BEFORE THE TORAH, MOSES WAS:
The person who God chose to lead the children of Israel out of slavery in the land of Egypt. The fact that Moses was a prince in Pharaoh's court afforded him to have the best education available in the Egyptian culture, (Acts 7:22). He would have the knowledge of their mathematics, a 360 degree circle, geometry, trigonometry, and the cycles of the sun, moon and some stars. He would know the engineering design, methods and mechanics to be used. He knew the north - south, east - west orientation of the pyramids. The east - west line gave them the spring equinox which marked the beginning of the new year and the base line for the sundial; just to name a little of what Moses knew.
Moses did not need the 19 year cycle, the intercalated (inserted) month, or abib barley to know when the first month begins. The Lord told Moses when the first month of the solar year begins (Exodus 12:1-2). Israel also understood Moses instructions for the 10th and 14th day of the first month. The law of the sun and moon divided equinox (12 hours of darkness and daylight) is good for all people (Rom. 2:11-15) and comes from the creation (Gen. 1:14-19). The equinox is a law built into the sun and moon to divide just as the law of gravity is built into the earth. Moses and Israel did not need the 10th day, the 14th day or the equinox explained to them as they were already doing that in the Egyptian culture.
Moses did not write to use a 19 year cycle, an intercalated (inserted) month, that barley had to be a certain stage of maturity for the wave sheaf, and he did not send people to check the stage of barley maturity for setting the date of Passover. These are all man's doing and start traditions that make God's word of none effect (Mark 7:13). Some will tell us we have to use the intercalated month to stay in step with the agricultural year. This is not true, because if you start with the agricultural year you will always be in step with it.
Are we not foolish to think we can take God's creation apart, then gather up the parts, rearrange them to our satisfaction, and call it God's Holy Calendar. Maybe POGO in the comic strip was right when he said we have identified the enemy and he is us.
9-21-11, Earl McDowell