The importance of understanding the Hebrew calendar and reckoning of time concerns prophecy. Although G-d designed the universe and knew the actual calculations of a day, month and year, He used different calculations in the Bible. The Bible establishes a biblical month to be 30 days (Genesis 7:11, 8:3 and 4) and a biblical year to be 360 days. Also, the Bible states that one day is as a thousand years to the L-rd (Psalm 90:4 & 2 Peter 3:8). And, Daniel speaks of a week as a seven-year period. The reason for the 30-day month and 360-day year, as well as the symbolic use of the week and day appears to be their connection with prophecy.
For example, Bible scholars have speculated that Hosea may have been prophesying of the L-rd's return (i.e. after the year 2000) when he spoke the following:
"After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight." (Hosea 6:2)
Daniel 9:24-27 describes the period of 'seventy weeks' that points to the coming of the L-rd, His death and His return. The 'seventy weeks' prophecy (490 days) actually concerns 'seventy weeks of years' (490 years). This prophecy also uncovers the timing of the anti-christ's rule. He will begin to reign in the 'middle of the week' (Daniel 9:27). Since the week represents years, the 'middle' would be after three and a half years or forty-two months (Revelation 13:5).
| Yeshua (Jesus), the true Christ, ministered on earth for three and one-half years (42 months), the same period of time that will be allotted to the anti-christ as above stated. |
Just as the calendar differs from that which we are accustomed, time is also calculated differently. In Hebrew reckoning, an hour is divided into 1080 parts (halaqim). Like the day and the week, the hour is also used symbolically in the Bible. A biblical year as was previously stated, is 360 days. 360 X 3 = 1080. Likewise, in biblical symbolism, an hour can be a three-year period. In the following scriptures, the hour may represent the last three years of this age:
"...Fear G-d and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come ....G-d's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of His wrath." (Revelation 14:7 & 10)
In speaking of the hated Babylon:
"...for in one hour is thy judgment come...in one hour such great wealth has come to ruin..." (Revelation 18:10 & 17)
In speaking of the beloved Church of Philadelphia:
"I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world..." (Revelation 3:10)
When Jesus told the parable of The Workers In The Field (Matthew 20), He was speaking allegorically about Israel. Jesus was prophesying that the people of Israel will be the workers who are hired about the eleventh hour (Matthew 20:9), i.e. the Nation will get saved in the final hour, just before Jesus' return.
The first scripture mentioned above (Revelation 14:7 & 10) was spoken by an angel after the seven seals were opened (Revelation 6:1-8:1) and the seven trumpets were blown (Revelation 8:6-11:15) but before the seven bowl judgments were poured out (Revelation 15:6-16:21). Certain conclusions can be drawn from the above scripture references:
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This period can be seen as follows:
| Judgments | Known As: |
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| 7 Seals | Time of Sorrows (Rev. 6) | Judgment Released |
| 7 Trumpets | The Wrath of the Lamb (Rev. 6:16-17) |
Church of Philadelphia removed (Rev. 11:12) Salvation of All Israel (Rev. 11:13-15) |
| 7 Bowls | G-d's Judgment Poured Out (Rev. 16) | Judgment Completed |
The Feasts of the L-rd (Leviticus 23) were also designed by G-d to reveal future prophetic events. Even the months during which the festivals occur is significant. The three major festivals which have particular prophetic significance are: the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover) falling during the first month, Nissan; the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) occurring during the third month, Sivan; and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) which takes place during the seventh month, Tishri. In Jewish biblical numerology:
The Spring FeastsPassover (death of Yeshua), Feast of Unleavened Bread (burial of Yeshua), and Feast of Firstfruits (Resurrection of Yeshua)revealed the Messiah in His first appearance bringing spiritual redemption and deliverance from the power of sin and death. The Fall FeastsRosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkotreveal the Messiah in His Second Advent, when He will return to bring physical redemption and deliverance from the man of sin, the Antichrist. Shavuot (Pentecost), coming between the two periods of time in late Spring, represents the empowerment that occurred after the Spring Feasts (after their spiritual redemption) and points to a future day of empowerment before the Fall Feasts when the L-rd will return to accomplish physical redemption and renewal in the earth.
| MONTH | FESTIVAL |
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1st Month - *Nissan *Derived from a root meaning:to shine, sparkle, or blossom |
Passover (Pesach) Feast of Unleavened Bread Feast of Firstfruits |
3rd Month - Sivan |
Shavuot/Pentecost |
*Derived from a root meaning: to loosen or untie |
Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah) Yom Kippur Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) |
G-d's calendar is a lunar calendar wherein the first day of a biblical month is always the New Moon and the fifteenth day of a biblical month is always the Full Moon. Each 'day' begins at 6:00 p.m. or at sundown and ends 24 hours later. The following scriptures establish that evening comes before morning in a day according to G-d's calendar:
"And there was evening, and there was morning the first day." (Genesis 1:5, also Genesis. 1:8, 13, 19, 23, 31)
The Religious Calendar begins with the month of Nissan. The Civil Calendar begins with the month of Tishri. Tishri was the first month of G-d's calendar before He changed it to Nissan as is recorded in Exodus 12:2 in the story of Passover:
"This month [Nissan] is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year."
When G-d made Nissan the first month, Tishri thereby became the seventh month. Nevertheless, the celebration of the New Year (Rosh HaShanah) and the calibration of the calendar is still reckoned from Tishri 1. The following chart compares the Hebrew calendar with the Roman calendar. The sages taught that the reckoning of days began on Tishri 1, the day man was created. They also taught that man would be judged on the same day he was created.
| 1. Nissan | March/April |
| 2. Iyar | April/May |
| 3. Sivan | May/June |
| 4. Tammuz | June/July |
| 5. Av | July/August |
| 6. Elul | August/September |
| 7. Tishri | September/October |
| 8. Heshvan | October/November |
| 9. Kislev | November/December |
| 10. Tevet | December/January |
| 11. Shevat | January/February |
| 12. Adar | February/March |
Each Festival holds a special place in prophecy. The Roman calendar that is used today, on the other hand, was established by pagans and the festivals celebrated therein have nothing to do with prophecy.
| The holidays known as Christmas (Saturnalia) and Easter (honoring the pagan fertility goddess of the same name) were established as late as the fourth century AD by the Christianized Roman Emperor Constantine. He combined pagan festivals with Christianity in order to unite his mostly-pagan Empire. |
The Spring Feasts begin with the Judgment and Burial of sin through the blood of the Lamb and end with deliverance from eternal death through Resurrection Life.
The Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) represents the bridge between the time when G-d began the restoration of mankind at Mt. Sinai and the time He will complete it when the Messiah returns. G-d empowered the Israelites with His written Law at Mt. Sinai on the first Shavuot and He empowered the 120 in the upper room with His Holy Spirit on the Shavuot (Pentecost) following Jesus' resurrection, putting His Law on their hearts. G-d will pour out His Spirit once more, this time on all flesh (Joel 2:28) before His return.
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The Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) is so named because it memorializes the seven weeks between the Deliverance of Passover and the Empowerment of Shavuot. The stamp of the Divine is evident (in the number seven) on this 49 day period (7 x 7). The period between the deliverance of Passover and the empowerment of Shavuot is called the days of Counting the Omer. The supernatural manna sent by G-d was measured by the omer. It was the amount of manna allotted to the Israelites each day. This period is also the time of the grain harvest, hinting that the natural harvest points to the spiritual harvest of souls who will be empowered to prepare the world for the coming of the L-rd. This was G-d's intention when He empowered the Israelites with His Law on Shavuot, empowering them to bring the knowledge of the One True G-d to the world. This was His purpose in empowering the 120 in the upper room with His Holy Spirit in Jerusalem on Shavuot. They went into all the world to spread the Good News of Yeshua. |
The Fall Feasts begin with the Judgment of sin (at Rosh HaShanah) and the Burial of the Man of Sin (at Armageddon on Yom Kippur); and they conclude with Resurrection Life that will begin with the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). Sukkot is also known as the Feast of Ingathering which celebrates the final harvest of the year. Spiritually, this points to the final harvest of souls for the Kingdom of G-d. Then G-d will once again tabernacle with man on the earth during His Millennial Reign.
| Zechariah 14:16 says that everyone in the world will celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles in G-d's Millennial Kingdom. |