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Adar New Moon Report
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The above photo was taken atop the Inbal Hotel in the Old City division of Jerusalem, about ten minutes before the sunset commencing Sabbath observance, in the direction of where the New Moon was. As you can see, it was very cloudy. This photo is the best evidence I have that the New Moon likely did not appear that evening at the nearby Mount of Olives.
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No one that I know of was watching for the New Moon that evening in Jerusalem, as the folks that normally watch for it were watching the evening before since they began the month a day earlier than us. This is because they will accept New Moon sightings anywhere in Israel rather than just at Jerusalem. But there is little significance to the typical Promised Land after CHRIST consecrated the Mount of Olives through His sacrifice made there after cursing the old Jerusalem, making it the Holy Place, where angels ascend and descend.
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Is it possible that the moon may have briefly peaked between the clouds? Yes, but it is more likely that it did not, and there was no one to observe it. Therefore, to the best of my judgment, the Adar New Moon of the 177th year of the Investigative Judgment will fall on the first day into next Sabbath (week), though this new week will probably arrive before you read this email. I apologize for the delay, but I had medical issues to take care of on Preparation Day, and ran into complications as I was preparing this newsletter and the printable calendar pages. Also, I did not want to complete these tasks during Sabbath observance, after which I had to take a nap as I was very tired.
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At the end of this newsletter are links to the printable calendar, both a simpler universal one on PDF and an editable one that can be used for your local area.
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This will indeed be a busy month.
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On the 7th is the shift to Daylight Savings Time in many parts of the world.
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The 14th and 15th are very special (which I will save for the next two sections).
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On the 16th is Spring Tekufah, or the local vernal "equinox" at the Holy Place, which takes place at sunrise there. It is basically the first sunrise in which the sun comes up north of the midpoint on the eastern horizon between its two extremes at the solstices. I will be publishing more about Tekufah and all of the particulars of GOD's calendar in the near future and will let you know in one of these newsletters when it is available.
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Due to cloud-caused delays to Adar, we have yet another chance at seeing a rare 28-day month, but of course, significant clouds may interfere with that, as happened with this past month. So, the 29th and/or the 30th may or may not belong to the new month, which will also be the new year, as the Tekufah falls well within the bounds of this 12th month we are entering into.
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Important Adar Events in Biblical History
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The first two events are related. According to the Nebuchadnezzar Chronicle, at the British Museum as part of the Babylon Chronicles, Jehoiachin, the last true king of Judah, was taken captive to Babylon. This was on the second day of Adar, falling in 597 BCE. He was subsequently placed into prison there. This is a significant time because it is also when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed, a twenty-fold week of years (140 yrs.) before it would be rebuilt again in 457 BCE through the decree of Artaxerxes. This was the fulfilment of one of the four 'seven's prophesied in Leviticus 26.
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According to 2 Kings 25 (vv. 27-28) and Jeremiah 52 (vv. 31-32), Jehoiachin was then released from prison in the 37th year of his captivity, on the 25th day of the twelfth month; this fell in 561 BCE.
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The third event involved another of the four 'seven's of Leviticus 26. The temple was destroyed in the fifth biblical month of the year falling in 586 BCE, and it was rebuilt again a tenfold week of years (70 yrs.) later under the the decree of Darius "on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king" (Ezra 6:15); hence, still the old year, though the Papal year was 615 BCE.
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The most familiar tenfold week of years—another 'seven' of Leviticus 26—is the 70 years of Babylonian captivity in which the land rested.
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And now we return to the very special dates of the 14th and 15th. These days are called 'Purim', based on the Hebrew in the Book of Esther. In English, it would be translated to 'Lots'.
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A lot, or ‘pur’, is literally a broken piece; hence, a portion. Its story can be found in the Book of Esther, where it is written:
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“Mordecai ... sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, to establish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, as the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor” (9:20-22).
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We cannot cover the complex story here, but in the 5th Century BCE, a death decree was enacted to kill all the Jews on the 13th of this month based on lots that were cast for each day of the year until finally that day was selected for the massacre of all Jews. But the Jews killed their Persian enemies in defense instead when GOD put a fear over their persecutors. This event was also typical for the end-time when a death decree will be enacted for all who observe the Sabbath and the biblical holy days, but then GOD will deliver them.
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Adventist Feast of Lots Celebration
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In the Adventist observance, we can look forward to that prophetic event, but it can also be a time of commemoration for the past year, since Adar is the last month of the year.
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Throughout the year we can note GOD’s providences in our lives in our journals, especially GOD’s deliverances; and then on the 14th we can personally go through our notes for the year and plan what we will corporately share on the 15th. The 14th could also be a recollection and sharing time just for the family. In both instances we can praise GOD for our lots, recalling that all things that happen to us go through GOD first and that our lot that we experience each day thus comes from GOD. On the 15th, gift offerings can also be made for the poor—those who have had a tough lot financially over the last year.
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A good Scripture to recite would be this one:
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“JEHOVAH is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou dost uphold my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage” (Psalm 16:5).
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The Hebrew word translated to ‘lot’ here is ‘goral’, which can be defined figuratively as “a portion or destiny” (Strong’s); that word is also used in Esther 3:7 as an equivalent to ‘pur’, as they stand next to each other in that verse. Babylonians considered the outcome of a lot when cast to be of the gods, but they were also used as part of Torah Law to be a means by which the true GOD could make His will known. In every experience in life, GOD casts our portion upon us in His love—mercy and justice when we sin, blessings when we obey, safety, even when we don’t deserve it, opportunities, and sometimes miracles.
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It is interesting to note that the month Adar means ‘glorious’, and since this feast occurs during the time of full moon, it is at the fullness of Adar, giving character to the whole month. In 1 Chronicles 8:3, Adar is reckoned as the grandson of Benjamin—one of the twelve children of Israel—and the root word, with the same pronunciation, is found twice in Exodus 15, relating to GOD’s delivering Israel from the Egyptians at the Red Sea:
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“Thy right hand, O JEHOVAH, is become glorious (adar) in power: thy right hand, O JEHOVAH, hath dashed in pieces the enemy ... Who is like unto thee, O JEHOVAH, among the gods? Who is like Thee, glorious (adar) in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (vv. 6, 11).
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We can recite these words as well for our Christian feast and thus recount GOD’s glorious (adar) hand in our lives over the past year. I believe such a celebration would have a very sanctifying, transforming power on us. It is interesting to note that Tekufah averages at the time of this feast in the lunar year. So, this feast will always be right near the actual year’s end, which comes by the sun; but the year is reflected by the moon in the twelve or thirteen months that follow.
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Putting the meanings of Adar and Purim together, it is a celebration of the glorious ending of our year of portions as well as a celebration of our glorious inheritance to come! It can be a third full moon feast each year.
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Update to the Astronomical Calendar
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The Spring Tekufah has been corrected. It was on the wrong day and wrong time. This was part of the complications I was facing on Preparation Day. As noted, it will be on the 16th, happening at the Holy Place at sunrise, not sunset the previous day. It pays when I double and triple check things.
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Blessings and a happy Feast of Lots ahead of time,
Ricky and Amanda Bokovoy
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We hope you'll visit us soon!
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