(出12）圣经的历法是怎么制订的？
(Exodus 12) How was the Biblical Calendar Established?
(Chat GPT translation from Chinese, edited by Mijiale, 中文在后面）
- **How was the Biblical Calendar Established?**
Over three thousand years ago, while the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, the Creator instructed their leaders, stating, “This month shall be the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you” (Exodus 12:2). This was the first commandment that the Creator gave to the Israelites.
- **Which Month is this First Month?**
According to Exodus 12:17-18, it refers to the month when the Lord led the Israelites out of Egypt. “And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever. In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.”
- **What is the Name of this Month?**
The Bible calls it “Aviv,” as mentioned in Exodus 13:4: “On this day, in the month of Aviv, you are about to go forth.”
- **In Which Season is Aviv?**
Aviv might signify “spring” because “Aviv” appeared in Exodus 9:31 during the hail plague, translated as “in bloom,” indicating that the barley had already bloomed. Since barley blooms in early spring, “Aviv” in modern Hebrew means “spring,” likely corresponding to approximately March in the Gregorian calendar. See [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviv).
- **On Which Day in Aviv did the Israelites Leave Egypt?**
Numbers 33:3 states, “On the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover, the children of Israel went out boldly in the sight of all the Egyptians.”
- **How is the Day Defined in Aviv?**
The new moon marks the first day of the month, typically corresponding to the first or second day of the Chinese lunar calendar. The fourteenth evening is when the moon is full, known as Passover, commemorating the Lord passing over the houses of the Israelites and striking down the firstborn of the Egyptians. The Egyptians were forced to let the Israelites go.
- **Why is the First Day of Aviv Based on the Lunar Calendar and not the Solar Calendar?**
Referring to Exodus 12:2 (“This month shall be the beginning of months”), Rashi suggests that the Hebrew term “this month” implies “this renewal” (of the moon). In contrast, the solar month has nothing to do with a renewal, since it just marks 1/12th of the solar cycle. See [source](https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Exodus.12.2?lang=bi)
- **Why Use the Lunar Calendar for the Biblical Calendar, Instead of the Solar Calendar Which is More Accurate for Predicting Climate?**
The solar calendar serves secular agricultural purposes, while the biblical calendar transcends the secular, focusing on the relationship between people and the Creator. It is the Creator’s will to use the moon for marking the time, as Psalm 104:19 expresses, “He made the moon for the appointed times; the sun knows its setting.” I noticed that the New Testament authors never used the Roman solar calendar to record any date. See related links:
https://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d960101.htm
https://www.nowoezone.com/NTCI.htm
- **Using the Moon to Determine Months, What Spiritual Significance Does It Hold?**
The moon has phases of fullness and deficiency. Its darkest time is when it begins to brighten again. This can symbolize the Lord’s people – in the gravest oppression, nearly despairing, the Lord intervenes, turning their circumstances for the better. However, because the Lord’s day has not yet arrived, during the prosperity of the gospel, there will soon be further oppression. Yet, there will be revival in the future. The fluctuating fortunes of Chinese Christianity have witnessed this point. Additionally, in the New Testament of the Bible, the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew is calculated based on several sets of fourteen generations, related to approximately every fourteen nights of the moon’s waxing and waning. From Abraham to the flourishing of the Davidic dynasty span fourteen generations, akin to the transition from the new moon to the full moon. The decline of the Davidic dynasty to the captivity encompasses another fourteen generations, resembling the shift from the full moon to its disappearance. After yet another fourteen generations, Christ is born, akin to the moon’s full restoration. (The number fourteen holds special significance, as David’s Hebrew name can be represented by this number. The Passover is also on the fourteenth day of the first month. I believe this number is related to Christ.) See, e.g.,
http://torahmatters.blogspot.com/2017/03/christ-is-king-said-moon.html
- **Is the Biblical Lunar Calendar Still Relevant Today?**
Jewish observance of biblical festivals relies on the biblical lunar calendar. Jesus’ crucifixion aligns with Passover, which is also calculated from a full moon in spring. Although the solar calendar is widely recognized for its practicality in secular agriculture, the biblical calendar remains a distinct calendar set apart as sacred. In the future, it may gain more attention from people because of its utility in enhancing the relationship between humanity and the Creator. In Isaiah 66:23, the Lord states, “From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me…” If this New Moon is also defined according to the biblical calendar, it suggests that the biblical calendar may be widely accepted by humanity, at least in a spiritual sense.
（出12）圣经的历法是怎么制订的？
一。圣经的历法是怎么制订的？
三千多年前，以色列人在埃及为奴，造物主对以色列人的领袖们说，（出埃及记12:2）“你 们 要 以 本 月 为 正 月 ， 为 一 年 之 首 。” 这是造物主给以色列人的第一个诫命。
二。这个本月或正月是什么月？
从出12:17-18 看，是指的造物主领以色列人出埃及的那个月：
“从 正 月 十 四 日 晚 上 ， 直 到 二 十 一 日 晚 上 ， 你 们 要 吃 无 酵 饼 。你 们 要 守 无 酵 节 ， 因 为 我 正 当 这 日 把 你 们 的 军 队 从 埃 及 地 领 出 来 。 所 以 ， 你 们 要 守 这 日 ， 作 为 世 世 代 代 永 远 的 定 例 。从 正 月 十 四 日 晚 上 ， 直 到 二 十 一 日 晚 上 ， 你 们 要 吃 无 酵 饼 。”
三。这个月叫什么名称？
圣经把他叫“亚笔月”，出13:4说“亚 笔 月 间 的 这 日 是 你 们 出 来 的 日 子 。”
四。这个亚笔月在什么季节？
亚笔月可能有“吐穗月”的意思，因为“亚笔aviv”一词曾出现在出埃及记9:31记载雹灾时，被翻译成“吐穗”，大麦已经吐穗。因为大麦吐穗是在早春季节，所以“亚笔” 在 现代希伯来语是“春季”的意思。亚笔月应该大约对应于现在阳历的三月份。参见https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviv。
五。在亚笔月的哪天以色列人出了埃及？
民数记33:3说，“正 月 十 五 日 ， 就 是 逾 越 节 的 次 日 ， 以 色 列 人 从 兰 塞 起 行 ， 在 一 切 埃 及 人 眼 前 昂 然 无 惧 地 出 去”。
六。这个月的第几日是怎么定义的？
月亮露出新牙时算那个月的初一。常对应于中国农历月的初一或初二。正月十四晚上是月圆的时候。那天叫逾越节，因为造物主越过了以色利人的家，击杀了埃及人家的头生子，埃及法老只好放以色列人出埃及。
七。我们怎么知道亚笔月第一日不是按阳历算的，而是按月亮露出新牙时算那个月的初一？
参考出12:2（“你 们 要 以 本 月 为 正 月 ， 为 一 年 之 首 。”）
按Rashi解释，希伯来语的“本月”，有 “本次更新” 的意思，应该指的是月亮的更新，而阳历的月初是太阳周期的1/12处，一般不在月亮更新的时候。参见https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Exodus.12.2?lang=bi
八。阳历对气候的预测更准确，为什么圣经历法不用阳历，而用月亮订月份？
阳历是根据地球绕太阳的周期，制订寒暑耕种收获的季节，是为世俗性的农业生产为目的而订的。圣经是超越世俗的，所以圣经历是为了人与造物主的关系而订的，所以不用世俗目的的阳历，而用月亮订圣经历的月份，订圣经的节期。诗篇104:19也说，“你 安 置 月 亮 为 定 节 令 。 日 头 自 知 沉 落 。” 由此可见，用月亮订节期是造物主的心意。我注意到，新约作者们没有用罗马人的阳历月记载过任何一个日期。
参考：
https://www.o-bible.com/cgibin/ob.cgi?version=hgb&search=&keywords=%D4%C2%C8%D5
https://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d960101.htm
https://www.nowoezone.com/NTCI.htm
九。用月亮订月份，有什么属灵意义吗？
月亮有圆有缺。最黑暗的时候就是它重新变亮的时候。这可以像征主的子民，在逼迫最重几乎令人绝望的时候，主就会为他们作主，让他们情况好转。但是因为主的日子还没到，在福音兴旺时，不久又有逼迫。但将来还是会有复兴。中国基督教的几度沉浮，见证了这一点。另外，圣经新约马太里的耶稣家谱，是按大约每十四夜的月亮盈亏的几个十四代记算的，从亚伯拉罕一人到大卫王朝的兴盛，这十四代就像从新月到月圆，而大卫王朝的衰落到被掳的十四代，就像从月圆到隐没，而再过十四代，基督降生，就好像月亮重圆。（十四这个数字很特殊，大卫的希伯来文就可以表示十四这个数字。逾越节也是正月的十四。我觉得十四这数字与基督有关。）参见
http://torahmatters.blogspot.com/2017/03/christ-is-king-said-moon.html
十。现代人一般都用阳历，圣经的月亮历还有用吗？
犹太人在守圣经节期时还用圣经的月亮历。因为耶稣受难是在逾越节的季节，就连基督徒的复活节也是从春季的月圆计算的。
虽然阳历已经被公认为对世俗农业生产很有用， 但圣经历是一种从世俗历法分别为圣出来的历法，将来很可能会被更多的人所重视，因为它对增进人与造物主的关系很有用。在以赛亚66:23，造物主说，“每 逢 月 朔 ， 安 息 日 ， 凡 有 血 气 的 必 来 在 我 面 前 下 拜 …”。这里的月朔如果也是按圣经历定义的，那这就预示着圣经历会被人类广泛接受，至少是在属灵意义上。
其他有关链接：
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h24/kjv/wlc/0-1/
https://www.ministersnewcovenant.org/uploads/9/1/6/1/9161032/the_true_meaning_of_aviv_updated.pdf