Having ASSURANCE of the Biblical Calendar

The subject of the authentic Biblical Calendar is a continual discussion among Christian communities for more than 2 millennia. Conjunction vs Sighted New Moon, “Tekufah” vs Green Ear, Postponements vs non. In more recent days we have numerous variants of Zadok and Echochian calendars, and to a lesser degree one of the other calendars found at Qumran in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

We will look at each of these calendars and adhering to only 2 Biblical Principles we can quickly eliminate calendars that would be incongruent with scripture From there we can see the simple rules for calendar making directly from scripture.

TWO IRREVOCABLE PRINCIPALS

The FIRST RULE should be intuitive for anyone discipled by Christ, we can’t make rules that DIRECTLY violate scripture.

And he will speak words against the Most High, and he will wear out the holy ones of the Most High, and he will attempt to change times and law, and they will be given into his hand for a time and two times and half a time.
~Daniel 7:25

Changing “Times and Laws” is directly forbidden in Torah, also Tanak and Brit Hadasha.

You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish from it, that you may keep the commandments of Yahuwah your God which I command you.
~Deuteronomy 4:2

5  Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. 
6  Do not add to His words, lest He correct you and you be found a liar. 
~Proverbs 30

16  All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; 
17  So that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. 
~2 Timothy 3

I don’t think anyone reading this article would disagree with the claim, the Word of God is the Authority… and yet, they absolutely do it.

ADDING to or TAKING away from His written word, is SIN

Second Rule

Whatever Calendar Jesus kept is the one we should keep!

Jesus NEVER committed even one sin, NOT EVER, not even a little bit… NONE, zero Sins.

We christians are to follow Christ, that is, do whatever He did. Which means to be disciples of Jesus the Christ.

3  And by this standard we know that we know Him [Jesus]: if we keep His commandments. 
4  The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 
5  On the other hand, if anyone is keeping His Word, truly in this one the love of God is being perfected. By this means we know that we are in Him. 
6  Anyone who claims to dwell in Him is obligating himself also to walk even as He Himself walked. 
~1 John 2

The way we become ONE with the Almighty and His Son is by crucifying our flesh and putting on His Nature. We do that by obedience to His Instructions (Law/Torah). Jesus is righteous and perfect without a single sin, He is our model, the one we emulate, our example of how to have peace with the Almighty.

Sabbath Breaking is a SIN

Remembering the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy is the 4th Commandment!!!

Leviticus 16,23 and Numbers 28-29 contain the yearly Sabbaths, they are sacred Appointments, and to miss one is a SIN. The remedy for Sabbath breaking is death. The Holydays are contingent directly upon the Sacred Calendar, to violate one is SIN… Jesus NEVER SINNED.

Annual HolyDays Are High Sabbaths:

1. First Day of Unleavened Bread – (Leviticus 23:6-7)
2. Seventh Day of Unleavened Bread – (Leviticus 23:8)
3. Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) – 50 days after First Fruits (Leviticus 23:21)
4. Feast of Trumpets – (Leviticus 23:24-25)
5. Day of Atonement – (Leviticus 23:27-32)
6. First Day of Tabernacles – (Leviticus 23:35)
7. Eighth Day of Assembly – (Leviticus 23:36)

Keeping the Sabbaths bring a blessing breaking it brings a curse.
Deuteronomy 27 & 28

Jesus Kept The Temple Calendar

Jesus was taught directly by His Heavenly Father
Jesus was not a Pharisee nor did He teach anything Pharisaic

Here we find that even as a child, the parents of Jesus took him to Jerusalem for the Feast Days. The Temple would have been full of those from all over Israel based on the Temple Calendar.

41  Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. 
42  And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 
~Luke 2

Jesus believed the Temple Passover was indeed Passover day.

17  Now on the first of the unleaveneds, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You desire that we prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 
18  And He said, “Go into the city to such a man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near; I will keep the Passover with My disciples at your house.”
~Matthew 26

Another statement by Jesus to His disciples showing His agreement with the Temple Calendar

15  And He said to them, “With earnest desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”
~Luke 22

Jesus keeping Temple Calendar Passover early in His ministry:

23  Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed on His name, as they observed the miracles that He was doing. 
~John 2

The Temple Calendar was non-controversial, they only ask IF they went to the Feast, NOT “when”.

45  Therefore, when He came into Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem during the feast, for they also had gone to the feast. 
~John 4

Jesus keeps Sukkot (Tabernacles) on the Temple Calendar in John 7

Here again, another Feast Day, we see Jesus in Jerusalem at the Temple (Inconclusive, but probably Passover)

1  After these things there was a feast of the Judeans, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 
~John 5

So, there is conclusive biblical evidence that Jesus, our role model, kept the holy days according to the Temple Calendar.

Temple Calendar

Many people seem to think the Temple in Jerusalem kept the Hillel II Calendar… that is true, its the Civil Calendar of the Romans because Israel was under Roman jurisdiction at the time of Christs ministry, but its NOT the Calendar for setting HolyDays.

The Calendar in use at the Temple doesn’t have an “official” name, it’s often referred to as the “Hebrew Calendar” or “Temple Calendar” (Not to be confused with the “Temple Calendar” found in the Dead Sea Scrolls written by Essens)

The Biblical Calendar of the Temple is a Lunisolar calendar. The rules go back to at least Noah, and presumably back to the Garden of Eden. The Fathers calendar is so simple even a shepherd boy could know what day it is, no “cheat sheet” required.

Biblical Calendar:
The first light of the sighted New Moon, after the vernal equinox is day 1

Is the Temple Calendar Babylonian?

Satan did NOT trick The Father into crucifying His Son on the wrong day

Noah’s 360 day calendar

Joshua’s Long Day/ Ahaz Sundial

Enochian/Zadok/DSS Calendars

Modern Jewish Calendar

Sources for the Biblical Calendar