ROSH CHODESH

Beresheit/Genesis 1;14 states, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heaven to
divide the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days
and years." The lights in the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars are given to us to
help us keep track of time, as signs to tell the story of creation and redemption, for
prophecy, and to establish times of celebration before YHWH.
The beginning of the month is determined by the moon. In 1 Shemu'el/Samuel 20:18,
24, and 27 it is written: "Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you shall be missed...And
when the New Moon came, the sovereign sat down by the food to eat...And it came to
be the next day, the second day of the month that David's place was empty." This
passage shows us that the beginning of a month is determined by the new moon.
The beginning of the month is called "Rosh Chodesh" meaning literally, "head of the
renewal." Rosh Chodesh is the day of the re-newed moon, and, according to
Yehezqel/Ezekiel 45:17, Rosh Chodesh is one of the appointed times of YHWH: "And on
the prince are the burnt offerings, and the grain offerings, and drink offerings, at the
festival, the New Moons, the Sabbaths-in all the appointed times of the house of
Yisra'el.
The appointed times of YHWH (the word translated "seasons" in Beresheit 1:14), is the
word "moedim" in Hebrew, Strong's number 4150, which means "appointments, a
fixed time or season, specifically a festival" and these are the times which YHWH has
specifically established to meet with man. They are cyclical, being celebrated every
year.
The appointed times of YHWH are celebrated on specific days of the month
(Wayyiqra/Leviticus 23) according to the renewal of the moon. In Psalm 104:19 it is
written, "He made the moon for appointed times [moedim]." The scriptural calendar is
a lunar calendar with months beginning according to the lunar cycle and the
beginning of the lunar month establishes the time of the other feast days.
If Rosh Chodesh is one of the appointed times of YHWH, how is it celebrated? Rosh
Chodesh is a day for two silver trumpets to be blown (Numbers 10) and there were
sacrifices on the day of the New Moon which were unique to that day
(Bemidbar/Numbers 28) which points out its special significance. According to the
Universal Jewish Encyclopedia p.410, "Originally the New Moon was celebrated the
same as the Sabbath." There are a number of Scriptures which link the Sabbath and
day of the New Moon together including: 2 Melakim/Kings 4:23, Amos 8:12,
Yeshiyahu/Isaiah 1:13-14, and Colossians 2:16-17.
The day of the New Moon was a non-commerce day similar to the seventh day Sabbath
hi the time of Amos: "When does the New Moon pass so that we sell grain, and the
Sabbath so that we trade our wheat..." (Amos 8:5), and was a day to have a meal
together and to be ritually clean, 1 Samuel 20:24-26, "And when the New Moon came,
the sovereign sat down by the food to eat. And the sovereign sat on his seat, as at
other times... but the place of Dawid was empty. But Sha'ul spoke not a word that day,
for he thought, 'It is an accident; he is not clean, for he has not been cleansed.'"
The day of the New Moon as well as the Sabbath will be non-workdays during the
Messianic Era, Yehezqel/Ezekiel 46:1: "Thus said the Master YHWH, The gate of the
inner courtyard facing east is shut the six days of work, but on the Sabbath it is
opened, and on the day of the New Moon it is opened .'" We can see that the day of the
New Moon will be a day for worship at the time of the new heavens and the new
earth, Yeshayahu/Isaiah 66:23 "And it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and
from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, declares YHWH ."
The Sabbaths, Festivals, and New Moon days are prophetic: Colossians 2:16-17, "Let no
one therefore judge you in eating or in drinking, or hi respect of a festival or a new
moon or Sabbaths-which are a shadow of what is to come-but the body of Messiah."
The spring feasts were fulfilled prophetically at the time of Yahshua's first coming, and
the last four feasts will be fulfilled when Yahshua returns.
The seventh day Sabbath and the New Moon represent the seventh millenium, also
called the Messianic Era, when Yahshua will reign on earth for 1,000 years and
establish a covenant of peace with His chosen ones. The Bride of Yahshua will rule
and reign with Messiah, and the life of the Bride will revolve exclusively around her
Husband, Yahshua, just as the moon revolves around the earth.
As with the Seventh-day Sabbath, the Feasts of Yahweh, and Lunar Sabbath,
celebrating the New Moon as a Sabbath may be difficult for some since these days are
not holi-days in the culture in which we live, but it is our belief that if it is your
sincere desire to keep these days, that YHWH will provide a way for you to do so.