Great High
Priest
One of the major issues that arise when
one first accepts the continuing significance of God’s holy days is that of the
timing of the New Moon. A common development of one’s understanding is typically
to first simply look at the calendar and see when the accepted day (meaning,
that observed by modern-day Rabbinic Jews) falls, and simply keeping it in
concert with them. However, continued study (or even simply exposure to other
feast-keepers) reveals that there are various methods of calculating the high
holy days—even among the Jews—leading to the high holy days being observed over
a span of two or three disputed days, or in some cases, a month apart.
This issue is vitally important, and yet often
treated in a rather blasé manner by feast-keepers. Some believe that because
there are potentially two ways to reckon the New Moon, and since the Scriptures
do not definitively specify either view, it is not something with which we need
to be concerned. It is either unimportant, they say, or it will be revealed in
the world to come, or that God considers both sides valid.
However, if we do not know the correct day
when the New Moon occurs, we cannot properly observe the days on which any of
the annual feasts fall. The New Moon is the marker for setting the feasts. If
you are off by a single day, there is no difference in your feast-keeping than
observing the Sabbath a day late, on Sunday. Biblical months always begin with
the New Moon, and all the annual appointed times are known according to their
months. For example, Passover is “the fourteenth day of the first month at
even.” (Leviticus 23:5); the Day of Atonement is “on the tenth day of this
seventh month.” (Leviticus
While those who believe it should be held
on the visible crescent provide indisputable evidence from a traditional standpoint, those who
believe it should be held on the astronomical conjunction have convincing
evidence from a symbolic standpoint.
Since the Bible does not explicitely delineate how to calculate the new moon
(although it does hold the keys to
how to set the new moon date), this is one of those issues for which one must
“study” (Greek "work hard") to
show oneself approved. (2 Timothy 2:15)
Aside from the Rabbinic Jewish
calculations (which are done only by using a 19-year cycle that proves not only
to be highly unreliable, but also includes various unbiblical “postponements”
added for mere convenience), the most commonly accepted method for reckoning
the “new moon” (accepted even by modern-day Karaite
Jews) is that of the visual observance of the crescent, or the first appearance
of a reflective sliver. Of course, only the Karaites
and fringe groups are actually honest when they observe the feasts, relying on
the actual observance of the crescent by “two or more” witnesses. The remainder of those who claim to go by the “observance of the
crescent” plan their calendars months and years in advance by using
calculations, rather than actually visually witnessing the crescent and
observing the holidays appropriately.
Other groups contend for calculating it
from the first night when the moon has become completely dark; others, by the
astronomical conjunction. While every group has its rhymes and reasons, the
question that should be at the forefront of every believer’s mind should be: Did
God give definitive proof in his word, the Bible?
A particular problem for Seventh-day
Adventists arises when trying to harmonize the method used to calculate the
Passover in 31 AD (obviously respected by God), and that which gives us a Day
of Atonement date of October 22 in the year 1844. The only way to have an October 22 Day of Atonement in 1844 is to use
the astronomical conjunction as the new moon; using the visible crescent yields
a September 23 Day of Atonement in 1844.
The only way to accept both dates as legitimate
and correct would be to accept that there
was a pardigm shift between the two dates in how
Heaven itself computes the high holy days. This we accept on the basis of
much evidence (see The Sacred Calendar
and Summary of Points by Midnight Cry
Ministries); but again, the question at the top of our minds as “people of the
book” should be, did God give indication of this paradigm shift in his word, the Bible?
Since Adventism (which I believe is 1000% Biblical and true) has two dates that
are vitally important to its existence based
on the two methods of reckoning, there must be a "bridge" between
the two methods of reckoning the New Moon.
Our
Great High Priest
Seventh-day Adventism, and particularly
Seventh-day Adventists who observe God’s holy days, revolve around the
Sanctuary service. The Sanctuary services are “the Gospel Illustrated”—God’s
description of the plan of redemption. Most particularly, the Sanctuary
describes Christ himself, and his role as the sacrifice. Most significantly, in
this, the final stage of the plan of redemption—the day of atonement—the role of our heavenly high priest, is given great importance in the book of Hebrews.
We’ll now focus on the inauguration and
installation of Christ as our great high priest, “who is passed into the
heavens.” Hebrews 4:14. It is clear in this text that it was when Christ
“passed into the heavens” that he became, at that time, our great high priest.
He could not officially be High Priest before this time, “For if he were on
earth, he should not be a priest...” Hebrews 8:4
Jesus was inaugurated as High Priest of
Israel because Caiphas had had torn his garments
during the trial of Christ, Matthew 26:65. Since the garments of the high
priest were considered by the LORD as “holy garments” (Exodus 40:13), they were
not to be torn even for severe death or destruction. “Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes, lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people.” Leviticus
10:6. Thus, when Caiphas tore his sacred garments, he
rejected his priesthood, passed the death penalty upon himself,
and great wrath came upon the people. According to God’s word,
The Gospels and the Book of Acts tell us
that Christ was slain on Passover (having celebrated the seder with his disciples the night before). On the
day of the Wave Sheaf, when the firstfruits of the
Harvest were waved before God (Leviticus
These are all significant points, but
there is one more vitally significant factor to consider. Not only is Jesus the
Sacrifice for the believers and the Firstfruits of
those to be raised from the dead (Ephesians 5:2, 1 Corinthians
The
Order of Melchisedek
It is true that Jesus is a High Priest
"after the order of Melchizedek" and not after the order of Levi,
“for it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood” Hebrews 7:14. However, all this means that the Priesthood
is not dependent upon an earthly bloodline or a temporary ordinance; being
after the order of Melchizedek means that it is a perfect priesthood, able to
save utterly, and not just to symbolically “cover” sins with the blood of
animals (Hebrews 7:11). It means that it is an eternal priesthood, whereas the Levitical
priesthood was only for a time, until that which was perfect should replace it
(Hebrews 5:6). So then, while these two things (perfection and eternity) define what the Melchizedechian
Order signifies, the symbols of the Levitical priesthood describe it.
Thus, while Perfection and Eternity define it, the symbols given to Moses
for Levi's sons describe it, meaning
that the earthly things accomplished by the Levitical
high priests foreshadow Christ’s actions as an eternal, perfect High Priest.
God did not merely tell Moses how to construct the earthly tabernacle and its
instruments; he did not merely direct him in the rituals. Instead, he showed
his servant Christ himself, the “pattern”, and said to him, “According to all
that I shew thee, after the pattern of the Tabernacle, and the pattern of all
the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” (Exodus 25:9)
Jesus was slain according to the Passover
rituals enshrined in the Levitical Code. He rose from
the dead according to the Wave Sheaf ordinance of the Levitical
Code. And the crux of the matter is seen in that he poured out his Spirit
according to the time of Pentecost in the same set of priestly regulations, and
was established as a High Priest in the same way. The only difference
is that, instead of offering a bullock and two rams for his dedication as the
sons of Aaron were to do (Exodus 29:1), he entered in beyond the barrier of his
own flesh (that is, by his own death) to be so appointed (Hebrews 10:20).
Timing
Is Everything
According to Ellen White, the significance
of the types of the entire Sanctuary service are
significant even as to the timing of events:
“Arguments drawn from the Old Testament
types also pointed to the autumn as the time when the event represented by the
"cleansing of the sanctuary" must take place. This was made very
clear as attention was given to the manner in which the types relating to
the first advent of Christ had been fulfilled. The slaying of the Passover lamb was a
shadow of the death of Christ…
“These types were fulfilled, not
only as to the event, but as to the time. One of the fourteenth day of the first Jewish month, the very day and
month on which for fifteen long centuries the Passover lamb had been slain,
Christ, having eaten the Passover with His disciples, instituted that feast
which was to commemorate His own death as "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." That same night He
was taken by wicked hands to be crucified and slain. And as the antitype of the
wave sheaf our Lord was raised from the dead on the third day, "the first
fruits of them that slept,"… In
like manner the types which relate to the second advent
must be fulfilled at the time pointed out in the symbolic service.
Great Controversy 399
If all the symbols match perfectly, it
would hardly be reasonable to say that the consecration ceremony of our great
High Priest differed from the established pattern. In other words, since
every other ordinance revealed about the Priests of Levi apply to Christ, so
should the ritual of consecration. Aside from being of the same manner,
it
should also occur at the appointed time, since the Passover, Firstfruits, and Pentecost (and subsequently the Day of
Atonement and in the future, the Feast of Tabernacles) occurred in the
Messiah's ministry precisely when
these events were indicated to occur by the symbols. So, let us look at the
ceremony for consecrating a High Priest.
We read in Exodus 29 and 40 that to
establish a man as a high priest (also known as the "priest who is
anointed," literally the Messiah-Priest), the following steps must be
taken, listed here and performed in Leviticus 8 (notice the italicized words in
the last three steps, as they are about to become very important):
1. A sacrifice "without blemish"
was to be ordained. (Exodus 29:1)
2. The initiate was to be brought to the
Tabernacle and washed. (verse 4)
3. He was to be clothed in sacred garments
and coronated. (verses 5, 6)
4. He was to be anointed with oil. (verse 7)
5. He was to have the blood of a slain
sacrifice placed on his right ear, right
thumb, and right big-toe. (verse
20)
6. Parts of the sacrifices were to be
waved before the Tabernacle and then
burned on the Altar. (verses 24,
25)
7. The initiate was to remain in holy
garments at the door of the Tabernacle for
seven days. (verses 30, 35)
8. The consecration was to begin on a New Moon. (Exodus 40:2, 12-15)
9. On the
eighth day the consecration would be finished; the new priest would
sacrifice a special burnt offering and bless the people, then
the glory of God
would appear among them as fire. (Leviticus 9:1, 2, 23, 24)
We can easily establish that each of the
previous steps was fulfilled perfectly in the ministry and sacrifice of Christ:
1. Christ was ordained for his own
sacrifice, and he was without blemish. (1
Peter 1:19)
2. He was “taken up” to the Tabernacle in
Heaven after being baptized in both
water and blood. (Acts 1:11, Hebrews
3. In his divine form, he is clothed in
“shining” garments, girded with gold and
“coronated”
with “glory and honor.” (Mark 9:3, Revelation 1:19, Hebrews
2:9)
4. He was "anointed" for his
ministries (both earthly and heavenly) by the
Father. (Hebrews 1:9, Acts
5. He was dedicated from “head to toe,”
consecrated forevermore and perfect in
all his ways. (Hebrews 7:28, Ephesians 4:13, Psalms
18:30)
6. He ascended to the Father after his
resurrection to be “waved” or “lifted up”
before the Throne. (John 20:17)
Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension
took place according to the pattern of the feasts as described in the Levitical Code, beginning with the Passover. There are
three things remaining in the pattern for the ordination of the High Priest,
and in order to be consistent, these three things must also take place
according to the timing of the Levitical Code.
On a New Moon the potential high priest
must be taken to the Tabernacle. He must remain there for seven days, and then on the
eighth day he must bless the people and send
forth the glory of God as fire.
We know that after 40 days of earthly
ministry, Christ ascended to the Father. Looking at the visible crescent “New
Moon” we notice some interesting things. First, the crescent occurs two days
(on average) after the astronomical conjunction. Second, the timing of when the
glory of God appeared like "fire" to the apostles, recorded in Acts 2:3.
If the pattern of Leviticus is sound, this
means that the consecration of Christ had
to have begun 8 days before the flames of Pentecost descended. Also, if the
pattern of Leviticus is sound, the consecration of Jesus as our High Priest had to have begun on a New Moon. We
cannot be so inconsistent as to claim that the
Passover, the Resurrection and the outpouring of the Spirit followed the
Torah's timeline both literally and perfectly, but that something as important as the consecration of the
Messiah-Priest was merely “symbolic” or that the timeline of this specific
thing is unimportant or without a New Testament fulfillment. Consistent
doctrines may be either correct or erroneous, but inconsistent doctrines are always
wrong, and that by definition. My favourite Ellen
White quote is “Consistency is such a jewel.” Let us then first be consistent,
and we will see that we are also correct in this matter.
In order for the consecration of Jesus as
the High Priest of humanity to perfectly match the Levitical
Code (which it perfectly matches in every other aspect), it must fulfill three
specific points:
1. It must begin on a New Moon.
2. It must last seven days.
3. It must mark the 8th day by
a fiery manifestation of God's glory.
Now, we know from the record in Acts that
the fiery manifestation marking the close of Christ’s consecration took place
on Pentecost, so we have a fixed point from which to work. Ellen White
specifically tells us that “The
Pentecostal outpouring was Heaven’s communication that the Redeemer’s
inauguration was accomplished.” Acts of the Apostles 38.
We also see that the New Moon occurred
between the Messiah's ascension to the Father and the sending of that Spirit,
so the consecration process must have
begun at this (and only this) point. The only tricky part is that it was to
last "seven days" and that the fire was to descend on the eighth.
The astronomical new moon conjunction
occurred on June 8th in AD 31, at
However, Pentecost was on Sunday, June 17
in 31 AD. At this time, making the visible manifestation of
God’s glory as FIRE due at least one or more than likely, two days AFTER
Shavuot.
These observations being correct and easily demonstrated from the relevant Old Testament scriptures and
scientific fact, should not Pentecost (the visible manifestation of God’s glory
as fire confirming the consecration of Christ as our Great High Priest) have
taken place on the 8th of Sivan, 8 days after the visible crescent
New Moon? Is there a possible solution to this apparent discrepancy?
Not wishing to concede the idea that God
was somehow careless with his calendar, holy days, or the inauguration of
Christ as our Great High Priest, we can come to only one conclusion:
The timing of the feasts on earth were
timed by the visible crescent, but the New Moon after the apex of the history
of the universe—the crucifixion of Christ—as
recorded in Heaven, took place at the conjunction.
Heavenly
Time Contrasted with Earthly Time
Examining this diagram should make
it clear. The only way the pattern of the Levitical
Code fits is if the 6th of earthly
Sivan is really the 8th day of the spiritual (i.e. true) month. The New Moon on which Jesus began to
be consecrated in Heaven as the High Priest of humanity was the astronomical
conjunction between his ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as
“tongues of fire.”
Now, we have to be very careful with this;
the statement above does not imply that there was an “error” in the way the
Passover was reckoned in 31 AD. All this demonstrates is that the pattern must
now go by Heavenly time—demonstrated and confirmed at Pentecost, which is
considered by some to be the "birthday of the
Remember the things we observed above: The
two days between the astronomical conjunction and the appearance of a sliver
allows for the 6th Sivan date of Pentecost. The only question is
"Why?" Why should God implement such a system, the reality of which
can only be seen by noticing something that, at first glance, appears trivial?
A
Reflection of Our Relationship with God
When God gave the appointed times, it was to
correspond to such events as “seedtime and harvest” on earth, because in this
way the religious ceremonies and ordinances could be illustrated in visible
events. The point of the feasts was to
point in a visible way to spiritual truths.
The death of the Messiah, while not
affecting any permanent, divine Laws, DID affect earthly rituals. The only time
a "change in the Law" is mentioned (except for attempted changes by
God's enemies) is in the Book of Hebrews, where it speaks of the earthly methods
of redemption associated with the Levitical priests
(Hebrews 7:12), and in the book of Daniel, where it is plainly stated that by
his sacrifice, Christ would cause “the sacrifice and oblation to cease.”
(Daniel 9:27) Thus, we no longer offer visible sacrifices, "for even
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." (1 Corinthians 5:7) Similarly,
circumcision was once a matter of vital importance for man's covenant with God
(Genesis
Thus, while we acknowledge the
“correctness” of the visible crescent method to point out the appointed times,
because it illustrated the spiritual
condition of God’s people at that time, we know that at the coronation of
Jesus as the New Covenant High Priest, the spiritual condition of God’s people
must make a suitable change. Now, beginning precisely at the time of the
instigation of the New Covenant, we must “walk by faith, not by sight.” (2
Corinthians 5:7)
If Jesus is our High Priest, and if he followed
the Levitical pattern of beginning his consecration
at the New Moon, it must follow that the New Moon is now on the astronomical
conjunction for the day of Pentecost to fall 50 days after the
Resurrection—occurring on the 6th of Sivan as it was then counted on
earth—but eight days after the astronomical new moon, as reckoned by the
resurrected Christ. The diagram clearly shows that this is the case.
Having set the precedence for reckoning
the new moons and holy days by the astronomical conjunction, the date
Our
Works Testify
To continue to observe the new moons by
the visible crescent is tantamount to rejecting
~
Midnight Cry Ministries
(based on the article “Conjunction” by David Aguilar)
Feast
Dates for 31 AD
Saturday, March 24 Vernal Equinox (
Saturday, April 14 Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Abib
First
day of the first month
Thursday, April 26 14th day of the first month (Thursday night)
Passover eaten at twilight (Seder night)
Last
Supper
Friday, April 27 14th day of the first month
Pesach (Passover)
Crucifixion
at time of Passover day’s Evening Sacrifice
(not the seder, which occurred the evening prior)
Saturday, April 28 First day of Unleavened Bread (“High” Sabbath)
Christ
in tomb (afikomen)
Sunday, April 29 Yom HaBikkurim (Wave Sheaf
offering)—begin count
to Pentecost
Resurrection
Friday, May 11 Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) 2nd month
Thursday, June 7 Ascension (10 days before Shavuot)
Sunday, June 10 Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) 3rd month
(conjuction
occurred at
Beginning
of Christ’s Inauguration as High Priest
Sunday, June 17 Shavuot (Pentecost)
Confirmation
of Christ’s Inauguration by God’s glory
being manifested as fire
