New Moon Report - Why look for the New Moon?

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Why Look for the New Moon?

Why look for the new moon?

Modern Calendar Completely Out of Touch

Our present Gregorian worldly calendar with 12 months of 30, or 31

days each, is not the calendar of the Bible. The Gregorian calendar,

adopted by all Catholic countries in 1582, is a sun-based calendar. It

pays no attention to the new moons as marking the beginning of the

months, although the word month is based on the word moon (from

Old Saxon manoth, meaning of the moon), i.e., the phases of the

moon. The Hebrew word khodesh, or chodesh (No. 2320 in Strong’s

Exhaustive Concordance), is translated either “month” or “new

moon.” Chodesh is from No. 2318, chadash, a prime root meaning to

be new; cause to build, and is translated renew or repair. The sense

or meaning of chodesh must be determined from its usage in the

sentence in the Bible (not to be confused with the Hebrew word,

Qodesh, #6942, which means “holy,” “consecrated,” or “set-apart”).

The new moon appears every 29½ days, which means the new

moon month is either 29 or 30 days in length. The Gregorian

calendar divides the year into 12 months of 30 days each, and adds

a day to every other month to make the year of 365 ¼ days, with a

day added every four years (leap year) for the accumulated extra ¼

days.

The actual new moons thus do not begin the new month in our

secular calendar, but are ignored and fall anywhere within the

month. Some months in our Gregorian calendar have two new

moons!

The Biblical calendar is based on the recurring new moons, with

a lunar year of 354 days. Yahweh established the “lights” in the sky

to be man’s calendar. Notice; “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, and for days, and years” Gen. 1:14.

A difference of 11 days exists between our world’s solar

calendar of 365 days and the Bible’s new moon or lunar calendar of

354 days. Because it totally disregards the new moons, the

Gregorian solar calendar is unacceptable in determining Yahweh’s

holy days.

Anciently, and even during the time of the Messiah, the months

and annual holy days were governed by the new moons.

Yahweh’s Assembly in Yahshua publishes an annual calendar

listing those special dates alerting us to the evenings when we

should seek the visible new moons after sunset. Proper sighting of a

new moon takes a little practice and occasionally is not always

possible because of sky conditions.

How to look for the new moon

Tips on Locating the New Moon

The almanac usually pictures a black circle to indicate the date of

the new moon. The new moon day is hardly ever a guide to see the

new crescent, as the moon must be 20 hours old or more at sunset.

Our yearly calendar shows the evening of each month when the

crescent should be visible within an hour after sunset in the western

sky.

On the night sighting is scheduled, one should seek a high

prominence away from city lights, and look to the setting sun. From

the overhead zenith, look on either side of an imaginary line toward

the setting sun.

On the first night the scimitar-shaped sliver of light will be fairly

close to the horizon, bulging out to the right, with the horns

pointing up or to the left. The moon may be visible for only a short

time the first night. By the time three stars are visible, it is often too

late.

The sightings must be confirmed by two or three witnesses so

that we can be assured of these days. This was the practice at the

time of the Messiah. Those spotting the new moons report to us

so we can confirm the calendar. The two critical new moons in the

spring and fall determine Passover and, in the fall, the day of

Trumpets.

This is a major step in restoring pure worship in anticipation of

Yahshua’s return and setting up His Millennial reign. We know the

new moons will be observed in the Kingdom. Again they will set

the dates worldwide for the observation of Yahweh’s Feast days.

Everyone will be observing the new moons on the first of every

month, just as Israel did in the Biblical calendar.

“And it shall come to pass, [that] from one new moon to another, and from

one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith

Yahweh.” Isa. 66:23.

“This is the beginning of months to you.” Ex. 12:2.

--- from: Biblical vs. Jewish Calendar, By Yahweh’s Assembly in Yahshua

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