Hope of Israel Ministries (Ecclesia of YEHOVAH):

Are the New Moon Days to Be Observed Like the Seventh-Day Sabbath?

Compiled by HOIM

Even though most of us recognize the event of the recurring New Moon day as a central governing tool for YEHOVAH God’s clock, there are wide and varying opinions about what this day means to us as His people who are preparing for the Kingdom of YEHOVAH God. Questions often arise from the inquiring minds of those who have accepted and are striving to keep the New Moons: How do we keep them? What do we do on those days? Is the New Moon to be observed as a Sabbath every month? How do we know when the New Moon is?

What does it mean to us? How does the observance of this day teach us sanctification through the Gospel of our High Priest and Elder Brother, Yeshua the Messiah?

The Bible reveals that the New Moons, like the seventh-day Sabbath, are worship days. Isaiah 66:23 clearly reveals that YEHOVAH God will be worshipped on both types of days:

“'And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,' says the LORD.”

What is the New Moon in the Bible?

In short, the New Moon is the beginning of each month in the Bible. It is the first, or new, day of a month. The Hebrew word for "months" in the following texts is "chodesh" (Strong’s 2320), which means "New Moon." The beginning of this day is marked by a particular phase of the moon, which we will see a bit later.

Numbers 10:10: “Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye 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 28:11: "At the beginnings of your months you shall present a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish."

On the New Moon, or at the beginning of the month, the priests of the Israelites blew silver trumpets to announce the meeting of the congregation (see Numbers 10:8). The two silver trumpets were made after Moses was given instructions for their construction and use (verse 2). Among other purposes, these trumpets were to be used in connection with the Temple for calling the assembly together for the New Moons. The ram’s horn, or shofar, was also used to ring in the time of the New Moon in areas distant from the Temple grounds. The shofar is still used today by some to herald the New Moon. The silver trumpets were confiscated by Titus’ army in 70 AD when the Temple at Jerusalem was leveled by Rome.

There were also specific sacrifices to be made by the Israelites on this day. It was in YEHOVAH God’s wisdom that He called for this time of sacrifice to make reparation for sin so that the Plan of Redemption and faith in the coming Redeemer might be illustrated to His beloved people Israel.

Josephus, a Judahite who lived in the first century just after the days of the Messiah, noted that, “At the New Moon, they both perform the daily sacrifices, and slay two bulls, with seven lambs of the first year, and a kid of the goats also, for the expiation of sins” (Josephus, Antiquity of the Jews, Book III).

As important as the sacrifices were on the New Moon, this was primarily a time of worship. As on the Sabbaths and annual feasts, the blood of the sacrifices performed during the New Moons were to point the children of Israel to the true Lamb, the Messiah himself, as their propitiation for sin.

Being influenced by the rituals of bloodshed of the pagan nations around them though, the Israelites eventually drifted toward thinking that the mere act of killing animals and shedding of blood would satisfy YEHOVAH God. They soon forgot the original purpose for which YEHOVAH had established the sacrifices. Regarding the blood-filled worship of the Israelites, YEHOVAH says:

Isaiah 1:13-15: "Bring no more futile sacrifices; incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies -- I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.”

Because the people desired to keep their iniquity YEHOVAH God could not, and would not, accept the dead formalism of their sacrifices or their observation of the New Moons. In the same way, it is our iniquity that separates us from YEHOVAH God (see Isaiah 59:2).

The Starting Point

David says in Psalm 104:19, that “He [YEHOVAH God] appointed the moon for seasons" (or "for feasts" -- Strong’s 4150). The New Moon was the starting point at which the months began, and all the weekly Sabbaths and feasts during the year were numbered by counting the days from that day. The evening of the 14th day of the first month is Passover (Leviticus 23:5). Obviously it is necessary to know which day is the first day of the month in order to count to the 14th day.

The same is true for the Day of Trumpets, which is the seventh New Moon of the year. The Day of Trumpets begins the count to the 15th day which begins the Feast of Tabernacles. It is very important to know when the seventh New Moon is going to occur because this particular New Moon was commanded to be kept holy:

Leviticus 23:24: “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a Sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.'”

Numbers 29:1: “And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.”

The seventh New Moon is the only New Moon in the Bible that was declared to be a Sabbath. None of the other New Moons during the year come with such a command; however, there is still a solemnity and sacredness attached to them.

The trumpets were to be blown on every New Moon and feast in order to call an assembly of Israel for the appointed time that YEHOVAH God commanded. It was only in the seventh New Moon that a Sabbath and holy convocation were to be observed at the same time; it was a memorial of blowing of trumpets. The seventh New Moon was the beginning of a very solemn time, a call to holiness, with the Day of Atonement coming ten days later. It was a time to be rid of sin and to afflict the soul so that the Feast of Tabernacles could be participated and rejoiced in. If a person did not have Sabbath rest in his heart after afflicting his soul during the time of Atonement, he would be cut off from Israel and could not keep the Feast of Tabernacles (see Leviticus 23:29-30).

The Differences Between the New Moon and the Sabbath

The New Moon Day is different in some aspects from the the weekly Sabbath and the normal working days. There is no buying and selling on New Moon Day. Priestly work (including travel) is permitted, and the normal restrictions of the weekly Sabbath, like no cooking for instance, do not apply to New Moon day. The New Moon Day is neither a Sabbath day nor a working day. It is a third category of days on which worship is commanded, and even the sacrifices were different as part of its distinction from the other feasts (see Numbers 28:11-15).

A day that is specifically set apart for worship assumes that commerce (buying and selling to earn a living) will not be conducted on that day. Ezekiel 46:1 places the New Moons together with the seventh-day Sabbath -- as opposed to the other six working days: "Thus says the LORD God: 'The gateway of the inner court that faces toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.'”

The fact that the New Moons were to be kept free from buying and selling is established elsewhere in Amos 8:5 where, again, the activity preformed on the New Moons, or in this case, the work abstained from on the New Moons, is linked to the same restraint from work on the seventh-day Sabbaths. In this passage, YEHOVAH God is speaking, pointing out the sins of Israel: “Hear this, you who swallow up the needy, and make the poor of the land fail, saying: 'When will the New Moon be past, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may trade our wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel large, by falsifying the balances by deceit'” (Amos 8:4, 5).

If work were allowed on the New Moon days, the backslidden people of Israel would not have been longing for the days of worship to be over so that they could go back to their buying and selling.

Exodus 16:23 establishes the principle that food eaten on the seventh-day Sabbath is to be prepared the day before. Exodus 16 further reveals that manna gathered on the Preparation Day did not spoil when kept until the Sabbath, even though on every other day, it would spoil if they tried to preserve it until the next day. There is no command given to not cook food on the New Moons. Furthermore, there is no indication anywhere in scripture that food gathered on sixth day, the Preparation Day, was to be held over until two days later.

Neither is there any supernatural preservation of the manna indicated for the New Moon day. Half of the time, the seventh-day Sabbath comes right before the New Moon day. It is assumed, therefore, that manna fell on the New Moon day and that it could be cooked, if so desired. Circumstantial support for this is found in 1 Samuel 20 where the practice of a family gathering together for a special meal on New Moon is recorded -- notice:

"And David said to Jonathan, 'Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon [day], and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat'"...."Then Jonathan said to David, 'Tomorrow is the New Moon [day], and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty'"...."So David hid in the field. And when the New Moon had come, the king sat down to eat the feast."

Priestly Work and Travel Allowed On the New Moon Day

Genesis 7:5: "And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him."

Genesis 7:16: "So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the LORD shut him in."

Genesis 8:13: "And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry."

Exodus 40:1-3: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 'On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. You shall put in the ark of the Testimony, and partition off the ark with the veil.'"

Since Noah did all that was commanded of YEHOVAH God in the above texts, he was acting as YEHOVAH's priest, carrying out priestly duties on the New Moon Day (the first of the month) by uncovering the ark, just as Moses did later on in history by covering the ark.

Exodus 40:17-19: "And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up. And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars. And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses."

The following can be mentioned as priestly work on the New Moon Day:

Haggai 1:1, 2, 8, 12: "In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying....Go up to the mountains and bring wood, and build the Temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, says the LORD....Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him; and the people feared the presence of the LORD."

Ezra also went on a priestly journey, but note also that this text says He began his journey; it does not say how far or for how long he traveled on the New Moon Days:

Ezra 7:9: "On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him."

YEHOVAH God also later confirmed that no guilt or blame for the Priests who "profaned" the Sabbath (by performing their commanded duties) would apply:

Matthew 12:5: "Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?

However, for those not performing such priestly duties, time should be dedicated to worship as commanded by YEHOVAH God:

Ezekiel 46:1, 3: "Thus says the LORD God: 'The gateway of the inner court that faces toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened...Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the entrance to this gateway before the LORD on the Sabbaths and the New Moons.'"

Notice that Jeremiah says "all you of Judah...shall worship the LORD":

Jeremiah 7:2: "Stand in the gate of the LORD's house and proclaim there this word, and say, 'Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah (physical Israel) who enter in at these gates to worship the LORD!'"

Isaiah says they will continue to do so for eternity:

Isaiah 66:22-23: "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make shall remain before Me, says the LORD, so shall your descendants and your name [Israel] remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, says the LORD."

Only the lawless and disobedient of Israel will think of it as a burden or bondage (as they do today) and yearn to continue in their wicked ways:

Amos 8:5: "Saying, When will the New Moon be past, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may trade our wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel large, falsifying the balances by deceit?"

When is the New Moon?

This is where it is good to have a basic understanding of the moon’s phases. Anyone can easily find this information online by searching the phrase “moon phases” or “moon cycles.” For the sake of explanation and as an aid to understanding the remainder of this article, we will lay out the basic sequence of the phases of the moon.

Each month, the moon goes through a complete cycle.

“The term ‘moon cycle’ (or ‘lunar cycle’) refers to the moon’s continuous orbit around the earth. As the moon orbits the earth, its appearance (the ‘phase’) changes and thus gives us an indication of the moon’s progress in the cycle (the ‘age’).

“The sun always illuminates exactly one-half of the moon, but we see it at different angles as it rotates around the earth. With the naked eye, we can see only the part of the moon that the sun is illuminating. For instance, a crescent moon is what we call the moon when we see only a small portion of its illuminated surface.”

A full lunar cycle is an average of 29.5 days, sometimes 29, and sometimes 30 days in length.

Every month, the moon enters its point of complete alignment with the earth and sun. This phase is called the conjunction and lasts for a period of about three to five minutes. When the moon is in this phase, it is directly between the earth and the sun, and because we always see only one side of the moon, our side is completely dark because the sun is perfectly behind it. The opposite side of the moon is fully illuminated because it is facing the sun, but we will not see it.

As the moon moves past the point of conjunction, it slowly becomes illuminated on our side. It can take anywhere from one to nearly four days for us to see the very first sliver of light with our eyes here on earth. This period is called the translation period. When we see this first sliver, the left side will be open and the horns will be pointing to the left, much like this parenthesis, ). This phase is called the waxing crescent. It will be first visible in the western sky very soon after sunset. Depending upon your location and the time of year, the waxing crescent may be shaped like a "U" with the horns of the moon faced upward.

The waxing crescent then grows into the first quarter and past the first quarter to the full, when it is a complete and perfect circle of light. After the moon has passed the full phase, it begins to wane until it is in its last quarter, and then it moves on to the very last waning crescent, which appears in the eastern morning sky. This last waning crescent is open to the right and the horns are pointed to the right, like this: ( . The waning crescent can also look like a "U", but it will be slightly tilted up on its left side. After this phase, the moon disappears for a time and enters into conjunction soon after, and we cannot see it. The same process repeats each month.

As these signs were outwardly visible and observable to the naked human eye, YEHOVAH God gave the moon to be an outwardly visible and observable sign to His people Israel for telling when His new month begins. When YEHOVAH told Moses to “observe the month of Abib” (Deuteronomy 16:1), He was telling him to watch for and keep the New Moon. The meaning of the word, "observe" in the Strong’s Concordance is, “to keep, watch, preserve.”

When the last visible waning crescent disappeared, Israel could not see the moon for one to four days, depending upon the moon’s speed of rotation and relation to the earth. (If the moon is moving faster from the earth, it appears sooner than later. If the moon is moving slower from the earth, it will take longer to appear. We call these positions of the moon perigee and apogee). It was during these days of no moon that they were to watch vigilantly for the next appearance in the western sky at evening. This would occur soon after sunset and would be visible to the eye as a thin crescent which was open towards the left, as shown earlier. When this New Moon was sighted and confirmed, the New Moon day began.

Historical accounts confirm that:

“Originally, 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” (Encyclopaedia Judaica, Vol. 12, p. 1039).

“In the commencement of the Jewish year no reference was originally had to astronomical accuracy. They reckoned from the first appearance of the moon” (Signs of the Times, December 5, 1843, p. 134).

“When they saw the New Moon, then they began their months, which sometimes consisted of 29 days, and sometimes of 30, according as the New Moon did sooner or later appear. The reason of this was, because the synodical course of the moon (that is, from New Moon to New Moon) being twenty-nine days and a half, the half day, which a month of 29 days fell short of, was made up by adding it to the next month, which made it consist of 30 days; so that their months consisted of 29 and 30 days alternatively.

"None of them had fewer than 29 days, and therefore they never looked for the New Moon before the night following the 29th day; and, if they then saw it, the next day was the first day of the following month. Neither had any of their months more than 30 days, and therefore they never looked for the New Moon after the night following the 30th day!” (Prideaux, History of the Jews, Vol. 1, p. 51).

When the Israelites saw the last waning crescent in the eastern morning sky, they knew that they would not be able to see the moon for a time as it would be dark and hidden from view. During this period, they would watch vigilantly for the moon’s next appearance in the western sky after sunset. This vigilance was an act of devotion and dedication of time in order to be ready for the observance of the events that day would bring. What a glorious opportunity for Israel to "make right" with their brethren and their God!

Ancient Judahite Philosopher Philo Attests to Crescent After Conjunction

Many historic sources back up how ancient Israel observed the New Moon. A Judahite philosopher named Philo of Alexandria (20BC - 50AD) lived during the time of the Messiah. He was Greek-speaking and documented this interesting observation of how the festivals were kept. Amazingly, he even makes a distinction between the conjunction (dark moon) and the New Moon!

“The first matter to be considered is that of the Festivals. Now there are ten festivals in number, as the law sets them down. The first is that which any one will perhaps be astonished to hear called a festival. This festival is every day. The second festival is the seventh day, which the Hebrews in their native language call the Sabbath. The third is that which comes after the conjunction, which happens on the day of the new moon in each month. The fourth is that of the Passover which is called the Passover.

“The fifth is the first fruits of the corn -- the sacred sheaf. The sixth is the feast of unleavened bread, after which that festival is celebrated, which is really the seventh day of seventh days. The eighth is the festival of the sacred moon, or the feast of trumpets. The ninth is the fast.

“The tenth is the feast of tabernacles, which is the last of all the annual festivals, ending so as to make the perfect number of ten…..XXVI. (140) Following the order which we have adopted, we proceed to speak of the third festival, that of the New Moon. First of all, because it is the beginning of the month, and the beginning, whether of number or of time, is honourable. Secondly, because at this time there is nothing in the whole of heaven destitute of light.

"Thirdly, because at that period the more powerful and important body gives a portion of necessary assistance to the less important and weaker body; for, at the time of the New Moon, the sun begins to illuminate the moon with a light which is visible to the outward senses, and then she displays her own beauty to the beholders. And this is, as it seems, an evident lesson of kindness and humanity to men, to teach them that they should never grudge to impart their own good things to others, but, imitating the heavenly bodies, should drive envy away and banish it from the Soul” (The Special Laws, XI. (41)).

Ancient New Moon Validations

The Mishnah is a collection of Jewish oral traditions written between 20 BC and 220 AD. It details how the New Moon was judged by eye witness observation and how their testimony was scrutinized by the Beth Din or “house of judgment.” Gamaliel, who was the apostle Paul’s mentor, was mentioned in the Bible -- notice:

“But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while” (Acts 5:34).

The Mishnah gives this detailed explanation regarding Gamaliel:

“There was a large court in Jerusalem called Beth Ya’azeq, where all the witnesses met, and where they were examined by the Beth Din. Great feasts were made there for (the witnesses) in order to induce them to come frequently. At first they did not stir from there all day (on the Sabbath), till R. Gamaliel, the elder, ordained that they might go two thousand ells on every side; and not only these (witnesses) but also a midwife, going to perform her professional duties, and those who go to assist others in case of conflagration, or against an attack of robbers, or in case of flood, or (of rescuing people) from the ruins (of a fallen building) are considered (for the time being) as inhabitants of that place, and may go (thence on the Sabbath) two thousand ells on every side.

"How were the witnesses examined? The first pair were examined first. The elder was introduced first, and they said to him: Tell us in what form thou sawest the moon; was it before or behind the sun? Was it to the north or the south (of the sun)? What was its elevation on the horizon? Towards which side was its inclination? What was the width of its disk? If he answered before the sun, his evidence was worthless.

"After this they introduced the younger (witness) and he was examined; if their testimony was found to agree, it was accepted as valid; the remaining pairs (of witnesses) were asked leading questions, not because their testimony was necessary, but only to prevent them departing, disappointed, and to induce them to come again often,”

In the Talmud, the Gemara (350-400 AD) then references this part of the Mishnah:

Gemara: “Do not the questions (asked by the Mishna), ‘was it before or behind the sun?’ and ‘was it to the north or to the south?’ mean the same thing? Answered Abayi: (the Mishna asks) whether the concave of the crescent was before or behind the sun, and if (the witness said) it was before the sun, his evidence was worthless, for R. Johanan says: What is the meaning of the passage [Job, xxv. 2]: ‘Dominion and fear are with him; he maketh peace in his high places?’ It means that the sun never faces the concave of the crescent or the concave of a rainbow.

“What was its elevation on the horizon? Towards which side was its inclination? In one Boraitha we have learned: If (the witness) said ‘towards the north,’ his evidence was valid, but if he said, ‘towards the south,’ it was worthless; in another Boraitha we have learned the reverse. It presents no difficulty; in the latter case it speaks of the summer, while in the former it refers to the winter.

“The rabbis taught: If one (witness) said its elevation appeared about as high as two ox-goads and another said about as high as three, their testimony was invalid, but either might be taken in conjunction with a subsequent witness (who offered similar testimony). The rabbis taught (If the witnesses say): ‘We have seen the reflection (of the moon) in the water, or through a metal mirror, or in the clouds,’ their testimony is not to be accepted; or (if they say we have seen) ‘half of it in the water, and half of it in the heavens, or half of it in the clouds,’ their evidence carries no weight.

"Must they then see the New Moon again (before their testimony can be accepted)? Said Abayi: ‘By this is meant that if the witnesses testify that they saw the moon accidentally, and they then returned purposely and looked for it, but they saw it not, their evidence is worthless.’ Why so? Because one might say they saw a patch of white clouds (and they thought it was the moon).”

Gamaliel’s Moon Chart

Even Gamaliel had a chart on his wall showing the various moon stages used in questioning would be New Moon observers:

Mishna: “R. Gamaliel had on a tablet, and on a wall of his upper room, illustrations of the various phases of the moon, which he used to show to the common people, saying: ‘Did you see the moon like this figure or like this?’” (See https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/tractate-rosh-hashana-chapter-2)

From the Midrash we read, “On the first of Nissan, the moon begins to illuminate. As the days continue, her luminosity increases, until the 15th day, when her disk is full…Likewise is Israel. Fifteen generations from Abraham until Solomon; Abraham began illuminating…with Solomon, the moon’s disk was filled.”

The Jewish Encyclopedia explains how the Samaritans tried to confuse the Judahites by lighting false signal fires during the sighting and consecration of the New Moon:

“Under the patriarchate of Rabbi Judah I., surnamed ‘the Holy’ (163-193), the Samaritans, in order to confuse the Jews, set up fire-signals at improper times, and thus caused the Jews to fall into error with regard to the day of the New Moon. Rabbi Judah accordingly abolished the fire-signals and employed messengers. The inhabitants of countries who could not be reached by messengers before the feast were accordingly in doubt, and used to celebrate two days of the holidays. By this time the fixing of the New Moon according to the testimony of witnesses seems to have lost its importance, and astronomical calculations were in the main relied upon.”

One of the important figures in the history of the calendar was Samuel (born about 165, died about 250), surnamed “Yarhinai” because of his familiarity with the moon. He was an astronomer, and it was said that he knew the courses of the heavens as well as the streets of his city (Ber. 58b). He was director of a school in Nehardea (Babylonia), and while there arranged a calendar of the feasts in order that his fellow-countrymen might be independent of Judea. He also calculated the calendar for sixty years. His calculations greatly influenced the subsequent calendar of Hillel. According to Guilio Bartolocci (1613-1687) his tables are preserved in the Vatican. A contemporary of his, R. Adda (born 183), also left a work on the calendar.

By 300 AD the original spotting of the New Moon by the Sanhedrin was replaced by calculation.

Under the patriarchate of Rabbi Judah III. (300-330) the testimony of the witnesses with regard to the appearance of the New Moon was received as a mere formality, the settlement of the day depending entirely on calculation. This innovation seems to have been viewed with disfavor by some members of the Sanhedrin, particularly Rabbi Jose, who wrote to both the Babylonian and the Alexandrian communities, advising them to follow the customs of their fathers and continue to celebrate two days, an advice which was followed, and is still followed, by the majority of Jews living outside of Palestine.

It is evident that during the time of the second Temple period and before, visual observation of the New Moon was taken very seriously. Man’s adding to the Word and using calculations for the calendar starting with the dark moon came into vogue later with Hillel II, 300 years after the death of the Messiah.

In Summary

YEHOVAH God intends for the first day of each month to be a time of joy and happiness:

"Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be a memorial for you before your God: I am the LORD your God" (Numbers 10:10).

What would make a person especially joyful and happy on these days? The tremendous blessings that YEHOVAH God promised His people Israel (i.e., the blessings we will received for our obedience) are ample reasons for us to be happy on this day.

Today, many use the New Moon day as a special time of recommitment for the upcoming month. It is a day of looking back on the past month and rejoicing in blessings given while asking forgiveness for wrongs committed. It is also an opportunity to look ahead to the upcoming month. The New Moon day is a wonderful time for gathering together with one’s family and rejoicing in the blessings of heaven, while recommitting oneself and one’s family to YEHOVAH God.

During the Millennium, the Sabbaths and New Moons will be kept, as we saw in Isaiah 66:23.

In mentioning them the New Testament is not stating an option as to whether they are to be kept or not, but simply the manner in which they are to be kept. The injunction to keep them with the law is clear:

Colossians 2:16: "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a New Moon or a Sabbath" (RSV).

These Scripture clearly show that the New Moons were important in Israel all through its history. We know from Josephus that they were kept during the entire Temple period, and the High Priest attended in the Temple on the New Moons and Sabbaths. The New Testament church also understood them. It was not addressed in the New Testament because it was not an issue since the New Testament is commentary on the Old Testament.

The New Moons are critical to the calendar. YEHOVAH God has said He will not allow false worshippers to hold their apostasy on His feast days, as we have just seen. From these texts here it is quite obvious that Israel was keeping the New Moons. They were keeping them as days of assembly. To read that any other way is willful manipulation of Scripture.

The understanding of the New Moon is the last phase in the restoration of the individual Israelite to the knowledge of the one true God and His Messiah, whom He commissioned and sent (John 17:3). The New Moon is essential to the keeping of the original calendar and hence the true Sabbaths and feasts of the one true God. By making this the last and most difficult of the restoration of Truth only those of Israel with the true faith can return to YEHOVAH God and keep His feasts on His days under His terms and laws.

We have to be diligent in trying to keep the Laws of YEHOVAH God. We have to be diligent in understanding the faith in order to be allowed to keep the Sabbaths and feasts of YEHOVAH God, because it is an honor and the New Moons are part of that system. Until we understand them we cannot fully understand the system and plan of YEHOVAH God.