![]() This Hebrew word means an appointed time, place, or meeting. Rather, the Hebrew word used there, מוֹעֵד moed, in all post- Genesis occurrences, refers to these feasts. In fact, the seasons mentioned in Genesis 1:14 as a function of the heavenly bodies does not refer to the climatic seasons. #ALL THINGS DONE IN THE DARK WILL COME TO LIGHT SCRIPTURE FULL#For instance, Passover always commences on a full moon. Why the difference? The Old Testament feasts (Passover, Pentecost, and Feast of Tabernacles) are observed on specific dates tied to the phases of the moon. However, the Jewish calendar still preserves observance of lunar phases as the basis for the month. Consequently, Western culture abandoned the strictly lunar basis for the month more than 2,000 years ago. ![]() Generally, the lunar cycle isn’t nearly as important as the daily and annual cycle, so it has far less significance for us. The synodic month, the cycle over which lunar phases repeat, is the basis of the calendar month. In between the day and year is the month, the orbital period of the moon. This is the period where the climatic seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, cycle, so it is very important too. Alternately, the year is the period of the sun’s apparent motion through the stars. The year is the orbital period of the earth. ![]() The solar day is the rotation period of the earth with respect to the sun the day defines the light/dark cycle, so it obviously is important. All are governed by astronomical bodies that God made on day four of the creation week. There are three natural divisions of time: day, month, and year. It is a memorial to creation and thus has no natural basis. God explicitly ordained only one division of time, the week. Weeks and Months As mentioned above, in addition to serving as the light sources for the earth during day and night, the sun and moon (as well as the stars) also are to serve as templates for signs and seasons, and days and years.Īs mentioned above, in addition to serving as the light sources for the earth during day and night, the sun and moon (as well as the stars) also are to serve as templates for signs and seasons, and days and years. Likewise, there are three cases of figurative or poetic usages of the word “moon” in Scripture ( Genesis 37:9, Song of Solomon 6:10 and Revelation 12:1), but all other times, the Hebrew or Greek word is referring to the earth’s moon. In Colossians 2:16, the phrase “new moon” is translated from the Greek word νουμηνιὰ̀ noumenia.Īlthough there are figurative, poetic, metaphorical and anthropomorphic usages of the word “sun” in Scripture ( Genesis 37:9 Psalms 84:11 the “under the sun” passages throughout Ecclesiastes and the Messianic title in Malachi 4:2), the vast majority of times the word is speaking of our solar system’s sun. Likewise, there is only one Greek word translated as moon σεληνὴ̀ selene: with one exception. In the New Testament, there is only one Greek word used for sun wherever it occurs, and that is ἥλιος helios. In Job 30:28, the Hebrew word used is חמה chammah, which refers to the heat of the sun, and finally in Job 31:26 the word אור ‘owr is used to denote the light of the sun. Job 8:16 uses shemesh, Job 9:7 uses חרס cheres which usually is translated as “itch” (and so may be euphemistically used of the sun causing sunburn). Interestingly, there are four mentions of the sun in Job, and all four occurrences utilize a different Hebrew word. Other times the moon alone is mentioned in conjunction with feasts or things associated with the new moon from the Hebrew word חדשׁ chodesh as in Numbers 29:6 1 Samuel 20:18 Psalms 81:3 and Amos 8:5). In several other Scripture passages, these functions for both sun and moon are reiterated (Psalms 74:16, 104:19, 136:8–9, and Jeremiah 31:35). ![]() Also, since they are part of the lights in the expanse of the heavens ( Genesis 1:14), they are also given the function of delineating signs and seasons, and days and years. They are to give light on the earth, separate light from darkness and to rule the day and the night. ![]() But the purpose for the sun and moon is clearly laid out in Genesis 1:17–18. The first mention of the moon by name ירח ( yareach-the most commonly used name for moon) doesn’t appear until even later, in Genesis 37:9. The first mention of the sun by name, שׁמשׁ ( shemesh-the most common Hebrew word for sun) does not occur until Genesis 15:12. When the sun and moon are first introduced in Scripture, they are not even named, simply called the greater and lesser lights (Genesis 1:16). ![]()
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