Calculating Yahweh's Calendar 2000

    This article is written to provide the reader with better understanding of how the calendar is calculated by PaleoTimes.org.  It is important to understand that calendar calculations are just forecasts.  The visible crescent of a new moon is the actual beginning of a biblical month.  If the crescent is not seen then the month is has not started.  The Paleo Israelites didn't have sophisticated calculations to figure out when the next Holy Day would take place.  They had to rely on the blessing of Yahweh to give them the beginning of the years.  The beginning of the scriptural year is with the biblical month of Abib, the month of green ears.  Most reference materials point out that this is the time when the Barley began to turn yellow.  The kernels of Barley were beginning to become firm.

    We receive confirmation from Israel as to when Abib really takes place.  There is a cycle that is called the 19-year cycle, which was used to calculate the beginning of Jewish calendar and also ours.  So far Yahweh has blessed this but the month of green ears has to be confirmed each year.  We watch this very closely because like the moon it is not written in stone when they will actually take place any other way, it must be verified by the yellowness of the barley and the visible crescent moon.  All this is in Yahweh's hands.

New Moons

    Before we figure the count for Passover and the feasts we must determine when the months for 2000 begin.  For this I recommend an Almanac, which lists the conjunctions, sun rise and set, and moon rise and moon set.  There is a shareware program on the Internet that will calculate all this for your area.  LINK  It is important to note that the farther Southwest you are in the US the better the chance you will have to see the new moon.  This means that Southern California is probably one of the best places to look for the moon as long as there are not too many obstructions in the west and that the pollution and cloud levels are low.  To help you understand the calculations that I have come up with and what I am writing about please download the following Adobe Acrobat PDF.  LINK  If you don't have Acrobat 4.0 you can download it free from Adobe's website.  LINK

    The following codes are essential for a correct understanding of the material presented in this article:

    Lets start with an almanac and calculate the NM for January.  The following calculations are made from St. Louis, Missouri.  The NM takes place at 12:15 and the sunsets at 16:54 on January 6^th.  (Please note that all times will be in 24-hour format throughout this article.)  If we subtract the NM from the SS we find that the moon will only be 4.65 hours old.  Most NMs are not visible if they are under 20 hours old because the illumination is not enough to be seen.  January 7^th was the day that the moon was seen this year.  If we look at the conditions we soon realize that the moon would be hopefully pretty easy to see on January 7^th.

    Here are the calculations for January 7^th:

Time Possibly Visible = (MS - SS) 60 = (17:57 - 16:55) 60 = (17+57/60-16-55/60) 60= 62 m

Age of Moon = SS - NM = 16:55 + (24 - 12:15) = 16 + 55/60 +( 24 - 12 - 15/60) = 28.7 h

Since the moon happened the day before the new moon time must be subtracted from the total hours in a day, 24 hours.  I have 24-12:15 grouped to show that the calculation is for the previous day.

    Here is the chart for the rest of the year.  You can see if your calculations match or come close.

Weekly Sabbath

    One of the clearest places in the scriptures to find a list of the yearly scriptural observances is Leviticus 23.  Leviticus 23 starts off with Yahweh telling Moses that he should tell the children of Israel to keep the following holy convocations starting with the weekly Sabbath.

"And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying,  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of Yahweh, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.  Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of Yahweh in all your dwellings."  (Leviticus 23:1-3 AV)

Passover

    The Abib moon begins the count to Passover.  This year Abib starts with the moon that is visible the night of April 5^th.  This means that thirteen days later at sunset, the beginning of the fourteenth, we keep the Passover.  The Passover memorial is held this year on April 18^th after sunset just as Yahshua and the disciples kept the Passover supper together.

"These are the feasts of Yahweh, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.  In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is Yahweh's passover."  (Leviticus 23:4-5 AV)

Feast of Unleavened Bread

    This year the fifteenth day of Abib at sunset is April 19^th and the day of April 20^th we start the celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the fifteenth is a high day.  The seventh day of the feast of Unleavened Bread is also to be a holy convocation which if we calculate this from the April 20^th we find that it falls on April 26^th and starts at sunset on April 25^th.

"And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Yahweh: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.  In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.  But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Yahweh seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein."  (Leviticus 23:6-8 AV)

Wave Sheaf Offering

    The Wave Sheaf Offering is the day after the Sabbath.  The first day after the Sabbath, or the first Sunday that falls within the days of Unleavened Bread.  That would be the 23^rd of April.

"And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying,  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:  And he shall wave the sheaf before Yahweh, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.  And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto Yahweh.  And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto Yahweh for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.  And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your Elohim: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings."  (Leviticus 23:9-14 AV)

Feast of Weeks

    The next feast after the Feast of Unleavened Bread is the Feast of Weeks.  The Feast of Weeks is forty-nine days after the Wave Sheaf Offering or 50 days from the Sabbath.  This year the Feast of Weeks is kept as a high day on June 11^th and starts at sunset on June 10^th.

"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:  Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto Yahweh.  Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto Yahweh.  And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto Yahweh, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto Yahweh.  Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.  And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before Yahweh, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to Yahweh for the priest.  And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.  And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am Yahweh your Elohim."  (Leviticus 23:15-22 AV)

Feast of Trumpets

    If we count the new moons starting with April 5^th, which is the first month of the biblical year, we find that the seventh new moon is on September 28^th, which is the beginning of the seventh month.  The seventh month starts with the Feast of Trumpets.  The Feast of Trumpets is a daylong feast that is marked with the blowing of the trumpets, a day that we have to be watchful for because it falls on the same day as the new moon.

"And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying,  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.  Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Yahweh."  (Leviticus 23:23-26 AV)

Day of Atonement

    The next holy convocation is a time of affliction.  Atonement is a day where we humble our selves and ask for the mercy of almighty Yahweh.  We afflict ourselves by not eating or drinking.  This is the tenth day of the seventh month.  If we count it out we find that Atonement is on October 8^th starting at sunset on October 7^th, which is a weekly Sabbath this year.

"And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying,  Also on the tenth day of this seventh 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.  And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before Yahweh your Elohim.  For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.  And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.  Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.  It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath."  (Leviticus 23:27-32 AV)

Feast of Tabernacles

    The fifteenth day of the seventh month is the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles.  This year the Feast of Tabernacles starts at sunset on October 12^th and the day of October the 13^th which is a Holy Day.  This is a time where we no long stay in our homes rather we gather together for a holy convocation in temporary dwellings.

"And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying,  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto Yahweh.  On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.  Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Yahweh: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Yahweh: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein."  (Leviticus 23:33-36 AV)

Last Great Day

    The last holy day of the year is called the Last Great Day and falls this year on October 20^th and starts on October 19^th at sunset.  Lets finish by reading the rest of Leviticus 23 because it explains what we are to do during the Feast of Tabernacles and on the Last Great Day.

"These are the feasts of Yahweh, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto Yahweh, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:  Beside the sabbaths of Yahweh, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto Yahweh.  Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto Yahweh seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.  And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before Yahweh your Elohim seven days.  And ye shall keep it a feast unto Yahweh seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.  Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:  That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am Yahweh your Elohim.  And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of Yahweh."  (Leviticus 23:37-44 AV)

Conclusion

    It is important that everyone understand the calculations presented in this article.  We each may some day be required to figure it out on our own.  As Yahweh's people we must do the best that we can to follow Yahweh and Yahshua.  The knowledge that Yahweh gives his people is amazing and can achieve amazing feats.  This article is hopefully a stepping-stone to understanding the biblical calendar a little better.

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