The New Year has come and according to the calendar, it is January 2012, but is it the true year? I am the curious type and enjoy research. I have investigated the history of our current use of time keeping. I wanted to know about the use of A. D. (Anno Domini) and B.C. (Before Christ), including the other recent use of the abbreviation B.C.E. (Before the Common Era).
It's because of Jesus the way time is kept has changed in relationship to him. In 525 A.D., Dionysus Exiguous is credited with the use of Anno Domini, a Latin phrase that means, “In the year of our Lord.” He was a brilliant mathematician who calculated the lunar cycles backwards to come to an approximate year of Jesus birth, being 4 B.C.
Many other ancient peoples would use the epoch method, meaning an era of an event or ruler, to mark time. According to the Hebrew Calendar, the year is 5772, which began September 10, 2011 and will end on September 29, 2012. The Jewish people kept a record of time as prescribed in the Torah. A method described Anno Mundi a Latin phrase which means, “the Year of the World,” with Year 1 being the creation of Adam.
Julius Caesar had a method of recording time, which was named after him in 46 B.C. It used the method most commonly used in our time 12 months of the solar year equating into 365.65 days including a leap year. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII reformed the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, desiring to accurately calculate Easter. Most of the world use the Gregorian calendar today in order to unify business dealings.
I am amazed that my research points back to the book of Genesis. The Lord designed creation in such a way that we have a method of keeping record of time. In Genesis 1:14, “And God said, “Let bright lights appear in the sky to separate the the day from the night. They will be signs to mark off seasons, the days and years.” The Lunar cycles are a dependable source that the ancient peoples as well as modern man still uses the cycles to record time.
With all this research into the marking of time, what did I discover? Something I knew all the time, only God knows the true and accurate date. Is knowing the exact year something that would change our views of the world? Would it make any difference in our relationship with the Lord?Knowing the Lord controls time involves our trust in His wisdom. Events take place at the designated time according to His master plan. It is one of the mysteries of God.
As believers we must trust in His goodness and believe all things happen at the correct time according to His Word. One more reason to invest our trust fully in the Word he has given us.
“For I know the plan I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper not to harm, plans for a hope and a future” Jeremiah 29: 11
8 comments:
Great minds think alike! I also did research for this new year, but mine focused on how New Year's day was designated. Both our posts are wonderful compliments to each other.
And yes, when it all is boiled down, God's timing is everything. After all, we should trust the Creator of All Things to have it right.
good post ....
no matter what it's always time to praise God
I never realized how much I didn't know about how time was kept until I looked into this more fully. Just like everyone, I just accepted the date on the calender as the "real date" I just left those details to those with more knowledge. Then I began to wonder. We still don't know the length of time Adam and Eve were in the garden. The scriptures say that a day is like a thousand years to God, so here we are back to square one.
Thank you for your comments-
Good post Terrie - makes you think about things and know that God is control of them all.
Now you can research leap years and leap seconds for February.
@BillJones- I'll leave that to the quantum physic mathematicians our there. LOL
Terrie,
You've actually just started to scratch the surface of something God does want to reveal to you. You're asking the right questions - how would this affect my relationship with my God. Very deeply. We are commanded to keep Sabbath and the Feasts - and these are all related to his time clock. I also recently (last 2 years) started asking God to show me his time tables - when is Sabbath, when are your feasts - what is your calendar - when are the 3 year, 7 year and 50 year times happening? These all coincide with things we are commanded to observe, so it's important to understand God's clock. I have discovered it's in the skies and it's absolutely fascinating to watch!! He shows us clearly when all these things are to take place. These are times of visitation and great celebration! It's true God has control of it all, but he wants you participating - don't give up so quickly!!
....and the new year is actually just about to begin! If you see this in time and can get outside this evening to view the western sky at sunset, you will see the "new" moon - the beginning of the month, but this one is also the beginning of the new year as God commanded. Read Exodus 12:1 - the month of Passover was the first month of God's year. Jewish tradition changed it to fall - but that was never God's directive. Hope you get to see it!!
Rose, Thank you so much for your wonderful comment- unfortunately I missed the sunset tonight-the beginning of a new holy year! Blessings and peace be yours
Time is a tool we use to measure when and where in our reality.
When in reality it does not exist.
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