Written by: m.wilson – AI Assisted
In the Bible, God utters the words “Let the Light come to be” (NWT), which makes it possible to establish the time and day Genesis 1:3-5 (NWT). He creates this Light on the very First Day: “… two great lights – the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night,” referring perhaps to an (un-manifested) Sun and Moon. On the second day, God creates a dimension for existence, which he manifests by separating it from (the waters) of heaven, resulting in an atmosphere defined in measurable time and is designated for the ‘sacred’ acknowledgment of God. A couple of days later, on Day Four, the Sun and Moon transition from the (un-manifest) into their ‘luminary’ form and become our cosmic signs.
MOON CALENDAR / MOON-SIGN SIGNIFICANCE
God created “…the moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever…” (Psalm 136:9) (KJB); and though the Moon is not a deity to be worshiped, (a Pagan practice), the Moon is more than just a signboard for the end times, as it will come to be in the New Testament.
The Moon of the Old Testament does, in fact, govern and regulate human activity, worship, and social structure, given our obligation to sacred time. But in the New Testament, this covenant has begun to dim and such practices are described by the apostles as a “shadow” of Christ.
MOON – OLD TESTAMENT
Genesis 1:14–16 (NIV) “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years.”
Psalm 104:19 (HCSB) “He made the moon to mark the festivals; the sun knows when to set.”
Leviticus 23:15-22 (ESV) “You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering (waved before God). 16 You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord…“
“According to Rabbi Nathan Bushwick, “The molad (‘birth’ of the moon or month) is roughly in [‘the dark phase when this conjunction occurs’] during which the Moon is not visible.” – United Church of God
While modern science and astronomy divide the lunar cycle into eight distinct phases (like waxing gibbous or third quarter), ancient Israelite religion and the Hebrew calendar focused almost entirely on just two primary cosmic markers: 1). The New Moon Sign (Rosh Chodesh): The arrival of the crescent new moon was a critical visual sign commanding the start of a new month. Special sacrifices and trumpets would mark this mandatory holy day, along with sacrifices and feasting. 2). The Full Moon sign (Keseh): The full moon marked the exact midpoint of the month (the 14th or 15th day). God deliberately timed Israel’s most massive pilgrimages and festivals – such as Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles to fall exactly on a full moon so travelers had maximum light to journey and celebrate at night.
NEW TESTAMENT
In the New Testament, however, the biblical concept of a “shadow” (Greek: skia) becomes a metaphor for Old Testament rituals pointing to Christ around 60–62 AD, and the luminaries come to signify creation’s end. For example:
Colossians 2:16–17: Therefore let no one judge you in regard to food and drink or in regard to [the observance of] a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day (AMP). These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ (ESV).
Luke 21:25-26: “There will be signs in the sun, the moon and the stars… People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world.”
Revelation 6:12-14 (NIV) “…the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth… The sky vanished like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.”
The festivals remain a factor, however, as in Acts 20:16, regarding the Feast of Weeks (the “firstfruits” offerings to God), serving as a reference to the way a physical harvest becomes a spiritual harvest:
“Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus so that he would not end up spending time [unnecessarily] in [the province of] Asia (modern Turkey); for he was in a hurry to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost” (AMP).
SENSE OF LIGHT
Despite the profound significance of the Moon in the Bible, it does not explicitly state that lunar phases are the direct cause of specific human states (such as madness, aggression, or wakefulness) in a biological or supernatural sense. It is there to remind humanity that the universe is ordered, purposeful, and under the sovereign rule of God. Meanwhile, the Moon affects many people on a personal level as well, since our eyes can engage with it almost as easily as with a man-made object; we can become almost mesmerized, perhaps because of the un-manifest (spiritual) light that formed it. In contrast with occult traditions, Moonlight, for instance when encountered in the Arcana, can be similarily foreboding, especially for the Querent who pursues such illumination into mysteries that cannot sustain him.
Could Earth become the 3rd Governor Of The Night? When human beings colonize the lunar surface, (Moon Children) may regard Earth as a ‘Governor’ of light. These residents will encounter a “full Earth” that is roughly 43 to 55 times brighter than a full moon appears to us on Earth. This is because our planet is roughly 3.6 times wider in diameter than the moon and is far more reflective. Researchers are saying that a Moon landscape can never get completely dark (at around 10 to 11 lux), which would make it bright enough to read.
