Truth or Tradition?
- Dr. Frank Simon
- Jan 9
- 5 min read
We have entered the year 2026 on the Gregorian Calendar. The only calendar we have ever known. We are creatures of habit, routine and tradition, so we just seem to accept the calendar as tradition, the way the world functions and go along with what has been practiced for many years and decades in society without even a second thought. But do we question what traditions we might really be celebrating? What do they mean? And where do they come from?
In the Bible, the month of Abib (April) is known as the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Simply put, it’s the time when crops begin to grow and nature comes alive again after winter. The word Abib means new beginnings and new hope. This month is associated with the barley harvest, and it was the time God appointed for the Israelites to celebrate Passover. 1
Exodus 12:2 “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.”
Doesn’t that seem to make more sense than January? When spring is upon us?
Due to the number of days each month should have and the inconsistent number of days each month has now, the months are a little off.
8
Have you ever wondered why if “sept” means seven, why is September the 9th month?
Have you ever wondered why “oct” means eight and October is the 10th month?
Have you ever wondered why “nov” means nine and November is the 11th month?
Have you ever wondered why “dec” means ten and December is the 12th month?
In the Bible, the month of Abib is intimately connected to the story of the Exodus. It was in this month that God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, and their journey to the Promised Land began. Abib thus became a symbol of freedom, covenant, and God’s faithfulness.
In the Exodus narrative, Abib is more than just a date on the calendar. It was the time when God demonstrated His power through plagues, liberated His people, and gave them instructions for the Passover. This month reminds us of new beginnings, transformation, and the importance of walking in God’s covenant and following His message. 2
“The system of keeping time in the Old Testament was based on the cycles of the moon rather than a solar calendar like we use today. In fact, the Hebrew term for "month," chodesh, means "new [moon]," referring to the new moon that began the month. The lunar cycle played a significant role in the cultural and religious life in ancient Israel so that time could be counted by the cycles of the moon (Ex. 19:1).
The Hebrew lunar calendar contained 12 months of 30 days, which was also the customary period of mourning (Deut 21:13, Num 20:29). Yet the actual lunar cycle is only about 29 ½ days, which resulted in a year of only 354 ½ days. Keeping the lunar calendar coordinated with the seasons of the year required adding a 13th month to the lunar calendar seven out of every nineteen years. This additional month was added to the end of the year following the last month Adar, and was simply called Second Adar.” 3
So when did man make changes to God’s perfect calendar and why?
“The Julian calendar was proposed in 46 BC by (and takes its name from) Julius Caesar, as a reform of the earlier Roman calendar, which was largely a lunisolar one.[2] It took effect on 1 January 45 BC, by his edict. Caesar's calendar became the predominant calendar in the Roman Empire and subsequently most of the Western world for more than 1,600 years, until 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII promulgated a revised calendar. Ancient Romans typically designated years by the names of ruling consuls; the Anno Domini system of numbering years was not devised until 525, and became widespread in Europe in the eighth century.” 4
April Fools' Day is linked to the shift from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. In the Julian calendar, the new year began around the end of March. Those who continued to celebrate the new year in April were mocked as "fools."5
“The adoption of the Gregorian Calendar has taken place in the history of most cultures and societies around the world, marking a change from one of various traditional (or "old style") dating systems to the contemporary (or "new style") system – the Gregorian calendar – which is widely used around the world today. Some states adopted the new calendar in 1582, others not before the early twentieth century, and others at various dates between. A few have yet to do so, but except for these, the Gregorian calendar is now the world's universal civil calendar, old style calendars remaining in use in religious or traditional contexts.[1][2][a] During – and for some time after – the transition between systems, it has been common to use the terms "Old Style" and "New Style" when giving dates, to indicate which calendar was used to reckon them.” 6
So why January?
January was named for the Roman god Janus, known as the protector of gates and doorways, which symbolize beginnings and endings. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other with the ability to see into the future. The Romans often made promises to Janus and exchanged good wishes.
And the tradition of counting down to midnight while watching the crystal ball drop is in essence a ritual that entrances the multitude. Can you think of anything else that has the attention of so many people at one time for any purpose?
February comes from the Latin word februa, which means “to cleanse.” February, the second month on the calendar, but originally the last! It was named after Februalia, the Roman festival of purification, which was a month-long festival of purification and atonement that took place this time of year.
March is named for Mars, the Roman god of war, because this was the time of year to resume military campaigns that had been interrupted by winter.
While we had nothing to do with the establishment of the calendar system being used today, are we blindly serving other god’s unknowingly when we celebrate January (the god Janus) as the new year and wishing upon what that entity symbolizes?
For us Christians, our God is a jealous God, and I would ask you all to contemplate these ideas and pray that God show you what significance this might have in your life.
Deuteronomy 4:23-24 So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the Lord your God has commanded you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Joshua 24:15 ESV And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
This year consider recognizing the "Biblical new year" in the spring when things come back to life as God intended.
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