(Based on expected visual sighting of the New Moons)

First Day of New Year, April 19; Passover, May 2; Feast of Unleavened Bread, May 3-9; Wave Sheaf Day, May 6; Shavuot (Pentecost), June 24; Feast of Trumpets Oct. 14; Atonement (the Fast Day), Oct. 23; Tabernacles, Oct. 28-Nov. 3; Last Great Day, Nov. 4.

The 2007 Feast of Tabernacles will be held at the White River Youth Camp near Taneyville, MO, same place as last year, and the dates are Oct. 28 - Nov. 4. We will need to arrive on Friday, Oct. 26 due the weekly Sabbath being the next day, then the first Holy day starts the Festival on Sunday.

For an explanation of these days, write for my booklet, “Yahweh’s Holy Days vs. Man’s Holidays” It explains Yahweh’s Plan of Salvation which is based on the agricultural harvest seasons in the land of Israel, and shows that all the holidays and festivals celebrated by the world, and Christians in general, are not based on Scripture but have pagan roots. This and other booklets are free for the asking. Write for a list of available literature~

Why We Are Keeping

Yahweh’s Festivals In 2007
A Month Later Than Some Other Assemblies

By Frank Brown

his problem seems to come up more and more often as time goes on, and as we get closer to the end-time. It is due to the differences among the various Assemblies’ leadership in understanding statements we find in the Torah. So here is a short explanation of our thinking on the subject.

We pretty much all agree that the new moon of Spring begins the Sacred Year. Mostly we agree that the Spring festivals should be in the Spring, and the Autumn High Days should be in Fall, after the harvest is in. But that is about as far as the agreement goes.

How do we determine which new moon is the one YHWH was speaking of, when He told Moses (Exo. 12:1-2), “This moon (month) shall be the beginning of months to you…the first month of the year to you”? This is where the difference of opinion comes in.

Some say Spring is when barley in Israel reaches a certain stage, regardless if it is still in winter or not, and regardless of the moon. By using this method, quite often the Spring Feasts will be in late winter, and the Fall Feasts in late summer, before the harvest is in. Others say we should count from the nearest new moon to the vernal equinox, while yet others say it should be the first new moon after the vernal equinox.

We take the latter position, and here is why. In Genesis 1:14, Yahweh made it clear that the heavenly bodies, namely the sun and moon, were put there to give light by day and (lesser) light by night, AND “… let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:"

Strong’s concordance and Hebrew dictionary defines “signs” as #226. 'owth, oth; prob. from H225 (in the sense of appearing); a signal (lit. or fig.), as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.

Note that it is a signal, a beacon, evidence, in the sense of appearing. We believe this refers to the four seasons of the year; namely, the vernal equinox, the summer solstice, the autumnal equinox, and the winter solstice. Now let’s check “seasons.”

4150. mow'ed, mo-ade'; or  mo'ed mo-ade'; or (fem.)  mow'adah (H2 Chron. 8 : 13), mo-aw-daw'; from H3259; prop. an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; spec. a festival; conventionally a year; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand):--appointed (sign, time), (place of, solemn) assembly, congregation, (set, solemn) feast, (appointed, due) season, solemn (-ity), synagogue, (set) time (appointed).

So, from the meanings of these two words in this verse, it is clear (to me) that Yahweh instituted the four divisions of the year (equinoxes and solstices) to delineate the seasons, and ordained the moon to begin the months. Thus, the Spring season (month) would begin with the next new moon AFTER the vernal equinox, when Spring begins.

As you may know, if you have studied the Hebrew moon-based calendar , it does not coincide with the sun-based one. The earth takes 365-1/4 days to circle the sun, while the moon circles the earth approximately every 29-1/2 days. So 12 moons equals only 354 days, 11-1/4 days shy of the sun’s 365-1/4. Therefore, about every 2-3/4 years (seven times in a 19-year cycle) it is necessary to insert a 13^th month to keep the months in their proper seasons. This upcoming year is one of them, since the March moon will be seen a day or two before the vernal equinox (Moon should be seen evening of March 19; VE will be evening of March 20). Therefore, the moon beginning the new  year will be the next one, the evening of April 18.

Please write for a complete explanation in an article which shows that the Jews, including Yahshua during His earthly sojourn, always used a visible moon after the vernal equinox to begin the new year. When this is done, there will always be ripe barley for the wave sheaf offering at the proper time. ~fb~