Peter MacDonald
God is not random. From the stars in the heavens to the cycles of the earth, He built order, rhythm and sacred timing into creation. When He established His calendar in Exodus 12:2, He wasn’t just setting a date: He was inviting His people to live in harmony with Him.
For much of history, God’s people planted, harvested rested, and celebrated in sync with His appointed times. The biblical calendar, beginning in the month of Abib (Nisan), around 1 April marked not only natural seasons but spiritual seasons: Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles. These weren’t just feasts: they were divine appointments, foreshadowing the work of Christ and reminding us of God’s providence and covenant.
But over time, man’s systems replaced God’s rhythms. The Gregorian calendar, enforced by Roman authority, shifted the New Year to 1 January and aligned society with commerce, not covenant. What was sacred became secular. What was relational became routine.
We are often so busy keeping pace with deadlines and dates that we forget to pause and reflect on God’s calendar. We plan vacations, pay bills and set goals by a man-made system, but how often do we ask, “What is God doing this season?” God’s biblical New Year, set in the month of Abib (Nisan) which falls around 1 April 1 in the Gregorian calendar, is foundational to God’s design for time, worship and spiritual rhythm. This timing marks the beginning of months and a sacred year aligned with the spring equinox, symbolising new beginnings, freedom and redemption.
“This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you.” – Exodus 12:2
For both Old and New Testament believers, this sacred calendar frames the cycle of planting and harvest, marriage and family life and God’s appointed feasts fulfilled in Christ.
The Historical Disruption by Rome and the Catholic Church
However, this God-ordained calendar was disrupted over centuries:
- Julius Caesar, a pagan Roman ruler, introduced the Julian calendar in 45 BC, setting 1 January 1 named for the Roman god Janus as the New Year, breaking from God’s agricultural and spiritual timing.
- Later, Pope Gregory XIII reinforced this change with the Gregorian calendar in 1582, further institutionalising 1 January as the start of the year, cementing Roman pagan tradition into Christian practice.
- Many early Protestants, shaped by generations of Roman calendar use, remained unaware of the biblical New Year’s timing and significance.
The shift from God’s sacred calendar to Rome’s civil calendar effectively disconnected the Christian faithful from God’s original timing and the deep spiritual rhythms embedded in His appointed seasons.
April Fools’ Day, Cultural Mockery and Religious Control
One lesser-known but telling legacy of this change is April Fools’ Day:
- When Rome imposed 1 January as the New Year, many Christians and common folk continued to observe the traditional New Year around 1 April.
- Those who clung to God’s calendar were mocked and ridiculed as “April fools.”
- This mockery, possibly originating as a religious and cultural tool, discouraged sincere observance of God’s timing by painting it as foolishness or superstition.
- The cultural embedding of 1 April as a day of pranks and jokes served to alienate and repel even earnest Christians from reclaiming God’s sacred calendar.
The Spiritual Importance for Modern Christians Including Those in New Zealand
Today, with the rise of social media and global information sharing, many Christians are rediscovering the biblical calendar and its profound spiritual benefits.
- Observing God’s New Year and feasts fosters a life in harmony with God’s natural and divine order.
- It encourages intentional reflection on God’s faithfulness, sowing and harvest, enhancing spiritual growth and community.
- For Christians in the Southern Hemisphere, like in New Zealand, the seasons are reversed, but the spiritual significance of these dates remains unchanged. Observing the biblical New Year and feasts provides a powerful connection to God’s covenantal timing, regardless of local agricultural cycles.
- Returning to God’s calendar restores spiritual rhythm, worship depth and alignment with God’s promises, countering the distractions of the commercial, secular calendar rooted in paganism.
Devotional Reflection, Rediscovering God’s Calendar
As a Protestant Christian, discovering God’s Biblical calendar has deepened my walk with the Lord in ways I never expected. It has made me more reflective both of scripture and of God Himself, especially during the sowing and harvest seasons and the appointed feasts outlined in His Word. These times were never meant to be mere rituals but invitations to commune with God through the rhythm of creation.
In contrast, the Roman Gregorian calendar, reinforced by commercial pressures, often distracts even faithful Christians from these sacred moments. Instead of reflecting on God’s glory, we’re steered toward productivity, deadlines, and man-made holidays that pull our attention from divine truths. The biblical calendar realigns us with God’s timing, helping us to see His hand in the seasons, His purpose in our lives and His faithfulness across generations.
“He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting.” – Psalm 104:19
In my own life, this became especially clear when gardening. Under the Gregorian calendar, I would sow seeds and harvest fruit without truly being aware of God’s involvement in the process. I was doing the work, but not reflecting on the spiritual meaning behind the seasons.
But once I began observing the Biblical calendar, my awareness shifted. I began to see God’s grace in every planting, His faithfulness in every sprouting shoot and His glory in every harvest. It was no longer just about tasks it became about thanksgiving, reflection, and spiritual communion.
For any Christian, aligning with God's calendar doesn’t add burden, it adds joy. It draws you closer to His heart, reveals His order in creation, and reminds you daily that your life like the soil is in His hands.
Practical Steps
Have your own biblical calendar made.
You can design one using God’s appointed months, starting in Abib (Nisan) with the biblical feasts marked, with moon phases and key scriptures tied to each season. Many online printing services allow you to customise and print calendars affordably.
This calendar won’t just help you track days: it will help you track God’s heart throughout the year. Place it where you plan, pray or garden and let it serve as a visual reminder to live in God’s rhythm, not the world’s.
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12
Summary
§ God’s Biblical New Year, on or near April 1, is a divine appointment tied to creation, redemption, and covenant.
§ Rome’s calendar reforms replaced this with a pagan-rooted 1 January New Year, severing many Christians from God’s sacred timing.
§ April Fools’ Day originated, at least in part, as a way to mock and suppress those holding onto God’s calendar, deterring faithful observance.
§ Today’s Christians rediscovering God’s calendar despite historical opposition can deepen their faith and spiritual awareness by embracing these appointed times, even in places like New Zealand where seasonal cycles are reversed but the spiritual calling remains the same.
