New Moon – A Monthly Heart & Eye Exam

New moon, refocus, heart and eye examEach month I post a reminder on my Facebook wall about the beginning of Yehovah’s new month. Are these new moons important? What is happening in the second month that is so important? Oh – alright, second Passover is hugely important if we missed it in the first month. But my point is, “what about the 3rd through 6th and the 8th through the 12th?” And why do I feel so compelled to share this new moon information each month?

All these questions were in my thoughts this A.M., and while I was pondering on them a few ideas came to mind.

Firstly, the priests are commanded to blow the silver trumpets at the beginning of your months. Why? I would guess it is so the people know the new month has begun.

Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be a memorial for you before your Elohim: I am Yehovah your Elohim.” (Num 10:10)

Even the people can blow their shofars at this time.

Blow the shofar in the new moon, at the time appointed on our solemn feast day. (Psa_81:3)

Could this be to announce to the people who a Sabbath  has just begun? Should a rest on the new moon be treated the same as a rest on the weekly Sabbath? It seems they are days set-apart to worship Yehovah.

‘Thus says the Lord Yehovah: “The gateway of the inner court that faces toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened. (Eze 46:1)

[The wicked are] Saying: “When will the New Moon be past, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may trade wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel large, falsifying the scales by deceit, (Amo 8:5)

And at every presentation of a burnt offering to Yehovah on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons and on the set feasts, by number according to the ordinance governing them, regularly before Yehovah; (1Ch 23:31)

Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Yehovah on the altar of Yehovah which he had built before the vestibule, according to the daily rate, offering according to the commandment of Moses, for the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the three appointed yearly feasts–the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. (2Ch 8:12-13) [All these are days of rest.]

“For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,” says Yehovah, “So shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says Yehovah. (Isa 66:22-23)

It appears to me that the Sabbaths and the New Moons are days set-apart to worship Yehovah.

Secondly, we acknowledge the New Moons as a reminder that we are that much closer to Yom Kippurim. On this day, in some future year, no one will be able to repent and join themselves to Yehovah’s people, True Israel. It is on this day that the high priest will one day finish this Yom Kippurim service, throw His censer to the earth and Yehovah will come in a cloud to Judge those who dwell on earth and not in Heaven.

The only people who are covered on this day are the high priest, his family (all the other priests) and all Israel. It is truly the most holy and important day for corporate Israel.

Could the recognition of each new moon be a type of spiritual countdown? A reminder to repent and turn to Yehovah’s ways before it is too late?

Finally, we all are creatures of the earth and one of the reasons that we wear tzi-tzit is to remind ourselves not to “follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined.”

And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of Yehovah and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your Elohim. (Num 15:39-40)

I am strongly impressed that this is the main reason that we are asked to set this day apart each month. It is a day that is, so to speak, “out of our regular routine.” The world and all those who dwell in the flesh cannot see this day as set-apart. Their lives go on just as they always do.

But is it possible that Yehovah uses His new moon as a sort of heavenly reminder that man shall not live by bread alone? Establishing the discipline to remember Yehovah’s set-aside day is a sort of focusing or refocusing our hearts, our thoughts, our goals and dreams to what really matters in the eternal view. It is a way of looking up and saying: “I’m with ya Master!”