Postponements:
Part Two
PART TWO
HOW DOES THE JEWISH
HEBREW CALENDAR
CALCULATE THE MOLAD?
According to Jewish
sources Molad means birth or renewal of the moon, commonly called new moon in
modern times [mean conjunction]. There is a new moon or molad for every month.
The Jewish calendar uses the mean or middle conjunction to start a new month.
Nathan Bushwick in his book "Understanding The Jewish Calendar" page
71: "As the moon moves around the Earth, there is one moment that it is
exactly between the Earth and the sun. At that moment the Earth faces the dark
side of the moon. Already for about a day before this moment the moon has not
been visible from any point on the Earth and it will remain invisible for
about a day more. This moment is call the molad, the birth of the new moon. We
use the molad as the official beginning and end point of the cycle of the
moon."
GOD mentions new moon
sacrifices, but only the two lunar months, Abib [Nisan] and Ethanim [Tishri]
are specifically identified for observing GOD's Holy Days. We need to know
when the new moon Abib and Ethanim occur.
The Jewish Hebrew
calendar calculates all molads from Tishri. By subtracting 177 days from the
molad Tishri the molad Nisan is established. All the months between Nisan [Abib]
and Tishri [Ethanim] have prescribed lengths just as the Roman calendar. There
are 30 day and 29 day months.
History books [not God's
Word], tell us the Sanhedrin originally determined the new moon by actually
observing the first faint crescent [young moon] in the western sky. [Looking
for the visible crescent moon is not referenced in the Bible for a new moon].
If the sky was cloudy and they weren't sure when it occurred, they would
determine it to be on the 31st day of the previous month. They say they were
trying to follow GOD's instructions, BUT GOD NEVER SAID THE VISIBLE CRESCENT
[YOUNG MOON] WAS THE METHOD WE WERE TO USE TO ESTABLISH THE NEW MOON. "He
appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down" (Psa.
104:19). Sunset, sets the precedent for the beginning of the dark moon phase
to start a new month!
Ancient history tells
us, at some time the Sanhedrin designed a way to calculate the molad Tishri.
It was only known to them until about 358-359 A.D., when the Sanhedrin came to
an end. Then the Rabbis and others, were able to know these secret
calculations. We cannot depend on the Hebrew molad calculations to determine
the new moon. The calendar may be consistent but the moon's speed around the
earth is not. Why? The speed of the moon varies and the speed of the earth
around the sun varies. Their orbits are elliptical not circular. In both
cases, they are sometimes farther and then closer to their orbited body. For
example, when the moon is full in September or October it is larger than at
other times of the year because it is closer to the earth. When it is closer
to the earth, its speed in relationship to the earth increases. If you try to
calculate the molad with fixed day lengths they never agree. There can be a
time variation of 14 to 36 hours between the Hebrew molad and the actual
beginning of the new dark moon phase. That is plenty of time to put you into
the next day from the true conjunction of the dark moon.
We cannot depend on the
Hebrew molad calculation to determine when the first day of the month occurs?
To be accurate, we have to use the beginning of the new dark moon phase.
Science has it calculated to the very second. "Most calendars list new
moon--seeing it in the middle of its new phase. Here you are interested in the
very beginning of the new dark moon phase, so that pushes things back as
nearly a full day" Roper Mountain Science Center and Observatory, S.C.
WHAT ARE THE
POSTPONEMENTS?
The postponements
originate from the rules laid down by the Sages and Pharisees which are listed
in the Jewish Talmud. The Talmud is the summary of oral laws comprised of the
Mishnah and Gemora [Commentary of the law]. The Sages and Pharisees postpone
molad Tishri because of 4 obstacles. These obstacles are called the dehioth
[postponements rules]. The dehioth determines when Tishri 1 will begin. Each
dehioth defers Tishri 1 by one day and combined may cause a postponement of 2
days. The following dehioths show how Tishri 1 is fixed by using
postponements.
1. To prevent the Day of
Atonement [Tishri 10] from falling on Friday or Sunday and Tishri 21 Last day
of the Feast of Tabernacles from falling on Saturday, Tishri 1 can never falls
on Sunday, Wednesday, or Friday.
The reason for this is
so there will not be 2 Sabbath's in a row; where no food can be prepared, and
that the Festival, Hoshanah Rabbah, can be celebrated in the usual TRADITION,
which if occurring on the Sabbath would prevent. [Hoshanan Rabbah is the
beating of the willows ceremony].
2. If the molad is at
Noon or later Tishri 1 [Jewish New Year] is [postponed] delayed by one day, or
if this would cause it to fall as in rule #1, 2 days.
The reason here is, if
the molad falls after noon, the moon would not be visible on that day.
3. If the molad in an
"ordinary" [not leap] year falls on Tuesday at 3:11 a.m. Tishri 1 is
postponed 2 days. A postponement to Wednesday is not permitted. [See rule #1]
so it is deferred to Thursday.
4. When the molad Tishri,
following immediately after a leap year, occurs on the second day [Monday]
9:32 a.m., Tishri 1 is postponed in the current year to Tuesday so the prior
year will have 383 days instead of 382 days [too short for a leap year] and
will meet the minimal leap year requirements.
Tishri 1 rarely falls on
the day of the new moon using these rules. But GOD says the beginning of the
month starts with a new moon. Tishri 1 is suppose to be a HOLY DAY -
TRUMPETS--but in the Jewish Hebrew calendar it is their New Year! If you keep
Rosh Hashanah for the Feast of Trumpets, you are keeping the wrong day!!
We are to keep the Feast
of Trumpets on the day GOD commanded, not when it is convenient. As mentioned
earlier, the molad Nisan is determined by counting from molad Tishri backwards
177 days. NOWHERE IN THE BIBLE DOES GOD TELL US TO COUNT BACKWARD FROM TISHRI
1 TO FIND NISAN [ABIB] 1.
We cannot rely on
calendars devised by men who do not have God's Holy Spirit. They have changed,
added to and fixed God's true calendar to suit man's wants. This is not to say
we should do away with all calendars. We need to have calendars to plan our
daily and yearly activities. What we are saying is we cannot rely on the
Jewish Hebrew calendar to accurately tell us when GOD'S Holy Days occur. The
Jewish Hebrew calendar marks the dates by counting back from the 7th month
[the Jewish New Year] and they start counting their first day of the month
from the time the first crescent [young moon] is observable, which can vary up
to 28-72 hours from the true new moon conjunction [Encyclopedia Judaica Vol 4
C-DM page 45; 1. The True and The Mean Molad 2. The Phasis].
Let's not forget the
rules of the postponements. The postponements were not GOD inspired, they were
man made. Now about GOD'S Holy Day calendar that we have been keeping since we
have been in GOD'S church? This calendar was calculated from the Jewish Hebrew
Calendar, just as the Jews counted it, postponements and all! The only
exceptions were the days of the Passover and Pentecost. God's church keeps the
Passover on the 14th of Abib and the Jews keep it on the 15th. Most of the
church literature when Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong was alive, was based on what
the Hebrew calendar retained through the ages. They were fairly accurate in
their calculations, considering what technology they had at that time.
However, their "man" made changes and rules were not justifiable. In
the booklet "HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE PARTAKE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER?"
Published by Ambassador College copyright 1952 it is stated: page 6 [referring
to the keeping of the Passover] "Jesus set us an example, and by
following His example and observing this sacred ordinance at the same time He
did - the same time the Passover always was observed, commanded to continue
forever - we do continue to remember CHRIST'S death, annually, on the very
anniversary of His crucifixion. It is the most solemn and sacred occasion of
the year - especially when observed at this correct scriptural hour!" How
did GOD'S church calculate this day? [SAME BOOKLET PAGE 7 "THIS DATE,
14TH OF ABIB IS CALCULATED BY THE MOON. THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW YEAR ALWAYS
BEGINS WITH THE DAY NEAREST THE SPRING EQUINOX]." The Jewish Hebrew
calendar as used by Jewish culture today is not correct when using the
postponements and miscalculating the new moon.
God's people want to
make sure they are keeping GOD'S Holy Days on the right day, as He commands,
not by the traditions of men! If we don't and we are partaking of this most
sacred ordinance at any other time than set apart by God in the scripture, we
would do it to our damnation. This holds true of all GOD'S Sabbaths.
WHAT ARE WE TO DO?
FOLLOW GOD AND DO WHAT
HE SAYS!!!
HOW TO ESTABLISH GOD'S
HOLY DAYS!
GOD tells us the new
moon is the beginning of the month. The first month is Abib. The Passover is
to be celebrated in the spring. The spring turn [equinox] is the first day of
spring. Find the date of the spring equinox at Jerusalem time [this is used as
a standard because it will be GOD'S headquarters]. Establish the time of the
true new moon closest to the spring equinox from an astronomical table. This
establishes the first day of the year. Count 14 days starting with the first
day to find Passover. If Passover [the 14th] is after the spring equinox or on
the same day as the spring equinox you can continue to calculate the rest of
GOD'S Holy Days. If the Passover falls before the spring turn [equinox] then
it would not be kept in its appointed season and you simply go to the next new
moon and establish that as Abib 1. Fourteen days later would be the Passover,
the 15th - 21st are the Days of Unleavened Bread. The wave sheaf Sunday
occurring within the days of Unleavened Bread establishes the commencement for
counting the 7 completed Sabbaths before Pentecost, which will fall on the
Sunday after the 7th completed Sabbath. To find Tishri 1 count 7 new moons
starting with Abib l. The 7th new moon is the beginning of the 7th month and
is the Feast of Trumpets. Count 10 days starting with Tishri 1 to find the Day
of Atonement, the 15th - 21st days are the Feast of Tabernacles, and the 22nd
day is the Last Great Day.
THIS IS WHAT GOD SHOWS
US TO DO IN LEVITICUS 23
PART THREE
"POSTPONEMENTS,"
A MARK?
John in Revelation
describes the last, final, warning message. "If any man worship the beast
and his image, and receive his MARK in his forehead, or in his hand, the same
shall drink of the wine of the wrath of GOD, which is poured out without
mixture" (Rev. 14:9-10).
Let's us find out what
this MARK is and what it has to do with the postponements?
THE MARK OF THE BEAST
Quoting from Mr.
Armstrong's booklet, Mark of the Beast [copyright 1952]. "Better be sure
whether this brand is upon you! Without it, no man will be able to buy or
sell! Without it, you will be tortured even to death! But with it, you shall
suffer the seven last plagues." The mark of the beast is something very
undesirable. Who gave the beast his power? "The dragon gave him his
power, his throne, and great authority" (Rev. 13:2). We can recognize
that the dragon is Satan, the devil. "So they worshiped the dragon who
gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast saying, 'Who is like
the beast?" (Rev. 13:4).
For those who are still
in doubt as to who the beast is, let's look at his number. In Rev.13:18,
"Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast for it
is the number of a man: his number is 666."
Mr. Armstrong covers
this quite well in his booklet Who is the Beast? But lets go to another
source, "Babylon Mystery Religion Ancient and Modern" [1981 edition
page 104] and we quote: according to Hislop, the original name of Rome was
Saturnia, meaning "The City of Saturn." Saturn was the secret name
revealed only to the initiates of the Chaldean mysteries, which in Chaldea was
spelled with four letters: S,T,V,R. In this language, S was 60; T was 400 ; V
was 6 and R was 200, a total of 666."
Nero Caesar, when
written in Hebrew was 666. "Lateinos" [Latin] the language of Rome
in Greek comes to 666. In the New Testament, the letters of the Greek word
cuporia, from which the word wealth is translated, totals 666. Out of all the
2000 Greek nouns of the New Testament, there is only one other word that has
this numerical value, the word paradosis, translated tradition [Acts 19:25;
Matt. 15:2-3]. Wealth and Tradition - interestingly enough were the two great
corrupters of Rome and the Roman church. Wealth corrupted their practice and
honesty; tradition corrupted their doctrine. Here is a deceived church and
therefore used by the devil to deceive the world.
Notice now the
description of those who refuse this evil mark. "Here is the patience of
the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of GOD, and the faith of
JESUS" (Rev. 14:12).
Those who keep the
commandments of GOD are those who do not have the mark. Those who have the
mark refuse to keep the commandments, the mark therefore involves the
rejection of the commandments of GOD, or any one of them as we find in James
2:10. For if we are guilty of breaking one, we are guilty of breaking all of
them.
There is only one
possible commandment that affects a man's job or his business, and that is the
fourth commandment which says "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it
holy" (Exo. 20:8).
The Roman Catholic
Council of Laodicea, in 363 AD, passed this decree; "Christians must not
Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, resting rather
on Sunday. But if any be found to be Judaizing, let them be declared anathema
from CHRIST."
Judaism has decreed that
the Feast of Trumpets [a Sabbath] must be postponed by certain rules!
GOD'S sign (the Sabbath)
was not a temporary covenant, but was for ALL GENERATIONS, FOREVER. The
ETERNAL spoke unto Moses saying, "Verily my Sabbaths you shall keep; for
it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations" (Exo.
31:13). It was for Sabbath breaking that GOD sent both Israel and Judah into
slavery.
HOLY DAYS
Regarding one of GOD'S
annual Sabbaths, we read "It shall be for a sign unto you upon your hand,
and for a memorial between your eyes, that the ETERNAL'S law may be in your
mouth" (Exo. 13:9). Sunday observance, and the postponement rules of
Judaism are a "MARK OF THE BEAST."
Satan has used the
postponements in the Holy Day calendar most Churches of God use today to try
and deceive God's elect. What better Feast Day would Satan want the us to
postpone than the Feast of Trumpets! Naturally the Jews would not keep the
true Feast of Trumpets which pictures the return of Jesus Christ as the
Messiah---when they don't believe Jesus Christ is the Messiah and the Son of
God!! Christ said, "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me:
for he wrote of Me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe
My words?" (John 5:46-47).
"Jesus said unto
them, If God were your Father, ye would love Me: for I proceeded forth and
came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do ye not
understand My speech? Even because ye cannot hear My word. Ye are of your
father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer
from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in
him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the
father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe Me not" (John
8:42-45).
THE POSTPONEMENTS AND
THE MARK OF THE BEAST
Now you're asking what
has all this to do with the postponements? Leviticus the 23rd chapter, makes
it very clear how GOD regards HIS weekly Sabbath and HIS annual Sabbaths. They
all are Holy Convocations, Sabbaths of rest, and Feast days.
1. A weekly Sabbath is a
memorial of creation, designed to keep us in the true worship of GOD on the
seventh day.
2. The seven annual
Sabbaths are to keep us constantly in the understanding of GOD'S great plan of
redemption.
The weekly Sabbath and
the annual Sabbaths stand and fall together. NOT ONLY IS FAILURE TO KEEP THE
WEEKLY SABBATH, THE MARK OF THE BEAST, BUT FAILURE TO KEEP GOD'S ANNUAL HOLY
DAYS ON THE RIGHT DAY IS ALSO THE MARK OF THE BEAST!!
If we follow the Jewish
Hebrew custom and tradition of the postponements, we will be misled into
keeping the wrong days for GOD'S annual Sabbaths [Holy Days]. "Then came
to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy
disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their
hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also
transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? Thus have ye made the
commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did
Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their
mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But
in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not
that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of
the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him,
Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not
planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the
blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch"
(Matt. 15:1-3,6-14). If you blindly follow the Jewish Hebrew calendar, you
will fall into the ditch Christ was talking about. You will be following anti-christ!!!
"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist"
(2 John 7).
GOD says, "There is
a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of
death" (Pro. 14:12 16:25). It is time we begin to follow JESUS' example
and KEEP HOLY THE DAYS GOD MADE HOLY.
THIS INFORMATION IS
TRULY
"ANOTHER, MYSTERY
OF THE AGES!"
NOW A DECISION MUST BE
MADE!
DO WE FOLLOW GOD OR MAN?
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLE REFERENCES: KING
JAMES AV
OTHER REFERENCES:
1. ENCYCLOPEDIA JUDAICA
VOL 5 C-DH
VOL 12 NIN-O
2. SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST
DICTIONARY
3. THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
JUDAISM
GEOFFREY WIDODER
McMILLAN PUB. CO. 1989
4. THE ORIGINAL CALENDAR
IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
WAYNE BEDWELL
5. ASTRONOMICAL TABLES
OF THE SUN, MOON AND PLANETS
JEAN MEEUS
WILLMANN-BELL INC. 1981
6. THE COMPREHENSIVE
HEBREW CALENDAR
ARTHUR SPIER FELDHEIM
PUB. N.Y. 1981
7. UNGER'S BIBLE
DICTIONARY
MERRILL F. UNGER 1971
MOODY PRESS, CHICAGO
8. INSIGHT INTO
SCRIPTURES
WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND
TRACT
SOCIETY OF NEW YORK,
INC.
9. ZONDERVAN PICTORIAL
BIBLE DICTIONARY
MERRIL C. TENNY
REGENCY REFERENCE
LIBRARY
10. UNDERSTANDING THE
JEWISH CALENDAR
RABBI NATHAN BUSHWICK
MOZNAIM PUBLISHING COR.
N. Y
11. THE "JEWISH
HOLIDAYS" A GUIDE AND COMMENTARY
MICHAEL STRASSFIELD
HARPER AND ROW PUB. 1985
12. THE JEWISH BOOK OF
WHY
ALFRED J. KOLATCH
JONATHAN DAVID
PUBLISHER, 1992
13. CODE OF JEWISH LAW
GANZFRIED-GOLDIN
HEBREW PUBLISHING CO. NY
1991
14. THE MITVOT, THE
COMMANDMENTS AND THEIR RATIONALE,
BY ABRAHAM CHILL
KETER PUBLISHING CO.,
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL 1990
15. JEWISH LITERACY
RABBI JOSEPH TELUSHKIN
WILLIAM MORROW AND
COMPANY, N.Y,
16. NEW CATHOLICS
ENCYCLOPEDIA
1967 VOL 2
17. CALENDAR OF THE
ANCIENT NEAR EAST
18. GATE WAY TO JUDAISM
ALBERT M. SHULMAN 1970
19. HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE
PARTAKE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER
AMBASSADOR COLLEGE, 1952
20. ANTIQUITIES OF THE
JEWS
WORKS OF JOSEPHUS
21. ENCYCLOPEDIA
AMERICANA
22. ASTRONOMY MADE
SIMPLE
MEIR H. DEGANI. SC.D.
CADILLAC PUBLISHING CO.
1963
23. FUNK AND WAGNALLS
NEW STANDARD ENCYCLOPEDIA VOL V UNICORN PUBLISHERS, INC. 1948
24. THE INTERPRETER'S
DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE
ABINGDON PRESS, N. Y
25. MARK OF THE BEAST
HERBERT W ARMSTRONG
AMBASSADOR COLLEGE 1952
26. WHO IS THE BEAST
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
AMBASSADOR COLLEGE 1960
27. BABYLON, MYSTERY
RELIGION
RALPH WOODROW 1981
28. PAGAN HOLIDAYS OR
GOD'S HOLY DAYS WHICH?
HERBERT W ARMSTRONG
AMBASSADOR COLLEGE 1957
© Church of God, In Truth
Used with permission.