6. Biblical New Moon

According to the history of Hebrews, Samarian kingdom of Yahweh used a calendar in the name of sky for all to see. They used the symbol of sun and moon to establish days, months and years as per Genesis 1:14. A critical component of his calendar was the new moon, which starts each Biblical month. Yahweh commanded special offerings on each new moon, and one exceptional new moon was treated as the Feast day called Feast of Trumpets [Isaiah 66:23]. Yahweh uses the new moon to establish moedim or commanded observances, [Psalm 104:19]. Special offerings were also given by them on new moon days (2 Chronicles 2:4; 8:13; 23:31).

The people worshiped at the entranceway before Yahweh on the Sabbaths and on new moon days. According to biblical Scriptures, the Jewish calendar creates some misunderstanding because it uses the conjunctions of the moon (Hebrew model) in setting the beginning of each month. Certain verses of Hebrew Scriptures are seemingly associated with the new moon and full moon. The average wall calendar portrays the conjunction of a large black dot and calls it a “new moon. But in reality it is a no moon. The indistinguishable no moon conjunctions is not what the Bible means by a new moon. The Bible uses the same Hebrew word for both new moon and a month. Therefore, the new moon is linked up and sets the beginning of the month wherein the Gregorian wall calendars denote no moon conjunction floats all over the 12 calendar months.^[1] Modern calendars completely ignore the Biblical way of setting the first day of the month by the visual new moon, even though the word “month” is derived from the word “moon” and should be orientated to the moon as it was intended by the Creator.

Historically, new moon spotters in Israel watched for the thin crescent to establish the beginning of each month. Once it is seen, they reported their sighting to the calendar court authorities of the Sanhedrin. Fundamentally, the New Moon was not fixed by astronomical calculation, but was solemnly proclaimed after witnesses had testified to the reappearance of the crescent of the moon.^[2]