Better late than never, so the saying goes. Everyone is a procrastinator. I have been meaning to wish everyone a happy new year since December 26th, but have so far not been able to. So at last, here I am – Happy New Year!
Well, I might not be too late, after all. Being the Christian I am, I have aspired to align myself to do the right things at the right time, for there is a time for everything… (Eccl. 3)
The prophet Daniel foresaw that in our time, some people would wish others a happy new year at a wrong time. Daniel 7:25 speaks about some fourth gentile empire that was to rule over the world. This empire was to take it upon itself to, among other evils, try to change the ‘times…’ of the people of God. Have you ever wondered for example why we begin our days from midnight to midnight? Are you aware for example, that the word ‘dawn’ comes from the Hebrew word ‘dowr’, which means to ‘draw towards’? Would it be far-fetched if one were to assert that the day should begin from sunset to sunset the following day? (Genesis 1:5, 14)
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Gen 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Gen 1:14 And God 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:
The children of Israel were taught how to count time, dates and months included. In Exodus chapter 12, God tells the children of Israel, “This month shall be the beginning of the year to you; this shall be the first month…” (Exodus 12:1-6).
Exo 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
Exo 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
Exo 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
Exo 12:4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
Exo 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
During their captivity, gentile Rome did not want to have anything in common with the children of Israel. The former had named their months after their many gods (this was and still is a polytheistic society). January, for example, takes its name from the Roman god Janus, who had faces both at its back and its front; the back of the face looked back at the old year, while the frontal face looked into the new year. Yet the Biblical first month is not Janus, but Nisan! The 12th month is not December but Adar (Esther 3:7). Tebeth is the tenth month (Esther 2:8), and not October. Sivan is the third month, and not March (Esther 8:9). Ethanim is the seventh month, and not July (Julius Caesar). 1 Kings 8:2.
Est 2:8 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
Est 3:7 In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.
Est 8:9 Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.
1Ki 8:2 And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
To cut a long story short, there are all the twelve months- Biblical months in the Bible. Due to scarcity of space, the reader would do well to refer to any Jewish calendar, Encyclopedia or Histories by Josephus.
In terms of the biblical months, every year had the normal twenty nine or thirty days. Each year normally had 360 days. Now pay attention to this: six years were counted normally, but every seventh year, there was to be an extra Adar, or Adar ??. This means that every seventh year the Biblical year had to have thirteen months!
Because of this obvious difference (the secular, Julian or Gregorian or, better still, Roman calendar only had one extra day every four years) there obviously had to be a discrepancy.
As we live today, it might interest the reader to learn that in terms of God’s time, we are “lagging behind” by about three months!
Leviticus 23:5 speaks about the Passover, which should be celebrated on the Fourteenth of Nisan (the first month in the evening) after sunset. This is the same date the Lord “Passed over” and spared the children the wrath when He smote the Egyptians’ first born (Leviticus 12). It is this same night that Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 11:23. Please see also John 19:14; John 19:31.
Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover.
1Co 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
Joh 19:14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
Joh 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
Everyone celebrates his or her birthday on a calendar date that corresponds to that on which he or she was born. One year this birthday might fall, say, on a Friday. It would be naïve to even imagine that the next birthday will also fall on a Friday! It is a transparent secret that we should be having our Lord being born on a Good Friday and Easter Monday every other year (The Lord does not even have bad Fridays!)
In all humility, I exhort every reader to search the scriptures and heed Prophet Daniel’s warning. This year’s Passover or Lord’s Supper, for example will fall on April 22, 2005, when “happy new year” has been wished everyone at the very wrong time! James 4:17 says that if you know the good thing to do and you do it not, to you it is a sin!
JEREMIAH 7 - SELF-DECEPTION AND MINGLED RELIGION
It is time for the watchmen to blow the trumpet: destruction is all around us and Christ is pleading that we should amend our ways. It is only when we walk fully in the word of YHWH we will be able to receive of His manifold blessings, therefore let us take heed to the word of YHWH, to obey is much better than to sacrifice.
Urgent Prayer Request
I am asking everyone to say a prayer for my friend Ben. He suffered a stroke which paralyzed one side of this body. He was then diagnosed with Lupus. The doctors then found a tumor in his brain. He's in pretty bad shape, but I know God will see him through. Please say a prayer for Ben.
Urgent Prayer Request
We are requesting for all to keep Bro. Patrick, Sis. Sephora, Bro. Defoe, and Sis. Defoe in prayer. They are very sick and are in great need of our prayers. Whenever you have a chance, please just bow your head and mention these lovely brethren that God will work his miraculous mercy and their healing will their life long testimony.
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