This poll was originally worded:
The Lunar Sabbath Theory is....
1) a false doctrine
2) a truth from Scripture
3) not sure about it
We thought perhaps our poll was glitchy because the voting showed that more than 2/3s of those voting said they BELIEVED the Lunar Sabbath Theory was a Truth from Scripture. This surprised us greatly! So the poll was reset; but after a few weeks, the theory is still receiving 50% of the vote as being Scripturally true. Then it was suggested to us that perhaps some people do not understand what the Lunar Sabbath Theory entails (it places our weekly sabbaths as always falling on the same days of each month beginning with the new moon) INSTEAD of the sabbath always falling on the seventh day of each week (from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown) irregardless of when the new moon occurs. Below is an article from www.shofar.net which we believe may assist you in your own research -- it is very in depth and well researched. Also, feel free to write messianics.com if this poll confused you or you feel after reading more that the way you voted did not reflect your actual opinion. We are anxious to hear if the majority of our readers actually hold to such a minority viewpoint. Todah!
from: http://www.shofars.org/Lunar%20Sabbaths.htm
The following article is the compilation of research done by the
authors. Any question can be directed to them at the following link:
Seekutruth@aol.com Something Different: Lunar Sabbaths By Larry and June Acheson 1. What Are Lunar Sabbaths? I remember a new dessert taste sensation that was introduced
back in the 60’s. It was called Something Different, and boy, was it ever
delicious. It was a very light and fluffy, chocolate mousse-like dessert that
was served after having been chilled in the refrigerator. For a time,
Something Different was a very popular dessert item and it was widely
advertised on TV. To my disappointment, however, the product apparently
didn’t catch on with enough consumers, and within a few years, it was only a
fading memory. Something Different would be an appropriate description
of a relatively new belief structure currently being promoted by some professing
Sabbathkeepers. Like the dessert, this mode of Sabbath observance has a certain
appeal that has drawn many people into embracing it. The question is, will this
belief attract enough people to have any significant impact on the
Sabbathkeeping world, or will it one day find itself a faded memory, a testimony
to a passing idea or fad that simply didn’t "catch on"? More importantly to our
current investigation is the question, "Is this method of Sabbath observance
based upon truth and does it have the support of Scripture?" Frequently referred to as "Lunar Sabbaths," those who promote
this belief teach that, in antiquity, the new moon dictated when the Sabbath day
was to occur each month. Although there are various methods commonly taught with
regard to exactly how this was done, the one I am most familiar with goes like
this: The new moon conjunction determines day one of each month, and this day is
a Sabbath day. The sighting of the crescent moon signals the official ending of
this Sabbath day, and the beginning of day one of the work week. Thus, for
example, a new moon conjunction might occur on a Tuesday. If the crescent is
seen that night, this would make Wednesday the first day of the week during any
given month. The seventh day of the week during that particular month would thus
fall on a Tuesday. Some teach that this method was unlawfully changed by the
Jews upon their return from the exile. Others teach that "Lunar Sabbaths" were
in fact observed during the time of the Messiah, but were rejected at some
unspecified point in time afterwards. Of great significance to this issue is the
fact that no one supporting this belief has come forward with solid, credible
historical evidence dating and documenting exactly "when" such a change
occurred. In fact, as we will demonstrate in this study, the available
historical evidence reveals that Judaism, during the time of the Messiah,
reckoned the weekly Sabbath the same as they do today. More on this later. First, however, for those who might have a difficult time
envisioning how one might follow a Lunar Sabbath calendar, we are
displaying one for you to examine. The following calendar accurately depicts a
potential month during any given year: A Potential Lunar Sabbath Month Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Fifth Sabbath of Previous Month 1 Day of New Moon Conjunction (first Sabbath of new month
begins) 1 Extended Sabbath ends with Crescent Moon Sighting (first
Sabbath of the month) 2 Day one of work week (Sabbath this month will fall on a
Wednesday) 3 Day two of work week 4 Day three of work week 5 Day four of work week 6 Day five of work week 7 Day six of work week 8 Day seven (second Sabbath of the month) 9 Day one of work week 10 Day two of work week 11 Day three of work week 12 Day four of work week 13 Day five of work week 14 Day six of work week 15 Day seven (third Sabbath of the month) 16 Day one of work week 17 Day two of work week 18 Day three of work week 19 Day four of work week 20 Day five of work week 21 Day six of work week 22 Day seven (fourth Sabbath of the month) 23 Day one of work week 24 Day two of work week 25 Day three of work week 26 Day four of work week 27 Day five of work week 28 Day six of work week 29 Day seven (fifth Sabbath of the month) 1 Day of New Moon Conjunction (first Sabbath of the new
month) 1 Extended Sabbath (unless crescent moon is sighted night
before) 2 Day 2 of new month’s work week; Sabbath this month on a
Friday Note that the Sabbaths of the above calendar fall on the 1st,
8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th days of
the month. In any calendar promoted by Lunar Sabbath observers, this same
sequence will always occur, whether the Sabbath should happen to fall on, say, a
Monday or a Thursday. Also note that since the month begins and ends with a
Sabbath day, there will always be five Sabbath days per lunar cycle. This
does not include the extended Sabbath days, which we will address later
in this study. Those who adhere to the teaching that the Sabbath should be
governed by the timing of the new moon are not themselves in agreement over how
this belief was (apparently) practiced, which makes it difficult to come up with
a response to each piece of logic they offer in support of their position. Some
lunar sabbatarians believe the weekly Sabbath should fall on the 7th,
14th, 21st and 28th days of the month. Some
believe the new moon governing the Sabbath observances each month was actually
the conjunction of the moon. Others believe it was the visible new moon
crescent. Thus, some believe the new moon crescent sighting heralded the
beginning of, not only the new month, but also a new Sabbath day. Others
believe the sighting of the new moon crescent signaled the end of
the first Sabbath day of the month and the beginning of a new work week. This
particular view is represented by the calendar shown above. A few years ago I attended a debate between a man espousing
Lunar Sabbaths and a man who supports observing the weekly Sabbath as
handed down to us by Judaism. Typical of all such debates I have attended, at
the conclusion of the debate, each man felt he had presented his case in such an
unequivocal manner that there was "no question" as to whether or not he had
successfully refuted the other’s position. To the credit of the man supporting
Lunar Sabbaths, he maintained his composure and remained respectful
throughout the debate, in spite of many hostile interruptions from a rather
disrespectful audience. I don’t believe anyone could question either his
integrity or his sincerity. Nevertheless, his opponent brought up many points
which I believe invalidate the Lunar Sabbath position and he raised too
many questions that were not, in my opinion, satisfactorily answered. For the
benefit of those who may be considering the merits of observing Lunar
Sabbaths, we would like to offer our reasons for choosing to not
implement such a drastic lifestyle change. 2. Reverse Numbers Logic Before addressing the problems incurred by Lunar Sabbath
observance, we believe it is important to direct your attention to a ploy that
is often utilized by some individuals in an attempt to persuade others to give
views such as this one more serious consideration than they would otherwise be
willing to give it. This ploy is what we term reverse numbers logic. Here
is how this system works: We all know of how society in general teaches that
anything practiced and believed by the majority of people "must" be correct.
This is the truth in numbers logic. In other words, our society, as a
whole, believes that truth is decided by majority vote. Hopefully, we all know
better than to believe such a thing. We know the Messiah taught that broad is
the way leading to destruction and of how many will follow that path. The road
to eternal life, however, is narrow, and only a few will follow it (Matt.
7:13-14). In other words, as the Messiah plainly outlined, majority vote most
certainly does not decide truth. Lunar Sabbath proponents
capitalize on this reality, using the fact that their numbers are small as a
springboard to persuading others of how this demonstrates that their position
"must" be correct. They then play a little "hardball" with this "reverse numbers
logic" by sprinkling in sporadic comments to the effect that anyone who doesn’t
accept their position is "closed minded." For example, here are a few quotations from some articles I
have found on the internet: "The new moon is indeed a PENDANT – the weekly Sabbath
depends on it for its very existence since it is counted from the day after
the new moon. Anybody with an open mind should be able to see this."1 Of course, the implication is that those with closed minds
will not be able to grasp their teaching. Those who are well grounded in
Scripture will be able to see through such subtle uses of propaganda. These
tactics are designed to sway the reader into accepting the author’s position
without regard to any distortions found in his writings. The author goes on to write: "Most of professing Christianity claims Sunday is the
day, while Jews and various of the Adventists and Churches of God claim
YEHOVAH God set Saturday apart from the rest of the week. This article
suggests that both parties are in error and that we have no way of knowing
when YEHOVAH’s Sabbath day falls in our Gregorian calendar. The fact is,
time has been lost! But YEHOVAH God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, has
planted clues in His Word the Bible – clues that those with an understanding
mind can uncover and use to reinstate YEHOVAH God’s TRUE SABBATH DAY!" It appears that not only do open-minded folk grasp that the
weekly Sabbath is dependent upon the lunar cycle, but those with an
"understanding mind" can unearth the hidden clues that are apparently buried in
Scripture and thus reinstate the "true Sabbath day." Those who are closed-minded
and lacking an "understanding mind" will not be able to accomplish this
feat. Surely, since all of us want to be open-minded and possess superior
understanding, we will see and understand what the author sees! From all
indications, the author of the above comments has a simple criterion for
determining whether or not an individual has an open mind: Agreement with his
position. The author concludes his study with the following remark: "It is my sincere hope and prayer that you, the reader,
will have an open mind and see the irrefutable truth that YEHOVAH God set up
His holy Sabbath days on the four quarters of the moon (Exodus 16) and
intends for us to worship Him on these very days. The Saturday sabbath is
NOT YEHOVAH God’s day – any more than Sunday is. In the search for truth we
have uncovered vital new truth that, frankly, is going to separate the men
from the boys; those who will obey YEHOVAH God without equivocation from
those who will continue to thumb their noses at YEHOVAH and resist to the
very end." Are you a real man or are you just a "boy"? Are you an
obedient believer or do you "thumb your nose" at Almighty Yahweh? According to
the author of the above commentary, if you worship on the "Saturday sabbath,"
you are, metaphorically speaking, just a "boy," not a man. Moreover, unless you
are able to understand and observe Lunar Sabbaths as the author does, you are
figuratively thumbing your nose at the Creator. Some lunar sabbatarians approach this issue from the
perspective that those who observe the continuously repeating seventh-day
Sabbath are following "traditions of men." Notice the claim listed in a booklet
we were given by a proponent of Lunar Sabbaths: "Many people keep a seventh day, Heathens included, the
Christians on Sunday, the Muslims on Friday, and the Jews on Saturday, etc.
Anyone can keep a 7th day count, but how many can keep a Sabbath
of YHWH? How many are willing to forget all the traditions of men that they
have inherited? (The lies) ‘Our fathers have inherited lies, vanity and
things where there is no profit’ (Jer. 16:19) Follow the scriptures they are
profitable for doctrine (II Tim. 3:16)." According to the above author, the true "Sabbath of YHWH" is,
by process of elimination, not based upon a "7th day
count," and those who observe a continuously repeating seven-day cycle ending in
a Sabbath each week are keeping a Sabbath based upon "the traditions of men,"
which is in turn based upon "lies" that they have inherited. Here’s a commentary from yet another supporter of the Lunar
Sabbath teaching: "Have you been finding yourself weary of having fallen to
deceit at every turn since your birth? If Yahweh has been leading you on His
path to truth, at every turn now, you find that man (at Satan’s instigation)
has devised ways to supplant Yahweh’s ways. Let’s count a few of them." The writer goes on to list 12 "false teachings" that he
believes the adversary has allowed to creep into the assembly at large. Notice
which item makes "number two" on his list: "2. Sabbath was ‘fixed’ to a Saturn’s day or a Sun day
instead of being determined according to Yahweh’s faithful witness, the moon
and its lunar cycle." Please note the author’s subtle attempt to portray the
regular weekly Sabbath handed down to us by Judaism as being fixed to "Saturn’s
Day." This, of course, is clever propaganda designed to subtly persuade the
reader that the Jewish Sabbath stems from heathenism. By associating Judaism’s
day of rest with the name given to this day by heathens, the author hopes to
succeed in discrediting the Jewish day of worship. Elsewhere (p. 2) he refers to
this day as "the Saturnday Sabbath," even though it is common knowledge that
Judaism never associated any days of the week with the names of the planets. The
author then concludes his treatise by making the following appeal to his
readers: "Can I say to you, ‘BEWARE OF THE TRADITIONS OF MEN’?
Yahshua warned the people of His day concerning the traditions of men. I
personally believe that the Lunar Sabbath was primarily being observed
during Messiah’s day and that the seven day circle (known as the ‘week’) was
instituted by man after the time of Messiah. CAUTION: If it is a widely
accepted and celebrated holiday or tradition in this world today, I’d
caution, BEWARE." With this commentary, the author joins the previously quoted
lunar sabbatarian in lumping the weekly (Saturday) Sabbath in with the
"traditions of men." Even though those who observe the weekly Sabbath on
Saturday are considerably fewer in number than those who worship on Sunday,
apparently their numbers are still "too high" in the opinion of the author just
quoted, and this consequently serves as a "red flag" indicating that the "true
Sabbath" cannot fall on a Saturday each week. If the weekly (Saturday) Sabbath
as handed down to us by Judaism is truly a "tradition of men," then certainly we
need to examine this issue very closely and reevaluate our decision to set aside
that day for rest and worship. On the other hand, if the day blessed by Yahweh
can be shown as being the very day handed down to us by Judaism, then it is most
certainly not a "tradition of men," and those who promote such an
agenda are themselves guilty of subverting Yahweh’s Word, as well as profaning
the very day He blessed at Creation. Although the author of the above commentary uses the power of
persuasion in an attempt to sway the reader into believing that the "Saturnday
Sabbath" is not the true Sabbath of Yahweh, he rightly proceeds to challenge his
readers to even question his writings, which is commendable.
Nevertheless, the appeal to the senses has been made: If you observe something
being practiced by large numbers of people, deception "must" be involved. Of
course, the same logic employed by the author could be directed at those who
believe in a Creator. Since nearly all Bible believers believe in a Creator,
this should arouse our suspicions, at least if we pursue the logic he promotes.
We suggest that, instead of focusing any attention on
reverse numbers logic, all of us should simply focus our attention on the
truth of Yahweh’s Word, using it as our ultimate guide. His Word
should be our "measuring stick," not the numbers of people found to be
practicing a certain belief. The Apostle Paul admonished the Thessalonian
believers to "prove all things," holding fast to that which is good. We believe
he would give us that same advice today. Furthermore, when historical evidence
aligns with the "measuring stick" of Scripture, the truth of the matter is
confirmed. 3. The Sabbath Observed by the Messiah As quoted earlier, many the Lunar Sabbath proponents
believe the Messiah recognized and observed the "Lunar Sabbaths" as opposed to
the "Saturday Sabbath." However, they do not produce any evidence supporting
this belief. Indeed, it would seem that they do not produce evidence because
there isn’t any. The evidence we have seen supports believing that the Messiah
observed the weekly Sabbath on the day commonly known as Saturday. Consider the
following evidence: 1) From time immemorial, Jews have always recognized the
Sabbath as falling on the day known as Saturday. In fact, one of the most
universally known terms existing in ancient and modern languages is the word
"Sabbath" and its variants. Forms of this word have been discovered in over a
hundred languages, all the way from Africa to eastern Russia, and in every
single case the term is used to designate the seventh day of the week, the day
corresponding to our Saturday. Here are just a few examples: Language English Transliteration pi sabbaton ("the Sabbath) Tamashek (Atlas Mountains, Africa) a-hal es-sabt ("the Sabbath") Hausa (Central Africa) assebatu ("the Sabbath") Hindustani (Muhammadan and Hindu, India) shamba ("Sabbath"} Kurdish (Kurdistan) shamba ("Sabbath") Georgian (Caucasus) shabti ("Sabbath") Malayan (Malaya, Sumatra) hari sabtu ("day Sabbath") Osmanlian (Turkey) yom-es-sabt ("day of the Sabbath") Kanzani-Tartar (east Russia) subbota ("Sabbath") As illustrated by the chart above, ancient languages have
preserved both the intrinsic meaning and pronunciation of the original word for
"Sabbath." As George A. Main concludes, "The fact that words in the original
languages used to designate the seventh day of the week as the ‘Sabbath’
continued to be very similar while other words were so changed over time that
they became unintelligible to people of other language groups, is ample proof
that the Sabbath and the words used to designate the seventh day of the week as
the ‘Sabbath day’ date back to Creation. This is in complete harmony with the
Biblical record found in Genesis 2:1-3." 2) If it is true, as proponents of the Lunar Sabbath
theory assert, that the Jews of the Messiah’s day observed the Lunar Sabbath,
this begs the question of exactly "when" the change to the current "Saturday
Sabbath" was instituted and how those who imposed such a change were able to
effectively spread its effects on such a global basis. In spite of the attempts
of Lunar Sabbath supporters to produce historical documentation of such a
change, we have yet to see a single reference validating how and when it
occurred, not to mention how this change was successfully imposed upon the
Jewish people. Indeed, the evidence is overwhelming that, since antiquity, all
Jews everywhere have only recognized the "Saturday Sabbath." Consider what would
have had to have occurred for Jews to have "lost track" of the correct timing of
the Sabbath: Can you imagine all Jews, in every corner of the earth,
awakening one day and forgetting what "day" it was? This is what those who
promote Lunar Sabbaths must believe. They must believe that, between the
year 70 CE and the Middle Ages, all Jews lost track of the "true Sabbath," and
instead embraced a "false Saturday Sabbath." When and how did this change occur?
Where is the documentation of this event or decree? Why is history silent
regarding this "change"? These are questions that have not been successfully
answered by Lunar Sabbath proponents. If indeed there was a transition
from Lunar Sabbath observance to Saturday Sabbath observance, we
should expect to find traces of cultures that continue a system of torah based
Lunar Sabbath observance in spite of the apparent "change" that was made
on not only a sweeping, global basis, but on a secret basis as well. In fact, despite the already sparse historical evidence
produced by supporters of the Lunar Sabbaths, they believe there is
additional evidence that will surface and that key historical evidence has been
destroyed: "I might also add that I believe more historical
information will be forthcoming but I also believe that much historical
proof of a lunar reckoning has been destroyed to hide the truth and further
the deceitful schemes Satan has devised many ways to keep us from walking
Yahweh’s way of truth and light." Again, for us to rationally believe that the "true Sabbath
has been lost" by Judaism, we need an official, documented record of the change.
The attempts we have seen to this point prove nothing of the sort. 4. The Timing of Yeshua’s Death and Resurrection We have shown that normative Jewish practice and belief
before, during and after Yeshua’s earthly ministry is not in harmony with the
beliefs of those who observe Lunar Sabbaths. Those who study the
narrative pertaining to Yeshua’s death, burial and resurrection will notice that
the timing of these events, as recorded by the authors of the Messianic
accounts, demonstrates that they did not observe Lunar Sabbaths. Yeshua,
as every scholarly reference we have consulted agrees, was killed on the day of
Passover, Abib 14. The day following Passover, Abib 15, is a special Sabbath
day, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. If you are familiar with
this account, you may recall that the Jews hasted to have the bodies removed
from the stakes before the onset of this special Sabbath day (John 19:31). Three days and three nights later, Yeshua rose from the dead,
and the following morning was the first day of the week (Luke 24:1-7). The fact that Yeshua rose prior to the first day of the week
refutes the teaching of those who promote the Lunar Sabbath theology. You
see, for those who observe Lunar Sabbaths, Abib 15 is not only a "high
day Sabbath," it is also a weekly Sabbath day. Their
dilemma thus consists of explaining how Yeshua was killed on the sixth day of
the week (i.e., the day prior to their weekly Sabbath reckoning), and then,
three days and three nights later, He rose from the dead just prior to the first
day of the week. If Abib 14 was the sixth day of the week, three days and
three nights later brings us to Abib 17, which is the second day of the week,
and the following morning, when the women went to the tomb, would have been the
third day of the week, not the first day as recorded in the
Messianic accounts. In order to make the Bible account "fit" their theology,
Lunar Sabbath proponents come up with some pretty confusing explanations.
For example, one man is on record as explaining that Yeshua could not have been
killed on Abib 14. According to him, Yeshua was slain on Abib 13. We’re not sure
how such a belief helps to solidify his position, but we’re sure he has it all
worked out. Still another proponent of Lunar Sabbaths, aware of
the difficulty posed by the time frame surrounding Yeshua’s death and
resurrection, argues that "first day of the week" in Matthew 28:1 doesn’t really
mean "first day of the week." Here is a portion of his commentary: "This phrase [‘first day of the week’] always occurs
during a time known to the Hebrews as ‘the counting of the omer.’ In
other words, we believe mia ton sabbaton means ‘early in week ONE of
the counting of the omer - the counting of shabuwas (weeks/sabbaths).’" Of course, those who promote Lunar Sabbaths are left
to believe there are many mistranslations and distortions in Scripture, and that
these errors are all a part of the "great conspiracy" to subvert Yahweh’s Word. Indeed, there are many mistranslations and distortions that
have been perpetrated on Yahweh’s Word. However, in nearly every case, the
corruption can be traced and the proper translation can be confirmed by either
checking out the original text or by comparing other texts for accuracy. In the
case of Matthew 28:1, it is interesting that both Aramaic and Hebrew texts
support the Greek rendering "first day of the week." Notice the rendering of
Matthew 28:1 as translated from the Aramaic: In the evening of the Sabbath, when the first day of the
week began to dawn, there came Mary of Magdala and the other Mary to see the
tomb. As this text reveals, Yeshua had already risen before the
first day of the week began, thus fulfilling perfectly the "three days and three
nights" prophecy He gave concerning Himself (Matt 12:40). He could not have
fulfilled this prophecy if He had been put to death on the sixth day of the
week. 5. Do "Three Days and Three Nights" Mean Three Days and Three Nights? As we have already outlined, part of the difficulty in
addressing the Lunar Sabbath teaching is the fact that each lunar sabbatarian
seems to have his own unique belief system that enables his view to fit within
the parameters of his Biblical perspective. As soon as we address one view,
demonstrating that it lacks the support of Scripture and history, we learn that
a certain lunar sabbatarian never believed that particular method in the first
place. We are then met with another aspect that, unless it is addressed, serves
to "clinch" that particular lunar sabbatarian’s position. Having already dealt
with a lunar sabbatarian’s argument that "first day of the week doesn’t really
mean first day of the week," we were later introduced to yet another
lunar sabbatarian who teaches that the expression "three days and three nights"
doesn’t really mean three days and three nights. This is what
occurred at a lunar sabbatarian’s presentation that we once attended. Having
already been exposed to the one perspective involving a lunar sabbatarian’s
interpretation of "first day of the week," we had no idea that we would later
encounter yet other lunar sabbatarians who agree with our
interpretation of "first day of the week," but disagree with our
interpretation of "three days and three nights! Of course, it is important for
this particular lunar sabbatarian to believe that the expression "three days and
three nights" doesn’t really mean three days and three nights because, if it
did, this would destroy his belief that the Jews of the Messiah’s day were
observing Lunar Sabbaths. You see, three days and three nights from the
sixth day of week, which they believe marks the day of the crucifixion, brings
us to the second day of the week. Since this particular lunar sabbatarian
believes the Messiah had resurrected before the first day of the week, he is
left to believe that "three days and three nights" must simply be an idiomatic
expression that "really" means "parts of three days." In fact, in a booklet distributed by one such individual, we
read the following conclusion: "Now, can 3 days and 3 nights be a period of exactly 72
hours? Of course it can, especially in our modern day reckoning of time. The
fact is this though; if the phrase in Matthew 12:40 refers to the Messiah’s
entombment, then it cannot be literal seeing it would contradict
everything else the gospels have to say concerning the matter. May I
point out once again… the text says absolutely nothing of 72 hours."
(Emphasis his) In Matthew 12, we read that the scribes and Pharisees wanted
to see a "sign" from Yeshua. In verses 39-40 He replied, "An evil and adulterous
generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the
sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the
whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the
heart of the earth." The question arises as to whether or not the Messiah meant
what He said in the above passage. Certain lunar sabbatarians, as noted above,
believe He did not mean what He said, or as they would prefer to
word it, "He was only speaking figuratively." Certainly if we are to understand
the Messiah’s words literally, He was indeed uttering an exact prophecy
concerning the length of time He would be in the tomb. Either Yeshua meant what
He said or He didn’t. Lunar Sabbath proponents point to such verses as Luke
9:22, where Yeshua said, "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be
rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be
raised the third day." Lunar sabbatarians believe that verses such as Luke 9:22
cancel out the literal "three days and three nights" prophecy spoken in Matthew
12:40. In other words, since the prophecy of Matthew 12:40 only appears
once, whereas there are several instances of the mentioning of "the
third day," a literal interpretation of Matthew 12:40 is to be avoided. This reasoning reminds me of the ridicule a certain man named
Jim directed at me during my first year of Sabbathkeeping several years ago. We
exchanged a few letters in which each of us presented our positions pertaining
to the issue of whether or not the fourth commandment is still in effect. Of
course, he was persuaded that the Sabbath is "Old Covenant" and was "nailed to
the cross" at Calvary. At one point in our exchange I explained that in Matthew
24:20 the Messiah uttered a prophecy concerning the impending destruction of
Jerusalem and of how He instructed His followers to pray that their flight not
be on the Sabbath day. This was a prophecy of an event that was to transpire
nearly forty years from the moment it was prophesied. A part of that prophecy
included Yeshua’s directive that His followers pray that their flight not take
place on the Sabbath day, a clear example of how the Messiah never
intended for anyone to believe that the Sabbath would be "done away" at His
death, as He plainly knew that it would still be in force some forty years in
the future. Jim did not quite know how to respond to that oft-ignored
verse, a verse so powerfully supportive of the ongoing preeminence of the fourth
commandment. In his drive to deal with such a forceful prophetic statement
upholding the permanence of the Sabbath commandment, Jim decided to focus on the
fact that Yeshua is only recorded uttering this prophecy once in
the four Messianic accounts. In other words, since this prophecy is only
mentioned in the book of Matthew and not in any of the other three
accounts, this must mean that its omission from the other books cancel it out!
Here’s a portion of what he wrote: "How’s come you and your group always quote Matthew 24:20
which deals with prophecy but never Mark 13 and Luke 21 which deal with the
same prophecy? Of course, it is because Matthew has the word ‘Sabbath’ and
the other two do not. People must not try to read more into Scripture than
what is really there." Jim’s point was this: Since the warning about praying that
their flight be not on the Sabbath is only found in one passage of the
Bible … since it is omitted by the other Messianic Accounts … this "must" mean
that Yeshua "didn’t really mean what He said" in the account recorded by
Matthew. Of course, no Bible student will ever come out and say, "He didn’t
really mean what He said in that verse." Instead, they will "beat around the
bush," or "dance around the issue," putting forth their most valiant efforts to
semi-eloquently express what they believe should be the proper understanding of
the verse. In Jim’s case, he went on to write that Yeshua’s intended
understanding was that the Jews, for a while (nearly forty years), would not
"fully understand that the old Sabbath had been abolished." According to Jim,
"This verse is not saying Christians should be observing the Sabbath after
Christ’s resurrection. The praying that the Jews’ flight might not be upon the
Sabbath day referred only to their delay in leaving Jerusalem which the Sabbath
would give them (in case they kept it as a holy rest)." In other words, anyone thinking that Yeshua’s reference to
praying that their flights be not on the Sabbath day was a reference to the
ongoing legitimacy of the fourth commandment, is mistaken! This is the approach
of a man who chooses to reject the validity of the fourth commandment in this
day and age. Now let’s go back to the booklet advocating Lunar Sabbath
observance. Since the "three days and three nights" prophecy is only mentioned
once … since it is outnumbered by the phrase "on the third day" or
"in three days," does this infer that Yeshua didn’t really intend for His
audience to understand that "three days and three nights" means
"three days and three nights"? This is what some lunar sabbatarians insist as
being true. In response to those who conclude that we should not take
Yeshua’s words literally in Matthew 12:40, we believe it is fair to say that we
can indeed harmonize the phrase "three days and three nights" with the other
expressions. To begin with, the expression "after three days" can certainly be
acknowledged as being synonymous with "three days and three nights." Three days
are inclusive in each expression. "On the third day" is still inclusive of
"three days and three nights." For example, if the Messiah was crucified on a
Wednesday, then the third day, or three days later, would be Saturday. On the
other hand, if He was killed on the sixth day of the week (as proposed by lunar
sabbatarians), "after three days" would be the second day of the week, which
fails the test of His having risen before the first day of the week. Instead of
attempting to force "on the third day" to cancel out a literal understanding of
"three days and three nights," we suggest harmonizing the wording of each
expression. Rather than teaching that expressions such as "on the third day"
nullify the "three days and three nights" expression, we believe the "three days
and three nights" expression fully brings out and enhances our understanding of
the other expressions. Furthermore, there is scholarly support for the understanding
that the expression "three days and three nights" must be
understood in its literal sense. Notice the commentary found in Appendix 144 of
the Companion Bible: "The fact that ‘three days’ is used by
Hebrew idiom for any part of three days and three nights is not disputed;
because that was the common way of reckoning, just as it was when used of
years. Three or any number of years was used inclusively of any part of
those years, as may be seen in the reckoning of the reigns of any of the
kings of Israel and Judah. But, when the number of ‘nights’ is
stated as well as the number of ‘days,’ then the expression ceases to
be an idiom, and becomes a literal statement of fact." As this reference reveals, when the number of "nights" is
expressed in addition to the number of "days," the literal understanding is
intended. When Yeshua framed the words "three days and three nights," that is
exactly what He meant. Finally, the author of the booklet from which we quoted at
the beginning of this section goes to great lengths to insist that Yeshua never
intended for His audience to understand a literal 72 hour entombment. Is
this true? No, it is not. The question, once again, becomes, "Do ‘three days and
three nights’ really mean three days and three nights?" We believe
that Yeshua fully understood the hours involved in such a time frame, as He
plainly said, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight?" If we "do the math," we
can easily discern that, indeed, Yeshua was referring to a full 72-hour
interment. 6. Does "The Third Day Since These Things Were Done" Mean
the Third Day Since Those Things Were Done? Of course, now that we have gone to such lengths to establish
that Yeshua meant what He said when He spoke of being in the "heart of the
earth" for three days and three nights, the opposition brings up the incident of
Yeshua’s post-resurrection encounter with the two men on their way to Emmaus, as
found in Luke 24:18-21: 17
Coptic (Egypt)
18
And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto Him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?19
And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto Him, Concerning Yeshua of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before the Almighty and all the people:20
And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him.21
But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done.Upon quoting the above passage, the lunar sabbatarian, in his booklet, goes on to insist that the "third day since these things" refers to the third day since the act of the crucifixion. In other words, since the last event mentioned by Cleopas is the crucifixion, this must make it the starting point for the "three days since" expression. This means that the Sabbath would have been day one since "these things were done," the first day of the week was day two since "these things were done," and the second day of the week was "day three" since "these things were done." As anyone can see, even the account of the men on the road to Emmaus disproves the lunar sabbatarian’s argument.
Notice how he defends his position in his booklet:
"There are many attempts to make ‘these things’ of verse 21 mean several things. The verses in and of themselves tell us what ‘these things’ refer to. They refer to how, ‘…our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and… crucified him.’ The delivering up of the Messiah to death was done at the beginning of the 14th of Abib in the garden of Gethsemane by Judas, and the death took place in the afternoon of the 14th. The third day since these things were done was the 16th of Abib, and this fits perfectly with the verse at hand."
As noted from the above commentary, the author believes that Abib 16 marks the "third day since" the afternoon of Abib 14. Is this true? No, it is not. It appears that perhaps he does not have the proper understanding of the definition of the word "since." The word "since," as defined by any good dictionary, denotes a time frame that is "Continuously throughout the time after (an event): since noon." Obviously, then, one day "since" the crucifixion, presuming it occurred on the sixth day of the week (in accordance with lunar sabbatarian belief), marks the afternoon of the Sabbath (Abib 15). Day two "since" the crucifixion marks the afternoon of the first day of the week (Abib 16). The "third day since these things were done," by the parameters that he himself sets, brings him not to Abib 16, but to Abib 17. Again, since this particular lunar sabbatarian believes the Messiah rose prior to the first day of the week, he has effectively refuted his own argument.
Nevertheless, how do those who, like us, who believe the Messiah was most likely crucified on a Wednesday, answer the lunar sabbatarian’s claim that Luke 24:21 refutes the "three days and three nights" interpretation? Well, as inferred by the above commentary, it all depends upon our understanding of what all "these things" entails. Do "these things" encompass the events leading up to the crucifixion … in fact, terminating with that event? If so, then we do have a problem in trying to harmonize this particular text. If Wednesday was Abib 14, then Thursday was Abib 15, i.e., day one since "these things were done." Friday was Abib 15, i.e., day two, Saturday was day three, and Sunday, the day on which the men made their way to Emmaus, was day four. Since Cleopas clearly identified that day as being the third day since "these things were done," this leaves only one way for us to understand what Cleopas meant by "these things." It must include not only the crucifixion, but also, by extension, the sealing of the tomb, which occurred on Abib 15. George Dellinger expresses this point in his booklet "The Truth About Matthew 12:40":
"In Luke 24:21 Cleopas says: ‘ … today is the third day since these things were done.’ In verse 46 Jesus says He was to rise the third day. These two statements are not to be confused, as they do not mean the same day. The statement by Christ is a statement concerning His third day resurrection. But the statement of Cleopas means something else.
"Some like to claim that since Cleopas says this was the third day, and since the day he made this statement was the Sunday after Christ’s suffering, it has to mean He rose on Sunday. But not at all. What did Cleopas mean by ‘these things’? He obviously meant the entire period of Christ’s passion. This period did not end until His enemies had His grave sealed on Thursday. Sunday was indeed the third day from Thursday and was the third day since all the things of His sufferings were done."
As brought forth by Dellinger, the difference in interpretations of Luke 24:21 lies in defining what Cleopas meant by "these things." If, as our lunar sabbatarian friend believes, he meant the third day after the crucifixion, an understanding which can definitely be implied by the wording of the text, then Yeshua could not have possibly meant what He said in Matthew 12:40. His phrase "three days and three nights" could only represent an idiomatic expression that in reality designates parts of three days. On the other hand, if Yeshua’s expression was intended to be taken literally, then something is amiss with the understanding that Cleopas was referring to a time frame whose beginning strictly coincided with Yeshua’s crucifixion. The question arises, "Do we choose to take the Messiah literally at His word or do we prefer to take Cleopas literally?"
Obviously, we believe the literal words of the Messiah should have preeminence over the ambiguous words of a man whose name only appears once in the entire Bible. Rather than fussing over what Cleopas meant by "these things" in Luke 24:21, we recommend focusing on the literal words spoken by the Messiah … the only prophetic "sign" He gave to validate His authority: Three literal days and nights in the grave.
7. Evidence From Philo
In the quest for historical evidence as it relates to this subject, we have noticed that Philo is not often mentioned by those who support Lunar Sabbaths. The writings of Philo are very important for establishing Jewish practice and belief both before and during the Messiah’s time here on earth. Philo lived from approximately 20 BCE until about 50 CE. Thus, his lifetime spanned not only the years prior to the Messiah’s birth, but also the years following His resurrection (not to mention the years in between).
The evidence reveals that Philo’s beliefs were representative of those of Judaism during that period of time. Philo, who was born and raised in Alexandria, Egypt, was one of more than 100,000 Jews living in that city. When the prefect Flaccus initiated a massacre of the Jews in the year 39 CE, Philo was selected to head the Jewish delegation that went to Rome to plead their case before Gaius Caligula.
Please pause for a moment and reflect on the significance of Philo’s having been chosen from among his peers for such a monumental task. Would Philo have been chosen for such a mission if his practice and beliefs had not squared with those of normative Judaism? No, he would not have been chosen unless his views matched those of his peers. We know from Philo’s writings that he did not observe "Lunar Sabbaths." If normative Judaism had practiced "Lunar Sabbaths" while Philo rebelliously observed "Saturday Sabbaths," would this detail have affected their decision to select him to lead a delegation to Rome? Absolutely. Sabbath observance is one of the most distinguishing marks of Judaism, or as author Dayan Grunfeld put it, the Sabbath "epitomizes the whole of Judaism." For Philo to have "gone against the grain" of Judaism with regard to Sabbath observance would have signaled a break with Judaism. We can thus discern that if Philo observed the Sabbath on the day commonly known as Saturday each week, so did the rest of his fellow Jews.
We believe Philo did a pretty decent job of explaining how, when and where mankind received the Sabbath day. He explains that if it had not been for the giving of the manna, man would have lost the Sabbath day. Shown below is an excerpt from Philo’s On the Life of Moses II, chapter XLVIII, sections 263-269. As we are about to see, Philo establishes that the timing of the first day on which the manna was given directly corresponds to the first day of creation. We are displaying Philo’s entire discourse pertaining to the giving of the manna in order for you to fully examine the context of what he had to say on this subject:
XLVIII. (263) He gave a second instance of his prophetical inspiration not long afterwards in the oracle which he delivered about the sacred seventh day. For though it had had a natural precedence over all other days, not only from the time that the world was created, but even before the origination of the heaven and all the objects perceptible to the outward senses, men still knew it not, perhaps because, by reason of the continued and uninterrupted destructions which had taken place by water and fire, succeeding generations had not been able to receive from former ones any traditions of the arrangement and order which had been established in the connection of preceding times, which, as it was not known, Moses, now being inspired, declared to his people in an oracle which was borne testimony to by a visible sign from heaven. (264) And the sign was this. A small portion of food descended from the air on the previous days, but a double portion on the day before the seventh day. And on the previous days, if any portion was left it became liquefied and melted away, until it was entirely changed into dew, and so consumed; but on this day it endured no alteration, but remained in the same state as before, and when this was reported to him, and beheld by him, Moses did not so much conjecture as receive the impulse of divine inspiration under which he prophesied of the seventh day. (265) I omit to mention that all such conjectures are akin to prophecy; for the mind could never make such correct and felicitous conjectures, unless it were a divine spirit which guided their feet into the way of truth; (266) and the miraculous nature of the sign was shown, not merely in the fact of the food being double in quantity, nor in that of its remaining unimpaired, contrary to the usual customs, but in both these circumstances taking place on the sixth day, from the day on which this food first began to be supplied from heaven, from which day the most sacred number of seven began to be counted, so that if any one reckons he will find that this heavenly food was given in exact correspondence with the arrangement instituted at the creation of the world. For God began to create the world on the first day of a week of six days: and he began to rain down the food which has just been mentioned on the same first day; (267) and the two images are alike; for as he produced that most perfect work, the world, bringing it out of non-existence into existence, so in the same manner did he produce plenty in the wilderness, changing the elements with reference to the pressing necessity, that, instead of the earth, the air might bestow food without labour, and without trouble, to those who had no opportunity of providing themselves with food at their leisure. (268) After this he delivered to the people a third oracle of the most marvelous nature, namely that on the seventh day the air would not afford the accustomed food, and that not the very slightest portion would fall upon the earth, as it did on other days; (269) and this turned out to be the case in point of fact; for he delivered this prediction on the day before; but some of those who were unstable in their dispositions, went forth to collect it, and being deceived in their expectations, returned unsuccessful, reproaching themselves for their unbelief, and calling the prophet the only true prophet, the only one who knew the will of God, and the only one who had any foreknowledge of what was uncertain and future.
Please notice that Philo plainly connects the first day of the giving of the manna to the first day of creation. Reflect, if you will, of how Philo reports that the first day of the giving of the manna traces back to the first day of creation. In other words, that continuous cycle of seven days continued on and on and on, all the way from the dawn of time clear up to the time when it was revealed to Moses and to the Israelites. As he very eloquently put it, the manna "was given in exact correspondence with the arrangement instituted at the creation of the world." If the first day of the giving of the manna truly corresponds with the first day of creation, this means an unbroken, continuous cycle of sevens connects that day to the first day of creation. Accordingly, if the first day of the giving of manna corresponds exactly to the first day of creation, then we can also discern that the seventh day on which no manna was given must also correspond exactly to the day on which Yahweh rested after His work of creation. Philo has thus identified an unbroken chain of sevens extending from the week of creation all the way down to the giving of the manna. Furthermore, since mankind’s reintroduction to the weekly Sabbath at that point in time, that unbroken chain of weeks has continued down to us today, for in spite of how Yahweh’s people may have desecrated and polluted the Sabbath day, it has not been forgotten, nor has it been lost.
Finally, we feel that a major blow to lunar sabbatarian theology involves that which Philo left out of his commentary pertaining to the Sabbath day and the giving of the manna. What critical element is left out of Philo’s commentary above? It is the lunar cycle. Not once did Philo mention the (alleged) importance of the lunar cycle in determining the Sabbath day. In fact, the word "moon" isn’t mentioned even once in Philo’s commentary. This is significant, as elsewhere in Philo’s writings, he devotes much space to discussing the cycle of the moon. In fact, the day of the new moon is listed as one of the major feasts by Philo. Yet, he never establishes any sort of connection between the moon and a Sabbath observance.
Curiously, every time we read a commentary about the Sabbath that is authored by a lunar sabbatarian, we have always come across the word "moon." We find it to be very interesting that Philo never once mentioned the word "moon" in his commentary regarding mankind’s reintroduction to the Sabbath, nor did he ever mention the word "Sabbath" in his commentary about the new moon. He made no attempt to establish a connection from the one to the other.
In his writings, Philo distinguishes new moon observance as a separate feast from the weekly Sabbath. Here is a portion of what Philo had to say regarding the Sabbath day:
"The fourth commandment has reference to the sacred seventh day, that it may be passed in a sacred and holy manner. Now some states keep the holy festival only once in the month, counting from the new moon, as a day sacred to the Almighty; but the nation of the Jews keeps every seventh day regularly, after each interval of six days."
Philo declares that the Sabbath occurs after each recurring interval of six days. This is simply how it was reckoned.
Elsewhere in his writings, Philo affirms this ongoing, uninterrupted six-day interval:
"It (the number ‘seven’) was also greatly honoured by Moses, a man much attached to excellence of all sorts, who described its beauty on the most holy pillars of the law, and wrote it in the hearts of all those who were subject to him, commanding them at the end of each period of six days to keep the seventh holy; abstaining from all other works which are done in the seeking after and providing the means of life, devoting that day to the single object of philosophizing with a view to the improvement of their morals, and the examinations of their consciences."
Keeping a seventh day at the end of each period of six days creates a problem of gigantic proportions for those who attempt to keep Lunar Sabbaths. In fact, this recurring interval is impossible if one observes Lunar Sabbaths. Let us proceed to address this peculiar problem.
8. Extended Sabbath Days
If one should decide to observe "Lunar Sabbaths," at first there might not appear to be any problems. For the first three Sabbaths of the month, nothing remarkably unusual occurs. However, when one arrives at the fourth Sabbath of the "moonth," something extremely out of the ordinary takes place: Extended Sabbath days.
The best way to understand this anomaly is to understand how many days are contained in a month, coupled with how many weekly Sabbath days can occur during that span of time. A month is 29.5 days long. As we have already established, there will always be five Sabbaths in a "Lunar Sabbath month," with the fifth Sabbath falling on day number 29. Since a month is actually 29.5 days long, this leaves a half day extra. Since there is really no such thing as "half days," there will actually be at least one extra day left over at month’s end. Often there are two days left over, leaving three consecutive Sabbath days to be set aside for rest and worship. The calendar on page two shows examples of "extended Sabbaths" consisting of two extra days.
A Typical End of the "Moonth"
To better understand exactly how one would observe extended Lunar Sabbaths, one author (who supports beginning a month with the timing of the conjunction) offers a helpful scenario to better acquaint the beginner with "how it’s done." Shown below is his narrative regarding what is done on the final weekly Sabbath of the "moonth":
"Now we have come to the 4th Sabbath – the 29th day of the lunar cycle. What a time of rejoicing it is, for our labors have ceased for this moonth and we enjoy the 7th Day Sabbath rest of Yahweh. At sunset (the completion of the 4th Shabbat of this moonth), we continue in the Sabbath mood and immediately begin the New Moon day or days. After the first full NEW MOON day (the second day of the MOONTH END PERIOD), we watch the western sky just after sundown to see if the first crescent of the moon is visible. If it is sighted, the trumpets are blown, bonfires lit and tomorrow we start a new work shabuwa [week] (this would be a two day moonth end). If the first crescent is NOT visible, we continue on in Sabbath [mood] and again watch for the first crescent. Seen or not seen, this 3rd Sabbath moonth end/beginning evening, the trumpets are blown and tomorrow we go to work."
How do proponents of Lunar Sabbaths deal with the "leftover days" prior to the next new moon? As implied above, they are simply treated as extended Sabbath days. Of course, those of our persuasion believe such a manner of observance effectively disrupts the seven-day cycle that we believe was implemented by Yahweh at Creation. However, those who espouse the Lunar Sabbath method do not regard the addition of extra Sabbath days as a "disruption," but as a special extension of the Sabbath. In this way, they justify adhering to this belief.
Yahweh is not the author of confusion (I Cor. 14:33). The fact that absolutely no provisions or explanatory instructions are given pertaining to the alleged "extended Sabbath days" should tell us a lot. It should tell us that no such days existed, nor did Yahweh desire for His people to have any such understanding of His intentions. Something that goes so far out of the ordinary as these extended Sabbath days during such a four-week cycle would have most assuredly been clearly specified and the instructions for observance comprehensively outlined. To do otherwise is simply inconsistent and confusing. As we have already pointed out, Yahweh is not the author of confusion.
9. Lunar Sabbaths and the Count to Pentecost
A very significant problem arises for lunar sabbatarians when it comes to determining the count to Pentecost, also known as Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks. To better understand the nature of this problem, let’s first take a look at the instructions Yahweh gives for counting to this special feast day, as found in Leviticus 23:15-16:
15
And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:16
Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto Yahweh.If we properly follow the instructions given above, the Feast of Weeks will fall on the morrow after the seventh sabbath, which is fifty days following the wave sheaf offering.
Question: Is it possible to observe lunar sabbaths and have the feast of Pentecost fall on the morrow after the seventh sabbath fifty days later? Let’s carefully examine the following Lunar Sabbath calendar and follow the count to Pentecost, beginning in the first month (Abib) and ending in the third month (Sivan):
Potential Lunar Sabbath Month & Count to Pentecost: ABIB
|
Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
|
Fifth Sabbath of Previous Month |
1 Day of New Moon Conjunction (first Sabbath of the new month) |
1 Extended Sabbath ends with Crescent Moon Sighting |
2 Day one of work week |
3 Day two of work week |
4 Day three of work week |
|
|
5 Day four of work week |
6 Day five of work week |
7 Day six of work week |
8 Day seven (second Sabbath of the month)
|
9 Day one of work week |
10 Day two of work week |
11 Day three of work week |
|
12 Day four of work week |
13 Day five of work week |
14 PASSOVER |
15 Day seven (third Sabbath AND high day Sabbath) |
16 Day one of count to Pentecost |
17 Day two of count to Pentecost |
18 Day three of count to Pentecost |
|
19 Day four of count to Pentecost |
20 Day five of count to Pentecost |
21 Day six of count to Pentecost; also a high day Sabbath |
22 Day seven (fourth Sabbath of the month) |
23 Day eight of count to Pentecost |
24 Day nine of count to Pentecost |
25 Day ten of count to Pentecost |
|
26 Day eleven of count to Pentecost |
27 Day twelve of count to Pentecost |
28 Day thirteen of count to Pentecost |
29 Day fourteen of count (fifth Sabbath of the month) |
Potential Lunar Sabbath Month & Count to Pentecost (2nd Month)
|
Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
|
1 Day fifteen -- New Moon Conjunction (first Sabbath of the new month) |
1 Day sixteen Extended Sabbath (new moon sighted after sunset) |
2 Day seventeen of count to Pentecost |
||||
|
3 Day eighteen of count to Pentecost |
4 Day nineteen of count to Pentecost |
5 Day twenty of count to Pentecost |
6 Day twenty-one of count to Pentecost |
7 Day twenty-two of count to Pentecost |
8 Day twenty-three of count to Pentecost |
9 Day twenty-four of count to Pentecost |
|
10 Day twenty-five of count to Pentecost |
11 Day twenty-six of count to Pentecost |
12 Day twenty-seven of count to Pentecost |
13 Day twenty-eight of count to Pentecost |
14 Day twenty-nine of count to Pentecost |
15 Day thirty of count to Pentecost |
16 Day thirty-one of count to Pentecost |
|
17 Day thirty-two of count to Pentecost |
18 Day thirty-three of count to Pentecost |
19 Day thirty-four of count to Pentecost |
20 Day thirty-five of count to Pentecost |
21 Day thirty-six of count to Pentecost |
22 Day thirty-seven of count to Pentecost |
23 Day thirty-eight of count to Pentecost |
|
24 Day thirty-nine of count to Pentecost |
25 Day forty of count to Pentecost |
26 Day forty-one of count to Pentecost |
27 Day forty-two of count to Pentecost |
28 Day forty-three of count to Pentecost |
29 Day forty-four of count (fifth Sabbath of the month) |
Potential Lunar Sabbath Month & Count to Pentecost (Sivan)
|
Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
|
1 Day forty-five of count (Conjunction + new moon sighted after sunset) |
||||||
|
2 Day forty-six of count to Pentecost |
3 Day forty-seven of count to Pentecost |
3 Day forty-eight of count to Pentecost |
4 Day forty-nine of count to Pentecost |
5 Day fifty of count to Pentecost (not morrow after seventh Sabbath) |
Does day fifty (the day of Pentecost) occur on the morrow after the seventh Sabbath in accordance with the directive given in Leviticus 23:15-16? Answer: No, it does not!
How a Lunar Sabbatarian "Makes it Work"
Strange as it may seem, we have learned of at least one lunar sabbatarian who has a solution to the above predicament. Remember the "extended Sabbath days" we mentioned in our previous chapter? Well, those "extended Sabbath days" don’t really count as "days," at least not in the mind of this particular lunar sabbatarian. By regarding those extra days as comprehensively representing one single day, the count to Pentecost does indeed end on "the morrow after the seventh Sabbath." Below is the man’s commentary explaining his method:
"Let me make it clear to you: Because Ps. 104:19a in plain language tells us the moon was created for Moedim, it specifically is telling us of the relationship between feast days (moedim, appointed times) and the moon. Moedim have affinity with the Moon cycle. That affinity shows that when the moon is impossible to view due to its position in relationship to the viewer on earth, aka ‘renewal or dark days,’ those days are not to be counted toward Moedim. Case in point is the counting of the Omer and the occasion of Shavuot."
The author of the above remark employs what is known as Biblical hook in drawing a conclusion that on the surface appears to be founded and established on a plain verse of Scripture, but in fact is so nonbiblical that it would appear far more dubious to most people had he chosen to not include the Scriptural reference (Ps. 104:19). The only way to unveil the erroneous conclusion is to examine and harmonize the whole of Scripture. We will more closely examine the relationship between the moon and the moedim [mowadah] in chapter 24.
The use of a tactic known as overspecification is also evident in the above commentary. Overspecification involves arriving at a more detailed or specific conclusion than is legitimate from a Biblical text. In the explanation given above, we are somehow supposed to understand by reading Psalms 104:19 that "renewal or dark days" are not to be included in the count to Pentecost. However, there is no way anyone could possibly extrapolate such a conclusion by reading Psalms 104:19, shown below:
19
He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.Again, the author of the commentary cited above uses Psalms 104:19 as his proof text to establish his point that "extended Sabbath days" should not be included in the count to Pentecost, even though the text of Psalms 104:19 offers no such insight.
As we investigate this particular lunar sabbatarian view, let’s examine a calendar depicting exactly how the lunar sabbatarian quoted above would count to Pentecost. Shown below is a calendar illustrating his method:
A Lunar Sabbatarian’s Unique Count to Pentecost
Potential Lunar Sabbath Month: ABIB (Extended Sabbaths Don’t Count as Days)
|
Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
|
Fifth Sabbath of Previous Month |
1 Day of New Moon Conjunction (1st Sabbath of the month) |
1 Extended Sabbath ends with Crescent Moon Sighting |
2 Day one of work week |
3 Day two of work week |
4 Day three of work week |
|
|
5 Day four of work week |
6 Day five of work week |
7 Day six of work week |
8 Day seven (second Sabbath of the month)
|
9 Day one of work week |
10 Day two of work week |
11 Day three of work week |
|
12 Day four of work week |
13 Day five of work week |
14 PASSOVER |
15 Day seven (third Sabbath AND a high day Sabbath) |
16 Day one of count to Pentecost |
17 Day two of count to Pentecost |
18 Day three of count to Pentecost |
|
19 Day four of count to Pentecost |
20 Day five of count to Pentecost |
21 Day six of count to Pentecost; also a high day Sabbath |
22 Day seven (fourth Sabbath of the month) |
23 Day eight of count to Pentecost |
24 Day nine of count to Pentecost |
25 Day ten of count to Pentecost |
|
26 Day eleven of count to Pentecost |
27 Day twelve of count to Pentecost |
28 Day thirteen of count to Pentecost |
29 Day fourteen of count (fifth Sabbath of the month) |
Potential Lunar Sabbath Month, 2nd Month, (Extended Sabbaths Don’t Count)
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Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
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1 Day fourteen continues-- New Moon Conjunction (first Sabbath of new month) |
1 Day fourteen continues --Extended Sabbath (new moon sighted after sunset) |
2 Day fifteen of count to Pentecost |
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3 Day sixteen of count to Pentecost |
4 Day seventeen of count to Pentecost |
5 Day eighteen of count to Pentecost |
6 Day nineteen of count to Pentecost |
7 Day twenty of count to Pentecost |
8 Day twenty-one of count to Pentecost |
9 Day twenty-two of count to Pentecost |
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10 Day twenty-three of count to Pentecost |
11 Day twenty-four of count to Pentecost |
12 Day twenty-five of count to Pentecost |
13 Day twenty-six of count to Pentecost |
14 Day twenty-seven of count to Pentecost |
15 Day twenty-eight of count to Pentecost |
16 Day twenty-nine of count to Pentecost |
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17 Day thirty of count to Pentecost |
18 Day thirty-one of count to Pentecost |
19 Day thirty-two of count to Pentecost |
20 Day thirty-three of count to Pentecost |
21 Day thirty-four of count to Pentecost |
22 Day thirty-five of count to Pentecost |
23 Day thirty-six of count to Pentecost |
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24 Day thirty-seven of count to Pentecost |
25 Day thirty-eight of count to Pentecost |
26 Day thirty-nine of count to Pentecost |
27 Day forty of count to Pentecost |
28 Day forty-one of count to Pentecost |
29 Day forty-two of count (fifth Sabbath of the month) |
Potential Lunar Sabbath Month, Sivan, (Extended Sabbaths Don’t Count)
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Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
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1 Day forty-two of count (Conjunction + new moon sighted after sunset) |
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2 Day forty-three of count to Pentecost |
3 Day forty-four of count to Pentecost |
3 Day forty-five of count to Pentecost |
4 Day forty-six of count to Pentecost |
5 Day forty-seven of count to Pentecost |
6 Day forty-eight of count to Pentecost |
7 Day forty-nine of count to Pentecost |
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8 Day FIFTY PENTECOST |
If you follow the count to Pentecost as illustrated above, you will note that the count began on the second day of the "lunar month week," i.e., a Thursday. It ended on the first day of the week, i.e., a Sunday, which was the day following the weekly Sabbath of that particular "moonth."
In order to succeed in having the day of Pentecost fall on the morrow after the weekly Sabbath of that "moonth," it was necessary to not include the "extended Sabbath" days in the count. Day fourteen of the count to Pentecost, according to the above calendar, was 72 hours long, and day number forty-two of the count lasted 48 hours! In other words, as day number fourteen wore on, the sun rose and set on two different occasions, but neither of those 24-hour periods counted as a "day"! This is, by all practical understandings of Scripture and historical records, a very bizarre and unorthodox method of reckoning the count to Pentecost. It is very unreasonable for such an unusual method to have existed without specific directions outlining its implementation, especially with regard to the fact that "extended Sabbath days" only count as "one day." Yet this is precisely what the lunar sabbatarian quoted above expects all of us to believe. In fact, he adds elsewhere in his commentary that those who do not follow his lunar sabbatarian method are "either wittingly or unwittingly covenanting with the image of the beast."
10. Another Lunar Sabbatarian’s Solution to the
Count to Pentecost Predicament
As we have already pointed out, part of what makes answering lunar sabbatarians so difficult is the fact that even they are not in unity concerning the proper method of reckoning Lunar Sabbaths. We are faced with the same obstacle with regard to the count to Pentecost predicament. Without going into a lot of detail, we have met one man whose solution to the problem involves believing that Pentecost can only occur during the fourth month of the year instead of the third month. In his booklet on this subject, here is a portion of what he wrote:
"Pentecost is on the 29th (Sabbath) of the 4th Moon. Same as the other two Pilgrim feasts (1st and 7th Moons) are on Sabbaths."
Please bear in mind that the above-expressed commentary is completely void of any historical support, and is only supported by the author’s own singular interpretation of Scripture. On top of this, by the very standards set by this particular lunar sabbatarian, Pentecost can never fall on "the morrow after the Sabbath." Notwithstanding, we will only focus our attention on the month during which he insists Pentecost must be celebrated. If Scripture were to plainly state that the Feast of Weeks must fall during the third month, or even the fourth month of the year, there would be no argument as to the month during which it occurs each year. However, since Scripture is silent with regard to the specific month of Pentecost, the door is opened for controversy. Without going into detail as to exactly how the author of the above commentary was able to determine that Pentecost must fall within the fourth month of the year, let’s just suffice it to say that writers such as Philo and Josephus both wrote statements clearly revealing that Pentecost could only have occurred during the third month of the year. Notice what Josephus wrote:
"When a week of weeks has passed over after this sacrifice [of the Passover lamb] (which weeks contain forty and nine days), on the fiftieth day, which is Pentecost, but is called by the Hebrews Asartha, which signifies Pentecost, they bring to God a loaf, made of wheat flour, of two tenth deals, with leaven."
Josephus explained to his Roman audience that his fellow Jews count fifty days from the Paschal sacrifice to the Feast of Pentecost. Since the Passover lamb was killed during the first month of the year, fifty days later brings us to the third month. As if Josephus wasn’t plain enough in explaining how and when to observe Pentecost based upon his own personal observation and participation, Philo makes it even plainer. Philo, as we have already mentioned, lived from approximately 20 BCE to 50 CE. Here is what he wrote concerning the count to Pentecost:
"The solemn assembly on the occasion of the festival of the sheaf having such great privileges, is the prelude to another festival of still greater importance; for from this day the fiftieth day is reckoned making up the sacred number of seven sevens, with the addition of a unit as a seal to the whole; and this festival, being that of the first fruits of the corn, has derived its name of Pentecost from the number of fifty, (pente"kostos)."
As Philo matter-of-factly explains, the fiftieth day is reckoned from the "festival of the sheaf," which is the day of the wave sheaf offering that occurs during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Counting fifty days from this particular day, which we know falls during the first month of the year (Abib), can only bring us to the third month of the year.
To completely seal the matter of the month in which Pentecost falls in each year, we refer you to the Book of Jubilees. The Book of Jubilees has the distinction of having been found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, and is thus representative of Jewish thought of at least the first century of our era, and most likely earlier. As if the month during which Pentecost falls each year was in doubt, this Jewish record completely resolves the matter. Notice what is recorded in Jubilees :
"On this account it is ordained and written on the tablets of heaven that the celebration of the festival of weeks should be in this month, once a year, for a renewed covenant in each year and year. And during the time this festival was being celebrated in heaven, from the days of creation to the days of Noah, it was twenty-six jubilees and five weeks of years; and Noah and his sons observed it seven jubilees and one week of years until the time when Noah died."
According to this historical source, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) has been observed in heaven since the days of creation. The question is, though, "When we read ‘this month’ in the above quotation, which month is being referenced?" To find the answer, simply go to the first verse of the chapter in which this feast is mentioned. Here is what we read:
"And at the new moon of the third month he came out of the ark and built an altar on that hill."
It was during that same month that Noah observed the festival of weeks, also known as Pentecost, Shavuot, and as we are about to see, the Festival of First Fruits. The Book of Jubilees also records Jacob (Israel) observing this same festival in the third month:
"And Israel arose from Haran, from his house, at the new moon of the third month, and came by the way of the well of the oath, and offered a sacrifice to the Elohim of his father Isaac, on the seventh of this month, and Jacob remembered the dream which he had dreamed at Bethel, and he feared to descend down to Egypt. And while he was thinking that he would send word to Joseph that he should come to him, and that he would not go down, he remained there seven days, if he might see a vision, whether he should remain or go down. And he celebrated the harvest festival of first fruits with old grain, for there was not a handful of seed in all the land of Canaan, for it was unfruitful for all the animals and beasts and birds, and also human beings."
Again, the Book of Jubilees plainly establishes that Pentecost falls during the third month of the year. This same understanding can be logically understood from the context of Scripture, even if it doesn’t specifically tell us to observe this feast in the third month.
Now that we have proven the month during which Pentecost falls each year, we are back to "square one." How do we implement the count? As we have already observed, the only way for a lunar sabbatarian to arrive at the "morrow after the seventh Sabbath" is to believe that the "extended Sabbath days" all count as only one day … an important rule that is mysteriously absent from Scripture.
11. The Importance of Historical Evidence:
Did Josephus Observe Lunar Sabbaths?
We are accustomed to hearing people criticize Josephus. We have heard people call him everything from a coward to a traitor. These criticisms are most often forthcoming because they know that Josephus did not practice one or more of their religious beliefs. The natural tendency, then, is to find a way to discredit him. We therefore did not expect any lunar sabbatarians to offer support for the accuracy of Josephus’ writings. To our surprise, however, we have met a lunar sabbatarian who had nothing negative to say about Josephus. Of course, the caveat is that he believes Josephus was himself a lunar sabbatarian! Even more ironic, as we will see later, is the fact that while on the one hand he respects Josephus as a historian, on the other hand he (later) advises his reading audience to "forget history" and focus totally on the Torah. Shown below is the author’s ringing endorsement of any piece of history that seemingly supports his position:
"I could go on and on even into history where the Historian Josephus records Sabbaths that can be pinpointed and they are on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th. When the Romans saw that the Jews [rested] on the Sabbath but that they didn’t fight unless attacked, they moved their engines and battering rams right up to the walls on the Sabbath which otherwise they could not do, and on the next day they battered them to the city and He records that it was the 23rd that they battered them, or the day after the Sabbath when they had everything in place.
"This proves the pinpointed Sabbaths in his time was still on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th of the moon and the New Moon was still not counted as one of the six workdays. Coincidence? You be the judge."
Interestingly, the author of the above commentary, in this particular instance, sanctions the use of historical references in researching this topic. Notice that he did not cite where in Josephus’ writings we can go to find that the Romans battered the Jews on the 23rd day of the month, nor does he provide a quote documenting his remark. Elsewhere in his booklet, as we just warned you, he dismisses historical evidence, as evidenced by the following quotation:
"The solution to when to rest and worship is as simple as falling off a log, but it can only be accomplished by forgetting everything you have learned about when the Sabbath starts, and start over, using only the Bible for instructions. Forget history, forget tradition of men, and forget everything but the Torah (law)."
On the one hand, the author of the two separate commentaries quoted above (from the same booklet) expects his reading audience to embrace any historical references that seemingly support his Lunar Sabbath position while on the other hand, he simultaneously cautions them to "forget history." The apparent inconsistency in his approach, while lamentable, is nevertheless understandable. Historical evidence supporting one’s interpretation of Scripture is like "icing on the cake." If so much as the slightest piece of historical evidence supporting Lunar Sabbaths is unearthed, then we can expect the lunar sabbatarian to capitalize on it. This is what the lunar sabbatarian quoted above attempted to do. While we believe he misconstrued and misapplied that historical evidence, we can nevertheless understand his approach.
However, the vast majority of historical evidence, as we have already shown, speaks against the lunar sabbatarian position, and this is why the typical lunar sabbatarian will toss out the historical records. Historical evidence contrary to his position is summarily rejected and we are cautioned about the manipulation of historical records and other conspiracies. Since we cannot trust the historical records, our total faith must be place in the Torah. It sounds very noble, on the surface, to cry out, "Forget everything but the Torah." Underneath, however, lies a spiritually dangerous mentality that we should all be wary of: The "Scripture and Scripture alone" mentality. Of course, Scripture should be the final arbiter between truth and untruth, so we definitely need to establish Yahweh’s Word as being the ultimate source of truth. Nevertheless, sometimes controversies arise – controversies that bring to bear more than one interpretation of what Yahweh intends for us to understand. When more than one interpretation is possible, history becomes important. It allows us to see how ancient believers interpreted the instructions found in Scripture. It is from history, for example, that we learn of heathens who mistakenly perceived Jews as fasting on the (Saturday) Sabbath because no smoke was seen coming from their houses that day. Instead of fasting, though, the Jews were simply abstaining from cooking that day. It is from these ancient observations that we learn how the believers of Old interpreted Scripture.
For those of us who trust in Yeshua as the Messiah and Son of Yahweh, it is also important to reflect on the fact that during His earthly ministry, He had plenty to say with regard to how His fellow Jews observed the Sabbath, but never was there a disagreement with regard to when it was observed. It is for these reasons that historical evidence is important. When historical evidence aligns with our interpretation of Scripture, it tends to solidify that interpretation. For those who reject historical evidence while crying, "I go by Scripture and Scripture alone!", what they are really saying is, "I go by my interpretation of Scripture and my interpretation alone!" Thus, whenever points of doctrine are subject to more than one interpretation, historical evidence is not only admissible evidence, it is vital evidence.
In the case of Josephus, as it turns out, we believe the evidence in fact demonstrates that he and his fellow Jews observed the same continuously repeating cycle of seventh-day Sabbaths that are observed by Jews of today. Notice what he wrote in The Wars of the Jews, Book I, ch. 2, sect. 4:
"And as the siege was delayed by this means, the year of rest came on, upon which the Jews rest every seventh year as they do on every seventh day."
The continuous, unending, repeating cycle of weeks ending in a Sabbath day are here referenced by Josephus. Also worthy of note in the quotation above is another sabbath observance mentioned by Josephus: The sabbatical years. The Scriptural instructions for the observance of Sabbatical years provide additional evidence supporting the continuous repeating cycle of weeks ending with a Sabbath day. Just as Yahweh prescribed with regard to weeks, so he prescribed for years, at least insofar as sowing and reaping. Every seventh year, the land was to rest from sowing and reaping. Notice that at the end of seven "sabbath cycles" of years, another Sabbath year is added (Leviticus 25:8-13). This added year is called the year of jubilee.
What is significant about the Jubilee year? Simply put, Yahweh specifies a "double Sabbath" of years at the end of the seventh cycle. You might call the Jubilee year an "extended Sabbath." Notice that Yahweh precisely prescribed what to do at the end of the 49th year: He gave instructions to "do it again"! The question immediately arises as to why Yahweh didn’t give such instructions pertaining to the alleged "extended Sabbaths" that lunar sabbatarians maintain should be observed at the end of each month. This would immediately call into question an inconsistency in Yahweh’s Word. Why would Yahweh give plain instructions pertaining to an "extended Sabbath year," but fail to give instructions with regard to "extended Lunar Sabbath days" at the end of each month? Those of us who know and appreciate the fact that Yahweh is not inconsistent understand the reason for the omission of "extended Lunar Sabbath days" in His Word: They never existed, nor were any such days ever intended to be observed.
Continuing on with Josephus, there is additional evidence that neither he nor his fellow Jews ever observed Lunar Sabbaths. In The Wars of the Jews, Book I, ch. vii, sect. 3, Josephus makes special mention that the Jews would only fight defensively on the Sabbath-days:
" … Nor had the Romans succeeded in their endeavors, had not Pompey taken notice of the seventh days, on which the Jews abstain from all sorts of work on a religious account, and raised his bank, but restrained his soldiers from fighting on those days; for the Jews only acted defensively on Sabbath-days</