The Full Moon is
the First Lunar Phase

Discover in this Psalms 89:35-37 scripture study that it was the full moon that was honored as the FIRST lunar phase of each ordained lunar month.  It was this brilliant lunar phase that was set apart to punctuate the worship rhythms of the Most High. As a visible instrument on the east-west time-continuum, His faithful of all ages could easily synchronize their soul temples to that of their Creator and His ageless calendar model, also manifest in the Sanctuary/Temple ceremonies. Presenting this accurately was so important to King David, the author of Psalms that he emphasized it to be true on the basis of himself being found honest, and not a liar.

Once this foundational principle is realized and restored, it can be understood why the urgent call goes forth in Revelation for Yahuah Alahim’s (Creator) obedient followers to “come out of Babylon.” All the fraudulent calendar systems based upon the sun and the dark or crescent lunar phases as New Moon, give rise to erroneous Sabbaths, inaccurate Feast Days, all to the worship of false gods.  These old, but not ancient replacement calendar systems were never ordained nor set-apart by our Eternal Father, the Creator. 

Yahuah Alahim is proactively preparing a people who will stand boldly for Him and all His foundational scripture teachings. This will include His full marvelous LIGHT OF TRUTH amidst adversity and the most profound darkness this world has ever seen, in preparation for His soon coming eternal Kingdom.  As the unsaved world at large falls into decline, the contrast of His obedient followers will become apparent as they arise in strength and vitality to walk according to His Ruach (Yahuah’s presence, power, and provision).

(Note: Concerning the Scripture Word Study link below, it is recommended that you keep the PDF Study open as a ready reference while you explore this document.)

“The “first one” we will keep fully satiated and shall keep Holy and set apart unless David will be found a liar. 

His seed [the Messiah and His followers] shall endure for eternity and His FULL MOON you shall keep that stands out conspicuously opposite the sun.

Accordingly, the MOON shall be restored and firmly established forever. We will trust and witness its testimony in the sky. Selah”  Tehilim (Psalm) 89:35-37

The First Lunar Phase is Fully Satiated

A foundational principle of the Hebrew language is that the correct meaning of a word is the one that fits the contextual theme of the surrounding verses. 

For example, the Strong’s Dictionary word for #7650 has been most often translated as the adjective “swear an oath.”  But in light of all the word forms of #7646-#7650, the consistent, contextual meaning of this word is: “full and satiated.”  The differences between each of these word choices were created with the use of the artificial vowel points which proactively changed the meaning of this verse.  It is imperative to understand that this vowel point system did not exist at the time the Hebrew text was first written. 

Here in Tehilim (Psalms) 89:35, we find the answer to the age-old question of “What is Scripture’s true New Moon?”  The answer may surprise you that after these last 1,700 years of conjunction lunar phase New Moon domination by the Jews, and the crescent by the Muslims and Karaite Jews, the truth bears out that the FULL MOON has always been the Creator’s original and authentic New Moon as identified throughout Scripture in a myriad of ways.  Support Evidence for the Full New Moon.

On King David’s Good Name

“The ‘first one’ we will keep fully satiated and shall keep Holy and set-apart unless David will be found a liar.” Psalms 89:35

Here in Verse 35, we find that “The first one we will keep fully satiated and shall keep Holy and set apart.” This point about the first lunar phase (New Moon) alluding to the full moon as fully satiated, was so crucial to the author that it was emphasized to be valid on the basis that he, himself (King David), was NOT found to be a liar.   

Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Definition:  Satiate – filled to satiety; satisfy fully or to excess.  Satiety – 1. the quality or state of being fed or gratified to or beyond capacity, fulness.

Since we know that it was King David that wrote this Psalm, he was essentially swearing upon his own good name that the first lunar phase of the lunar month is emphatically the one that is fully satiated.  The reality is that the full moon is the only fully satiated lunar phase.  

So as we return the full moon to its original and authentic position, naturally, all the appointed times of worship assemblies will also be restored.  This includes New Year’s Day, all New Moon Days, the original lunar Sabbaths, and the lunar appointed ‘Feast Day’ assemblies. 

Notice that the context of these three verses render a comparison of the “seed of David,” which is referring to the Messiah, then compares Him to the “full moon.”  Strikingly, there is no chance that the Messiah is being compared to a “throne” for two reasons:  1) The first reason is that only the “full moon” and not the “throne” can “stand out conspicuously opposite the sun.” In astronomy and calendation, this is called the “point of opposition.” 2) The second reason is context, as verse 37 continues with the theme of the moon that was first presented in verses 35 and 36. It is the “full moon” alone that is the trustworthy symbol of the Messiah that will perpetually be manifest conspicuously opposite the sun. The sun is the symbol of the Father. This distinctive full moon lunar phase is wholly conspicuous because it is fully clothed with the LIGHT of the sun, with no portion of darkness or shadow of a turning orbit.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the FATHER OF LIGHTS, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning [full sun, full stars, and full moon].  Yaakov (James) 1:17

What might otherwise have been a hidden gem veiled from view, becomes a complete and marvelous picture of the full moon, as the actual New Moon, the trustworthy symbol of our Messiah.

The Full Moon You Shall Keep

“His seed [the Messiah and His followers] shall endure for eternity and His FULL MOON you shall keep that stands out conspicuously opposite the sun.” Psalm 89:36

Verse 36 declares that “King David’s seed (the Messiah and His obedient followers) shall be forever compared to the full moon that receives the pure and perfect LIGHT from the sun, just as the Messiah.”  For our Messiah, as a pattern for us,  represents and reflects all the attributes of His Father flawlessly.

Also, the thought is carried forward that just as the full and complete moon is in first position and set-apart, so too is the seed of David (the Messiah). He stands in the first position as the only begotten of the Father and set apart for the Kadosh work as the temple’s Lamb, Priest, and King.

Note to the Reader: Most Scripture versions use the word “throne” (#3678 kecceh כּסא) in this verse in place of the words “full moon” (#3677 keceh כּסא). This is because it is the exact same Hebrew word. The only difference is that vowel points have been added to all Hebrew words in the last 1,700 years giving translators the ability to change the meaning of words to manipulate a verse to correspond with a particular slanted view without anyone recognizing it.

For example, if the Jews (as we believe) swapped the original full New Moon for the false dark conjunction/or crescent when under Roman rule, it is to their advantage to cover-up all reference to the full moon as New Moon in Scripture. It is the purpose of these word studies to expose that this proactive deception has indeed occurred many times. It is through a close inspection of all the verses where this has happened and by illustrating the inconsistencies through the use of several Hebrew lexicon’s and concordances that truth may be restored. Indeed there are proactive alterations in Scripture, crafted to coverup the disparity of their current teachings with that of the original.  

The word “throne” (#3678 keseh כּסא) is used 175 times in the O.T.  However, the use of “throne” can easily be used to conceal the truth regarding the full moon and its New Moon designation in this verse since it is the same Hebrew word. But, context is everything! As displayed in verse 36, the word “throne” does not fit the context of this set of verses as “it must stand out conspicuously opposite the sun.” For example, if the word “throne” was the correct word to be used, the verse would say, “His (David’s) seed (the Messiah) shall endure for eternity and His ‘throne’ you shall keep that stands out conspicuously opposite the sun.”  But this has no meaning, for two reasons. We do not keep a throne, nor do “thrones” inherently stand out opposite the sun. But full moons can be kept sacred and set apart and they alone stand out opposite the sun. All praise to YAHUAH Alahim for restoring the full moon in this verse!

Verse 36 first identifies King David’s seed (the Messiah and His obedient followers) are to endure for all eternity. Then the full moon is referred to as “HIS full moon,” which “you shall keep.” It is well documented in YAHchezqEL (Ezekiel) 46:1-3 and YAHshaYAHU (Isaiah) 66:22-23 that the New Moon is a Kadosh (set-apart/holy) WORSHIP DAY TO YAHUAH Alahim along with His lunar Sabbaths.  For centuries millions have believed the Babylonian replacement New Moon, either the dark moon or crescent was the real New Moon, but here it is declared in the good name of King David that the FULL MOON is the actual New Moon. It has been well hidden under the rubble of vowel point traditions of men. 

Both the full moon and the Messiah represent and reflect their marvelous LIGHT source perfectly, and both are established as continuing forever into eternity. This theme is further demonstrated when, in the Brit Hadasha (NT), the Messiah said, “He who has seen me has seen the Father?” YAHUchanan (John) 14:9. Not because He is the Father, but naturally, this was because the Son was the fully visible and complete reflection of the Father on earth. Correspondingly, the Moon is only a perfect reflection of the sun when it “stands out boldly opposite the sun.”

As the third witness in a row, Verse 37 defines attributes of the full moon and not characteristics of the word “throne,” or for that matter, any other lunar phase. The descriptive words used in this verse alone are: the moon, restored, established, perpetual, we will trust and witness as a testimony in the sky.  Collectively, these terms identify a restored and established visible lunar beacon that each person can observe in the sky. When we add the descriptive words from verses 35 and 36, we find that without question, the attributes define the full moon to be the real New Moon. These verses provide the following three witnesses that verify the evidence:

1. The first [lunar phase] is fully satiated.
2. His full moon you shall keep that stands conspicuously opposite the sun.
3. The moon (not the throne) shall be restored and established perpetually.

In this example below, only #4 illustrates the original and authentic New Moon as it stands out boldly opposite the sun.

Despised and Rejected

The Messiah’s set apart (sacred) work, from the foundation of the world, was to bring a full and complete restoration of atonement to humble and confessing sinners back to the Father by being our substitutionary LAMB and Kohen (priest) advocate.  Because the entire Temple system revolved around this theme, the Messiah was the fulfillment, in typology, of the chief cornerstone of the Temple system.  On the other hand, the full New Moon’s set apart (sacred) work from the foundation of the world was to synchronize and maintain humankind’s connection to the worship rhythms of our Creator from eternity past, later displayed in the Sanctuary/Temple services.  Because the entire Temple system was synchronized to the time sequence of the full new Moon, it is easy to see that it alone can be the iconic symbol of the Messiah and by extension, the icon of the chief cornerstone of the same system. 

So it is that both the Messiah and the full New Moon were set apart to work hand in hand as typified in the Sanctuary/Temple service.  The system would be rendered meaningless without each being synchronized and united to both the New Moon with the pre-ordained rhythm of our Messiah’s Ministry as borne out in the Feast Days. 

The Tanakh (OT) Prophecy
The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. Tehilim (Psalms) 118:22. 

The Brit Hadasha (NT)
The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. 1 Kepha (Peter) 2:7-8

Remarkably, not just the Messiah, but both the Messiah and the full New Moon have been historically despised and rejected by the world at large as the chief cornerstone.  But most profoundly both were rejected by the Rabbinical Pharisee Jews who had the most exceptional opportunity to know and maintain this truth. This is because the full New Moon is the pure and perfect symbol for trustworthiness and obedience to the laws and statutes belonging to the ordained plan of salvation. Only the Messiah has come and died for humanity and today represents His beloved and forgiven people before His Father in the shamayim Sanctuary/Temple above.

Each is eternally linked to the other as trustworthy witnesses of Yahuah’s great love. When one is rejected, so is the other by extension. It would be impossible to deny the pure and perfect light of the world, the Messiah, and not reject His sign, the pure and perfect full New Moon, and vice versa.  As we partake of seeking to witness the full New Moon each month, we are declaring that we choose to be restored and established forever in Yahusha’s Kingdom, that we may worship both Father and Son for all eternity.

What Might Have Prompted the New Moon Change Among the Yahudim (Jews)?

So, in light of all of this, why on earth would the Yahudim (Rabbinical Pharisee Jews) be motivated to swap the full New Moon for the conjunction lunar phase or crescent to commence their months?

The Brit Hadasha (N.T.) record tells us it was the Yahudim/Jewish leaders who led in the rejection and crucifixion of the Messiah by the Hebrew people.  Is it possible that through their continued cover-up through the ages with regard to the true identity of Yahusha the Messiah, there was an innate necessity to give up the true full New Moon that represented the full and complete plan of salvation, and Yahusha as “THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD,” also born out in every aspect of the Temple service and Hebrew culture?  Are you aware that the New Testament identifies that Yahusha the Messiah was actually crucified on the day of a dark conjunction lunar phase, which occurred on Passover, the 14th, the middle of the lunar month?  This is exactly the opposite of what the Rabbinical Pharisee Jews claim, who have also declared that the Messiah has never come as of yet for the first time.  

In the fourth century, did the Jewish leaders adopt a different month cycle and an artificial week under the pressure from Rome? Yes, they did, and it has been recorded that the exact year that the Jews ultimately complied was A.D. 358, led by Hillel II, head of the Sanhedrin. It was that year that they adopted the ancient Babylonian lunar month calendar model.  While it was Rome that dispersed the newly legislated seven-day continuous weekly cycle, it had been formerly stylized in Babylon and Egypt, and no doubt, the Jews were acquainted with it since the years of their captivity there.  The chaos that followed in the wake of adopting two opposing calendar systems could only be thwarted by the invention of the Five Rules of Postponement. It is the continued use of this document to this very day that stands as the most significant evidence that the modern Yahudim (Jews) have NOT utilized the accurate astro-luni-solar calendar of Scripture since A.D. 352.  

“In AD 351-352 Roman persecution flared and the Jews revolted.  They were soon crushed.  Many Jewish towns were destroyed and decrees issued against the local authorities and against Judaism.  The privileges of the head of the Sanhedrin and the freedoms of the Sanhedrin itself were curtailed.  Roman pressure to conform “Jewish” TIME to Roman TIME had reached crisis level. ibid

Under this pressure Hillel II agreed to limit the functions of the head of the Sanhedrin, as well as the Sanhedrin itself, with respect to proclaiming the New Moon, setting festival dates, and employing intercalation [inserting the 13^th lunar month].  With the decline of the Jewish power-base in Israel, the Jewish community in Babylon had been rising in influence to fill the vacuum. Hillel II published details informing all Jews of the methods of the [new] calculated calendar developed in Babylon.  From that time on the Sanhedrin in Judea ceased to function or to maintain calendar experts.  Hillel II is thus given the credit for the present fixed Rabbinical calendar, but in reality it originated in Babylon and was just the starting point of the development of the Rabbinical calendar in use today.” Encyclopedia Judaica, s.v. “Hillel”.

New Evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls

According to an article by William Doehring – “James C. Vanderkam, and John A. O’Brien, Professors of Hebrew Scriptures at the University of Notre Dame, has written extensively about the Dead Sea Scrolls community.  Set up approximately 200 years prior to the birth of Jesus [Yahusha], the Qumran community split off from the mainstream population of Judea, because the community believed that the religious system at the time had become corrupted.  One crucial conviction of Qumran was that the religious system had corrupted the Jewish calendar, thereby corrupting all the Jewish Sabbaths and Holy days. ibid

 

In Vanderkam’s article, “Calendrical Texts and the Origins of the Dead Sea Scroll Community,” he reveals that the Qumran community followed a Jewish calendar, which is different than the calendar that Jews use today.  More crucial to the parados, he reveals that the Qumran community taught that the “FULL MOON” commenced the month, which would mean that Passover, which occurs mid-month, would have occurred when the moon was dark.  Thus, if Passover was celebrated within Ancient Judaism at the dark of the moon, rather than at the full of the moon, then it would be very possible for a total solar eclipse to occur simultaneous to Passover and the Crucifixion of Jesus [Yahusha].  ibid 

 

Note:  Hillel II, the last president of the Sanhedrin, established the modern Jewish calendar, approximately 350 years after Jesus [Yahusha].  Other arguments have been made as to why the Jewish calendar may have been corrupted as well.”  Christianity Shrouded by a Solar Eclipse, Examiner.com, William Doehring, May 19 2012. 

 

Although it is argued above that the Qumran community split off 200 years prior to the Messiah, it is more likely that these calendar corruptions did not begin until the early years following the crucifixion of Yahusha the Messiah.  He gave His life as the Lamb slain for us on the precise day of the ancient Jewish Passover.  This signified at this epi-center of time that the Creator’s true calendar had not yet become corrupt.  Refer to word study.   The Sun was Darkened from the Sixth to the Ninth Hour.

Shortly thereafter, Rome began to apply force to eliminate all the Quartodecimen (Natsarim/Fourteeners) who were the true and faithful followers of Yahusha the Messiah.  They proceeded to this goal through what is known as the Great Easter Controversy of the 2nd-4th century A.D.  These Quartodecimen continued to celebrate their Messiah’s crucifixion on Passover the 14th day of Abib as counted from the full New Moon, as well as His resurrection on the 16th.   

At the council of Nicaea (A.D. 321-324) an edict by Constantine was proclaimed that was ultimately successful in exterminating these Scripturally astute followers of the Messiah, and harmonized Rome’s entire empire upon the principles of their own newly devised solar calendar system.  This calendar was then and continues to conflict with the Biblical astro-luni-solar calendar model in that its months and weeks are wholly disconnected from the orchestration of the celestial lights ordained by the Creator of time (Genesis 1:14-16).  Of particular note is the disengagement of the months, weeks, and days from their connection to and count from each full New Moon.   

At the council of Nicaea (A.D. 321-324) an edict by Constantine was proclaimed that was ultimately successful in exterminating these Scripturally astute followers of the Messiah and harmonizing Rome’s entire empire upon the principles of their own newly devised solar calendar system.  This calendar was then and continues to conflict with the biblical astro-luni-solar calendar model in that its months and weeks are wholly divorced from the orchestration of the trinity of lights ordained by the Creator of time (Genesis 1:1-16).  Of particular note is the disengagement of the months, weeks, and days from their count from each full New Moon. 

Make no mistake, the total eradication of the Quartodecimen’s established way of calculating full New Moons, Feast Days, and Sabbaths, was designed to cause all to adopt the Roman Julian calendar.  So it is that when the Easter Controversy is discussed, it must be understood that it was not merely a conflict over a single day event between Passover and Easter.  But rather, it was a unity pressure tank, expertly designed to force all believers to adopt the same solar calendar model within the Roman Empire, with months and weeks entirely disassociated from the moon.  For more on this subject refer to, Constantine’s Easter Controversy with the Messiah’s Obedient Quartodecimen.

Come Out of Babylon

Throughout Scripture, Yasharal (Israel) is the name that is referred to as My People. However, all who are the faithful and obedient followers of Messiah are grafted in and included as My people.  Today, most of the world who keep a lunar phase as a New Moon marker of time for worship events, keep the dark or crescent moon, including the Muslims. Yet history bears out that both the seven-day continuous weekly cycle and the dark or crescent New Moon have their roots in Egypt and Babylon. 

Might this be why at the very end of earth’s history, Yahuah’s messenger in Revelation is depicted as crying out:  

“Babylon is fallen, is fallen… come out of her my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.  For her sins have reached unto the shamayim (heavens) and Yahuah has remembered her iniquities.”  Revelation 18:4-5

The pagan planetary weekdays are named below cycling from week to week without any connection to the New Moon for years, months, weeks or days, or any other astronomical markers.

NOTE: The seven-day week originated in ancient Mesopotamia and became part of the official Roman calendar in A.D. 321. The names of the days are based on the seven celestial bodies (the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn), believed at that time to revolve around Earth and influence its events. Most of Western Europe adopted the Roman nomenclature. The Germanic languages substituted Germanic equivalents for the names of four of the Roman gods: Tiw, the god of war, replaced Mars; Woden, the god of wisdom, replaced Mercury; Thor, the god of thunder, replaced Jupiter; and Frigg, the goddess of love, replaced Venus.

These imported superstitions [from Babylon] eventually led Jewish rabbis to call Saturn, Shabbti, “the star of the Sabbath.” It was not until the first century of our era, when the planetary week had become an established institution, that the Jewish Sabbath seems always to have corresponded to Saturn’s Day [Saturday].  Rest Days, p. 244 by Hutton Webster [Emphasis mine]

Scripture’s Acknowledgement of the Crescent

Nowhere in Scripture is the instruction provided to keep a crescent or dark conjunction lunar phase as the New Moon. The only time the term crescent is used from Genesis to Revelation is regarding “crescent” ornaments worn around the camels’ necks of the pagans (Shoftim Judges 8:21 and 26). Does this not speak volumes with a subject as vital as the real New Moon lunar phase as the only reference in all Scripture to the term “crescent” refers to offensive pagan symbols?

Even the city Jericho (#3394 or #3405 – the city of the moon, or town of the lunar month) was destroyed because it honored the Babylonian crescent moon as the New Moon in opposition to the TIME STANDARDS of YAHUAH Alahim.  This was greatly offensive to the Most High as He had just spent 40 years rehabbing His people, by restoring the correct preordained time units that synchronized His obedient followers with that of His very seat of power. Add to this that there is no reference to the New Moon being the dark or crescent unless one is willing to construe the Hebrew text of Psalms 81:3 or Psalms 104:19.

Might it be that the only way the Yahudim (Jewish) leaders could shake themselves from the guilt and prying questions with regard to the Messiah and their role in His crucifixion, was to make it appear that the dark conjunction was the true New Moon, then designate the full moon as the middle of the month?  If they could sell this lie, then all the questions about the prophecy in Amos regarding the solar eclipse on the day of the crucifixion would be hushed forever. Luke’s record of the actual occurrence would be chalked up as of little consequence, because after all, it will be said, “everyone knows the Yahudim (Jews) have always kept the dark conjunction as New Moon, therefore it would be impossible for a solar eclipse to occur on the 14^th, the night of the full moon.” As a result, the world is led to believe that Yahusha was not the true Messiah after all, simply because the 14^th of the current Jewish month does not naturally lend itself to produce a solar eclipse. Certainly, this is a profound point to consider. Might this be how the FULL NEW MOON chief cornerstone was rejected and relegated to the trash bin?

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. 1 Kepha (Peter) 2:7-8

One must ask the hard question with regard to the true New Moon. Who and what are you going to believe??? The millions of Yahudim (Rabbinical Pharisee Jews); millions of Muslims; the Karaite Jews; the Messianic Jews; Ellen White, prophetess of the 1860s; the Book of Enoch; the Book of Jubilees; the Dead Sea Scrolls with its focus on calendar wars and abundance of conflicting information; or the multiple original interlinear Hebrew text verses of the TORAH Scripture?

It is these Kadosh (sacred/holy) Scripture verses of Tehilim (Psalms) 89:35-37 and many others, in multiple and dynamic ways that identify the full moon as the original and authentic start of each lunar month. It alone qualifies as the first lunar phase of our Creator’s Calendar and His preordained months.  This is the remarkable lunar phase that “stands out boldly opposite the sun” perpetually every 29 to 30 days. It is the only visible lunar phase witnessed in both hemispheres within the same 24 hour period. 

May our beliefs be founded upon the sure word of truth as it is in the TORAH Scripture, without the corrupting influence of vowel points, placed there in the 12th century A.D. to steer all translations and its readers down a rabbit hole.  For it is in the purest form of this marvelous book alone that all humankind will be judged in the last great day, and not by the spurious, fictional, and false traditional teachings of men. The reformation of truth will continue to unfold until the great RETURN. So it is that according to Psalms 89:35-37, the full moon is FIRST AMONG THE LUNAR PHASES.

For additional studies that illustrate the full moon is the original New Moon in Scripture, click on this link:  Support Evidence for the Full New Moon.