FUTURE OBSERVANCE OF THE NEW MOON

With  the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D., all worship  that required  the priesthood and sacrifices  was suspended.  After  the return of Jesus  Christ,  the  sacrificial worship system will be instituted with its attending priesthood as  noted in Isaiah chapter 66, Ezekiel chapters 40  through 48, and  Zechariah 14:16-20. The Bible gives  few  details  regarding the  future  worship  system with its  offerings  and  sacrifices; however, it does show  that they will be officiated over by the sons of  Zadok, and that some of the sacrifices are similar to the ones that were offered under the first covenant with national Israel.

Although  there is very little said about the observance  of  the New Moon after Christ's return, there are two prophesies that show its observance will be an intrinsic part of the worship of God for the Israelites and humanity as a whole in the future.

Isaiah

"For  as  the new heavens and the new earth, which I  will  make, shall  remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your  seed  and your  name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from  one  new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, says the Lord" (Isa.66:22-23 KJV).

The promise to national Israel of successive  generations  is set within the prophecies concerning the end  of  human rule  upon  the  earth when  the sacrificial system and the priesthood will be established again.

From  this and other prophecies, it is clear that, after  the return of Jesus Christ, the first day of each sacred month will be a  day on which people are required to assemble at the temple  to worship and commune with God.

Ezekiel

Chapters 40 through 48 of Ezekiel concern the time after the return of Christ when national Israel will be established as the world's leading  nation and the descendants of Zadok will  officiate  as the priesthood in the temple of God. Specific portions of chapters 45  and 46  are about offerings and sacrifices that will  be made at the temple on the beginning of the sacred month.

Ezekiel 45:16-18 KJV

It can be seen from the following verses  that the Kingdom of God will rule  on  earth,  offerings will be made on  the  festivals,  the beginning of the sacred year will be observed, and  purification sacrifices will be made for the people and the temple: "All  the  people of the land shall give this oblation  for  the prince in Israel" (v16).

Physical humans will bring offerings  and perform sacrifices. The phrase 'all the people of the land' specifically refers to the Israelites, because it is the  Israelites to whom this prophecy is directed.

"And  it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings,  and meat  offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and  in  the new  moons,  and in the Sabbaths, in all solemnities  [i.e., appointed feasts/place] of the house of Israel:  he shall  prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt  offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel" (v17).

Offerings and sacrifices will be made on  the annual festivals, the New Moons, and the Sabbaths. Verse  18 shows that, on the first day of  the  sacred  year (i.e., the first new moon of the new year), an offering will be made for the purification of the temple:

"Thus says the Lord God; In the first month, in the first day  of the  month, you shall take a young bullock without  blemish,  and cleanse the sanctuary:" (v18).

Ezekiel 46:1-3 6 KJV

"Thus  says the Lord God; The gate of the inner court that  looks toward  the east shall be shut the six working days; but  on  the Sabbath  it  shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon  it shall be opened" (v1).

Here,  we see a clear distinction made between normal  work  days and  the  first day of each sacred month. The inner gate  of  the temple's  inner court will be closed on all normal work days but it will be opened on the Sabbath and the  day  of the New Moon.

The  phrase 'in the day of the new moon' refers to the whole  day from evening to evening, which means that the whole day is to be observed in a special way.

In the future, the first day of the lunar month will be a day of worship,  and it  seems to be ranked along with the Sabbath in importance as  a day of worship and access to God's presence within the temple:

"And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that  gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and  he shall worship  at the threshold of the gate:  then he  shall  go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening" (v2).

Notice that a prince will come to this gate to worship while the priests offer sacrifices and peace offerings to God.

"Likewise  the  people of the land shall worship at the  door  of this  gate before the Lord in the Sabbaths and in the new  moons" (v3).

Verse 3 clearly shows that, after the return of Christ, the  first day  of  each lunar month will be a special day of  worship.  Just  as in Isaiah's prophecy concerning  the worship of  God after  the return of Christ, future physical  Israelites will be commanded to worship before  God on the Sabbath and each  New Moon.

"And  in  the  day of the new moon it shall be  a  young  bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram:  they shall be without blemish" (v6).

Verse 6 shows that, after the return of Christ, the special sacrifices offered on the first day of each lunar month will be similar to the ones that were offered under the first covenant with national Israel.

SUMMARY

The  prophecies of Isaiah and Ezekiel clearly show that, when  the government  of God rules the earth, there will be  special  assemblies and worship services on both the Sabbath and the first  day of  each  sacred month. These prophecies  also show that God's presence will  be  in  the temple to commune with his people  on  the  first  day  of  each lunar month.

The  prophesies  of  both Isaiah and Ezekiel show beyond  a  doubt that, after the return of Christ, the observance of the first  day of each lunar month will continue to be a special day of  worship for the people of God.