The Gentile calendar, Part 1

 Months of the Year

https://www.almanac.com/content/how-did-months-get-their-names

First of all, January as first month of the Julian or Gregorian calendar, isn't even in sync the the season! It starts about 11 days into Winter, which means that each seasonal solstice or equinox doesn't align with the calendar month by 8-11 days. 

 

The first month of the new year should coincide with the Spring equinox timeframe. The one good thing about the Gentile calendar is that it IS strictly solar. Last Days' prophetic events however, will include not just the Sun, but the Moon also. Jesus/Yeshua said, Look up, ...for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21: 25-28

Our months have 28, or 29 days, and usually 30 or 31 days. The Hebrew calendar is more in sync with the moon's actual orbit, 29 or 30 days, always. The middle of the Hebrew month is the Full Moon, always.

On the Hebrew calendar, the 1st month is in the Spring, when there is new growth of plants. The 1st Hebrew month typically starts mid March or early April: close to the Spring Equinox. The Hebrew calendar is a lunar-solar calendar. Every few years a leap month is added to stay in sync with the solar seasons. Generally the end of the 12th Hebrew month is in the earlier part of March. 

 

Roman Gods and Rulers

January was named for the Roman God Janus.

February: Named for the Latin word februa, to cleanse (purification and atonement).

March related to the opening of the military season. It was named for the Roman God, Mars.

April: A seasonal name related to the flowers starting to open.

May was named for the Roman earth goddess, Maia.

June was named for the Roman goddess, Juno, ruler of marriage and women's health.

July: Named to honor Roman dictator Julius Caesar (100 B.C.– 44 B.C.) after his death. In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar made one of his greatest contributions to history: With the help of Sosigenes, he developed the Julian calendar, the precursor to the Gregorian calendar we use today.

August: Named to honor the first Roman emperor (and grandnephew of Julius Caesar), Augustus Caesar (63 B.C.– A.D. 14).  

Ah Ha! A clue: September, October, November, December

These calendar months' names give us a huge clue that the calendar was changed.

September comes from the Latin word Septem, meaning “Seven,” as in 7th month. Ah ha! On our current calendar, September is the 9th month, but it used to be the 7th month.

October is now the 10th month in the modern calendar, but Octo = Eight. It used to be the Eighth month.

November is the 11th month, but it used to be the 9th month. Nove = Nine.

December is the 12th and last month of the year. It used to be the 10th month. Decem means Ten.

 

A Humorous but Truthful Look at Building Zion--Let Someone Else Do it!

 What is One Reason why Zion has not been built?

Once upon a time, there was a little red hen who lived on a farm. She was friends with a lazy dog, a sleepy cat, and a noisy yellow duck.  One day the little red hen found some seeds on the ground. The little red hen had an idea. She would plant the seeds.

The little red hen asked her friends, "Who will help me plant the seeds?"  "Not I," barked the lazy dog. "Not I," purred the sleepy cat. "Not I," quacked the noisy yellow duck. "Then I will," said the little red hen.  So the little red hen planted the seeds all by herself.

 

When the seeds had grown, the little red hen asked her friends, "Who will help me cut the wheat?"  "Not I," barked the lazy dog. "Not I," purred the sleepy cat. "Not I," quacked the noisy yellow duck.  "Then I will," said the little red hen.  So the little red hen cut the wheat all by herself.

 

When all the wheat was cut, the little red hen asked her friends, "Who will help me take the wheat to the mill to be ground into flour?" "Not I," barked the lazy dog. "Not I," purred the sleepy cat. "Not I," quacked the noisy yellow duck. "Then I will," said the little red hen.  So the little red hen brought the wheat to the mill all by herself, ground the wheat into flour, and carried the heavy sack of flour back to the farm. 

 

The tired little red hen asked her friends, "Who will help me bake the bread?"  "Not I," barked the lazy dog. "Not I," purred the sleepy cat. "Not I," quacked the noisy yellow duck.  "Then I will," said the little red hen. So the little red hen baked the bread all by herself. 

 

When the bread was finished, the tired little red hen asked her friends, "Who will help me eat the bread?"  "I will," barked the lazy dog. "I will," purred the sleepy cat. "I will," quacked the noisy yellow duck.

 

"No!" said the little red hen. "I will." And the little red hen ate the bread all by herself.

 

 

The Zion moral of this story is, people were and have been busy with their own lives and were thinking that somebody else or a big organization would build Zion.   In order for all to partake of Zion, we all need to do it together.

Truth Suppression... What Would The Savior Want?

 

Summary:

1. History has been filled with people that felt threatened by the emergence of new groups or leaders. They exercised control over others. This is currently going on in the world!

 

2. People can be afraid of change. "What will people think of me? Will I lose my station in life?" Will I disappoint God?

 

How do people react to change or truth?   What has happened in scripture history?  What should we do today? 

Human nature in some regards has not changed a whole lot. Some people are teachable and not threatened when others have similar ideas. Others want to control those below them. The Lord did warn in D&C 121:34-37 that power tends to go to people's heads. Both Moses and Jesus/Yeshua gave examples of being non-threatened in leadership.

Moses -- people came to him: Eldad and Medad are prophecying in the camp; Stop them! Moses said, "...would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them!" Moses was meek, he didn't feel threatened by others with the Spirit. Numbers 11:25-29

People came to Jesus,

Luke 9: 49-50

49 ¶ And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

Anytime that a Truth is being taught, that isn't part of the usual status quo in a house of worship, we need to remember John the Baptist (The Immerser)'s advice in Matthew 3: 1-3: "Repent and make the paths straight" (not crooked) to the Kingdom of heaven.

In Jesus'/Yeshua's day, the Pharisees were very threatened by change. In Luke 11:52: (vs. 37-54) Jesus/Yeshua had a scathing but truthful sermon addressed to the Pharisees about them "removing the key of knowledge" in order to block access to the Kingdom of Heaven.

How did the Pharisees and other leaders like them, of the day respond? They had spies, looking for Jesus and his disciples. They hounded potential converts who had been healed. They harassed, intimidated, and excommunicated people. They practiced public disinformation and disapproval. Eventually they sentenced Jesus and other followers, to death. Eusebius, an early Christian historian reported that even descendants of King David were being hunted down. 

{Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History, Transl. by CF Cruse, pg. 84}. Later on, truth was also hid by attempts to erase history.

* * * * * * *

There is another group of people, that are arising. They are called Zion, the Pure in Heart. Later they will be called, the Church of the Firstborn and General Assembly of Heaven. JST Genesis 9:23; Hebrews 12:23; D&C 76:66-68.

To those tempted to suppress this movement: Don't be afraid of good change. Let it happen. One day this life will be over. You and I will face God. His gaze will pierce through. Public opinion will not matter then.

People are suffering spiritually and temporally in Babylon. The Lord is calling, "Depart out of her [Babylon world systems], my people." The Wise Virgins will be prepared to go out to meet Him when the servants call. 

 

Pay attention to the truth in order to avoid a spiritual wreck.

A Restoration of All Truth -- It takes Guts

Restoration: The act or process of returning something to its original condition: returning missing parts, restoring from impairment, and improving its overall condition. Bringing back to its former position. Renewal, Revival, Reestablishment

Matthew 5: 17-18 Jesus said:  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 

 

Jesus/Yeshua was saying that things about the gospel would take awhile to fulfill "till heaven the earth pass,..." and that the Law would not pass (go away) until ALL "be fulfilled."  When he said every jot and tittle, that meant Yod (the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet), and tittle, meaning every brush stroke of a letter.  The Law and the Prophets was most of the Old Testament.  His prophecy was very deep and exacting.

The act of restoring truth, can be an act of patience, long-suffering, persistence, and courage. It takes guts. There may be set backs. Satan is always trying to dismantle and remove truth in order to cause confusion. Confusion makes it hard to recognize the truth. Truth sets the spirit free to choose a new path. John 8:32

 

 

When a person encounters new ideas, sometimes the person is ready for them and thoroughly, enthusiastically, embraces those teachings.  In other instances, those new ideas, the new belief system, can be a shock.  

 

The Loss of Illusion after being faced with truth, is similar to grief, it's a heavy process.

https://www.healthline.com/health/stages-of-grief

 

*Denial of truth or shock: "Let's just pretend we didn't see that, hear that, Let's just leave! That's can't be true!" Fear can motivate disbelief and rejection of truth.

 

*Frustration or anger--Upset at one's former associates, leaders, teachers, or God.

 

*A bargaining process of saying to God, "I'll be really good if you'll make this trial of my faith go away."

 

*Depression or isolation may set in when associations are lost, if the person really isn't sure where to turn.

 

*Acceptance of the new truth comes by spiritual witness. Peace, and maybe even joy or enthusiasm comes when commitment is made to the new truth and its path. Just realize that opposition can go in hand though with all big changes in life.

 

 

 

Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration said, 

 

I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them, after suffering all they have for the work of God, will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions: they cannot stand the fire at all. How many will be able to abide a celestial law, and go through and receive their exaltation, I am unable to say, as many are called, but few are chosen. (Jan. 20, 1844.) DHC 6:183-185. 

 

Doctrine and Covenants 93:39 says that the Adversary takes away light, often through traditions.

People can get over the shock of new ideas.  They can learn to adjust.  They can take things one at a time, until they feel more comfortable.  They can ask God for understanding and conviction (testimony).  They can learn joy in what they have learned.

James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.