Those who seek to know the meaning of the Scriptures must endeavor to study the scriptures themselves and learn not to accept or follow the false religious teachings followed by the majority of people not only today but also in the past. The Equinox is used by the majority of religious teachers, ministers and scholars to mislead people as to the correct time the Passover, described in the scriptures is to be held. The timing of the Passover is explained in the scriptures clearly, yet millions of Christians and non-Christians follow the false teachings of religious leaders which, according to the scriptures leads to disobedience to the Almighty Creator Yahweh. The scriptures are replete with warnings about disobedience to Yahweh, however, most people do not follow the scriptures in spite of the numerous warnings about the consequences of disobedience to Yahweh.
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed, they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Peter 2:1-3 NASU)
These verses were given by the apostle Peter to those who have received a faith of the same kind as Peter and the other apostles. (2 Peter 1: 1). In verse two Peter tells his listeners and readers that he wants grace and knowledge to be multiplied in them through the knowledge of Yahweh and Yahshua.
In the verses that follow Peter admonishes those of faith in his day, as well as today, that we are to apply diligence to our faith. We are to achieve moral excellence and through knowledge, we are to work toward the fruit of the spirit such as self-control, perseverance, righteousness, and brotherly kindness and love.
In verses 12 through 15 Peter tells us that he knew he would depart his earthly body because Yahshua told him such. Peter stated he would be diligent in telling us that we must grow in the knowledge of Elohim so that even after he had departed his readers would recall and heed his word of instruction and admonition.
DOCTRINE OF FALSEHOOD
Peter wanted us to grow in the knowledge of Yahweh and Yahshua so we could enter into the eternal kingdom of Elohim. He warned us to not fall for the false teaching he knew would come into the midst of Yahshua’s followers. This was true when Peter was on earth and it’s unfortunately still true today. Even some who have been baptized in the true name of the Father’s son Yahshua have been deceived into accepting the false doctrine that may deny them eternal life.
This false doctrine is taught by men who would lead you to think they are speaking of the Scriptures even though what they teach is nowhere found in the Scriptures. This false doctrine has caused many to break at least one commandment and to set a wrong example as a witness for our Elohim.
The false doctrine we will deal with in this study is the false doctrine that the feasts of Yahweh are determined by a timing point beginning with the vernal equinox. Those espousing this doctrine teach that the first month of the New Year does not begin until earth’s sunlight has reached the point where the hours and minutes of daylight and darkness are of equal length. Known for centuries as the vernal equinox, this sign of the zodiac has marked the beginning of man’s spring season, by astronomers and pagan astrologists in the northern hemisphere. It is not of Yahweh.
WHENCE THE ZODIAC?
To understand better the man-made map of the heavens, (known as the zodiac) astronomers largely limit their studies to the zodiac which Webster’s Dictionary defines:
“An imaginary belt in the heavens extending for about eight degrees on either side of the apparent path of the sun and including the paths of the moon and the principal planets: it is (arbitrarily) divided into 12 equal parts, or signs each named for a different constellation.”
The zodiac is a mathematical concept and each of the parts or signs is 30 degrees long, and each of the 12 bears the name of a zodiacal constellation. Names are from the early Babylonian period. The purpose of the zodiac was to provide a frame of reference for positions of the celestial bodies from the beginning of the sign in which they were located. About 100 B.C., it became the established practice to place the beginning of Aries at the vernal equinox.
Thus, the 12 months of the year were each given 30 days which makes up the year: 12 x 30 = 360. But our year has 365 days, so five days are called “vacation days” on a strictly solar calendar.
The unbiblical doctrine taught by this group states that the first month of the agricultural year begins with the first new moon that occurs after the vernal equinox. That is to say spring begins on the day of the vernal equinox, usually March 18, 19, 20, 21 days of March. A new moon on any of these days could pose a very difficult call, for the vernal (spring) is the exact time the sun crosses the equator on its journey northward. Spring then lasts until June 21 (summer solstice) when summer begins, Summer lasts until September 22 (autumnal equinox) when the sun crosses the equator southward, fall begins. Fall or autumn lasts until December 21 (winter solstice) when winter season begins. This man-made theory teaches that observing a spring new moon before the time of the vernal equinox is tantamount to keeping the beginning of the New Year and the Passover in the winter and still in the old year. We are told to wait for the new moon AFTER the vernal equinox. This is nowhere found in Scripture.
YAHWEH IN CONTROL
Yahweh’s method is given in Scripture in determining the agricultural year for keeping the feast holy days. The Scriptures from Leviticus 23 tell us to begin the year by starting from the new moon that begins the new spring month according to the ripening barley. The following Scriptures give us instructions on how to identify the first month of Yahweh’s year:
4 “‘These are Yahweh’s appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times: 5 Yahweh’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. 6 On the fifteenth day of that month, Yahweh’s Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days, you must eat bread made without yeast. 7 On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. 8 For seven days present an offering made to Yahweh by fire. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.'”
9 Yahweh said to Moses, 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. 11 He is to wave the sheaf before Yahweh so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. 12 On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to Yahweh a lamb a year old without defect, 13 together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil–an offering made to Yahweh by fire, a pleasing aroma–and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine. 14 You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your Elohim. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. Leviticus 23:4-14. (New International Version)
Here we learn before the people begin to reap the barley harvest they were to bring to the priest a sheaf of the new grain… As we know, from other studies the sacrifices at the feast symbolize something not only to the ancient Israelites but also to us today.
FIRSTFRUITS
The waving of the sheaf of newly harvested grain was symbolic of Yahweh’s accepting the first fruits (and the prayer that the harvest will be as bounteous as is the offering). We will learn more about the first month from Yahweh’s instructions to the Israelites concerning the offering of the symbolic first fruits, which points to Yahshua and the saints (1Cor 15:23; Jam 1:18).
Lev 2:12-16
12 As for the offering of the firstfruits, you shall offer them to Yahweh, but they shall not be burned on the altar for a sweet aroma. 13 And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your Elohim to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings, you shall offer salt. 14 If you offer a grain offering of your first fruits to Yahweh, you shall offer for the grain offering of your first fruits green heads of grain roasted on the fire, grain beaten from full heads. 15 And you shall put oil on it, and lay frankincense on it. It is a grain offering. 16 Then the priest shall burn the memorial portion: part of its beaten grain and part of its oil, with all the frankincense, as an offering made by fire to Yahweh. (NKJV)
In the verses above we note that the first fruits of the grain offering brought before Yahweh will have green (ripening) heads of grain roasted on the fire, beaten from full heads. Full, green heads of grain are very important in helping identify when this event takes place. We learn the spiritual truth from physical lessons, thus we must look beyond the wave sheaf offering itself to gain deeper insight into the truths we are to glean.
It is important we understand the Hebrew word Abib which is usually translated “green.” It is Strong’s OT:24:
‘abiyb (aw-beeb’); from an unused root (meaning to be tender); green, i.e. a young ear of grain; hence, the name of the month Abib or Nisan: taken from
(Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
This verse is very important to our understanding of when the offering of the first fruit offering place. The heads of grain must be new full heads of grain that are beaten. Why beaten? Because this indicates the grain is not fully mature. The grain still contains sufficient moisture so it does not fall from the stem by itself. The new grain is harvested when the head, newly full, still retaining moisture so that the grain does not spill out, but remains in the stalk until threshed.
From these verses and definitions, we learn that Yahweh described the Passover, the offering of the first fruits, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread take place in the first month which is in the spring. The first month is when the new grain is full, is young and tender, retaining enough moisture to not separate from the stalk until threshed.
DETERMINING THE FIRST MONTH
Getting the first month correct is very important because the Annual Sabbath days Yahweh commands us to keep are all set by identifying the first month correctly. Nothing here even hints we should seek the time when day and night are equal hours! Note in following Leviticus chapter 23 verses 15 through 18, announcing when the next offering is given to Yahweh.
You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the [weekly] Sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths. 16’You shall count fifty days to the day after the 1seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to Yahweh. 17 You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to Yahweh. ( Lev 23:15-18 NASU)
Authors try to gain credibility to their unproven theories by impressing the reader with their knowledge about provable subjects and items. Authors of such papers try to justify their using the vernal equinox as a marker for the feast of Elohim and the timing of the His holy days. There is no justification for using the vernal equinox as a benchmark or marker in Scripture. It is taken from pagan celebrations. Yahweh looks to the harvest of crops to tell us when He wants to be worshiped.
Sadly, too many people who believe and call upon the proper names of Yahweh and Yahshua have indeed fallen for this incorrect false doctrine. When these people use the vernal equinox as the marker for Elohim’s feast and holy days they keep the wrong days–days that are not scriptural. They follow false doctrine and lead others to commit the same errors. What do the Scriptures say about how Yahweh’s seasons are set?
Ps 104:19 The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. NIV
Ps 81:3-4 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast; this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the Elohim of Jacob. NIV
Isa 66:23 From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me, says Yahweh
Note that the New Moons and Sabbaths are to guide people in proper worship in the Kingdom. Nothing said about the vernal equinox.
GOING DEEPER
In this study, we will learn that Yahweh had very important reasons why He instructs us to use the new moons to mark the seasons and the feast days. We will learn that the sun cannot be used as a reliable marker of the seasons when you consider the harvesting of corps. “What!” you say, “the sun is the very source of rays of energy that cause the crops to spring from the ground and the sun’s circuit is fixed in providing the hours of daylight and the seasons, in a pattern that is certain each and every year that varies only milliseconds. How can you say the sun is not a reliable indicator of the harvesting of crops?” we are asked.
Answers to a few simple questions will aid us in understanding why the sun and its relation to calendar days cannot accurately predict the harvest of crops. Anyone who has lived very long can remember a summer or spring or a situation that was an extreme season with regard to temperature, rain, cloudy days or some other measure of a season. From simple casual observance, everyone should realize seasons vary with regard to weather regardless of the calendar day.
THE WEATHER
The growth and harvesting of crops depend on the weather. The growing seasons are subject to changes brought about different elements of nature that affect weather. We all should know that weather is changeable. Because the weather is unsteady the times of growing and harvesting crops are not a constant that can be measured by the calendar as we know it today or by the days as marked by the Sun. This is the reason Yahweh put into Scriptures how we are to observe His calendar.
We can all remember our science lessons about how the earth revolves around the sun and the moon revolves around the earth. Man has developed the calendar we use today over the centuries. The Calendar used by most of the world today is called the Christian calendar. It is based on the number of days it takes the earth to revolve around the sun. We can make this study very detailed but we need only to remember a few scientific facts about the sun and moon coupled with the history of calendar development over the ages to understand man’s measurements of time versus time measurement as given to man by Yahweh. We will also learn why Yahweh gave us time measurement as He did. At this point let’s make one very clear statement that is important for us to remember so that we keep the correct perspective about this study and physical science in general. Take note:
Yahweh knew more about the physical makeup of the earth, the moon, the sun, the universe and all creation when he created the universe than man and He still knows more about it today than man. This fact is important to keep in mind when studying man’s attempts to explain the human understanding of all creation and its workings or laws. Yahweh is the ultimate source of all truth! Put your trust in His word, not human teachings.
THE MOON
Upon reviewing Scriptures, we learn Yahweh instructed the Israelites to mark their months with the reappearance of the moon. The moon circles the earth approximately every 29.5 days as measured by the sun. The moon reappears as new low over the western horizon and appears to rise higher and higher in the night sky as it circles the earth in its 29.5-day cycle. Each day for the first half of the cycle the moon grows fuller and fuller until it reaches full visibility or it’s commonly called “full moon” stage, exactly halfway through its 29.5 days cycle. In the second half of its monthly cycle around the earth, the moon diminishes invisibility until it disappears completely and renews its appearance on the western horizon.
CALENDAR BASED ON CROPS
We read earlier in this study that in the Scriptures that the moon establishes the seasons. We know from the Scriptures that Yahweh gave Israel specific instructions on how to determine the beginning of the year and how to recognize the first month. We must keep in mind that Israel was the nation that was instructed to keep specific days as holy. These days were based on when the crops were in a very specific part of their growth cycle. The barley was to be harvested for an offering in the first month while still in a stage where the heads and kernels would not fall from the stalk.
ABIB, -TO BE TENDER-GREEN
OT:24 <START HEBREW>byb!a*<END HEBREW> noun masculine Lev. 2:14 collective (LagBN 207 Infinitive) 1. fresh, young ears of barley Ex 9:31; indefinite. (from Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Unabridged, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 2002 by Biblesoft, Inc.)
The word used in Leviticus 2:14 to describe the stage of the barley ears to be offered in the first fruits offering is # 24 in Strong’s concordance. You can see above it means fresh young ears (not ripe) of barley. We also see in Leviticus 23:10-11 that the wave sheaf offering must be waived by the priest before Yahweh. In verse 15, the Israelites are told to count seven complete Sabbaths or fifty days before another offering is to be given. This offering is to be, in part, two loaves made of the first fruits of the wheat harvest. Yahweh is specific right down to the number of days when these offerings are to take place and what the condition of the grain will be from which the offering is to be made.
We know the holy days are directly related to the growing cycle of wheat and barley. We are told the first new moon or month is the month when the barley ears are full and fresh. In that first month, we are told the day the first fruit harvest is to take place and we are told when the second first fruit harvest of loaves made from the wheat harvest. These instructions are very clear. The first month is to be determined when the barley grain can be offered as a first-fruits sheaf on the morrow after the Sabbath during Unleavened Bread.
FIRSTFRUIT’S CHARACTER AND CLASSIFICATION.
(1) On the morrow after the Passover Sabbath, i. e. in the month of Nisan (or Abib) of new grain was to be brought to the priest, and waved before the altar, in acknowledgment of the gift of fruit-fullness (Lev 23:5, 6, 10, 12; 2:12). Josephus tells us that the sheaf was of barley, and that, until this ceremony had been performed, no harvest work was to be begun (Ant. iii, 10, 5). See PASSOVER.
(2.) At the expiration of seven weeks from this time, i. e. at the feast of. Pentecost, an oblation was to be made of two loaves of leavened bread made from the new flour, which was to be waved in like manner with the Passover sheaf (Ex 34:22; Lev 23:15,17; Num 28:26). See PENTECOST.
(from McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
THERMAL DEGREES
We now know how exacting Yahweh is as to the day of the offering and the condition of the grain at the time of the offering. We all know that the weather is unpredictable. We all also should know that the growing time of crops depends on the weather. Crops must have a certain number of thermal degrees to grow; they must also have water to grow. While the number of thermal degrees needed for crops to grow and mature is related to the sun they are also affected by the number of cloudy days and the amount of rainfall they receive. Unlike the scheduled regularity of the sun, clouds and rainfall do not occur on a regular schedule. Therefore, crops do not ripen in accordance with the strict schedule of the sun. The growth and harvest of crops vary depending on the number of thermal degrees they receive which is based on the number of cloudy days and the amount of rainfall.
This is exactly why Yahweh instructed Israel and us to base His holy days on the crops schedule in conjunction with the moon and not the sun. This is exactly why the moon circles the earth faster than the earth circles the sun because Yahweh knew that the crops could not be harvested on the same solar day each year. Yahweh allowed for the weather and gave enough time for the crops to grow and be harvested on a flexible schedule not directly related to the exacting fixed schedule of the sun.
Those that teach the false doctrine of the equinox being related to the holy days are in serious error. Crop growth and maturity are not fixed. They vary depending on the weather. The weather variances can be caused by several variables and can vary crop-growing times by weeks. When you study the growing times and patterns of barley in the area of Israel in the time when the twelve tribes occupied the promised lands in peace you will find that barley was harvested in the first month and that first month correlates to what we now know as March.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Weather. – In Palestine, this month is the forerunner of spring, but rains, with thunder and hail, are not yet over (Pococke’s Travel., 2:11). The weather is generally warm and temperate, except on the mountains, and sometimes extremely hot, especially in the plain of Jericho (Thomson’s Travels, 2:27). In the middle of the month of March, the mercury stands at 52°, and nearer the close between 56° and 58° (Russel, Aleppo, p. 149,150). Toward the end, the rivers are much swollen by rain and the thawing of snow upon the tops of mountains (Egmont and Heyman’s Travels, 1:335). Earthquakes sometimes take place, and they are accounted for by Shaw in his Travels, p. 136.
Productions. – While the wheat is scarcely in the ear, the barley is now ripe in Jericho (Shaw’s Travels, p. 290, 291). Indian wheat, rice, and corn of Damascus are now sown in Lower Egypt (Thomson’s Travels, 2:169). Several kinds of pulse, as beans, lentils, and chick-peas, become ripe (Itiner. B. Tudel. p. 103). Every tree is at this time in full leaf (Russel’s Aleppo, p. 10). The fig, the palm, etc., together with many shrubs and herbs, are now in blossom. The Jericho plum begins to ripen. The vine, having yielded its first clusters, is pruned. Various aromatic garden herbs are becoming fit for use.
(from McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
The above description of the barley being ripe in the month of March, as described in Shaw’s Travels as recorded in the McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia means that one cannot wait for the 16th day of the New Moon to occur after the vernal equinox to harvest the barley. Look at the year 1999 as an example. In that year the first new moon that occurred after the vernal equinox took place on April 16th. If the offering of full fresh young ears of barley were to take place 16 days after the new moon after the vernal equinox the date by man’s calendar would have been May 2nd. This should make clear that the growth and harvesting of crops cannot be directly tied to the days as measured by the sun.
The following information was taken from a crop growing information study listed by the University of Alberta, Canada, but the principles apply to crops anywhere in the world.
Take special note of the following critical terms used here. They are the key to comprehending Yahweh’s wisdom in His control of events:
THERMAL TIME
Crop growth and development is often described in terms of time, e.g., 60-day barley, frost-free days, heading date, etc. However, a consideration of temperature is also important in these discussions because temperature determines the rate of growth and development. The time/temperature relationship that governs plant growth and development is known as” thermal time” and it is measured in “heat units” or “growing-degree days.” Heat units have been chosen as the measure of thermal time in this discussion to avoid confusion between growing-degree days and calendar days.
HEAT UNITS
The thermal time required for crop production is determined by adding the daily heat units together for the period between planting and harvest. When the centigrade temperature scale is used, the heat units generated each day are determined by adding the minimum and maximum daily temperatures together and dividing by two. For example, a day with minimum and maximum temperatures of 10 and 20°C respectively, would generate 15 heat units [(20 + 10) / 2 = 15]. Days with average daily temperatures below 0°C do not contribute to the heat unit total.
THERMAL TIME REQUIREMENTS
The heat unit requirements to produce a mature crop are approximately 1550 for spring and 2200 for winter wheat. Translated into calendar days, this means that it would take 103 (103 x 15 = 1545) days to produce a spring and 147 (147 x 15 = 2205) days to produce a winter wheat crop if the average daily temperature was a constant 15°C. As we all know, there are large variations in temperature from day to day and growing season to growing season. The use of thermal time rather than calendar time takes this variability into consideration and provides an explanation for differences in crop maturity when observations from different years are compared. For example, we harvested Norstar winter wheat on July 20 in 1988 and August 24 in 1993 at Saskatoon. The 1988 growing season was much warmer with the result that the thermal time requirements to produce a mature Norstar crop were met five weeks earlier day in 1988 than in 1993.
Make certain you understand the terms, “Thermal Time,” “Heat Units,” and “Thermal Time Requirements.” Agricultural scientists have laid bare the system Yahweh uses to control the precise timing of the wave sheaf of grain each spring. Even a youngster can know when the ripening grain is in Abib, the moon for Passover.
We can plainly see that crop growth and maturity can vary by more than a month due to variable weather conditions. Yahweh knew that crop growth and harvest times could not be directly tied to the regular schedule of the sun. Farmers know this, the Israelites knew this fact. Do you think it was an accident that the moon’s rotation around the earth (354 days) is shorter than the earth’s rotation around the sun (365 days) and that variance can be as much as month over several years?
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Men have been trying to understand climate and weather for at least all of recorded history. In recent years, we have turned understanding weather into a specific science. Men now have titles such as climatologist and meteorologist who study weather patterns in the hope that someday they will be able to not only predict the weather but also to control the weather. They have only recently begun to understand that weather is not just regional but global in its effect.
Men have just recently begun to understand that the water temperature in the oceans can affect rainfall and air temperatures around the world. Science has recognized for decades that the sun’s rays heat the atmosphere causing air temperatures to rise and decrease with daylight and darkness. They are also aware’ that the different surfaces of the earth absorb and reflect the sun’s rays at differing rates causing irregular patterns in the air temperatures causing different pressures in the air with the result being winds, clouds, rainfall, and even storms.
Science has known for some time that large masses of air move from the equator toward the poles and back as the air is heated and cooled. The scientific name for this is the Coriolis force. Men know much about how and why weather patterns behave as they do. Their knowledge has increased greatly in recent years as their equipment for observing and measuring the weather has improved. Their methods of forecasting have improved vastly with weather satellites, observation balloons, and weather observation stations placed around the world communicating with one another.
We are learning about the effects of El Nino and La Nina on weather around the world. There have been studies done that show El Nino causes changes in rainfall in Israel as well as other parts of the Mediterranean section of the earth.
YAHWEH RULES
Some scientists allege that man is now having an effect on the weather by releasing hydrocarbons and various chemicals into the atmosphere. To some degree this theory may be true, but will man ever control the weather? Who controls the weather today? Who brings the rain, the clouds, the storms, and sunshine? Is the weather a result of a predetermined cycle and just happens?
He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil. ” He will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. (Deut 11:14-16 NASU)
Yahweh told us in the first book of the Bible that He made the earth and all that it contains. He tells us in Deuteronomy that the rain is one of his tools to bless or curse mankind for their actions. He promised Israel good weather for crops if they were obedient and bad weather if they turned away to other Elohim. Note He it is that brings both the early rain for planting and the latter rain for maturity and a bountiful crop.
16 Beware that your hearts are not deceived and that you do not turn away and serve other deities and worship them. Or the anger of Yahweh will be kindled against you, and He will shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its fruit, and you will perish quickly from the good land which Yahweh is giving you. (Deut 11:16-17 NASU)
Yahweh has used the weather in the past as his personal tool to reward and punish. A good example is the great flood, and he tells us in the Scriptures that He will again use the weather and heavenly signs as tools in the future:
16 Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. 17 And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, there will be no rain on them. 18 If the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the plague with which Yahweh smites the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. ( Zech 14:16-19 NASU)
Man has been told in the Scriptures how he is to keep Yahweh’s Holy Days. He has been told how to measure the time of those Holy Days, yet most of mankind has chosen to ignore Yahweh’s instructions. Some of these even use the proper correct name of the Father, Yahweh, and the Son, Yahshua, as given in the Scriptures. They have decided it is easier to follow the false teaching, and disregard the Scriptures, relying instead upon influences from pagan sources to set Yahweh’s Holy Days. They either ignore or do not understand Yahweh controls the earth, the sun, the moon and all weather:
6 Whatever Yahweh pleases, He does, In heaven and in the earth, in the seas and in all deeps. 7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightning’s for the rain, Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries. (Psalm 135:6-7 NASU)
Mankind continues to be fascinated with creation. They have developed theories about the creation of the universe, the earth, and even the beginning and development of man himself. Men have chosen to ignore Yahweh’s written revelations about how the world and man were created. Mankind has chosen to elevate themselves to positions of authority in determining what is the truth and then teach others their erroneous theories. Men’s theories about measuring and keeping Yahweh’s Holy Days are no different. Man’s corrupting influence continues.
PAGANISM
One can easily determine that man’s religious days are not Yahweh’s days from almost any good encyclopedia or dictionary. Christmas, Easter, and other man-made holy days are hated by Yahweh. Does He hate any less Sabbaths that are observed on the wrong day and not kept at the times He appointed? Does it matter that the people keeping these incorrect Sabbaths use the true and correct names of the Father and Son? Take careful note:
“I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, they have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. (Isa 1:14-15 NASU)
Can Yahweh be any more clear? He plainly tells everyone he hates the false festivals even false new moon festivals and days called Sabbaths when they are kept on a wrong day by men who ignore His instructions and commands. We are to observe these days in the days that He has set.
Neither are we to keep or observe days found in the imagination of man. These are not Yahweh’s Feasts when a man has corrupted them away from the truth. People blindly follow these false leaders to their own destruction. Yahweh tells these people clearly, in unmistakable words, he will not hear their prayers no matter how often they pray.
MANKIND’S REBELLION GROWS
Why do many follow those with false teaching instead of following the Scriptures? We should follow the word of truth from the Scripture’s instructions, not man’s for Yahweh declares in Revelation 9: 12, we all are deceived by Satan. Satan is the most clever liar ever to exist. He is able to work his deceptions through clever educated men who appear to have much worldly knowledge. This is especially true of theologians with titles after their name like Doctor, Master, Reverend and other man-made terms of honor and respect. Scientific knowledge is often upheld as more truthful and logical than Yahweh’s Scriptures.
Some scientists foolishly believe that someday man will be able to control the weather. Some have developed a new theory called the “Green House” effect, which simply teaches that modern man is releasing too many chemicals into the atmosphere thereby causing the temperature of the earth to rise. They teach this theory with the fervor of religious zealots even though there is no evidence to support their theory, and many will become very angry when challenged. The “Green House” theory is becoming accepted in the scientific community in much the same manner as is the erroneous theory of evolution. This is another example of man’s theory that is taught as fact by worldly educated men who do not believe nor follow the Scriptures.
There is no clear evidence that the earth’s surface or atmosphere is heating up in an abnormal pattern. There is evidence that the earth has had for century’s changes in temperatures. One needs but to look at the recession of the glaciers from North America to know that the earth has gone through cooling and warming patterns for centuries. There is scientific evidence indicating the magnetic rays from the sun have a direct influence on the earth’s climate.
SUN CAUSES VIKING DISASTER
The following pages cover material describing the evidence supporting the sun’s influence on the earth’s climate is taken from the Danish Space Research Institute:
For more than a hundred years there have been reports of an apparent connection between solar activity and Earth’s climate. William Herschel, a famous scientist in London suggested in 1801 that the price of wheat was directly controlled by the number of sunspots, based on his observation that less rain fell when there were but few sunspots. Since then numerous reports have indicated a link between solar activity and climate, of which most were based on regional observations that in some cases gave conflicting results.
Solar activity has long been observed due to the production of isotopes in the atmosphere by galactic cosmic rays. From such records, there is a striking qualitative agreement between cold and warm climatic periods and low and high solar activity, during the last 10.000 years. From the year 1000 – 1300 AC solar activity was very high which coincided with the warm medieval period, in fact, it was during this period that the Vikings settled in Greenland. Solar activity decreased considerably after 1300 AC and a long cold period followed, now called the “Little Ice Age.”
This climatic shift was a disaster for the Vikings. The Little Ice Age lasted until the middle of the last century. During this century, solar activity has again increased and is the highest in the last 600 years.
Recently it was found that the Earth’s cloud cover, observed by satellites, is strongly correlated with galactic cosmic ray flux (GCR). Clouds influence vertically integrated radiative properties of the atmosphere by both cooling through the reflection of incoming short-wave radiation (sunlight), and heating through trapping of outgoing long-wave radiation (thermal radiation). The net radiative impact of a particular cloud is mainly dependent upon its height above the surface and its optical thickness. High optically thin clouds tend to heat while low optically thick clouds tend to cool. With a current climatic estimate for the net forcing of the global cloud cover as a 17- 35 W/m2 cooling, clouds play an important role in the Earth’s radiation budget. Thus, any significant solar influence on global cloud properties can potentially be very important for Earth’s climate.
From the above, we gather that low, thick clouds shield the earth from the sun and bring on cool days. High, thin clouds; however, tend to bring on warmer weather. Temperature and time control the growing season.
WHO IS IN CHARGE?
Who controls the sun, the earth all creation including the seasons and the climate and weather?
19 He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the Maker of all things, including the tribe of his inheritance – Yahweh is his name.
( Jer 51:19 NIV)
7 Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving; make music to our Elohim on the harp. 8He covers the sky with clouds; He supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. 9 He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. (Ps. 147:7-9 NIV)
15 He sends his command to the earth; His word runs swiftly. 16 He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. 17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? 18 He sends his word and melts them; He stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow. 19 He has revealed his word to Jacob, His laws, and decrees to Israel. 20 He has done this for no other nation; they do not know His laws. (Ps 147:15-18NIV)
“Let us now fear Yahweh our Elohim, Who gives rain in its season, both the autumn rain and the spring rain, Who keeps us The appointed weeks of the harvest.” 25’your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have withheld good from you. 26’for wicked men are found among My people, They watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap, they catch men.27’Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit; therefore they have become great and rich. 28’they are fat, they are sleek, they also excel in deeds of wickedness; they do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor. 29′ Shall I not punish these people?’ declares Yahweh, ‘On a nation such as this shall I not avenge Myself?’ (Jer 5:24-30 NIV)
These are the words of Yahweh, they are written for all to read, He plainly warns all not to be deceived by the foolishness of men. We must follow His clear instructions. He has not given any instructions to use the sun to determine his Holy days, in fact, he has instructed just the opposite.
Will you follow Yahweh’s clear instructions or will you fall for some scientific sounding words from a religious leader or scientist who speaks with authority but without knowledge?
9 The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of Yahweh, what kind of wisdom do they have?
(Jer 8:9NIV)
9 Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of Yahweh are right; the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them. (Hos 14:9 NIV)
The following is a comprehensive explanation of the stages of grain growth. However, it gets a bit tedious for our purpose to find the month of the wave sheaf each spring.
Growth Stages of Wheat
INTRODUCTION
A sound understanding of plant growth and development is an essential element of efficient, economic wheat management systems. The impact of frost, heat, drought, diseases, insects, and weeds can be more accurately predicted with a clear picture of the relationships between growth stage and plant response to stress. The optimum timing of fertilizer, irrigation, herbicide, insecticide, and fungicide applications are also best determined by crop growth stage rather than calendar date.
The ten major growth stages that the wheat plant progresses through during its life cycle are all familiar to farmers:
1. Germination
2. Seedling
3. Tillering
4. Stem elongation or Jointing
5. Booting
6. Heading
7. Flowering or Anthesis
8. Milk
9. Dough
10. Ripening
Measures of Growth and Development
Thermal time
[ Heat Units | Thermal Time Requirements for Wheat Production ]
Wheat Growth and Development
[ The Wheat Kernel | Germination | Seedling Stage ]
[ Tillering Stage | Stem Elongation or Stem Jointing Stage ]
[ Booting Stage | Heading Stage | Flowering or Anthesis Stage ]
[ Milk Stage | Dough Development Stage | Ripening Stage ]
Critical Growth Stages
THERMAL TIME
Crop growth and development is often described in terms of time, e.g., 60-day barley, frost-free days, heading date, etc. However, a consideration of temperature is also important in these discussions because temperature determines the rate of growth and development. The time/temperature relationship that governs plant growth and development is known as thermal time and it is measured in heat units or growing-degree days. Heat units have been chosen as the measure of thermal time in this discussion to avoid confusion between growing-degree days and calendar days.
Heat Units
The thermal time required for crop production is determined by adding the daily heat units together for the period between planting and harvest. When the centigrade temperature scale is used, the heat units generated each day is determined by adding the minimum and maximum daily temperatures together and dividing by two. For example, a day with minimum and maximum temperatures of 10 and 20°C respectively, would generate 15 heat units [(20 + 10) / 2 = 15]. Days with average daily temperatures below 0°C do not contribute to the heat unit total.
Thermal Time Requireme0nts For Wheat Production
The heat unit requirements to produce a mature crop are approximately 1550 for spring and 2200 for winter wheat. Translated into calendar days, this means that it would take 103 (103 x 15 = 1545) days to produce a spring and 147 (147 x 15 = 2205) days to produce a winter wheat crop if the average daily temperature was a constant 15°C. As we all know, there are large variations in temperature from day to day and growing season to growing season. The use of thermal time rather than calendar time takes this variability into consideration and provides an explanation for differences in crop maturity when observations from different years are compared. For example, we harvested Norstar winter wheat on July 20 in 1988 and August 204 in 1993 at Saskatoon. The 1988 growing season was much warmer with the result that the thermal time requirements to produce a mature Norstar
crop was met five weeks earlier in 1988 than in 1993.
The following was taken from a crop-growing information study listed by the University of Alberta but the principals apply to grain crops anywhere in the world.
THERMAL TIME
Crop growth and development is often described in terms of time, e.g., 60-day barley, frost-free days, heading date, etc. However, a consideration of temperature is also important in these discussions because temperature determines the rate of growth and development. The time/temperature relationship that governs plant growth and development is known as” thermal time” and it is measured in “heat units” or “growing-degree days.” Heat units have been chosen as the measure of thermal time in this discussion to avoid confusion between growing-degree days and calendar days.
HEAT UNITS
The thermal time required for crop production is determined by adding the daily heat units together for the period between planting and harvest. When the centigrade temperature scale is used, the heat units generated each day are determined by adding the minimum and maximum daily temperatures together and dividing by two. For example, a day with minimum and maximum temperatures of 10 and 20°C respectively, would generate 15 heat units [(20 + 10) / 2 = 15]. Days with average daily temperatures below 0°C do not contribute to the heat unit total.
THERMAL TIME REQUIREMENTS
The heat unit requirements to produce a mature crop are approximately 1550 for spring and 2200 for winter wheat. Translated into calendar days, this means that it would take 103 (103 x 15 = 1545) days to produce a spring and 147 (147 x 15 = 2205) days to produce a winter wheat crop if the average daily temperature was a constant 15°C. As we all know, there are large variations in temperature from day to day and growing season to growing season. The use of thermal time rather than calendar time takes this variability into consideration and provides an explanation for differences in crop maturity when observations from different years are compared. For example, we harvested Norstar winter wheat on July 20 in 1988 and August 24 in 1993 at Saskatoon. The 1988 growing season was much warmer with the result that the thermal time requirements to produce a mature Norstar crop were met five weeks earlier day in 1988 than in 1993. Page 5.
SUMMATION
The doctrine of using the first new moon after the vernal equinox is a doctrine conceived by man and is not in the Scriptures. Lengthy papers have been written explaining how the sun and the moon are positioned in relation to the earth. They explain the relationship of the earth to the position of the earth, moon and other planets with various scientific terms such as axis, rotation, conjunction, perihelion, aphelion, perigee, Apogee, etc.
One can find the definition of these terms and others in dictionaries and encyclopedias. Apparently, these writers believe that if they can impress the reader with astral terms and knowledge that the incorrect conclusions they espouse as fact will be accepted without question. This is a form of Meta-analysis used by one author in conjunction with the halo effect to influence the readers into accepting his hypothetical concepts.
By controlling the weather at the time of the spring growing season, such as rainfall, temperature, etc., Yahweh can speed up the maturing of the grain or slow it down according to His will. The vernal equinox has nothing to do with the moon of Abib. The Abib moon (usually March) will have the horns pointing up as if the saucer-like moon could hold water. There may be variations of this moon each spring.
We find that Yahweh has honored the Jewish calendar since 1948 in making the wave sheaf available according to their timetable. Several Sacred Name groups have monitored the Jewish calendar and found when their scheduled Passover was late, the growing season was delayed. At other times a wave sheaf was procured early when needed. But because of their dehioth (postponements), the Jews may be off a day or two, but it is doubtful it would be a whole month.
We are mindful that the Savior will return to this earth at the Mount of Olives, Zechariah 14:4, etc. Certainly, He will return on a Feast day (Day of Trumpets?) We are very mindful that we should be in close harmony with the Jews in observing the Annual Feasts.
These stages of growing fuller in appearance and smaller in appearance are called the waxing and waning of the moon. There are many scientific sounding words we could use here to impress ourselves but the simple facts are as described.
MAN’S CALENDAR
The earth circles the sun approximately every 365 days. The earth is tilted on its axis about 22 degrees. Because the earth is tilted the sun’s rays are able to touch all parts of the earth in a 365-day rotation cycle around the sun. The sun reaches its highest point in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere on June 21 as measured by man’s calendar. This day then is the day that has the longest amount of daylight in the 365- day cycle of the earth around the sun. This is the day when the sun’s rays are the farthest from the equator in the Northern Hemisphere.
After June 21, the sun’s rays move toward the Southern Hemisphere and in approximately three months, measured by the Gregorian calendar, the sun will cross the point on the earth called the equator. When the sun crosses the equator, this is called by man the equinox; the equinox is that point of the earth’s cycle around the sun when the amount of sunlight and darkness is equal. In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox falls approximately
On March 21, as measured on the Gregorian calendar.
When we look at the earth’s cycle around the sun from the Northern Hemisphere we know the sun crosses the equator of the earth twice in every 365 days cycle of the earth’s rotation around the sun (or year) as measured by man. When the sun is moving toward the northern part of the earth and crosses the equator this is called the vernal equinox and to man traditionally marks the beginning of the spring season.
The sun continues on its northern path until it reaches its zenith on approximately June 21 which is called the summer solstice when the Northern Hemisphere gets the most daylight hours. This day marks the customary beginning of the summer season.
The sun then reverses its course and returns toward the Southern Hemisphere. It crosses the equator on approximately September 21, on the Gregorian calendar and this is the fall equinox and marks the beginning of
the fall season. When the sun reaches the point in the Southern Hemisphere when the daylight hours are longest, accordingly the daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere are the least. This point is called the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and falls approximately on December 21. This is the beginning of the winter season.
Most people today do not make their living from the soil nor do they pay much attention to the different stages of the moon. Most people mark the times of the year by the Gregorian calendar. For centuries man has measured his days by the sun. Man has set his religious and civil holidays in accordance with the sun, even though they have been instructed in the Scriptures to set his Holy days by the moon.
The Egyptians were the first peoples to replace the lunar calendar with a solar calendar. They had twelve months of thirty days with five extra days at the end of their year. The calendar went through various versions until the Gregorian calendar was introduced in the 16th century.
The Julian year was 11 min and 14 secs longer than the solar year. This discrepancy accumulated until by 1582 the vernal equinox (see Ecliptic) occurred 10 days early and church holidays did not occur in the appropriate seasons. To make the vernal equinox occur on March 21, as it had in ad 325, the year of the First Council of Nicaea, Pope Gregory XIII issued a decree dropping 10 days from the calendar. To prevent further displacement he instituted a calendar, known as the Gregorian calendar, that provided those century years divisible evenly by 400 should be leap years and that all other century years should be common years. Thus, 1600 was a leap year, but 1700 and 1800 were common years. Currently, industrial nations use the Gregorian calendar.
The Gregorian calendar, or New Style calendar, was slowly adopted throughout Europe. It is used today throughout most of the Western world and in parts of Asia. When the Gregorian calendar was adopted in Britain in 1752, another correction of an 11-day discrepancy was made; the day after September 2, 1752, became September 14. The British also adopted January 1 as the day when a new year begins. The Soviet Union adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1918, and Greece adopted it in 1923 for civil purposes, but many countries affiliated with the Greek church retain the Julian, or Old Style, the calendar for the celebration of church feasts.
The Gregorian calendar is also called the Christian calendar because it uses the birth of Jesus Christ as a starting date. Dates of the Christian era (see Chronology) are often designated ad (Latin anno domini,” in the year of our Lord”) and B.C. (before Christ). Although the birth of Christ was originally given as December 25 A.D., modern scholars now place it about 4 B.C.
(From Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2002. © 1993-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)
In the above article taken from the Encarta encyclopedia, you will note the Gregorian calendar was set to make the date of the vernal equinox to fall on March 21 the same date it fell in 325 AD when the Catholic Church held its first council of Bishops. This Council known as the Council of Nicaea was the very same council that ruled that the Godhead was a trinity of the father, son and holy spirit three equal beings.
This same council established and fixed the date on which the day of Easter was to be held. This council established the Sabbath as Sunday to replace the Jewish Sabbath. This council was recognized as establishing canon law for the Christian belief which taught that the commandments given in the Hebrew Scriptures were laws no longer in effect. We can readily see that this council was at the beginning or source of changing the times. In fact, the vernal equinox date was established as March 21, because that is the date on which it fell in 325 A.D. as established by religious leaders of the Catholic Church… These religious leaders not only changed the times as given by Yahweh, but these same religious leaders have, over time, changed not only the time but also the laws as prophesied in the book of Daniel:
Dan 7:24-25
24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.
NIV
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Figure 6. Asynchronous tiller development caused by a dry spring followed by cool, damp weather during the booting stage. Note the large differences in stage of tiller maturity.
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Figure 7. Drought stress immediately before flowering can cause floret abortion (blasting).
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Figure 8.Under favorable conditions of moisture and temperature, winter wheat can produce as many as five kernels per spikelet.
REFERENCES
Bauer, A., D. Smika, and A. Black. 1983. Correlation of five wheat growth stage scales used in the Great Plains. USDA-ARS, Peoria, Ill.
Cook, R.J. and R.J. Veseth, 1991. Wheat health management. Amer. Phytopath. Soc., St. Paul, Minn.
Haun, J.R. 1973. Visual quantification of wheat development. Agron. J. 65: 116-119.
Large, E.G. 1954. Growth stages in cereals: Illustration of the Feeke’s scale. Pl. Path. 3: 128-129.
Nelson, J.E., K.D. Kephart, A. Bauer, and J.E. Connor. 1988. Growth staging of wheat, barley, and wild oat. Montana State Univ. Coop. Exten. Service, Bozeman, and Univ. Idaho Coop Exten. Service, Moscow.
Zadoks, J.C., T.T. Chang, and C.F. Konzak. 1974. A decimal code for growth stages of cereals. Weed Res. 14: 415-421.
D. Brian Fowler
Crop Development Centre
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.