How to Celebrate the New Moon


Since I started learning about the Biblical Holidays about 11 (or 12?) years ago, every time one comes around I am amazed at how much these appointed times are teaching me.  I am growing and learning each time I celebrate one of these special, set-apart times, because each one is full of symbolism that reveals God's intricate plan, His wisdom, His goodness, and His unfathomable love for us. Over the years, these holy-days have set a new rhythm to my days, weeks, months, and years.  I am learning to center my life around what God wants, and what His plan is rather than my own.

 These "appointed times" ("moedim" in Hebrew) are spelled out in Leviticus 23, and can be found throughout the whole Bible. But there is an important time that is not mentioned in that passage, so it often gets overlooked. It plays an integral part in God's calendar, and He calls His people to celebrate it every month.  In Hebrew it is called Rosh Chodesh, which means the head of the month. In English we call it the New Moon.

 The Biblical calendar is established in Genesis 1:14-19, when the sun, moon and stars were created on the fourth day, to govern the day and night, and for signs, seasons (moed - the appointed times), days, and years. (see also Psalm 104:19)  The New Moon is simply the beginning of the month according to this calendar.  

 In the Bible there are many references to the New Moon or beginning of months, including instructions for the sacrifices and offerings to be made in the Temple, found in:
Numbers 10:10
Numbers 28:11-15
1 Chronicles 23:31
2 Chronicles 2:4
2 Chronicles 8:13
2 Chronicles 31:3
Ezra 3:5

 So, how does this apply to us today? Should we celebrate the New Moon?  If so, how do we celebrate, when we certainly can't make sacrifices in the Temple?

 In Ezekiel 46:1, 3, and 6, we learn that the New Moon days will be kept in the future, and Colossians 2:16-17, says that the New Moons are a shadow of things to come.  These passages tell me that I can learn about things to come by learning about the New Moon! 

I believe that if I am one of God's people (and I am!), I should be living my life according to the instructions he gave to His people. That includes observing and celebrating the New Moon, even if I don't fully understand it, or can't fully follow the instructions since there's no Temple.  And in a way, there IS a Temple because we are told in the Apostolic Scriptures (aka New Testament) that WE are the Temple. (1 Cor. 3:16-17, 2 Cor. 6:14-18, Ephesians 2:19-22, and 1 Peter 2:5)  So, we may not be able to celebrate by bringing our offerings to the Temple, but we can celebrate AS the Temple.

 Here are some ways that we can celebrate the New Moon:

 Study what scripture says about the New Moon.
Learn all about the moon and its phases.
Learn about the history of how the New Moon was determined in Bible days.
Watch and observe the moon.
Be aware and learn about the current month on God's calendar.
Get together with other believers at the New Moon.
Blow the shofar at the New Moon.
Have a special dinner or celebration at the New Moon.
Pray, and say the Rosh Chodesh blessings from the Siddur.
Work on a monthly project for the needy.
It's easy to forget, and let the New Moon slip by unnoticed, but I am learning to make it a priority in my life to remember and do some of these things. Last night my husband and I went out to dinner to celebrate.  When we came home, he blew the shofar and we read the Rosh Chodesh blessings from the Siddur.  In the future months, I plan to do more. There is so much we can learn, and so much we can do! Be creative, and make the New Moon a special, set-apart time!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Study With Me: The Connections Method

Image
  If you do an internet search for "Bible Study Methods" you will find that there are SO many to choose from! There's the Inductive Method, the Topical Method, the Devotional Method, Verse Mapping, the SOAP Method, the ACTS Method, and so on and so on. I've tried a few of these, and I've never found one that really *works* for me. I want to study the Bible in a way that I can learn what it really says and what it means in context. I don't want to rely on someone else's ideas or my own ideas to try to figure out what it means. So I've put together a method of my own, inspired by a couple of  respected Bible teachers 1 and by the reading and study sessions that my husband and I have together each day. I call this way of studying "The Connections Method". It doesn't rely on commentaries or devotionals, and it doesn't require drawing conclusions or trying to make every Bible passage fit directly into our modern day lives. Instead, it sim
Read more

Hoshiana!

Image
Yesterday, many people celebrated what is known in churches as "Palm Sunday". What they were celebrating is an event that falls on the 10th day of the First Month on God's calendar. This year that date falls on Monday, April 15th: today!  This is the day that Yeshua (Jesus) rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the people waved palm branches and cried, "Hoshiana!"  This was very symbolic and significant, and you can read about it in your Bible in Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, and John 12.  Yeshua was fulfilling a prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9, which says: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.   The word "hoshiana" is transliterated in our Bibles as "hosanna". Don't ask my why. I'm not a linguist, so I don't know. But what I do know is t
Read more

A Fresh Start

Once upon a time I had a little blog. I started it to keep far away family and friends updated on things that were happening in my life. Then, gradually, for no good reason at all, I stopped writing in it. I forgot about my little blog. I didn't forget about my far away family and friends, though, and now even more of my family is far away. So, I've decided to start again with a fresh, new blog, and here it is! Here I will share events, photos, recipes, and things I am learning, making, doing, and thinking. In this world of hashtags and statuses, I want to share a little more, and make connections that are a little bit deeper than a "like" or a "heart" while scrolling by.  I hope you will join me!
Read more