Welcome to Part III
Which is linked to Part II
Continuing the Study on Yah's Method of Counting
Mrs G provided the following Scripture references insisting, "The Sabbaths were on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th days." I noticed, while I read her references from my copy of the Tanakh, some comparisons between translations can be misleading. I don't know which version she quotes from. My added comments are in (blue italic parenthesis).
I'd also like to point out that before we get to Chapter 5 in Joshua, they had crossed over the Jordan River and recently defeated Jericho, but the territories of the Promised Land have yet to be settled, no crops have been grown, no harvest to be done yet, so the set apart time of First Fruits wasn't really being observed. First Fruits is part of the barley harvest time frame and I have no idea where 'old corn' comes from. The 16th day is neither here nor there in this story. Read on a few paragraphs and Mrs. G quotes Scripture correctly from Leviticus about when the offering of first fruits is to occur, yet still doesn't make the connection. Also, First Fruits is not date specific. Barley doesn't always ripen on the same exact day year after year.
Mrs. G: In Joshua 5, we find the children of Israel keeping the Passover, the Sabbath, and First Fruits on the 14th, 15th, and 16th respectively.
Joshua 5:10-12 - And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even (towards evening) in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land (the produce of the country, unleavened bread and parched grain) on the morrow (15th) after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land (16th); neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. (Verse 11-12 On the day after the passover offering, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the country, unleavened bread and parched grain. 12 On that same day, when they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased = Note: the manna ceased on the same day, the 15th day which is the first day of Unleavened Bread, not the 16th day)
Part of misunderstanding the sabbath days comes from the fact that there can be more than one during the times of His Feast Days (moedim). The seven day count from each new moon always remains the same, but the High Sabbaths can fall on the same count or a day before or after. Perfect example is the Days of Unleavened Bread which lasts for seven days: the first day is a Sabbath and follows the regular seventh day of rest. The last day of Unleavened Bread is the 21st day, and is also a Sabbath and falls on the same day as the regular seventh day of rest.
"But where does it say it was the Sabbath on the 15th day?" (which sabbath is she asking about?) The Passover and Unleavened Bread Lev. 23:5-7... In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is Yahweh's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Yahweh: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
"But where does it say it was the Sabbath on the 15th day?" (which sabbath is she asking about?) The Passover and Unleavened Bread Lev. 23:5-7... In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is Yahweh's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Yahweh: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
But what is this holy convocation spoken of in verse 7? Mrs. G believes that this is the Feast of First Fruits, even though they have not yet planted any barley to be harvested. (The 'holy convocation' is the first day of unleavened bread which is a sabbath day and not the day of the first fruits offering.)
Lev. 23:9-11 - And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When you come into the land which I give you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before Yahweh, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. (This cannot apply to Joshua Chapter 5 because they have not yet settled into their territories or began farming, so there is nothing to harvest at this time; nothing to bring to the priest.)
Mrs. G: So what did this month look like then? The Sabbaths were on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th days. I'm putting all the witnesses together:
Passover was held on the 14th. (and was part of the seven day count, the sabbath day of rest.) The Sabbath was held on the 15th. (this is the first day of Unleavened Bread, a High Sabbath.)And First Fruits was held on the 16th (first day of the week). (didn't happen because all things necessary for the observance of First Fruits were yet to be in place. Don't even get me started on days of the week!)
Passover was held on the 14th. (and was part of the seven day count, the sabbath day of rest.) The Sabbath was held on the 15th. (this is the first day of Unleavened Bread, a High Sabbath.)
Let me go over our Father's Set Apart Times for us, in regards to this particular study.
The passover meal at twilight on the 14th day of the month kicks off the Days of Unleavened Bread: The 7th day was set apart by Yah and He told us to keep the 7th day set apart. This is the regular Sabbath day of Rest, every 7th, 14, 21 and 28th days each month. The passover meal is to be eaten on the 14th day before the sun goes down, which triggers the first day of Unleavened bread. The First Day of Unleavened Bread is a High Sabbath, following the regular Sabbath day of Rest, on the 14th day. From the 15th to the 21st (seven days) unleavened bread is to be eaten. The last day is also a High Sabbath which falls on the regular Sabbath day of Rest.
First Fruits/Wave Offering = Deuteronomy 16 Yah names this time the Feast of Weeks. The fiftieth day (Shavuot) is a sacred occasion, a day of 'new grain' offering from the wheat harvest. As instructed in Leviticus, seven weeks are counted off from when the sickle is first put to standing grain of the barley harvest. As I have learned, both wheat and barley are planted at the same time but barley ripens earlier than the wheat, so this Feast of Weeks begins the day of the barley harvest. The first fruits of this harvest (sheaf) are taken to the priest as an offering to YHWH which he presents to Him on the day after the regular Sabbath day of Rest. On the day after those seven weeks, the 50th day, is when a celebration is held commemorating the blessings of YHWH shown in the bounty of the wheat harvest. Notice: This is not a 'date specific' event but hinges on the harvesting of barley, the day the first sheaf is cut. Barley doesn't ripen the same day year after year.
Note: If the harvest began 2 or 3 days before the regular sabbath, the first sheaf was still taken to the priest, but the priest would wait until after the day of rest before making the Wave offering. The count of days to Shavuot began with the first sheaf being cut.
The passover meal at twilight on the 14th day of the month kicks off the Days of Unleavened Bread: The 7th day was set apart by Yah and He told us to keep the 7th day set apart. This is the regular Sabbath day of Rest, every 7th, 14, 21 and 28th days each month. The passover meal is to be eaten on the 14th day before the sun goes down, which triggers the first day of Unleavened bread. The First Day of Unleavened Bread is a High Sabbath, following the regular Sabbath day of Rest, on the 14th day. From the 15th to the 21st (seven days) unleavened bread is to be eaten. The last day is also a High Sabbath which falls on the regular Sabbath day of Rest.
First Fruits/Wave Offering = Deuteronomy 16 Yah names this time the Feast of Weeks. The fiftieth day (Shavuot) is a sacred occasion, a day of 'new grain' offering from the wheat harvest. As instructed in Leviticus, seven weeks are counted off from when the sickle is first put to standing grain of the barley harvest. As I have learned, both wheat and barley are planted at the same time but barley ripens earlier than the wheat, so this Feast of Weeks begins the day of the barley harvest. The first fruits of this harvest (sheaf) are taken to the priest as an offering to YHWH which he presents to Him on the day after the regular Sabbath day of Rest. On the day after those seven weeks, the 50th day, is when a celebration is held commemorating the blessings of YHWH shown in the bounty of the wheat harvest. Notice: This is not a 'date specific' event but hinges on the harvesting of barley, the day the first sheaf is cut. Barley doesn't ripen the same day year after year.
Note: If the harvest began 2 or 3 days before the regular sabbath, the first sheaf was still taken to the priest, but the priest would wait until after the day of rest before making the Wave offering. The count of days to Shavuot began with the first sheaf being cut.
Mrs. G goes on to say we cannot have a Sabbath day on the 14th day of the month because it is always a work day, Scripture says it is the "preparation" day. She points out that He says the 7th day of the "week" not the 7th day of the month... look at First Fruits, we see it is the first day of the week but the 16th day of the month, count back... again in the crucifixion week, He is our First Fruit, the 1st risen from the dead...
At this point I was ready to just drop the whole thing because the key to making sense of any of this is to reckon days according to YHWH's reckoning; seven is not eight. I now begin to feel like I am ironing out deep wrinkles from something that has been tightly folded up for a long time. I need that old pop bottle with the sprinkler top that Grandma used to ease out the creases.
We know by reading Genesis about His works, He finished His Work of Creation in 6 days and rested on the 7th, but Mrs. G challenges that:
"... that is what He did, where does it say to do as He did?"
Why on earth would we Not Want to do as YHWH did ??
He sets the example for us in all things. He counted from the first day of creation; we count from the first day of the month. The first day of the month is the sighting of the new moon, day one.
Here is what Yah says in regards to keeping the 7th day rest:
Why on earth would we Not Want to do as YHWH did ??
He sets the example for us in all things. He counted from the first day of creation; we count from the first day of the month. The first day of the month is the sighting of the new moon, day one.
Here is what Yah says in regards to keeping the 7th day rest:
Genesis 2:2- By the seventh day YHWH completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then He blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which He had created
Exodus 35:2 "For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Set Apart day, a sabbath of Complete Rest to Yahweh Elohim....
Leviticus 23:3 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of Complete Rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to your Elohim, in all your dwellings.
Deuteronomy 5:12 'Observe the sabbath day to keep it set apart as Yahweh your Elohim commanded you.
As it is written in the Ten Commandments, we are told to remember:
Remember the sabbath day and keep it set apart. Six days you shall do all your work but the seventh day is a sabbath of Mine. You, your family, your hired hands or your work animals or the stranger who is visiting your town shall do no work. I made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them in six days and on the seventh I rested, therefore I blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.
Numbers 10 mentions sounding the two Silver Trumpets at the time of the new moon. I grew up in a town that sounded a 'noon whistle'. It was one cycle of the alarm at the fire department. When it sounded folks new it was 12 noon and many checked their watches to keep them set correctly. The sounding of the Silver Trumpets let folks know it was the first day of the month, and a new count of days began.
10 "Also in the day of your gladness and in your appointed feasts, and on the first days of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your Creator. I am YHWH your Elohim."
The NIV calls it a New Moon Feast instead of the first day of the months. There was no command to celebrate the sighting of the new moon. It wasn't included in any feast day. However there was the sounding of the two silver trumpets to signal the first day of the month so those in hearing distance knew it was time to start a new count of days, with each 7th day always the regular day of rest set apart to our Creator.
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