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NOTE: September 2010. The original Sabbath Packet with audio cassette tapes mentioned in the below commentary is being updated into a new CD format and is unavailable at the moment. Please check back as to availability.
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for current information -- - - - Based Upon The Vernal Equinox - - - - - - Fixed In Place In "The Heavens" by The Creator - - - Dear Christians, think on this: Loving to honor the Sabbath Day of Rest puts the "Spirit" to the flesh! Willing obedience to the 4th Commandment is FAITH PROOF that the heart is truly in the "Rest of Jesus" ! James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works , and I will shew thee my faith by my works. James 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? James 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. The Bible teaches that the Sabbath is neither Saturday nor Sunday !!! The denominations of man have adulterated the true Sabbath into complete confusion !!!
The original Hebrew calendar was never lunar, nor could it possibly have been. Nor was the Sabbath ever on Saturday or Sunday (as we presently reckon those days). The Saturday Sabbath is rooted in Babylonian Jewish Talmudism. The Sunday day of rest is based on superstitous doctrines rooted in Catholicism. The Bible truths and facts show both these to be in error as they are only miscalculated doctrines of men. For sake of time and space it is not the purpose of this web site to debate the calendar issues online by e-mail correspondences. As led by revelation of the Holy Spirit, a few American ministers as far back as the 1920's began re-compiling some basic divine truths on this subject. Now the Sabbath revelation which this ministry presents as humble servants takes the subject to a more complete arena of the issues at hand. Quite possibly the next generation of Spirit led believers will have even more information than is now given us presently by the Holy Spirit. We thank God for His mercy in bringing His Sabbath truths to the Body of Christ once again. The true Sabbath is based upon God's signs in nature: As early in the Bible as the book of Genesis we read that the Almighty Creator set lights in 'the heaven' (sky) to divide the seasons, days, and years! God's real Sabbath is formulated around the Vernal Equinox, the beginning of Spring, and is counted at seven day intervals in a 'week' structured around this celestial signature event (the V.E.) made by HIS holy hands alone. Man made calendars and dates have always been born out of political or religious motives and are thus out of sync with the Creator's time keeping method. The proof to support this fact is overwhelming! Our Sabbath packet will put the Bible student lightyears ahead of the standard church misunderstanding concerning this very important subject. Starting from A to Z, the Sabbath Study Packet has too much information to be presented in a proper conclusive manner on website pages such as this site. Our mail order Sabbath Study Packet is laid out in an easy to follow "home course" that will walk you through the concise Bible notations, historical documentation, and scientific evidence that proves the natural cycle of Yahweh's Sacred Calendar to be the true original Biblical calendar. The lessons are simple, direct, methodical, and enjoyable. You WILL grasp the true and correct divine Sabbath concept when you hear this presentation grounded on Yahweh's Word of Truth! Although this site does have the online version of the true sacred calendar up, running, and always updated so that all of Yahweh's flock may readily know the true Sabbath and correct Holy Day times , for those Christians wishing to obtain the exhaustively researched and referenced Biblical home study course which covers virtually all pertinent questions and answers about the Sabbath issue, send a self addressed stamped business size envelope to: Faith Of The Covenant Fellowship, P.O. Box 96 Pearisburg, Virginia 24134. We'll return an order form concerning what comes with the packet, suggested donation if one can help with an offering, availability of Sabbath study packets in stock, and shipping details. The reason our written and audio tape Sabbath study packet was assembled was to provide a handy source for the Bible student to cross reference nearly all relevant questions on this topic instantly, while relieving this ministry from having to reanswer the same questions weekly from people across the country. Please understand that there is too much information and text graphics contained in the Sabbath Packet to present it on this web site. The basic true Sabbath concept is very simple, however the many excellent questions that came pouring in over a decade from church goers was a chore to compile and answer. These are discussed within our three ring binder manual pages. Thus, after you quickly grasp the simplicity about the Sabbath Day, your subsequent trailing questions will be found along with detailed answers in the ring binder manual. If you want the truth about Yahweh's Biblical Sabbath this study material is A MUST for your Christian family library! -- end _____________________________________________________________
There are many more FAQ's in the actual Study Packet !!!!
Below is a sample month from the Sabbath Packet lessons. It is slightly different in viewing format from the on-line solar calendar months (click "View Solar Calendar" at page top), but both formats present the same solar dates for Sabbaths and Feast Days. For those who have not studied the Sabbath Packet you may have noticed that the "weekly" Sabbath on the sample month below runs from Thursday sunset until Friday sunset. However, please note that was in 1994. The 2008 Sabbath as of this message date (July 2008) runs from Friday at sunset until Saturday at Sunset, but will run from Saturday til Sunday for the next year. Why the shift? The true solar Sabbath day merely appears to "shift" from year to year due to the fact that our modern calendar "named week days" are not fixed stable days, .... that is, it's our modern day calendar that shifts it's week day position each year. This is why your "birthday" is not on the same day from year to year. These apparent shifts due to the erroneous fluctuating modern calendar are all easily comprehended by reviewing the complete Sabbath Packet Lessons. Yahweh's Solar Sabbath has been incorrectly referred to as a "rotating Sabbath" by those who have not properly reviewed the basic concept. In reality, it is our modern "named week day" calendar that rotates, while Yahweh's time keeping method is always fixed on the same dates throughout each year. I bring this to the attention of any reader who may have not yet reviewed the Sabbath Packet but wants to begin proper observance of the One in Seven Day Sabbath. Update August 2009: The Sabbath is currently from Saturday sunset (dark) until Sunday sunset (dark). in YHVH, Ken 1994 March/April sample month (ABIB) below:
sent in from readers (Many more FAQ's are covered in the Study Manual)
Q. Your calendar starts out the year with the first day (Abib 1) as a Sabbath. How can this be correct when the fourth commandment (Ex.20:8-10) tells us that the seventh day is the Sabbath? Why is Abib 1 and 8 a Sabbath instead of Abib 7? A. This is covered on the second side of tape three of the cassette lessons. Please review the tape again in addition to reading this answer. The law of Yahweh concerning our work/rest schedule for a given seven day period is that we work for six days and rest on the seventh. Exodus 20:8-10 does not say "the seventh day of month one is to be a Sabbath". If that was the commandment, Yahweh would have been specific and declared it so. The commandment is to work six days then take a rest. But which day the "one in seven Sabbath" is , is not dealt with by the fourth commandment. In the whole scope of the existence of our universe, we realize that it was a creative work on the part of Yahweh Almighty. But before He began to work on His creation, from the viewpoint of our finite minds, Yahweh was symbolically "at rest", in that whatever He was "doing", it wasn't creating the universe. Therefore a calendar which points this out and records a "day of comparative rest" before the initial six days of work, would actually be correct as opposed to one which shows the first day as a work day. However beyond even this observation, we know from Scripture that the faithful patriarchs of our Hebraic family held Abib 1 as a Sabbath. Remember, as explained in the tape lessons, Yahweh's calendar is primarily a double or "repeated" calendar in that the second half of the year is a repeat of the first half. This is so we may know it is established by Yahweh. His truths are always confirmed by a double witness. "And that He would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is!" (Job 11:6) "And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God ...." (Gen.41:32) In fact, the Hebrew word for YEAR comes from the word Shaw-naw (Strong's # 8138) and it means "the doubling". Keeping this in mind, we see that the first day of the second half of the year (Feast of trumpets) is mandated to be a regular Sabbath forbidding servile work. (Num.29:1; also Lev. 23:24,25) Therefore it can only fit within the divine context of the meaning of YEAR (Shaw-naw/double) if the first day of the first half of the year, namely Abib 1, will likewise be a Sabbath from servile work as well. And even though our corrupted King James Version Bibles do not state that Abib 1 is a Sabbath when read in the English, ... if we examine the events pertaining to Abib 1 from the Hebrew text, we see that, indeed, it was and is a Sabbath. Although the Sabbath requires a rest from servile work (occupational, community, or house work), much work in the ministerial deeds of the temple was done on these "weekly" Sabbaths. Cleaning of the temple and organizing for the convocation meeting of the whole congregation of Israel was part of the worship procedure on the Sabbath. This is what is meant by "hallowing" the Sabbath as directed in the fourth commandment, "wherefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and HALLOWED it." (Ex. 20:11) Hallowed is the same Hebrew word as SANCTIFY (Kaw-dash: to make ceremonially clean. Strong's # 6942) When the Sabbath is hallowed/sanctified it is prepared by cleaning and preparing the place of worship of the congregation. This effort honors the Sabbath. When King Hezekiah restored the true worship of Yahweh to Israel in 741 B.C., he began by initiating the hallow of Abib 1 according to the directive of Exodus 20:11. "And the priests went into the inner part of the house of Yahweh, to cleanse it .. and they began on the first day of the first month (Abib) to sanctify (kaw-dash/hallow, same word as in Ex.20:11 applied "to hallow" the Sabbath) II Chron.29:16,17. With the hallow of Abib 1, Hezekiah restored the Mosaic law that we are to hallow the Sabbath, the ceremonial day for the congregation to gather together and praise Yahweh as one people. Note that they also gathered on the eighth day of Abib for a convocation (v.17). 750 years earlier Yahweh had commanded Moses to hallow/sanctify Abib 1 as the first congregational meeting day of the year set aside for worship. "And Yahweh spake to Moses, saying, On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation" (Ex.40:1,2.) Additionally, we see that this was a yearly commandment to be followed by Moses. "And it came to pass in the first month in the SECOND year, ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH, that the tabernacle was reared up." (Ex.40:17) The Scriptures reveal that these set aside days of Holy Convocations took place on the Sabbath when no servile work was done. "And in the fourteenth day of the first month (Abib) is the Passover (not a Sabbath, ed.) of Yahweh. And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. In the first day (15th) shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein:" (Num.28:17,18) When we examine the whole scope of the convocational Sabbath meeting days of ancient Israel (when they were obeying Yahweh) we see that they were hallowing or sanctifying the 1st, 8th, and 15th of Abib as set aside for "one in seven" for worship of Yahweh. We are specifically told, even in our lacking English versions, that they were honoring Abib 15 as the Sabbath day, doing no servile work. Since the Sabbath on Abib 15 is both preceded and followed by six work days, then Abib 8 and Abib 1 are indeed Sabbaths, which is why Scripture tells us that the priests were busy with sanctifying the temple on these days. Now look at your C.B.M. calendar again and you will see how it all fits together. The Scriptures explain themselves. Abib 1 is always a Sabbath, hallowed , sanctified, and cleansed for the worship of Yahweh by all of Israel.
Q. Why did you arbitrarily add five extra days to the calendar, namely, three days at the end of month six and two days at the end of month twelve? A. I can see why this question would arise, but there were no days added to the calendar. It's just a matter of slowing down a bit, examining this item separately, and seeing it in context with the rest of the calendar. You are referring to the "Solar Witness Days" as seen in the calendar at the end of months six and twelve. These days are there by order of Yahweh as given within the Scriptures, as well as the fact that Yahweh Almighty Himself put the Earth in orbit around the Sun at the fixed rate of 365 & 1/4 Earth revolutions per year. Note that the Sacred Calendar has 365 days within it each year, which is the same amount of days that Yahweh causes the Earth to take, in order to complete one year's travel around the Sun. That is: from point "A" out in space all the way around again, exactly back to the same point "A". It would be impossible for me to add days to this orbital equation. (nor could days ever be "added" and still have a logical calendar that works properly. Also, the "leap year" Sacred Calendar comes out once every four years necessitated by the extra 1/4 revolution of the Earth's orbit each year, which adds up to one extra calendar day every fourth year - 366) Thus the Sacred Calendar has no more or no less days in it than does the actual solar year set in motion by Yahweh. No days have been added to the Sacred Calendar! With your copy of the Sacred Calendar in front of you, we will proceed together as I explain precisely why the Solar Witness Days appear in the calendar by direction of Yahweh's commands. 1. Place your calendar on a desk in front of you. (not a leap year calendar though, as we will address this in another question) Using one of the regular year Sacred Calendars will make it easier for you to understand the Solar Witness Days. 2. Open the calendar to the first month Abib ( use the white sheet first month and not the yellow sample month Abib). 3. Note that the first day (day #1) is a Sabbath. (see question and answer #1 in this lesson if you don't understand why day 1 is a Sabbath). 4. Yahweh commands in Ex. 20:8-10 that there are to be six work days between each regular Sabbath. Therefore, you will note that this is what is done all the way down through the month of Abib. The 1st, 8th, 15th, etc. are all Sabbaths, and we know that these days were, indeed, congregational meeting/Sabbaths days according to Scripture. (see Q. & A #1) 5. Now turn to the second month, Zif. Note that we still follow Yahweh's command to have six work days between regular Sabbaths. This means that the 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th days of this month are Sabbaths. Now do the same with months three, four, five, and six. 6. This brings us to day 27 of month six as being a Sabbath. Here we see the amazing wisdom of our Father, in how He's purposed the whole system to fall in place. Day 27 is a Sabbath, yet Yahweh commands six days work after this day; however in Numbers 29:1 Yahweh also commands that day 1 of month seven is to be a Sabbath. "In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work; it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you." In order to obey both of these commands by Yahweh, it is necessary that the calendar, on its own accord, positions three non-numbered days in-between the Sabbath day 27 of month six, and the Sabbath day 1 of month seven. 7. We know that Yahweh's Sacred Year is composed of 12 Hebrew months of 30 days each, totaling 360 days in a Sacred year. (see tape lessons) But, we also know that from a true scientific observation, Yahweh placed the Earth in obit around the Sun at a rate of 365 days per solar year. This gives us a five day difference between Yahweh's Sacred Year listing our Sabbath and Feast Day celebrations on a recorded calendar, compared to that of His physical solar year with the Earth in orbit around the Sun. Yahweh's command of Ex.20:8-10 (six work days between Sabbaths), COMBINED with His command of Num.29:1 ( day 1 month 7 must be a Sabbath) automatically causes His calendar to "use up" three of the "extra" five solar days. The sacred calendar demands that these days be here. I added no days. They fall in of their own accord. (I did choose to call these non-numbered days "Solar Witness Days" and that name is not in the Scriptures. I chose this name because the Bible tells us that two and three witnesses are called forth to establish a matter. (Mat.18:16) Therefore the use of three, then two, Solar Witness Days even further testifies that this is Yahweh's true calendar for His people. The five "extra" days become physical witnesses) 8. Next, if we look at month seven, we see that days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 are Sabbaths with six work days between them as per Yahweh's law. Follow the months and Sabbaths all the way down to month twelve. In month twelve, days 5, 12, 19, & 26 are Sabbaths. 9. We have already seen that day one of month one (Abib) is a Sabbath day every year. (re-read Q & A. #1) Once again we know that Ex.20:8-10 requires that there are going to be six work days after the Sabbath of day 26 month twelve. Exactly what we discovered with the end of month six, we now discover at the end of month twelve. The last week of month twelve automatically demands that two non-numbered days are used, in order to obey the law that we must have six work days between Sabbaths, in this case: the Sabbath day 26 of month twelve and the Sabbath of day one, month of Abib. It just so happens that Yahweh has two "extra" solar days left over from the solar year, and their usage here completes the Sacred Calendar to obey the law of six work days between Sabbaths, while simultaneously completing the number of solar days (365) in a physical year. By our discipline of holding to exactly which Sabbath takes place on what day, using Scripture law as the formula, we see that Yahweh has somehow managed to perfectly match up His even 360 day Sacred year with His odd 365 day Solar Year. Truly mind boggling to say the least. I made no attempt to "add days" anywhere in this calendar. They all just annually fall into place on their own. When I was originally working on the Sacred Calendar, I had 365 squares of days on a wall. They all began to fit together like a giant crossword puzzle ... down to the last day (square). The "five Solar Witness days" actually turned out to be the "two or three witnesses" that verify this calendar system as the truth.
Q. Aren't we supposed to be celebrating the Sabbath from noon to noon? Someone told me that the evening Sabbath of Leviticus 23:32 doesn't mean sunset. The word "evening" comes from "even". Only the sun at high noon can divide the daylight hours into two equal or "even" parts. Shouldn't we then start the Sabbath at the "even-ing" (high noon)? Genesis 1:14 says, "And God said 'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day ..."
A. The belief that Yahweh set lights in the firmament of heaven to "divide the day" is the basic foundation of the "noon to noon" Sabbath theory. It is a false doctrine. Such a teaching is grounded in a careless misquote of a single Bible verse. Let's read the pertinent part of that verse. Genesis 1:14 tells us, "And God said 'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night ..."; not to divide the day from the day as the noon Sabbath proponents claim. The sacred division of the whole day, for important symbolic reasons, is the dividing line between light and darkness, which is sunset or sunrise. However, on the spring equinox, when we have the first Sabbath of each sacred new year, we have even amounts of day and night. Because of this, the Sabbath sunset indeed became the Scripturally traditional "evening". The sacred division doesn't have to be an equal division of light and darkness throughout the year, as it is the symbolic meaning of what is represented that is important, and not hourly calculations in this particular instance. Just like the sacred year is 360 days, yet the real solar year is 365 1/4 days. This simple and obvious division of "day from night" is experienced by everybody, twice daily throughout their lives, and serves as a perpetual reminder that we must forever be aware of the great conflict between good (light) and evil (darkness). The holy division of light FROM darkness, declared by Yahweh in Gen. 1:14, classically portrays righteousness from unrighteousness, spiritual from carnal, law from anarchy, discrimination from integration, right from wrong, Christ from antiChrist, etc. The Scriptures are too numerous to list which show Yahweh's great divisional awareness for His people is established upon light (obedience) and darkness (sin), not "light from light" (i.e. "day from day at high noon"). Any debate as to whether the lights of the firmament (the sun and stars) were created for the purpose of "dividing the day from day" can ultimately be put to rest by reading the double witness of Genesis 1:14, namely, Genesis 1:18 which tells us that the purpose of these lights are to "divide the LIGHT FROM DARKNESS". By simply remembering this verse alone, we are made aware that Yahweh's Word overcomes any attempt on the part of the noon Sabbath holders to change the meaning of basic words such as "evening", "day", "morning", "night" or any other word they would twist to support this ill conceived doctrine. The noon to noon Sabbath was part of the Baal (Lord) priest's Sun worship thousands of years ago. The intent of the Scriptures are clear .... the division we are to note is between light and darkness. It is because of this great divine principle that the sacred day begins at sunset, and as well, the "weekly" Sabbath begins on this demarcation line between light and darkness.
Q. One church teaches that the term "even, at the going down of the Sun" (I Ki. 22:35,36; Deut.16:6) actually means that the Sun begins to "go down" one minute after high noon, and so spends the rest of the afternoon "going down" until it sets over the horizon. Does "evening" really start one minute after high noon when the sky is bright? Isn't this proof that we should start the Sabbath at noon when the Sun starts to "go down"? A. This interpretation supposes that the word "even" here somehow means "noon" in the original Hebrew text. It does not. "NOON" is the Hebrew TSO-HAR (Strong's #6672); while "EVEN" is EREB which means "DUSK / DARKISH" (Strong's # 6153). Thus, in the Scriptures, "Tso-har" (noon), the brightest part of day, is never used in the Bible to describe when the Sun begins to go down. The phrase "going down of the Sun" means to make the Earth dark, dusky (Ereb) as night arrives at EVEN, sunset. An interesting verse is Amos 8:9 where we see a reference to a solar eclipse: "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith Yahweh God, that I will cause the Sun to go down at noon (tso-har), and I will darken the Earth in the clear day." This verse makes a point of contrasting the "going down of the Sun" as oppositely compared to "noon". This emphasizes the fact that normally the sun does not go down (darken the Earth) at noon; but as a specific sign Yahweh would darken the Earth in the clear day (at noon). It follows that if the term "going down of the Sun" means "to darken the Earth", and since the "going down of the Sun" is "even" (I Ki.22:35,36 etc. above question) , then "even" is when the Earth is darkened each day ...... at Sunset! Also, King David declares in Psalm 55:17, "Evening (ereb), and morning, and at noon (tsohar) will I pray, and cry aloud: and Yahweh shall hear my voice." If evening (ereb) was indeed noon, King David would be saying here, "Noon, morning, and noon will I pray". This would make no sense at all and would be a needless redundant phrase. The Bible teaches that evening is sundown (the going down of the Sun).
Q. I received material in the mail that teaches the Old Testament Passover sacrifice was really at the noon hour, so this must mean that we should still hold our Passover Feast and the regular weekly Sabbath at noon, correct? A. It's difficult to say whether this latest concept is well intended or was merely "invented" by somebody for the purpose of getting people to accept religious double talk concerning the Passover in order to appear knowledgeable. Nevertheless, the concept is wrong and is entering into a spiritual danger zone. The Old Testament Scriptures do have reference to the "noon sacrifice hour", but it was part of the Baal cult worship --- not part of obedient Israel honoring the Passover sacrifice hours of Yahweh. There is probably no better illustration in the Bible warning our people to stay clear of the "noon Sabbath/sacrifice" religion than the one mentioned in I Kings 18. It is the story of Elijah and the Baal priests. During the night skies Baal was worshipped as the planet Jupiter, and in the day as the Sun. (That Baal was worshipped as these two celestial bodies is noted in Gesenius' Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon , page 131; Religion Der Babylonier, Munter, page 169, and other related sources). In II Kings 21:3 & 5 we are told that Baal worship consisted of praying to the celestial hosts of heaven, that is the Sun or stars, and possibly the Moon at various other periods in the history of this pagan cult. High noon was the apex of when the Sun Baal (Lord) reached its most powerful position. This cult was the counterfeit religion to that of the true Israelite priesthood who realized that the Sun was only a creation of Yahweh by which to guage time and seasonal references. The close counterfeit of truth has always given our people trouble in discerning the path of obedience to Yahweh. In the days of wicked King Ahab, Baal worship supplanted that of Yahweh worship except for a very small remnant, including Elijah the prophet. Most of you know that there was a great conflict between Elijah and these Sun worshipping priests, as Elijah challenged them to a "show of power" between Yahweh and their god. In I Kings 18:26 we see that the Baal priests took a bull as a sacrifice, "prayed from morning until noon (apex of the Sun)", AND AT THIS TIME "they LEAPED upon the altar which they had made." They expected something to happen AT NOON! Christian faithful, please pay close attention to what Yahweh tells us in the Hebrew language of this account. "Leaped" in this verse is the Hebrew word PAW-SAK which means "to pass over". This is the Chaldean/Babylonian counterfeit equivalent of the Hebrew PEH-SAK which is the true Israelite Passover. (compare Strong's # 6452, 6453) In other words, the Baal "passover sacrifice" was at HIGH NOON, the same hour today's noon Sabbath holders are telling people we should observe the Passover and weekly Sabbath!! [We have come full circle with Baal (THE LORD) worship resurfacing in America among Yahweh's people, even promoting their hour of noon sacrifice among unsuspecting patriotic American Christians]. Elijah mocked the Baal priesthood AT NOON, the time of their "passover" (vs.27), which was actually a leaping across their altar to get Baal's attention. As midday passed Elijah did not offer the Israel sacrifice to Yahweh yet (vs.29), even though the Baal priests kept trying to invoke their god all afternoon. In the mean time, Elijah repaired the altar of Yahweh, prepared wood, cut the bullock, and filled the water barrels three times, ALL AFTER MIDDAY NOON HAD PASSED!! (see vs.30-35). Then, when the time of Yahweh's sacrifice came (which we know is "ereb" toward sundown), Elijah sacrificed the whole sacrifice area with a powerful fire testimony from Yahweh Himself. Elijah proceeded to execute 450 Baal priests at the brook Kishon summarily ending their "noon passover" practice (vs.40). This is no light matter! Christians today must refrain from making this mistake, seek Yahweh's truth, and pray for the brethren that are misled by the noon worship doctrine. Observing high noon to begin the Christian Israel Passover is an adulteration with Baal worship of the lowest sort. Please send for our free one page Bible lesson as to the correct time for the Passover Memorial (it is just after the beginning sunset of Abib 14, modern April 2nd)
Q. I have seen calendars that use the Vernal Equinox to begin the year, but then use the moon within that calendar to set the Feast Days. Can this be done correctly? A. No, it cannot. We cannot start the sacred calendar year on Abib 1 based on the Vernal Equinox (a fixed solar time) then switch to "full moons" and "new moons" to establish the Feast Days. We are talking a system of time keeping here. The moon can never be used to provide a fixed time system, or to fix the time of the Feast Days. By "fixing" I mean to have the Feast arrive on the exact same date from year to year. Lunar phases within a month, can vary as much as 29 1/2 days over the course of a year. This means that if we used the moon to locate the day for celebrating Tabernacles one year, the next year's Tabernacles can and will be anywhere from 1 to 29 1/2 days different than the previous year. Let's have a hypothetical illustration: We begin with Abib 1 centered around the Vernal Equinox. Paraphrased, Yahweh says, "Count the days, and have The Feast of Trumpets on the first day of month seven", which of course we read in the Bible. Low and behold, there happens to be a full moon on Trumpets that year. Now comes the next year. We start counting again from Abib1, and come to month seven day 1. We have a Feast of Trumpets celebration, but we find out that on that particular date (7th month, day 1) there will not be another full moon for several years ( 3,10,19 years,or sometimes hundreds of years, to wait for a repeat of the moon cycles on an exact date) Do we follow the lunar calendar times for the Feast Days and delay the Feast of Trumpets for several days or weeks until there's a full moon that month? Or do we obey Yahweh, discard the moon phases, count from Abib1, and have the Feast of Trumpets on day 1 of month 7 according to His command in Numbers 29:1? The answer is obvious. We hold to the Scripture's dates for each and every year. The moon cannot be used to set Feast Days or keep fixed yearly memorials.
Q. If the moon was not meant to be a sign for us to set the seasons, why does Psalm 104:19 say, "He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down."? A. If this verse were true it would contradict nature as created by Yahweh Himself. Believing this verse to be correct in the English translation would be like finding a Bible verse that says, "Yahweh made the cold temperature to boil water." Common sense tells us that there would be something strange about that verse. Yet it is staggering how many people write and say that the seasons are divided by the moon because of this verse. The first thing we should consider is to ask ourselves if the moon has ever, in all of Earth's history, been the heavenly body used to appoint our times for the seasons. Summer, Winter, Spring, and Fall are set by the Sun when it crosses the Equinoxes and the Solstices, or actually the four seasonal points of Earth's orbit around the Sun. The Moon cannot be used to tell the seasons. It is impossible. If you transported the Earth and Moon to a point somewhere alone by themselves, billions of miles away from our Sun, with the Moon still orbiting the Earth ... we would have NO SEASONS AT ALL!! Yahweh did not appoint the Moon for the seasons, no more than He appointed the swine to be our food. ( But many still quote I Tim.4:3, "Every creature of God is good .. received with thanksgiving") The word for "appoint" in this verse is AW-SAW in the Hebrew (Gensenius , page 657) and means "to work on something, produce by labor". It does not mean "to appoint" in the sense of assigning which is another Hebrew word altogether, NAW-THAN (Strong's # 5414) AW-SAW is the same word used to tell how Bezaleel "worked" on gold and silver for the Tabernacle in the wilderness in Exodus 31:4. The word for "seasons" here is MO-ADE (Strong's # 4150) and means "fixed times", used in a wide variety of applications. All this verse declares is that Yahweh worked on the Moon and set it's orbit in place, & set the Sun in its place too. Likewise, the bounds of the waves of the sea (Job 38:8-11) Also, does this verse say anything about the Moon being assigned to Yahweh's Memorial Feast Days? No! Not a single one of Yahweh's Seven Memorial yearly celebrations are mentioned here at all. Ferrar Fenton presents this verse correctly: "He fixed the Moon her times, the Sun taught when to set." (Ferrar Fenton Bible, Psalm 104:19, page 747)
Q. Why do we see Scripture verses talking about "New Moons" if Israel didn't worship on the New Moon? A. The term "New Moon" only means "new month" (cho-desh, Strong's # 2320). The orbiting Moon itself is Yaw-ray-akh, Strong's # 3394. There is no such Hebrew Bible verse as "New Yaw-ray-akh". When the Hebrews became captive to the Babylonians, they started holding the Babylonian "New Yaw-ray-akh" as the first of the Hebrew month (cho-desh). The word Cho-desh (month) then became adulterated with Yaw-ray-akh (the orbiting Moon). Not drawing this distinction, some books such as Strong's Concordance, lists two meanings for cho-desh: month and Moon. Wherever the Bible reads "New Moon", be aware that it should read "New Month" and a lot of the confusion will clear up as you will be 100% linguistically correct. The true Hebrew "New Month (cho-desh)", as given in the Books of the Mosaic law, is fixed by beginning with the Vernal Equinox; then (1) placing six work days between Sabbaths, and (2) having 30 days to a month. These two Hebraic calendar laws work together to produce a 365 day calendar. A "New Moon Month" is 29 1/2 days which makes a year of only 354 days which we know is incorrect. Codesh originally never meant Moon. Review question 20 to see how a corrupted post Babylonian exile Jewish priesthood surmised the "new Moon" to begin the month.
Q. I have seen another ministry's calendar which claims to be based on Psalm 91 and which teaches us that we need to observe four soldier's Sabbaths per year, each 91 days apart, and if we do this, God will give us some kind of powerful physical "sword" (weapon) which we must then use to destroy the enemies of Christ. Is this what the Bible tells us to do?
A. The Bible tells us that Yahweh's remnant should hide out of the way from His wrath, while Yahweh brings Gog and Magog into America near the end of this age to punish the wicked rulers in our land. (Isa. 26:20; Prov.27:12; Ezek. 38:8) The carnal mind still rallies around the idea of forming a militant revolution against Washington D.C. and "taking back America". Although such action is not part of Bible prophecy for the coming events in our land, many are wishful that it would be so. Right wing zealots won't let go of this frame of mind. It appears that the hope of obtaining a "mega weapon" by entering into a so called 91st Day Sabbath, is yet another variation of satisfying those who desperately want to see our American freedoms restored by a militant Christian patriot solution. It plays upon the emotions and the warrior nature of our Saxon people. However, this teaching strays more from Bible truth than most Sabbath controversies. The ideology of the 91st day Sabbath is based on a blend of questionable "lost books of the Bible" writings, Medieval legend, Crow/Hopi Indian Sun worship, Early Catholic doctrine, and some Scripture verses. The emotional attraction is a fantasy of obtaining a "Luke Skywalker type of light saber" called "The Sword of The Lord", by which means the believer will have power to slay Christ's enemies. This ploy is similar to an effective New Age sales pitch in content, and Christians must be on guard. Our modern book stores are overwhelmed with thousands of New Age religious handbooks all claiming to give "power" to the devotee. The basis for this peculiar teaching is derived from the number of Psalm 91, and the fact that it is the "soldier's Psalm". Four times 91 equals 364, a number which is almost a complete year, thus the idea of holding quarterly Sabbath's during the year. The 91st Dayers direct their followers to abandon Yahweh's commanded Feast Days for Israel, and now replace them with the "Soldier's Four Gate Day Sabbaths", as these days are "gates" to spiritual wisdom and power. They further decree that any Christian family which observes Yahweh's Feast Days given in the Old Testament books of the Law has been supposedly "Judaized" by false prophets. It is truly sad to hear of such condemnation against those who have made the effort to be cheerful doers of Yahweh's plain commandments. However, nowhere in the Bible does Yahweh Almighty give Israel a commandment to hold Sabbaths 91 days apart during the year, although He does clearly set forth His memorial Feast Days telling us exactly how to number these glorious days, and how to honor them. The true Biblical Feasts tell the story of Yahweh's redemption for the family of Adam, and by living the faith of these wonderful celebrations, we ingrain the Gospel into our lives by action. What a blessed Father we have that He would tell us about His Holy Days, by which He has shown us the story of His redemption of Adam's family!! The Bible student should be aware of the ruse of devising phony Sabbath days based on the mere number of a Psalm or other Bible passage. Any number of Psalms can be tinkered with to invent supposed "secret Sabbaths". The below unbiblical "New Age Sabbath" is a sham version I speedily concocted in about 20 minutes: (Below: example of possible Scripture manipluating for senationalism) "The Psalm 52 Sabbath Celebration and the Seven Days of Respite" Ancient pathways of Yahweh, revealed in Psalm 52, give us the truth that we must hold seven Sabbaths, divided equally apart during the year, in order to have victory over our enemies. 7 x 52 = 364, dividing a complete year evenly. Our key to knowlegde is Psalm 52. Psalm 52 is a Psalm of David where Yahweh is shown as destroying Israel's enemies. We know that we have to hold to seven memorial Sabbaths, each 52 days apart, since Isaiah tells us that Yahweh will bind up the breaches of our great land in seven special days. "... the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that Yahweh bindeth up the breach of his people ..." ( Is. 30:26) Also, Yahweh will show the lightning of His power in these days.(verse 30) We likewise know that we will receive some atomic type of "light power" because Isaiah 30:26 said that through these days our light will be like "the Sun sevenfold". Malachi also bears witness to us receiving some weapon of "super laser light power". "But unto you who fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise ..... and ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under your feet." (Mal. 4:2,3) How do we fear His name? By honoring the seven special Sabbaths 52 days apart since we know that Psalm 52 x 7days = 364 days! (an even year) Furthermore, we know that the number of "seven days" is holy to Israel in order to make ready, and seek help to defeat an enemy. When Nahash the Ammonite laid siege to the Israel city of Jabesh-Gilead, the Israelites demanded "seven days of respite" to seek help from King Saul. They knew of a secret not easily found in the Bible. Saul organized an army during these "seven days of respite" and He rescued the Israel people of Jabesh-Gilead from the Ammonites. (I Sam. 11:3) Respite means to "abate or cease", Strong's # 7503. This time of "ceasing" is really a holy Sabbath period not openly commanded by Yahweh but revealed within this story of Jabesh-Gilead. Israel kept seven other secret days as Feast Days, and we can be sure that these were undoubtedly the "Seven Days of Respite", linked with Psalm 52 to secure the defeat of Israel's enemies. "And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness." (II Chron.30:23) These unknown seven days are implied in Proverbs 9:1 which tells us how to kill the "beast system" that has captured America. Legends claim that they are called "Pillar Days". Only the wise understand this. Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: she hath killed her beasts .." (Prov.9:1) Remember, 7 x Psalm 52 is 364 days! Finally, these seven Sabbath Days of Respite were originally divided throughout the year since Genesis 1:14 tells us that God made lights to divide periods of time. In Revelation 1:16 we see that God's lights (stars) are actually seven in number, with the power of a "two-edged sword" shining as the Sun. Therefore, seven unknown Sabbath days held equidistant at 52 days throughout the year are the key to our triumph.This directly relates to Psalm 52, which number divides the year into seven parts thus giving us victory over the enemy.
Of course, the above 52nd Day Sabbath is ficticious, but it sounds as good as the 91st Day New Age Sabbath , or any other "special Sabbath" that one might dream up. Thankfully, Dear brothers and sisters, Yahweh gives us His Sabbaths and their times by direct unambiguous commands, not by outlandish Scripture manipulating. When Yahweh does reveal a truth by mathematics, that truth will be based on the numbers in the Hebrew and Greek letters of a word or phrase (i.e. The Greek numbers of the name "Iesous", for "Yahshua", add up to 888, the number of a new day and resurrection, also the sign for infinity.) Or, His math will be based on distinct numbers alloted to days, names, or parables written into the Bible text --- such as, "In the 14th day of the first month at even is Yahweh's Passover." (Lev.23:5) It's clear, concise, to the point. The 91st Day "Sabbath" cannot be found anywhere within Yahweh's mathematical language text parameters. The true debate concerning the Sabbath issue is quite basic and simple. It all comes down to this. Which day is the first day of the holy year? Once that is grasped by simply reading Yahweh's law, Yahweh Himself openly gives us all the numbering of the Sabbaths and Feast Days. There is no guessing about it. From Abib One we count 14 days, then have Passover, etc. etc. etc. It is all in The Word and given by command of our Father. There are no 52nd Day Sabbaths, nor 91st Day Sabbaths mentioned in the Bible.
Q. The Bible says the day starts at dawn, not evening. In Genesis 8:22 we see a day is "day and night"; and the record of Noah's flood in Genesis 7:12 was for "forty days and forty nights". Also in Luke 23:54 the original Greek says that the "Sabbath began to grow light". Doesn't this mean that the Sabbath starts at dawn and not evening?
A. Just as we do today, the writers of the Bible classified "a day" according to several different determinations. Our modern day technically begins at midnight, yet we speak of "tomorrow" as being "in the morning". One way in which the Bible speaks of a day is from two successive risings of the Sun (Genesis 7:12 & 7:24). Another way the Bible depicts a day is as the interval between Sunrise to Sunset (Matthew 20:1-12; John 11:9). Still another way a "day" is considered within the scope of the Scriptures is by metaphorically using the term to denote any period of action, such as a day of trouble (Psalm 20:1), the day of wrath (Job 20:28), the day of Yahweh (Isaiah 2:12; 13:6 & 9, etc.) However, the events of the Sacred Calendar "days" all begin and end on the evening. "Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread .....on the fourteenth day of the month at even .... until the one and twentieth day of the month at even." (Ex.12:15,18) "....From even unto even, shall ye celebrate your (Day of Atonement) Sabbath." (Lev.23:32) This type of "day", or period between Sunsets, applies to the Sacred cleansing of the people as well. "The soul which has touched any such shall be unclean until even, and he shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water. And when the Sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food." (Lev.22:6,7) Notice too that a woman who has an issue is ceremonially unclean for seven Sunsets, and these seven Sunsets at evening are clearly called "the days of her separation ... she shall number to herself seven days (Sunsets). (Lev.15:19-28) Likewise, all the Feast Days begin and end with the Sunset, and within those Feast days there are regular Sabbaths, so the Sabbaths couldn't begin at dawn while the Feast Days begin at Sunset. When restoring the law, Nehemiah closed the gates of Jerusalem as the Sabbath approached at dusk to keep out merchants who were coming to sell on the Sabbath Day. "And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark, before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath ..." (Neh.13:19). Righteous Nehemiah honored the "one in seven Sabbath" from evening to evening and closed the gates of Jerusalem at dusk! This brings us to the Sabbath of Luke 23:54, which reads, "And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on." Some note that the Greek for "drew on" is "Ep-ee-foce-ko", meaning "to grow light" (Strong's # 2020), and therefore reason that the Sabbath begins at dawn. This reasoning is faulty, as this verse is not being considered in the proper perspective. Even if the Sabbath in this verse of Luke was referring to the true Hebrew Sabbath (which is unlikely), for the Sabbath "to grow light" means that it is already in darkness, starting the evening before and running through the night as daybreak arrives. In any event, the Old Testament law, such as noted in Nehemiah above and the rest, has set the Sabbath as evening to evening, and Yahweh says "I am Yahweh, I change not" (Mal.3:6) The day of "Passover preparation" and "Sabbath" referred to in Luke 23:54 was that of the Edomite Jews, and not the Passover of true Israel. Christ had already prepared for and eaten the true Passover (Luke 22:7-16) for if He didn't He would be a law breaker! There is not one verse of Scripture which says Christ was killed at the hour of the true Israelite Passover as ministers claim. He had forsaken all, entered into the murderous false Passover of Edomite Jewry, and intentionally fell out of The Father's protection for a moment. The Jews follow the lunar cycle, and their "Passover" will take place anywhere from 1 to 29 days in error of the true Passover. In the year of Christ's crucifixion it was one day later than the true Israelite Passover which Christ and His disciples had already celebrated. Therefore the Sabbath mentioned in Luke 23:54 does not have any bearing upon the true Sabbath no matter which way we read it. Even if a false Sabbath happened to occur on the same day as a true Sabbath, it does not necessarily follow that their specific hours will correspond. Thus, Luke 23:54 can't be used to deduce anything about the Sabbath issue. Another reason that the Sacred Day runs from Sunset to Sunset is the symbolic meaning behind this purpose. Yahweh has promised to rescue us out of darkness and bring us into the eventual fullness of the glorious light of His eternal Kingdom (although the "elect" are walking toward that direction already). But the darkness (our present condition) comes first. The very first time in the Scriptures that the words "darkness" and "light" are found is in Genesis 1:2 & 3. Darkness is mentioned first and the light second! Yahweh's own Word sets the theme. Genesis chapter one also mentions the "evening and the morning" as being the order of the "day". Observing the Sabbath "day" from dark to light gives us a constant reminder of what Yahweh's redemption for us is all about. Even when the believer is now said "to walk in light", it is understood that he was first in darkness in the carnal nature before his conversion. Consider these verses which testify to the truth that, spiritually, darkness comes first, and that the saving power of Yahweh triumphs over that darkness:
King David said, "For thou art my lamp, O Yahweh: and Yahweh will lighten my darkness." (II Sam.22:29).
"He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder." (Psalm 107:14)
"Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: He is gracious and full of compassion, and righteous." (Psalm 112:4)
"I Yahweh have called thee in righteousness ...for a light of the nations; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house..... I will make darkness light before them." (Isa. 42:6,7,16)
"... to open their eyes, and to turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins ..." (Acts 26:18)
"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." (Rom.13:12)
" Therefore judge nothing before the time, until Yahshua come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God." (I Cor. 4:5)
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (II Cor. 4:6)
"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in Yahweh: walk as children of light" (Eph.5:8)
"Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth." (I Jn.1:8)
Although the word "day" has several different applications when used in the Bible, the Scriptures absolutely do not teach that the symbolic Sacred Day of Yahweh's redemption for us is a "day" that begins with the light of dawn, and then we are led into darkness. Yahweh has given us many reminders in the written Word which let us know that we are first born in darkness (the carnal nature), and that we must come into the light (the grace and law of Christ). The best reminder of this is our weekly Sabbath, which we are commanded to hallow beginning at Sunset (night being first) and awaken to the light of the hope of our complete salvation in Jesus (Yahshua) Christ . He is the "Morning Star" that rises in our darkness (Rev.22:16) and He grows in our heart as the "Sun of righteousness" (Mal.4:2) as he destroys that darkness. The Sabbath is dark for the first part of the Sacred Day, then it is light for the hours of living redemption. The victory of Yahweh is told throughout the year by the knowledge of the Solar Sabbaths and Feast Days. HalleluYah!
More FAQ's are in the written study manual of the Sabbath Lessons. NOTE: August 2010. The original Sabbath Packet with audio cassette tapes is being updated into a new CD format and is unavailable at the moment. Please check back as to availability.
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