Appointed Times

In the previous article we introduced the Moedim and how this ‘pattern’ speaks of Jesus. Here we continue to explore the wonderful truth that they speak powerfully of Jesus’ life, mission and ministry

The Bible’s calendar is a lunar calendar. The “year” that the Bible marks is the agricultural year and based around harvesting. So we can “plot” graphically how the Biblical year looks, by comparing it with the ‘solar’ year – the year based on the sun. We all think, naturally, of a twelve month cycle beginning in January. That is the solar year. From a Biblical perspective, it is also the pagan year!

A calendar can be viewed in more than one way. The normal “western” year reflects the Gregorian Calendar beginning in January and ending in December. Whilst it may be relatively unimportant, it is worth noting that this Gregorian year also – in a very real sense – reflects a Pagan year, as each month name corresponds to a Pagan (Roman) “god”. Certainly God wants us to have nothing to do with Paganism, yet God’s children are obliged to live within the system common to mankind’s various cultures. We can reflect, as well, that every religion and culture has its own calendar, usually based on lunisolar principles, but with notable variations. God’s calendar for His Chosen People would, in practice, have many competitors! Unlike the Pagan calendars, however, the Hebrew calendar represents two unique things: