We know that in the beginning, as YHWH created all things, He "worked" six days and rested (ceased from working) on the seventh day. We also know that after He brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and they were journeying in the wilderness, He instructed them to only gather the manna to eat for six days-- and rest (do not gather) on the seventh day. When he gave Moshe/Moses the instructions for them to live by ("10 Commandments") He instructed them to "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" Ex. 20: 8... and in several places He explains HOW to do that. It's ALWAYS the SEVENTH day (when speaking of the WEEKLY Sabbath). That is an undisputed fact. As I've already mentioned in another place, it is WHEN the "seventh" day IS that there is a controversy. So, let's explore a little bit...
WHEN was the ORIGINAL or FIRST "seventh" day?? Well, naturally, the SEVENTH day that was created or existed. The NEXT "seventh " day was NOT ACTUALLY the SEVENTH day... it was the FOURTEENTH day-- of existence, but it WAS the seventh day of the SECOND WEEK. And we could say the same about the NEXT "seventh" day-- it was the 21st day of existence/the seventh day of the third week... and so on. So "time" has been progressing ever since it was established from the beginning... who knows how many LITTERAL days, weeks, months, and years have ACTUALLY passed since the beginning of time? HOW was "time" determined/calculated/counted? Was there ever any specific way given? Was there ever an ACCURATE way to keep track of time? YES...
Just like YHWH established "TIME", He *also* established a WAY to keep track of time, determine time, and calculate time... a way that ALL humans could use-- not just a few intelligent "mathematicians or scientists". He created lights in the great expanse above us to use as "tools" in calculating and observing time, and "times" (seasons, appointed times, etc.). How ingenuous! He placed bright lights in the sky above-- that every eye could see, no matter where you are! :D *WOW* Even in the bright light of day, the sun is even brighter! These lights that He created and placed in the sky are CONSTANT and SURE. They follow the same course faithfully. They are reliable and accurate. And they were placed there for our benefit :) How awesome! And no man has the ability to change them :)
Genesis 1:14-19--
"And Elohiym said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
And Elohiym made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
And Elohiym set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and Elohiym saw that it was good.
And the evening and the morning were the fourth day."
Out of all the different ways that man has come up with to keep track of time, calculate time, and even CHANGE time... NONE are perfect and unchanging as YHWH's method! HE created it!! Man's clocks and calendars are full of mistakes and errors, they have been changed and changed and changed over the centuries... they are NOT accurate OR reliable-- beyond our temporary use of them for the short time span that we use them. Groups of people have used those man-made tools over different periods of time throughout history, but someone finally sees the error and tries to change it and fix it-- until someone else finds the error in THAT one, and the cycle continues... (sometimes they were not even changed for the purpose of being "more correct"-- but were changed for political, economical, and religious reasons). To take a "modern day" calendar and try to use it to determine an accurate assessment of genuine time is beyond my understanding... KNOWING all the errors and changes that have occurred, not to mention that they don't even use the NATURAL laws that have been put in place. Try to trace back a calendar to the beginning of time... you can't. But YHWH gave us the lights to use.
When you use the lights in the sky it is very easy to keep, calculate, and determine time... "time" that does not alter or change. Time that is constant and sure. Time that is simple and easy to understand. The sun tells what time of day it is, and the time of year it is. The moon tells WHAT day it is, WHAT month it is, and what time of year it is. The stars tell us what time of year it is. That is simple and accurate. If you need to know when "12:00 lunch time is", look up and see where the sun is in the sky. It uses the same path at the same speed EVERY DAY. If you need to know what day of the month it is, look at the moon. It goes through the SAME cycle EVERY MONTH. ETC....
When you use the moon to determine each new month, the days and weeks of that month are also determined accurately by the moon. Therefore, the Sabbath falls on the same days each month... and also coincides PERFECTLY with the "Sabbaths" during the feasts that are given. When you use the moon, the Sabbath falls on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th of each month (each month according to the moon-- not the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th of the month on the calendar)... and these days are the days given as Sabbaths during the feasts. On one occasion, they began to journey on the 20th day of the month and journeyed for three days, then stopped to rest... that would have been the 22nd! NO WONDER they stopped to rest! :D It was the SABBATH! :D (Numbers 10: 11, 33)
To calculate the seventh day... you must use the moon. You begin working on the first day AFTER you have seen the first sliver of the new moon (this first work day is Day #2 of the new moon/month)-- work six days and rest on the seventh day (which is the 8th day of the month). Then work six more days, and rest on the seventh day-- which is the 15th day of the month... etc. HOW ELSE would "time" (days) be calculated? It is the ONLY reliable way to determine time WITHOUT DEPENDING ON ANOTHER HUMAN TO "TELL" YOU WHAT TIME/DAY IT IS according to a clock or calendar hanging on the wall. Once you learn to read the signs in nature, you are able to function effectively and efficiently-- independently. It is a wonderful and beautiful thing... and VERY SIMPLE :)
One more thing I wanted to bring up... "why" does it matter if we observe the Sabbath according to the moon-- or according to the calendar? Well, I feel like it matters because we are suppose to observe THE Sabbath-- not just "A" Sabbath. Now, I realize we are living in the time when the covenant has been broken and Israel is dispersed. We can only do the best we can do under our circumstances, until YHWH restores Israel and HIS covenant. But I believe it is VERY important that we DO *do* our BEST-- and seek after TRUTH, to be obedient :)
I had originally intended to look at the history of the calendars... but this is already SO LONG, and that is information that is very accessible for anyone willing to do their own study. So, I will stop here. I hope this helps :) Thank you for reading, and for considering :)
WHEN was the ORIGINAL or FIRST "seventh" day?? Well, naturally, the SEVENTH day that was created or existed. The NEXT "seventh " day was NOT ACTUALLY the SEVENTH day... it was the FOURTEENTH day-- of existence, but it WAS the seventh day of the SECOND WEEK. And we could say the same about the NEXT "seventh" day-- it was the 21st day of existence/the seventh day of the third week... and so on. So "time" has been progressing ever since it was established from the beginning... who knows how many LITTERAL days, weeks, months, and years have ACTUALLY passed since the beginning of time? HOW was "time" determined/calculated/counted? Was there ever any specific way given? Was there ever an ACCURATE way to keep track of time? YES...
Just like YHWH established "TIME", He *also* established a WAY to keep track of time, determine time, and calculate time... a way that ALL humans could use-- not just a few intelligent "mathematicians or scientists". He created lights in the great expanse above us to use as "tools" in calculating and observing time, and "times" (seasons, appointed times, etc.). How ingenuous! He placed bright lights in the sky above-- that every eye could see, no matter where you are! :D *WOW* Even in the bright light of day, the sun is even brighter! These lights that He created and placed in the sky are CONSTANT and SURE. They follow the same course faithfully. They are reliable and accurate. And they were placed there for our benefit :) How awesome! And no man has the ability to change them :)
Genesis 1:14-19--
"And Elohiym said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
And Elohiym made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
And Elohiym set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and Elohiym saw that it was good.
And the evening and the morning were the fourth day."
Out of all the different ways that man has come up with to keep track of time, calculate time, and even CHANGE time... NONE are perfect and unchanging as YHWH's method! HE created it!! Man's clocks and calendars are full of mistakes and errors, they have been changed and changed and changed over the centuries... they are NOT accurate OR reliable-- beyond our temporary use of them for the short time span that we use them. Groups of people have used those man-made tools over different periods of time throughout history, but someone finally sees the error and tries to change it and fix it-- until someone else finds the error in THAT one, and the cycle continues... (sometimes they were not even changed for the purpose of being "more correct"-- but were changed for political, economical, and religious reasons). To take a "modern day" calendar and try to use it to determine an accurate assessment of genuine time is beyond my understanding... KNOWING all the errors and changes that have occurred, not to mention that they don't even use the NATURAL laws that have been put in place. Try to trace back a calendar to the beginning of time... you can't. But YHWH gave us the lights to use.
When you use the lights in the sky it is very easy to keep, calculate, and determine time... "time" that does not alter or change. Time that is constant and sure. Time that is simple and easy to understand. The sun tells what time of day it is, and the time of year it is. The moon tells WHAT day it is, WHAT month it is, and what time of year it is. The stars tell us what time of year it is. That is simple and accurate. If you need to know when "12:00 lunch time is", look up and see where the sun is in the sky. It uses the same path at the same speed EVERY DAY. If you need to know what day of the month it is, look at the moon. It goes through the SAME cycle EVERY MONTH. ETC....
When you use the moon to determine each new month, the days and weeks of that month are also determined accurately by the moon. Therefore, the Sabbath falls on the same days each month... and also coincides PERFECTLY with the "Sabbaths" during the feasts that are given. When you use the moon, the Sabbath falls on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th of each month (each month according to the moon-- not the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th of the month on the calendar)... and these days are the days given as Sabbaths during the feasts. On one occasion, they began to journey on the 20th day of the month and journeyed for three days, then stopped to rest... that would have been the 22nd! NO WONDER they stopped to rest! :D It was the SABBATH! :D (Numbers 10: 11, 33)
To calculate the seventh day... you must use the moon. You begin working on the first day AFTER you have seen the first sliver of the new moon (this first work day is Day #2 of the new moon/month)-- work six days and rest on the seventh day (which is the 8th day of the month). Then work six more days, and rest on the seventh day-- which is the 15th day of the month... etc. HOW ELSE would "time" (days) be calculated? It is the ONLY reliable way to determine time WITHOUT DEPENDING ON ANOTHER HUMAN TO "TELL" YOU WHAT TIME/DAY IT IS according to a clock or calendar hanging on the wall. Once you learn to read the signs in nature, you are able to function effectively and efficiently-- independently. It is a wonderful and beautiful thing... and VERY SIMPLE :)
One more thing I wanted to bring up... "why" does it matter if we observe the Sabbath according to the moon-- or according to the calendar? Well, I feel like it matters because we are suppose to observe THE Sabbath-- not just "A" Sabbath. Now, I realize we are living in the time when the covenant has been broken and Israel is dispersed. We can only do the best we can do under our circumstances, until YHWH restores Israel and HIS covenant. But I believe it is VERY important that we DO *do* our BEST-- and seek after TRUTH, to be obedient :)
I had originally intended to look at the history of the calendars... but this is already SO LONG, and that is information that is very accessible for anyone willing to do their own study. So, I will stop here. I hope this helps :) Thank you for reading, and for considering :)