NEW YEAR AND THE NEW MOON

Yesterday we had an interesting lesson on The new moon and the Passover

Today as the count down continues to the new year we are left with hours

It is dangerous business in the service of God to deviate from his institutions. Those who have to do with
God, who is infinite, who explicitly directs in regard to his own worship, should follow the exact course
he has prescribed, and not feel at liberty to deviate in the smallest respect, because they think it will
answer just as well. – 4aSG 14.2

While leading the Hebrew host from bondage to freedom, the Lord was firmly establishing them in the
truth of all things, including the truth of the day on which the year begins, of the day on which the
month begins, and of the day on which the week begins. Obviously, the Hebrew religion had largely to
do with the days of the week, of the month, and of the year.

This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. –
Exodus 12:2

True religion has largely to do with the days of the week,of the month and of the year

When God said this month shall be the beginning of months He was firmly establishing them in the truth
of the day on which the month begins

And He appointed the “lights in the firmament… for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years”
(Gen. 1:14), by the movements of which He fixed each solar and each lunar date, so that it could never
be lost sight of.

Then to make doubly secure against such a loss. He “spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to
you.” Ex. 12:1, 2. 3ANS 10.1

As the exodus of today are we not also compelled to keep the day in which the month begins ?

He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. – Psalm 104:19

The importance of the moon is to mark the seasons

And tomorrow ie at sunset today today marks the beginning of the month which also is the beginning of
the new year

The truth of the day in which the month begins and the truth of the day in which the year begins

Then why do we say Happy New Year on January 1?

But the Roman New Year, January 1, finds its establishment, not in the movements of the solar system,
but in the notions of mythology.

To prevent His people from bringing upon themselves such a catastrophe, and to have them intelligent as
to the time the year begins, the Lord gave to Moses the sacred yearly calendar, which cannot be lost or
miscalculated so long as the earth remains

He told him that the day which preceded the exodus was the fourteenth day of the first month; and that
forever thereafter, they were to commemorate the Passover on that very night each year, the night
following the fourteenth day.

Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year. – Exodus 13:10

These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. –
Leviticus 23:4

The first of these festivals, the Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, occurred in Abib, the first month
of the Jewish year, corresponding to the last of March and the beginning of April. – PP 537.3

Inspiration is clear here that the first month of the year is at the end of March or beginning of April.
Hence today at sunset all Israel will be shouting

Blessed New Year

Thus was the Lord re-establishing the creation calendar, reaffirming that the year begins on the day of
the vernal equinox, on which spring, the first season of the year, commences, and on which the sun and
the moon were created (the fourth day from the beginning of creation)—the only point in time at which,
in the very nature of things, the year could begin.

And so it is that the Passover, the Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (the three most important
feasts in the year), besides other feasts, are controlled by the solar year and by the lunar month; the
weekly Sabbath by the day on which creation began; and the year itself by the vernal equinox, the
immovable sign-post. 3ANS 10.4

Where else has the vernal equinox been used as a way of reckoning time?

The year 1843 was, however, regarded as extending to the spring of 1844. The reason for this, briefly
stated, is as follows: Anciently the year did not commence in midwinter, as now, but at the first new
moon after the vernal equinox. Therefore, as the period of 2300 days was begun in a year reckoned by
the ancient method, it was considered necessary to conform to that method to its close. Hence, 1843
was counted as ending in the spring, and not in the winter. – GC88 681.4

This is God’s way an immovable sign post. To deviate from this method is worshipping the beast and it’s
image.

Besides shouting a Blessed New Year at sun set today what else are we admonished to do?
Thus saith the Lord GOD; 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 it shall be opened.
– Ezekiel 46:1

God has a reason for this

Listen to what inspiration is saying

Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths
and in the new moons. – Ezekiel 46:3

It says it’s a Sabbath a holy convocation

Not convocating on new moons is worshipping the beast and its image.

Hence the need to observe the month Abib

Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the
LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night. – Deuteronomy 16:1

We should observe

1. When is the new moon ?

2. When is the vernal equinox?

By so doing we will be able to determine the new year which comes end of March or beginning of April.

That’s why this year we had Adar 2 so as to keep the Passover at the appointed time

The Hebrews were forever to keep holy, (1) not a seventh, but the seventh, day of each week, the
Sabbath; (2) the days from the fifteenth to the twenty-first day of the first month, the Passover week; (3)
the fiftieth day after the sheaf of the first fruits was offered, the Pentecost; (4) the tenth day of the
seventh month, the Atonement; (5) the days from the fifteenth to the twenty-first day of the same
month, the Feast of Tabernacles; and (6) the feasts of the new moons.

Thus the All-knowing One, He who created the heavenly bodies and knows the very moment He set
them in motion to govern the day, the month, and the year, decreed that the holy feasts be observed in
the very month and on the very day on which they were first ordained. 3ANS 9.4

Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. – Psalm 81:3

A blessed New Year brethren and a blessed new moon to you all

Come let us worship God the way He has designed and not our way