ON MATING WITH THE PRELIMINARY STUDIES, X1X (102) it says,

"For it is said in the Scripture: On the tenth day of this month let each of them take a sheep according to his house; in order that from the tenth, there may be consecrated to the tenth, that is to God, the sacrifices which have been preserved in the soul, which is illuminated in two portions out of the three, until it is entirely changed in every part, and becomes a heavenly brilliancy like a full moon, at the height of its increase at the end of the second “ week”…
Please let what Philo just said sink in. His readers and fellow Jews of that era, or in those days understand that the weeks were by the moon, and that at the end of the second week they would be a full moon. This statement needs no interpretation. The people understood that the weeks were by the moon, same as in the Scriptures. If this is so then the sacred seventh day of the week, which comes at the end of the second week must be a full moon Sabbath (Psalms 81:3-6). Why? Because in many places Philo speaks of the weekly seventh day, and we all know that the seventh day comes at the end of the week. People would like for us to believe that the months were originally by the moon but the weeks were not.

Philo was making an observation of how a person can be spiritually illuminated to a full brilliance just like a full moon at the height of its increase at the end of the second week. Philo did not count the new moon when counting out the weeks as these calendars do today. This statement is very easily proven from the writings of Philo because he states in other places thought his book that the full moon is on the 15th each month and he also separates the new moon as a separate feast day, from the weeks. Writers today would instead count the new moon day in counting their weeks, but it is obvious from Philo that he did not count the new moon day when counting out the weeks. This is because at the end of the second week the full moon would be on the 14th instead of the 15th as Philo plainly declares many times. In other words you have your new moon worship day, then six workdays and then the weekly Sabbath on the 8th day of the moon (Ezech-46:1).

You then have six more workdays and a full moon on day 15 or at the end of the second week or second seven, i.e. at the end of 14 days after the new moon worship day. This proves the new moon was not counted in counting out the weeks same as YHWH did not count it in Exodus the 16th chapter when he made the Sabbath known to Moses. If the new moon was ever counted in counting out the weeks in Scripture, there would be pinpointed weekly Sabbaths on the 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th etc. Yet, you cannot find these days pinpointed anywhere in Scripture because these days are always preparation days for the weekly Sabbath.

When Philo spoke of the 10th or 15th day of the month, he was counting the new moon day in his count, but it is an absolute that when he counted out the week, he did not count the new moon, which in itself proves lunar weeks. Remember Philo is just stating “how” things were done in his day.

Getting back on point we must remember that the works of Philo are very significant in that he walked the earth before and at the same time and twenty years after the resurrection of the Son of YHWH. He was one of the most influential men of that time, living as Jew in Alexandria, Egypt, and read from the Septuagint Bible. The Septuagint, was the most quoted from by our Savior and His Apostles.

Did Philo ever mention that the Sabbath could be found counting from the New moon??? The answer is yes, in Philo’s writings about such things as the Priesthood, festivals etc. are in harmony with the Bible we now read today. At one point in his writings he did make mention that some states or provinces were keeping only one Sabbath per month counting from the new moon, whereas we know all four should be kept properly.

Here is Philo on this issue: THE DECALOGUE, XX (96) It says, ”The fourth commandment has reference to the sacred seventh day that it may be passed in a sacred and holy manner. Some states keep the “holy festival” only once in the month, counting from the new moon, as a day sacred to God; but the nation of the Jews keep every seventh day regularly, after each interval of six days”.

Please notice carefully what Philo wrote above. First, one must realize that Philo understood that the new moon was a festival all by itself and was not one of the six ordinary working days (Ezekiel 46:1-3). The gate of the inner court was to be shut on the six working days and opened on the Sabbath and new moon. Philo here says that some provinces were observing the holy Sabbath day festival only once in the month. Notice how he centers in on “only once” in the month. He also mentions that they were keeping it by counting from the new moon and recognizing it as a day sacred to YHWH. Now, if counting from the new moon to find the weekly Sabbath is erroneous, how did these states keep the holy festival once a month? Think about this. Philo did not say they kept a Sabbath or their Sabbath or a bogus Sabbath, but rather he said they kept the holy festival sacred to YHWH.