Understanding the Importance of the New Moon
There is a correct way to reading the stars of the heavens (Genesis 1:14 - 18). And the Most High has given us the understanding that the New Moon signifies the beginning of a new month for the Israelite people.
When the Moon is pitch black, it is at the beginning of the month. The New Moon is to be reckoned like a Sabbath day and a feast is to be held.
In the Old Covenant you would see that 2 young bulls, 1 ram, 7 lambs (a year old; perfect ones), 3/10 of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering for each bull (1 ephah = 4.8 gallons dry measurement), 2/10 of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with oil, for the 1 ram, and 1/10 of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, as a grain offering for each lamb, all are sacrificed as a burnt offering to the Most High. The also provided a drink offering: 1/2 a hin for a bull (1 hin = 1 gallon liquid measurement), 1/3 of a in for 1 ram and 1/4 a hin for 1 lamb. This is the burnt offering for each month throughout the months of the year. And 1 male goat as a sin offering to Ahayah Asher Ahayah is prepared, besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering (Numbers 28:11-15).
All of the burnt offerings are burned completely and is not consumed by any of the members of the assembly. The sin offerings were able to be eaten by the priests and members of the assembly. The burnt offerings represented an offering of acceptance. It shows the Most High your dedication to Him. It was significant to sacrifice that many animals that often throughout the year.
Since the Messiah, Yashayah, is the perfect sacrifice that has replaced the animal sacrificial system of the Old Covenant, we can see that according to the New Convenant, our connection to the Heavenly Father is to be a spiritual one. Our hearts must be circumcised, spiritual and pure in our servitude to Him. The burnt sacrifices from a spiritual perspective would include ourselves being offered in total acceptance to the Father. One must offer his or her own self to the Most High and do so completely. This is symbolic of our total dedication to the Heavenly Father concerning our spiritual walk with Him.
Of course, our sacrifice cannot be accepted unless we go through the High Priest, which is His Son, Yahshayah (AKA: Yahushua, Jesus). Once must realize that we also must recognize the sins that we have made and strive to walk in His perfect ordinances. The High Priest stands for us.
So every month we are to hold a feast and be in remembrance of this ordinance that is held with High Importance to the Most High. It is like a Sabbath Day to our people, we fellowship with one another and keep his day set apart. In Amos 8:4-5, it gives a great depiction of the merchants during that time who wishes to defile the New Moon and the Sabbath with their wickedness and greed saying, "When the New Moon pass so that we sell grain and the Sabbath so that we trade our wheat to make the ephah small and the sheqel large, and to falsify the scales by deceit."
Clearly in this scripture, buying and selling is not authorized on the New Moon as well as on the Sabbath (Neh 10:31). This day is set apart to the Most High.
The scriptures referenced below will give further guidance on this understanding.
SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES:
Numbers 28:11-15
Numbers 29:6
Exodus 12:2
Amos 8:4-5
Ezekiel 46:1, 3, 6, 17-18
Isaiah 20:18, 24
Isaiah 66:23
Psalms 81:3
Colossians 2:16
2 Kings 4:23
1 Sam 20:5, 24
Neh 10:31
Neh 10:33
Ezra 3:5
Shalom and many blessings.