Days, Weeks, Months, Year & Feast Days – How to determine

Let me preface this teaching by saying, I had always determined months with the sighting of the new moon. Then I met Garry Capps who asked a small gathering several intriguing questions. He asked, “where in the bible does it tell you to ‘sight’ the sliver of the moon”? I answered that it is not in there and knowing his new moon was dark asked him back…”where in the bible does it tell you which ‘dark day’ is to be the new moon”. I was so clever or so I thought =)

He asked back, “in 1st Samuel 20:5…How did David know that the New Moon would be ‘tomorrow’ if it had not yet been sighted?”.

OK – he now has my attention and I ask you to do what I did. I said….SHOW ME! I must look at the evidence and the Hebrew scriptures to reveal the answer. Well it turned out I was just following a tradition and did not even realize it.

His teaching on this matter is as follows:
Victor

Gen 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called
Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Gen 1:8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening
and the morning were the second day.
Gen 1:13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.
Gen 1:19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
Gen 1:23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it
was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth
day.
Lev 23:32 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.

Hmmm, if Shabbat runs from even to even, all other days must also run
from even to even. Whoa, Nelly, what could “even to even” possibly
mean?

In Deuteronomy 2l:23, a dead body is not allowed to remain hanging
overnight, but is to be taken down ‘the same day’, so that the land does
not become defiled. A new day began at even, dark, and the bodies were
to be removed before that time.
Deu 21:22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and
he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
Deu 21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou
shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is
accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy
God giveth thee for an inheritance. [wonderful type and shadow of
Yeshua]

Now let’s look at Joshua’s actions to glean from them what Joshua
considered to be even.

Jos 8:29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and
as soon as the sun was down (vmv sheh’-mesh), Joshua
commanded that they should take his carcass down from the tree,
and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a
great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
Jos 10:25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed,
be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your
enemies against whom ye fight.
Jos 10:26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and
hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees
until the evening.
Jos 10:27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of
the sun(vmv sheh’-mesh), that Joshua commanded, and they took
them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they
had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which
remain until this very day.

In each case, the dead were removed from the trees at the going down of
the sun and disposed of. (The word rendered sunset is shemesh meaning
“the brilliance” in verses 8:29 and 10:27) This would have taken some time
and makes it clear that it was not the sunset or the going down of the sun
that Joshua was concerned about, but the approaching dark. This fulfilled
the principle in Deuteronomy that they were to be removed and buried on
the same day. The going down of the sun is construed as being the same
day until darkness!!

Nehemiah, that seldom heard of and largely unknown man, clears up any
remaining fog.

Nehemiah 13:19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of
Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I
commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they
should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants
set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the
sabbath day. ( KJV)

Nehemiah 13:19 describes a period prior to Sabbath when it began to be
dark. Shooore does sound like ,dusk, twilight, beginning of darkness to
me. The Sabbath, as described by Nehemiah, began at darkness!!!
Lets examine some Internationally agreed upon terms and see if we can
see one that fits Nehemiah’s description.
1) Civil twilight is defined to begin in the morning, and to end in the
evening when the center of the Sun is geometrically 6 degrees below
the horizon. This is the limit at which twilight illumination is sufficient,
under good weather conditions, for terrestrial objects to be clearly
distinguished. (Sounds like the time before Sabbath began that
Nehemiah commanded the gates to be shut)
2) Nautical twilight is defined to begin in the morning, and to end in the
evening, when the center of the sun is geometrically 12 degrees below
the horizon. In the absence of other illumination, detailed outdoor
operations are not possible, and the horizon is indistinct. (By jings,
sonny, this sounds like the real thing, Nautical Twilight just might be it!!!!)
3) Astronomical twilight is defined to begin in the morning, and to end
in the evening when the center of the Sun is geometrically 18 degrees
below the horizon. For a considerable interval after the beginning of
morning twilight and before the end of evening twilight, sky illumination
is so faint that it is practically imperceptible. (Nehemiah would probably
have declared the Sabbath to have already began, sounds plum dark.)
Nautical Twilight best fits Nehemiah’s description, and for those who like to
split hairs, now you can go to the Naval Observatory web page and have at
it with table after table of numbers.

Would it not be best when considering the beginning and ending of a day,
especially Shabbat, that we invite YHWH God into our homes well before
dark and make HIM welcome until well after dark the next day. Let’s all
pray and strive for HIM to be always welcome in our homes.

For your further consideration and edification please consider the following:
Rise, Set and Twilight Definitions
U.S. Naval Observatory
Astronomical Applications Department

Horizon: Wherever one is located on or near the Earth’s surface, the
Earth is perceived as essentially flat and, therefore, as a plane. The sky
resembles one-half of a sphere or dome centered at the observer. If
there are no visual obstructions, the apparent intersection of the sky with
the Earth’s (plane) surface is the horizon, which appears as a circle
centered at the observer. For rise/set computations, the observer’s eye
is considered to be on the surface of the Earth, so that the horizon is
geometrically exactly 90 degrees from the local vertical direction.
Rise, Set: During the course of a day the Earth rotates once on its axis
causing the phenomena of rising and setting. All celestial bodies, stars
and planets included, seem to appear in the sky at the horizon to the
East of any particular place, then to cross the sky and again disappear
at the horizon to the West. The most noticeable of these events, and the
most significant in regard to ordinary affairs, are the rising and setting of
the Sun and Moon. Because the Sun and Moon appear as circular disks
and not as points of light, a definition of rise or set must be very specific,
for not all of either body is seen to rise or set at once.

Sunrise and sunset conventionally refer to the times when the upper
edge of the disk of the Sun is on the horizon, considered unobstructed
relative to the location of interest. Atmospheric conditions are assumed
to be average, and the location is in a level region on the Earth’s
surface.
Moonrise and moonset times are computed for exactly the same
circumstances as for sunrise and sunset. However, moonrise and
moonset may occur at any time during a 24 hour period and,
consequently, it is often possible for the Moon to be seen during
daylight, and to have moonless nights. It is also possible that a moonrise
or moonset does not occur relative to a specific place on a given date.
Reckoning of the Week

The Hebrew word h[bc sheb-oo-aw’ is rendered WEEK.
Brown-Driver-Briggs tells us it means seven or the counting of seven. The
simple counting of seven days from even to even constitutes the week.
Those folk who start a new week and month at Rosh Chodesh cannot
count seven Sabbaths from Firstfruits till Pentecost and get fifty days. It will
not model; it will not fit the Scriptural criteria. Using the Lunar Sabbatarian
model you can wind up with from 47 to 53 days. Close but no cigar.
Scripture clearly mandates 50 days.
Reckoning of the Month
Psa 81:3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time
appointed (hskb ba-keh-seh), on our solemn feast day. KJV
hsk keh-seh H3680 is root word of hskb
H3680 BDB Definition: 1) to cover, conceal, hide
A look at H3680 in other verses (word will be emboldened and
underscored):
Gen 7:19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and
all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.
Gen 9:23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon
both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the
nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they
saw not their father’s nakedness.
Gen 37:26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we
slay our brother, and conceal his blood?

What does adding b at the beginning of a word do? It is a prepositional
prefix meaning in or at.

Does hskb ba-keh-seh mean revealed moon or concealed moon
(conjunction)? Obviously it means concealed at conjunction. Hmmm, if the
day begins in/at darkness, and the month begins in/at darkness, could any
other important events begin in/at darkness?

Astronomical new moon is conjunction, that second of time when the Earth,
Moon and the Sun are all aligned in the same plane. Gee willikers, you
mean there’s not narry a verse in the whole bible about sightin’ a crescent?
NOPE, not one!

Please read 1Samuel ch20 and figure if David could have possibly already
sighted a crescent. Please also do not think that the people of this era
could not calculate conjunction. Calculating conjunction is simple and can
be done accurately by crude means if care is exercised. The various
methods of doing so are not the scope of this study. More on that later…

Reckoning of the Year

Gen 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold
and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
Each year has two seasons: cold & heat, seedtime & harvest, summer &
winter. In our verses under study, they are marked as the years end and
the return of the year.
Num 9:2 Also the sons of Israel shall prepare the Passover in its
appointed season. LITV
Is it possible that Tabernacles has an appointed season?
Ex 34:22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits
of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year’s end.
(Tequphah)
Exo 23:16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labors, which
thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in
the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labors out of
the field.
Deu 16:13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days,
after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: KJV
Deu 16:13 You shall keep the Feast of Tabernacles seven days
after you have gathered in from your threshingfloor, and from your
winepress. LITV
Deu 16:13 “You are to celebrate the Festival of Booths for seven
days when you have gathered in everything from your threshing
floor and winepress. HCSB
Deu 16:13 “Perform the Festival of Booths for seven days after the
ingathering from your threshing-floor and from your winepress,
TS98

Should Tabernacles be before the Tequphah, during the Tequphah, or after
the Tequphah? What is the Tequphah? Whew, more questions flying
around here than carter had liver pills!

1Ki 20:22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto
him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for
at the return of the year (teshuvh shaneh) the king of Syria will come
up against thee.
1Ki 20:26 And it came to pass at the return of the year (teshubah
shaneh), that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to
Aphek, to fight against Israel.

What is the teshubah shaneh, return of the year?

THE EQUINOX CONTROLS THE YEAR, BY OBSERVING THE
EQUINOXES WE ENSURE THE FEASTS IN THEIR RIGHT SEASON

The return of the year is the spring equinox, the Teshuvah Shaneh! The
years end is the fall equinox, the Tequphah!

According to Deut.16:13, if we start our count prematurely in the spring, we
might encroach on the grape harvest in the fall. In other words, the grape
harvest might not be over. Was this the case in 2007?

And now for probably the most overlooked indicator in scripture!!!

Please read Lev.23:9-14. Every time you saw the word SHEAF in your
western translation, you were reading the Hebrew word rm[ which in all
other places it occurs is rendered Omer. An omer is a dry measure of
actual grain!!!
In verse 13 of the verses of Leviticus 23 that we just read, how could we
take a green sheaf and make it into a grain offering thereof? (KJV renders
it as meat offering thereof)

Whoa, Nelly, what do we do now?

If we simply wait until the year has actually returned, Teshuvah Shaneh,
before we start our count, we won’t be in a pickle about not having barley
for our grain offering (Lev.23:13) and we won’t encroach on the grape
harvest at the years end, the Tequphah. Remember we are practicing for
when ye be come into the land, to put it into KJV vernacular.
By jings sonny, I do believe there might have been some conflict with the
grape harvest and availability of barley in all parts of Israel for a wave
offering in 2007 by the reckoning of the orthodox calendar. The simple
principle of waiting on YHWH God to bring about the return of the year, the
Teshuvah Shaneh, before we start our count is not beyond understanding
is it? What is promised to those who wait upon Him? The year begins at
the next Rosh Chodesh after Teshuvah Shaneh, spring equinox! Glory be
Roy, now I can start ciphering!

How is a modern Jewish calendar calculated?

First, the MOLAD of Tishri is calculated. (Molad means rebirth and Tishri is
the seventh month. This is considered the beginning of the year.
Then the Rules of Postponement are applied:
Rule 1. Trumpets cannot fall on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday. If so,
postpone one day.
Rule 2. If the molad falls at noon or later, postpone one day. If the
next day is Sunday, Wednesday or Friday, then postpone one more
day.
Rule 3. In the Common Year, if the Molad falls at D3 9H 204P or
later (Tuesday 204P after 3 a.m. or later) Postpone Trumpets to
Thursday.
Rule 4. In the Common Year after a leap year only, if the Molad falls
on D2 15H 589P or later (i.e. Monday 589P after 9 a.m.) Postpone
Trumpets to Tuesday.
Passover must be set to fall within the required number of days from Tishri.

Now I know this will ruffle quite a few feathers, so if you have a comment, please leave it below in the comment section and we will look at it.

Please share this with others,
Victor