When does a biblical month and new year start and why is it important for YOU to know?

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Why is it important to know when the biblical month and new year start? Because as more people are leaving the non-biblical traditions of man that they have been taught in their churches (including the non-biblical Christian holidays) and return to the truths of the Bible (including the biblical holidays), they need to know when to celebrate YHVH’s appointed times or feasts. This means that one needs to have a basic understanding of the biblical calendar, which is different from the world’s calendar in use today. The article below (along with other articles that I’ve written on the subject which you can find at https://www.hoshanarabbah.org/teaching.html#feast) will help to explain this.

Exodus 12:2, Month. It is the Hebrew word chodesh (Strong’s H2320/TWOT 613b) meaning “the new moon, month, monthly, the first day of the month, the lunar month.” It is found in the Tanakh (Old Testament) 276 times and is translated in the King James Version as “month” 254 times, “new moon” (20 times), and “monthly” (1 time). We see that from these definitions that the terms “month” and “new moon” are synonymous. It has been understood for millennia that ancient Israelites began their month with the new moon.

Why was it important for the Israelites to know when the new moon occurred and when the month began? The dates of the annual biblical festivals that YHVH gave to Israel and instructed them to observe were determined based on when the new moon occurred (Lev 23:5, 6, 24, 27, 34).

The next question to answer is this: when does the biblical month begin? As we noted above, for modern astronomers the term “new moon” means something different than it did to the ancients, including those who YHVH inspired to write the Bible. Ancient calendars were determined by the moon, while modern ones are not. Some biblical expositors teach that the new moon begins when the moon is in conjunction or in line with the earth and the sun and is in its dark phase. Others believe that the month begins just after the moon has moved out of its dark phase and begins to show a sliver of light, which is called the visible or crescent new moon. Who is right?

Some Bible teachers claim that there is no place in the Scriptures that specifically states that the new moon begins at the first visible sliver after being dark for several days. Therefore, they reason, it is an assumption to say that it does (even though, as we will see below, this was the understanding of the ancient Israelites), and therefore, the new moon should be determined from its conjunction with the earth and sun while it is in its dark phase. While on the surface, this may seem like a valid argument, one important verse in the Scriptures, however, and some simple logic quickly disproves this notion. It is Genesis 1:14.

And Elohim 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 [moedim/biblical festivals], and for days, and years.”

In this verse we see that the sun and the moon are “signs” for seasons, days and years. The word “sign” is the ­Hebrew word owt (Strong’s H226; TWOT 41a) meaning “sign, signal, mark, token, emblem, signboard, standard.” In the Tanakh, owt describes such visible (not invisible) signs as Noah’s rainbow (Gen 9:12–13, 17), Cain’s mark (Gen 4:15), circumcision (Gen 17:11), and the Sabbath (Exod 31:13, 17; Ezek 20:12). In addition, owt is used some 80 times in the Tanakh to refer to miraculous signs. These include the plagues of Egypt (Exod 7:3; Deut 4:34, etc.), the sign of the virgin birth of the Messiah (Isa 7:11, 14); YHVH miraculous signs to Gideon (Judg 6:17) and King Hezekiah (2 Kgs 20:9; Isa 38:7). In addition, Aaron’s rod that budded was a sign or token (Num 17:25). Many more examples could be given.

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Unexplained Miracles Explained

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Luke 13:12, Woman…spirit of infirmity. Sometimes Yeshua healed people who neither asked for it, nor evidenced faith to be healed simply that the glory of YHVH might be manifested. From time to time, we hear of miraculous healings and divine interventions that saved people’s lives occurring for no apparent reason. It seems that occasionally YHVH likes to stir the spiritual pot of human affairs just to draw men’s attention to him. He pulls back the curtain between heaven and earth a bit to reveal himself to humans. This not only brings glory to his name, but serves to raise men’s hopes a bit by pointing them to the fact that there is an Elohim who is sovereignly and who is orchestrating things behind the scenes and who cares about humans.

Psalm 107:20, He he sent his word and healed them. The Word of Elohim heals and delivers. The Word includes both the Written and the Living Word of Elohim. Yeshua the Messiah is that Word. As Elohim’s spokesman, he spoke the Torah to Moses and the Israelites and then became the Word of Elohim incarnate. Can the mind of man wrap its intellect around this truth? No. We just have to believe what the Bible says on this. So how do we know that it’s true? Because it works! The reality of the healing and the delivering power of both the Written Torah-Word and Yeshua the Living Torah-Word is evident to those who have placed their trust in it/him.

 

Are YOU destined for the trash heap?

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Luke 12:5, Killed…cast into hell [Gehenna]. There are two deaths: a physical and a spiritual death. All humans will die a physical death (Heb 9:27), but not everyone will die a second or spiritual death. This death is reserved for the unregenerate wicked and is called the lake of fire (Rev 20:12–15). The Hinnom Valley (Gr. Gehenna) on the west side of Jerusalem was a Hebrew metaphor for the fate of the wicked. The Jews used this valley as a refuse dump, and it was there that the bodies of dead animals and criminals were burned. Literally, at the white throne judgment after having judged the unregenerate wicked, YHVH will cast them into his spiritual garbage dump to be burned up (Rev 20:11–15).

 

Are YOU spiritually empty or dry and don’t know why?

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Are you seeking YHVH’s hand or his face?

Psalm 106:15, Leanness in their soul. What is leanness of soul and how does it affect the hopes, desires and happiness in our physical life was well as our and spiritual walk? This is what we will discuss in this brief essay.

Merely seeking and fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and pride of life doesn’t fill the spiritual void or deficit (or “the God hole”) that exists in every person’s life. Only satisfying the soulish desires of one’s mind, will and emotions leaves one spiritually high and dry with their God-tanks running on empty. This was the case with the children of Israel, who selfishly and narcissistically only sought the hand of Elohim with a what’s-in-it-for me-attitude rather than seeking the face of Elohim, that is, his heart, character and ways (Ps 103:7). 

Those who want a relationship with Elohim leading to eternal life must lay down the driving and relentless desires of the soul and seek him through one’s personal spirit and his Word or truth, which is Yeshua (John 4:23–24). This is because the carnal man (i.e. those who seek Elohim through their mind, will and emotions or soul) cannot understand the things of the Spirit of Elohim, for they are not carnally discerned, but are perceived through the spirit (not the soul) of man, which is the only way one can connect to the Spirit of Elohim (2 Cor 2:6–16); therefore, they remain unfulfilled, since they are taking the wrong path that doesn’t lead to Elohim. This is illustrated by the fact that the older generation of Israelites had to die in the wilderness and were forbidden from entering the Promised Land. This teaches us that the old man with its carnal passions and approach to Elohim must die and cannot enter into a spiritual relationship with Elohim which is his rest or eternal life.

This verse also says that Elohim gave the Israelites their request by sending them leanness or thinness of soul. That is to say that the Israelites resisted seeking the face of Elohim; they merely wanted his hand or what was it in for them, even though Elohim gave them every opportunity to trust in him and to be part of his spiritual river of life and to experience the blessings thereof leading to the Promised Land. Because they refused to seek his face, he sent them leanness of soul as a disciplinary judgment against them to show them that this was NOT the way to experience ultimate fulfillment in life. If they would learn this, perhaps the emptiness they were experiencing would cause them to try to reach Elohim the right way—through seeking his ways or his face and heart.

Moreover, when we seek the face or ways Elohim through our spirit man, he will automatically satisfy the soul (the mind, will and emotions) of a person. Another way to say this, Yeshua’s words, is “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt 6:33).

 

Waiting on YHVH is good. Here’s why.

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Psalm 106:13, Wait [Heb. chakah] for his counsel [Heb. etsah]. Wait means “to adhere to; hence to await long, tarry,” while council means “advice; by implication plan; also prudence, or advice, advisement, counsel, purpose.” Waiting on the counsel, advice or purpose of Elohim is an essential element of faith, which is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not things not seen (Heb 11:1).Due to the impatient, squirrely and impetuous nature of man’s carnal soul i.e. his mind and emotions), this is difficult for us to do. 

Why is it necessary to wait on YHVH? There are several reasons. To increase our faith in Elohim, to refine our patience, to allow Elohim time to work in our the lives and in the lives of those around us and to work out the perfect and blessed plans that he has for us, which are better than anything we could have hoped for or imagined. 

Sometimes it takes time for his perfect plan to be worked out in our lives. He has to bring everything together, so that we may be conformed to the image of Yeshua (Rom 8:L28–29), so that we will be the kind of person that will manage the gift of eternal life wisely and in a non-destructive manner. Additionally, YHVH wants to form and shape us into the kind of person with which he will be pleased to spend eternity. 

These are the big picture reasons why Elohim allows us to go through the trials and difficulties of life and why we don’t always receive immediate answers to our prayer requests. Sometimes our having to wait on YHVH is good spiritual medicine for us, and it’s is so much more than just having our desires, dreams and plans fulfilled in this physical lifetime here and now on this earth!

 

Back from Arizona…

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Natan at the south rim of the Grand Canyon. This geological feature is one of the seven wonders of the natural world.

Sandi and I just returned from Arizona, the Grand Canyon State in the SW part of the U.S. We went there to attend a Messianic conference in Phoenix, but circumstances conspired together, and, at the last minute, we ended up not going to the conference. This was because of some communications mix-ups on the part of the conference organizers and due to the fact that some other urgent ministry opportunities presented themselves to us. This all presented us with the opportunity to do a little more sightseeing of YHVH Elohim’s magnificent creation in that corner of the world. More photos and videos to follow, so stay tuned…

 

Good works of the law “versus” our relationship with Yeshua

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Luke 10:28, Do this. Is Yeshua saying here that Torah-obedience (i.e. one’s good works) can guarantee eternal life? A cursory understanding of Yeshua’s words in this passage may cause one to arrive at this conclusion. 

However, previous to this, Yeshua speaks about loving Elohim with the totality of one’s being. Loving Elohim not only involves Torah-obedience, but entering into a right, spiritual relationship with YHVH through Messiah Yeshua, the Living Torah-Word of Elohim as per the Torah itself and the words of Yeshua (e.g. Deut 18:15ff; John 14:16). 

Interestingly, in Mark 12:32, Yeshua has a similar exchange with a scribe. When the scribe quotes the shema as the greatest of all commandments, Yeshua tells him, not that he has eternal life, but that he’s not far from the kingdom (v. 34). At the same time in Luke 18:18–22, Yeshua tells the rich young ruler that it’s impossible to have eternal life by keeping the Torah without also following Yeshua. 

All of these similar teachings of Yeshua when compared reveal to us that Torah-obedience outside of a relationship with Yeshua is insufficient to securing eternal life in Elohim’s kingdom.

Paul summed up his spiritual relationship with Torah and Yeshua when he declared that he was “under law toward Messiah), that I might win those who are without law” (1 Cor 9:21).

John sums up our relationship with Elohim and the Torah-law this way,

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:4–6)