There are people who are perplexed as to if the new moon is on the first sliver or at the full moon. The Bible answers these questions.
I want to first begin with these known facts.
He made the moon for appointed times, the sun knows its going down. Psalm 104:19 TLV
The new moon in astronomy is the first lunar phase when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse.
The original meaning of the term ‘new moon’, which is still sometimes used in calendrical, non-astronomical contexts, is the first visible crescent of the Moon after conjunction with the Sun. This thin waxing crescent is shortly and faintly visible as the Moon gets lower in the western sky after sunset, with the smallest arc angle possible between 5–7°. The exact time and even the date of the appearance of the new moon by this definition is influenced by the geographical location of the observer. The first crescent marks the beginning of the month.
During the first century A.D. the day of the New Moon was clearly determined by eyewitness observation. When at least two witnesses had observed the New Moon in the west (just after sunset), that day — beginning with that sunset — would be declared the New Moon day. The New Moon was declared when the new crescent was first seen in the west after the conjunction. The Jewish Talmud is very clear on this point.
The New Moon originally was not fixed by astronomical calculators, but was solemnly proclaimed after witnesses had testified to the reappearance of the crescent of the moon. At the end of each month, the members of the high court (Sanhedrin) gathered in a courtyard in Yerushalayim, named Beit Ya’azek, where they waited to receive the testimony of two reliable witnesses; they then sanctified the New Moon. If the Moon’s crescent was not seen on the last day of the month, the new moon was automatically celebrated on the next day.
Notice what Revelation 12:1-5 says:
“Now a great sign was seen in heaven — a woman clothed with the sun, under her feet the moon, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and about to give birth, and she screamed in the agony of labor….She gave birth to a son, a male child, the one who will rule all the nations with a staff of iron” (Jewish New Testament).
If an astronomer were to read this passage in the Bible, he would automatically think of the constellation Virgo at the point in time when the sun’s path in the heavens crosses through her body. This event always occurs in mid-October, the exact time of Yom Teruah (The Feast of Trumpets) (New Moon of the 7th month) in many years. The Feast of Trumpets can occur as many as 29 days after September 21-23 (Autumnal equinox at the equator) or as few as the same day if the equinox and the New Moon crescent occur on the same day. Therefore, mid-October is a very typical time for this feast of Yehovah (God). Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah was not born on December 25. Furthermore, in mid-October — at the time of the New Moon crescent — we see this phenomenon in the western sky soon after sunset.
The New Moon in the beginning of the month is the first crescent. The middle of the month is a full moon.
Blow the shofar at the New Moon, at the full moon for the day of our festival. Psalm 81:4 TLV
From the linguistic evidence, the “new moon” of Psalms 81 is not a full moon and in no way makes the new moon and full moon to be the same lunar phase.
Verse 4 is literally translated as follows:
“Sound on the new moon the ram’s horn, on the full moon for the day of our festival.”
It is describing two separate events with the first occuring at the beginning of the month (new moon crescent) and the second in the middle of the month (full moon).
To what period of the year (to what festival) does this Psalm refer? The answer is not found merely in the fact that the ram’s horn (the shofar) was blown, because this instrument was generally blown during rejoicing (see 1.Chron.15:28; 2.Chron.15:14; Psa.98:6). This question is answered by the rest of Psalms 81. Verses 3 through 7 show the time of year to which this psalm refers:
“Sound the ram’s horn on the new moon, and o
n the full moon for the day of our feast. For it is a statute for Israel, a judgment of the God of Jacob. He appointed it as a witness in Joseph, when he went out against Egypt. I heard a language I didn’t know. I removed his shoulder from labor and his hands were freed from the basket. In trouble you called and I delivered you; I answered you in a covering of thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah” (Para.).
I hope this clears up any confusion for people reading this. Remember that scripture interprets scripture and so we need to take several passages into consideration and dig deeper into the meaning of things in Hebrew. Back in the days of Yeshua things were far clearer so it’s important to tap into that time period the best we can and understand things the way they did.
I hope this blog continues to be a blessing to you and that Yeshua will continue to add light to your understanding.