(5) Since when are the Jews infallible?

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No human being is infallible. But, as stated above, God was able to use the Jews to preserve the Scriptures, just as He used them to preserve the calendar and the Sabbath. If you accept the Scriptures as authentic, then the calendar’s authenticity should also be accepted. We might ask in turn: “Since when is God fallible or unable to preserve His calendar intact?”

(6) If the true Church received calendar information from the Jews, as you claim, then the Church must have adopted the observance of Passover and Pentecost in the same manner as the Jews. Is this not what happened?

To draw upon the expertise of the people that God used to preserve the calendar is one matter. To copy every single custom from these same people is an entirely different matter. Just as Paul in Romans 3:3 asked (with respect to the Jews preserving the Scriptures and the calendar) “What if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” In this case, we could ask, does the failure of the Jews to observe the Passover or Pentecost at the correct time nullify their accuracy in preserving the calendar intact?

Once we understand exactly upon what day the Molad of Tishri is to fall, we can simply count backward by precisely 164 days to find when Nisan 14 occurs. Now if most Jews prefer to count back only 163 days to Nisan 15 and “combine” their Passover with the Night to Be Much Observed, that is their decision. Once the true Church obtained the understanding of the correct timing of the Molad of Tishri from the Jews, it became a simple matter to refer to Leviticus 23 and other relevant Scriptures which show the correct timing of God’s Holy Days.

One relevant analogy of this situation could pertain to asking travel directions to reach a town in which the person offering these directions happens to reside. By the person helping you locate the town does not necessarily mean that he would be compelled to lead you exclusively to his specific address. Likewise, when we refer often to The Comprehensive Hebrew Calendar for guidelines in understanding how the calendar is calculated, this does not mean we are helpless to arrive at the correct date of the Passover on our own initiative. Although the author of this work followed the Jewish tradition of observing Passover on the 15th of Nisan, we are in no way blindly led to accept this observance, thinking he would not even know how to recognize the 15th from the 14th. (Even during the time of Christ, many of the Jews of Judea were wrongly observing Passover on the 15th of Nisan under the Hellenized Jewish leadership of that time. However, the Jews of Galilee and various others were faithful in maintaining Passover on the 14th of Nisan, just as the Church of God did, beginning shortly afterwards.)

As far as the timing of Pentecost is concerned, different factions of the Jews have been divided over this issue for many centuries. For more detailed information about determining the time of Pentecost, read our article “How to Count Pentecost.” In short, the decision of when to observe either Passover or Pentecost are not calendar issues. The calendar answers the issues of correct timing for the Molad of Tishri. Once the calendar is established and correct, then one is to look to the Scriptures for instructions as to the exact dates with respect to the sacred calendar.

(7) What do 19-year time cycles have to do with the Hebrew calendar? We have been told that this was some strange belief that Mr. Armstrong held, which has since been disproved. Is this true?

One of the most basic principles of the calendar is the observation that the sun, earth, and moon come back into the same relative position every 19 years—a fact of astronomy. In one lunar month, the moon rotates around the earth. In one solar year, the earth revolves around the sun. But only once in every 19 years do they come back into the same precise conjunction. Thus, every 19 years (the combination of 12 common years with 7 leap years [235 months exactly]), the lunar cycle comes back into precise conjunction with the solar cycle. The 19-year time cycle is the standard by which the lunar and solar cycles are brought into harmony. It is in between these precise points in time that the harmony between lunar and solar cycles is approximated by leap years, and other fine-tuning adjustments provided for by the calendar mechanisms. No man-made calendar maintains this balance. It is as if God uses this precise alignment, every 19 years, to continually remind us that His calendar is still dependable and “on time.” As you have seen, these time cycles are also a central part of calendar calculations.

Through observation of Church history, many events and time periods have, in fact, shown undeniable patterns, corresponding with 19-year time cycles. Some of these patterns are included below. (Although this subject somewhat branches away from that of the calendar, it does help answer the above two-fold question.) A.D. 31 (beginning of true Church) to A.D. 50 (Paul goes to Europe) is one 19-year time cycle. From this point, Paul’s ministry continued until his martyrdom—just a few months short of the following 19-year time cycle.

A.D. 31 (beginning of true Church) to A.D. 69 (Jerusalem church flees to Pella) is 38 years, or two 19-year time cycles.

1934 (Philadelphia door opened) to 1953 (broadcast began in Europe) is one 19-year time cycle. The year of 1953 also marked 100 19-year time cycles (1900 years) from the time doors opened in numerous Greek cities and Paul’s ministry flourished in Europe.

Other examples include such time periods as the powerful ministry of Peter De Bruys, which began in 1104 and lasted exactly one time cycle, until 1123. Henry of Lausanne then led the Church through the second, and part of the third, time cycle. The Work at that time languished for 12 years. But exactly on schedule, at the beginning of the next time cycle, in 1161, began the incredible ministry of Peter Waldo. Then, for one full time cycle, the Work was centered in Lyon, France. For the next time cycle, beginning in 1180, the Work was centered in Italy, as well as northern Europe. Between 1180 and 1199, the Work greatly expanded and bore incredible fruit. In 1199, with the beginning of the Albigensian Crusade, the Work—and God’s people—were attacked with fire and the sword by decree of the Roman Catholics. By the end of this time cycle, in 1218, Peter Waldo was dead and this phase of the Waldensian Work had ended. In spite of intense persecution, much fruit was borne during the final 19 years of this Work.

“By a series of these 19-year time cycles, Jesus Christ put His signature as the Creator and Sustainer of the physical universe on His Church of the Thyatira Era just as He had done on the Ephesus Era.” (Immediate quote and preceding paragraph were referenced from Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, Lesson 51, page 15, 1968.)

The claim, that 19-year time cycles began as Mr. Armstrong’s strange, personal idea, was originally promoted by liberals in the Church in the 1970s. These same liberals opposed many of the other true doctrines restored by Mr. Armstrong, including prophetic understanding. This approach was shared by the apostate leaders after his death. So strong was the impact of these false leaders of the 1990s that it has continued among the scattered brethren and their leaders after the apostasy.

Belief in 19-year cycles is now regarded by many as fanaticism. Truly, “the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of” (2 Pet. 2:2), but this will not deter those who genuinely seek the truth. The concept of 19-year cycles is based on sound observation of patterns in Church and secular history.

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