Let There Be Light - Part I

A Day by any other name is still a Day

But on the Seventh Day we are to Rest

This links to Part II 

of the study on YHWH's Method of Counting

It has come to my attention that there are those who believe in a New Moon Day separate unto itself, and that the day of rest is an eight day count, and these people even suggest counting backwards to the new moon to justify the dates of His Set Apart times. After a few days pondering this idea, it still does not set right within me.

If we cannot agree on when a day begins, then, really, none of this matters.

This is Mrs. G's comment that began the discussion and my study: "...the calendar from Scripture (shows) His weekly Sabbaths will fall on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th every time when using His calendar. Scripture verifies this in the OT and the NT" (end quote)

Therein is the challenge.

I figured I'd better take a closer look at Scriptures about this topic of 'day' and the first thing that came to mind was:  Wouldn't a seven day count be 7, 14, 21 and 28, every time?

YHWH did His work of creation in six days; blessed and rested from His work on the Seventh Day. Yah made the seventh day Sabbath for us, as a sign between Him and His people. Since He is Set Apart and rested on the 7th day of creation He desires that we also rest on the 7th day from our work. He set the pattern for us to follow, and this was just the first of many included in His Instructions for His created (that includes you and me). He began His count of days from the beginning of creation, when there was darkness over the face of the deep.

In Genesis 1:3 Our Creator said 'Let there be light." He separated the light (Day) from the darkness (Night) and there was evening and there was morning, a first day. 
(the way I read it, the definition of a Day is from evening, including the morning and on to the following evening. It consists of both the Light and the Dark phases of the time line called Day.)

Exodus 16:23 ...then he said to them, "This is what Yah meant: Tomorrow is a Sabbath observance, set apart to Him. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning." 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. 
(Set it aside to be kept until morning:  Set is aside at evening time, before the beginning of the next day... Get all preparations done before sundown, the beginning of the seventh day...)

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 YHWH your Elohim commanded you.

If the new moon is usually visible towards evening time, and the sighting of it denotes the beginning of another month (first day of that month), then wouldn't the time period called 'day' begin at evening? Each day from evening to evening.

The Pattern: 1. Darkness 2. Light 3. Day 4. Night

In the beginning the earth was unformed and void with darkness over the surface of the deep. Yah said Let there be light, and it was good, and He separated the light from the darkness = Day and Night.  And there was evening and there was morning, a first day.

Unformed defined:: not arranged in regular shape, order, or relations; undeveloped

Void defined:: containing nothing :not occupied :vacant :not inhabited :being without something specified

↭↭↭↭

Our Father counted days from the first day of creation. We begin our count of days from the sighting of the new moon. Each new moon begins a new count; the first crescent is Day One, the beginning of the month. Each seven day count from the new moon is the Sabbath Day of Rest.

Later on in Scriptures we read that Jeremiah tries to remind the people about that day of rest: 17:21 Thus says YHWH, "Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any load on the Sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem.  You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day nor do any work, but keep the Sabbath day set apart, as I commanded your forefathers." Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or take correction.…"  (no buying or selling, conducting commerce, doing work)

Quote from Mrs. G: Back in their day they worked from sunup to sundown. So in the creation account we see that the LIGHT was called the DAY part, and the darkness was called NIGHT. Now where people get thrown from is from "And the evening and the morning were the first day." He started His work in the morning and He finished in the evening as the sun was setting turning into night. The DAY part consists of the morning and the evening. (end quote)

This doesn't make sense to me, and Mrs. G assumes "He started His work in the morning and He finished in the evening as the sun was setting turning into night." In Genesis 1, in the beginning when our Creator began His work the first thing He created was Light, which He separated into Day and Night; so would it be safe to say He started His work at night, in darkness? He didn't even create the sun and the moon util day four.  Day and Night are a necessary part of living on this earth, and He did not curse these things.

Quote from Mrs. G: Remember He separated the light from the darkness, therefore what He separated we cannot then join together. Our heavenly Father is not about darkness but about light. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that Elohim is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (end quote)

This statement is partly true but her assumption is crazy to me because if you ever watched the sun set, day slowly blends into twilight at the setting of the sun. It's not like 'lights out!' a definite break between light and dark.  I'm pretty certain misunderstandings occur because of the use of words and our modern day perception of what we think those words mean. That sort of confusion comes from the Adversary if we don't study it out for ourselves.

This verse has been used to support a day begins at sunrise; Messiah said: "Is there not 12 hours in a day?" 

In John 11 we read the verse in context:  Y'shua's friend Lazar is sick and dies. Y'shua heard about him but stayed where he was for two days, then says to his disciples he's ready to go to Judea.  They promptly warn him that the Jews are ready to kill him, why would he want to go there now?  His reply is: "Are there not twelve hours in a day, and if a man walks during the daylight, he will not stumble because he sees the light of this world. But if a man should walk during the night, he will stumble because  there is no flame in him. "(Note: 'no flame in him' is an Hebrew idiom meaning one is not enlightened) How does his response tie in with the warning his disciples were concerned about?  They were afraid for his life because the Yehudeans were on the warpath. Messiah refers to twelve hours in a day, walking during daylight would be easier than traveling at night, perhaps meaning now during the daylight hours was a better time to go to Lazar's home than to try to sneak around in the night time to avoid being stoned by the Jews?

I note that as the seasons pass, the light of day grows shorter until the shortest day and then begin to grow longer. The amount of daylight changes... this verse does not define what a day is and may be another parable pointing to the fact that we are children of light and not of the devil. Children of Satan do enjoy living in the darkness of night.

Day and Night are not evil opposites and were clearly a necessary part of creation. Spiritual darkness came later and is an evil thing opposing Y'shua who is the Light of the World, and not just the daytime part only. According to what is written in John 11, one who is enlightened can walk day or night and not stumble.  We know that Satan is the 'prince of darkness' over this world, and not just the nighttime part only. It seems when folks forget to separate the physical occurrence from the spiritual implications of what we read in Scriptures an understandable misunderstanding can arise between the use of words, such as day/night and light/darkness, which makes it easier to choose the definition of a day as being from sunup to sundown and just ignore the night altogether; and just ignore YHWH. 

Our Creator's Method of Counting - Part II

If we cannot agree on when a day begins, 
if we don't trust our Creator, then, really, none of this matters.

This study continues the Let There Be Light study

Some folks believe that a day from sundown to sundown is not correct, and refer to  Psalm 113:3 - I'll start with verse one...

1Praise Yah! 
Praise, O servants of יהוה, 
Praise the Name of יהוה! 
2Blessed be the Name of יהוה, 
Now and forever!

3From the rising of the sun to its going down, 
The Name of יהוה is praised.

4יהוה is high above all nations, 
His esteem above the heavens.

Now,  I wouldn't put all my money on Psalm 113:3 as defining what a 'day' is.  These verses are poetic in nature, telling us to praise our Creator, from we when get up until we go to go to bed.... it's  not defining the length of a day or when a day begins, as it is written in Genesis, "... there was evening and there was morning... the next day."

Our Creator has shown us the pattern to follow, just as He showed the pattern of the Tabernacle to Moses, who followed His Instructions perfectly.

We read in Scriptures that Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. At creation, darkness existed before the light: "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  Elohim said, Let there be light: and there was light," (Genesis l:2-3) ...  Darkness was already present and therefore came first on day one of creation, and on each succeeding day. A day begins with darkness, become light and fades away to darkness.

Once we learn what a day is and when it began, we understand YHWH did His work of creation in six days; blessed and rested from His work on the Seventh Day. Yah made the seventh day sabbath for us, as a sign between Himself and His people. Since He is Set Apart and rested on the 7th day of creation He desires that we also rest on the 7th day from our work. He set the pattern for us to follow.

Seven is the established order and I asked Mrs. G about what she wrote, "His weekly Sabbaths will fall on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th every time".  And I aksed, wouldn't a seven day count be 7, 14, 21 and 28, every time? 

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...Deuteronomy 5:12 'Observe the sabbath day to keep it set apart as Yahweh your Elohim commanded you...

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Now is when Mrs. G lets me in on something I'd never heard of before:

"Yes Dusty, new moon day is a set apart day like the Sabbath, it is day 1 of His calendar, the weekly count starts with day 2 of the month." (Me: huh?) "So when we see Sabbath on the 15th, we count back...15 - 7 = 8, 8 - 7 = 1, new moon day, you can also count forward, 15 + 8 = 22 ... (Me: what?!)

What is written in Torah helps define a day:

Exodus 12 Yah tells Moshe that the month they are to be set free from Pharaoh is the first month of the year... and on the 15th day is when they were set free. 

Exodus 16: the Israelites came to the wilderness of Sin on the 15th day of the 2nd month after they left Egypt (when did the new count of days begin?)

This is where the moon and the month connect = Exodus 19: On the 3rd new moon after the Israelites had gone forth from the land of Egypt... 19:16 On the 3rd day as morning dawned. 

This reads as a count of days from the new moon, the 3rd new moon since Yah told Moshe when the first month was. Three Moons = 3 months. He says the third new moon and then counts the 3rd day from that new moon, and indicates what part of the day it was: dawn. He never says the Sabbath Day of Rest is every 8th day. And in Exodus 12, 16 and 19 we can see He considers the new moon as the first day of the month.

After this exchange, Mrs. G provided a link to a site defending (explaining) the 8 day count and new moon day sabbath. This website uses quotes from Scripture and verses out of context to prove their point. Our discussion was becoming more than just defining a day by Yah's terms.  It was becoming confusing to say the least and my conviction about the seven day count from the sighting of the new moon was digging in deeper.  Several days have now passed and I am still not convinced that there is an eight day rhythm or new moon day as a day unto itself.  After taking a look at the website I was able to offer Mrs. G examples of where the info they provided was not exactly on point. They were using Yah's Feast Days to pinpoint sabbath days, using Passover as the first example, and doing that count backwards thing. 

Here is my opening remarks and the discussion that followed:

This is the first time we learn of the process of being set free. The history of the passover lamb and Yah's instructions for people to choose to be saved from death, using the blood of a lamb painted on the doorposts and lintels of each dwelling: Exodus 12:12 - For that night I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down every first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and I will mete out punishments to all the (false) gods of Egypt... And the blood on the houses where you are staying shall be a Sign for you: when I see the blood I will pass over you, so that no plague will destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. (that evening meal begins the Days of Unleavened Bread) Exodus 12:15 - Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread- on the very 1st day (of the 7, on the 15th) you shall remove leaven from your houses. The first day and the seventh day are sacred occasions and no work is to be done, only whatever is to be eaten may be prepared.  Exodus 12:17 - you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread for on this very day (the 15th day of the 1st month) I brought you out of Egypt, to be observed throughout the ages as an institution for all time. Exodus 12:18 - In the first month from the 14th day at evening you shall eat unleavened bread until the 21st day of the month at evening. ... (the 14th day at evening is when the passover lamb was eaten... and the 15th day began when the sun went down) Exodus 12:24 - You shall observe this as an institution for all time, for you and for your descendants. :25 And when you enter the land that I will give you, as I promised, you shall observe this rite... And when your children ask why and what does it mean, you shall say, 'It is the passover sacrifice to YHWH Elohim because He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but saved our houses.'

In Leviticus this appointment is explained again:
Leviticus 23:4 - These are the set times of YHWH, the sacred occasions, which you shall celebrate each at its appointed time: In the first month, on the 14th day of the month, at twilight, there shall be a passover offering to YHWH and on the 15th day of that month YHWH's Feast of Unleavened Bread- for seven days.

This fits with a seven day count, the 14th day is a Sabbath and the 15th day is a "High Sabbath" being the first day of Unleavened bread, that lasts seven days and ends on the 21st, a Sabbath Day of Rest. Deuteronomy 16 gives us a little more detail for this set time. It reads that a passover offering is made to YHWH and slaughtered in the place He will choose to establish His Name. For 7 days no leaven shall be found among you. You cannot slaughter the sacrifice wherever you choose but at the place YHWH chooses to establish His Name. In the morning you may start back home; on the 7th day of Unleavened Bread hold a solemn gathering, do no work."  

The 7th day of Unleavened Bread falls on the regular weekly Sabbath day of rest, so we have a Sabbath with another High Sabbath on the 21st day of the month. (Notice it says in the morning they can head back home. That is the day following the passover offering, a High Sabbath)

The website offered by Mrs. G concludes that the "main point for this 1st month is that the Sabbath day is pinpointed to be on the 15th day. We can also conclude the the 8th, 22nd, and 29th were also Sabbath days" (end quote) That conclusion is wrong. The regular sabbath is also when the passover offering is made.  If your read the account from Scriptures, the first day of Unleavened bread is a Sabbath, too. Yahweh says the days of Unleavened bread end on the 21st day of the first month.... which is also part of the seven day count for the weekly Sabbath.

(notes) Exodus 12:29 In the middle of the night YHWH struck down all the first born in the land of Egypt... 30 Pharaoh arose in the night because of the loud cry in Egypt... 31 He summons Moses and Aaron in the night and tells them to leave: Up, depart from among my people, you and the Israelites with your Elohim... take your flocks, your herds and be gone... 33 The Egyptians are happy to see them go and give them any thing they ask for just to finally get rid of them.... His people were dressed and ready to go as Yah had instructed them to be when they ate the lamb. Can you imagine 600,000 men plus women and children plus the mixed multitude, leaving Egypt? on the 15th 'day' of the month, beginning some time before the sun rose, as Exodus 12:29-31 lets us know this begins happening at night, after the passover lamb was eaten on the 14th day at twilight, before the sun went down and it became the 15th day, when He said He would set them free.

Moving right along...  in the website they also (quote) 'conclude that for the 2nd month in a row, the Sabbath is pinpointed to be on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th days of the month. And the 1st day of the month is new moon day." End quote.

Yes, it is written in Exodus 16 that the entire community that left Egypt came to the wilderness of Sin (Zin) between Elim and Sinai, on the 15th day of the second month. They begin mumbling and grumbling again, complaining and wishing they had all the conveniences of living in Egypt. They believe Moses has brought them out to the desert to die. Yah tells Moses to let them know He will provide 'bread from the sky' and they can gather what they need each day. On the 6th day there will be double the amount because the 7th day is the weekly Shabbat. ....  They are in the wilderness on the 15th day of the 2nd month, and 'manna' is provided for them to gather. They gather what they need each day, for six days: 15th, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20th. Next is the 21st day of the second month, a weekly Sabbath by the seven day count from the new moon sighting.

Now, part three from the website, they assume that the Israelites entered Sinai on the 15th day. (Quote) ".... they came to Sinai in the 3rd month, on the same day they had left Egypt. They left Egypt by night on the 15th of the month." (end quote) I strongly believe this statement to be a misunderstanding of what is written: Exodus 19 ~ On the third new moon after the Israelites had gone forth from the land of Egypt, on that very day, they entered the wilderness of Sinai. == The third new moon would be the 1st day of that third month and on that very day, the first day, they entered the wilderness of Sinai. They set up camp in front of the mountain.  Also, as pointed out in the previous comments, they began leaving Egypt after Yah had killed all first born in the middle of the night, which was after sundown on the the 14th day, into the 15th day. They did not leave by night on the 15th day as the website states. The last of the nearly one million people may have wandered out before sundown, but they were gone before day number 15 ended.

Next phase of the discussion, Mrs. G uses verses trying to support the eight day count, which leads us to learning the specifics of His Moedim aka Feast Days. So I shall draw this post to a close and link it to Part Three when I complete that study.

~ * ~ * ~

There is a reason Yah said this:

Isaiah 1:11 - What need have I of all your sacrifices... I have no delight that you come to appear before Me - trample My courts no more. Bringing your offerings is futile, incense is offensive to Me. New moon and sabbath you proclaim solemnities and assemble with wickedness I cannot tolerate. Your new moons (months) and your fixed seasons (man's traditions and substitutes for Yah's moedim) fill Me with loathing - they have become a burden to Me, no longer a joy. When you lift up your hands in false praise and worship I will turn My Eyes away from you.

If we were keeping count according to His Plan we would not be filling Him with loathing. We would not be a burden to Him making Him sad, or angry.  We know His Day of Wrath is coming so lets not be part of the reason why.

YHWH's Method of Counting - Part III

Welcome to Part III 

Which is linked to Part II

Continuing the Study on Yah's Method of Counting

This will conclude the discussion Mrs. G and I had about Yah's method of counting days and months. It involved so much more than we could have kept track of during the commenting session on FB and I needed to do more research in order to see 'right from wrong' and to let His Spirit reveal the truth of the matter. I have included both sides of this discussion to be fair and show I am not just offering my opinion or dismissing Mrs. G.  She, like many others, have a heart for Elohim and desire the truth but get snared in rabbit trails that can be exposed when held up to the Light of Torah, the Writings, The Prophets or the Renewed Covenant.

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 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!)

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.

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:

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.

At this point I should probably begin a Part IV, but will carry on to wrap this up because I forgot about "New Moon Day" which is part of that 8 day count doctrine. Mrs. G says it comes right from Scripture itself, many verses.  So I went in search for these many verses.

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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 Links to related Studies

Feast of Weeks = Shavuot

Keeping His Feast in Today's World

Three Days and Three Nights

Days of Unleavened Bread

Traditions of Man

Definition of "tradition" from the 

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

• an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior
• a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable
• the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction
• cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions
• characteristic manner, method, or style

Mark 7:5 The scribes and the Pharisees ask Y'shua, "Why don't your disciples walk according to the traditions of the elders? His short answer is: "You hypocrites... You have left the Commandment of Elohim and have embraced the tradition of men. ... And you despise the Word of Elohim because of the tradition that you have handed down..."

This entire chapter showcases one of the greatest discussions of 'oral versus written law' predating what would later be recorded in the Talmud some 200 years later.

Matthew 15:3 records the same... the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem ask Y'shua why his disciples transgress against the traditions of the elders. He asks them, "Why do you transgress the Commandments of Elohim because of your traditions?"

Written Torah was pitted against the oral traditions of the Pharisees who were nullifying the Word of YHWH by their traditions - he would not instruct his followers to do likewise.

Who were the scribes?

Members of a learned class studying the Scriptures and serving as copyists, editors, teachers, and jurists

Who were the Pharisees?

Members of a Jewish sect noted for strict observance of rites and ceremonies of the written law and for insistence on the validity of their own oral traditions concerning the law.

Who were the Sadducees?

Members of a Jewish party consisting of a traditional ruling class of priests and rejecting doctrines not in the Law (such as resurrection, retribution in a future life, and the existence of angels)

Quote from the Jewish Virtual Library: 

Of the various factions that emerged under Hasmonean rule, three are of particular interest: the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.

The most important of the three were the Pharisees because they are the spiritual fathers of modern Judaism. Their main distinguishing characteristic was a belief in an Oral Law that God gave to Moses at Sinai along with the Torah. The Pharisees believed that God also gave Moses the knowledge of what these laws meant and how they should be applied. This oral tradition was codified and written down roughly three centuries later in what is known as the Talmud.

The Sadducees were elitists who wanted to maintain the priestly caste, but they were also liberal in their willingness to incorporate Hellenism into their lives, something the Pharisees opposed. The Sadducees rejected the idea of the Oral Law and insisted on a literal interpretation of the Written Law; consequently, they did not believe in an after life, since it is not mentioned in the Torah. The main focus of Sadducee life was rituals associated with the Temple.

The Sadducees disappeared around 70 A.D., after the destruction of the Second Temple. None of the writings of the Sadducees has survived, so the little we know about them comes from their Pharisaic opponents. These two "parties" served in the Great Sanhedrin, a kind of Jewish Supreme Court made up of 71 members whose responsibility was to interpret civil and religious laws.

A third faction, the Essenes, emerged out of disgust with the other two. This sect believed the others had corrupted the city and the Temple. They moved out of Jerusalem and lived a monastic life in the desert, adopting strict dietary laws and a commitment to celibacy.

The Talmud

Quoted from the Jewish Virtual Library:

The Oral Law is a legal commentary on the Torah, explaining how its commandments are to be carried out. Common sense suggests that some sort of oral tradition was always needed to accompany the Written Law, because the Torah alone, even with its 613 commandments, is an insufficient guide to Jewish life. For example, the fourth of the Ten Commandments, ordains, "Remember the Sabbath day to make it holy" (Exodus 20:8). From the Sabbath's inclusion in the Ten Commandments, it is clear that the Torah regards it as an important holiday. Yet when one looks for the specific biblical laws regulating how to observe the day, one finds only injunctions against lighting a fire, going away from one's dwelling, cutting down a tree, plowing and harvesting. Would merely refraining from these few activities fulfill the biblical command to make the Sabbath holy? Indeed, the Sabbath rituals that are most commonly associated with holiness-lighting of candles, reciting the kiddush, and the reading of the weekly Torah portion are found not in the Torah, but in the Oral Law.

Without an oral tradition, some of the Torah's laws would be incomprehensible.

Can you see where the term 'legalism' was wrongly applied by Christians to Torah, the written Word of Yah, as an excuse to ignore the Old Testament, while at the same time being totally blind to the fact it was the acts of the scribes and Pharisees which made their opinions 'legal'? That is the foundation of Judaism, another religion that perverts our heavenly Father's Instructions for humanity.

Babylonian Talmud? Does this have anything to do with the warning to 

Come out of Babylon?

I do not support the use of the talmud nor do I support folks who use it as a teaching guide. Rabbis believe "Without an oral tradition, some of the Torah's laws would be incomprehensible" and this is simply not true. The talmud provides insight to the 'Jewish mindset' (not the Hebrew mindset) via the early rabbinic system (the beginnings of Judaism = a religion). It is a collection of writings that cover all 'Jewish law and tradition'. Rabbis believe we cannot understand "Torah" without it and I find that to be a false teaching. They were guilty of putting a 'fence around Torah' back in the day and this is the same sort of power trip the RCC participates in. I am pointing out to Beware the traditions of man. When we continue to read and study Scriptures daily, His Spirit will reveal the Truth wherein we gain knowledge and understanding, without the influence of traditions or man's opinions about "God". Y'shua called the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites because they transgressed against the Commandments of Elohim by way of their traditions... which later became recorded in the Talmud. This is a big reason why I do not recommend using the Talmud in an attempt to teach, shed light or verify the Word of YHWH.

Creation of Man - Male and Female

I have never heard of the idea of 2 or even 3 accounts of creation. I will share a post by Mr. T that brought it to my attention. For the sake of clarity I have shortened it, corrected the spelling and replaced all the capitalization with lower case where appropriate, so I cannot say it is a direct quote, but the meat of the issue remains the same: Three Accounts of Creation.

In the original post he presumed we are all aware of the Masoretic texts and that is where the three accounts originate. Basically, he seems to think that they included three different accounts from different scrolls and fragments because they couldn't decide which one was true. At home, I read from an older edition of the Tanakh which is translated from traditional Hebrew Text. But even the  early scribes and rabbis took away from the ancient texts and replaced those words with meaningless substitutes. We are lucky to have any sort of version of His Word in today's world, but let's remember that men has handled Scriptures many times over the years which is why we need to read whatever version we have, day after day and study out topics so we gain understanding, not just by ourselves, but by allowing His Set Apart Spirit to reveal truth.

Here is the gist of Mr. T's post:

This is to address the three, not just two different accounts of the creation of man. I also want to address the fact that in Genesis Chapter 5 verses 1 and 2 show a different version that lines up with Genesis Chapter 1.  I just want to state that in Genesis 1 we see He created male and female and blessed them as one people. Now this is after the animals were made ..... So Lets take a look and see what the scripture says in Genesis 1: 26-27 -- Then Yah said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."  Elohim created man in His own image, He created him; male and female. 

So in Chapter 2 we see that it talks of how the man (Adam) was created and then the animals were created.... (Mr. T's assumption)

(Here I highlight Mr. T's Point of Confusion): ...I just want to point out this part because in Genesis 1 the animals were made before man, but chapter 2 we see it it was after Adam was created that the animals were created.  I just want people to see this is specifically a whole other account of the creation of Adam and Eve.  Lets look later on and we see that woman was not made the same time as the man but after him, from his rib, after the seventh day when Yah rested. But in Genesis 1 it says that He made them the male and the female...

Genesis 2:7-24 -- Then YHWH Elohim formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.  8 And YHWH planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 18 And YHWH said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a suitable helper for him. 19 And out of the ground EL formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21 Yah caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof ... He made a woman, and brought her to the man 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 

Lets take a look at the last account of creation of the book of Genesis and you will see what I am trying to show you....  in a way it continues from Genesis chapter 1 or this is a totally different version of creation meaning a third account, as we can see very well. -- So, with all the information presented I believe there is either an insert between Genesis chapters 1 and 2 or chapters 1, 2 and 5 are different accounts of creation... give your opinions... my conception of this it that it is possible that there are three distinct accounts of creation. 

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I can easily see the cause of Mr. T's misunderstanding of the written word, but he compounded his own confusion by trying to use the Hebrew or Masoretic to explain it, dividing the account into three parts instead of understanding it at a whole. He also overlooked the fact that Man was described as both male and female (plural) when he was created: One man with 2 particular attributes. Mr. T was not too happy with 'my opinion' which was Scripture based, without reverting to ancient Hebrew text or Strong's or Greek interpretations.

Mr. T wrote: "Genesis Chapter 5 verses 1 and 2 show a different version that lines up with Genesis Chapter 1."  I showed him a side by side comparison and asked where he saw a difference, but he did not reply.

Genesis 1:27-28 And Yah created man in His image, He created him; male and female. He blessed them and said to be fertile and fill the earth. Genesis 5:1 When Yah created man He made him in His likeness; male and female He created them. And when they were created, He blessed them and called them Man.

I remember it was men who divided the ancient texts into chapter and verse. I understand the thought process behind it, making it easier for anyone to be on the 'same page' when in study. But, like most everything that begins with good intentions, they can become corrupted over time. For example, Genesis 1 looks like it should have ended with the final sentence in the first paragraph of chapter 2 - "Such is the story of heaven and earth when they were created." (that's a wrap!) Chapt 2, beginning a few words before verse 5, reads like a summary of events leading up to the creation of a fitting helper for Adam. 

YHWH places Adam in the Garden and gives him that all important piece of information: "... but as for the tree of knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat of it; as soon as you do you shall die."  Verse 19 does not cause me any consternation whatsoever BUT I can see how the wording would catch the eye of Mr. T: 19 - And YHWH Elohim formed out of the earth all the wild beasts and all the birds of the sky.

Yes, the word "formed' is past tense, He did indeed form these critters and man (plural: male and female) was created as well, on the 6th day before He rested. After the man gave names to all the cattle and to the birds and wild beasts, Yah cause the man to sleep a deep sleep, removes one of his ribs and fashioned it into a woman. Can you see how when He created man, both male and female, as Adam, He included the female which came from man? She wasn't really a separate creation as she was already part of man, Adam.

Genesis 2 continues: When Yah made earth and heaven -- when no shrub of the field was yet on earth and no grasses had sprouted, because Yah had not caused it to rain >> and there was no man to till the soil << but a flow would well up from the ground and water the whole surface of the earth --  He formed man from the dust of the earth. He blew into his nostrils the breath of life... (doesn't this read as a recap of what had already happened, instead of a chronological report of things happening again?) Read on about the Garden and what grew there and the river that flows from there.  It tells us Yah placed man in the Garden, which reflects back to Day 6 of Creation, Genesis 1:29, when He shows Adam: See, I give you every seed bearing plant, seed bearing fruit; to all the animals, birds and everything that creeps I give all the green plants for food (in the Garden)... Genesis 2:15 After Yah places Adam in the Garden, he is given that instruction which is very important: ...but as for the tree of knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat of it, for as soon as you so you shall die.  After that we learn that Yah wants a suitable helper for Adam.

Now, the question that comes to my mind is: 

Is it still Day 6? 

Yahweh is still working and doesn't rest until Day 7.

?

(This was part of Mr. T's concern as well, 

and this needs more attention on my behalf,

but I'll leave it be for now...)

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Mr. T had brought up Genesis 5:1; 2
This is the record of Adam's line: When Elohim created man, He made him in the likeness of Elohim, male and female... when they were created He blessed them and called them Man. (which confirms what we read earlier): Genesis 1:27 And Yah created man in His image, He created him; male and female.

Both accounts relate to the same event.

I would like to point out, 'Man' is the name of Yah's human creation. He created him in His likeness, not like the birds or fish or animals or creeping things, and He says Man is both 'male and female', plural in his essence. This makes perfect sense since part of Yah's plan was to form the woman from the man. They were both created as one on Day 6.  As far as I can see Scripture is in harmony with itself.

There is only one account of creation. The animals were made on Day 6 and so was 'man'.  Man was a plural being containing both male and female attributes. Those beasts that had been previously formed out of the earth were brought to Adam so that he could name them and find a fitting helper.  Yahweh saw there was not a suitable helper among the animals and then brought the female into being from the man.  And, think about this connection: when a man and a woman marry they are said to become 'one flesh'. They were separated at creation and spiritually rejoined in marriage. Are we separated from our Creator now, yet waiting to be rejoined with Him after the thousand year reign of His Son?

I'd like to take a moment now to draw your attention to this little tidbit: The accounts given by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are four different accounts concerning the same events throughout the life and times of Y'shua.  The style of writing differs slightly and one remembers a detail not recorded by another, but they all harmonize, they all tell the same story. James, Peter and Paul's writings all confirm what was recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. I see the same sort of rhythm when reading Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

I have been giving a lot of thought to Mr. T's view on this topic, and his reaction to my response which led him to remove himself from my old FB group.  I kept wondering, after all was said and done, what is the real lesson in all this?  What caused most of the confusion for Mr. T? How did I offend him?  Let me point out this wasn't our first time conversing but appears to have been the last. One of the first things I noticed about him was his obsession with the Hebrew language but also mixing in Greek interpretations.  I complimented him on his zeal and endeavor to learn but also cautioned him about getting snared while on a rabbit trail.  I was never rude or self righteous, but always willing to share from my own experience in an effort to guide him, trying to shine that light a little brighter onto Yah's Path of Righteousness. Apparently he wasn't 100% in love with my approach. 

If this is an indication of what the end times are going to be like for those of us who consider ourselves Set Apart Believers, then there is no time like the present to finally dump all that excess baggage in order to stay on the straight path that leads to the Narrow Gate.  Satan is the author of confusion, so beware any topic or idea or suggestion that seems contrary to what our Creator says. Satan knows Scriptures better than any of us and can use it expertly against us.  

I always use the written Word as the foundation, the truth and the proving ground for all things. I don't want anyone who comes out of 'churchianity' to fall into another religion: Judaism. Learning about Torah is not a Jewish thing; it's about regular folks learning to read Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, and studying what they read.  The more we read the more His Spirit has to work with.

When Yah gathers His people and sets them back down on the promised land is when I believe we'll all be speaking Hebrew.  He confounded language when He scattered those trying to build that tower in Babel so it makes sense that when we come together as one people we'll have one language.  Trying to master it now is not required, although some knowledge of the culture, its idioms and poetic prose is helping in learning the intended meanings and gaining a deeper understanding of Scriptures.

Crimes Against Humanity

The Daily Beast

The Man - Resulting Deaths

Stalin - over 40 million

Mao Zedong - over 45 million

Hitler - over 17 million

Hirohito - 6 million

Vladimir Lenin - 4 million

Saddam Hussein - 2 million

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Nearly 75 percent of all deaths in the United States are attributed to just 10 causes, with the top three of these accounting for over 50 percent of all deaths. Over the last 5 years, the main causes of death in the U.S. have remained fairly consistent.

The top 10 leading causes of death in the U.S.

Heart disease

Cancer

Chronic lower respiratory disease

Accidents

Stroke

Alzheimer's disease

Diabetes

Influenza and pneumonia

Kidney disease

Suicide

How many of these conditions can be linked 

to man-made causes?

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How's your brain-fog today?

Quote: 
What if I told you that you and your family are being sprayed regularly with toxic aerosols? It’s called Stratospheric Aerosol Geo-Engineering (or SAG); better known as chem-trails.

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Sorceries of Babylon

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Discipline = Obedience

Obedience = Love

I am not perfect but this does not stop me from following in Messiah's footsteps which lead us into that perfection which completes us.

I have come out of the Mystery Babylon mindset but still have some habits to break. I know right from wrong but fall short from time to time.

I am at that point on His Path of Righteousness that when I look back at the way I use to be I shake my head in shame and cannot believe I was that person. 

Praise YHWH and His steadfast love and His everlasting covenant!

It is by reading His Instructions that I have learned right from wrong; good from evil. These lessons prompt me to be obedient to the One who created me. It is by following His Instructions in Righteousness that I am becoming disciplined. I choose to do so by faith.

​Exodus 15:26 - If you will diligently listen to the voice of ​YHWH your Elohim, and do that which is right in ​H​is eyes, and give ear to ​H​is commandments and keep all ​H​is statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am ​YHWH​, your healer.

Deuteronomy 11:26- See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of Yahweh your Elohim, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of Yahweh your Elohim, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.

Deuteronomy 30:15- See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity. For I command you this day to love Yahweh your Elohim, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His laws, and His rules, that you may thrive and increase, and that He may bless you... But if your heart turns away and you give no heed, and are lured into the worship and service of other gods, I declare to you this day that you shall certainly perish... I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Chose life by loving Yahweh Elohim, heeding His commands and holding fast to Him. For thereby you shall have life and shall long endure.

Deuteronomy 30:19- I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life if you and your offspring would live by loving Yahweh Elohim, heeding His commands, and holding fast to Him. For thereby you shall have life and long endure.

John 14:15 - Y'shua said if you love me keep my commands. 14:21- He who has and keeps my commandments is he who loves me and will be loved by my Father. 15:10 - If you keep my commandments you will abide in my love just as I have kept the commandments of my Father (Torah) and I abide in His love. 

Revelation 22:14 - Blessed are those who do His commandments for they shall be given the right to the Tree of Life and will be allowed to enter into the city (New Jerusalem).

The Ten Commandments Summarized

Obedience is Discipline

His Governing System