Warm hellos once again friends, brethren, fellow laborers, spiritual family, and scattered children of God from here on the Gulf Coast of lower Alabama. My wife and I pray and hope this finds you doing well, and that again your week has been blessed.

I often like to walk out of my house at night and gaze up into the heavens. I find it peaceful and calming. Five days ago on September 7th, I noticed there was a beautiful full moon. This year, the September full moon is called the “Corn Moon”, reflecting the timing of corn harvests during this season. While the September full moon is typically referred to as the Harvest Moon, this designation shifts to the October full moon every four to five years. The next full moon after September’s will be October 7th, or “Harvest Moon” on the day we will begin observing the Feast of Tabernacles this year. The autumn here in the Northern hemisphere is a beautiful time of year with the fall colors that emerge. That big full moon shining brightly adds to the beauty of the setting. As mentioned, I have always enjoyed God’s gift to man that aluminates the sky during the night time hours.

Interestingly, the phrase “full moon” does not appear in the King James Version translation. Other translations do translate the Hebrew word kece’ as “full moon” as we see in Psalm 81:3: “Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast day.” (NKJV)

Here is how the Authorized Version (or as some call it the Old King James Version) translates this verse: “Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.”

The phrase “in the time appointed” is translated from the Hebrew word kece’ mentioned above. The Online Bible Hebrew Lexicon says the Hebrew word kece’ (Strong’s #03677) is “apparently from 03680” and is translated “appointed” two times. The Hebrew word kacah (Strong’s #03680) refers to: 1) to cover, conceal, hide, and 2) (Niphal) to be covered”

This appears to indicate that the KJV translation makes the most sense. The shofar was sounded to announce the new moon and the beginning of the lunar month.

It was blown extensively on the appointed day of the Feast of Trumpets which took place on the first day of the seventh month. On the first day of the month the moon was covered and concealed by the shadow of the earth falling on it. The earth blocks the rays of the sun from shining on the moon at that time. The moment of zero illumination of the moon is technically called the lunar conjunction.

In Psalm 81:3 all refer to the new moon or the beginning of the lunar month. The Hebrew calendar system establishes the Molad (conjunction) of Tishri. Then the first day of the seventh month is established. All the other appointed times and festival dates are determined from this benchmark, including the first day of the first month. The first seven months alternate from 30 and 29 days in length. The first month Abib is 30 days in length and the next month is 29 days in length, etc.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th day of the first month. The Feast of Tabernacles begins on the 15th day of the seventh month. Because of the 29-1/2 day lunar cycle, there is a full moon (or nearly a full moon) on the 15th day of the month. It is the benchmark of the first day of the seventh month that is the key to determining the festivals of Leviticus 23.

I mention this, because I realize that there are many controversies floating around regarding the calendar to be used for establishing the festivals. Various calendar systems have been proposed and it seems a new one comes up almost every year as time goes by. Most all of churches of God have accepted the calendar system which has been used by the Jews for centuries and whose calculations were made public c. 390 A.D. by the high priest of the Sanhedrin whose name was Hillel ben Judah. Dear friends, unity is important among the people of God, and we must not lose sight of why we are going to observe the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles.

There is a full moon illumination implied in Numbers 33:3 “1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel . . . 3 They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians.”

We are also told that “in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night” (Deuteronomy 16:1) During the night of Abib 15 the light of the full moon would illuminate the departing Israelites who were seen by the Egyptians. They departed at “the going down of the sun” (Deuteronomy 16:6). I’d say a memorable full moon experience!

As we count down the days to the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and then the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day, let’s be prepared to rejoice before our Lord!  And when we see the beautiful full moon shine with its brightness, we’ll have a lot to be thankful for, inclusive of the beauty God has provided.

Arms up friends! Our sincere prayers and thoughts are with you daily. Thanks in advance for your heartfelt prayers for us.