Lunar Phases Establish Truth

The King James Version (KJV) is mostly used in these lessons. Click here to access the KJV online.

Principle #6: Waxing and Waning Lunar Phases Clarify Truth

There is not just one, but two reasons why the "dark conjunction" lunar phase is not only dark but also never visible. The first reason is phase related, as the sun only shines on the moon's back side as viewed from earth, in this way making the visible side dark. The second reason the "conjunction" phase is never visible is position related. This dark lunar phase cannot be seen because it comes between the earth and the sun at sunrise, similar to an eclipse. Both the phase and its position work together to insure consistency, thus it will never be visible. This is because each lunar phase is also bound by physical laws to its position in the heavens. Outside of latitude variation, each lunar phase consistently appears in its approximate longitude position every 29 or 30 days.

If the ancient Hebrews were to look for the dark "conjunction" phase as the "New Moon", they would have had to go out at sunrise and face the east looking for the moon, yet it would never be visible. The act of facing the sun at sunrise was considered an abomination to Yahuwah. This could have too easily been confused with sun worship. This is exactly opposite of what the Lord Yahuwah taught through the ceremonies of the Sanctuary. At sunrise, the priests were to face due west toward the Holy of Holies. What confusion might arise if they were also looking over their shoulders to get a glimpse of an invisible dark conjunction lunar phase?

In Yahuwah's mercy, the New Moon was to be announced by the trumpet blast on the evening prior to New Moon Day (first day of the month). This was for the purpose of allowing the people time to prepare for this Holy day after sunset, when it was dark. Because half of the months of any given year were 29 days in length, His people would have been just observing the seventh-day Sabbath during a 29th day month, prior to the setting sun. It was at that moment that the New Moon was announced by the blowing of the trumpet. The dark hours between the seventh-day Sabbath and the New Moon Day gave His people time to prepare for it. Remember, Yahuwah's ordained Sabbath and New Moon Days were only 12 hour periods which were observed from the sunrise to sunset. (For more on this subject see the article, "Three Months in a Row").

If the New Moon phase was the dark waning conjunction phase, which was to be viewed at the sunrise, there would be absolutely NO time to prepare for this Holy day, as the new day would be already upon them. The entire purpose of the trumpet blast was to announce the coming Holy day, allowing time for the people to prepare for it, both physically and spiritually.

Sound the ram's horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full . . . . Psalms 81:3

Every 24 hour period of a lunar month the moon is on the average 45 minutes short of its previous position in the night or morning sky. The waxing phases occur during the first half of the month. This means that each night following sunset, the lunar phases display "more light" of the sun than the previous night. The waning phases which occur during the second half of the lunar month displays "less light" of the sun than the previous day. With this in mind, I have a question for you.

The reason this is so important to understand is because the dark conjunction phase has all the markings of a waning phase, it is therefore self-evident that it belongs to the end of the second half of the old month. It cannot be both part of the old month and part of the beginning of a new month. Since it appears to be in the waning category it cannot be a "new" refreshed or rebuilding lunar phase that signals a new month has begun. This darkest phase of the month is forever grouped with the waning phases as they, day by day, receive less and less light of the sun until it is completely void of light. By definition, the dark conjunction phase is a waning phase and always part of the second half of the old lunar month. Never can it be any portion of the waxing phases of a "new" refreshed and rebuilding month, as these alone are receiving more and more light with each phase than the preceding phase until the moon is full.

It is because of the importance and intrinsic nature of this dark conjunction phase, that by coming out of its darkness, the first visible crescent moon is dubbed with the term "new". It can only be "new" because the previous moon and month ended in the obscurity of darkness as if its own light had gone out. During the entire month, the lunar phases reflect a percentage of the suns light except for the last phase. This conjunction phase is the only lunar phase that is completely dark and absent of any reflecting rays from the sun from earths perspective. It is not until the next night that there would be any possibility of seeing a crescent moon coming out of it's darkness into the marvelous light. And sometimes it isn't until the second night that a horned crescent moon is actually visible. A visible crescent moon following a non-visible lunar phase has the most apparent markings, fitting all the criteria, for what Scripture defines as the New Moon.

Principle #7: End time Prophecy of Revelation 12:1

In the end of recorded Scripture, Revelation 12:1 states:
"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. And she, being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born." Revelation 12:1-4 KJV

"A halo of light and glory clustered about the time of Jesus' death and resurrection, immortalizing the sacred facts that he was the Saviour of the world." Early Writings, p. 197.

It has only recently been discovered that this halo cluster of twelve stars is the self same one described in Revelation 12:1. It is this unbroken cluster of truth that adorns the head of this faithful and pure woman. She, alone, is symbolic of Yahuwah's faithful at the end of time, and is represented as standing on the moon, clothed with the sun, and with this halo of twelve stars above her head. Notice that the sun, moon and stars are each elements of time that make up the Creator's luni-solar calendar as He appointed in Genesis 1:14. It was this same luni-solar calendation system that was again highlighted, at the culmination of the fullness of time, by the Savor's death and resurrection.

1. Year - A.D. 31	7. Full Moon Day is the 14th or 15th
2. Season - Spring	8. Feast of Passover on the 14th
3. Month - Abib/Nisan	9. Crucifixion - 9th hour of death on 14th
4. Date of Month - 14th day	10. Feast of Unleavened bread on 15th
5. Day of Week - 6th day	11. High Sabbath Rest in Tomb on 15th
6. Preparation Day - 6th day	12. Resurrection Day/Wave Sheaf on 16th

For an in-depth study on these Twelve Criteria see the eCourse entitled, "The Twelve Criteria of the True Crucifixion Date".