New Moons
It takes the moon
about 29.5 days to go through its phases as we observe from the
earth. Today when the moon is between our line of sight on the earth
to the sun, it looks like a black disc, and is called a 'new moon',
but I will refer to it as a 'dark moon'. When just the tiniest
sliver of the waxing (growing) moon appears, the Hebrews called it a
'new moon' establish after two eye-witnesses confirmed the sighting.
Babylonians and
Egyptians and other ancient moon worshippers celebrated the full
moon. In contrast the Hebrews were to celebrate the beginning of
their months when the tiniest sliver of the moon was observed to be
accompanied by the priests blowing silver trumpets.
And
the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Make you two
trumpets of silver;
of a whole piece shall you make them: that you may use them for the
calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. . . .
And
the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and
they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your
generations. And
if you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you,
then you shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and you shall be
remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your
enemies.
Also
in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in
the beginnings of your months, you shall blow with the trumpets over
your burnt offerings,
and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to
you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God. (Numbers
10:1-2, 8-10) [verse
9 is underlined]
The
Hebrew word for “trumpet” here is not a ram's horn, shofar,
but khats-o-tser-aw'
from the root
khast-o-tsare'
which means to blow or sound alarm, from khaw-tsar'
meaning to
surround with a stockade. Thus these silver trumpets have military
roots and purposes.
The
LORD gave Moses several instances in which these silver trumpets were
to be blown, and I wonder if the order of the last two (verses 9-10)
might be prophetic to these last days in which Israel might attack
Iran on a dark or new moon. Israel's leaders have been saying for
months that Iran's time is up. The next dark moon is August 17th,
followed by the new moon on the 18th
which begins the month of Elul (carried over to the day of the 19th
as the official 1st
of Elul on Jewish calendars). Verse 9 is about war against an
oppressor on Israel's own land. Will Israel simultaneously attack
Hamas and Hezbollah on their borders as they drop bombs on Iran's
nuclear facilities?
Dark
Moon and a Covenant of Love and Mercy
And
Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he
loved him as he loved his own soul. Then Jonathan said to David, To
morrow is the new moon: and you shall be missed, because your seat
will be empty. (I
Samuel 20:17-18)
Prince
Jonathan understood he would not become king, but that David had been
anointed as the LORD's choice. Jonathan agreed with God's choice,
and had come to love David as his best friend. Jonathan asked David
to vow to show kindness to remaining family members when he came to
power.
Before
we see the “son
of David”
rule and reign from Jerusalem, we also have to relinquish our rights
to rule our own lives, and ask Jesus to be our Savior and have mercy
on us; not out of fear, but from our love for Him.
Elul,
Month of Preparation
At
Mt. Sinai, on what would later be called the Feast of Weeks and the
day of Pentecost, YHWH spoke His ten commands, and Moses went up and
tarried with the LORD for 40 days. Moses returned with the ten
commands written by God on two stone tablets, but broke the tablets
at the sight of Israel's idolatry. After about six weeks, Moses spent
another 40 days and nights fasting on the mountain and returned with
a glowing face (Exodus 34:28-29). According to Jewish tradition, the
second time Moses went up was on the 1st of Elul and he returned on
the 10th of Tishri, which is Yom Kippur; thus establishing a
precedent. I believe Jesus was baptized on the 1st
of Elul and began His 40 days and nights fast on a mountain as a
prophet like unto Moses (Deut. 18:15).
Most
people are unable to fast for forty days, and so most do a symbolic
fast by giving up a particular food or pleasure (I am giving up TV)
so they can devote more time in prayer. The Catholics called such a
period “lent” and placed it in Spring to correspond with Christ's
passion week. But our LORD established the Hebrews' calendar and
feast days according to His purposes.
The
Jews practice several traditions during Elul. Elul is a month of
introspection, repentance and forgiveness in preparation for the Days
of Awe, Rosh haShanah and Yom Kippur. Every morning the shofar is
blown (except on Shabbats and the last day) to call believers in
Messiah to repentance. Psalm 27 and penitent prayers are read daily.
They greet each other with “May
you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.” The
Jews expect God's judgment to occur during the Days of Awe with the
only escape being your name inscribed in His Book of Life, and
they're right.
I
beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did
sit, . . . and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the
judgment was set, and the books were opened.
. . . I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed,
and given to the burning flame. . . . one like the Son of man came
with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they
brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and
glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should
serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not
pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel
7:9-14)
And
I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face
the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for
them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the
books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written
in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every
man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the
lake of fire. This is the second death. And whoever
was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of
fire.
(Rev.
20:11-15)
Assurance
of being written in the LORD's “Book
of Life”
is through your faith in Jesus Christ being the Son of God and your
trust in His righteousness and His gift of eternal life.
And
this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this
life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life; and he that has not
the Son of God has not life. These things have I written to you that
believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you
have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of
God. (I
John 5:11-13)
Bride
of Christ, prepare for your Groom by being without spot or blemish
(Eph. 5:27) when He comes. Take the month of Elul, from the evening
of August 18th
to the morning of September 16th,
to make sure you are in right relationship with Jesus and the
brethren and unbelievers. Be loving and bold enough to ask whether
your friends and family members are prepared to meet King Jesus.
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