Understanding New Moons

The Bible is God’s instruction manual for mankind, recorded by His servants over thousands of years. Rather than leaving us to our own thoughts, ways, customs and laws, a merciful Creator plainly revealed what we should believe and how to live.

God’s Word shows us what we should do in many different areas of life, including how to manage our finances—what kinds of animals are good for food—how to keep the annual Holy Days—and which days of the week are for work and which day is the Sabbath.

Following these divine instructions gives us peace and stability in life. They bring us closer to the great God we serve who established these laws. They are not just commands for us to obey—they are for our benefit!

Since the Creation account in Genesis, the sun and moon have been used to track time. They are both involved in God’s sacred calendar. While the subject of God’s calendar might feel a bit unimportant at first glance, it is crucial in many ways. It is by the sacred calendar that we are, for example, able to determine which days in the year are considered holy to God. What could be more important?

But the sacred calendar also helps us understand other instructions from God.

One little-known and rarely discussed Bible subject is that of new moons. What does God say about them? Are new moons to be observed? If so, how? And when?

If God wants us to do something—anything!—He must make it plain in His Word, just as He did with the Sabbath day, clean and unclean meats, tithing and the Holy Days.

You may be surprised to learn the Bible is filled with the subject of new moons, not just addressing whether we should keep them, but how!

Special Days

There are days that God has commanded His people to keep forever—namely the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days. The Creator of the universe has set aside time every seventh day of the week and on certain additional days annually for His followers to stop and focus their attention on Him.

These days are rejuvenating.

Exodus 31:17 says God Himself was “refreshed” from taking a Sabbath rest after six days of work in re-creating the Earth in Genesis 1-2. Similar to these days, God has given us monthly observances called new moons that are another way we can focus on Him.

After delivering ancient Israel out of Egypt, God used Moses to establish His appointed times. Among these were guidelines on how to keep the Sabbath, the Holy Days—and new moons. In Numbers 10:10, Moses said Israel was to blow the trumpet on “the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months.”

New moons occur at the beginning of each lunar month, when the moon is not visible in the night sky at the outset. Later, a small sliver becomes visible. This verse is the first reference to something special occurring on new moons.

The second reference is in Numbers 28. Before reading, it is important to understand that the animal sacrifices instituted under the old covenant and observed by ancient Israel are no longer required for Christians today. When Jesus Christ was crucified after living a sinless life, His sacrifice replaced any need for other physical sacrifices. But the fact that there were special sacrifices on these days for Israel shows they were set apart from “normal days” throughout the year.

The first eight verses of Numbers 28 describe the daily sacrifices ancient Israel was to carry out. Verses 9-10 describe the sacrifices done every Sabbath. Verse 16 all the way through the end of chapter 29 details specific sacrifices given on the Holy Days. Wedged in between these descriptions, in 28:11-15, are the sacrifices to be given on “the beginnings of your months.”

While physical sacrifices were superseded, there is no indication of new moons losing their significance.

Understand. When the Sabbath and Holy Days became commanded assemblies thousands of years ago, observance of new moons was also instituted.

Old Testament Record

Many other places in the Old Testament associate keeping Sabbaths and Holy Days with the observance of new moons. This is important to note because we know God’s people must keep Sabbaths and Holy Days. If new moons are lumped in with those two other important categories, it strongly suggests we should not ignore them. Notice…

II Kings 4:23: “Wherefore will you go to Him today? It is neither new moon, nor Sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.”

I Chronicles 23:31: “And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the Lord in the Sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the Lord.”

II Chronicles 2:4: “Behold, I build an house to the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to Him, and to burn before Him sweet incense, and for the continual showbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the Lord our God. This is an ordinance forever to Israel.”

II Chronicles 8:13: “Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.”

Nehemiah 10:33: “For the showbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the Sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.”

God provided a record throughout His Word, placing heavy emphasis on new moons. Pivotal events also took place on these days. The Earth was dried after Noah’s flood on Abib 1 (Gen. 8:13), which is the first day of the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Also, Moses set up the Tabernacle on Abib 1 (Ex. 40:17), the census was taken on Iyar 1 (Num. 1:1-2), Artaxerxes’ decree went out on Abib 1 (Ezra 7:9) starting the 70 weeks prophecy in Daniel 9, and many visions were given by God to faithful prophets on the first day of months.

Proof from King David

The accounts in the book of Numbers prove ancient Israel observed new moons, but did not go into detail about how these days were to be kept. To begin understanding this, fast forward a few centuries to the time of King David.

Most who read the famous account in I Samuel 20 of King Saul trying to kill David with a javelin overlook an important truth hidden in the chapter. It includes more evidence that new moons are to be kept—but also how they were observed.

The term “new moon” is found three times, in verses 5, 18 and 24. It is a single Hebrew word chodesh and simply means “the new moon, by implication, a month” (Strong’s Concordance). The context of surrounding verses will generally make clear whether chodesh should be translated new moon or month. In this case, translators were correct in saying “new moon.”

Here is why. Verse 5 shows David was expected to “sit with the king [Saul] at meat” on the new moon—a custom established throughout the kingdom. But he, fearing for his life, did not attend the new moon meal with the king. How do we know this was the first day of the month? Verse 27 says, “And it came to pass on the morrow [the day after the new moon], which was the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty.”

Read the entire chapter for the full context before continuing the article.

It confirms what we read in Numbers 10 and 28—that new moons are to be kept on the first day of each sacred month. It also establishes that new moon celebrations involve a shared meal.

The Old Testament set a clear pattern for keeping new moons. But what does the New Testament say?

New Testament Evidence

Similar to the Sabbath and the Holy Days, there is not as much said about new moons in the New Testament as in the Old. But the proof we do have is powerful.

Colossians 2 says, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ” (vs. 16-17).

“New moon” is the word noumenia—the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew word chodesh. It is a compound word combining the words “new” (neos) with “month” (men) and means “the festival of new moon” (Strong’s).

If you have been in God’s Church for any time, you know that the Sabbath (and Holy Days—annual Sabbaths) are a sign between God and His people. If we want to be one of God’s people, we must keep these important days! So a simple question arises: Why would Paul lump the Sabbath and Holy Days into a similar category with new moons if they were not also to be observed?

Some Bible readers believe the statement to “let no man judge you” means we can do whatever we want in regard to these days. Yet correctly understanding Paul’s full statement clarifies this. The word “is” at the end of verse 17 is not really there—the word is in italics in the King James Version. It should simply say “but the Body of Christ.”

Taken together, the instruction is to “let no man judge you” regarding what days you keep, “but the Body of Christ.” The Body of Christ—the true Church—is where we receive guidance on what days we observe.

If new moons were not for us in the modern age, why would Paul tell true Christians not to concern themselves with judgment from those in the world?

Also of note is that Sabbaths, Holy Days and new moons all shadow “things to come”—things that God will do in prophecy.

New Moons in Prophecy

If we can know that new moons were observed anciently and will be in the future, this would be more proof that we should be observing them today! Let’s consider a few verses…

Isaiah 66:22-23: “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me, says the Lord, 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, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, says the Lord.”

In the Kingdom, after the New Heavens and New Earth arrive, the world will come to worship God every new moon and Sabbath.

Ezekiel 45:17: “And it shall be the prince’s part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the Sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.”

Again, this is a prophecy showing all Israel will observe Sabbaths, feasts and new moons. The next chapter in Ezekiel confirms this.

Ezekiel 46:1-6: “Thus says the Lord God; The gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened…Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the Lord in the Sabbaths and in the new moons…And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be without blemish.”

Grasp what these verses are saying! Both history and prophecy show new moons are an established custom observed by God’s people.

How Should We Observe Them?

I John 5:3 says, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.”

Sabbaths, Holy Days and new moons were given to us by God for our benefit! While the world may see keeping these days as a burden, God’s people view them as opportunities to grow closer to Him and to one another.

By knowing how to observe new moons, we can ensure we get the most out of them. Here are a few guidelines.

Unlike Sabbaths and Holy Days, new moons are not considered “holy convocations” in which we are required to attend Church services. There are also no work limitations as with Sabbaths and Holy Days.

We can think of new moons as being similar to the days during the Days of Unleavened Bread that are not Holy Days or Sabbaths. While we observe all the Days of Unleavened Bread in the spring, we are still able to go to work and do our own pleasure on the days that are not Sabbaths.

While new moons are not holy time, they should be special—set apart from normal days of the week and month.

One way we can elevate these days is through music. Numbers 10:10 and Psalm 81:3 show that instruments were played on new moons. Listening to special music (either live or recorded) is a way we can honor God and make the new moon observance that much more enjoyable for all who attend.

Each new moon also gives us the opportunity to reflect on God’s Creation—the beauty and intricacy of the night sky but also everything else He made.

For many today, it is a challenge to gather due to great distances between brethren. New moon observances, therefore, can be held at home when travel is not really possible. Of course, there are some instances when new moons take place on the same day as the Sabbath.

The important thing is recognizing the day is special to God and that He wants us to turn our attention back toward Him. Like the Sabbath and Holy Days, the purpose for keeping new moons is to give us monthly reminders that help put us in remembrance of God and His great plan for all mankind.

God wants us to acknowledge Him. So however we can best do this every month, even if we are far away from other brethren, is key. Consider doing something special that day—calling Church members, writing a letter, taking a walk and admiring the night sky, spending extra time in prayer for others…the options are endless.

Take these special monthly opportunities to stay connected to the brethren and draw closer to God.