Sacred calendars often evoke strong opinions and debates. It is clear that the Father’s intention is for these calendars to bring His children closer together, yet they frequently lead to division. This experience is not unique to us; throughout history, calendar-related disputes have been a source of contention among believers of all backgrounds. The so-called “calendar wars” have deep roots.
This article does not aim to persuade you that our ministry has uncovered the definitive solution to the “true” creation calendar. However, during Sukkot 2024, we were blessed with new insights that prompted us to reevaluate our approach to calendar methodology.
In light of these revelations, our 2025/2026 Zadok Priestly Calendar has evolved. We have shifted away from relying solely on the Equinox as a key marker indicating the start of the year. We have also incorporated the Equilux into our framework, reflecting our commitment to adapting and growing in understanding.
Without getting mired in the minutiae of how we calibrated this calendar, we will instead highlight key aspects of how it was put together.
A Quick Zadok Calendar Overview
David’s role in setting up the priestly order
And David said, Solomon my son is young and untested, and the house which is to be put up for Yahuah is to be very great, a thing of wonder and glory through all countries; so I will make ready what is needed for it. So David got ready a great store of material before his death.
1 Chronicles 22:5 Bible in Basic English Translation
David never saw Solomon’s house for Yahuah. However, it was in his heart to build it in Jerusalem during the 33 years he reigned over the “united people nation of Israel.”
1 Chronicles 24 tells us one of David’s first tasks was to divide the Levitical priesthood into divisions. Some would serve before Yahuah, some would sing and play instruments, and some would guard it with all their strength.
King David drew lots for sixteen Zadok families of the sons of Eleazar, and eight Ahimelech families of the sons of Ithamar, according to offices in their services. Both Zadok and Ahimelech were the high priests during the reign of King David.
The Zadok Priestly Calendar uses:
Sun, moon, and stars
Keeps the 7 day count set-apart per instructions given in Genesis
Has 364 days, 12 months, 30-day month (+1 at the end of each season), and uses the priestly coursed found in 1 Chronicles 24.
There are 52 Shabbats per year, which are never disturbed by a Feast Shabbat. This means you will never begin Sukkot on the weekly shabbat or any other feast. The weekly shabbats are set-apart just like the feasts.
How is this calendar intercalated?
A complete week is intercalated at the end of the sixth year. (Stars are a witness. 1 Enoch 82)
Insights Into Ancient Timekeeping
To correctly understand our Zadok Priestly Calendar you must also understand the priestly courses. There are 24 families of priests mentioned in 1 Chronicles 24. They remain the same throughout a six year cycle.
1st year = Gamul
2nd year = Yedaiah
3rd year = Majim
4th year = Shecaniah
5th year = Yeshebeab
6th year = Aphses
This priestly order ensured three outcomes:
The 7 day shabbat will always remain unbroken.
The priests stayed in order and worked an equal amount of days in the 6 year cycle.
The 7 year release and Jubilee were recorded by Gamul and Shecaniah.
Gamul and Shecaniah would always be in the 3rd year by the full moon appearing somewhere at the start of the New Year. This would ensure that they would not lose track of the sabbatical and Jubilee years for a 294 year pattern.1
The Starting Point of the Zadok Priestly Calendar
The first thing we needed to do was find the ‘starting point’ from which to tether intercalation. We knew the starting point had to match from day one of the first year of the first priestly course all the way through the sixth year.
This only way this could be done correctly is to match the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) fragments with a six year moon cycle of our Common Era.
We know they recorded the moon cycles as a sign, or what they called an ‘ot’ to make sure they stayed in the correct year. Because the moon falls behind so many days in a year, in the 3rd year we will have another 13 cycles to ‘catch up’ with the sun and the stars.
Without the correct sign of the moon, your years will go astray and you won’t know which year the moon truly adds the extra cycle to back it up. This is most likely what Jubilees is talking about in Chapter 6:33-38. They lost the sign of the moon to witness the Sabbath and Jubilees. So the moon does have a place in the calendar. It is just not for days, months, and years.
Using the book A New Translation: The Dead Sea Scrolls2 we found 4Q320 along with other fragments stating that a full moon was on the fourth day of the month on the first year with Gamul, along with another full moon on the fifth day of the week on the 29th (day of a lunar month), and falls on the 30th of the 1st month (according to the solar month) with Yedaiah in service.
There are over 25 priest and moon conjunctions along with days of the week, Sabbaths, and Feast Day matches in 2019 alone. There were nine such matches in 2020 (year 2), And seven matches in 2023 (year 5).
With only the Dead Sea Scrolls book and the ‘menorah method,’3 we concluded that the Spring Equinox was the marker for starting the year in 2022. But there was still more proof and patterns that needed to be matched
So this year using The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls by Giza Vermes we found the rest of the 6 year matches completing 2019-2024 to start 2025. When matching all of the records from the Dead Sea Scrolls on to the moon calendars of our time we were shocked to see that no week was added in the six year course of the priests!
When no week was added in those six years we discovered that the ‘menorah method’ was not meant to calibrate the calendar by using the Equinox, but rather by Equilux – equal day and night. This is corroborated in 1 Enoch 72.
By not intercalating until the completion of the priestly six year course, the Sabbatical and Jubilee years recorded in the Dead Sea Scrolls now matched, with Gamul returning to what the Zadok priests called creation week after the 7th jubilee period.
A Jubilee period is 6 years of priestly cycles.
So 6 x 49 = 294
Making the 295th year the fiftieth year of the Jubilee count and the first year of the new 294 year count with Gamul returning as the priest. This week of the new cycle of 294 years is what the Zadok priests considered “creation week” with the Equilux (equal day and equal night) occurring on Day 1 (Sunday) and the Equinox occurring on Day 4 (Wednesday), which is also Day 1 of the first year of the next six year Zadok Priestly calendar count.
These same priest and moon cycle patterns will not happen for another 294 years. They are the patterns that occurred in March of 2019.
Stellarium Web Image – stellarium-web.org**
After conducting some straightforward calculations over several years of lunar cycles, we identified full moons coinciding with Gamul in 1726 AD and 1432 AD. Looking ahead, we found similar matches extending to 2050. By utilizing the equal day and night menorah method3, we confirmed that the same patterns observed in the Dead Sea Scrolls remain consistent. Notably, an additional week is always added at the end of the sixth year, marking the beginning of the seventh year, which also serves as the first year of the subsequent six-year cycle.
This method always puts the start of the next six year cycle on the Equinox but never goes past the straight line shadow (of the sundial) and out of Creation week. The equal day and night is a witness to Yahuah’s calendar based on sevens and not a 5-6 pattern using the Equinox. Think six years of cycles, then a reset on the seventh.
In doing this research, another amazing find was discovered this year. After several years of watching the Constellations, a solid witness to the intercalation week was found.
On March 11 and 12, 2024 the sun entered Pisces. According to the priestly courses 2024 is a sixth year starting with Aphses on March 13. On September 114, the sun entered Virgo which was the first day of the seventh month on the Zadok Priestly Calendar according to this six year cycle. So far everything is matching up to the cycle.
Now when you get to March 2025, day 364 is March 11 and it’s year one again. So it’s time to add the interaction week with Pisces as our witness.
Back to the Future
What’s so special about the year 2019? Plenty. In 2019 the year began on March 20th, the 4th day of the week (Wednesday). On that day several things occurred:
It was a full moon
The Equinox occurred
The sun was in Pisces
It was the service week for the priest Gamul
The GWDF Priestly Calendar shows an intercalary reset week beginning the 1st year of this new six year priestly cycle on March 19, 2025. In 2025 the Equilux is Sunday, March 16 and Equinox occurs on Thursday, March 20th. Gamul is the priest in service and on the 30th day of the moon cycle Yedaiah is the priest entering service under a full moon.
Sketches of priests from the Phillip Medhurst Collection
Who is Zadok?
Zadok was a Kohen (member of priestly class) and is noted in biblical texts as a descendant of Eleazar, the son of Aaron. He served as the High Priest of Israel during the reigns of Kings David and Solomon. Zadok is also the name of the priesthood mentioned in Ezekiel’s vision of a future house of Yahuah.
This area is set aside for the ordained priests, the descendants of Zadok who served me faithfully and did not go astray with the people of Israel and the rest of the Levites.
Ezekiel 48:11 New Living Translation
The 20+ signs that occurred during the Zadok Priestly Calendar year 2019 started a new 294 year count of six Jubilees. This leads us to believe that Yahuah and His Son Yahusha, known as the eternal son of David, is calling for a “united people nation of Israel” to serve faithfully for eternity in the New Jerusalem.
Final Thoughts
These new insights concerning this new Zadok Priestly Calendar for 2025/2026 are based on years of exhaustive research done by our ministry partners Gina Sparks and Sara Davis. We are also indebted to GWDF leadership team members Sherry Sanders and Robert Villa for their passionate love for the Scriptures and YHWH’s creation calendar.
If you want to know more about the calendar, or need clarification on topics mentioned in this article, feel free to contact us. Thank you for downloading the 2025/2026 Zadok Priestly Calendar and supporting this ministry. Shalom.
Article Postscript
GWDF has become aware of questions raised by this article and apologize for any confusion. The first error in the original article stated that the 2025 Equilux (equal day, equal night) will be on Monday, March 16th. However, the 16th is on Sunday this year. We have already made that correction.Our statement that Yedaiah would come into service on Shabbat, Month 1 Day 25 (April 12th), during the full moon on the 30th day of the lunar month is true. However, it is not the last day of the solar month like in 2019.We are all learning while on this beautiful walk to learn more about our Heavenly Creator and His Son, our Heavenly High Priest. We at GWDF thank you in advance for all comments and most all of all the patience and love that you have shown us while we all grow together. — Sherry Sanders & Robert Villa, GWDF Calendar Team
FOOTNOTES
1 “A 294-year cycle of 6 jubilees. This is the cycle that plots a rare occurrence: the service of the first priestly division, named Gamul, on New Year’s Day at the beginning of a jubilee period. 294 years would pass between occurrences. The scroll writers believed that this situation reprised that of the fourth day of creation.” See Calendar of the Heavenly Signs (text 71). Explanation of the 294 year jubilee cycle quoted from A New Translation:The Dead Sea Scrolls, translated and with commentary by Michael Wise, Martin Abegg Jr, and Edward Cook, p. 384
2 The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation, translated and with commentary by Michael Wise, Martin Abegg Jr., and Edward Cook. Harper One, copyright 1996, 2005.
3 For more information regarding the menorah method, see the GWDF blog article titled “Zadok Priestly Calendar Insights” and scroll down to the section titled “How the Zadok Calendar Works.”
** By referencing the constellation Pisces or showing images from Stellarium Web, GWDF is not endorsing the practice of Astrology. We suggest you do research on the Mazzaroth which is mentioned in the Book of Job ( Job 38:32) in relation to the stars and their positions in the sky. Another reference is Frances Rolleston’s book Mazzaroth. (The first edition of “Mazzaroth” was published by James Nisbet & Co. in 1862). The word “Mazzaroth” in Hebrew (מַזָּרוֹת) generally refers to the constellations.
The term ‘crescendo’ is well-known among musicians, signifying the way music intensifies by building upon preceding notes to reach a peak of intensity. Crescendo can also be evidenced in a person’s life. Legendary leadership expert Stephen R. Covey explains1 how this works.
When a piece of music reaches a crescendo, it does not just get louder. The sense of growing, intensifying, and expanding in a composition or performance results from an expressive mix of rhythm, harmony, and melody…Living your Life in Crescendo means continually growing in contribution, learning, and influence. The mindset that ‘your most important work is always ahead of you’ is an optimistic, forward-thinking mentality that teaches you can always contribute regardless of what’s happened to you or what stage you are in.
The Creator’s appointed times are more than mere religious rituals; their meaning and significance grow and intensify over time. These feast days act as signposts, guiding us through the journey of personal sanctification toward the ultimate goal of becoming a community of fully redeemed individuals who inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
As the master composer and conductor of a believer’s life journey, YHWH orchestrates our experiences to reach a crescendo of purpose and fulfillment. A beautiful illustration of this can be found in the way His appointed times and feast days are ordered.
The Overture of the Weekly Sabbath
The development process of each believer begins with small steps. As a musical overture is an introduction to something more substantial, so is the mandate to take a weekly rest day – the Sabbath.
For six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day is the Sabbath; a day of rest and a holy gathering dedicated to YHWH. You shall not do any work; it is a Sabbath to YHWH wherever you live. Leviticus 23:3
An example of Yah’s creation rest, the seventh day is set apart as the sign of the covenant between Eloah (God) and his people. As such it teaches us the foundational principles of worship and reverence. It is also symbolic of how Yeshua provides rest for our souls.
Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Shavuot
Situated between the overture and the coda of a musical piece are the exposition and development sections. In the context of our music composition metaphor, Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Shavuot qualify. These three annual observances focus squarely on the individual’s spiritual growth.
During Passover observances, we learn to trust in Yeshua who redeems us from sin. The Feast of Unleavened Bread highlights the practice and necessity of removing sin from our own lives. Our attention then shifts to Shavuot, which focuses on Yah’s covenant. Our commitment to covenant fidelity entails faithfully upholding the terms of this eternal covenant, emphasizing our duties to Yah and the promises He has given us. (Leviticus 23:4-22)
The Day of Trumpets
The Day of Trumpets marks the next big event on Yah’s appointed times calendar. In Leviticus, Moses informed the children of Yisrael that the first day of the seventh month – Day of Trumpets2 – was to be a Sabbath day of rest, a set-apart convocation, and a memorial of trumpets. It was meant to be a time of reflection and preparation for the upcoming Day of Atonement.
The Hebrew word for trumpet is teruah which generally means a loud noise or shout, often associated with the blast of a shofar3. Throughout Hebrew history, the blowing of trumpets has held significant religious, communal, and military importance in ancient Yisrael.
Trumpets were blown to call the people to repentance or signal the start of a new year. (Leviticus 23:24-25) Their blasts facilitated community gatherings for festivals and special events or directed the movement of the camp in the wilderness. (Numbers 10:1-10, 2 Samuel 6:12-15) Trumpets served as battle signals, conveying orders and rallying troops. (Joshua 6:4-20, Numbers 10:9) They were also blown to announce and celebrate the anointing and ascension of a new king. (1 Kings 1:39, 2 Kings 9:13)
One day in the future the blowing of the seventh trumpet will cause a prophetic syncopation4 to occur – one that evokes jubilation and joy for the righteous, but shock and horror for the unrepentant.
Up until now, the day of mercy has existed; and He has been merciful and patient toward all who dwell on the earth. But when the time comes, then the power, the punishment, and the judgment; which Yahuah Tseva’oth has prepared for those who submit to the judgment of righteousness, for those who reject that judgment, and for those who take His name in vain. That day has been prepared as a covenant for the elect and as an inquisition for sinners. 1 Enoch (Chanok) 59:4-6
The seventh trumpet blast will:
Announce the return of Yeshua to establish the Kingdom of Eloah on earth
Set in motion the seven last plagues of judgment
Signal the resurrection and redemption of saints in Sheol
Bring New Jerusalem down to occupy the land promised to Shem/Yisrael
As we prepare for the Autumn Feast days we can’t help but imagine the second most pivotal moment in human history – the first being Yeshua’s first coming. At Yeshua’s second coming the elect will be taken up to New Jerusalem (above) while chaos unfolds on the earth.
Do you think this is the city5 of which I said, “I have engraved you on the palms of My hands”? This building6 now constructed in your midst is not the one revealed to Me, the one prepared from the time I decided to create Paradise and showed it to Adam before he sinned. When he transgressed the commandment, it was taken away from him, along with Paradise. After these things, I showed it to My servant Abraham at night among the portions of the sacrifices. I also showed it to Moses on Mount Sinai when I revealed to him the design of the Tabernacle and all its furnishings. And now, behold, it is preserved with Me, just like Paradise. Therefore, go and do as I command you. 2 Baruch 4:2-7
This ‘last trump’ will also mark the beginning of the third ‘woe.’ The Greek word for woe is ouai and can be defined as a deep and inconsolable grief, misery, or calamity.
The Word of our Elohim stands forever (Isaiah 40:8)
During this time angels are tasked with separating the wheat from the chaff. The winepress of Yah’s wrath will destroy many. This unimaginable woe is felt by YHWH as well as those who will experience the brunt of these cataclysmic judgments described by the Apostle.
The Most High wishes for everyone to be saved, yet humanity’s stubbornness and sinful nature often resist the truth of His word. Nevertheless, the righteous will be safeguarded, much like the children of Israel in Goshen during the judgments on Egypt.
Come, my people, enter your chambers and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself for a little while until the fury has passed. For behold the Lord7 is coming out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal her blood and will no longer cover her slain. Isaiah 26:20-21
When the Apostle John uses the expression ‘the Day of YHWH’, does he mean a literal 24-hour time period or is he referring to an elongated period of time – maybe weeks or even months – when end-time events play out to a prescribed conclusion?
It seems probable that all of the events leading up to and during this awful time in human history will take longer than a day to be realized. After all, the judgments against Egypt prior to the Exodus took months to complete. (Exodus 7-15)
Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles & The Addition
As we near the coda of this end time composition, the remaining Fall Feast days come to the forefront. The Day of Atonement, coming ten days after Trumpets marks a time of somber reflection.
The Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot is all about family. We will finally see our Father and our King face-to-face and behold their glory. Our roles as kings and priests will focus on teaching righteousness to those who survived the great tribulation and were spared in the sheep and goats judgment.
The eight-day Addition at the end of Sukkot will be a time of never-ending joy and righteousness. We will dwell in eternal bliss, clothed in our new bodies, never to sin again. Shouts of HalleluYah will take on a whole new meaning.
The Great Pivot
The Feast of Trumpets is a significant turning point, marking a shift in focus. It encourages reflection on the Spring feast observances of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Shavuot, where Yah ministered to believers individually. As Autumn unfolds after Trumpets, His attention transitions to larger groups, highlighting a communal dynamic.
This concluding chapter or coda in Yah’s magnificent composition of love and redemption serves as a testament to the Creator’s patience and mercy toward us, His children.
Footnotes
1 Covey, Stephen R., and Cynthia Covey Haller. Live Life in Crescendo: Your Most Important Work is Always Ahead, Simon & Schuster, 2022.
2 Leviticus 23:24
3 A ram’s-horn trumpet used by ancient Hebrews. On the Hebrew calendar during Moses’ day, the civil year and the ecclesiastical year began at different times. The civil year started with the Feast of Trumpets, (or Yom Teruah) in autumn, marking the beginning of the agricultural and fiscal year. The ecclesiastical year, on the other hand, began in spring with the month of Abib, marked by Passover, and was primarily concerned with religious festivals and observances.
4 In music, syncopation refers to the use of various rhythms played simultaneously to create an off-beat effect in a piece. Essentially, syncopation involves disrupting the regular flow of rhythm by placing stresses or accents in unexpected places.
5 Jerusalem (earthly)
6 The Temple in Jerusalem
7 In many Bible translations, “LORD” (in all capital letters) typically represents the Tetragrammaton, YHWH (יהוה), the personal name of God in Hebrew. It emphasizes His covenant relationship with Israel. “Lord” (with only the first letter capitalized) usually refers to a title of respect or authority, often used for Yeshua (ישוע).
Our small ministry is focused on equipping the saints for service. We are not concerned so much about how many visitors we get or how many subscribers we rack up on social media. We believe that if just one person is inspired to grow in their faith and sow spiritual seeds on behalf of the Kingdom then Yah be praised!
During the past few months, we have seen an explosion in Zadok Priestly calendar downloads from our website. Visitors from Croatia, Norway, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Canada, Ethiopia, New Zealand, France, the United States, and others, have downloaded this remarkable calendar. We see this as evidence that the Most High is opening the eyes of faith brothers and sisters around the world who want to understand more about the Kingdom of Heaven and YHWH’s appointed times.
With this in mind, we will share insights and methodologies into how we designed and constructed this calendar based on Scripture. Shoutouts to Alan Pisarek, Ken Heidebrecht, Gina Sparks, and Sarah Davis who contributed to our understanding of the Zadok Priestly Calendar.
First Things First – The Creation Week
The Genesis account of the creation week sets the parameters. We are told that the first 6 creation days were dedicated to work. Day 7 was set apart for a Sabbath rest by YHWH. The week is based on a 7-day count, if you will. (Genesis 1-2:3)
Day 1: Light is separated from darkness
Day 2: Firmament created to separate the waters
Day 3: Dry land appears, seas gathered, vegetation springs forth
Day 4: Luminaries are placed in the firmament for time-keeping (seasons, days, years) and to give light
Day 5: Birds and sea creatures created
Day 6: Animals, creeping things, and man are created
Day 7: YHWH’s work is finished and He proclaims a day of rest
So the creation event establishes the parameters of a week as 7 days in terms of timekeeping and introduces the luminaries — sun, moon, and stars — on Day 4.
And on the fourth day He created the sun and the moon and the stars, and placed them in the expanse of the shamayim, to give light upon all the earth, and to rule over the day and the night, and divide the light from the darkness. And Elohim appointed the sun to be a great sign on the earth for days and for Shabbathoth and for months and for Festivals and for years and for Shabbathoth of years and for Yobelim and for all seasons of the years. And it divides the light from the darkness for good, that all matters may thrive sprout and grow on the earth. These three kinds He made on the fourth day.
The Book of Yobelim/Jubilees 2:8-10 – Halleluyah Scriptures
It was on the fourth day that the luminaries’ roles were established and their courses set. The Hebrew word for course is machaloqeth (#H4256). It can mean a division, company, course, or portion. The Greek word is taxis (#G5021) and can be defined as a regular arrangement, a fixed succession (of rank or character), or order.
4, 7, 52, and 364
It is well established and documented in the Scriptures that our Creator is fond of sevens. The number seven appears over 700 times in the First Covenant (Old Testament) and Renewed Covenant (New Covenant) writings. The theme of ‘sevens’ is also evidenced in the Book of Jubilees, 1 Enoch, and other so-called Apocryphal and Pseudipigraphal material. Here are a few examples:
The Creation week consisted of 7 days
The Menorah has 7 branches
There are 7 firmament layers
7 assemblies are mentioned in Revelation
The Feasts of Unleavened Bread and Sukkot lasts 7 days
7 spirits in Revelation
7 trumpets, seals, and bowl judgments
You get the drift. The number 7 speaks symbolically of completion. So, when we add up the number of days it takes for the sun and moon to complete the cycle of a year — through the 4 seasons — our count comes to 364 days. Or, 52 times 7.
From the beginning, the Father decreed that the sun, moon, and stars would move in orderly precision along predictablepaths. Consequently, these luminaries were equipped to govern the yearly, monthly, and weekly feast observances.
And the sun and the stars bring in all the years exactly, so that they do not advance or delay their position by a single day unto everlasting; but complete the years with perfect justice in three hundred and sixty-four days.
The Book of Hanok/Enoch 74:12 – Halleluyah Scriptures
And the leaders of the heads of the thousands, who are placed over the whole creation and over all the stars, have also to do with the four intercalary days, being inseparable from their office, according to the reckoning of the year, and these render service on the four days which are not reckoned in the reckoning of the year.
The Book of Hanok/Enoch 75:1 – Halleluyah Scriptures
A Tale of Two Calendars
Most of the so-called “Jewish” calendars found online today are of Rabbinic construction and rely heavily on human observations of the moon.
During the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes IV, the Aaronic High Priesthood was dethroned and a Hellenized priesthood took its place (175-159 BCE). In the midst of this transition, the Hasmoneans started a war which lasted from 167-164 BCE and resulted in a new Maccabean/Hasmonean priestly dynasty being formed. This new priesthood had nothing in common with the Biblical priesthood that began with Aaron.
The Gospel Worth Dying For, Chapter 8, pages 128-129
John the Immerser was born during the reign of Herod the Great and was a Levite descended from the line of Zadok. Zacharia, John’s father, served in the priesthood during the days of Herod, in the priestly division of Abijah. His wife was aslo a descendant of Aaron in the tribe of Levi. This is how Aaron’s descendants, the priests, were divided into groups for service — the sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. But Nadab and Ithamar were left to carry on as priests. With the help of Zadok, who was a descendant of Eleazar, and of Ahimelech, who was a descendant of Ithamar, David divided Aaron’s descendants into groups according to their vrious duties. (1 Chronicles 24:1-3)
The Gospel Worth Dying For, Chapter 8, pages 129-130
However, before the Hasmonean period, ancient Yisrael marked time differently.1
Every date was anchored to a specific day of the week and did not change from year to year.
Each quarter would begin on day four — the day the timekeeping heavenly bodies were created.
Each quarter-year was identical: two months of 30 days followed by a month of 31 days.
All appointed times or feast days occurred on the same day of the same month each year.
This calendar did not rely on human observation of the moon and its phases.
And command thou the children of Israel that they observe the years according to this reckoning: three hundred and sixty-four days, and (these) will constitute a complete year, and they will not disturb its time from its days and from its feasts; for everything will fall out in them according to their testimony, and they will not leave out any day nor disturb any feasts.
Jubilees 6:32,33 R.H. Charles translation
To understand why the Zadok priests used the 4th Day as the “start” of the year – ALWAYS – just look to the retelling of the creation week. Day 4 provides the nexis for the start of the Zadok calendar yearly count with Day 3 being the last day of the year and Day 4 being the start of a new year. This serves as the blueprint for how the Zadok calendar will function during a 364 day-year, using a 7-day weekly count.
Zadokite vs. Gregorian Calendar Function
Function describes an activity or purpose that is natural to, or intended for, a person or thing. While both the Zadok and Gregorian calendars function as time-tracking mechanisms in the narrowest sense, this is where the comparisons end.
At its core, the calendar used by the Zadokites was agriculturally sensitive.2 It was in sync with the 4 seasons and effectively linked the luminaries with nature and time. The work of planting and sowing crops made the necessity of a reliable calendar a matter of supreme importance. Additionally, this calendar was designed to forecast with accuracy and consistency the days and months in which appointed times were to be acknowledged and celebrated by Covenant Torah believers in Messiah.3 Its annual day count was 364 days — 3 monthly quarters of 30 days with 1 intercalary day every 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th months. It is also based on the biblical creation model of the circular level plane on which we live — Earth. The spring and fall feasts will always align with the vernal or autumnal equinoxes. In essence, this calendar is both agriculturally and astronomically linked.
Compare this to the Gregorian calendar which is tied to a heliocentric model of the earth. The Gregorian solar year is based on the theory that it takes “planet” Earth 365.25 days to orbit the sun. (A total of 365 days in an average year, but 366 days in leap years.) By this calculation, dates fall on different days of the week each year. Additionally, the days of the week and months of the year are named in honor of pagan gods or dead Roman Caesars.
The months of the year on the Zadok calendar are identified by their number. When you deep dive into the origins of the modern Gregorian calendar system, you will discover that this calendar played a profound role in the advent of globalism and is tied to merchandising.
What was perhaps most significant about Pope Gregory’s system was not its changes, but rather its role in the onset of the globalized era. In centuries prior, countries around the world had used a disjointed array of uncoordinated calendars, each adopted for local purposes and based primarily on local geographical factors. The Mayan calendar would not be easily aligned with the Egyptian, Greek, Chinese, or Julian calendars, and so forth. In addition to the Pope’s far-reaching influence, the adoption of the Gregorian system was facilitated by the emergence of a globalized system marked by exploration and the development of long-distance trade networks and interconnectors between regions beginning in the late 1400s. The pope’s calendar was essentially the imposition of a true global interactive system and the acknowledgment of a new global reality.
“The History of the Gregorian Calendar”, January 1, 2020, stratfor.com
Pope Gregory’s calendar was an attempt by businessmen to track and predict a connection between the sun and regions of the earth to facilitate global commerce!
The Zadok Calendar & the Vernal Equinox
While the Gregorian calendar tracks dates, the Zadok calendar is designed to track days. This is how the Zadokite priests were able to have annual feast days ‘land’ on the same day each year. Remember…
YHWH designed the week to consist of seven days
Three days are manifested before Yah starts the “clock”
The time clock starts on day 4 — midweek
Other fascinating ties to the number 4:
Yeshua is the light of the world (lights were made on the 4th Day of creation week)
Yeshua is the door of the sheepfold. Dalet is the 4th letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet and translates as ‘door’
Yeshua came into the world around the 4,000th year from Creation (estimated to be 6-4 BC)
So, the Gregorian leap year (the addition of a day in February) is not an issue because this (act) changes the date and not the day. Days 4 and 7 act as vernal equinox ‘locks’ to keep all feast days and events fixed in place when trying to pinpoint the beginning of the year against the Gregorian calendar.
The Vernal equinox marks the beginning of the year on the Zadok calendar. The month of Abib4 is the first month of the year and is tied to the barley harvest.
Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month is the beginning of months for you; it shall be the first month of your year.
Exodus 12:1 BSB
Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God, for in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night.
Deuteronomy 16:1 Amplified Bible
So Moses told the people, “Remember this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; for the LORD brought you out of it by the strength of His hand. And nothing leavened shall be eaten. Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving.
Exodus 13:3,4 BSB
How The Zadok Calendar Works
We will use the 7-branched menorah to represent the days of the week here so you can have a visual helper. The branches represent each of the 7 days of the week. The middle or 4th branch symbolizes the 4th creation day when the luminaries were created and given their assignments/courses. To determine the date of the Vernal equinox during a given year, you can utilize the seasons’ calculator on the Time & Date website. We will use 2024 as a model.
Using the calculator, we see that the date of the 2024 Vernal equinox is shown to be March 19th, which falls on day 3 of the week. Since day 3 on the Zadok calendar is day 364 of 2023 on the Gregorian calendar, then we have to move the day over to the 4th branch of the candlestick menorah (which represents day 4 of creation). This would place the start of year 2024 on the proper day of the week.
This places the start on the 2024 Zadok calendar on March 20th, the beginning of the year. Fourteen days later is Passover, with the Feast of Unleavened Bread starting the following day.
Because the Vernal equinox changes dates each year on the Gregorian calendar, the timeline of the yearly Zadok schedule may have to move to maintain the Feast days. So, think of branches 1 and 7 as ‘guardrails’ that maintain the integrity of the first day of the year. However, if the equinox lands on day 4 in any given year on the Gregorian, then nothing has to be moved on the Zadok calendar to keep the Feast days on track.
Another example: If the Gregorian Vernal equinox date falls on day 5, 6, or 7 of the candlestick, then the equinox would on the Zadok would move back to day 4. If the GVE Vernal equinox falls on day 1, 2, or 3 of the candlestick, then the equinox on the Zadok would move forward to day 4. Below is an example of what this adjustment looks like in different years.
When this method is followed, the Zadok calendar will auto-adjust so that Yah’s festival days will always fall on the same day every year. Even if you use a peg calendar, which logs each quarter year as 3 months of thirty days with an extra intercalary day at the end of the third month, your feast days will always line up and the year will start on its proper day.
According to Alan Pisarek:
The Vernal Equinox will switch days of the week. If it happens on days 5, 6, or 7 — day 1 (the first day of the year) moves ‘back’ to day 4. During the 5th year, the Vernal Equinox drops into gate 4 of the firmament and sits there and waits. If it happens on days 1, 2, or 3 — we move it ‘forward’ to day 4 (the start of the year as day 1). This means the year will always end on day 3 and begin on day 4 (1st day). The Gregorian calendar is a mess of dates and is the main reason why people are confused by the Zadok calendar programming lens, which is a language of numbers. So, “names” of days of the week (i.e. Monday, Tuesday, etc) have no meaning. For example, on the Zadok calendar, day 7 is always 3 days from the 4th day (the start of the year). When the VE lands on Sunday on the Gregorian calendar (day 1) , the start of the year will move forward to the 4th day on the Zadok calendar.
The 1st and 7th days are when the Zadok priests would get the sundials out to make sure they knew if the Vernal Equinox is on ‘that’ day, because after the 7th day, the whole thing resets. The luminaries have been programmed to follow this sequence. Because they are sentient, those luminaries that strayed were imprisoned for 10,000 years. There is no intercalation necessary because we are dealing with days and not dates. There are overages to each annual cycle. We are to count 364 days to keep the weeks unbroken.
Zadok Priestly Rotations
Zadok was a Levitical High Priest during King David’s reign over the whole nation of Israel. Zadok whose very name (Strong’s #H6659 tsaw-doke) means “righteous”, was the 11th in descent from Aaron and joined King David after Saul’s death and supported King David during trying family times with Absalom and Adonijah. He also anointed David’s son, Solomon as king over the whole nation of Israel. (See Sherry Sanders’ detailed explanation which answers the question “Who is Zadok and why is this calendar the one to follow?” here on our calendar Q & A page.)
The calendars discovered in the Qumran scrolls were not just based on months, but also the rotation of the priestly courses (mishmarot). These courses would take turns coming to Jerusalem to serve at the temple for one week before rotating out for the next group. The Qumran texts used this continuous cycle not only for their calendar system but also for chronology and historical events.
Each Sabbath, month, year, and feast was associated with a specific priestly family. It took six years for a particular group to serve during the same week of the year again. The order of the priestly courses was originally determined by casting lots, as detailed in 1 Chronicles 24:7-18.
Dead Sea Scrolls Calendric Signs (Otot)
In the Otot or ‘signs’ document (4Q319) found in the Dead Sea Scrolls cache, we learn…
…it represents a calendrical system based on the weekly rotation of the twenty-four priestly courses during a six-year period and constructed into six consecutive Jubilees, i.e. 294 years. The ‘sign’ which recurs in every three years probably identifies the year in which the shorter lunar year of 354 days is supplemented by means of the intercalation of an extra month of 30 days (3x354x+30=1,092) to equal the length of three ‘solar’ years of 364 days each (3×364-1,092). Paleographically the manuscript is dated to the first half of the first century BCE.
The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, translated with an introduction by Geza Vermes, p.365.
…on the fourth (day) of the wee[k]…its light on the fourth (day) of the week[k] of the creation in (the week of ) G[amul. The sign of Shecaniah: in the fourth (year). The sign of Gamul: in the (year of Release (i.e. the first sabbatical year). (second sabbatical cycle): [The sign of Shecaniah: in the this]rd (year). The sign of [G]amul: in the sixth (year). (Third sabbatical cycle): The sign [of Shecaniah: in the second (year). The sign of G]amul” [in the fifth (year).
As always, we encourage you to do your research. This article represents our level of understanding as of this writing. As are you, we are still growing and adapting as our understanding of the Scriptures and the calendar increases. If you have further questions or need clarity, please get in touch with us by completing the form on this page or by commenting below. We believe the calendar should NEVER divide believers in Yeshua as we all strive to be obedient followers of the Torah.
Ken Heidebrecht features excellent calendar interviews with George Nuber of GeoTruth and Alan Pisarek his YouTube channel Hanging On His Words.
FOOTNOTES
1 See The Gospel Worth Dying For, Chapter 8, pages 125,126
2 Likewise, the Egyptian calendar, for example, was established in part to predict the annual rise of the Nile, which was a critical component in the Egyptian agricultural system.
3 The first month of the year always starts with the barley harvest in the Spring. This was the beginning of the agricultural year for the Hebrew nation. The feasts of YHWH mark both the beginning and the end of a harvest season. The barley harvest for example lasted from Passover to Shavuot. The wheat harvest fell around Shavuot. The grape, fig, pomegranate, and olive crops were harvested in time for Sukkot in Autumn.
4 The Hebrew word abib (#H24) means “month of ear-forming, or of growing green. Abib, the month of Exodus & passover.” [Brown-Driver-Briggs] This month is NOT Nisan, which is a Babylonian corruption. The month names of the modern “Jewish” calendar were derived from the Babylonian calendar dating back to the 6th Century BC during the Babylonian exile.
The Zadok calendar places these Biblical Fall Feasts — the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Sukkot — in the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year. On the fourth day of this week (Wednesday), we will kick off this season of celebration with a day of Trumpets. Ten days later will be a day of humble reflection known as the Day of Atonement, followed by a week of joyous celebration and fellowship at Sukkot.
Before we summarize the significance of each festival, let us pause to reflect on a few important points regarding how we as disciples living in the 21st century should view our participation in these appointed times.
Church or Ekklesia?
The Greek word ekklesia is used in several writings of the New Testament such as the book of Acts, 1 Corinthians, and 1 Peter. Most English translations have replaced ekklesia with the word church, which is unfortunate because it camouflages the term’s deeper meaning.
The word church denotes a gathering place set aside for worship amongst those of a particular denomination who agree on doctrine and styles of worship. The New Testament use of this word connotes any assembly of people. Following the Reformation, the term church was more or less a generalized umbrella term for either a place of worship, a body of believers collectively, or ecclesiastical authority.
Christian1 is a description that was first coined in the city of Antioch. This word identified those who were followers of Christ – the anointed one.
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
Acts 11: 25,26
However, instead of the word church, the descriptive term ekklesia elevates our understanding of the unique purpose of disciples of Messiah who identify and connect with the Torah from a Hebraic mindset.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations–for the whole earth is Mine.
Exodus 19:5
Remember, the collective books of the so-called New Testament did not exist during the time of the first apostles. The word church was never uttered by the apostles and early disciples. Followers of Yeshua were mostly known as the people of the Way — followers of the path of righteousness taught by Yeshua.
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. Because the gate is narrow and the way is hard pressed which leads to life, and there are few who find it
Matthew 7:13,14
And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it–only those who walk in the Way–and fools will not stray onto it.
Isaiah 35:8
The letters and writings that would eventually make up the New Testament had yet to be published in a Bible that was split into two parts called the Old and New Testaments. This publishing “line of demarcation” was artificially imposed on readers by Bible publishers.
According to Tomas Bokedal, associate professor at the University of Aberdeen:
The first New Testament books to be written down are reckoned to be the 13 that comprise Paul’s letters (circa 48-64 CE), probably beginning with 1 Thessalonians or Galatians. Then comes the Gospel of Mark (circa 60-75 CE). The remaining books – the other three Gospels, letters of Peter, John, and others as well as Revelation – were all added before or around the end of the first century. By the mid-to-late hundreds CE, major church libraries would have had copies of these, sometimes alongside other manuscripts later deemed apocrypha.
As followers of Yeshua and people of the Covenant who have been grafted into Israel (Yashar’el), we are expected to obey the terms of this eternal covenant. This means we should practice memorializing all appointed feast days as best we can.
The Biblical Fall Feasts
The Feast of Trumpets
On the first day of the seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly, and you must not do any regular work. This will be a day for you to sound the trumpets. Numbers 29:1
In the Old Testament, trumpets were used to call Yahuah’s people to war, announce victories won by Him, and declare the coming of the King. On the Day of the Lord, the trumpet sound believers hear will be a joyful noise that means resurrection. However, unbelievers will be terrorized by it since it will signal the coming of Yeshua with his great army of angels.
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Matthew 24:30,31
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must be clothedf with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
1 Corinthians 15: 51-53
The Feast of Trumpets not only marks the beginning of the seventh month but it is a time for reflection, repentance, and anticipation of the future. In 1 Corinthians 15:51, the type of trumpet referred to was likely a silver trumpet. In Leviticus 23:24, the Israelites were instructed to use silver trumpets instead of shofars or ram’s horns. Silver trumpets were used for various ceremonial purposes throughout the year. They were blown to announce important events, such as the gathering of the congregation, the start of festivals, the calling of leaders, and even during times of war. the shofar had a unique sound and was seen as a call for repentance, awakening, or reflection. It was blown on specific set-apart days while the silver trumpets seemed to serve more general ceremonial purposes.
Yahuah said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly announced by trumpet blasts. You must not do any regular work, but you are to present an offering made by fire to the LORD.’ ”
Leviticus 23:23-25
This feast day is a Sabbath, so no servile work is to be done. On the GWDF Zadok calendar, the Feast of Trumpets happens this week on the fourth day (Wednesday). The countdown clocks for each appointed feast that follows are set to Central time (USA) based on the Zadok calendar.
Day of Atonement
Again YHWH said to Moses, “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. You shall hold a sacred assembly and humble yourselves, and present an offering made by fire to YHWH. Leviticus 23:26-27
The Day of Atonement is a Sabbath — a holy convocation or feast day. Although many who follow Judaism feel this is a time of fasting, there is no instruction given in the Bible for us to abstain from food. So, what does it mean to humble yourself if we do not follow the definition given in Isaiah 58?
The answer can be found in Jubilees 34 which gives the origin of this day of Atonement — the 10th day of the 7th month. After Joseph had been sold into slavery by his 10 brothers, they deceived their father Jacob by showing him Joseph’s bloody coat. Upon hearing the news of his son’s (presumed) death, Jacob’s entire household went into mourning. Bilhah and his daughter Dinah died during this time as well.
And he mourned for Joseph one year, and did not cease, for he said “Let me go down to the grave mourning for my son.” For this reason it is ordained for the children of Israel that they should afflict themselves on the tenth of the seventh month — on the day that the news which made him weep for Joseph came to Jacob his father — that they should make atonement for themselves thereon with a young goat on the tenth of the seventh month, once a year, for their sins; for they had grieved the affection of their father regarding Joseph his son. And this day hath been ordained that they should grieve thereon for their sins, and for all their transgressions and for all their errors, so that they might cleanse themselves on that day once a year.
Jubilees 34: 22-25
The affliction of the soul is mourning over sin. Symbolically Joseph would be Yeshua and we are the guilty brothers. However, Yeshua shows great compassion toward us and will not only resurrect us to eternal life but ultimately bring us into the goodly land of the Kingdom to come.
On this day you are not to do any work, for it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God. If anyone does not humble himself on this day, he must be cut off from his people. I will destroy from among his people anyone who does any work on this day.You are not to do any work at all. This is a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live. It will be a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you shall humble yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to keep your Sabbath.”
Leviticus 23:28-32
Sukkot/Feast of Tabernacles
And YHWH said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Feast of Tabernacles to YHWH begins, and it continues for seven days. Leviticus 23:33-34
In just over two weeks, we will gather for Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles.
On the first day there shall be a sacred assembly. You must not do any regular work. For seven days you are to present an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you are to hold a sacred assembly and present an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you must not do any regular work.
Leviticus 23: 35-36
On the first day there shall be a sacred assembly. You must not do any regular work. For seven days you are to present an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you are to hold a sacred assembly and present an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you must not do any regular work.
Leviticus 23: 35-36
After his brothers had gone up to the festival, the he also went up, not openly but secretly.
John 7:10
Sukkot is symbolic of life in the Kingdom — and beyond — when we will literally tabernacle with Yahuah, his son Yeshua, the righteous angels, and all the redeemed. We will finally be able to fulfill our calling as kings and priests under the sovereign rule of YHWH and his son Yeshua.
The 8th day of Sukkot — also called Addition — symbolizes the end of sin, the emptying of Sheol, and the destruction of the wicked. This day was commissioned by Jacob and ordained by the Father after he had bestowed the priesthood on Levi during Sukkot.
And in those days Rachel became pregnant with her son Benjamin. And Jacob counted his sons from him upwards and Levi fell to the portion of the Lord, and his father clothed him in the garments of the priesthood and filled his hands. And on the fifteenth of this month, he brought to the altar fourteen oxen from amongst the cattle, and twenty-eight rams, and forty-nine sheep, and seven lambs, and twenty-one kids of the goats as a burnt-offering, inconsequence of the vow which he had vowed that he would give a tenth, with their fruit-offering, and their drink offerings.
Jubilees 32:3-6
It was also during this time that Jacob’s name was changed to Israel.2 He was told that he would die peacefully in Egypt3 and be buried with honor in the Promised Land, alongside his father Isaac, and grandfather Abraham.
And he celebrated there yet another day, and he sacrificed thereon according to all that he sacrificed on the former days, and called its name ‘Addition’, for this day was added and the former days he called ‘The Feast’. And thus it was manifested that it should be, and it is written on the heavenly tablets: wherefore it was revealed to him that he should celebrate it, and add it to the seven days of the feast. And its name was called ‘Addition‘, because it was recorded amongst the days of the feast days, according to the number of the days of the year.
Jubilees 32:26-29
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As you know, some members of the GWDF community will be gathering in Texas to memorialize Sukkot. We will pray, praise, and wave palm branches. Some of us will sleep in tents and all will fellowship around Yah’s word under the stars. We will share meals, pray for each other, and love one another as we memorialize this glorious feast week.
We pray blessings on everyone who will be gathering together — wherever you are in the world — to memorialize these wonderful feast days. Shalom!
FOOTNOTES
1 The name was first given to the worshippers of Yeshua by the Gentiles (nations). From the second century Justin Martyr onward the term was accepted by them as a title of honor. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon: a Christian, a follower of Christ.
Bill and Karen Bishop’s book The Biblical Calendar Then and Now is bound to stir up controversy.
However, the same could be said of most literary works that challenge preconceptions and personal prejudices. If you’re like me, you are reluctant to dismiss a topic simply because it may make others feel uncomfortable. The goal is not to upset or to trigger others, but to motivate all of us to dig a little deeper and pray a bit harder in the pursuit of Scriptural truths. The late Walter Martin understood that, in the pursuit of truth, many would be labeled controversial.
This brings us to the topic of the Biblical calendar. Never has one word — calendar — stirred up so many passions amongst followers of Yeshua and worshippers of the Almighty. Mention the calendar and mayhem and confusion will inevitably follow.
The Great Calendar Divide
The only calendar most believers were exposed to in church included seasonal observances that were never a part of Torah-observant ancient Hebraic culture. These traditional religious expressions of faith may have involved participating in family Christmas or Easter gatherings.
As believers, we look for ways to express and fight for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints.
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all time handed down to the saints.
Jude 1:3 NASB
Those who are new to the Torah inevitably find themselves torn between sincerely desiring to observe Yahuah’s feast days and appointed times and maintaining healthy family relationships. Confusion over how to express this faith in a post-temple priesthood era only adds to the frustration.
There are other challenges believers face when trying to find “the correct” calendar to follow:
A lack of a clear Biblical calendar methodology
Ignorance of historical events that impacted calendar methodology
Rejection of extra-biblical writings that may shed light on calendar construction methodology
Silence from the pulpit regarding Yah’s calendar and its required Sabbaths, Feasts, and appointed times
Lack of understanding of how the calendar we follow is tied to our Covenant duties and responsibilities
Enter Bill and Karen Bishop and their book The Biblical Calendar Then and Now.
The authors humbly submit that their work is a way for the reader to challenge personal assumptions and stretch their understanding concerning how the calendar is divinely constructed. While not intended to be a theological dissertation on the calendar, the authors’ intention is clear — “to provide a practicable body of evidence that will spur further revelation through constructive dialogue, study, and debate on this topic among sincere believers of the Torah.”
The tone of the book is respectful and substantive. The chapters are designed to answer most of the questions they have encountered over the years. The writing is very straightforward, and the reader is encouraged to invest the time necessary to do their own research. The approach is not that of calendar “evangelists” whose motive is to sway you to their way of thinking. Their conversational writing style draws you in and logically walks you through the justifications given for various calendar-keeping methodologies.
The Biblical Calendar Book Review Synopsis
The book begins by helping the reader understand four main categories of Torah-based calendars and the methodology behind their determinations:
Luni-Solar
Astronomical Conjunction
The Sighting Method
The Hillel Method
The GWDF community will notice I did not mention the Zadokite calendar in this list. Hold on, it’s coming.
Chapter 1 of the book helps the reader understand how these different calendars are formulated. In the second chapter, the authors present a calendar “consideration” that has been hiding in plain sight for years. They point out in appropriate detail how the sun and harvest seasons (working together) help determine the timing of the feasts.
The Luminaries and Their Cycles
Most English-speaking followers of Yeshua lack a functional knowledge of Hebrew. When we read through the Psalms and Old Testament literature, words like “new moons” or “seasons” distort our understanding of what is written. Etymology matters.
In chapter 3, the authors delve into the Hebraic intent of certain words; even examining aspects of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet. Words and definitions play a key role in understanding calendar formulations that involve the luminaries that were created on Day 4. The four seasonal transitions (spring, summer, autumn, winter) are explained in connection with the annual equinoxes and solstices.
Since all calendars require periodic adjustments, the need for intercalation is also explained and discussed in detail.
Historical Context + Ancient Writings
According to the writers, the Babylonian exile and the corruption of the Levitical priesthood are also factors in how the Biblical calendar was corrupted. They encourage readers to do a deep dive into the history surrounding the Sadducees, Pharisees, the Hasmonean Dynasty, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. According to the authors:
Though the Sadducees and the Pharisees did not agree in many respects, these two groups managed to cooperate with one another to run the Temple in their day…The calendar decisions they made then would have been based on lunar criteria, and loosely hinged to the evolving calendar we know as the Jewish Hillel calendar today. However, the Dead Sea Scrolls and encyclopedic research confirm that some sectarian groups observed a calendar other than the one sanctioned by the Sanhedrin.
The Zadokite Calendar
In Chapter 10, sufficient attention is paid to the Zadokite solar calendar. The authors confess that they initially tried to find reasons to disqualify this version of the Biblical calendar but couldn’t. Biblical Scripture is the filter through which they base their conclusions.
These observations regarding this calendar are made in this chapter of the book :
The “festival nature” of the equinox and solstice seasonal markers
The Zadokite year always makes a complete circuit
The Biblical New Year always begins in Spring
The year will always begin on Day 4 (Wednesday) of creation
A year = 364 days/52 weeks of 7 days each
There is never a 13th month added (for intercalation)
Make Your Own Calendar
Chapter 21 ties everything together by revisiting reasons why a lunar-based reckoning did not make sense for a people (Hebrews) whose lifestyles were agrarian-centric. Again, the authors leave the final decision as to which calendar to follow up to the reader.
However, those who would like to “test” the Zadokite calendar are given the tools to do so in the appendices section of the book. They provide the formulae and templates, data, and schemata necessary to make your own Zadokite calendar.
Those who are serious about meeting with their Creator on the appointed days he ordained should consider purchasing this book. A link to the Bishop’s website — Returning to the Garden — is posted below.
Book Ratings:
Research — 5/5
Writing — 5/5
Support Materials — 5/5
The Biblical Calendar Then and Now is 96 pages long. It is very easy to read and comprehend. There is bonus material in the appendices section at the end of the book. Those who want to put into practice what they have learned about the Zadokite solar calendar can use the templates, data, and schemata to chart their own calendar year!
And Abraham built there an altar to Yahuah who had delivered him, and who was making him to rejoice in the land of his sojourning, and he celebrated a festival of joy in this seventh month for seven days, near the altar which he had built at the Well of the Oath. And he built booths for himself and for his servants on this festival, and he was the first to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) on the earth. Book of Jubilees, Chapter 16
Jubilees tells us that Abraham was the first on earth to celebrate the festival of Sukkot just a few months after Issac was born at the festival of Shavuot (Pentecost/First Fruits). Talk about a time of rejoicing in Yahuah following the birth of the first-generation child that would receive the blessings of the covenant between Yahuah and Abraham in Genesis chapters 12 and 15.
We never knew Abraham or Issac but we do know Yahuah. We are witnesses to the faithfulness of His promises to keep His covenant with this generation and those to come; for believers that love Him, keep the testimony of Yeshua’s resurrection, and obey His ordinances. We also need to love one another and ourselves.
Sukkot – A Festival of Joy
Sukkot is a true festival of joy for every believer in Yahuah. It occurs during early fall as the summer crops ripen such as grapes, olives, pomegranates, and more. It is a celebration honoring all our Heavenly Father has blessed us with and will continue to bless those that love Him and keep His commandments. We rejoice in Yeshua, our High Priest, who sits at the right hand of Yahuah in heaven, mediating for his brothers and sisters in faith. What a wonderful time for all believers.
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of Yahuah; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
1 Peter 3:21b-22 KJV
The 2023 Sukkot will be my seventeenth celebration and I have wonderful memories of every festival. I have celebrated Sukkots with just one other person and with more than a thousand people attending. Each one was a blessed time because in my heart I knew there were other like-minded believers all over the face of this earth also doing their best to follow Yah’s instructions for keeping His feasts. I know our heavenly Father, His Son, and all celestial beings and luminaries above are looking down with big smiles on their faces thinking those kids do love us almost as much as we love each and every one of them. Brothers and sisters, that is what rejoicing at Sukkot looks like to me. Praise Yah!
Sukkot gives us a chance to practice two of Yahshua’s greatest commandments – to love our Father in heaven and to love each other with all our hearts. This year our ministry, GWDF, is inviting believers in our area to join us at Lake Brownwood state park in Texas. I look forward to meeting new and old friends deep in the heart of Texas where the park is located.
Sukkahs with a Dash of Creativity
There are many ways to celebrate Sukkot in a joyful manner. Folks celebrating the festival may sleep in tents, RVs, Sukkahs, hammocks, cars, and pickup camper shells or beds. Some of the GWDF group will camp out for nine nights while others only a few nights around the weekend in the middle of the feast.
Believers living in cities all over will decorate Sukkahs on their balconies and rooftops inviting friends and family to join them for special meals throughout the festival. Others will camp in their backyards or gazebos, have slumber parties in their congregation parking lots or in their church buildings, and still others will rest under the stars in open fields or woods. These are all great ways to honor Yah by following the ordinance of keeping Sukkot.
decked out sukkah
balcony sukkah
creative patio sukkah
a sukkah for dining
leafy patio sukkah
lighted backyard sukkah
Sukkot – A Wonderful “Family Reunion”
Sukkot is a great time to get back in touch with Yahuah’s creation family. We will be still and enjoy the great outdoors while feeling a breeze of fresh air blow across our faces. Sukkot time is spent watching Yah’s kids of all ages laughing, singing, playing, hiking, and melting smores on an open fire. It is a time when we enjoy fireside chats with other believers, looking up at the stars while singing songs to the heavens above. Many will choose to renew their covenant with Yahuah by water immersion. It will be a time of reading Yah’s word, praying for each other, and sharing our testimonies as we enjoy the love all around us. All these events are a foreshadowing of eternal times to come.
Trust me, family, you will make long-term friends and memories at Sukkot. Many eyes tear up on the last day while we pack to go home as we all yearn for the days when we dwell with our heavenly Father, His Son, and the resurrected family of believers in the New Jerusalem kingdom of everlasting love. Amen!
In those days Yahuah bade (them) to summon and to testify to the children of earth concerning their wisdom: Show it unto them; for ye are their guides, and recompense over the whole earth. For I and my son will be united with them forever in the paths of uprightness in their lives; and ye shall have peace: rejoice, ye children of uprightness.
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