I was recently sent an email that accused the assemblies of being worshippers of the Babylonian calendar system (among many other things) because we utilize the sun, moon and stars to establish the annual holyday calendar. I will not reveal who the man is, but here is what his email said after visiting our site on the Internet, "Just scanning over this, I must conclude it to be MESSIANIST JEW nonsense. They love to say "G-D" because they think they cannot pronounce His name, yet they trip over themselves by saying "Yeshua" for Jesus Christ. BTW (BTW means "by the way") "Yeshua" means "hanged one" or "malefactor," which is PRECISELY why these Christ-hating kikes spell it that way. OK, so this particular site doesn't spell it that way, but I suspect a Jewish rat behind it. I say this because they believe the old Parsee / Dualist nonsense about a "bad god" they call "Satan," and they are champions of an old, LUNAR (Babylonian) calendar. If you think we are to keep that old Jewish calendar, may I suggest you read my book, Children of Light? There are SO many worms in the so-called "Identity" movement, trying to drag us down under the old Babylonian whore of a system, pretending to be "Israelites," it makes me sick. Next thing you know, like Jonathan D. Brown, they'll be convincing all the Israelite men to adulterate their marriages, and become polygamous."

Now we could all be greatly insulted and offended by this man’s venomous statements, but the sad thing is that this man is deceived by the great deceiver and our own response should be to pray for him rather than hate or condemn him.

But what about his statement concerning the calendar? Today’s world goes by the Gregorian Calendar. The truth of the matter is that Julius Caesar had a great deal to do with its formation as well as Pope Gregory. Julius Caesar thought so highly of himself that he wanted himself to be declared to be "divine." This led to his assassination, of course, but his nephew successor Augustus (Octavian) accomplished the task of creating him into a god by declaring that a comet which appeared in the heavens at that time was the resurrected Julius Caesar ascending into heaven and becoming a god. Then Augustus declared himself to be the adopted son of the god Julius Caesar thereby also making himself "divine."

The modern day calendar could be called the Julian/Augustinian/Gregorian calendar because each man placed his distinctive mark upon it. The original Roman calendar began around the equinox similar to YAHWEH'S holy calendar. Julius Caesar added his name to one of the previous Roman months and the adopted son Augustus did the same thing. But Pope Gregory shifted the beginning of the year to the month of January.

January is named after the Roman god Janus. According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, Janus was the god who was guardian of portals and patron of beginnings and endings: he is shown as having two faces, one in front, and the other at the back of his head.

Now let’s think about this a little bit. A guardian of portals would be a porter would he not? Wouldn’t he be the one who opens and the one who closes? Isn’t that what YAHshua is, "These things saith He That is Holy, He That is True, He That hath the key of David, He That openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth," Rev. 3:7. Doesn’t this statement make YAHshua the true porter, the true keeper of the door? Doesn’t that make Janus not only a false deity, but one who seeks to replace the true porter, in other words, a counterfeit?

The next statement in the definition says that Janus was patron of beginnings and endings. Again, YAHshua declared that He was the Aleph (Alpha in Greek) and Tau (Omega in Greek). Since the Hebrew begins with the Aleph and ends with the Tau, this indicated that YAHshua is the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. Thus, for Janus to possess the power of beginnings and endings once again makes him a usurper and counterfeiter.

So what have we found to be right, good and correct about this false pagan god? Nothing at all. As a matter of fact, taking a quick look back into Webster’s New World Dictionary reveals that the very next word following Janus is Janus-faced which is defined as two-faced; deceiving.

Therefore, we can come to only one conclusion, Janus is a deceiver! What about the month that is named for him? Shouldn’t this alert us to the possibility that if this god Janus was two-faced and a deceiver, that this calendar that begins with a month that is named after this ancient pagan god is also false and deceptive? We surely think and believe so.

Another thing that our modern day Roman calendar does is obscure the true meaning and interplay between the words moon and month.

There are two Hebrew words that are utilized interchangeably for moon and month. These words are yerach and chodesh.

In order to reveal how interchangeable they are I will give some Scriptural examples wherein they are utilized in each case. "And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon (yerach)," Dt. 33:14.

"Three shepherds also I cut off in one month (yerach); and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me," Zech. 11:8.

"This month (chodesh) shall be unto you the beginning of months (chodesh): it shall be the first month (chodesh) of the year to you," Ex. 12:2.

"Thus saith the Socereign YAHWEH; ‘The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon (chodesh) it shall be opened’," Ez. 46:1.

Do you see the interplay between both Hebrew words for month and moon? The Hebrew concept of a month was a lunation or period of time from one new moon to the next new moon. This is what YAHWEH established in the beginning. If we take a quick look at the English word for month in Webster’s New World Dictionary it will tell us to also see MOON. Why is that? Because originally, a month was a lunation cycle. As a matter of fact, the definition for lunation is the interval from one new moon to the next; lunar month.

Our English word "month" was derived from the word "moon". It has to do with a lunation, a cycle of the moon from one new moon to the other. But Caesar’s calendar changed all of that. Caesar’s calendar takes away from our knowledge when the year truly should begin. It also takes away the knowledge that a month is truly a lunation, a cycle of the moon.

The prophet Daniel speaks of a little horn which would come on the scene of world power who would, "…think to change times and laws…," Dan. 7:25.

Even though our modern day calendar appears to be so right, so good, so stable, it is deceptive. The year begins at the wrong time. It begins with a month whose very name means to be deceptive. It takes away the knowledge concerning what a true month should be. It ties us in with a solar year rather than the proper lunar year. It has to do with the worship of the principal element in our system and that is the sun.

For someone to charge us with employing the old Satanic Babylonian Lunar calendar simply means that he has never truly searched the Scriptures nor secular documents in order to allow them to be his guide concerning the calendar.

The Scriptures proclaim, "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: and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth:’ and it was so. And Elohim made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also. And Elohim set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and Elohim saw that it was good, Gen. 1:14-18.

Notice that these lights were to be for signs. The Hebrew word for signs is tta (owth) which is defined as a signal (literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #H226).

They were also to be for seasons. The Hebrew word for seasons is dewm (mow`ed, mo-ade') which is defined as, properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally a year; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand). (Ibid #H4150).

It is by the movement of the sun, moon, earth and stars that we are able to determine where we are in the process of time. We know that the 24 hour day consists of a period of daylight and dark. One cycle of daylight and darkness yields a day. Seven cycles yields a week. Then there is a month which should be a lunar cycle (lunation), and finally there is the year. There are also seasons associated with the year. While people in the tropics and polar regions may not experience the same seasonal effects that those of us do who live sandwiched between those regions, the fact of the matter is that the sun, moon and stars make an annual progression which is easily observable and distinguished by the equinoxes and solstices.

According to the word of the very One Who created it all, we are to utilize the sun, moon and stars to aid us in determining the year, the month, the week and the day.

Did you know that there is more than one year? There is a calendar year, a solar year, a sidereal year, a lunar year and an anomalistic year to name the most important.

A calendar year is a period of 365 days (in leap year, 366 days) divided into 12 months and regarded in the Gregorian calendar as beginning January 1 and ending the following December 31 (Webster’s New World Dictionary). A solar year is the period (365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds of mean solar time) spent by the sun in making its apparent passage from vernal equinox to vernal equinox. A sidereal year is the period (365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, and 9.54 seconds of mean solar time) spent by the sun in its apparent passage from a fixed star and back to the same position again: it is the true period of the earth’s revolution, and the difference in time between this and the tropical year is due to the precession of the equinoxes. A lunar year is a period of 12 lunar months, as in the Jewish calendar. An anomalistic year is the period of time for the earth to make one complete revolution from perihelion to perihelion (365 days, 6 hours, 13 minutes, and 53 seconds).

The Caesars and Roman Catholic Popes have misled us into observing the Gregorian calendar. It is important to understand that YAHWEH'S calendar especially utilized the lunar calendar in conjunction with the equinoxes. Such is what we intend to prove in this treatise.

YAHWEH appointed the sun, moon and stars for the purpose of not only giving light, but for determining signs, seasons, days and years (Gen. 1:14). We know that He especially gave the sun, moon and stars to govern or rule the day and night, "To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: 8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: 9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever," Psa. 136:7-9.

The book of Psalms also gives us another key concerning how the year is to be determined. Look at the Hebrew word dewm (mow`ed, mo-ade') and its definition again. Notice that a dewm (mow`edim, mo-ade') is defined as, properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally a year.

Does YAHWEH'S word tell us what He has given us to utilize in defining the period of a year? Absolutely! Yes! "He appointed the moon for seasons (~ydewm mow`edim [plural of mow`ed, mo-ade']): the sun knoweth his going down," Psa. 104:19.

It is the moon that determines the seasons (moeds), the annual feasts, and years (also moeds).

YAHWEH told Moses, "This month (chodesh/moon/month) shall be unto you the beginning of months (chodeshim/moons/months): it shall be the first month of the year to you," Ex. 12:2. The month spoken of here is the month named "abib", "And Moses said unto the People, ‘Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand YAHWEH brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day came you out in the month (chodesh/moon/month) Abib," Ex. 13:3-4.

In Lev. 23, YAHWEH proclaims, "These are the feasts (moeds) of YAHWEH, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons (moeds). In the fourteenth day of the first month (chodesh/moon/month) at even is YAHWEH'S Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month (chodesh/moon/month) is the feast of unleavened bread unto YAHWEH: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread….Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month (chodesh/moon/month), in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbatown, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation...Also on the tenth day of this seventh month (chodesh/moon/month) there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto YAHWEH...Speak unto the children of Israel saying, ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month (chodesh/moon/month) shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto YAHWEH," vv. 4-6, 24, 27, 34.

These were the seasons (moeds/appointments) or feasts of YAHWEH which were determined by the moon in accordance with Psa. 104:19. While most of the Jewish people and several churches and assemblies continue to observe this calendar, the main point and fact is that it has been kept hidden to the general world at large and even many of those who do have this knowledge seem to think that it isn’t important. But those of us who do observe this calendar do realize the importance of it even though there may be disagreement and confusion as to exactly when we should observe them.

The calendar is a very controversial issue in and out of the assemblies. Exactly what constitutes a new moon is also highly controversial. There are those who go by the molad or conjunction, others by the visible crescent and still others by the full moon. We covered this issue in detail in our Jul.-Aug. 2001 issue. (For a reprint of this article, please write us).

We observe the visible crescent due to various and sundry witnesses which I will detail with the following: The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, Ed. James Hastings, Vol. 3, 1911, Article "Calendar (Jewish)" has this to say, "Records dating from the closing years of the Second Temple inform us that the time of new moon was fixed on the evidence of observers who declared that they had descried the crescent in the sky. This would imply that no one knew beforehand whether the month was to have 29 days (hence called ‘defective,’ rph) or 30 days (‘full,’ rby[m or alm; cf Bornstein, op. cit. 26ff). (p. 117)

Qodesh La YAHWEH Press reports, "The Jews of the first few centuries of the common era continued the ancient practice of determining their months by the appearance of the new moon, which for them presented itself with the first glimpse of crescent moonlight in the first phase of the moon. (It did not start with a completely dark moon as a new moon is often misconstrued today.)" (The Sabbath and Jubilee Cycle, p. 341).

The Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 8 no. 1, 1954 University of Chicago states, "The Jews had a lunar calendar, in which the first day of the month must begin a reasonable time after the conjunction of the moon, since the interval between conjunction and the evening when the first crescent becomes visible (this interval is called henceforth "translation period") is a length which varies from about 16 to 42 hours in the Near East." (p. 6)

Our People, History of the Jews, A text book of Jewish History for the school and home by Jacob Isaacs confesses, "The last Nassi (leader) who played a major role was Hillel II, the thirteenth direct descendant of Hillel the Elder. He brought back some measure of scholarship and authority to the office of the Patriarch. He is best known for the calendar reforms which were instituted during the term of his office. He prepared a permanent calendar based on astronomic calculations. Henceforth, the Jewish calendar was determined and established by a set of definite rules, based on exact scientific calculations of the lunar year, with its twelve or thirteen months of 29 or 30 days. In order to adjust the 354 day lunar year to the 365 day solar year, he introduced the inclusion of seven leap years, with an additional Adar II, in each cycle of 19 years.

"This exact method of determining the Jewish calendar for all subsequent generations obviously had many advantages and benefits. It relieved the Bet Din of Palestine of the difficult and often dangerous task of communicating the date of the New Moon to distant communities. The Jews in the diaspora were no longer dependent upon the Holy Land for the determination of the holidays and leap years. On the other hand, it severed the last bond that tied the entire Jewish community everywhere to the nassi and to the Holy Land. Hitherto, it had been the function of the Nassi to fix the calendar and each New Moon by official proclamation on the basis of the testimony of witnesses who had seen the rise of the new moon. The far reaching innovation of Hillel II ended this personal prerogative of the Nassi, and provided total religious autonomy for the Jewish communities in exile." (Calendar, Palestinian Oral Tradition, pp. 106-107).

Finally, the Mishneh Torah: Set Feasts also witnesses, "2. Witnesses who saw the new moon must go to the court to bear witness even if it happens to be a Sabbath, as it is written: "Which you shall proclaim, each in its proper season" (Leviticus 23:4); and whenever proper season is used in a biblical command, it supersedes the Sabbath. For this reason, they are allowed to break the Sabbath only when the new moon of Nissan and that of Tishri are concerned, to determine the time of the festivals. When the Temple was still in existence, the additional offering presented on Rosh Hodesh superseded the Sabbath, which was profaned on account of any Rosh Hodesh coinciding with it. (Chapter three, p. 100).

The true fact revealed in these testimonies is that the ancients observed the visible new moon crescent to determine the beginning of the month, but under Hillel II the system was reformed to utilize the molad (conjunction) as the beginning of the month. The Encyclopedia Judiaca also witnesses to the visible new moon as well as other works, but we have already presented five scholarly witnesses which should be sufficient for this present article.

Another controversy found among the assemblies and others is when does the year begin? Some say it begins with the new moon nearest the vernal equinox. Others say that it begins with the first new moon after the vernal equinox. Due to our studies, we are going to present something a little different. It will be controversial, no doubt, but it is something that we have given careful consideration and feel that this would be the more correct way.

Some will not receive the story of the equinoxes because they proclaim that they are just an imaginary event that occurs, but the fact of the matter is that the term equinox simply means equal night. In other words, there is a time of the year when we have an equal amount of daylight and an equal amount of darkness or night. This event occurs when the sun is directly over the equator. It occurs twice per year, in the spring (vernal equinox) and in the fall (autumnal equinox).

The vernal equinox usually occurs around Mar. 21 which heralds the beginning of spring, while the autumnal usually occurs around Sept. 21 which heralds the beginning of fall. (Didn’t YAHWEH say that He put the sun, moon and stars in the heavens for signs and seasons?)

It isn’t difficult at all for us to understand that a day is composed of 24 hours of which there is a daylight portion and a nighttime portion. When everything is lit up by the sun’s light (around sunrise or a little before) then we understand that the daylight portion of the day has begun. Consequently, when the light is gone (around sunset or a little after) we understand that we are in the nighttime portion of the 24 hour day.

Many people do not understand, however, that there is an annual day. This concept can be understood by searching out a few Scriptures. After Israel had been in the wilderness for a short period of time, YAHWEH had Moses choose a leader of each of the tribes of Israel, twelve men in all, to go and search out the land of Canaan which was to be their inheritance. (Num. 13)

The men searched out the land for 40 days but when they returned, ten of the men brought up an evil report which so disturbed the people that they lifted up their voices in mourning and weeping. Furthermore, the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron for bringing them out of Egypt. This highly displeased YAHWEH to the point that He decreed that none of the Israelites from 20 years of age and upward would enter into the promised land (Num. 14:11-12; 21-37). Notice that in Num. 14:34 YAHWEH ordained a year for a day, "After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know My breach of promise."

Psa. 19 speaks of the sun’s circuit, "In them (the heavens) hath He set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof," vv. 4-6.

The sun has a daily circuit. As is described, that circuit is unto the ends of it (heaven). In other words, The sun rises in the east and follows a daily circuit to the west where it sets. When the sun is up and shining (making its circuit) there is nothing hid from its heat. The Hebrew word for this circuit is "tequphah."

There is an annual circuit, an annual tequphah, an annual day. How can we discover this annual circuit, this annual tequphah, this annual day? Simply by tracing the sun’s movement.

As we know, the earth actually travels around the sun and also the earth is spinning on its axis like a child’s top. The earth’s spinning is what gives the impression that the sun rises and sets every day. Also, the sun appears to travel northward and southward because of the earth’s wobble. This wobble causes the sun to appear as if it is traveling between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer.

When the sun is at the equator in its northward travel, we are at the time of the vernal (spring) equinox. At this time traditional spring begins. The sun continues on its northward travel until it reaches the Tropic of Cancer. This is called the summer solstice, summer begins. The sun then begins to travel southward until it reaches the equator once again. Upon reaching the equator we have reached the autumnal equinox, fall begins. The sun continues southward until it reaches the Tropic of Capricorn. This is known as the winter solstice (winter begins). The sun then begins to travel northward again, heading for the equator and the vernal equinox.

Notice the four important events in the course of the sun’s travel. Equator, vernal equinox (equal days and nights), spring begins; Tropic of Cancer, summer solstice, summer begins (longest day of the year); Equator, vernal equinox (equal days and nights), fall begins; Tropic of Cancer, winter solstice (shortest day of the year), winter begins.

Now let’s put this in terms of the annual day, annual circuit of the sun, annual tequaphah. We know that the daily sun is at its apex in the heaven at noon. Its farthest northward movement is the Tropic of Cancer (summer solstice). This would be like an annual noon day because the sun is at its apex and there is a greater period of light. (The longest day of the year.)

Therefore, the vernal equinox would be likened to the sunrise while the autumnal equinox would be likened to sunset. The winter solstice would be likened to midnight (for the northern hemisphere).

If, according to Psa. 19, the daily circuit (tequphah) of the sun is from east to west, then the annual circuit (tequphah) would be from vernal equinox to autumnal equinox (its travel being northward, of course) because this is when the sun is shining in its strength.

The annual night begins with the autumnal equinox, days begin to get shorter, until it reaches the Tropic of Capricorn which would be the annual midnight (longest nighttime period, shortest daylight hours). The annual night ends around the vernal equinox when the annual day begins.

We are going to momentarily leave the calendar discussion in order to bring something else into play. Psa. 19 proclaims, "The heavens declare the glory of Elohim; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof," vv. 1-6.

Do you get that? The heavens are declaring the glory of Elohim. His handiwork is shown in the firmament. Day and night speak of His knowledge. After all, weren’t the sun, moon and stars not only placed there for lights, but for signs (owth = a signal, as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence)? And aren’t they for seasons (moeds = a signal as appointed beforehand)? (Gen. 1:14)

Can we figure out at least part of the story that they are telling us? Would this story be in line with YAHWEH'S word, the Holy Bible? Absolutely! Let’s see if we can figure out at least the general overview of the story.

There are 7 days in the week. The first six days are set apart for man to work His work but the 7th day belongs to YAHWEH. The 7th day is set aside for rest according to YAHWEH'S commands. The Apostle Peter writes, "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with YAHWEH as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day," 2 Pet. 3:8.

From this, we can learn that YAHWEH has allotted 6 thousand years for man to work his work on the earth (which is generally unrighteousness), but the 7th period of one thousand years belongs to YAHWEH.

There are 7 annual high days or holy day. As these days are observed, we learn much about YAHWEH'S plan of salvation. The first annual high day is preceded by the Passover sacrifice on the afternoon of the 14th which points us to YAHshua our Passover (1 Cor. 5:7). The high day itself begins the days of unleavened bread which points us to the true bread from heaven (Ex. 16, Jn. 6), YAHshua, Who is able to unleaven us or cleanse us of our sins. We eat unleavened bread for 7 days which typifies the total and complete power of YAHshua to deliver us from our sins. The last day or seventh day of unleavened bread is also a holy day.

Pentecost or the feast of weeks is the 3rd annual holy day which pictures the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the firstfruits (those who are first called to take part in YAHWEH'S kingdom.

The 4th annual holy day is the feast of trumpets. This day is the first day of the 7th month. It typifies the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdom of our Socereign YAHWEH and His Messiah (YAHshua; Rev. 11:15) at the culmination of the 6,000 years and the beginning of the 7th period of 1,000 years.

The 5th annual holy day occurs on the 10 day of the 7th month and is called Yom Kippur or the day of atonement. This typifies the binding of Satan for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:1-3), the forgiveness of the sins of Israel and their restoration to the kingdom.

The 6th annual holy day begins on the 15th day of the 7th month which typifies the kingdom of heaven ruling on the earth with the peace, righteousness and plenteousness that will take place.

Finally, the 7th annual holy day occurs on the 22nd day of the 7th month. It is called the last great day, which typifies the great white throne judgment which will take place after the 1,000 year millennial rule (Rev. 20:11-15).

This whole plan is set to take place and has been taking place during the 7,000 years allotted by YAHWEH.

Thus, we see how the daily, weekly, monthly, and annual holy calendar in conjunction with the sun, moon and stars, bears witness to YAHWEH and His plan. They are like a signal, forewarning us beforehand. But there is another phenomenon that is taking place which requires such a great period of time that the generations of the earth have not paid attention to it. That phenomenon is called the equinoxes and their precession through the heavens.  To be continued………See………... PART II

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