4th Month YHWH's Calendar July 2011-2012

NOTE: Count to Pentecost still under study and review. See preliminary post here:  What is the True Count to Pentecost?

Notes regarding this months calendar:Even though the Count to Pentecost is still under study and review, this months calendar shows the full count as reviewed, on the 29th day of the 4th month, the last Shabbat of the 4th month. 

You will also note the small blue numbers in the upper right corners of each day. These are the counting of the 50 days from the Feast of Weeks at the end of  "Seven Sabbaths complete," which ends on the 8th day of the 3rd month, the Shabbat of the 8th day of the month.

When you count 7 Sabbaths complete, from the Wave Sheaf on the 16th day of the 1st month, then count and add 50 days to the 7 Sabbaths complete, the total is 99 days (49 and 50) and ends the count on the 28th day of the 4th month, the next day being the feast (chag)

Further info to come as study and review of the Count to Pentecost continue.

The Very Last Deception of Satan

Tossing out the Writings of Ellen White: Returning to Egypt

If you are a Seventh Day Adventist, or former SDA, and you have adopted the sunrise reckoning of the day, and daylight hours only for the Sabbath, you may have essentially fulfilled some of the end time prophecies of Ellen White. Ellen White told us that in the last days, near the end, that her writings, for all practical purposes, would be made void. The description of that fulfillment is found in the following quotes:

The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18). Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony. He will bring in spurious visions to mislead, and will mingle the false with the true, and so disgust people that they will regard everything that bears the name of visions as a species of fanaticism; but honest souls, by contrasting false and true, will be enabled to distinguish between them.  {10MR 311.1}  (Ellen White's writings are often referred to as the Testimony of the Spirit of God. They are meant to enhance or confirm the words of scripture.)

One of the most blatant references in the writings of Ellen White that show this distinction and fulfillment, has to do with the events surrounding the crucifixion of our saviour Yahushua. It is found in the following quote:

"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."  (Desire of Ages 775)


"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. 


It is clear in the above statements, that the Sabbath (as well as all other days) begins at sunset. The statements support what has been observed for centuries by the Hebrews, albeit intermittent at times.

There are several implications, or problems when dealing with the statements above.

1. Sabbath, and all other biblical days begin at sunset, or Ellen White is wrong.

2. If Ellen White is wrong, and it's possible, then does this make her invalid as a prophet?

3. In any case, if she was accurate in this statement, and we disregard it's intended meaning, what have we done to her stature as a prophet? What have we done to the meanings of her words? And to the words of scripture? We may be on unholy or dangerous ground if we disregard, or even slightly twist the words and meanings to make them fit what we believe or want to believe.

In order to reckon the day by the rising of the sun, and observe the sabbath for only the daylight hours, we have to have TOTAL DISREGARD for the writings of Ellen White. We cannot pick and choose, using one principle here, another there, and tossing out what we don't like because it doesn't fit our framework of belief or thinking.

The Egyptians appear to have historically swapped the halves of the day, daylight, then darkness, instead of what appears to be the biblical reckoning of the day; darkness then daylight. So one has to ask; by using the sunrise reckoning of the day, beginning the day at sunrise, and observing the daylight hours only for the Sabbath, have we returned to EGYPT?

I admit the possibility that I could be wrong about this. If that proves to be the case, I will stand immediately corrected. In the meantime, Unless something absolutely concrete and without question surfaces, I will choose the path of least error. I will keep the hours that appear to be bibilically correct, sunset to sunset for the sabbath. I will observe the full 24 hour day as the sabbath until clear correction is made.

I'm keeping the part of the day sunrisers are anyhow, and one thing that I don't want to do, is to shortchange God on time and not be present when He has arranged to meet with me at a specifically appointed time.

(NOTE: Many verses in scripture are presented to "prove" the sunrise reckoning of the day. Most, if not all, are verses that can be interpreted in both ways; either sunrise reckoning or sunset reckoning. Because a verse can be interpreted in both ways, it does not make one position or the other valid unless the position can be supported by corroborating evidence.)

The Different Ends of the 14th Day of the Biblical Month

There are two different Hebrew terms used to define the ends of the 14th day of the Biblical Month. These terms are found in Exodus 12:6 and Exodus 12:18. The first term is "between the evenings" and logically appears at the beginning of the 24 hour period of the 14th day. The other term is "even" or "at even" and appears to define the end of the 24 hour period, at the end of the 14th day and the beginning of the 15th day. These terms only fit logically in a sunset reckoning to begin the 24 hour day. When they are used in a sunrise reckoning of the day, they force events and chronology to be placed in awkward places in time, and force other events out of their proper time. See other articles on this blog, or linked, particularly the article on two Passovers in a sunrise reckoning.

Below is a graphic illustration of where the terms should be, both in the sunset reckoning and the sunrise reckoning. Notice that in a sunrise reckoning, the events cannot be harmonized with scripture.

If you find that this presentation has errors, please feel free to challenge what you see and send me an email.

The Conflict of Sunrise Reckoning of the Day and Exodus 12

A Challenge to the Sunrise Reckoning of the day

Exodus 12:6 and 12:18 appear to present a conflict when viewed through the sunrise reckoning of the day. These verses point to a specific point in time and at specific events. 

Both points in time occur on the fourteenth day of the month, at even, or between the evenings. In the sunrise reckoning of the day, there is only one point in time that these verses can occur. That point in time is at the end of the daylight period of the 14th day, beginning the evening and night period. 

I believe the difficulty in reconciling this scenario is caused by a misunderstanding or lack understanding of the phrase "between the evenings." This phrase occurs about half a dozen times in OT scripture at very key points of understanding. If you do not have an understanding of "between the evenings," this may be where you need to begin examining this dilemma.

If you believe this challenge to be in error, please feel free to challenge this material. I remain open to learning if this conflict can be resolved by scripture.

Why Two Passovers in a Sunrise Reckoning of the Biblical Day

 (Click one of the links at the bottom of text for full article)


Many Lunar Sabbatarians today have or are adopting the reckoning of the Biblical Day that begins at sunrise. In addition, many of those observe 12 hours for Shabbat, instead of the 24 hours that many of us have been taught. Which is correct? Does the scriptural day begin at sunrise or sunset? Is Shabbat to be observed for 12 hours or 24? Does night come before day, or is it the other way around?

The chronology surrounding the Passover, Exodus, and the Crucifixion may provide some answers as to how the Biblical day should be reckoned. At the least, the timing and chronology of the events point out some unavoidable problems with sunrise reckoning. 

In the end, there are some chronology problems that happen with the sunrise reckoning that simply cannot be ignored.

The link provided below is for a paper that reveals some very interesting manipulation of scripture that is necessary in an attempt to make the sunrise reckoning of the day credible.

Please feel free to point out errors, omissions, unscriptural claims, etc.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/35377703/Why-Two-Passovers-in-Sunrise-Reckoning

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/49078302/Why-Two-Passovers-in-a-Sunrise-Reckoning-of-the-Biblical-Day

Has The Meaning of "DAY" in Genesis Been Misinterpreted

A Closer Look At "Day" in Genesis: 12 Hours or 24? Sunrise or Sunset?

Here's some observations and questions to challenge your mental stewpot

I have read many papers, studied and looked at scripture over and over, and kept asking questions. What is the justification for sunrise reckoning of the day? And more importantly, what is the basis and support for sunrise sabbath and observance for only the daylight portion of the day, approximately 12 hours? Are there some things that are getting overlooked? The following are some observations and questions I have developed as I have looked at the account of Genesis 1 and 2, again and again.

"Sunrisers" hereafter refers to those holding a sunrise reckoning of the day, and daylight hours only observance of the Sabbath.

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When I read a paper or study on the sunrise position of reckoning the day, usually the first thing I notice is a definition from Strong's Concordance:

Strong's Definition: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours)

Invariably, this seems to be the definition most "sunrisers" are relying on. But is it accurate? You might be interested to know that I have found Strong's to be the only place that I can find that definition at this point. If you have another source, I would sure like to see it. So if there is only one witness with this definition, is it accurate? And what is the source of Strong's information to formulate this definition?

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Here's the observations and questions to tickle your mental palate:

How many days are in creation week?

What is the length of those days during creation week?

If one believes in the 7 literal days of creations, then those days must be approximately 24 hours. If there are 7 days (whole units) in the creation week, what is the justification and scriptural support for redefining the "day" in Genesis as only 12 hours? (Particularly on the first 3 days when the sun was not yet appointed.)

 

What is the length of the 7th day in creation week?

If it is not 24 hours, what is the scriptural support for redefining it into another time period in Gensis? (12 hours)

What is the definition of day in the creation week?

    Strong's Definition: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours)  

This is usually the first, and sometimes only, definition that those of the sunrise persuasion quote. Why is a definition used that could not have existed on the 1st day of creation?

What day was the sun "made" or activated during creation week?

This question of the definition of day has to be defined on day ONE, not on day FOUR.    One cannot simply redefine a day into 12 hours without support or confirmation from scripture.  

What does evening and morning mean on the 1st day of creation week, when no sun or moon was made/activated?

What is the meaning of day on the 1st day of creation week, when there was no sun and moon in play?

What is the scriptural support for 1/14th?

There are biblical principles for 1/10th, and 1/7th, (ten or seven). If the Sabbath is only 12 hours of daylight on the 7th day, (1/14th of a week) what is the biblical principle and support for 1/14th?

Recent studies about the cycle of 7 (septacircans) within the human body are very interesting. If this is a divine principle by design, what happens to our mind, body, and soul if we are not in harmony with that cycle? 

Here's a hypothetical question to consider:

According to sunrise reckoning, and daylight only observance of Sabbath, how would you know when to observe Sabbath if it was on one of the first three days of creation? Evening and morning existed, but no sunrise or sunset. (Remember, this is just hypothetical to make a point)

I'll be interested in your thoughts of course.