What is the Biblical truth about "New Year's Day?" (Ex 12:2)

[Jimmie]

HAPPY NEW YEAR? seriously? Making "New Year's resolutions?" seriously? Perhaps many have good intentions and they are following the same crowd for over 2 thousand years. Many celebrate New Year's Day with funny pointed hats, noise makers, a reason to get drunk, throw wild parties, looking forward to the next day off. Shooting off fireworks, shooting pistols into the air (but those bullets have to come down somewhere, maybe through someone's roof). but what does God say about "New Year's Day?"

EXODUS 12:2 "THIS MONTH SHALL BE UNTO YOU THE BEGINNING OF MONTHS; IT SHALL BE THE FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR TO YOU!"

Adonai, in His infinite wisdom set the beginning of each year in the Spring time, during the Hebrew month of Nissan, when everything in nature is coming back to life. This corresponds with the month of March on the Gregorian calendar. This year, God's "New Year" is on Thursday, March 23rd, which is the first day of the month of Nissan.

If you think about it, it makes sense to celebrate the dawning of a "New Year" in the Springtime, while the Gregorian/Julian calendar places it in the midst of Winter, when everything is cold, bleak, gloomy, and dead. But then how did this happen? Someone changed God's timing for the New Year from March to January. Who done it?

The idea was put forth before Rome became a Republic and still had kings. There was "Numa Pompillius" who decided to change the time of the New Year from March to January to celebrate the Roman god "Janus". In 45 BCE, Julius Caesar proclaimed January 1st as New Year's day. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII made a few more changes but kept January first as New Year's day.

The calendar was changed from a lunar set calendar, set by Adonai, to a solar-based calendar, set by man! Maybe they didn't like holidays being on different days every year, but that was the perfect will of God, that the calendar be set to the cycles of the moon and not the sun.

What do I think about New Year's day? January first? It is just another day on the calendar, just a change in the month, that's all. Nothing to get excited about, to jumped around and do flips. If someone says to me: "Happy New Year" of course I will respond with the same so as not to ignore the person or show rudeness, but as believers, we should all know when GOD says the New Year begins, after all, it's His earth, His moon, His sun, and all that exists in the heavens above and on the earth below.

So How was January first for me? I entered it with a cold and almost choked on flem inside my throat early in the morning as if invisible fingers were squeezing my windpipe, yet I survived as my wife knows what to do. She'll make me hot tea with lemon and honey. For most people, a common cold is not life-threatening, for me it is. My wife says "Sleep sitting up, it is a safety measure!" So much for January 1st.

So how about "New Years resolutions?" Promises for a new year? People have good intentions but most resolutions are not kept: I promise to stop smoking and drinking. I promise to stop "a fussin and a cussin". I promise not to smack my kids in the face anymore, (I'll just punch them in the arm)
I promise to start going to church (that's a good one) since my wife/husband hounds me every week. I promise to do this and that...

Yet the WORD of God teaches us about making "vows" with "I promise to...' or "I will..." who knows if you will keep your promises. So, what would be a good idea to start out the new year with, whether you celebrate it on January 1st or in March, that's up to each person who is reading this?

"LORD and Heavenly Father, I come to you in Jesus' name, and ask that for this new year, you might grant me more spiritual maturity, more maturity as a believer and member of the household of faith. More understanding of your WORD, and wisdom to put what you teach me into action. Teach me how to wait on You and pass your tests of faith. Grant me physical health to be able to live each day until you call me home...Amen"

As you might see, these are not "promises" nor "demands" only "requests" directed to our Heavenly Abba. I would think that with this short prayer, everyone could start the new year well. (I am sure you could add to the list.)


Ben Avraham

 

[Waggles]

This year, God's "New Year" is on Thursday, March 23rd, which is the first day of the month of Nissan.

Spring equinox - that does make sense.
September 22 is autumn equinox
But that only applies in the northern hemisphere, Downunder it is all back to front
Our New Year's Day was 38C or 100.4F
But both the equinoxes tend to be weather watersheds - changes of season.

 

[Brother Paul]

HAPPY NEW YEAR? seriously? Making "New Year's resolutions?" seriously? Perhaps many have good intentions and they are following the same crowd for over 2 thousand years. Many celebrate New Year's Day with funny pointed hats, noise makers, a reason to get drunk, throw wild parties, looking forward to the next day off. Shooting off fireworks, shooting pistols into the air (but those bullets have to come down somewhere, maybe through someone's roof). but what does God say about "New Year's Day?"

EXODUS 12:2 "THIS MONTH SHALL BE UNTO YOU THE BEGINNING OF MONTHS; IT SHALL BE THE FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR TO YOU!"

Adonai, in His infinite wisdom set the beginning of each year in the Spring time, during the Hebrew month of Nissan, when everything in nature is coming back to life. This corresponds with the month of March on the Gregorian calendar. This year, God's "New Year" is on Thursday, March 23rd, which is the first day of the month of Nissan.

If you think about it, it makes sense to celebrate the dawning of a "New Year" in the Springtime, while the Gregorian/Julian calendar places it in the midst of Winter, when everything is cold, bleak, gloomy, and dead. But then how did this happen? Someone changed God's timing for the New Year from March to January. Who done it?

The idea was put forth before Rome became a Republic and still had kings. There was "Numa Pompillius" who decided to change the time of the New Year from March to January to celebrate the Roman god "Janus". In 45 BCE, Julius Caesar proclaimed January 1st as New Year's day. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII made a few more changes but kept January first as New Year's day.

The calendar was changed from a lunar set calendar, set by Adonai, to a solar-based calendar, set by man! Maybe they didn't like holidays being on different days every year, but that was the perfect will of God, that the calendar be set to the cycles of the moon and not the sun.

What do I think about New Year's day? January first? It is just another day on the calendar, just a change in the month, that's all. Nothing to get excited about, to jumped around and do flips. If someone says to me: "Happy New Year" of course I will respond with the same so as not to ignore the person or show rudeness, but as believers, we should all know when GOD says the New Year begins, after all, it's His earth, His moon, His sun, and all that exists in the heavens above and on the earth below.

So How was January first for me? I entered it with a cold and almost choked on flem inside my throat early in the morning as if invisible fingers were squeezing my windpipe, yet I survived as my wife knows what to do. She'll make me hot tea with lemon and honey. For most people, a common cold is not life-threatening, for me it is. My wife says "Sleep sitting up, it is a safety measure!" So much for January 1st.

So how about "New Years resolutions?" Promises for a new year? People have good intentions but most resolutions are not kept: I promise to stop smoking and drinking. I promise to stop "a fussin and a cussin". I promise not to smack my kids in the face anymore, (I'll just punch them in the arm)
I promise to start going to church (that's a good one) since my wife/husband hounds me every week. I promise to do this and that...

Yet the WORD of God teaches us about making "vows" with "I promise to...' or "I will..." who knows if you will keep your promises. So, what would be a good idea to start out the new year with, whether you celebrate it on January 1st or in March, that's up to each person who is reading this?

"LORD and Heavenly Father, I come to you in Jesus' name, and ask that for this new year, you might grant me more spiritual maturity, more maturity as a believer and member of the household of faith. More understanding of your WORD, and wisdom to put what you teach me into action. Teach me how to wait on You and pass your tests of faith. Grant me physical health to be able to live each day until you call me home...Amen"

As you might see, these are not "promises" nor "demands" only "requests" directed to our Heavenly Abba. I would think that with this short prayer, everyone could start the new year well. (I am sure you could add to the list.)


Ben Avraham

Yes Nisan of the Hebrew Calendar IS the first month of the "acceptable year of the Lord". Thanks. Many Christians do not get this because our religion has been Greekified and Romanized but even in the 1st 100 years after the Christ events what we now celebrate as Easter was actually part of the Pesach celebration (called to this day the Pascha or Paschal feast).

They would have "The Lord's Table" on the 14th of Nisan (as a celebration of His death till He comes) and end their time of remembrance in the morning of First fruits (on the 1st day, also an 8th day, and not called "SUN"day when He rose from the dead). Around 130 AD Anicetus (the Bishop of Rome) insisted all the Bishops of the East conform. Polycarp (a disciple of St. John) who was the then Bishop of Smyrna went to Rome because Anicetus insisted we celebrate the Resurrection Day (which the Romans called a Sunday) but the eastern Bishops, Jerusalem, and Alexandria refused and until Constantine's time continued the Paschal feast. Then it was outlawed (I believe as too Jewish but as Polycarp states it was what the Apostles taught)

 

[Jonathan_Gale]

Yes Nisan of the Hebrew Calendar IS the first month of the "acceptable year of the Lord". Thanks. Many Christians do not get this because our religion has been Greekified and Romanized but even in the 1st 100 years after the Christ events what we now celebrate as Easter was actually part of the Pesach celebration (called to this day the Pascha or Paschal feast).

They would have "The Lord's Table" on the 14th of Nisan (as a celebration of His death till He comes) and end their time of remembrance in the morning of First fruits (on the 1st day, also an 8th day, and not called "SUN"day when He rose from the dead). Around 130 AD Anicetus (the Bishop of Rome) insisted all the Bishops of the East conform. Polycarp (a disciple of St. John) who was the then Bishop of Smyrna went to Rome because Anicetus insisted we celebrate the Resurrection Day (which the Romans called a Sunday) but the eastern Bishops, Jerusalem, and Alexandria refused and until Constantine's time continued the Paschal feast. Then it was outlawed (I believe as too Jewish but as Polycarp states it was what the Apostles taught)

Long before God gave that new calendar, from the beginning there had been a civil calendar, each month has 30 days. The Flood lasted five months, from the 17th of the 2nd month (Gen. 7:11) to the 17th of the 7th month(Gen. 8:4), and the water prevailed exactly 150 days (Gen. 7:24). This is the same kind of calendar used to calculate the three and a half year tribulation. Jewish new year, Rosh Hashana, doesn't start with Nissan, but with Tishri. This calendar was the liturgical calendar based on luanr cycle, it was six months apart from the civil calendar, and the purpose was to commemorate the liberation of Israel from Egypt. An "acceptable year of the Lord" is a jubilee year, of which the first month is NOT Nissan, but Tishri 10th.

 

[Brother Paul]

Long before God gave that new calendar, from the beginning there had been a civil calendar, each month has 30 days. The Flood lasted five months, from the 17th of the 2nd month (Gen. 7:11) to the 17th of the 7th month(Gen. 8:4), and the water prevailed exactly 150 days (Gen. 7:24). This is the same kind of calendar used to calculate the three and a half year tribulation. Jewish new year, Rosh Hashana, doesn't start with Nissan, but with Tishri. This calendar was the liturgical calendar based on luanr cycle, it was six months apart from the civil calendar, and the purpose was to commemorate the liberation of Israel from Egypt. An "acceptable year of the Lord" is a jubilee year, of which the first month is NOT Nissan, but Tishri 10th.

Well then, I guess the Lord's changing this in Genesis 12 was a deception, huh? No! It is that now we have both AND I respectfully disagree with your interpretation of "the acceptable year of the Lord", Years ago I had a sister trying to convince me it was the Sabbatical year, but each their own. It is not an essential part of our redemption or salvation. So we can disagree.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

What do I think about New Year's day? January first? It is just another day on the calendar,

Same here - same goes for Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and all the other Holiday misery we inflict on ourselves. I celebrate the "Holiday season", with all it's pressures, expenses, and bad dietary occasions, BEING OVER and back in the box for another 9 months.

Rom 14:5,6

 

[Brother Paul]

Same here - same goes for Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and all the other Holiday misery we inflict on ourselves. I celebrate the "Holiday season", with all it's pressures, expenses, and bad dietary occasions, BEING OVER and back in the box for another 9 months.

Rom 14:5,6

Yes! Our holidays are hogwash.

 

[Jonathan_Gale]

Well then, I guess the Lord's changing this in Genesis 12 was a deception, huh? No! It is that now we have both AND I respectfully disagree with your interpretation of "the acceptable year of the Lord", Years ago I had a sister trying to convince me it was the Sabbatical year, but each their own. It is not an essential part of our redemption or salvation. So we can disagree.

I don’t interpret the Bible with my own opinion, I let the Bible interpret itself. In Isaiah 61, an acceptable year of the Lord is a year of liberation, not just a year of rest like a sabbatical year, and the only year that fits that definition is a jubilee year, defined in Lev. 25:8-17, and a jubilee year starts on the 10th of the SEVENTH MONTH, Lev. 25:9, the day of atonement.

 

[Brother Paul]

I don’t interpret the Bible with my own opinion, I let the Bible interpret itself. In Isaiah 61, an acceptable year of the Lord is a year of liberation, not just a year of rest like a sabbatical year, and the only year that fits that definition is a jubilee year, defined in Lev. 25:8-17, and a jubilee year starts on the 10th of the SEVENTH MONTH, Lev. 25:9, the day of atonement.

Yes, I know what a Jubilee Year is, only Isaiah 61 does not define the acceptable year of the Lord as a Jubilee year. That is eisegesis. There is no other place that specifically tells what it is so I believe the YEAR as the Lord made it and defined it (dollowing Exodus 12) IS that year, but we can agree to disagree. The term Jubilee year is not in Leviticus, the word is Jubile (yobal in the Hebrew) and refers to a year when the Ram's Horn is sounded (can be a time of warning or celebration and in this case a celebration). And yes it is a new first. All 1sts which are also 8ths are symbolic of new beginnings and liberation from the old and so on.

 

[Jonathan_Gale]

Yes, I know what a Jubilee Year is, only Isaiah 61 does not define the acceptable year of the Lord as a Jubilee year. That is eisegesis. There is no other place that specifically tells what it is so I believe the YEAR as the Lord made it and defined it (dollowing Exodus 12) IS that year, but we can agree to disagree. The term Jubilee year is not in Leviticus, the word is Jubile (yobal in the Hebrew) and refers to a year when the Ram's Horn is sounded (can be a time of warning or celebration and in this case a celebration). And yes it is a new first. All 1sts which are also 8ths are symbolic of new beginnings and liberation from the old and so on.

Exodus 12 does NOT define the FUTURE acceptable year either, how is that exegesis instead of eisegesis? And that's not deception either, but a set of new calendar for the Israelites on top of the existing civil calendar at the time. Besides, Exodus 12 only defines the specific year of Exodus from Egypt about 3500 years ago, at Yeshua's time it was about 1500 years ago, how does that translate into the year of the Lord's second coming? The bottom line is, it's not just about the theme of liberation, Isaiah 61 is a PROPHECY that can be applied to the future, Exodus 12 is NOT a prophecy, but an ordinance.

 

[Brother Paul]

Exodus 12 does NOT define the FUTURE acceptable year either, how is that exegesis instead of eisegesis? And that's not deception either, but a set of new calendar for the Israelites on top of the existing civil calendar at the time. Besides, Exodus 12 only defines the specific year of Exodus from Egypt about 3500 years ago, at Yeshua's time it was about 1500 years ago, how does that translate into the year of the Lord's second coming? The bottom line is, it's not just about the theme of liberation, Isaiah 61 is a PROPHECY that can be applied to the future, Exodus 12 is NOT a prophecy, but an ordinance.

Exodus 12 id the LORD establishing a new counting of a year and defines when it begins. That is exegesis. It is not meant to have anything to do with the Second Coming (and makes no reference to it). Reading that INTO the passage is eisegesis.

 

[Jonathan_Gale]

Exodus 12 id the LORD establishing a new counting of a year and defines when it begins. That is exegesis. It is not meant to have anything to do with the Second Coming (and makes no reference to it). Reading that INTO the passage is eisegesis.

No, it's not, but Isaiah 61 is, which the Lord himself quoted. You're the one who's reading "acceptable year" from Isaiah 61 into Exodus 12, not me.