Spiritual Significance of the New Moon Day

Our Monthly Appointment Time with Yahweh

Having had the sighting of the crescent new moon last evening, today is the day of the Biblical New Moon. But what does that mean? 

Not only are New Moons important for discerning the Time on Yahweh's heavenly Clock, they are also set-apart appointment days with Yahweh with special promise for answered prayer. But to see this, Scripturally, let's take a look at what the Bible has to say about keeping the New Moons...  And how to keep them.

Scripture tells us that Yahweh’s people will be keeping New Moons and Sabbaths in the Earth made new. 

Isaiah 66:22-23  "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith Yahweh, so shall your seed and your name 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, saith Yahweh." 

Consider the implications of this. If we will be keeping the Sabbaths and New Moons in the New Earth we can be assured of several key things:

1) Keeping the New Moon wasn’t nailed to the Cross – and the keeping of it couldn't have ended at Calvary, since keeping it is part of worship of Yahweh in the New Earth.

2) Keeping the New Moon is pleasing to Yahweh – we know this because He will have us do it in the sinless New Earth.

3) If we are now preparing to live in Eden restored where we will be keeping the New Moons, it is implied that we should be keeping the New Moons now, as part of that preparation.

But once we see that the New Moons are a monthly appointment Time set apart for the worship of Yahweh, the question quickly arises: "How does the Bible tell us to keep the New Moon day?"

Are the New Moon Days Sabbaths, like the annual Sabbaths of Leviticus 23? Are they days of rest, like the Sabbaths? Or did the followers of God in the Bible work upon the New Moon day?

All of the Sabbaths (days of rest, in which no work is to be done) are listed in Leviticus 23:1-44 and in Deuteronomy 16:1-18. But in this list of Sabbaths, only ONE new moon is distinguished as a day of rest - a Sabbath. The only new moon day that we are told is a day of rest from work is the first day of the Seventh Biblical month. This new moon is called the Feast of Trumpets.

If God wanted us to know that every new moon day was a Sabbath, wouldn't He have caused that to be recorded in the Torah? In fact, by telling us that the 7th new moon was a Sabbath, by deduction we find that the other new moons are not days of rest. For if they all were Sabbaths, there would be no need to state that the 7th new moon was a Sabbath.

But by not adding to nor diminishing aught from the Torah, we find that only the 7th new moon is a Sabbath. Proper Bible study involves letting Scripture interpret Scripture...  Thus, Scripturally, we find that the new moon day cannot be a Sabbath for two key reasons:

1) Never does the Bible state that New Moon days are Sabbaths of rest.

2) The Bible does specifically state that the 7th New Moon (aka the Feast of Trumpets) is a Sabbath - Numbers 29:1. This is a designation which would have been unnecessary if all new moons were Sabbaths.

3) There are numerous examples of Bible patriarchs and prophets doing work upon the first day of the month (which is the day of the new moon) - work, which notably was prohibited to be done upon the Sabbath days. Here are few of those examples of work being done on New Moon days which could not be done upon the Sabbath:

In Genesis 8:13, we find Noah removing the covering of the ark on the first day of the month (new moon day).

In Numbers 1:1, a census is taken of all Israel upon the first day of the 2nd month (new moon day).

In Ezra 7:9, the prophet of God went on a journey on two new moons.

Yahweh Himself commanded work to be done on the New Moon day, which would have been breaking the Scriptural Sabbath rest prohibitions, if new moon days were Sabbaths:
“And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying, On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.  ... Thus did Moses: according to all that Yahweh commanded him, so did he. 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.” (Exodus 40:1,2,16,17 -- read all of Exodus 40:1-33 to see how much labor was done this New Moon Day)

In Haggai 1:1-2, 8, 12, we find Yahweh commanding Haggai to go up into the mountain and gather wood upon the 6th new moon day of the Biblical year. Gathering wood was prohibited upon the Sabbath (Numbers 15:32-36).

So, since the New Moon days (except for the 7th New Moon) aren't Sabbaths, what does the Bible teach us to do to "keep" them?

1) Scripture instructs us to gather with family and/or fellow believers for a special time of worship before Yahweh on the New Moon - Isaiah 66:22-23.

2) The New Moon is a special day for ministry and Kingdom Work. For this reason, the inner court Temple gate was kept open on Sabbaths and on New Moon days - Ezekiel 46:1.

3) The New Moon is a special time for prayer and making special requests to Yahweh. This is why the woman of Shunem's husband worried that the day of her son's death was a bad day to ask God for his resurrection....  It was neither a New Moon or a Sabbath... The grieving mother went to see God's prophet anyway. In answer to her request, the prophet Elisha prayed and God raised her son from the dead. But, it is interesting to notice that this couple understood that both Sabbaths and new moon days were the best days for making special prayer requests - 2 Kings 4:17-23.

4) New Moon are special times for Yahweh to meet and communicate with His people. Thus, having special time(s) for meeting with God upon the day of the New Moon is especially important - Numbers 1:1

5) New Moon days are a time for families to gather together and reconnect with one another over dinner, and worship time - 1 Samuel 20:18-24. (Note: in this story, the new moon is being kept for 3 days...  Since the new moon is a single day, some Bible scholars suggest that the new moon day would only be kept for three days if the weather prevented the sighting of the new moon).

Some Christians believe that keeping the New Moons is a slap in Yahweh’s Face. They say that the Bible teaches that God hates it when His people keep the New Moon. Many truly believe this is what the Bible teaches. But as we have seen in Isaiah 66:22-23, the New Moons will be kept in the New Earth. Certainly Yahweh can’t hate it when His people keep the New Moon and yet still have them keep it in the sinless future... 

So where do people get the idea that God hates New Moon keeping? This belief comes from misunderstanding Isaiah 1 and Hosea 2. In these chapters, Yahweh says that He hates the New Moon keeping…  But there is a reason given, and unless we understand the reason – given in the context - we will misunderstand what Yahweh is really saying in these verses. 

So, let’s take a moment and look at them carefully:

Isaiah 1:8-18 - Here we find that Yahweh calls Sabbath keeping, new moon keeping, and even prayer itself "vain oblation(s)". Why? Because the people are hanging on to unconfessed sin. In their state of spiritual rebellion, all worship (not just worship on the new moon days) is offensive to Yahweh.

Hosea 2:1-11 - In these verses, we find that Yahweh tells the prophet Hosea that Israel has spiritually "played the harlot", stepping out on God (through idolatry) with "many lovers". In their unrepentant, sinful state, again, their worship is offensive to Yahweh.

Yahweh doesn’t hate it when His holy people keep His holy appointments. But, when idolatrous people mix the sacred with the profane and then “keep” His days and feel good about having gone through the motions, He finds such worship revolting.

So, today is the day of the New Moon. According to the Bible, what does this mean for now? What blessings and encouragments does our Heavenly Father bestow to us as we keep this day in the manner He has instructed?

1) The first visible sliver (sighted last night at sunset), which follows the conjunction begins the new moon day - and starts the Biblical month. So, happy first day of the Biblical month!

2) Work may be done in the new moon day. 

3) But God also encourages His people to have special times for worship upon the New Moon. For this reason, at some point in this day, it is a blessing to gather with your family and/or spiritual family, and worship Yahweh together.

4) Today is a special time for prayer. Do you have a prayer need? If so, just as on a Sabbath, Scripture shows that God does not let the sun go down on this day, before He answers the prayers of His people...  Be encouraged to avail yourself of this special prayer blessing today.

Shalom and happy - blessed New Moon Day!