THE CASE FOR A LUNAR BASED SABBATH

Version 2.51

INTRODUCTION

Methods of time keeping have over the centuries been defined and redefined by many cultures, traditions and empires. While most of us realize that our Gregorian calendar is a rather recent creation, certain fundamentals of time such as the hour and the week are, because of such ancient use, assumed to be as immortal as the sun itself. While this paper may question the timing of our Sabbath day, it is in no way intended to subtract from the meaning or significance of the day. The Sabbath is still just what it always has been, a memorial in time which honors God as our creator (Exodus 20:11) our Redeemer (Deuteronomy 5:15, Hebrews 4:10), and the One who sets us apart through sanctification (Ezekiel 20:12). Man-made institutions of time and worship, (such as Sunday observance) honor man and his works in the place of God and subtract from this meaning. For centuries the Christian church has maintained a false day of worship (the first day of the week). When it was discovered that the biblical day of worship and rest was really the seventh, many moved to a Saturday Sabbath, yet maintained an unbiblical timing of the day (6:00PM- 6:00PM). Ten years later this was discovered and believers began keeping it sundown to sundown. And now, nearly 160 years after keeping that day from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown comes the question, where in the Bible does it say Saturday is the seventh day? Is our calendar really biblical? What evidence is there to show that our modern week is indeed in exact coincidence with the biblical week?

THE EVIDENCE

As Seventh-day Adventists, we have always strongly tied the Sabbath to the creation week. In honoring the seven-day "cycle" we say we honor God as Creator. Honoring God as Creator is important. But to honor Him as Creator, includes not only keeping the week and the Sabbath, but includes keeping these things as He established them to be kept. Let's not only look at what God did and draw our conclusions, let’s look at what He said about what He did. Especially when it comes to the timing of our calendar and Sabbath day. On day four we read:

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:” (Genesis 1:14 AV)

In this text we see clearly that God establishes "time pieces" in heaven for the demarcation of time or for "signals." Of course, we know what the days and years are.

Our solar year is based upon the circuit of the earth around the sun, and our month comes from the cycles of the moon (though the two are now no longer synchronized). Our day is timed by the rotation of the earth, as indicated by the sun. The only piece of time in our calendar not associated with these heavenly time clocks is what we refer to as the "weekly cycle." From initial appearances nature gives us no indication of a seven-day cycle. It has been assumed that the seven-day week we have has been passed down to us from creation with no interruption. But not only can this not be proven, the Bible states something clearly to the contrary. In fact, the biblical week is kept nothing at all like the modern week. Let's look at our text again.

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:” (Genesis 1:14 AV)

While much of our calendar has been determined by these timepieces, unfortunately much still remains unassociated. Many begin the year on the fictitious date of January 1^st, which has nothing to do with the sun or moon. Many reckon their months as 28-31 days instead of according to the actual lunar cycle of 29.5 days (29 or 30 alternately). Many also still begin their day at 12:00AM rather then sunset. Possibly this is because honoring God by governing our lives around His timetables really doesn't seem like a big deal of importance. To a Seventh-day Adventist, however, the issue becomes much more significant when we realize that the beginning of the week, and thus the timing of the Sabbath, is directly affected by how we keep time. Because we don’t know any better, the practical ramifications, such as always feeling off schedule or "behind time" aren’t taken much into consideration either. While it would probably be wise to honor the year, month, and day as God established them, if we intend to keep the Sabbath as God intends, it is especially important that we honor the timing of the week as He established it as well.

According to the above text the sun and moon are to determine not only the day, or year, but we find another interesting word mentioned. “Seasons” in Hebrew means much more then one might think. We know that at that point of time they didn't have summer and winter like we do now, for that would have meant God established a cycle of death at creation. The actual Hebrew word is "mo'ed" which in the King James Version is translated like this:

congregation 150, feast 23, season 13, appointed 12, time 12, assembly 4, solemnity 4, solemn 2, days 1, sign 1, synagogues 1; 223

Out of two hundred and twenty-three occurrences, “season” is used only thirteen of those. While this word could be referring to some esoteric “seasons” which we know nothing of, the overwhelming usage of this word is to the sacred “congregations,” or festivals of the Old Testament, including as we shall see the Sabbath. Interestingly enough, we find this same word used in Psalm 104 verse 9:

“He appointed the moon for seasons (mo'ed)." (Psalms 104:19a AV)

What “seasons” besides the Old Testament festivals does the moon determine? Certainly not our summer and winter!

The only real “seasons” left for our Genesis text to refer to could only be those such as are defined in Leviticus 23:

“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts [mo'ed] of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts [mo'ed]. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. These are the feasts [mo'ed] of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even [is] the LORD’S passover . . .” Leviticus 23:2-4

We know for a certainty that the yearly feasts of the Lord which Israel kept were timed by the sun and moon:

“This month [shall be] unto you the beginning of months: it [shall be] the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth [day] of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of [their] fathers, a lamb for an house:” (Ex 12:2-3 AV)

The actual word for “month” in Hebrew is “chodesh” which means “new moon.” This first month was called “Abib” (Exodus 13:4) meaning “tender” (barley, corn, etc.) and corresponded with the vernal equinox of the sun (when the days and nights are equal in length in the spring). So clearly the “seasons” of the festivals were associated with the sun and moon.

So were all of these Old Testament feasts ordained at creation? It is not within the scope of this paper to make a full argument for that at this time, but it might be well to note several things.

The fact that the Old Testament festivals had many ceremonial connections is not proof that they were entirely Israelite or ceremonial (besides the fact that God calls them His feasts, not your feasts). This is shown by the fact that the weekly Sabbath had strong connections to the history of Israel as well:

“And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.” (Deuteronomy 5:15 AV)

We also find sacrifices connected with the weekly Sabbath:

“And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish.” (Ezekiel 46:4 AV)

We see then that it is possible for something to have a specifically indigenous connection, while at the same time a universal element, which would make sense if God is a God of relevance. The Sabbath, which was made for mankind (Mark 2:27) had specific meaning to the Jews, yet had, at the same time a universal application (Exodus 20:10, 11). What we need to ask is, could the feasts have had the same? We know that certainly Passover did:

"In the last Passover our Lord observed with His disciples, He instituted the Lord's Supper in place of the Passover, to be observed in memory of His death." (The Faith I Live By p.300}

For a fuller explanation of the feast days, please read "God's Festivals" by Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi or “God’s Holidays” at http://www.GodsHolidays.com .

In the past, many have separated the Sabbath from the yearly festivals. Yet a deeper look reveals that it is one of the “mo’ed” or “congregations” just like the rest:

This is shown clearly in Numbers 28:1-29:39 as well. That is certainly something we do know was established at creation. So Genesis 1:14 must at least refer to this.

Apocryphal literature may not be of exact equality with the books we find in our present canon, but it would be well to realize that many of these books were written the same time the scriptures were (Maccabean times), and though they may contain some errors, in many places they harmonize quite well with scripture. These also, in many instances are the only other records we have for this time period. For those who are open minded, the book of Jubilees says it this way:

“ . . . And God appointed the sun to be a great sign on the earth for days and for sabbaths and for months and for feasts and for years and for sabbaths of years and for jubilees and for all seasons of the years." (Jubilees 2:9-10)

Notice how expanded this account is. Rather then just saying "seasons" it goes on to tell us which seasons (this text doesn't mention the moon, but the light of the moon comes from the sun). Again, we find the Sabbath classed in along with all the other feast days within this text. Evidence that this is indeed the weekly Sabbath would be the order of the reference (days/Sabbaths, months/feasts, years/Sabbaths of years/Jubilees) as well as the mention of all seasons, which according to Leviticus 23 the weekly Sabbath is a part of.

Another statement from an ancient manuscript would tend to be a strong indication of an anciently lunar based Sabbath:

The Dead Sea Scrolls, A New Translation, translate the fragment for lunar day 8 as follows --

"On the eighth of the month [chodesh], the moon rules all the day in the midst of the sky...and when the sun sets, its light ceases to be obscured, and thus the moon begins to be revealed on the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK" (pp. 301-303).

A second consideration in favor of this point is that many today claim that the timing of the Sabbath day can't be known. The fact that Jews are keeping a specific day is not absolute proof of anything, considering the fact that many historians and Jews themselves believe that the weekly Sabbaths were at one point based upon the lunar calendar. There are many sources for this information. The book "Rest Days" by Hutton Webster goes quite in depth into the history of both the Jewish Sabbath and the weekly cycle. His testimony agrees quite strongly, with solid documentation, with the statements of many encyclopedias. Of course, encyclopedias are not the basis of our faith. But unless scripture indicates otherwise, their testimony should be given due consideration. Let’s look at a few quotations (EMPHASIS supplied).

"1. Sabbath and New Moon (Rosh Hodesh), both periodically recurring in the course of the year. The New Moon is still, and the Sabbath originally was, dependent upon the lunar cycle. Both date back to the nomadic period of Israel. Originally the New Moon was celebrated in the same way as the Sabbath; gradually it became less important, while the Sabbath became more and more a day of religion and humanity, of religious meditation and instruction, or peace and delight of the soul, and produced powerful and beneficent effects outside of Judaism." (Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, p. 410 "Holidays")

"Among ALL early nations the lunar months were the readiest large divisions of time...(and was divided in 4 weeks), corresponding (to) the phases or the quarters of the moon. In order to connect the reckoning by weeks with the lunar month, we find that all ancient nations observed some peculiar solemnities to mark the day of the New Moon." (The Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, 1904, p.1497)

"the Hebrew Sabbathon conveys the idea of propitiation or appeasement of divine anger and [it] is...the opinion [of Professor Jastrow] that the Hebrew Sabbath (i.e. CREATION SABBATH) was originally a Sabbathon -- i.e. a day of propitiation and appeasement; marked by atoning rites...it was celebrated at intervals of seven days, CORRESPONDING WITH CHANGES IN THE MOON'S PHASES, and was identical in character with the four days in each month, i.e. 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th! (Encyclopedia Biblica, The MacMillan Company, 1899. P. 4180).

The Hebrew month is a lunar month and THE QUARTER OF THIS PERIOD -- ONE PHASE OF THE MOON -- appears to have determined the WEEK OF SEVEN DAYS" (Encyclopedia Biblica, The MacMillan Company. P. 4780).

"It [the Sabbath] was probably originally connected in some manner with the cult of the moon, as indeed is suggested by the frequent mention of Sabbath and New-Moon festivals in the same sentence (Isa. i. 13; Amos viii. 5; H Kings iv. 23) . . . The Sabbath depending, in Israel's nomadic period, upon the observation of the phases of the moon, it could not, according to this view, be a fixed day. . . (www.jewishencyclopedia.com under "Sabbath")

". . . while the week of seven days was connected with the lunar month, of which it is, approximately, a fourth. The quadripartite division of the month was evidently in use among the Hebrews and other ancient peoples; but it is not clear whether it originated among the former. It is unnecessary to assume, however, that it was derived from the Babylonians, for it is equally possible that observations of the four phases of the moon led the Hebrew nomads spontaneously and independently to devise the system of dividing the interval between the successive new moons into four groups of seven days each. There is ground, on the other hand, for the assumption that both among the Babylonians and among the Hebrews the first day of the first week of the month was always reckoned as coincident with the first day of the month." (www.jewishencyclopedia.com under "Week")

States Assyriologist S. Langdon, "the weeks do not continue in a regular cycle regardless of the moon. Each month has four weeks, beginning with the new moon. Days 29 and 30, or in case of a 29-day month, day 29, are simply THROWN OUT of the four-week system. I have no doubt but that this was the old Hebrew scheme...In other words the fourth week has one or two extra days. Every month must begin with the first day of the first week [as determined by the new moon]" (Babylonian Menologies and the Semitic Calendars, p. 89).

The New Schaff-Herzog Religious Encyclopedia notes that "there is general agreement that the seven-day period [as observed by the Hebrews] was derived from Babylonia, where it was employed in pre-Semitic times -- this is confirmed by the fact that not only were the seventh, fourteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-eighth days of the month observed, but that the nineteenth was also a special day...(vol. VII, 1910. P. 492). The reason for the one-day discrepancy here as compared to the days God set apart in Exodus 16 is because the days 7, 14, 21 and 28 are reckoned from the first crescent of the moon, whereas the numbers 8, 15, 22 and 29 are reckoned from "day one" from the "dark" of the moon."

As we can see, history would tend to show quite strongly that the ancient calendar was at one point lunar. If this is true, then where would have the fixed week come from? Who changed it and why?

Under "Calendar" on page 1662 second column of the fifth volume of Funk and Wagnalls Standard Reference Encyclopedia of 1961, we find this statement:

“The week, which was based on the Mosaic law, that requires rest from labor every seventh day (Exodus 20: 9-10), was not recognized in the calendar of the ancient Greeks, and did not appear in the Roman Calendar until about 400 A. D.”

Did the Jews adopt a pagan week, or did the Jews make a change to their own calendar that the pagan’s adopted? The previous statement would tend to support the latter, though the views by various scholars on the topic are as diverse as the religions of the world. Though we are still waiting for enough evidence to bring about a consensus on the matter, we find an interesting prophecy, though not in scripture, that a corruption of the sacred calendar would occur:

"And all the children of Israel will forget and will not find the path of the years, and will forget the new moons, and seasons, and sabbaths and they will go wrong as to all the order of the years. For I know and from henceforth will I declare it unto thee, and it is not of my own devising; for the book (lies) written before me, and on the heavenly tablets the division of days is ordained, lest they forget the feasts of the covenant and walk according to the feasts of the Gentiles after their error and after their ignorance. For there will be those who will assuredly make observations of the moon -how (it) disturbs the seasons and comes in from year to year ten days too soon. For this reason the years will come upon them when they will disturb (the order), and make an abominable (day) the day of testimony, and an unclean day a feast day, and they will confound all the days, the holy with the unclean, and the unclean day with the holy; for they will go wrong as to the months and sabbaths and feasts and jubilees. (Jubilees 23:34-38)

The fact is, the Jews have already changed when their year begins from when it is specified in scripture (Exodus 12:2) as being in the spring, to now beginning in the fall (see Segal, The Hebrew Passover, pp 127-28). If they make one change to the calendar, what should keep them from making another? We know that today among Jews the Sabbath is kept much less strictly then it used to be, if at all. Many Jews serve in the military regularly on their Sabbath day, and others don't recognize it in any way at all. We know that in the past the Jews profaned that which was holy for the sake of commercial gain:

“And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.” (Luke 19:45-46 AV)

Is it possible that making the week occur at more regular intervals, such as a fixed week, could create much greater commercial regularity?

The Jews weren’t foreign to trampling upon the laws of God in the name of serving Him:

“Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” (Mark 7:7-9 AV)

In John’s time Jesus spoke of a some Jews belonging to the synagogue of Satan! (see Revelation 2:9 and 3:9). Corporately the Jews not only crucified the Messiah (see Acts 2:14, 23), but when given opportunity to repent, they began stoning and persecuting His followers (Acts 7:54-60). Can a group that no longer keeps the year as God ordained and that crucified His Son be trusted?

It would seem that our faith should never rest in a race or the religion of another. Keeping the Sabbath on Saturday only because the Jews do is doing the very thing scripture forbids:

“That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:5 AV)

A Sabbath based upon the visible moon, so that universally all can know and see for themselves when the Sabbath is seems much more reliable then a faith based upon what other people say or believe. We are told in the Bible:

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” (Romans 1:20 AV)

Whether the week is to be lunar based or not, there certainly are some things that we as Seventh-day Adventists need to seriously consider a problem to a Saturday based Sabbath.

The first one is the timing of the crucifixion. Matching our weekly cycle to the timing of the Passover Sabbath of the crucifixion, we find that the two do no coincide. Their Sabbath would have most likely fallen on our Thursday. Let’s look at it.

1. The year Christ was crucified was AD 31. We know this from the 2300 day prophecy (Daniel 9:25-27 - Command in Fall of 457 BCE + 49 prophetic weeks (Ezekiel 4:6) or 483 years + 1 since no zero year = Fall of 27 CE beginning of Jesus ministry + 7 years ministry - death in midst of week (3.5) = Crucifixion in Spring of 31 CE).

This is also stated in the Spirit of Prophecy as well: "In A.D. 31, three and a half years after His baptism, our Lord was crucified." (The Great Controversy p327)

2. The Gospels testify that the Passover Sabbath fell at the same time as the weekly Sabbath:

“And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!” (John 19:14 AV)

“The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and [that] they might be taken away.” (John 19:31 AV)

“And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.” (Mark 16:1 AV)

The Greek word used here for "Sabbath" is in the plural sense as "Sabbaths." Comparing these texts with others the evidence seems quite clear that the days of both the weekly Sabbath and the Passover Sabbath fell at the same time.

"That was a never-to-be-forgotten Sabbath to the sorrowing disciples, and also to the priests, rulers, scribes, and people. At the setting of the sun on the evening of the preparation day the trumpets sounded, signifying that the Sabbath had begun. The Passover was observed as it had been for centuries, while He to whom it pointed had been slain by wicked hands, and lay in Joseph's tomb." (Desire of Ages p.775)

Since both the weekly Sabbath and the Passover Sabbath occurred at the same time, to know the time of the weekly Sabbath according to our weekly cycle, all we need to do is determine the timing of the Passover according to our weekly cycle.

3. According to Leviticus 23:5-7 Passover was the 15^th day of the month (or new moon):

“In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’S passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.” (Leviticus 23:5-7 AV)

4. The first month began at the first new moon after the vernal equinox:

"ANCIENTLY THE YEAR DID NOT COMMENCE IN MIDWINTER, AS NOW, BUT AT THE FIRST NEW MOON AFTER THE VERNAL EQUINOX." The Great Controversy p681.4

See also Socrates Scholasticus (born circa 379 A.D. in Constantinople) in his Ecclesiastical History book 5, chapter 22.

There is some discrepancy as to whether the month began on the first day of the new moon (invisible phase), the second of the new moon (if there was one - invisible phase) or at the sighting of the new moon. This is something worthy of study as well. But let's just try all three and see what happens.

5. When did the first new moon occur in 31AD according to the weekly cycle we now observe? These three sources agree to within half an hour.

"Year 31, New Moon, Apr 10 11:32"

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 USA

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/phase/phases0001.html

"CE 31, April 10 Noon"

U.S. Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications Department

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/SpringPhenom.html

We can arrive at this same date and time using a simple moon phase calculator:

http://www.stellafane.com/moon_phase/moon_phase.htm

If the new moon occurred April 10, which according to the above websites was a Tuesday that year (see also APPENDIX B), then adding two hours to the time to make it local to Israel plus a 20-30 hour sighting range, we arrive at a visible new moon at 9:41 AM to 7:41 PM on Wednesday, April 11, 31 AD.

Putting all this together . . .

If we start counting our month from this sighting, which that evening would be day one of the month, day fifteen of the month, which would have been Passover Sabbath would be a Thursday. If the month began at the actual invisible phase of the moon, Passover Sabbath could have been as soon as a Tuesday. This means, if it is correct, that the Sabbath in the Jews time does not correspond with our Saturday. Some have argued that it was possible for the Jews to add an extra month. According to JewishEncylopedia.com under "Calendar" we read: "Every two or three years, as the case might be, an extra month was intercalated." It is argued that if another month were added to the previous year, that would extend the Passover date to a possible Saturday timing. This is true, but if we calculate the beginning of the previous year, we find that an extra month would have of necessity already been added. No record indicates the Jews ever added two months.

A second objection to a fixed week Sabbath is the problem of the International Date Line. In Tonga, the Seventh-day Adventist church worships on Sunday, because when a change was made to the line (evidently by the King of Tonga), Saturday became Sunday. This makes plain the ridiculousness of drawing an arbitrary line of demarcation between our days. History gives us several examples of this problem:

1) In 1844 Narciso Claveria, the governor general of the Philippines, issued a proclamation announcing that Monday, 30 December 1844, was to be immediately followed by Wednesday, 1 January 1845.

2) In 1867 Alaska was sold to the United States for what by many was then considered to be the absurd large sum of $7,200,000. The change to the American mode of time reckoning was put into effect by decreeing that Friday, 6 October, of the same year would be followed by Friday (sic), 18 October – a shift of 12 days due to the change to the Gregorian calendar, plus one day on account of the day change and minus one day for the relocation of the date line to the waters of the Bering Strait.

3) A similar adjustment of the date line occurred in 1892 when king Malietoa Laupepa of Samoa was persuaded by a major American business house trading in that region to adopt the American day reckoning instead of the Australian (or Asian) day reckoning. In a fine stroke of diplomatic flattery this was put into effect by ordaining that the 4th of July in that year would be celebrated twice.

4) The Kiribati adjustment of 1994/95 - The most recent major adjustment of the International Date Line was announced in 1994 by the government of Kiribati. This extended group of islands (comprising the Gilbert, Phoenix and Line Islands) forms an independent republic within the British Commonwealth since 1979. Spread across an ocean area of no less than five million square kilometres, it consists of some 33 small atolls with a total surface area of only 717 square kilometres. About twenty of these atolls are inhabitable, totalling about 85 thousand inhabitants.

For many years the International Date Line, that for historic reasons bisected the island republic into two halves, had been viewed as an annoying economic nuisance. The western part of the republic was always 24 hours ahead of its eastern part, and there were only four days in each week when official business could be conducted between both parts. To put an end to this situation, Teburoro Tito, the president of Kiribati, announced that on 1 January 1995 the International Date Line would henceforth run along the many-cornered eastern boundary of the republic. It was only realized afterwards that the Kiribati’s most easterly islands would become serious contenders in the race of which place in the Pacific would be the first to greet the rays of the rising sun at the beginning of the new millennium.

Above: The International Date Line as of 1995.

For more info see: http://www.phys.uu.nl/~vgent/idl/idl.htm

The above picture shows us the shortcomings of our modern way of calculating days. In essence it tells us that man can determine when a day begins and ends. If this is so, then really man can establish or set apart which day Sabbath is, and when it begins and ends. In essence, man places himself in the place of God as the one who sets apart, or sanctifies a day. Even if man did have such authority, the place we have chosen to place the line is inconsistent with the habitation of the globe. Since the West met the East on the shores of the Atlantic, as the Native Americans came over the Bering Strait long before Spanish Americans colonized the Pacific, a line to set apart the days ought really to be down the Atlantic. The whole problem is solved, however, with a lunar calendar.

ANWSERS TO COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Why didn't God reveal this to our church sooner? Or to Ellen G. White?

"Strict integrity should be cherished by every student. Every mind should turn with reverent attention to the revealed word of God. Light and grace will be given to those who thus obey God. They will behold wondrous things out of His law. Great truths that have lain unheeded and unseen since the day of Pentecost, are to shine from God's word in their native purity. To those who truly love God the Holy Spirit will reveal truths that have faded from the mind, and will also reveal truths that are entirely new." (FE p474)

Note: God reveals truth progressively as we are able to handle it.

"Christ did not reveal many things that were truth, because it would create a difference of opinion and get up disputations . . ." (CW p77)

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” (John 16:12 AV)

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:” (Matthew 7:7 AV)

“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” (Proverbs 4:18 AV)

"The old truths will be presented, but they will be seen in a new light." (COL p130)

"It is a fact that we have the truth, and we must hold with tenacity to the positions that cannot be shaken; but we must not look with suspicion upon any new light which God may send, and say, Really, we cannot see that we need any more light than the old truth which we have hitherto received, and in which we are settled. While we hold to this position, the testimony of the True Witness applies to our cases its rebuke, "And knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Those who feel rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, are in a condition of blindness as to their true condition before God, and they know it not." --Review and Herald, August 7, 1894. (CW p33)

2. What about ______ (fill in the blank objection)

"All who look for hooks to hang their doubts upon, will find them. And those who refuse to accept and obey God's Word until every objection has been removed, and there is no longer an opportunity for doubt, will never come to the light." (GC88 527)

Note: The lunar based Sabbath is not argument free, but historically, our church has interpreted the minority of evidence in light of the majority. This approach would appear to be in harmony with common sense.

3. Now a few technical answers to commonly asked questions:

Q. If there are nine days between Sabbaths, how can it be the seventh day?

A. It is the seventh day of the week (shabuwa'), NOT month. The weekly cycle resets monthly and the extra days are not considered a part of it: “Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened.” (Ezekiel 46:1 AV)

Note: You will notice that these "new moon" days are not counted as either a part of the six working days or the Sabbath. They belong to the month not the week (Yes, the creation week, the shabuwa', is preserved, in such a way that its seven days are even more appreciable. Would you appreciate Christmas if every day were Christmas? No. Days, apart from this period give us a greater recognition of and ability to appreciate it.)

We read about the children of Israel circling the city of Jericho seven days in a row. The only way this could be done without violating the Sabbath is if there were more days in between Sabbaths. Interestingly enough, Jasher 88:14 (see Joshua 10:33 and 2 Samuel 1:18) tells us they went out the first day of the second month (which would have been a new moon day)!

Q. Wouldn't the Bible have indicated that the Israelites gather extra manna for the new moon days if there were days in addition to the week?

A. This is a good question. But the Bible doesn't make any manna exceptions for

the Passover which had special Sabbaths which they kept in the wilderness (Leviticus 23:7, 8 Numbers 9:3, Numbers 28:18, 25). The lack of an exception being mentioned is not proof that there wasn't one (though the use of the term “lechem yowmayim” literally, “bread (of) multiple daytimes” in verse 29, which was the fourth week, would tend to strongly imply that there was for that week). But even if no extra manna fell, it is believed that anciently Israel kept a fast on the new moon days anyway: "Each new moon was celebrated with a fast" (Jewish Family Celebrations p35). Again we find the following: "the sacred festival of the new moon, which the people give notice of with trumpets, and the day of fasting, on which abstinence from all meats and drinks is enjoined . . . " (Philo, Book 26, XXX, 159). It is also believed among some health experts that fasting a day or so a month is beneficial to health. Whether they fasted on the new moon days or not, we do know that God allowed them to go hungry at times as a test (Deuteronomy 8:2-3).

Q. Wouldn't the Feast of Weeks, if counted after seven Sabbath's fall later then fifty days?

A. The timing of Pentecost has for quite some time been a question of interpretation among the Jews. If we were to follow the interpretation of those who keep Pentecost several days latter, this would allow for the fifty days to occur after seven Sabbaths. Another explanation would be that since the new moon days are not counted as a part of the week, they are not counted in the fifty day count either. Others say the fifty days started to be counted after the forty-nine were over. This is the one argument that needs the most research.

Q. What if the "new moon" can't be sighted?

A. A month is either twenty-nine or thirty days. If it is not sighted after twenty-nine, then the month has thirty. Please remember we have this same problem with determining when the sun sets for Sabbath. Also, anciently the Jews were scattered all over so that an inability to sight in one location was answered by the ability to site in another. Today this isn't a problem with modern calculators, though they are not absolutely necessary.

Q. Why wouldn't God make the year and month fit a week exactly if that was His plan?

A. Why God does what He does is sometimes a mystery, but we know that anciently the month was lunar, and a month doesn't fit the year. Could God be gaving us "extra" time for rest? This was what a new moon day was: “Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?” (Amos 8:5 AV)

Q. If we are to keep the Sabbath as God did (Hebrews 4:10), why should we start our week according to the new moon if that is not how the week started at creation? Also, wouldn't the Sabbath have been off count with the phases of the moon?

A. It is important to remember that when God created things, He created them with apparent age (i.e. Adam, plants, animals, etc.). Just because He made the moon on day four doesn't mean He made it as a new moon. He very easily could have created the moon with apparent "age" just as He did everything else. Thus the moon could have been at creation on day three at the stage it would have been had it been made day one and continued in its cycle. Something else important to remember is that the biblical day is timed according to the sun (Mark 1:32, Deuteronomy 16:6) which we know wasn't made until day four either. If the days could exist before the sun was made, which determines them, it seems just as possible that the week could exist before the moon, which determines it.

Q. What about the supposed ancient astronomical charts connected to the calendar which indicate no interruptions of weekly cycles from "earliest times"

A. This must certainly be considered, but these offer no conclusive evidence until it is determined when "earliest times" actually are. It is estimated that the change from a lunar to a fixed week occurred before 126 C.E.. Also, we must determine where these charts are from and if they were ever associated with the Israelite Sabbath. It’s possible that the some Jews (those in control) adjusted the weekly Sabbath to fit the fixed week that was in use from “earliest times.”

Q. Why does the word "Rest" occur in 105-108 languages for the word

"Saturday"

A. The word "Rest" for Saturday is no positive indication of anything, because many of those same languages us a word signifying "Lord's Day" for Sunday or "assembly" for Friday. If the seven day weekly cycle was handed to the world by the Jews (and Christians) subsequent around the beginning of the common era, as history tends to indicate, it shouldn't surprise us if they used a name for the day similar to that associated with it by the Jews (This is confirmed by the documented history of the week by Hutton Webster "Rest Days"). And actually even then, this number of languages is still a very small percentage considering there are over 6,500 languages in the world today (108 of 6,500 = 1.7%). But even if even every language did carry the name "Sabbath" for Saturday, we must remember that the devil "deceiveth the whole world" (Revelation 12:9). Our faith should never rest solely in the beliefs of the majority (see also Matthew 7:13, 14).

Q. If God did establish a "date line" in Eden, with the garden as the center of the world and the "date line" 180 degrees east or west, would it not fall approximately where the present date line is and solve the problem of a line crossing land as well as disputes as to where it should be?

A. First of all, we don't know where the Garden of Eden was exactly, so finding a line to correspond would be impossible. If we go on the assumption that it was near Jerusalem (or further east), its correspondent (180 degrees either way) would land approximately thirty degrees east of the present line and would dissect Alaska almost exactly in half. There is no possible meridian or 180 degree line anywhere on the globe that won't dissect some island or land mass somewhere when stretched from pole to pole.

Q. What about studies that show that bees keep Saturday?

A. How many months in a row where these studies done? The lunar Sabbath and new moon days can coincide with Saturday for five weeks in a row.

4. Wouldn't you say there seems to be a ring of paganism in a lunar Sabbath?

Certainly. That's why term "lunar Sabbath" is not used, but rather "lunar based Sabbath." This is the same Sabbath we as Seventh-day Adventists have always kept. What has changed isn't the seventh day Sabbath. What has changed is

the timing of the week. We need make very clear that we are not worshiping the moon here any more then an Adventist who watches the sun set to start Sabbath worships the sun. It's about honoring God by governing our lives according to the time pieces HE has established for its demarcation. The paganism is honoring man's time systems. The lunar based Sabbath calls us to believe in God as our Creator and honor Him more then we ever have before!

5. This whole thing is very confusing to me and just doesn't make sense.

God's ways naturally go against our ways. The fact that we don't understand them is not proof that they are not true. In fact we should expect not to readily understand them:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8,9 AV)

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1Co 2:14 AV)

Some things we may not fully understand till heaven when we will say "just and true are thy ways, Thou King of saints" Revelation 15:3. But God's ways are always reasonable (Isaiah 1:18, Acts 17:2, 18:4, 19). Some things take just take time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

6. I just don't see enough solid evidence.

The question might equally be asked where the solid evidence is for a continuous Saturday (or other day) since creation. The fact is there is none. Either way, a certain element of faith is required. And it is through this belief in the unseen that we may obtain a "good report" (Hebrews 11:1,2). So then how do we know what we are to have faith in? Jesus tells us: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13 AV). Truth can only be rightly known and understood through the Divine Agency of the Holy Spirit. If we ask God, He will show us (Luke 11:11-13), and "ye shall know the truth" (John 8:32). He has promised.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS TO CONSIDER

“And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 66:23 AV)

“Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I [am] the LORD your God.” (Nu 10:10 AV)

“And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow [is] the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third [day] at even.” (1 Samuel 20:5 AV)

“And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? [it is] neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, [It shall be] well.” (2 Kings 4:23 AV)

“Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.” (Psalms 81:3 AV)

“Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?” (Amos 8:5 AV)

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]:” (Colossians 2:16 AV)

“One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” (Romans 14:5 AV)

"God teaches us that we should assemble in his house to cultivate the attributes of perfect love. This will fit the dwellers of earth for the mansions Christ has gone to prepare for those who love him, where, form Sabbath to Sabbath, from one new moon to another, they will assemble in the sanctuary to unite in loftier strains of song, in thanksgiving and praise to him that sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever." (RH 1899-10-24)

"At the time of the new moon a sacred festival was celebrated in Israel. This festival recurred upon the day following the interview between David and Jonathan. At this feast it was expected that both the young men would appear at the king's table . . .

"On the first day of the feast the king made no inquiry concerning the absence of David; but when his place was vacant the second day, he questioned, "Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday nor today? And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem: and he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table." When Saul heard these words, his anger was ungovernable. He declared that as long as David lived, Jonathan could not come to the throne of Israel, and he demanded that David should be sent for immediately, that he might be put to death. Jonathan again made intercession for his friend, pleading, "Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?" This appeal to the king only made him more satanic in his fury, and the spear which he had intended for David he now hurled at his own son."

"The prince was grieved and indignant, and leaving the royal presence, he was no more a guest at the feast." (PP p654-55)

Chap. 16 - Time to Begin the Sabbath

[SEE APPENDIX.]

I saw that it is even so: "From even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath." Said the angel: "Take the word of God, read it, understand, and ye cannot err. Read carefully, and ye shall there find what even is, and when it is. I asked the angel if the frown of God had been upon His people for commencing the Sabbath as they had. I was directed back to the first rise of the Sabbath, and followed the people of God up to this time, but did not see that the Lord was displeased, or frowned upon them. I inquired why it had been thus, that at this late day we must change the time of commencing the Sabbath. Said the angel: "Ye shall understand, but not yet, not yet." Said the angel: "If light come, and that light is set aside or rejected, then comes condemnation and the frown of God; but before the light comes, there is no sin, for there is no light for them to reject." I saw that it was in the minds of some that the Lord had shown that the Sabbath commenced at six o'clock, when I had only seen that it commenced at "even," and it was inferred that even was at six. I saw that the servants of God must draw together, press together.

{1T 116.1}

PAGE 116, "TIME TO BEGIN THE SABBATH"--FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT TEN YEARS SABBATHKEEPING ADVENTISTS OBSERVED THE SABBATH FROM 6 P. M. FRIDAY TO 6 P. M. SATURDAY. ELDER JOSEPH BATES IN HIS FIRST PAMPHLET ON THE PERPETUITY OF THE SABBATH OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT, PUBLISHED IN 1846, HAD GIVEN REASONS FOR THE SUPPOSED SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH IN THIS WAY. HE CITED THE PARABLE OF THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD, THE LAST GROUP OF WHICH HAD BEEN CALLED AT "THE ELEVENTH HOUR" OF THE DAY AND HAD WROUGHT BUT ONE HOUR. THE RECKONING WAS MADE WITH THEM "WHEN EVEN WAS COME." MATTHEW 20:6, 8, 12. COMPARING THIS WITH CHRIST'S QUESTION, "ARE THERE NOT TWELVE HOURS IN THE DAY?" HE ARGUED THAT THE "EVEN" BEGAN WITH THE TWELFTH HOUR, OR SIX O'CLOCK, RECKONING WITH EQUATORIAL TIME OR THE BEGINNING OF THE SACRED YEAR. RESPECT FOR HIS YEARS AND EXPERIENCE AND HIS GODLY LIFE MAY HAVE BEEN THE MAIN REASONS FOR ACCEPTING HIS CONCLUSIONS WITHOUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION. {1T 713.2}

AS TIME PASSED AND THE MESSAGE SPREAD, AN INCREASING NUMBER OF SABBATHKEEPERS QUESTIONED THE PRACTICE AND ADVOCATED THE SUNSET TIME FOR RECKONING THE BEGINNING OF THE SABBATH. A THOROUGH BIBLE INVESTIGATION OF THE QUESTION WAS MADE BY ELDER J. N. ANDREWS, WHO WROTE A PAPER SETTING FORTH THE BIBLICAL REASONS IN FAVOR OF THE SUNSET TIME. THIS PAPER WAS INTRODUCED AND DISCUSSED ON SABBATH, NOVEMBER 17, 1855, AT THE CONFERENCE IN BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, WITH THE RESULT THAT NEARLY, BUT NOT QUITE, ALL PRESENT WERE CONVINCED THAT ELDER ANDREW'S CONCLUSION WAS CORRECT. THE PRESENTATION OF THE SUBJECT TO MRS. WHITE IN THIS VISION, GIVEN TWO DAYS LATER, ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS LINGERING IN SOME MINDS AND EFFECTED UNITY AMONG THE BELIEVERS. COMMENTING ON THIS EXPERIENCE, AS ILLUSTRATING THE OFFICE OF THE VISIONS TO CONFIRM CONCLUSIONS BASED ON BIBLICAL STUDY RATHER THAN TO INTRODUCE NEW TEACHINGS, ELDER JAMES WHITE WROTE LATER: {1T 713.3}

"THE QUESTION NATURALLY ARISES, IF THE VISIONS ARE GIVEN TO CORRECT THE ERRING, WHY DID SHE NOT SOONER SEE THE ERROR OF THE SIX O'CLOCK TIME? I HAVE EVER BEEN THANKFUL THAT GOD CORRECTED THE ERROR IN HIS OWN GOOD TIME, AND DID NOT SUFFER AN UNHAPPY DIVISION TO EXIST AMONG US UPON THIS POINT. BUT, DEAR READER, THE WORK OF THE LORD UPON THIS POINT IS IN PERFECT HARMONY WITH HIS MANIFESTATIONS TO US ON OTHERS, AND IN HARMONY WITH THE CORRECT POSITION UPON SPIRITUAL GIFTS. IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE THE DESIRE OF THE LORD TO TEACH HIS PEOPLE BY THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT ON THE BIBLE QUESTIONS UNTIL HIS SERVANTS HAVE DILIGENTLY SEARCHED HIS WORD. WHEN THIS WAS DONE UPON THE SUBJECT OF THE TIME TO COMMENCE THE SABBATH, AND MOST WERE ESTABLISHED, AND SOME WERE IN DANGER OF BEING OUT OF HARMONY

714

WITH THE BODY ON THIS SUBJECT, THEN, YES, THEN, WAS THE VERY TIME FOR GOD TO MAGNIFY HIS GOODNESS IN THE MANIFESTATION OF THE GIFT OF HIS SPIRIT IN THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF ITS PROPER WORK."--REVIEW AND HERALD, FEB. 25, 1868. {1T 713.4}

APPENDIX B

Equation for timing

1. Year (Vernal Equinox to Vernal Equinox) = A days

2. This year = B

3. Crucifixion year = C

4. Years Between = D

5. Days Between = F

6. Days in Lunar Cycle (synodic month) = G

7. Cycles between = H

8. New Moon Prior Vernal Equinox AD31 to New Moon After Vernal Equinox AD 2003 = I

9. Days between New Moons = J

10. Full weeks between = K

11. Days of week between = L

12. New Moon After Vernal Equinox AD 2003 = M

13. New Moon Before Equinox AD 31 = N

14. Full weeks in lunar cycle = P

15. Day of New Moon After Equinox AD 31 = Q

16. A = 365.242325

17. B = 2003

18. C = 31

19. D = 1972

20. F = 720257.8649

21. G = 29.5306 days

22. H = 24390.22115704

23. I = 24391

24. J = 720280.8646

25. K = 100000 + 2000 + 800 + 90 + 7 (102897)

26. L = 1.8646

27. M = Tuesday 19:19

28. N = Sunday 22:34

29. P = 4

30. Q = (Sunday 22:34 + 1.5306 days = Monday 22:34 + 12.7344 hrs. = Tuesday 10:34 + :44 min.) = Tuesday 11:18

31. B - C = D years

32. AD = F days

33. F / G = H lunar cycles

34. H rounded up = I

35. IG = J days

36. J - 7K = L

37. M - L = N

38. N + G - 7P = Q

These calculations are based upon only two questionable assumptions:

1. The length of a lunar cycle hasn't changed over the last 1972 years. See Psalms 104:19 Jeremiah 31:35, 36.

2. The timing of the day for the New Moon after the Vernal Equinox of AD 2003. (Based on Naval Observatory and NASA).

Interestingly enough, these calculations are only 11 minutes short of those of the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center.

APPENDIX C - MORE HISTORICAL REFERENCES

The New Schaff-Herzog Religious Encyclopedia:

(Edited by Samuel Macauley. 1912. Vol. X, pp. 135-136).

"The association of sabbath rest with the account of creation must have been very ancient among the Hebrews, and it is noteworthy that no other Semitic peoples, even the Babylonians, have any tradition of the creation in six days. It would appear that the primitive Semites had FOUR CHIEF MOONDAYS, probably the first, eighth, fifteenth, and twenty-second of EACH month, CALLED SABBATHS from the fact that there was a tendency to end work before them so that they might be celebrated joyfully.

Among the Babylonians these seventh days through astrological conceptions became ill-omened, while the sabbath in the middle of the month was made a day of propitiation, and its name was construed as meaning 'the day for ending the wrath of the gods.'

The Israelites, on the other hand, made the sabbaths [as anchored to the moon] the feasts of a living and holy God. The work of man became symbolic of the work of God, and human rest of divine rest, so that the sabbaths became preeminently days of rest.

Since, moreover, the LUNAR MONTH had 29 or 30 days, the normal lapse of time between sabbaths was SIX DAYS, although sometimes seven or eight; [at the moonth end only] and six working days were accordingly assigned to the creation, which was to furnish a prototype for human life.

The connection of the sabbath with lunar phases, however, was discarded by the Israelites [more specifially, the Jews]...and the weeks were accordingly divorced from the days of the months and were made to follow in succession throughout the year, a more regular correspondence with the week of creation being thus secured. [And an uninterrupted flow of commerce was more appealing]

The first lunar day, however, or the day of the new moon, retained, although no longer called sabbath, somewhat of its sabbatical character, so that in the Old Testament it frequently appears as a pendant of the sabbath"

"The introduction...of the custom of celebrating the Sabbath every 7th day, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE DAY TO THE MOON'S PHASES, led to a complete separation from the ancient view of the Sabbath..."

(Encyclopedia Biblica, The MacMillan Company, 1899. P. 4179).

"This intimate connection," records the Encyclopedia Biblica, "between the week and the month was soon dissolved. It is certain that the week soon followed a development of its own, and it became the custom -- without paying any regard to the days of the month (i.e. the lunar month) -- ...so that THE NEW MOON NO LONGER COINCIDED WITH THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK". (Encyclopedia Biblica, The MacMillan Company, 1899. P. 5290).

Please address your QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS to the Author: Ryan Van Denburgh.

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