Ellen G White Writings Confirm Biblical Lunar Calendar Sabbaths
Many Seventh Day Adventists today are confronted with two significant controversies regarding the biblical calendar of the “feasts” or appointed times of God, and the 7th day Sabbath.
There are two primary questions that arise in the current ongoing discussions. First, are the feasts or appointed times of God still in effect and do they apply to us today living in the end times described in scripture?
Which calendar is the 7th Day Sabbath Really On?
Second, and probably more significant and important, is the question of which calendar the 7th day Sabbath belongs on. Does it belong on Saturday as it has been kept since about the 4th century AD, as indicated on the papal gregorian calendar? Or, does the 7th day Sabbath belong on the biblical calendar of scripture as given at creation, and re-instituted by Moses at the time of the Exodus, as given to Moses by YHWH (God) beginning in Exodus 12?
In this paper, we will deal with only one aspect and fundamental question of this complex tapestry of chronology of God’s word. We will ask the question, Did Ellen G White, Prophet of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, confirm the 7th day Sabbath on Saturday on the papal gregorian calendar, or did she confirm the 7th day Sabbath on the biblical calendar dates of the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th days of each biblical month?
Ellen White's Use of the terms Friday and Saturday
In reference to Ellen White’s use of the words “Saturday” and “Saturday Sabbath,” it appears that she may not have used this terminology for 20 plus years following the advent movement (undetermined). Keep in mind that keeping of Saturday as Sabbath did not occur immediately, for another year or two following the advent movement of 1844, and even then, it was kept erroneously from 6PM to 6PM for about 10 years. It is acknowledged that she used the planetary week name “Friday” interchangeably at times, with the word for the sixth day, which was commonly known and used by the Israelites as “preparation.” She also used the planetary week name “Saturday” on many occasions, at times in reference to Saturday as the Sabbath.. In the context of the time the events of the exodus and crucifixion took place, the word “Friday” and “Saturday” are misplaced and incorrect. In addition, the crucifixion was more likely on what would have been a Wednesday on the Julian calendar, in use during the 1st century. The question remains; given the apparent contradiction, do we follow Ellen White, or do we follow YHWH’s holy scriptures? You decide.
Now let us look as some examples from the pen of Ellen White that confirms the biblical 7th day Sabbath days of the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th days of the biblical month. It is acknowledged here that there may be no direct or indirect references to the 29th day of the month, but there are references that point to the other 7th day Sabbaths of the month.
NOTE: In several places in the writings of Ellen White, she used the term “Jewish month,” or “Jewish year.” It should be noted that this is an incorrect reference to the ownership of the lunarsolar calendar set forth in the scriptures. The calendar of scripture is given by YHWH (God) to Moses and the Israelites, and it is His calendar, that was given to the Jewish/Israelite people.
Passover: 14th day of 1st Biblical Month
"On the fourteenth day of the month at even," the Passover was celebrated on the plains of Jericho. "And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan." The long years of their desert wanderings were ended. The feet of Israel were at last treading the Promised Land. {PP 486.2}
These types were fulfilled, not only as to the event, but as to the time. On the fourteenth day of the first Jewish month, the very day and month on which, for fifteen long centuries, the Passover lamb had been slain, Christ, having eaten the Passover with his disciples, instituted that feast which was to commemorate his own death as “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” That same night he was taken by wicked hands, to be crucified and slain. And as the antitype of the wave-sheaf, our Lord was raised from the dead on the third day, “the first-fruits of them that slept,” [1 Corinthians 15:20.] a sample of all the resurrected just, whose “vile body” shall be changed, and “fashioned like unto his glorious body.” [Philippians 3:21.] {GC88 399.2}
Passover and preparation-14th day of 1st month, 6th day of week
Sabbath-15th day, same as the creation Sabbath
The Lord is no less particular now in regard to his Sabbath, than when he gave the foregoing special directions to the children of Israel. He required them to bake that which they would bake, and seethe (that is, boil) that which they would seethe, on the sixth day, preparatory to the rest of the Sabbath. Those who neglect to make suitable preparation on the sixth day for the Sabbath, violate the fourth commandment, and are transgressors of God's law. {ST, April 15, 1880 par. 3}
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. DA 775
When there shall be a "restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21), the creation Sabbath, the day on which Jesus lay at rest in Joseph's tomb, will still be a day of rest and rejoicing. Heaven and earth will unite in praise, as "from one Sabbath to another" (Isaiah 66:23) the nations of the saved shall bow in joyful worship to God and the Lamb. {DA 769.2-770}
6th Day Preparation; 7th day Sabbath
On the sixth day the people gathered two omers for every person. The rulers hastened to acquaint Moses with what had been done. His answer was, "This is that which the Lord hath
296
said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning." They did so, and found that it remained unchanged. "And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none." {PP 295.3}
God requires that His holy day be as sacredly observed now as in the time of Israel. The command given to the Hebrews should be regarded by all Christians as an injunction from Jehovah to them. The day before the Sabbath should be made a day of preparation, that everything may be in readiness for its sacred hours. In no case should our own business be allowed to encroach upon holy time. God has directed that the sick and suffering be cared for; the labor required to make them comfortable is a work of mercy, and no violation of the Sabbath; but all unnecessary work should be avoided. Many carelessly put off till the beginning of the Sabbath little things that might have been done on the day of preparation. This should not be. Work that is neglected until the beginning of the Sabbath should remain undone until it is past. This course might help the memory of these thoughtless ones, and make them careful to do their own work on the six working days. {PP 296.1}
7th Day Sabbath on 15th and 22nd day of Biblical Month
Moses, he said: "Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a Sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a Sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." It was to the celebration of this feast that Jesus came.RH Jul 7 1896
NOTE: Twice a year in YHWH’s calendar, the first day of a 7 day feast, or appointed time, is a Sabbath. This is on the 15th day of the month in each case, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the 1st month, and the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles in the 7th month. This is typically thought of as a “high” day or Sabbath. It is the same as the 7th day Sabbath, not separately a “feast” Sabbath, and should be regarded as such.
On the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from Egypt, the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin; and there "the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron. . . . And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. {RH, August 30, 1898 par. 3}
"Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: and in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord; for that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord: and what are we, that ye murmur against us? And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord." {RH, August 30, 1898 par. 4}
"And in the morning the dew lay round about the host. And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. . . . {RH, August 30, 1898 par. 5}
"And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord; bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe: and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none. {RH, August 30, 1898 par. 6}
NOTE: Notice the specific day that the Israelites murmured; it was the 15th day of the second month, the self-same day they came out of Egypt. In the instructions, YHWH says He will give them quail after sundown, then the next day, in the morning, the 16th day, He would give them manna for 6 days; 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st. The next day is the 7th day Sabbath, and is the 22nd day of the month. If the 22nd day of the month is the 7th day sabbath, then the 15th is also the 7th day Sabbath, and likewise, the 8th and the 29th.
7th Day Sabbath confirmed on 8th Biblical Calendar day of month
According to the observance of the Biblical Calendar every 7th Day-Sabbath falls on the following days of the month: 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th. Let's look to our Master Yahshua, as to what He did:
John 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. John 12:2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. John 12:4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, John 12:5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? John 12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. John 12:7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.John 12:8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
SIX DAYS BEFORE THE PASSOVER:
PASSOVER = 14th OF THE MONTH OF NISAN
From the 14th we subtract 6 days:
14 - 6 = 8th OF THE MONTH (A SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH)
So according to the gospel of John, Yahshua went to Mary and Martha on the 8th day of the month - A SABBATH DAY, according to the Biblical calendar.
Proof:
The Savior had reached Bethany only six days before the Passover, and according to His custom had sought rest at the home of Lazarus. The crowds of travelers who passed on to the city spread the tidings that He was on His way to Jerusalem, and that He would rest over the Sabbath at Bethany. Among the people there was great enthusiasm. Many flocked to Bethany, some out of sympathy with Jesus, and others from curiosity to see one who had been raised from the dead. {DA 557.3}
Yahshua visited them on the weekly Sabbath!
More proof?
John 12:12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, John 12:13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. John 12:14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, John 12:15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass' colt.
What does Sister Ellen White tell us about this occasion?
It was on the first day of the week that Christ made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Multitudes who had flocked to see Him at Bethany now accompanied Him, eager to witness His reception. Many people were on their way to the city to keep the Passover, and these joined the multitude attending Jesus. All nature seemed to rejoice. The trees were clothed with verdure, and their blossoms shed a delicate fragrance on the air. A new life and joy animated the people. The hope of the new kingdom was again springing up. {DA 569.3}
Note: the first day of this week would have been the 9th day of the biblical month, the day just prior to the day when the Passover Lamb would have been selected (10th day), and the Jews would have conspired to kill Yahushua.
7th day Creation Sabbath confirmed on 15th day of Biblical month
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. DA 775
When there shall be a "restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21), the creation Sabbath, the day on which Jesus lay at rest in Joseph's tomb, will still be a day of rest and rejoicing. Heaven and earth will unite in praise, as "from one Sabbath to another" (Isaiah 66:23) the nations of the saved shall bow in joyful worship to God and the Lamb. {DA 769.2-770}
Note: Passover was always celebrated on the 14th day of the 1st biblical month, which was the 6th day of the week. The day that Yahushua lay in the tomb, the creation Sabbath, is the 15th day of the biblical month, always a 7th day Sabbath in scripture.
Receiving New Light in the End Times
"There is to be in the [Seventh-day Adventist] churches a wonderful manifestation of the power of God, but it will not move upon those who have not humbled themselves before the Lord, and opened the door of the heart by confession and repentance. In the manifestation of that power which lightens the earth with the glory of God, they will see only something which in their blindness they think dangerous, something which will arouse their fears, and they will brace themselves to resist it. Because the Lord does not work according to their ideas and expectations they will oppose the work. "Why," they say, "should we not know the Spirit of God, when we have been in the work so many years?"--RH Extra, Dec. 23, 1890. {LDE 209.3} "The third angel's message will not be comprehended, the light which will lighten the earth with its glory will be called a false light, by those who refuse to walk in its advancing glory".--RH May 27, 1890. {LDE 210.1}
It is not God that blinds the eyes of men or hardens their hearts. He sends them light to correct their errors, and to lead them in safe paths; IT IS BY THE REJECTION OF THIS LIGHT THAT THE EYES ARE BLINDED AND THE HEART HARDENED. Often the process is gradual, and almost imperceptible. Light comes to the soul through God's word, through His servants, or by the direct agency of His Spirit; but when ONE RAY OF LIGHT is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned. So the darkness increases, until it is night in the soul." DA 32
Additional Light for God's People
(Written January 18, 1889, from Battle Creek, Michigan to R. A. Underwood)
You seem to be surprised that I look at matters in the light that I do. You speak of the resolution that you thought ought to have passed at the General Conference. What did that resolution comprehend? It virtually said that nothing should be taught in the college but that which had been taught during the past year. . . . {13MR 334.1}
I stated that I was a stockholder and I could not let the resolution pass, that there was to be special light for God's people as they neared the closing scenes of this earth's history. Another angel was to come from heaven with a message, and the whole earth was to be lightened with his glory. It would be impossible for us to state just how this additional light would come. It might come in a very unexpected manner, in a way that would not agree with the ideas that many have conceived. It is not at all unlikely, or contrary to the ways and works of God, to send light to His people in unexpected ways. Would it be right that every avenue should be closed in our school so that the students could not have the benefit of this light? The resolution was not called for.--Letter 22, 1889.
White Estate Washington, D. C. May 17, 1984 {13MR 334.2}
Paul W Puckett Mar 17 2011
Rev Apr 7 2011
