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Each year people from around the world celebrate the commencement of a new year on the first day of January according to the secular calendar. Not many people are aware that a new year used to be observed in the spring, as opposed to the dead of winter (in the Northern Hemisphere),
In the middle ages, New Year’s Day was celebrated on March 25th in most European towns (Manners and Customs in the Middle Ages – Marsha Groves, p. 27, Crabtree Publishing, 2005).
As with many of the customs and traditions celebrated today, New Years Eve on January 1st has its origin in pagan religious systems,
The early Romans dedicated January 1st to Janus, the god of gates, doors, and beginnings (Varro apud Augustine, De Civitate Dei VII 9 and 3; Servius Aen. 1449; Paulus ex Festus. s.v. Chaos p. 452).
After Julius Caesar reformed the calendar in 46 BC and was subsequently murdered, the Romans voted to deify him on the 1st of January 42 BC in honor of his life and his institution of the new rationalized calendar (Roman Religion – Valerie Warrior, p. 110, Cambridge University Press).
In the Roman world, the Saturnalia (December 17) was a time of merrymaking and exchanging of gifts. December 25 was also regarded as the birthdate of the Iranian mystery god Mithra, the Sun of Righteousness. On the Roman New Year (January 1), houses were decorated with greenery and lights, and gifts were given to children and the poor. To these observances were added the German and Celtic Yule rites when the Teutonic tribes penetrated into Gaul, Britain and central Europe. Food and good fellowship, the Yule log and Yule cakes, greenery and fir trees, gifts and greetings all commemorated different aspects of this festive season. Fires and lights, symbols of warmth and lasting life, have always been associated with the winter festival, both pagan and Christian (Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th Edit. Vol. II, p. 903; emphasis added by Ed.).
During Saturnalia the Romans feasted, postponed all business and warfare, exchanged gifts, and temporarily freed their slaves. Many Romans also celebrated the lengthening of daylight following the winter solstice by participating in rituals to glorify Mithra, the ancient Persian god of light (see Mithraism). These and other winter festivities continued through January 1, the festival of Kalends, when Romans marked the day of the new moon and the first day of the month and year (MSN Encarta Encyclopedia (online), Deluxe Edition, article: Christmas, section II: Origins of Christmas; emphasis added by Ed.).
This tendency on the part of Christians to meet Paganism half-way was very early developed; and we find Tertullian, even in his day, about the year 230, bitterly lamenting the inconsistency of the disciples of Christ in this respect, and in contrasting it with the strict fidelity of the Pagans to their own superstition. "By us," says he, "who are strangers to Sabbaths, and new moons, and festivals, once acceptable to God, the Saturnalia, the feasts of January, the Brumalia, and Matronalia are now frequented; gifts are carried to and fro, new year's day presents are made with din, and sports and banquets are celebrated with uproar; oh, how much more faithful are the heathen to their religion, who take special care to adopt no solemnity from the Christians ( The Two Babylons, Alexander Hislop, p. 93 as quoted from Tertullian, De Idolatria, c14, vol.i, p. 682; emphasis added by Ed.).
Although the civil authorities and religious institutions of this present evil world (cf. Gal. 1:4) have worked consistently to dismantle the law and commandments of Almighty God, including the appointed times established by God for observing His Holy Days and festivals (Dan. 7:25), His people have continued to obey His law and commandments throughout history despite persecutions (Rev. 12:17; 14:12). The commencement of a new year can only be determined by God as He created the heavens and the earth and set in motion the means through which His times and seasons are to be calculated and observed,
Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons (SHD 4150 – moedim: appointed times), and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth’; and it was so. 16Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. 17God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good (Gen. 1:14-18; Ed. note in parenthesis).
God commanded that His New Year commence on the New Moon (conjunction – see study: The New Moon; also *footnote on Passover) that preceded observance of the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread,
Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2‘This month (moon – SHD 2320 - hodesh: lunar month, moon) shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month (moon) of the year to you’ (Ex. 12:1-2; Ed. notes in parentheses).
As this command was given prior to the commandments, statutes, and law being ratified at Mt. Sinai, it proves that this holy day was already in existence. Noah and his family witnessed the beginning of the flood on the seventeenth day of the second (New Moon) month of the year. If God’s New Year was not already established then the time frame of a second month (New Moon) would have no meaning because it could not be tied to a specific time of the year,
In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month (moon – SHD 2320 - hodesh: lunar month, moon), the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the foundations of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened (Gen. 7:11; Ed. note in parenthesis).
Using today’s secular calendar, as opposed to God’s true calendar, the flood would have begun on February 17th, which is incorrect. Using God’s true calendar for the year 2012 to calculate the date of Noah’s flood, it would have coincided with May 7th on this world’s secular calendar. This is one of the reasons that the Adversary has worked diligently to change God’s times and seasons (Dan. 7:25). It has allowed Satan to mislead and deceive the nations of this world because they cannot accurately determine when events have taken place in the past, and will not be able to calculate when certain events will occur in the future (Rev. 12:9). Even those who claim to know God’s calendar, have made assumptions regarding cycles such as the seventh year, forty-ninth year, and year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:1-4, 8-13). The belief that some are able to predict future events, based on an assumed understanding of God’s calendar, has empowered certain religious leaders but they will be proven wrong (Mt. 24:36, 42).
According to Genesis 8:5, the mountains were seen on the first day of the tenth month, or October 1st according to the current secular calendar. Then Noah waited another forty days, which would be approximately November 9th (Gen. 8:6). Noah then sent out a raven and a dove, and waited seven days (Gen. 8:10). When the dove returned with an olive leaf Noah waited another seven days and sent the dove out again, but it did not return (Gen. 8:12). This would now be approximately November 23rd, and there is no likelihood that an olive leaf would be growing that late in the year.
On the other hand, if God’s calendar is used, the dove would have returned with an olive leaf approximately two and a half months later, which would be approximately February/ March. This would coincide with early spring growth in the Middle East.
Prior to God’s announcement regarding His New Year (Ex. 12:1-2), we are told that the Egyptian barley crop was “in the head” and that the flax crop “was in bud,”
Now the flax and the barley were struck (by hail; Ex. 9:18), for the barley was in the head and the flax was in bud. 32 But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they are late crops (Ex. 9:31-32; Ed. note in parenthesis).
This is important information because it helps establish the time of year associated with God’s announcement regarding when to commence a new year. In the following excerpt, it will be seen that barley is ready (in the head) for harvesting in late spring, which would coincide with March/April in the Northern Hemisphere,
In general, precipitation in the Middle East decreases with distance away from the seashores and from north to south. Rainfall also defines the time of planting and harvesting for most of the crops. With the exception of the littorals of the Black and Caspian Seas, rainfall is concentrated within a relatively short period of the year between late October and early April. Consequently, the major grain crops of the region – wheat and barley – are planted in the fall and harvested in late spring and early summer (www.fas.usda.gov/remote/mideast_pecad/mideast_html/).
The same conditions apply to flax crops according to the following excerpt from a study entitled, Flax from Purdue University (E.S. Oplinger, E.A. Delke, J.D. Doll, L.G. Bundy, and R.T. Schuler, November 1989),
Adequate moisture and relatively cool temperatures, particularly during the period from flowering to maturity, seem to favor both high oil content and high oil quality.
Therefore, the time of year mentioned in Exodus 9:31-32 had to be cool and harvesting the barley would have occurred in the late spring. Needless to say, these conditions do not describe January 1st. Instead, Almighty God starts His year when plants are coming to life, not in the dead of winter (in the Northern Hemisphere). This is confirmed by two names applied to this first month of God’s year,
Nisan – Hebrew, meaning ‘beginning, opening’ (New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Moody Press, 1988).
Abib – Chaldean, meaning ‘an ear of corn’ (New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Moody Press, 1988).
Again, the Adversary wants to divert attention from this time of year because it reveals the beginning of God’s plan of salvation which commenced with the death of Jesus Christ, pictured by the death of the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of this first month of the year. Then the resurrection of Christ and his acceptance by Almighty God, pictured by the wave sheaf during the Days of Unleavened Bread,
Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He (the priest) shall wave the sheaf before the Lord (picturing Jesus Christ, who was cut down, being resurrected and accepted by Almighty God), to be accepted on your behalf (because Christ died on behalf of all sinners); on the day after the Sabbath (during the Days of Unleavened Bread) the priest shall wave it (Lev. 23:10-11; Ed. notes in parentheses).
The truth about this wonderful plan, and the hope it provides for all who have sinned, is the real reason for celebrating God’s New Year. The 1st of January has no plan, no hope, and no purpose except to continue on the same path that mankind has been on for millennia. This is what Satan wants because he is the deceiver and wants mankind pre-occupied by material pursuits rather than spiritual realities. It is quite appropriate that January 1st occurs during the darkest time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, while God’s New Year is associated with light, new growth, and a real future,
But this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were evil. 20 “For all those practicing evil hate the light, and do not come to the light so that his works will not be reproved. 21 “But the one doing the truth comes to the light so that his works might be demonstrated as being worked by God (Jn. 3:19-21; RNT).
As light is associated with God’s truth and way of living (Ps. 119:105, Pr. 6:23), all those who seek to obey Almighty God will avoid celebrating the pagan custom of New Year’s Eve on January 1st and focus instead on God’s New Year according to his command (Ex. 12:2).
* The following secular quotation supports the fact that God’s New Year commences in the spring. It is from, The 2012 Moon Almanac by Kim Long, published by The Experiment, LLC, 2012,
Passover (Pesach) is the traditional Jewish holiday designated to commemorate the exodus of the Jews (12 tribes of Israel including the tribe of Judah/Jews – Ed. note) from Egypt. This event occurred at the beginning of spring, and the celebration of Passover is configured to correspond to a lunar month near the spring equinox. Passover begins on the fifteenth day of the Jewish month of Nisan – halfway through the lunar month and at the time of a full moon. Nisan is the first month after the spring (vernal) equinox, which can occur in either March or April. The earliest date for the beginning of Passover is March 21; the latest is April 20.
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