacred season, set feast, appointed season.”  The same Hebrew word is translated “Feasts,” specifically God’s Feasts, at least three times in Leviticus 23.  Genesis 1:14 tells us that the sun and the moon are to be signs for us to determine the “appointed times,” the Feasts of God.

What does it mean “for a sign?”  The Hebrew is “owth,” 0226 in Strong’s.  It means a “sign, signal.”  The lexicon says that “owth” is “probably from 0225 (in the sense of appearing).”  In other words, to be a sign or a signal it must “appear,” it must be able to be seen.  As verse 17 states, they (the sun and moon) were to “give light.”  There must be light in order for the moon to be seen, for it to be a sign.  The view that a new moon would be “the precise point of total obscurity” doesn’t make any sense at all.

And, when we look at the Hebrew word used for “new moon” we see that the “last faint crescent of the old moon” doesn’t make any better sense.  As mentioned in the article, the Hebrew word “chodesh” is translated both “new moon” and “month.”  What is not explained is that anciently the sighting of the first reappearance of the moon, following a period of the moon being invisible from the earth (during which the astronomical conjunction occurs) was well known and called in ancient Hebrew “Hodesh” or “chodesh.”  This word is derived from the root “hadash” or “chadash” meaning “to be new, renew, refresh.”  Later it was applied to the period between two new moons, i.e. a lunar month.  A similar development happened in our own English language in which the word “month” was derived from the word “moon.”  The “young crescent moon” was in all accounts a “new” or “renewed” moon.  Historical accounts document this meaning.  Even Jewish people that accept and follow the calculated calendar understand the “new moon” to be the new or young crescent moon.  The only argument over this appears to be within various individuals and groups within the “churches of God.”

When would one expect to “observe” the new crescent moon?  I would think anyone having ever viewed the moon would have to answer that it would be after sunset and as it begins to darken.  Yet our author tries to distract us by his comment, “...determination of a new moon by observation (as was the case in most of man’s history) would not only depend on the individual’s definition of when a new moon occurred, but also on the time of day that observation determined that it occurred.”  He further says, “...the precise moment of the new moon will occur in one area before another.”  He definitely is confused or at least confusing.  The sighting of the “new moon” must take place shortly after sunset and prior to moon set, generally a window of an hour or so.  It will be seen during that period of time in whatever time zone you happen to be in. (This is not to say that there may be clouds, dust, excess humidity, etc. that could prevent actual sighting but the possibility would still exist.) Yes, it will be seen in Israel before I see it in Illinois, BUT I also will see it shortly after sunset as do the observers in Israel.  Just as a day begins when it comes to me the new moon, the new month, begins when it comes to me.  There is no need for word games.  There is no need for senseless and inane arguments that have no bearing.  History bears out that the “observation” was always done just after sunset. 

The writer says, “Those who reject the Hebrew calendar are compelled to use either the spring equinox or the autumn equinox as the beginning point for calculating their calendars.  They have no other choice since once the Hebrew calendar is rejected, some other reference must be used as a starting point.”  As we will see, this is absolutely untrue.  We do know, as earlier quoted, Exodus 12:1-2 tells us that the month in which Passover occurred was to be “the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.” Contrary to what has been said in the many articles concerning the calendar, God does tell us plainly and clearly when the year begins and how to determine His “appointed times.”  Let us look at what the Bible tells us.

Deuteronomy 16:1 states, “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.”  For all the years I’ve studied the Scriptures I have read over this passage without comprehending what God is stating and commanding.  First of all, I have always thought to “observe” meant to celebrate or to keep something, such as a Holy Day.  But, do you know that is not what is meant?  The Hebrew word is “shamar.”  It means to “watch for, wait for, to watch, observe.”  Even the English word “observe” means to “look at with attention, to perceive, notice, come to know by seeing.”  God is giving a direct command to “observe, watch, look at with attention” something.  As we continue we see what we are to “observe.”  We are to observe “the month.”  The word is “chodesh” and is the word we discussed previously meaning “new moon, the young crescent moon.”  So, we see a direct command to “observe the new crescent moon” in determining the first month in which Passover is to be kept.  But, is that all?

Notice again.  It says to “observe the month of Abib.”  Perhaps you are like me.  I’ve have always thought that Abib was the name of the first month of the year, and it has come to be applied that way.  However, that is not what is meant here.  Abib refers to the stage in the development of the barley crop.  Let me quote from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, article CALENDAR.  The article is speaking of the names of the months of the Hebrew calendar and says, “These names refer to the aspects of the seasons: thus Abib (‘abhibh) means grain in the ear, just ripening (Lev. 2:14; Ex. 9:31);...”  In the article ABIB, “...Abib is not properly a name of a month, but part of a descriptive phrase, ‘the month of young ears of grain.’  This may indicate the Israelite way of determining the new year (Ex. 12:2), the year beginning with the new moon nearest or next preceding this stage of the growth of the barley.”  Why was it important to “observe the Abib,” the stage in the development of the barley?  I know we are all familiar with the instruction to bring the “wave sheaf” to be “waved” or lifted up on the “morrow after the Sabbath” during the Days of Unleavened Bread.  IF the barley was not far enough along in its development by the beginning of the new month, at the sighting of the new crescent, there would be no ripe barley to bring.  Consequently, at the end of the 12th month if it was determined that the barley would NOT be ready the new month could NOT be the first month, but would automatically be a 13th month or an intercalary month.  Intercalary or “leap months” are arbitrarily inserted in the Hebrew calendar seven times within a nineteen year cycle.

Once we have “observed” the “new crescent moon” and “the barley” we can know all that is needed to determine when to celebrate God’s Feasts.  If we count to 14 we have Passover, to 15 the Days of Unleavened Bread.  We have instructions regarding the counting for Pentecost.  When we come to the 7th new moon we are at Trumpets.  Counting to 10 brings us to Atonement and to 15 the Feast of Tabernacles.  No postponements.  No elaborate calculations.  Just a simple, plain, straightforward, and I might add, logical method whereby even the average individual can understand and obey the command.  Visual sighting of the new moon does not require an immense amount of astronomical knowledge.  And, most  farmers can “observe” the grain crop and know whether or not it will be ripe within a couple of weeks.

I will agree with one statement made by the writer of the article we have been referring to.  He said, “But if the Hebrew calendar is rejected and if the Bible does not give the specific elements needed for a calendar, then it is impossible to have a calendar based on any authority other than that of the individual who created it.”  I personally see specific instructions and commands, specific elements needed for a calendar, in the Bible.  I personally reject the Hebrew calendar because, as far as I am concerned,  it is based on the “authority” of the “individual who created it.”  It is NOT based on the Bible.