Jewish Roots, The Traveling Holidays by Terri Gillespie
The Traveling Holidays: The Biblical Calendar
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth . . . Evening came and then morning—the first day.” Genesis 1:1a, 5b
Did you ever notice how the biblical feasts seem fall on a different day each year? You’re not imaging this at all. The biblical calendar is different from the Gregorian calendar we use today. The Gregorian is based on the sun, where the biblical/Jewish calendar is based on both the sun and moon. (Interesting note: the Moslem calendar is only based on the moon.)
The Gregorian has 365 day (366 days every fourth year), seven-day weeks and 12 months. The biblical calendar can have 353-355 days, seven-day weeks and 12 months, but every 7 years out of 19 has a leap month.
Also the days of the biblical calendar begin in the evening in accordance with the Genesis account. Sundown marks the beginning of a new day.
According to the biblical calendar we are in the year of 5768, on Rosh HaShannah in the fall, we advance to 5769. The Jewish calendar begins with Adam. Though both secular and based on paganism, the Gregorian is still centered on the estimated time of Yeshua/Jesus’ birth. The letters A.D. stand for Anno Domini, in the year of our Lord.
When using the current year (e.g. 2008), the Jewish people will use C.E. (Common Era) rather than A.D.
The following lists the biblical month with the associated biblical and Jewish feasts and holiday, and how it approximately corresponds with the secular calendar:
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Hebrew Month
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Biblical/Jewish Feasts/Holidays
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Secular Month
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Tishrei
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Rosh Hashanah (Spiritual New Year); Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement); Sukkot (Tabernacles)
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September-October
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Cheshvan
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October-November
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Kislev
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Hanukkah
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November-December
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Tevet
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December-January
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Shvat
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January-February
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Adar
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Purim
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February-March
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Adar Sheni (Second Adar; the leap month)
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Nissan
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Calendar New Year; Passover; Yom haShoa (Holocaust Memorial Day)
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March-April
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Iyar
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Yom haAtzmaut (Israel's Independence Day); Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day)
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April-May
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Sivan
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Shavuot (Pentecost)
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May-June
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Tammuz
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June-July
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Av
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July-August
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Elul
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Spiritual preparation for the New Year in Tishrei
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August-September
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What I love about the biblical calendar is each month and day is set apart from the secular world. In fact, the days of the week were focused on the Shabbat (Sabbath). Only the Sabbath day was named, the other days were merely counted as the number of days until Shabbat. What a compelling symbolism—we always look toward God’s holy day.
Our days of the week (Monday, Tuesday, et. al.) were named after various Anglo-Saxon pagan deities.
The beauty of the biblical times and seasons and the celebrated feasts and festivals is that they all point to Yeshua/Jesus and His atonement and redemption. Each biblical feast was a foretaste/foreshadow of how He would make Himself known to His Jewish people and the world.
May we, too, be set apart for His glory.
RECIPE:
This month why not make a delicious fruit salad of fruits unique to your region; only choose the fruits seasonal for your area. Check with your local grocer for the local, seasonal fruits—not those that have been in storage for months. As you dine on its sweetness, remember the sweetness of God’s love for you and how He has set you apart at this season. Enjoy!
NEXT TIME:
Pentecost: A special birthday