The Hebrew word moedim, a plural noun, denotes appointed seasons or appointed times, referring to the festivals of God, His feast days, often called holy days. Lunar Sabbatarians, referencing Genesis 1:14, conclude that the sun and particularly the moon play a key role in establishing these seasons, specifically the appointed feast days of God. Leviticus 23 summarizes these festival days, these moedim, emphasizing the cycle of the seventh day rather than the arrival of a new moon. Notably, in pivotal passages concerning the weekly Sabbath, the word moedim is absent, indicating that the weekly occasion is not an appointed feast and is not tied to the annual occasions defined by a separate cycle.

The Lord's appointed times, known as moedim in Hebrew, literally mean appointments. These holy days and festivals commemorate significant events in Israel's history and reveal God's great plan of salvation for mankind. Observed in both testaments of Scripture and by early Christian churches, including Gentile congregations, these appointments hold profound importance. God dictates how we are to worship Him, setting specific times for these observances, as they are His designated moments to meet with humanity. These moedim occur throughout the year on the Hebrew calendar, a lunar-solar system based on the phases of the moon and the sun. Unlike the Gregorian solar calendar, the Hebrew calendar aligns months with new and full moons, incorporating leap months to maintain seasonal consistency. Key appointments include the weekly Sabbath, spring festivals such as Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Pentecost, as well as fall festivals like Trumpets, Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day. The Sabbath, rooted in the creation of the world, was blessed by God as a sign for all mankind to come before Him in adoration and worship. Historically, significant events often aligned with these appointed times. The deliverance of Israel from Egypt on the 14th day of the first month became known as Passover because of God's actions on that night. It is suggested that this day was already one of God's moedim before the event, just as the sacrifice of Jesus Christ occurred on Passover because He is the Passover Lamb, fulfilling the appointed time established by God. These divine appointments, evident from the creation account in Genesis, indicate that God marked out special times for significant events in His plan for all of humanity.

God has established the concept of time as a fundamental aspect of creation, and within this framework, He has set specific appointed times, known as mo'adim, to guide His people. These mo'adim, recurring cycles marked by the sun and moon, are visible in the heavens and serve as indicators of when to observe significant events, such as planting and reaping, as well as God's holy convocations. They are not merely seasonal markers but are deeply tied to His divine calendar, where He appoints specific times for meeting with His people. Through the creation of the sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day, God provided a means to count time accurately and purposefully. These celestial bodies help determine the mo'adim, embedding His meeting times into the lives of His called ones. When He sets a holy time, such as the 15th day of the first month, He infuses Himself into that moment, making it sacred, and expects those He calls to gather with Him. This synchronization with His time brings blessings, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, as well as the intangible benefits of congregating with Him and His people. Keeping these appointed times offers a profound advantage, revealing God's plan—past, present, and future—to those who observe them. Unlike others who cannot grasp what He is doing, those in harmony with Him through the mo'adim gain insight into His purpose, enabling them to align their lives accordingly and prepare for eternal life in His Kingdom. This alignment is a foundational step in organizing time wisely, prioritizing what matters, and making decisions that lead to everlasting life with Him.

Genesis 1:14 states that the Creator put the lights in the firmament for signs and seasons. The word seasons (moedim) refers to appointed times or times of gathering together rather than summer and winter. The lights God created determine His times. When these lights are darkened on those moedim, it provides an open invitation to consider what may be going on. Celestial events such as lunar and solar eclipses occurring on these moedim seem beyond coincidence, as they take place on days that God has marked out in Scripture for special attention. One lunar eclipse remains on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. A solar eclipse occurred on the last day of the previous Hebrew year, and a partial eclipse will appear on the last day of the year of release (shemitah), Elul 29, the day before the new civil year begins on the Feast of Trumpets. Scripture links signs in the heavens, especially the sun and moon going dark, with times of judgment. The book of Joel mentions the sun, moon, and stars being darkened as precursors to God's wrath. Isaiah 13 foretells heavenly lights being darkened as part of God's judgment on Babylon. Ezekiel 32 links the darkening of the heavens with God's judgment on Egypt. In Ecclesiastes 12, the darkening of the lights of heaven symbolizes the dimming of the mind and approaching end of a person's period of judgment. The significance of the holy days involved includes the first days of the Feasts of Unleavened Bread and Tabernacles.

The Hebrew word moed literally means appointed time and is sometimes translated as festival. This term appears in instructions regarding the year of release, indicating that the observance occurs at the appointed time. The moedim include the Feast of Tabernacles, which in the seventh year after the year of release becomes a particularly significant occasion due to the convergence of the release year ending, the septennial cycle, and the presence of God. Only three feasts required travel to the Temple in Jerusalem or Shiloh: Pentecost, the Days of Unleavened Bread, and Tabernacles. The other feasts were kept locally. This arrangement reflected an act of mercy given the travel and occupational demands on the people. In the seventh year, the gathering at the moed added solemnity because God Himself was present with the nation with whom He had entered a covenant.