In Genesis chapter one when Elohim created the sun and moon, he called the former “the greater light” and the latter “the lesser light” (Gen 1:16). The former rules the day and the lesser rules the night (ibib.). This is prophetic of the role of Yeshua and the saints in the world.
Yeshua the Messiah is the Light of the world (John 1:6–9; 8:12; 9:5) or the Sun of Righteousness (Mal 4:2) or the Greater Light to show man the path of spiritual light in the darkness of this world. The saints are like the moon or the lesser light that reflects the light of the sun or the greater light into the darkness of this world. Yeshua shines his spiritual light onto his disciples who then take that light and evangelize those lost in spiritual darkness with the message of the gospel. This is the great commission!
The biblical feasts are calculated based on the lunations of the moon. The seven biblical holidays speak of YHVH’s plan of salvation to show man the way to Yeshua who is the Greater Spiritual Light as represented by the sun. The feasts are like a tract or sermon by which the saints preach the gospel message of salvation to the world. The saints as the lesser light reflecting the message of salvation through Yeshua the Greater Light into the darkness of this world through their adherence to the biblical feasts. This is one reason why the moon—the lesser light—is so pivotal to YHVH’s calendar and feasts.
The traditional calendar currently used by the non-believing, rabbinic Jews is off; it’s not in accordance with the moon though the Jews erroneously purport it to be. At the same time, they’re not bringing the gospel message of Yeshua to the world—only the doctrines of men and men’s traditions. Their whole message is askew and fails to reflect the Greater Light of Yeshua.
Similarly, the mainstream church tries to preach the gospel, but without understanding the moon, feasts and biblical calendar their message of the gospel is only a partial one and is also off spiritually.
A time may come in the future when the calendar and feasts will go strictly off the sun and not the moon. This may occur when there is a new heaven and a new earth when Yeshua is ruling on this earth and he will be the only Light of the world. That time isn’t yet, though, for it’s still the saints’ job as the lesser light to be like the moon to reflect the truth of Yeshua, the Greater Light, to this world through a lunar-based calendar upon which the biblical feasts are based.
Unfortunately, we have people in this world that have changed times and seasons. There is a woman living in Israel, that has deceived many Messianics on this issue and they held Pesach in winter and have already celebrated Shavuot. This saddens me much.
Shalom, John
Hey John, How are you coming along?
Still struggling. But advancing slowly. Always positive.
Thanks for asking, John
Shalom John
I have been investigating this too. There is a lot to digest.
Some things that I have come across looking into it further to satisfy myself by testing are :
Abba in Scripture doesn’t seem to declare the first month by the name of the season but only by a number though men have adopted names.
What appears to have happened is that the word Aviv has morphed into a description of the 1st month instead of Aviv state of grain maturity.
Then the ammended meaning of Aviv has been transformed to be adopted as Spring to indicate Winter is over in the mindset of people.
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That is fine until we actually hook a biblical term Aviv into the manner in which the nations determine Spring. From my understanding as followers of Abba we are not meant to have mixtures in worship and at this point we are tempted to use a pagan mixture of determining time compared to scripture and that brings into play the equinox which is not a biblical parameter for measuring time at all. (Spring also doesn’t exist in scripture but Summer and Winter do)
The Barley became central to the timing of the Head of the Year Moon so that the Pesach was performed in a way the Aviv first fruits of the Barley could be waived before YHVH.
Aviv as a descriptor relates to the grain head which is mature enough to be offered when roasted but not an actual completely dried grain but mature enough for the seed germ to be able to reproduce if severed from the stalk or roasted to provide sustenance is my understanding though.
The Jewish records show the Pesach being performed prior to the equinox anciently and also that the Barley First Fruits was a Priestly offering and not from the general population. That is a critical truth to contemplate as to who did what and why in the offerings as YHWH instructed.
Non Messianic Judaism currently has 2 versions of timing for first fruits and therefor differing days for the Counting of the Omer as well.
They also do not separate Aviv wave offering as in the Barley being soft and green from the hard general harvest from which the farmer brought up his first fruits in procession at Shavuot to include the Barley and Wheat & other early ripening fruits.
Then there is a tradition for a percentage of the fields needed to be ripe for the sickle to go forth to harvest which doesn’t come up anywhere in Priestly avodah. The Priestly judgement to call the Head of the Year was only enough Barley required to be at Aviv offering stage in the fortnight after.
Any other way of doing this makes the grain fall to the ground as the people returned from the Festivals or they couldn’t attend as they would be harvesting because the grain was ready to harvest. There is a narrow window of sickle labour intensive harvest.
Pretty much modern traditions have overtaken agricultural reality and this year is another instance where many have listened to additions and missed what has been the Father’s heart for us as far as on the ground reality shows us.
This year Israel came out of a MULTI year drought and had unseasonal heat early in Winter to advance growth and development indicators that the Barley may be ready in December January. Then a cold snap and rainy conditions that slowed the maturation.
That still provided for an earlier than Equinox Spring offering.
Now the Wheat has matured before the Shavuot for a lot of people and has fallen to the ground. The ancient grains do not do what commercial grains do which is another factor as well.
There is a lot to this and I agree it can look like misadventure and abandonement of what seemed good and true but for me I do think the reports from a few places that I have read have merit biblically physically and historically and are worth your & any seekers deeper investigation.
Many blessings to you John.
I agree with your general analysis. Don’t know about the woman in Israel who supposedly found abib barley early enough to celebrate Pesach in December. Haven’t heard anything about this or seen the proof. On the other hand, we know and trust those who found it this year in the land and have been following them for more than 20 years, so we have no reason to doubt their knowledge and integrity on this matter.
Shalom Natan & all
Yes there is a lot to this to nut through. I am now scratching my head as to the December reference from you, I haven’t come across that myself.
The videos I looked @ had pictures showing wild variety grains & the differences between what is called goat grass & the wild wheat & wild barley as well as how the progression in maturation takes place & the whiteness of the maturing of the wheat grain really links up to Yeshua’s testimony as to the fields are white ready for harvest.
Very interesting.
Seems quite possible the physical teaching in this also informs us of the spiritual Harvests.
Comes to mind that ‘early’ may only be unexpected so
I am prepared to test this because controversy is expected to show who is actually correct as any of us may have perceived something from only one position that seemed correct until further information comes forth.
Many blessings to you Natan & everyone.
Be in Abba’s care.
Shalom Shalom FJ. : )
Hi FJ,
The Pesach deception I was talking about actually cancelled the month of Adar. Is this acceptable?
Blessings, John
For autumn and spring references have a look at the NIV or CJSB Deuteronomy 11:14; Psalm 84:6; Jeremiah 5:24; Joel 2:23; James 5:7 and Jude 1:12.
Shalom, John
Genesis 1:16 says YHVH made two lights.One greater, one lesser. The Moon has its own cooler light. Perhaps the moon is like a glow in the dark frisbie that sheds a portion of its light from full to crescent and so on. Full disclosure, I believe the so called Moon landings are a fraud!!
well I don’t know about the sun and the moon, but when Yeshua said He is the light of the world , He was referring to Gen.1:3 ; then YHVH said ” let there be light”. This is Yeshua, this light was before the sun and the moon. The sun could also be YHVH and the moon Yeshua, because Yeshua is a reflection of the Father.
The word for light as in, let there be light is different from the two great lights. So yes, Yeshua is that light John 1: 1-9
Please get the issue of Pesach right. Our salvation depends on it. KJV Numbers 9:1-5 and verse 13; also Ecclesiastes 3:1.
Shalom, John
Yes. Exodus 31: 13-17. Sabbath’s plural. And we know the evil one who seeks to change times and seasons.