Seven New Year’s Days of the Bible
The Bible refers to multiple new year’s days that were pivotal events in history. These were usually times when God provided a time for renewal and restoration. These events were so dramatic that God’s people set aside times of celebration and praise for what God had done.
New Year’s Day — CREATION — Genesis 1
Creation was unlike any day in history. What a day it must have been! In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light. God saw that day one “was good” and it was to be followed by five days in which it was good. On the day in which God rested from all His labors, He saw everything that He had made, and behold, “It was very good” Genesis 1:31.
What a day of rest! What an amazing way to start a new year. Out of a state of chaos, God spoke and there was light and darkness, earth and heaven, fish and fowl, man and beast. God could rest and bless “All the work which He had made.”
Everyone experiences DAY ONE when God’s voice is heard.
What an amazing day when we come to learn that there is an almighty living God. DAY ONE comes when we first hear His voice and learn to follow His word. Romans 10:17 tells us, “Faith comes by hearing the message of God’s word.” When His word is heard and His will is obeyed, we experience a new year. This can be a very good year for each of us. It can be a year of hearing the voice of God and obeying His word. Everything changes when we do “the will of God from the heart.” (Ephesians 6:6)
That first new year was a year of creation, joy and peace. Everything was in perfect harmony with God almighty.
New Year’s Day — Salvation — Genesis 8:13
After Adam and Eve sinned, everything changed. The condition of everything deteriorated immediately and ultimately ended in the destruction of everything that was on the face of the earth. God had said, “The day you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall surely die,” (Genesis 2:17).
Noah was born 1,056 years after the creation and by that time the whole world was consumed by evil and corruption.
When he was 600 years old, the whole earth was destroyed by the flood. Noah and his family had been shut up in the ark for one year and ten days.
Genesis 8:13 “In the first month, the first day of the month… Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold the face of the ground was dry.”
When Noah removed the covering, he found a brand new day and world. Nothing was standing between man and his God. God had destroyed a darker world of doom and sin.
The Bible tells us about the generation we are in.
The warning of Christ’s prophecy says, “As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:37-39). The Lord said they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. The thing that brought the judgment was not the normal routine of life. Sin ruled and wickedness abounded. Every evil that could be imagined was being practiced.
The Lord said a day of judgment is coming as a thief in the night.
2 Peter 3:10 says, “the elements shall melt with fervent heat…and the earth…shall be burned up.”
2 Peter 3:9 NKJV The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
We are so very near the time of judgment. Noah’s generation refused to hear God’s warning. We should be stirred to earnest prayer and repentance. Our friends and loved ones must be reconciled to God.
If we will hear God’s warning, we may be like Noah and see the redemption and salvation of our house.
This is the year to reach your family because it could be the year of Christ’s return.
New Year’s Day — REDEMPTION — Exodus 12:2
Exodus 12:2 NKJV This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.
430 times Abraham’s descendants had ended the year in bondage, but now they were going to have an entirely new calendar.
“Day One,” was going to be the dawn of liberty from bondage.
God was going to break the back of their oppressors and they were going free. God was going to redeem them and the blood of the sacrifice lamb would be their covering. If they put their trust in the blood of the lamb, they would be redeemed. The high hand and strong arm of Jehovah was their might. The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire would be their guide and protection. Canaan Land was their hope and promised home. They were to be redeemed from slavery and bondage into a land that flowed with milk and honey.
It is day one when we are redeemed.
Colossians 1:13-14 NKJV He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
When you are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, you have reason to rejoice for you have been set free.
New Year’s Day — Communion — Exodus 25:8
In Exodus 25:8 God said, “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.”
Exodus 40:17, 34 NKJV And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up.
“…then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”
What a day for Moses and all Israel when God’s glory was in their midst.
This may be your portion this new year.
In 1 Corinthians 6:19, you are told that “your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you.” Do you understand the implications of what you are being told?
2 Corinthians 6:16 NKJV For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”
This is a year for God to dwell among His people.
New Year’s Day – Sanctification— 2 Chronicles 29:15-17
When King Ahaz was king, the doors to the house of the Lord had been shut up, (2 Chronicles 28:24). He had aligned himself and all Israel with the gods of the Syrians and had cut in pieces the articles of the house of God. Every high place in Judah had been made a place to burn incense and worship other gods. After Ahaz died and King Hezekiah began to reign, the doors of the House of the Lord were opened and repaired, (2 Chronicles 29:3). Everything in the house of God needed to be sanctified. They carried much rubbish out of the Lord’s dwelling place. It was a time of sanctification.
2 Chronicles 29:17 NKJV Now they began to sanctify on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the Lord. So they sanctified the house of the Lord in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.
After they cleansed the Lord’s house, the people with one heart began to cleanse themselves.
This New Year should be a year of cleansing the inner chambers of the temple of our lives.
We should get rid of every evil thought, envy, hatred, wrath, strife, or any filthiness of the flesh or spirit, (Matthew15:19; Galatians 5:20-21; 2 Corinthians 7:1). This is a year for returning to God and sanctifying our hearts for Him.
New Year’s Day — Separation — Ezra 7:9
God’s people had been exiled to Babylon because they had disobeyed His will. They had been exiled for nearly 2,000 years. On new year’s day they began leaving Babylon.
Ezra 7:9 NKJV On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
From Babylon to Jerusalem was about 520 miles but they had to make many detours on account of the enemy, so they traveled some 900 miles. By the good hand of God, they came to Jerusalem. It took 5 months and many trials to arrive. The enemy of our souls has made terrible advances against many of our lives. He wants to keep us from enjoying the blessings that God has prepared for us in Christ. He has come against us like a roaring lion and with numerous and mighty attacks.
We have obeyed the call of God and we are looking for “a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God,” Hebrews 11:10
You need to know that the time for coming up and out is at hand. This is a new year for rejoicing in victory over each trial as we journey home.
New Year’s Day — Glory
Revelation 21:5 And He that sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”
Think about this — all things new! There will be new heavens and a new earth. All of the old things are passed away, and behold ALL THINGS WILL BE MADE NEW!!! There will be no more tempter, deceiver, or satanic powers. There will be no more death, sorrow, pain, tears, or curse.
Revelation 21:4-5 NKJV And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”
This could be our last New Year’s Day on this earth. A new day is coming for the Lord is going to return for His own. Very soon we shall see the King of Glory face to face and we will reign with Him forever.