A Supplement to

The Calculated Hebrew Calendar IS Provable

By Dan Day – January 2009

 

 

                As was expected, there are opponents to the CHC who will try and argue every “twig and branch” but fail to look at the “trunk of the tree” scriptures in an honest and studious manner.

 

          In the process of re-examining what I have written, I find that I have omitted some key scriptural proofs – those concerning the week of the crucifixion.

 

A summary of the events of that week is as follows:

·                    Christ observed THE Passover with his disciples on Tuesday evening.

·                    He was killed during the day (Wednesday) and was placed in the tomb just before sunset.

·                    Thursday was “an high day” – the first day of unleavened bread.

·                    Friday was the day the women prepared the spices, and then…

·                    Rested THE Sabbath (Saturday) “according to the commandment.”

·                    Christ was resurrected as the weekly Sabbath was ending.

·                    Christ ascended to God and was accepted as the “wave sheaf’ shortly after he spoke to Mary Magdalene on Sunday morning.

 

I have not quoted the scriptures here, which support this chronology, since they are generally accepted by most in the Churches of God.  The understanding of the calendar and the proof of the calendar is another matter.

 

Some adhere to a 31 AD crucifixion, following the calculations of Dr. Hoeh as published in the early days of WCG.  Even though he later admitted the error, many still follow his flawed calculation.  Even though it yielded a Wednesday for Passover day, and a Thursday for the 15^th (first day of unleavened bread), it was one month late in the year by ALL other major methods, i.e., astronomical conjunction, equinox, Abib, crescent moon, and CHC.  Since there is no historical or biblical record of bad weather, etc., there is no reason for the delay.

 

Therefore, the only year we will look at is 30 AD.  It was a year that also yielded a Wednesday for Passover day, and a Thursday for the 15^th (first day of unleavened bread), as given by the Calculated Hebrew Calendar, but NOT by the observed crescent moon.  We will now look at the data for 30 AD.

 

NOTE.  The data and information I have used in the following is from Alcyone Astronomical Tables and from Starry Night Enthusiast for Windows.

 

In 30 AD the Passover day (Nisan 14) was Wednesday April 5, and the first day of unleavened bread (Nisan 15) was Thursday April 6.  Therefore Nisan 1 was also on a Thursday -- March 23.

 

*        The Molad (average conjunction) was March 22, approx. 10 PM  (JT).

*        The astronomical conjunction was March 22, at 17:37 (UT) = 7:37 PM  (JT).

*        Sunset on March 22 was at 6:51 PM (JT), and moonset was at 6:38 PM (JT), which is obviously before sunset, since the conjunction had not yet occurred. 

 

     Was a crescent moon visible the next evening, March 23?  The answer is NO, because of the following data.

 

*        Sunset on March 23 was at 6:51 PM (JT).

*        Moonset on March 23 was at 7:32 PM (JT), only 41 minutes after sunset.

*        The elevation of the moon at sunset is only 7.6 degrees.

*        The illumination of the moon at sunset is only 9/10 of 1%.

 

The general guidelines for possible visibility of the crescent moon are as follows:

·                    It must set at least 45 to 50 minutes after sunset.

·                    It must have an elevation of at least 9 to 10 degrees.

·                    It must have an illumination of at least 1%.

Since none of these three conditions have been met, it would not have been possible to see a crescent moon on Thursday, March 23, 30 AD. 

 

          A crescent moon would have been easily seen the next evening, making the 1^st and 15^th fall on the weekly Sabbath.  But, even if the crescent had been seen Thursday, March 23, that would have placed the 1^st and the 15^th ON FRIDAY, which still fails to agree with scriptures that show the 15^th was on Thursday.

 

          The answer should be obvious.  The Molad (used by the Calculated Hebrew Calendar) was in the evening of Wednesday, March 22.  Using sunset-to-sunset reckoning-- that was the early part of Thursday, March 23 – which was declared as Nisan 1.  Therefore, Nisan 15 was also on a Thursday, which agrees with the scriptures from the four gospels.

 

          The Calculated Hebrew Calendar was being used in 30 AD!