[90] Ancient Calendars

All dates in the bible are expressed in terms of the Biblical Lunar Calendar, except for time periods which run entirely after 1992Elul where the New Biblical Lunar Calendar (the NBLC which starts in the Hebrew month of Elul) is used. This calendar was the universal calendar of early man. It is not something dreamt up by the holy spirit for the bible. It is what all civilisations used prior to 800 BC. The BLC has 360 days in each year and has 30 days in each of its 12 months. It applies from Genesis to Revelation.U90

In the 600^th year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the 17^th day of the month, on this day, all the springs of the vast watery deep were broken open and the flood gates of the heavens were opened (Genesis 7:11)

And the waters began receding from off the earth, going and receeding, and at the end of 150 days the waters were lacking. And in the seventh month, on the 17^th day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat (Genesis 8:3,4)

And I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days dressed in sackcloth (Revelation 11:2,3).

One of the two witnesses prophesies for 1260 days in sackcloth because the holy city is being trampled underfoot for the same period, which is 42 months. The other does not. The point we are making here is that 1260 days is 42 months, so each month is 30 days long.

The first BLC calendar used from the time of Adam onwards, started the year on Tishri1. This was because Adam was born in Tishri. The Jews still celebrate their new year, Rosh Hashana, on Tishri 1 today. The second BLC, which began to be used by God's command in 1513 for sacred matters, after the Passover in Egypt, started the year on Nisan1. The third BLC, which the LWs presently use, the New BLC, the NBLC, starts the year on Elul1. This being the greater meaning of the Passover calendar year change, because the greatest Passover is Armageddon and this ends in Elul.. 

The BLC starts the year by fixing the passover, which is the 14^th day of Nisan. This must be in spring, i.e. after the vernal equinox. Nisan is the first lunar month to have a 14th day after the vernal equinox. 

The early Hebrew, Roman, Egyptian, Mayan, Chinese and Babylonian Calendars were all likewise 360 days long with 12 months of 30 days each. This is why the circle has 360 degrees in it.

Plutarch: "During the reign of Romulus ...they only kept to the one rule that the whole course of the year contained three hundred and sixty days." Plutarch. (A.D. 75) Translated by John Dryden.

Plutarch: "Hermes playing at draughts with the moon, won from her the seventieth part of each of her periods of illumination, and from all the winnings he composed five days, and intercalated them as an addition to the 360 days." Plutarch. Isis and Osiris (c. A.D. 80) Translated by F.C. Babbit

As regards the Ancient Egyptians, they started the year when the star Sirius came over the Eastern Horizon just before Sunrise. But according to Goudsmit, Samuel A. Time. New York: Time Incorporated, 1966. p. 69.

Goudsmit: "They also kept a separate year made up of 12 fixed 30-day months...Later, to make their lunar year jibe almost precisely with Sirius' rising, they tacked five extra days onto the year."

As regards where the extra 5 days in the Solar year came from:

Goudsmit: "To account for them they created the myth of Nut, the sky goddess, who had been unfaithful to her husband, Re, the sun god. In retribution, Re decreed that she should bear a child 'in no month of no year.' But Nut's lover Thoth played dice with the moon and won five days a year. Because these days were outside the calendar, Re's decree did not apply. Nut's son was born on the first of them."

The Book of Calendars edited by Frank Parise states as regards the Egyptian Calendar:

Parise: "This 360 day calendar, like so many others, was changed during the 8th century B.C. to one of 365 days. The extra five days was simply added to the end of the year."

The same book states as regards the Chinese circle:

Parise: "The number of degrees...does not add up to 360 because in the 4th century B.C. the Chinese astrologers suddenly changed the division of the circle from 360 degrees to 365 degrees 15 minutes."

Latin America (historical): The advanced cultures in Latin America used a ritual calendar with a period of 13 times 20 days in combination with a solar year that consisted of 18 months with 20 days each plus five extra days (which were considered calamitous). This resulted in a 52-year cycle. In general, there was no continuous count of the years. Only the Maja (Mayans) counted the years, starting from September 6, 4113 BC in units of 'kin' (1 day), 'vinal' (20 days), 'tun' (360 days = 18 vinals), 'katun' (7200 days = 20 tuns) and 'baktun' (144000 days = 20 katuns). www.maa.mhn.de/Scholar/calendar.html

Sir Isaac Newton stated:

"All nations, before the just length of the solar year was known, reckoned months by the course of the moon, and years by the return of winter and summer, spring and autumn; and in making calendars for their festivals, they reckoned thirty days to a lunar month, and twelve lunar months to a year, taking the nearest round numbers, whence came the division of the ecliptic into 360 degrees." (Anderson, Robert. The Coming Prince. London: Hodder & Stroughton, 1894. )

The truth about the biblical 360 day year as mentioned by Newton was quoted by Sir Robert Anderson in his book, The Coming Prince, page 68. This was not a new discovery by Sir Isaac Newton in the late 1600s or even by Sir Robert Anderson in 1895. It was clearly discussed in detail by Christian, Julias Africanus in his Chronology in his explanation of the fulfillment of Daniel's Seventy Weeks, written about A.D. 240.