God's Sacred Calendar

Did God inspire and preserve His sacred
calendar through the Jews or is the Hebrew
calendar merely the work of carnal men?

BY STEPHEN FLURRY AND MARK NASH

*Note-We at the British-Israel Church of God in no way believe that Herbert W Armstrong was the Elijah to come. So those references to the Elijah doctrine are left out!

Today,  there is again confusion over when the sacred year should begin. Some have doubted the authority of the Hebrew calendar with this reasoning: How can we rely on men who do not have the Holy Spirit to tell us when we should observe God's annual holy days? Nevertheless, let us consider the original argument. Can we rely on the accuracy of the Hebrew calendar? Is it God-inspired, or merely the work of carnal men?

Nothing New

It should first be pointed out that the argument to reject the Hebrew calendar is NOT NEW! Mr. Armstrong faced the same argument over 55 years ago! At that time, there was a man claiming the Passover fell on a different day, other than the 14th of Nisan, according to the Hebrew calendar. Mr. Armstrong answered this man's argument in a Good News Letter (1940): "Unless God has preserved His sacred calendar through the Jews, then we do not know how to figure Passover or any of the holy days this year. For there is no authority for any other way. THERE IS NO BIBLE AUTHORITY WHATSOEVER for figuring the first day of the first month from the new moon nearest the spring equinox."

Carefully read that last sentence again, because there are those who argue along this line: just find the new moon nearest the spring equinox and calculate from there. (The spring equinox is when the time of the day and the night are equal in length March 20 or 21 on the Roman calendar.) It is true that God says keep His holy days in season (Num. 9:2-3). In other words, His spring festivals should be kept in the spring and the autumn festivals in autumn. And that is exactly what the Hebrew calendar ensures-that these days will be kept in their proper season. But nowhere does God tell us to find the new moon closest to the spring equinox and begin counting for yourself. God did not leave that responsibility to us-He left that to the Jews!

Notice! Mr. Armstrong continued in his letter, "God did not commit His oracles or the preservation of His times, to profane history.... They have been preserved by the Jews. "After thorough study of the Bible, of the Hebrew calendar, of history and every angle-after going into the matter with all the Eugene brethren and other brethren who have made a special study of this question, we have unanimously agreed that the Hebrew calendar has been preserved correct by the Jews."

Again, read that last paragraph, because there are those who infer that this is something Mr. Armstrong never really looked into-EVEN THOUGH IT'S ONE OF THE 18 TRUTHS! One critic wrote recently, "What about the annual sabbaths? We've never proven these; we took other peoples' word for it." Not true! Concerning Mr. Armstrong's thoroughly studied decision reached in 1940, Dr. Herman Hoeh, who served under Mr. Armstrong for many years, wrote that the Church "has followed this authoritative decision ever since. Others can go their own way-till the judgment!"

Let us consider further. How did Mr. Armstrong reach his conclusions? You will see that they are indeed biblically based.

Oracles Committed to Jews

Paul is very clear in Romans 3:12: "Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews are entrusted with the ORACLES OF GOD" (Revised Standard Version). The Greek word for oracles in verse 2 simply means the divine revelation or utterance of God.

The oracles do not refer to Old Testament Scripture only. Notice what Dr. Hoeh wrote in a Good News article on the Hebrew calendar: "But what were the oracles committed in a public way to the Jews? The Hebrew Bible only? By no means! The Hebrew calendar also! For without the calendar, it would be impossible to fulfill correctly what is written in the Hebrew Bible about hallowed annual times. And not only the Bible and calendar, but the week also.
"These three-Bible, calendar and week-are all part of the oracles committed to the Jews FOR ALL MANKIND" (April 1981, emphasis mine).

But how can we rely on the Jewish people? The martyr Stephen said in Acts 7:39 that his Jewish ancestors rejected the teachings of Moses. And we all know the Jews eventually rejected the Messiah. How can we rely on people who have rejected God? Paul answers this very question in verse 3 of Romans 3: "What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?" (RSV).

Good question! What if these people, to whom the oracles of God were committed, sinned and rebelled against God? Does that mean God would no longer preserve His oracles through them? "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar..." (v. 4). God continued to preserve His oracles through them. Dr. Hoeh wrote, "He simply pruned off those who refused to preserve His revelation for men. That is one reason the 10 tribes of Israel were cut off and sent into exile" (ibid.).
Here is where the argument breaks down for those who say the Hebrew calendar is not of God. They will readily admit that the Jews, even though they have rejected God's revelation, have preserved an accurate and precise reading of the Hebrew Bible; but they reject the preservation of the Hebrew calendar on the basis that it has been preserved by rebellious men! As Paul wrote, LET GOD BE TRUE! Do you believe God? Did He preserve His inspired word, the Hebrew Bible, even if through carnal men? Most would say, OF COURSE. Then did He preserve His calendar, organized according to 19-year time cycles, so that we might keep His holy days in their appointed seasons? GOD'S WORD SAYS YES!

Concerning the preservation of the Hebrew calendar, Dr. Hoeh wrote, `By faith we know we have copies, providentially preserved, of the original Word of God. By faith we know that the leadership in the Jewish courts did preserve the rules of the calendar God committed to them-even though they themselves have not wanted to follow those rules at all times.
"It is all a question of GOVERNMENT-whether God is capable of ruling. Whether God can intervene in the affairs of His people to correct their errors-no men are perfect. And that is a matter of faith" (ibid.).

Let us now take a closer look at God's sacred calendar as it has been preserved by the Jews.

God's System of Time

God did not leave the seasons, days and years to chance or to the devices of men. On the fourth day of creation, He established a system, visible to man, for the purpose of regulating our calendar. He aligned the sun and moon in conjunction with the universe to function as a great time clock. God also created a system of annual and weekly Sabbaths that demonstrate His great plan for mankind. By understanding His calendar and the meaning of the annual Sabbath days, we can have a better understanding of our Creator's plan for man.

Genesis 1:14 tells us God created signs for days, seasons and years. We know that a 24-hour day begins and ends at sunset. We must be able to mark the day and the week to understand how they are signs of creation and prophecy. To keep the Sabbath day holy, as required by the fourth commandment, we must know when the day begins and ends. In fact, just to count the seven days of a week and locate the Sabbath day, we need the sign of the day.

As the sun marks the day, it also marks the year. God's plan for six thousand years of human rule on this earth and one thousand years of Christ's rulership (Rev. 20:4), known as the Millennium, requires us to be able to count years. One year is one orbit of the earth around the sun. One solar year is 365 days and 6 hours. The Roman calendar, used by Western civilization today is based only on this solar cycle, adding an extra day every fourth year to account for the extra six hours added yearly.

However, according to God's calendar, months are determined by the moon-called lunar months. There are 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes in one lunar month. That is how long it takes for the moon to orbit the earth. Twelve of these lunar months add up to 354.36 days-10.89 days short of one solar year (365 days, 6 hours). Following the lunar cycle only  would move the calendar forward more than 32 days every three years. April 1 would be where February 28 was three years earlier.

If the year had 13 months, there would be 383.86 days in a year, or 18.64 days more than a solar year. In this case, in just two years, the calendar would move back more than 37 days. The 1st of April would occur where June 6 was two years earlier.

With a 12-month year, Passover would be in the spring one year, the next year it would be in late winter, then move to early winter, and so on around the calendar. With 13 months per year, the movement would be in the other direction-and faster. It is the Hebrew calendar which COMBINES the lunar months and solar years to be completely synchronized enabling God's people to observe His holy days (as determined by the moon) in their proper seasons (as determined by the sun). In this way, God's calendar is lunar-solar, which is consistent with Genesis 1:14. God appointed both the sun and moon "for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years."

God has instructed us to observe His holy days on specific days of the month, while at the same time, during appointed seasons in the year (Lev. 23:4). The Hebrew calendar accomplishes this through a 19-year time cycle made up of 12 common years (with 12 months) and 7 leap years (with 13 months). The 19-year cycle is significant because that is how the lunar months and the solar years RELATE. For every 19 solar years, the moon revolves around the earth 235 times. "This remarkable astronomical relationship," according to John Kossey, author of The Hebrew Calendar: A Mathematical Introduction, "makes it possible to combine common years and leap years together within a fundamental pattern that repeats itself every nineteen years."

The Calendar Preserved

The fact that God has a sacred calendar which keeps track of time should be undisputed. Again, Genesis 1:14 says the sun and moon are for seasons, days and years. Jewish historian Josephus has an interesting account concerning the descendants of Adam's son, Seth. He wrote, "Now this Seth ... became a virtuous man; and as he was himself of an excellent character, so did he leave children behind him who imitated his virtues.... They also were the inventors of that peculiar sort of wisdom which is concerned with the heavenly bodies, AND THEIR ORDER. And that their inventions might not be lost before they were sufficiently known ... they made two pillars; the one of brick, the other of stone: they inscribed their discoveries on them both" (Antiquities of the Jews, I, ii, 3).

It appears as though God's revelation concerning the heavenly bodies, including the times and seasons, began with the earliest generations.

But can we find evidence of an actual calendar in Scripture? Actually, we find plenty! Yet most are not aware of these facts. In Exodus 20:9-10, God plainly refers to a seven-day week. In fact, you can find a much earlier account of the seven-day week in Genesis 1 and 2.

But what about the division of months? What about the Hebrew calendar? Does God refer to it in Scripture? YES HE DOES! Most of the time, the writers of the Old Testament seem content to just speak of the number of the months (first, second, etc.). But when the actual name of the month is referred to, God inspired them to refer to the months on the HEBREW CALENDAR-not the Egyptian, or any other calendar for that matter.

In Exodus 12:2, God begins giving instructions concerning the Passover by saying, "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you." Notice the significance of this verse. God gave them a calendar! He told the Israelites which month was to be the f rst month. In Exodus 13:4, this month is called Abib, meaning an ear of corn. As the name of the first month reveals, the months were to be organized according to the annual harvest seasons. Anciently, in Palestine, barley ripened first. At that time, the green ears of the winter wheat began to show. All of God's annual holy days are patterned after the two annual harvests in Palestine-spring and fall. That is why God appointed these days to be kept in season (Lev. 23:4). Baker's Bible Dictionary refers to Abib as the first month "of the Jewish ecclesiastical year." And so, early on in the Bible, we find evidence of the Hebrew calendar. Abib is mentioned five more times in the Old Testament.

In I Kings 6:1, there is a reference to the second month, Zif. Likewise, you can find names for the seventh and eighth months in Scripture (Ethanim in I Kings 8:2; Bul in I Kings 6:38). When the Jews went into Babylonian captivity, they adopted different names for their months. Yet, is that where the Hebrew calendar ends in history? Does it disappear from Scripture? Not at all! God's calendar was preserved. Notice Esther 3:7: "In the first month, that is, the month Nisan The name Abib was changed to Nisan after the Jews went into captivity. Same calendar. Same month. Different name. In verse 13, you will see that the twelfth month is referred to as Adar. If you compare these names with any modern Jewish calendar, you will see that THEY ARE THE SAME! I Chronicles 27:1-15 even refers to a 12month year. Yet we know there had to be a 13th month added from time to time in order to keep God's holy days in season. The twelfth month, as we saw from Esther 3:13, is called Adar. Find a modem Hebrew calendar and you will see, that during a leap year, the thirteenth month is called Adar II.

Numerous other months named during the Babylonian captivity are mentioned in Scripture. In Esther 8:9, you will find the name for the third month on the Hebrew calendar, Sivan. Elul, the sixth month, is found in Nehemiah 6:15. The ninth month, Chisleu, is also mentioned (Neh. 1:1; Zech. 7:1), along with the tenth month, Tebeth (Est. 2:16), and the eleventh month, Sebat (Zech. 1:7). These Hebrew calendar names are used repeatedly throughout the Bible.

So we find plenty of evidence of an actual calendar in the Bible. And in I Chronicles 12:32, we find evidence of the fact that God revealed it and preserved it through MEN: "And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, TO KNOW WHAT ISRAEL OUGHT TO DO."

According to the Targum, "the sons of Issachar...had understanding to know the times, and were skilled in fixing the beginnings of years, the commencement of months, and the intercalation of months and years ... that they might show Israel what to do; and their teachers were two hundred chiefs of the Sanhedrin."

The fact that God preserved His calendar through men, just as He did Old Testament Scripture, should not surprise us. For as Dr. Hoeh wrote, "without the calendar, it would be impossible to fulfill correctly what is written in the Hebrew Bible about hallowed annual times."

The Jews may have gone into captivity, but the calendar was preserved. Bible history proves it. And Paul confirmed it in Romans 3:1-2.

Yet there are those who say there was no need for the Jews to preserve a God-inspired calendar, since God gave all the necessary instructions in the Bible for counting time yourself. That is simply not true.

Where Controversy Arises

Let us now look more closely at some of the rules of the Hebrew calendar that some often take exception with. Mostly, it is how that calendar system has been preserved and passed on that causes some to doubt.

During the time of the second temple, the Hebrew calendar was calculated and announced to the people by the Jewish court known as the Sanhedrin. "The new months were sanctified," says Arthur Spier, "after witnesses had testified that they had seen the new crescent and after their testimony had been thoroughly examined, confirmed by calculation and duly accepted" (Comprehensive Jewish Calendar). This was such an important calculation that it was kept secret from the general population.

It was in A.D. 358 that the knowledge concerning proper calculations for the Hebrew calendar became public. At that time, the chief Jewish leader, Hillel II, was responsible for regulating the calendar. Notice what Arthur Spier wrote: "When oppression and persecution threatened the continued existence of the Sanhedrin, the patriarch Hillel II took an extraordinary step to preserve the unity of Israel. In order to prevent the Jews scattered all over the surface of the earth from celebrating their new moons, festivals and holidays at different times, he made public the system of calendar calculation which up to then had been a closely guarded secret" (ibid.).

Kenneth Herrmann wrote about this crucial point in history in the October 1957 Good News: "In that year [when Hillel II made his decree] the Jewish leaders published the information for all to know, so the broken and scattered Jewish nation (and Christians as well) would be able to continue the observance of God's feast days in accordance with the new moons as calculated from Jerusalem."

According to the Encyclopedia Judaica (vol. 8), Hillel II was the one who "regulated the order of intercalation, reckoned the year, and fixed the months for generations to come." That is true. He did it according to precise calculations revolving around the 19year cycle. But notice what else the encyclopedia says: "The opinion has been expressed that Hillel II was not the original creator of the fixed calendar but that it was the result of centuries of development which aimed at achieving a perfected system of fixing the calendar."

With Hillel's decree, leap years were predetermined and the rules of the calendar were fixed, all according to the precise calculations based on the solar system and its 19-year cycle. After that, when the knowledge was made public, anyone could precisely calculate God's holy days in their seasons by following the fixed 19-year cycle of the Hebrew calendar.

Rules of the Calendar

Calculating the Hebrew calendar depends on three relatively simple steps. First, the precise time the new moon appears must be determined. Anciently, this was done by sight. Today, it can be figured by simple calculations. Secondly, once the new moon (or molad) is determined for the month called Tishri (the seventh month), the Feast of Trumpets (to be observed on the first day of the seventh month) is adjusted according to certain rules discussed below. And thirdly, a leap year is periodically introduced into the 19-year cycle in order to keep the calendar in season-in harmony with the solar year.

Here is the important point: anciently, these steps were calculated and determined privately by the Sanhedrin. Today, they are fixed according to the Hebrew calendar finalized by Hillel II. The new moons can be calculated precisely. The four postponement rules are listed below. And the predetermined leap years occur in the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th and 19th years of the cycle.

The new moon of Tishri is the point in time that sets the other dates of a year. Once Tishri 1 is established, the rest of the year is set and the following year can be calculated with extreme accuracy.

The new moon and the first day of Tishri occur on the same day 40 percent of the time. The calculations involve the application of four rules known as the postponements or

• The second rule is purely an astronomical adjustment. From the earliest known times, noon was the only logical line of demarcation for the seasons and the new moon. The main reason for this is because while the time for sunrise and sunset varies, noon does not.

Seasons change at the spring and autumn equinoxes. This has to do with the tilt of the earth (23'/2 degrees on its axis) and the width of the sun as it apparently passes (actually it is the earth which is moving) the celestial equator during the spring and autumn equinoxes. The precise moment of this passage occurs when the center of the sun passes the celestial equator. However, the trailing edge of the sun lags behind this equinoctial point by '/4 degree. It takes six hours for the sun to move 1/4 degree. And six hours before sunset, during the time of an equinox is 12 noon-an obvious dividing point.

According to John Kossey, "Just as noon arbitrated the first day of spring and the first day of fall, it served a similar function with the assigned day of the molad-that is, the molad or conjunction of the moon had to have a natural and arbitrary limit, in this case noon" (The Hebrew Calendar: A Mathematical Introduction).

• The maximum number of days for a common year (non-leap year) is 355. Without rule number three, there would be common years with 356 days.

These rules demonstrate that God places greater importance

on His holy days than He does on the calendar.

• The minimum number of days for a leap year is 383. Without rule number four, there would be leap years with only 382 days.
Without these rules and the application of the leap years, the calendar would fluctuate greatly from year to year. "The sacred calendar would be in a perpetual state of confusion," writes John Kossey. Combined, these rules produce an orderly progression from year to year and season to season. They accommodate the differences in the solar year and the length of months or the lunar year. They permit us to keep God's holy days in their seasons (Lev. 23:4).

Once these rules for the calendar were made public, anyone could determine the first day of the month of Tishri. The exact time for the new moon of Tishri the next year can be calculated by adding 356.24 days to the current time of the new moon. The holy days for the rest of the year and the next year could then be determined by calculation. Passover is always 164 days before Trumpets. Atonement is 9 days after Trumpets, on Tishri 10, etc.

These rules demonstrate that GOD PLACES GREATER IMPORTANCE on His holy days than He does on the calendar. John Kossey summed it up this way: "Instead of the Sacred Festivals being subordinate to the Hebrew calendar the latter serves the Holy Days."

Avoids Scriptural Contradictions

Dr. Herman Hoeh asked, "Why do God's festivals fall when they do? Have we ever asked why Passover does not fall on the eve of Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday? Or why the fast of the Day of Atonement does not occur on Friday or Sunday? Or why
the seventh day of the Festival of Tabernacles does not fall on the weekly Sabbath-but the eighth day commonly does.
"These are all curious features of the calendar God caused the Jewish people to preserve for us. These features are lost among those who invent their own rules for their own calendars. They are lost because people have lost sight of God's authority over time" (Good News, April 1981).

There are obvious reasons for these God-inspired postponements. In Exodus 16:16-25, God instructed the Israelites to gather enough manna on Friday (6th day) so they might have food for the Sabbath. Friday was a day to prepare for the Sabbath. This God clearly commanded in verse 5: "And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall PREPARE that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily."

Today, the sixth day is still a preparation day for God's Sabbath. The four gospels plainly refer to the day before the Sabbath as the preparation day (Matt. 27:62; Luke 23:54; Mark 15:42; John 19:31, 42).

Now, let's look at one of God's annual holy days-the Day of Atonement. This day, according to God's calendar, is on the tenth day of the seventh month (Lev. 23:27). On this day we are to afflict our souls, or fast, which is to go without food and water for one complete day (sunset to sunset). For all of the other holy days, God commands that "no servile work" be done (see Lev. 23:8). In other words, no work, except the obvious work needed to reheat food, feed yourself and so on. Yet on the Day of Atonement, God simply commands "NO WORK" (v. 28)-not even final preparations for a meal.

Now ask yourself this: What if the Day of Atonement fell on the sixth day, the day before the weekly Sabbath? Then there would be an obvious contradiction in Scripture. How could you prepare for the Sabbath on the Day of Atonement? Likewise, what if Passover occurred on a Saturday night? Imagine a deacon trying to hurriedly prepare for the Passover service, while at the same time keeping the Sabbath day holy. God did not intend for His holy days to be in subjection to the calendar. It is just the reverse! And since we cannot alter the rotation of the moon or any other heavenly body, God has allowed for postponements so we can alter the calendar, while at the same time ensuring that all of His holy days are kept in their proper season.

Yet, there are those today who suggest we should just throw out the Hebrew calendar (even though it is referred to often in the Bible) and rely solely on looking for the first moon crescent, while not allowing for any postponements whatsoever. This is exactly what some Jews were demanding anciently! Notice what Jesus said to the multitude and the disciples in Matthew 23:2-4: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; so PRACTICE AND OBSERVE WHATEVER THEY TELL You, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger" (RSV).

Notice, Christ understood what God had entrusted these men with, even though they were self-righteous and rebellious toward God. They sat in Moses' seat! The scribes were responsible for the preservation of the Hebrew texts. And it was the Pharisees' court, also in Moses' seat, which preserved the Hebrew calendar! Christ said, "practice and observe whatever they tell you." He commanded the multitude to observe and keep holy the annual holy days according to God's command-but on the days appointed by the Hebrew calendar.

Yet there was a certain element of people during Christ's day who, as Dr. Hoeh wrote, "put major emphasis on precise visual observation of the first faint crescent of the new moon.... They were more concerned with the visual appearance of the moon's first crescent than they were with the spiritual requirements of the Day of Atonement" (ibid. ).

Even though their observance was wrong, Christ plainly said there were still certain things God preserved through them, which we are to "practice and observe." God has protected and preserved His oracles, the Hebrew Bible, calendar and week, THROUGH THE JEWS! Otherwise, the critics would have to admit Romans 3 is wrong.

Without the Jews, the Hebrew Bible simply would not have been preserved. Likewise, how would we know which day was the seventh-day Sabbath, were it not for the Jews? There are people in this world who believe that time has been lost. They seem to have a pretty strong case just looking at it carnally. After all, if ten tribes of Israel became lost, and the Jews have been in and out of captivity, how can we even know we are in the proper seven-day week? Because the Jews preserved it! But how can that be? Didn't the Jews reject the teachings of Moses? (Acts 7:39). Didn't they reject Christ? Then how could they be used to preserve these things? Because God said they would! Likewise, God used them to preserve His sacred calendar.

A Round Earth

"What those today who want to establish their own calendars and their own authority overlook," Dr. Hoeh wrote, "is that we live on a round earth. One would have thought they knew that!" (ibid.).

Dr. Hoeh went on to explain how, on a round earth, there has to be a determined international date line. The authoritative dividing line that has been chosen is in the mid-Pacific. And since a straight line would cut right through certain regions or countries, it was determined that the line would circle around the islands in Western Alaska so that they might be included in the eastern zone. Likewise, in the Southern Hemisphere, in the South Pacific island of Tonga, the dateline circles in the opposite direction to incorporate the eastern region of the nation into the western zone. That means if God's people lived in Eastern Tonga, they would actually observe God's holy days a whole day earlier than those in Western Alaska. And this is exactly what was done for many decades under Mr. Armstrong's leadership. Even today, many PCG members in New Zealand are near the end of their Sabbath when Americans are just beginning theirs! And that is because of an authoritative, arbitrary decision made by men.

People argue, what if you were stranded on a desert island, with nothing but your Bible? How would you keep track of time? By looking at the moon they insist. Yet, without a Hebrew calendar, if we all just looked for the new moon, do you realize that on a round earth, the new moon would appear at different times in different countries? In fact, 40 percent of the time, someone living in California will see the new moon a day earlier than those in Jerusalem. With God's people scattered around the face of the earth, calculating the figures yourself would only bring confusion. This very fact should reveal the need for a central authority concerning the calendar.

Dr. Hoeh wrote, "God intended the earth to present just such problems so that authoritative decisions would have to be made-and people tested to see whether they are willing to come under authority of those empowered to make just such decisions" (ibid.).

To avoid confusion, the Hebrew calendar is based on the sun and the moon in relation to Jerusalem, where God's future headquarters will be when His Kingdom is set up.

Careful Calculations

Again, let us consider some of the arguments of those who insist that the Hebrew calendar is merely the creation of Jews-not ordained by God. They contend that the Jews developed these rules for their own convenience. They also suggest that postponement rules did not exist prior to A.D. 358 when Hillel II published them. A little history will easily establish that God expects us to apply these rules, just as Mr. Armstrong did. In fact, the very first year Mr. Armstrong began keeping the holy days, 1927, the rules of postponement put the Day of Atonement on Saturday instead of the preparation day-Friday. Mr. Armstrong observed Atonement according to the Hebrew calendar. He continued this practice until the day he died. The Philadelphia Church of God continues this same practice today! In fact, if we do not apply the rules of postponement, we will be keeping the annual Sabbaths on the wrong day 60 percent of the time.

Let us look closely at the example of Christ to see if He applied the rules of postponement or not. Follow this carefully. If we measure the exact time of the appearance of the new moon of Tishri 1, we can mathematically determine the exact time of the new moon of Tishri for any year. The increased technology in science has made determining the new moon very precise. In fact, the exact time for the new moon of Tishri in Jerusalem in 1978, as

 Without the postponement, Passover in A.D. 31 would have been on a TUESDAY! If there would have been a problem with the way the holy days were being counted, Christ would have surely corrected it. Yet, He observed Passover that year without any mention of the days being counted incorrectly.

To argue against these plain facts, some try to change historical facts and insist that He died in A.D. 30, when the Passover fell on a Wednesday without the use of postponements. This reasoning is in obvious disagreement with plain historical facts and biblical truth. (Please see article "From Good Friday to Easter Sunday" on page I1 in this issue for PROOF of when Christ died.)

Not Biblical

Perhaps the biggest complaint critics have against the Hebrew calendar is that it is "not biblical," even though certain months on the Hebrew calendar are referred to repeatedly throughout Scripture. Upon examining some of the arguments from Hebrew calendar critics, you will see who is basing their beliefs on the Bible, and who is not.

First, since the Bible often refers to days, weeks, Hebrew months and years, God obviously has a sacred calendar. And if it is not the Hebrew calendar, which calendar is it?

Dr. Hoeh wrote in his Good News article, "Are we free to decide for ourselves when we think the month Abib-the month of the green earsshould occur? Are we to decide the matter on the basis of the state of the harvest in the Holy Land today? Some ... have taken upon themselves the authority to determine the calendar for themselves. God lets them do so, but He has given them no authority in this matter.

"Who has that authority? Did Jesus give authority to the New Testament Church to preserve God's calendar? Most certainly not!

 Nor did the Church ever preserve it. Nor did the Church preserve the Hebrew Bible. We use both. We have authority to teach and preach from the Bible (usually in translation), but God's Church has been given no authority to preserve the Bible in either Hebrew or Greek. Nor have we been called to determine the rules of God's calendar. This is a matter He has left to the Jews-hence it is proper to call it the Hebrew calendar, just as we speak of the Hebrew Bible."

Yet, some have decided for themselves how to determine the calendar. One critic suggested that the Hebrew calendar is not needed, "since God gave all the necessary instructions for figuring the calendar in the Bible." What follows, are the three main rules promoted by those who have been deceived into believing you can make your own calendar:

1) Establish the time of the new moon closest to the spring equinox from an astronomical table. This establishes the first day of the year. Mr. Armstrong answered this argument best: "THERE IS NO BIBLE AUTHORITY WHATSOEVER FOR FIGURING THE FIRST DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH FROM THE NEW MOON NEAREST THE SPRING EQUINOX" (Good News Letter, 1940). Mr. Armstrong was right. Check for yourself. It is not biblical. It is true that God says keep the holy days in their appointed seasons and that the beginning of the spring season is after the equinox, but nowhere does He say this is how the first month should be calculated.

2) If the Passover is after the spring equinox or on the same day as the spring equinox, you can continue to calculate the rest of God's holy days.

Sounds simple. But that reasoning will lead you into a direct contradiction of scriptural commands. Notice! The spring equinox according to Jerusalem time always falls on either March 20 or 21. According to the above reasoning, the Passover could come as early as the spring equinox. Consider this: if there are 29'/2 days in every lunar month and Passover is on the 14th day of the first month, and the Feast of Tabernacles begins on the 15th day of the seventh month, that means there are 178 days from Passover to the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Notice Exodus 34:22: "And thou shalt observe ... the feast of ingathering at the year's end." In most Bible margins, that last phrase reads, "at the revolution of the year." The Hebrew word for revolution is tequfah and is used specifically for the equinoxes or solstices. This passage in Exodus is referring to God's holy days and how they are to be kept in their seasons. The feast of ingathering, also called the Feast of Tabernacles, pictures the great fall harvest and therefore occurs every year in the fall. This verse says the Feast is to occur at the turn of the year, which means AT or AFTER the autumnal equinox, which normally occurs on September 23.

If the Passover fell on March 20, that means the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles would fall on September 14-meaning the entire Feast and the Last Great Day would occur before the autumnal equinox-BEFORE autumn actually begins! This is no small error.

Did you realize that this is the exact same argument Mr. Armstrong faced in 1940. That year, a man was spreading lies that the Passover was to be observed much earlier-on March 22. Mr. Armstrong asked that man on what authority he based his decision. The man said it was based on the principle of finding the new moon nearest the vernal equinox. Mr. Armstrong went on to show this man, who later left the Church, that March 22 was too early for the Passover!

Do you think it is just coincidence that on the Hebrew calendar Passover never comes as early as March 20? In fact, the earliest Passover this century occurred on March 26. It usually occurs in early April. This not only ensures Passover will be kept in its proper season, but that the Feast of Tabernacles occurs at or after the autumnal equinox-in its proper season as commanded in Exodus 34!

3) If the Passover (14th day of the first month) falls before the spring equinox, then it would not be kept in its appointed season. Simply go to the next new moon and establish that as the first month.

Once again, there is no scriptural support for such a rule. Essentially, this rule is saying add a leap year (or a 13th month) when Passover falls before the equinox. The Bible nowhere mentions a leap year or a thirteenth month. However, the Hebrew calendardoes! It sounds like these "personal" calendars are, in some points, patterned after the Hebrew calendar.

Some people have been deceived by these points because they seem so simple. After all, just determine when the Passover is by looking at the new moon closest to the equinox and count the rest of God's holy days from there.

Those who have devised their own calendar with its own set of rules HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY TO DO so. Furthermore, their so-called simple and precise calculations lead to gross miscalculations and scriptural contradictions. This is because God has given the responsibility of preserving His calendar to the Jews.

Critics say there is no Bible authority for the Hebrew calendar. And if that is true, then we CANNOT know when to observe God's annual holy days, because there is no Bible authority for any other calendar. God refers to the Hebrew calendar throughout the Scriptures. And in Romans 3:12, He says the Jews are responsible for preserving it. By faith we know which calendar is approved by God!

Conclusion

How do we know we have an accurate record of the Hebrew Scriptures? Because God said He would preserve it through the Jews. What is our proof? Faith! But people in this world do not live by faith. God's evidence is not good enough for them. Dr. Hoeh wrote, "The kind of evidence men demand to prove that the Hebrew Bible-and for that matter the Greek New Testament, too-has been preserved does not exist. There are no original autographs extant for men to peer at and criticize. God lets them criticize copies, while they lose sight of what is written in them, through disobedience."

How do we know the seven-day week has been preserved accurately? How can we be sure that time has not been lost? Because God said it would be preserved-through the Jews.

Likewise, God's sacred calendar has been preserved! By what evidence can we prove that? Faith! But, as Dr. Hoeh wrote, the kind of evidence men seek to prove its authoritativeness simply does not exist!

Since the Philadelphia Church of God began in 1989, we have continually admonished people to prove all things (I Thes. 5:21). You will be able to prove God's truth and it will be simple to understand for all who have an open mind. Some have twisted this understanding to say, "You cannot understand the Hebrew calendar and how it works! It's confusing."

Listen! This is not confusing. For every 19 solar years, the moon orbits the earth 235 times. The Hebrew calendar, based on that 19-year cycle, combines the solar orbits with the lunar orbits, as well as certain rules to make sure God's holy days fall at their appointed seasons. There is nothing confusing about it. God said He would preserve His calendar through the Jews. And by faith, we believe it!

Now if you sit down and try to calculate and preserve the calendar yourself, THAT WOULD GET CONFUSING-just as you would be very confused if you tried to copy or translate the Hebrew Scriptures! But we have no authority to do that! We do, however, have authority to USE both. We teach from the Hebrew calendar, just as we do from the Hebrew Bible.

 One of the very points of truth he restored was the authority of the Hebrew calendar. Mr. Armstrong came to understand that truth early on in his ministry, due to a controversy that arose in 1940. He studied it thoroughly! The individuals who rejected what Mr. Armstrong taught eventually left the Church, never to be heard from again. The fruits of Mr. Armstrong's work, however, continued to flourish abundantly as history clearly proves.

No, this isn't confusing. Walking by faith and then judging by fruits makes this VERY PLAIN AND SIMPLE. Mr. Armstrong studied it, proved it, and the Church he raised up followed his authoritative decision until the day he died. Today, we have again looked into the old arguments that seem to surface from time to time. And after further study, we must abide by the same, God-ordained, authoritative decision Mr. Armstrong made. As Dr. Hoeh wrote, "Others can go their own way-till the judgment!"