THE NEW MOON FESTIVAL
by Matthew Ure*

EVENTS:
Gen. 1:14-19; 8:1-5, 13
Exodus 40:1-2, 17-38
Lev. 23:23-25
Num. 1:1; 10:10; 28:11, 15; 29:1
Deut. 1:1-3
2 Chr. 29: 1-36
Ezra 3:6-7; 7:6-10; 10:16-17
Neh. 8:1-3
Eze. 26:1-3; 29:17-20; 31:1, 2, 18; 32:1, 2, 11, 15; 45:18-20
Hag. 1:1-8 Hosea 5:7 (NASB)

APPOINTED TIMES & THE NEW COVENANT:
Gen. 1:14
Psalms 104:19
Jer. 31:31-34, 35-37

APPOINTED ASSEMBLIES:
1 Sam. 20:5, 18, 24-26 (PP 654.3)
2 Kgs. 4:22-23Isa. 66:22-23 (6T 368.3)

BLOW THE TRUMPET:
Num. 10:10
Psalms 81:1-5 (TM 410)

BURNT OFFERINGS:
1 Chr. 23:27, 31
2 Chr. 2:4Ezra 2:1; 3:1-7 (PK 560)
Eze. 45:17-20; 46:6

SABBATHS, NEW MOONS, FEASTS:
Neh. 10:31-33
2 Chr. 2:4; 8:13; 31:3
Hosea 2:11
Amos 8:4-7Isa. 1:10-14
Eze. 45:17; 46:1-3
Col. 2:16-17 (see Note 1 below)

[* Updated by Pastor Walter "Chick" McGill]



1 LIBERTY, September/October 1991; Answers to Sabbath Questions, Samuele Bacchiocchi.

The Sabbath in Colossians 2:16. The "regulations" advocated by Colossian "philosophy" had to do not only with "food and drink" but also with sacred times referred to as "a festival or a NEW MOON or a sabbath" (Colossians 2:16). Commentators agree that these three words represent a logical and progressive sequence (annual, MONTHLY, and weekly), as well as an exhaustive enumeration of SACRED TIMES. This interpretation is validated by the occurrence of these terms in similar or reverse sequence five times in the Septuagint and several other times in other literature (see 2 Chronicles 2:4; 31:3; Nehemiah 10:33; Ezekiel 45:17; Hosea 2:11...). Some view the "sabbaths" (sabbaton) as a reference to annual ceremonial Sabbaths rather than the weekly Sabbath (Lev. 23:6-8, 21, 24, 25, 27, 28, 37, 38). Such a view, however, breaks the logical and progressive sequence and ignores the fact that in the Septuagint the annual ceremonial Sabbaths are NEVER designated simply as "sabbath" (sabbaton), but ALWAYS with the compound expression "Sabbath of Sabbaths" (sabbata sabbaton). Indications such as these compellingly show that the word sabbaton used in Colossians 2:16 cannot refer to any of the annual ceremonial sabbaths... We know that in the pagan world Saturday was regarded as an unlucky day because of its association with the planet Saturn. In view of the prevailing astral superstitions associated with the days of the week, any Sabbath observance promoted by the Colossians' ascetic teachers--known for their worship of the elements of the world--could have been only of a rigorous, superstitious type. To warn against such a superstitious type of Sabbathkeeping would have been not only appropriate but also desirable. In this case Paul would be attacking not the principle of Sabbathkeeping [or NEW MOON keeping, or feast day keeping], but its perversion.... We conclude then that the document nailed to the cross is not the law in general or the Sabbath [NEW MOONS, or feast days] in particular, but rather the record of our sins. Any attempt to read into it a reference to the Sabbath, or to any other Old Testament ordinance [ie, NEW MOONS or feast days], is unwarranted, gratuitous fantasy.

[All brackets and emphases are supplied.]

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH."
2 Timothy 2:15.


RETURN

Email: Administrator