Lesson 8: The Months of the Year (More Idolatry) 052319

The Bible Show
Lesson: The Months of the Year / More Idolatry
05/23/2019
EvolutionPOP.com

The Old Farmer's Almanac
https://www.almanac.com/content/how-did-months-get-their-names

How Did the Months Get Their Names?
The 12 Months of the Year and the Origins of Their Names
By Catherine Boeckmann
July 23, 2018

How did the months of the year get their names? The names reflect a mix of gods and goddesses, rulers, and numbers. Here’s the meaning of each month’s name.

Ancient Roman Calendar

Today we follow the Gregorian calendar, but it’s based on the ancient Roman calendar, believed to be invented by Romulus, the first king of Rome, around 753 BC.

The Roman calendar, a complicated lunar calendar, had 12 months but only 10 of the months had names. Basically, winter was a “dead” month when the government and military wasn’t active so they only had names for the time period we think of as March through December.

March was named for Mars, the god of war, because the this was the month when active military campaigns resumed! May and June were also named for goddesses (Maia and Juno). April meant “to open” in Latin, representing the opening buds of springtime. The rest of the months were simply numbered; their original names in Latin mean the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth month. Eventually, January and February were added to the end of the year so all 12 months had names.

Julian Calendar Updates

When Julius Caesar became pontifex maximus, he reformed the Roman calendar, so that the 12 months were based on the Earth’s revolutions around the Sun. It was a solar calendar as we have today. January and February were moved to the front of the year.

The winter months (January and February) remained a time of reflection, peace, new beginnings, and purification. After Caesar’s death, the month Quintilis (fifth) was renamed July in honor of Julius Caesar in 44 BC and, later, Sextilis (sixth) was renamed August in honor of Roman Emporor Augustus in 8 BC.

Of course, all the renaming and reorganizing meant that some of the months’ names no longer agreed with their position in the calendar (September to December). Later emperors tried to name various months after themselves, but those changes did not outlive them!

Today’s Gregorian Calendar

Eventually, the Julian Calendar was replaced with today’s Gregorian calendar because there were still some inaccuracies and adjustments to be made. For example, the calendar did not accurately reflect the time it took the Earth to orbit the Sun.
The Month’s Names
JANUARY

Named for the Roman god Janus, protector of gates and doorways. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other into the future. January was meant to be a time when the military campaigns ceased and there time for peace and reflection.
FEBRUARY

From the Latin word februa, “to cleanse.” The Roman calendar month of Februarius was named for Februalia, a festival of purification and atonement that took place during this period.
MARCH

Named for the Roman god of war, Mars. This was the time of year to resume military campaigns that had been interrupted by winter. March was also a time of many festivals, presumably in preparation for the campaigning season.
APRIL

From the Latin word aperio, “to open (bud),” because plants begin to grow in this month. In essence, this month was viewed as spring’s renewal.
MAY

Named for the Roman goddess Maia, who oversaw the growth of plants. Also from the Latin word maiores, “elders,” who were celebrated during this month. Maia was considered a nurturer and an earth goddess, which may explain the connection with this springtime month.
JUNE

Named for the Roman goddess Juno, patroness of marriage and the well-being of women. Also from the Latin word juvenis, “young people.”
JULY

Named to honor Roman dictator Julius Caesar (100 B.C.– 44 B.C.) after his death. In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar made one of his greatest contributions to history: With the help of Sosigenes, he developed the Julian calendar, the precursor to the Gregorian calendar we use today.
AUGUST

Named to honor the first Roman emperor (and grandnephew of Julius Caesar), Augustus Caesar (63 B.C.– A.D. 14). Augustus (the first Roman emperor) comes from the Latin word “augustus,” meaning venerable, noble, and majestic.
SEPTEMBER

From the Latin word septem, “seven,” because this had been the seventh month of the early Roman calendar.
OCTOBER

From the Latin word octo, “eight,” because this had been the eighth month of the early Roman calendar.
NOVEMBER

From the Latin word novem, “nine,” because this had been the ninth month of the early Roman calendar.
DECEMBER

From the Latin word decem, “ten,” because this had been the tenth month of the early Roman calendar.

Source:
This article was originally published in 2009 and has been updated.
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01.) Deuteronomy 18:10-14 (observer of times).
02.) Galations 4:6-11 (observe days, months, times, & years).
03.) Leviticus 19:26 (observer times).

Bible Study Tools.com
https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/observer-of-times/
Observe Times - see Divination

Merriam Webster Dictionary
Divination: the practice of using signs, such as the arrangement of tea leaves or cards, or special powers to predict the future; the art or practice that seeks to forsee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge, usually by the interpretation of omes or by the aid off supernatural powers; unusual insight; intuitive perception.

Strong's Bible Concordance
Observer of Times - H6049
A primitive root; to cover; to cloud over; figuratively to acte, that is practise, magic; soothsayer; sorcerer; enchanter.

Merriam Webster Dictionary

Horoscope
1 : a diagram of the relative positions of planets and signs of the zodiac at a specific time (as at one's birth) for use by astrologers in inferring individual character and personality traits and in foretelling events of a person's life
2 : an astrological forecast

Zodiac
1a : an imaginary band in the heavens centered on the ecliptic that encompasses the apparent paths of all the planets and is divided into 12 constellations or signs each taken for astrological purposes to extend 30 degrees of longitude
1b : a figure representing the signs of the zodiac and their symbols
2 : a cyclic course

Astrology
1 : the divination of the supposed influences of the stars and planets on human affairs and terrestrial events by their positions and aspects
2 archaic : astronomy

04.) Proverbs 16:9 (Lord directeth steps).
05.) Psalms 37:23 (steps ordered by the Lord).
06.) Jeremiah 10:23 (way of man is not himself).
07.) Jeremiah 17:9-10 (heart is deceitful).