RG, Georgia
I am very confused and I don’t understand why the sighting (of the new moon) in S. Africa is not confirmation that the new moon was sighted. I would need someone to explain this to me…
It seems as though this is getting worse and worse every year.
Shalom and may the peace and truth of Y’shua be with us all.
COMMENTS:
To us the question is not whether the new moon has been spotted, in South Africa or in the U.S. or anywhere else in the world, but first and foremost when it is expected to be seen in the land of Israel (as a general guideline for the purpose of planning beforehand) and then, as a final and conclusive pointer, when the first crescent of the new moon is seen in reality in the land of Israel. If the actual first sighting of the new moon in Israel (based on credible and trustworthy reports) is different from what we have expected (based on scientific forecasts) we will let everyone know and change our festive calendar and planning accordingly. We have found, over the past 5 or 6 years, that if the scientific forecasts (for the first sighting of the new moon in Jerusalem in the land of Israel) is taken as a guideline, it is seldom necessary to introduce any late or sudden changes to the calendar. This year (2006) was no exception to this general rule. Reliable witnesses in Israel confirmed that the first crescent of the new moon was visible for the first time on Sunday evening 24 September 2006.
Why do we base our determination of the feast dates on Israel, and not on South Africa (where we live) or on the U.S.? Simply because Scriptures are clear that the Torah of Yahweh will come forth out of Tsion (Zion) and out of Yerushalayim (Yeshayahu 2:3; Michayah 4:2) and that the trumpet (or shofar) announcing the Day of Yahweh and all the events linked to this all important day (including the coming of the Messiah) will be sounded from the land of Israel (see Yeshayahu 27:13; Yoel 2:1; Yoel 2:15; Tsephanyah 1:16; Zecharyah 9:9-14). It is unimaginable that the “great shofar” (Yeshayahu 27:13) set apart for the announcement of the Great Day of Yahweh will be
blown at a moment based on a time frame of any country other than the land of Israel.
The fact that there is a significant difference in time between the land of Israel and, say, the U.S., is no reason to begin any month earlier than the day after the first sighting of the new moon in Israel. We should not be looking for the earliest possible day to begin the seventh month, but for the most correct day – Scripturally speaking. If the Messianic believers in New York, with a time difference of 7 hours compared to Jerusalem, set aside the 24 th of September as the Day of Trumpets (in any future year) and the “great shofar” of Yahweh is blown at noon on the 25 of September that year, from Jerusalem, it means that at that very moment (5 am in New York) these Messianic believers may be preparing to go to work that day, having set apart the previous day as “their” Day of Trumpets. In the most practical sense of the word, they will not be fully prepared for that which is announced and signified by the blowing of the Trumpet.
May Yahweh, the Almighty, grant us all the wisdom to fully understand, and correctly observe, his set apart and eternally appointed times!
