The appointed feasts
of Yahweh are more important to Yahweh’s people than the pagan festival dates
observed by the world under Caesar’s commands. You see, you either are in
obedience to Yahweh’s commands, or man’s.
By Jerry Healan
Ever since Constantine the Great entered into the New Testament Assembly,
commanding Sunday, and the observance of pagan festivals rather than Yahweh’s
commanded observances, the declared disciples of Yahshua have been following the
guidance, direction, and commands of man rather than their Great Creator Yahweh.
Yahweh commanded the seventh day Sabbath; man (Caesar) commands the first
day of the week, and man (Mohammed) commands the sixth day of the week, or
others declare any other day rather than the Sabbath. Yahweh commanded annual
holy days, but man commands either the pagan festivals of the Caesars, or
Mohammed, or some other proclaimed great leader rather than Yahweh.
But even among Yahweh’s people there is disagreement, contention, and
confusion as to how and when to observe Yahweh’s commanded days. One of those
principal times of confusion is the manner in which the count to Pentecost
should be done. Even Judaism is in disagreement as to how to count to Pentecost.
There is the manner in which Orthodox Judaism counts, and then there are the
Karaite Jews.
I received an email from an elder who stated that the count began on Abib
16th, which is the morrow after
the Sabbath, meaning the day after the first day of Unleavened Bread. When I
replied that this is an error, he replied with the account in Josephus which
states, “From Antiquities of the Jews 10:5: The feast
of the Unleavened Bread succeeds that of Passover and falls on the 15th of the
month and continues 7 days wherein they feed off unleavened bread on every one
of which days 2 bulls are killed and one ram and 7 lambs. Now these lambs are
entirely burnt beside the kid of the goats which is added to all the rest for
sins, for it is intended as a feast for the priest on everyone on these days.
BUT ON THE 2ND DAY OF THE UNLEAVENED BREAD, WHICH IS THE 16TH DAY OF THE MONTH,
THEY FIRST PARTAKE OF THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH FOR BEFORE THAT DAY THEY DO NOT
TOUCH THEM and while they suppose it proper to honor Yahweh from which they
obtain plentiful provision in the first place, they offer the first fruits of
the barley.
Clearly when Josephus, who was on no one’s side in particular, recorded that
the first fruits were eaten on the 16th of Abib, KNOWN AS THE 2ND DAY OF THE
UNLEAVENED BREAD, We know that produce/grain/lechem could not be eaten until
they were presented for the wave offering. If first fruits were celebrated and
eaten on Abib 16th the day of Chag Matzoth, which Josephus called the 2nd day of
Passover then the wave sheaf had already been waved and offered to YAHWEH
earlier that same day.” (end of quote)
This brother does also write concerning the contention between the
Pharisees, and Sadducees, which continues between Orthodox Judaism, and the
Karaite Jews to this day. We will touch on that later in this article.
However, if we are going to get down to the crux of the matter, then we must
see first what Yahweh says, and then how it is fulfilled in Yahshua the Messiah
because both the Passover lambs and the wavesheaf offerings were forerunners,
types, even parables of Him.
BETWEEN THE EVENS
The original Passover lamb was to be kept until the fourteenth of the month
and slain “at even.” (Ex. 12:6) The actual Hebrew for “at even” is biyn ha erevim, which would be better
translated as “between the evens.”
Many people have erroneously determined that this period of time is between
sunset and total darkness. This cannot be since there are a couple of other
factors to take into consideration.
The first factor is the fact that Yahweh placed the sun in the heavens to
rule the day, and the moon and stars to rule the night. (Gen. 1:16) The Jewish
encyclopedias themselves will admit that night doesn’t begin until two or
three stars appear in the heaven. The sun simply doesn’t relinquish his rule
until that event occurs. It begins its rule early in the morning at the reverse
of the nighttime. When only two or three stars can be seen in the early morning,
then the sun has begun his rule. As said, its rule is not over until the time
that two or three stars are visible in the evening sky. Therefore, the day is
not over at sunset. The sun of the day is continuing its rule after sunset until
those stars are seen.
The second factor is revealed in the daily sacrifice. There were two lambs
that were to be slain every day. (Ex. 29:38-42) The first lamb was slaughtered
in the morning while the second lamb was to be slaughtered “at even” (The
Hebrew for verses 39 and 41 is biyn ha erevim,
or between the evens.)
Notice that this is the second lamb of the day,
and that this second lamb is slaughtered at the exact same time as the Passover
lamb was designated to be slaughtered, that is, biyn
ha erevim.
When is the first even? The sun is in the state of rising all morning long,
from the time that the first rays of light break the darkness of the night until
high noon. At high noon, the sun is at its apex. In its ascent, the sun, of
course, is in the eastern sky. Once it reaches and passes the apex it enters
into the western sky, which is called ma-erev.
This is the first erev.
It has begun to descend or go down. The second erev,
or the end of erev is when the stars
appear. Thus, biyn ha erevim
is mid-afternoon, specifically the ninth hour.
Yahshua said that there are twelve hours in a day. So many people think that
it was around equinox time when He said this, but people didn’t have wrist
watches, or other such clocks back then as we do today, they utilized
instruments such as sundials to tell time. Therefore, all days had twelve hours
in them from the longest day of the year to the shortest day of the year. In the
summer, the hours were longer, of course. In the winter, the hours were shorter.
They weren’t metered out to seconds, minutes, etc. as ours are today.
Mid-morning at that time was about the third hour; noon was the sixth hour;
mid-afternoon was the ninth hour. Yahshua was crucified the third hour. The hour
that Yahshua breathed out His breath and died was the ninth hour, the same time
that the daily sacrifice was being slaughtered and the Passover lambs were
beginning to be slain.
Biyn ha erevim the time of the
second sacrifice of the daily sacrifice, and the time of the Passover sacrifice
is mid-afternoon, the ninth hour, for those who can receive it. (I know that
there are those who will still resist this truth.)
YAHSHUA’S INTERNMENT
Yahshua told His disciples that He would be in the grave, the heart of the
earth, for three days and three nights. (Mt. 12:40) The Christian world
proclaims that Yahshua died in the afternoon of the sixth day of the week, being
resurrected early in the morning of the first day of the following week. But
there is no way to count three days, and three nights during this period of
time. He was buried at the close of the day, when the day ended. Therefore, only
one period of daytime and two nights can be counted in this scenario. (Falsehood
always falls short of truth.)
The truth is that Yahshua died at mid-afternoon of the fourth day of the
week (Wednesday to today’s world). He was in the grave for the day and night
portion of the fifth, sixth, and seventh days of that week, being resurrected
late on the Sabbath day during the period when the Sabbath was ending (sunset)
and the first day was beginning (the night was drawing on; Hebrew days end and
begin as stated above).
Yahshua died in the afternoon of the fourteenth day of the month, and was
buried just before the fifteenth day began. The fifteenth day was a commanded
high day wherein no servile work was to be done (Lev. 23:6). But that high day
was never called a Sabbath day in the Torah. Look the Scriptures up for
yourself. (Ex. 12:16; Lev. 23:6-8; Num. 28:18-25) The only day in Scripture
termed “the Sabbath” (ha Shabbat) is the seventh day Sabbath, and one other
day, that is, the day of Atonement which occurs on the tenth day of the seventh
month.
The other days of the seventh month were called sabbatons (rest days), but
never Sabbath days. Furthermore, the high days of the spring (the first and
seventh days of Unleavened Bread, and Pentecost/shavout) are not even called
sabbatons in the Torah, even though they are in the New Testament.
DEALING WITH ERRONEOUS ARGUMENTS
This brother continued with his reasoning concerning when
the wavesheaf, a type of Yahshua, was to be offered: “Regarding the biblical
commandment to offer the 'omer" on the morrow after the Sabbath"(ib
verse 11), the Rabbis maintained that "Sabbath" here means simply a
day of rest and refers to passover. The Sadducees disputed this interpretation,
contending that sabbath meant Saturday. Accordingly they would transfer the
count of seven weeks on the morrow of the first Saturday in passover, so that
the Pentecost would always fall on Sunday. The Sadducees advanced the argument
because Moses as a friend of the Israelites, wished to give them an
extended holiday by annexing Pentecost to the sabbath. Johanan then turned to
his disciples and pointed out that the law purposely fixed the interval of 50
days in order to explain that the 7 weeks, nominally do not necessarily begin
from Sunday.
Some claim that this controversy was the reason for the
substitution by the Talmudists of Aeret for Shabu'ot or weeks, on which the
Sadducees, and later the Karaites of the geonic period, based their adverse
contention. Another reason might be to avoid confusion with Shebo'ut=oaths. The
Septuagint translation (on the morrow of the first day) confirms the rabbinical
interpretation. The Karaites accepted the Sadducees' view. They claim to have
advanced arguments at the time of Anan. In this discussion, they say, against
the contention of the Karaites and claims that as all other holy days have fixed
days in the month, it would be unreasonable to suppose that Pentecost depended
on a certain day of the week.” (end of quote)
There are some critical errors made in this dissertation.
Error #1: It is mentioned that the Septuagint confirms the rabbinical
interpretation. The problem is that the Scriptures were inspired in the Hebrew
and not the Greek. Therefore, the Hebrew must be utilized to establish the
proper manner to observe the count rather than the Greek.
Error #2: Also it is said that “’Sabbath’ simply
means day of rest and refers to Passover.” The Passover was never a rest day.
The Passover sacrifice always took place on the 14th day of the month. The first high
day (rest day) was commanded on the 15th. Remember also, that the high days of the
spring (unleavened bread and Pentecost) are never called Sabbaths nor sabbatons
in the Torah.
Error #3: A third critical error is to reduce the word
“Sabbath” to simply mean “a rest day.” The seventh day Sabbath was much
more than just a rest day. It was a memorial to creation, yes, a memorial to the
day that Yahweh rested, but He also “blessed, and sanctified” (made holy)
that day. It was a “sign” between Yahweh and His people that He was their
Elohim, and they were His people (Ex. 31:12-17).
As stated above the term for the Sabbath (ha Shabbat/tbvh) is only
utilized for the seventh day Sabbath, and the Day of Atonement. In Leviticus
chapter 23 where the instructions
are given to the priesthood, the first instructions are
given concerning the seventh day Sabbath (tbv) in verses 1-3. Then the subject of Passover
and the days of Unleavened Bread is addressed. Here is how it reads:
“These are the feasts of Yahweh, even holy convocations,
which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first
month at even (beyn ha erevim) is Yahweh’s passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the
feast of unleavened bread unto Yahweh: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work
therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Yahweh seven days: in
the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein,”
Lev. 23:4-8.
Notice that even though there is a command that no servile
work be done on the first day of unleavened bread (the 15th day of the
month), and the seventh day (the 21st day of the month), they are not called
Sabbaths, or even sabbatons.
However, in verse three where the Sabbath is addressed, it
is called a Sabbath (tbv) of rest (!wtbv), “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath (tbv) of rest (!wtbv), an holy
convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath (tbv) of Yahweh in all your dwellings,” Lev. 23:3.
THE COUNT
The next commandment in Leviticus 23 is the count to Shavout or Pentecost,
“And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and
say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall
reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your
harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before Yahweh, to be
accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. And
ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the
first year for a burnt offering unto Yahweh. And the meat offering thereof shall
be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto
Yahweh for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the
fourth part of an hin. And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor
green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your
Elohim: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your
dwellings. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath (ha
Shabbat/tbvh),
from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven (sheva/[bv)
sabbaths (shabatot/twtbv)shall
be complete (tamiymot/tmymt):
Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath (haShabbat/tbvh)shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall
offer a new meat offering unto Yahweh,” Lev. 23:9-16.
Now let’s analyze this further. From Leviticus 23:1-16, the only day that
is termed Shabbat (tbv)
is the seventh day Sabbath.
Furthermore, the Sabbaths are commanded to be complete (tamiymot/tmymt). This Hebrew word (tamiymot) has to do
with being perfect, flawless, blemish free. It is the same word that is utilized
for the sacrificial animals which had to be perfect, complete, flawless, blemish
free, because those sacrificial animals were types of Yahshua in His perfect
sinless state. A flawless, blemish free Sabbath, or week (shabuwa) was a week
that began with the first day and ended with the seventh day Sabbath. The count
to Pentecost had to be a perfect, flawless, blemish free count of seven
Sabbaths.
The types here are very deep because of the Sabbath and the number seven.
THE OATH
A deeper meaning of the number seven is revealed in an incident with
Abraham. Abimelech and his chief captain came to Abraham acknowledging that
Elohim was with him so they wanted him to swear that he wouldn’t deal
deceitfully with him and his son, “Now therefore swear unto me here by Elohim
that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son:
but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me,
and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned,” Gen. 21:23.
Abraham replied, “And Abraham said, I will swear,” v. 24.
The interesting thing about this is that the Hebrew word for “swear” is
shaba/sheba (or shava/sheva depending on which dialect is speaking the Hebrew),
which means to seven one’s self. They made a covenant
between themselves (v. 17). Then Abraham did something else, “And Abraham took
sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
And Abraham set seven
ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean
these seven ewe lambs which thou hast
set by themselves? And he said, For these seven
ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
Wherefore he called that place Beersheba;
because there they sware
both of them. Thus they made a covenant
at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host,
and they returned into the land of the Philistines,” vv. 27-32.
Thus, we find that the number seven has to do with swearing an oath, making
a covenant, and establishing a witness.
The original seventh day Sabbath had to do not only with rest, but a
covenant (it was included in Yahweh’s covenant law, the ten commandments, at
Sinai), a witness (that Yahweh is the Creator), and swearing an oath (when
Yahweh could swear by no greater, He swore by Himself).
Thus, the seven perfect Sabbaths have to do with swearing an oath, making a
New Covenant, raising up witnesses, etc. The count to Pentecost is seven times
seven perfect Sabbaths, or seven multiplied, which when fulfilled, would bring
forth a new people, for a new covenant, for new witnesses, for a new heavens and
new earth.
THE FIFTIETH DAY
On the fiftieth day, that is the morrow after the seventh Sabbath, they were
to bring forth a new meat offering, “And ye shall count unto you from the
morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave
offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the
seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat
offering unto Yahweh. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of
two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven;
they are the firstfruits unto Yahweh,” Lev. 23:15-17.
The Hebrew term for week is shabuwa ([wbv),
but it doesn’t say on the morrow after the seventh week. It says on the morrow
after the seventh Sabbath (ha Shabbat/tbvh).
Yahweh worked Yahshua’s sacrifice out so that it perfectly fulfilled the
count that began on the first day of the week (the morrow after the Sabbath).
Miriam Magdalene went to the sepulcher finding that Yahshua was gone, but two
angels were standing in it, one where His head had been and one at His feet,
“And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because
they have taken away my Master, and I know not where they have laid him. And
when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Yahshua standing, and
knew not that it was Yahshua. Yahshua saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?
whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir,
if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take
him away. Yahshua saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him,
Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Yahshua saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but
go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father;
and to my Elohim, and your Elohim,” Jn. 20:13-17.
Yahshua was to ascend to the Father to be accepted by Him as the wavesheaf,
that is, the firstborn from the dead, “And he is before all things, and by him
all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the assembly: who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead; that in all things
he might have the preeminence,” Col. 1:17-18.
The Hebrew word for “beginning” is reyshiyth, which is what the
wavesheaf was actually called. It was termed “omer reyshiyth” in the Hebrew
because it was the measure of an omer of grain, which when offered or waved,
began the count to shavout/Pentecost.
Yahshua’s acceptance began the countdown to Pentecost when the Holy Spirit
was poured out on His disciples. His offering as the wavesheaf, the firstborn
from the dead, occurred on the first day of the week (the morrow of the
Sabbath), and the Holy Spirit was poured out on the fiftieth day, on the morrow
after the Sabbath according to the command, and according to the Torah.
This began a new era, because it raised up His New Testament/New Covenant
body of believers who were His witnesses of these facts.
THE NEW MEAT OFFERING
On the fiftieth day, the day of Shavout, or Pentecost, the priest was to
bring forth a new meat or grain offering, “Ye shall bring out of your
habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour;
they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto Yahweh,” Lev.
23:17.
The Hebrew for “firstfruits” here is bikkuwrim. It comes from a
primitive Hebrew root word “bakar” which means “properly, to
burst the womb, i.e. (causatively) bear or make early fruit (of woman or tree); also (as
denominative from 1061) to give the birthright.”
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
What does this all mean? These two loaves baked with leaven could never be
burnt on the altar because of the leaven that is in them. But Yahshua is their
sacrifice. He is the One Who served as the holocaust sacrifice. Leaven
represents sin (we have other articles to prove this.) Paul declared that while
he was striving to do all things lawfully, he still had a struggle with sin that
was in his physical body. This is the condition of the New Testament Assembly in
their present worldly state. They hate the sin that so easily besets them, but
look unto Yahweh through Yahshua the Messiah for forgiveness and the ability to
continue on to perfection. Therefore, they don’t trust in their own ability to
fulfill the requirements of the law, but look to and trust in Yahshua the
Messiah.
But they are able to declare the New Covenant based on better promises. They
are Yahweh’s true witnesses concerning His plan and what He is doing. They
have the birthright to the Kingdom of Heaven, and will be the first to be
resurrected into that heavenly realm at the resurrection.
CONCLUSION
There is much confusion concerning the annual holy days, the count to
Pentecost, etc. We must go to the Hebrew, the original language that the
Scriptures are inspired to be written in, if we are to come to understand the
correct manner in which to observe Yahweh’s commanded holy days.
Yahshua perfectly fulfilled the daily and Passover sacrifices in accordance with their timing. He began the countdown to Pentecost in accordance with the Torah. The New Covenant Assembly of witnesses was raised up on the first day of the week in accordance with the Torah’s witness. May Yahweh bless you to understand and embrace these things. HalleluYah!!!!!
We recently received a
note from a subscriber who asked how a day should be observed. It seems that
there is a group in Arkansas that teaches that the Sabbath is to be observed
only from sunrise to sunset. Is this
true? What can we discover from the Scriptures?
By Jerry Healan
Of course, traditional Judaism observes the day from about sunset to the
next sunset. I say “from about” because their encyclopedias will declare
that one day ends and the other begins when two or three stars are seen in the
sky.
Therefore, we need to study out as to whether the nighttime is considered a
part of the day, or how a day is to be observed.
In the beginning, there was nothing but darkness, which is described as
being chaotic, and desolate, “In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and
the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the
face of the deep. And the Spirit of Elohim moved upon the face of the waters,”
Gen. 1:1-2.
Out of the darkness Elohim declared, “Let there be light: and there was
light. And Elohim saw the light, that it was good: and Elohim divided the light
from the darkness. And Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness he called
Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day,” Gen. 3-5.
Wait a minute! Elohim divided between the light and the darkness. He did
call the period of light day, and the period of darkness night. Then He says
that the even, which leads to darkness because even is when the light is
descending in the western sky, and morning, which is the time that the light is
rising out of the darkness in the east, was the first day. Therefore, the whole
day consists of the light and the darkness. This is also basically how we
observe a day in our world today. The portion of light we call day, and the
portion of darkness we call night, but we also call both the daylight and the
dark portions as a day.
Furthermore, Yahweh placed the sun, moon, and stars in the sky on the fourth
day, “And Elohim 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: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven
to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And Elohim 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 Elohim 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 Elohim saw that it was good. And the evening
and the morning were the fourth day,” Gen. 1:14-19.
Notice that the greater light, which is the sun, rules the day. There are
other Scriptures that confirm this:
“O give thanks unto Yahweh; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for
ever. O give thanks unto the Elohim of elohim: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks to the Sovereign of sovereigns: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him
that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that
stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that made great lights:
for his mercy endureth for ever: The sun to
rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: The moon and stars to rule by night:
for his mercy endureth for ever,” Psa. 136:1-9.
“Thus saith Yahweh, which giveth the sun for a
light by day, and the ordinances of the
moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when
the waves thereof roar; Yahweh of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart
from before me, saith Yahweh, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from
being a nation before me for ever; Jer. 31:35.
Also, the end of the work day is described in Nehemiah chapter 4, “So we
laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the
morning till the stars appeared,
v. 21.
In accordance with Nehemiah 4:21 and the Jewish encyclopedias, we can
declare that the sun rules the day until 2 or three stars are seen in the
evening sky. Once this occurs, the sun has relinquished his rule and the night
has begun. One day has ended and another day has begun.
There are those who want to
declare that the daylight is the first part of the day and the night is the last
part, but the Scriptures are written in types and parables. To put the night,
the darkness as the end portion of the day actually is declaring that Yahweh’s
period of light comes, but then darkness comes and takes it all away. However,
if we utilize the darkness as the first portion of the day, then the light, our
understanding is that we are now living in darkness and the light of Yahweh’s
kingdom will be dawning next (soon). Remember that a day is as a thousand years
and a thousand years is as one day.
We know that the world sits primarily in chaotic spiritual darkness until
the seventh millennium when the kingdom will be established, of which there will
be no end.
PORTIONS OF THE DAY
Darkness/night/layil = moon and stars ruling.
Shachar = first rays of the sun breaking through the darkness. (Still
night/darkness)
When only two or three stars can be seen in the morning (Hebrew =Boqer)the
sun has begun its rule and is in its ascension.
Zohar = high noon, the sun at its apex. Morning is ended.
Ma-erev = sun in the western sky, the sun has begun to descend. The first
erev is immediately after zohar.
The last or second erev is when the stars begin to appear. The sun has
relinquished his rule. The daylight portion of the day, as well as the 24 hour
portions of night and day have ended. Another day has begun.
There are also those who end the day at sunset, but this can’t be since
the sun is still ruling. The sun begins its rule around twenty minutes or so
before it crosses (sunrise) the eastern horizon and continues that rule until
around twenty minutes or so after it crosses (sunset) the western horizon.
THE HOURLY DIVISIONS
Yahshua said that there were twelve hours in a day, “Yahshua answered, Are
there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not,
because he seeth the light of this world,” Jn. 11:9.
He was speaking, of course, of the daylight portion of the day. However,
this can be confusing to people in today’s world. Recently I read where one
man wrote that Yahshua said this at the equinox because the equinoxes are the
only times when there is equal twelve hour day and night portions.
In our modern day technical world we lose sight of the situations in the
ancient past. You see, we have clocks and watches in today’s world that divide
the whole day into twenty four hours with equal increments. An hour equals sixty
minutes. A minute equals sixty seconds, etc. But they didn’t have the
convenience of clocks and watches in the ancient world. They had sundials, hour
glasses, etc.
A sundial always broke a day down into twelve hours no matter how long or
short a day was. The longest day of the year only had twelve hours in it, and
the shortest day of the year had twelve hours in it. The hours were longer in
the summer time and shorter in the winter time, but all days always had twelve
hours, while the night was divided into four divisions called watches. (The sun
dial doesn’t work too well at night.)
Mid morning was the third hour of the day. Noon was the sixth hour of the
day. Mid afternoon was the 9th
hour of the day, etc.
BIYN HA EREVIM
With this in mind, we can better determine when the period of time in the
Scriptures termed biyn ha erevim occurs. Many in today’s world believe that
biyn ha erevim occurred between the time of sunset and the night occurred,
attributing that time to the beginning of the new day.
Biyn ha erevim means “between the evens.” As stated above, the first
even occurs when the sun enters into the western (ma-erev) sky. One of the
Hebrew terms for the west is ma-erev. The final erev, or the end of erev takes
place when two or three stars are seen in the evening sky. Therefore, biyn ha
erevim is mid-afternoon, or the ninth hour.
Yahweh told Moses how Israel was to take a lamb and slay it for the original
Passover, “And Yahweh spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
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: And if the
household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his
house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his
eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a
male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the
whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening (biyn
ha erevim),” Ex. 12:1-6.
He repeated this in His instructions to the priesthood in the book of
Leviticus, “These are the feasts of Yahweh, even holy convocations, which ye
shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even (biyn ha erevim) is Yahweh’s
Passover,” Lev. 23:4-5.
It is impossible for this sacrifice to take place at the beginning of the
fourteenth day of the month because that day didn’t begin until two or three
stars were seen in the evening sky.
Furthermore, the daily sacrifice also dispels the idea that the Passover
could be slain prior to the nighttime portion of the fourteenth day (as many
believe), “Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs
of the first year day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the
morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even (biyn ha erevim): And with
the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of
beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering. And the
other lamb thou shalt offer at even (biyn ha erevim), and shalt do thereto
according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink
offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto Yahweh,”
Ex. 29:38-41.
The King James Version
keeps calling the second lamb, the other lamb, but the Hebrew term is sheniy,
which actually means SECOND! Notice that this is the second lamb of the daily
sacrifice, and it is to be sacrificed at biyn ha erevim, which means that it is
to be sacrificed at mid afternoon, specifically the ninth hour of the day!
YAHSHUA’S SACRIFICE
Yahshua’s sacrifice, whether you believe it or not, fulfilled all of the
sacrifices that the Levitical priesthood had to offer, and then some, because
that which is physical can be a type, but the most perfect is that which is
spiritual. That’s the reason why His sacrifice was one sacrifice for all. Once
His sacrifice was offered, there is no more need for physical animal sacrifices,
grain, and drink offerings.
Yahshua was nailed to the cross (or stake, or tree, whichever you prefer) at
the third hour, or mid morning, which fulfilled the morning portion of the daily
sacrifice, “And it was the third hour, and they crucified him,” Mk. 15:25.
It was dark from the sixth hour (noon) to the ninth hour (mid afternoon),
“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth
hour,” Mt. 27:45 (see also Mk. 15:33; Lk. 23:44).
Yahshua died at the ninth hour (mid afternoon/biyn ha erevim) at the same
time that the second lamb was to be slaughtered, and also the beginning of the
slaughtering of the Passover lambs, “And about the ninth hour Yahshua cried
with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My El, my
El, why hast thou forsaken me? Some
of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for
Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with
vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let
us see whether Elias will come to save him.
Yahshua, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the
ghost,” Mt. 27:48-50.
Yahshua came to fulfill the Torah (Mt. 5:17), and its sacrifices, and He did
so!
JOHN EXPLAINED
This leads us to the book of John and his mention of the sixth hour, which
has mystified people from time immemorial. Pilate had scourged Yahshua, his
soldiers platting a crown of thorns, dressing Him in a purple robe, mocking and
striking Him. He then brought Yahshua forth to the people saying, “Behold, I
bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then came
Yahshua forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate
saith unto them, Behold the man! When the chief priests therefore and officers
saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto
them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. The Jews
answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made
himself the Son of Elohim. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the
more afraid; And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Yahshua,
Whence art thou? But Yahshua gave him no answer. Then saith Pilate unto him,
Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee,
and have power to release thee? Yahshua answered, Thou couldest have no power at
all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that
delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. And from thenceforth Pilate sought
to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou
art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against
Caesar. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Yahshua forth, and
sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the
Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it was the preparation of
the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews,
Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him.
Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered,
We have no king but Caesar,” Jn. 19:4-15.
What John was really saying here is that it was about six hours to the
preparation of the Passover by slaying the lambs. Notice that he says
“about.” The third hour of the day was drawing near when Yahshua was to be
crucified. From the third hour to the ninth hour is six hours! John is actually
in compliance with Mark who declared that Yahshua was crucified at the third
hour.
In many places the Scriptures seem to be contradictory, but it is man’s
lack of understanding, and mis-interpretation that causes the problems.
CONCLUSION
Are you beginning to see how it all fits in, it all ties in together? Going
back to the observance of the day at the beginning of this article, If the first
day of the week begins with the dark period, followed by the daylight portion,
then every day of the seven day week is preceded by the period of darkness
including the seventh day Sabbath. Those who declare that the Sabbath only
begins with the daylight portion are in error.
Those who proclaim that the daylight portion following sunset to nighttime
as the beginning of the next day are also in error. The sun rules the day in the
beginning and doesn’t relinquish that rule until the nighttime, with the two
or three stars becoming visible.
The daylight portion was divided into the most early rays of light breaking
through which is called shachar in Hebrew. There were always twelve hours in a
day no matter how long or short that day was. The day had its major divisions of
the beginning when only two or three stars were visible, mid morning (the third
hour), noon (the sixth hour), mid afternoon (the ninth hour/biyn ha erevim), and
the end when two or three stars were visible.
In its ascension the sun was in boqer (morning). At its apex it was in zohar
(noon). Its descent began immediately after zohar which was erev. This is truly
how we should observe our day.
The daily sacrifice was to be slaughtered at mid morning, and mid afternoon
(biyn ha erevim). Yahshua was nailed to the cross at the third hour (mid
morning), darkness ensued from the sixth to the ninth hour (mid afternoon/biyn
ha erevim) at which time Yahshua breathed out His final breath.
May
Yahweh be magnified, and may your eyes be opened to see the truth of the matter.
HalleluYah!!!!!
What a title….you
might say! But it is an event that the whole world is looking for. Death itself
must die! How can death die? The message was sent at the time of Yahshua’s
sacrifice. Did you catch it? Let us clarify.
By Jerry Healan
Sin, corruption, and death entered the world when Eve reached out, took of
the forbidden fruit, ate of it, and gave to her husband who also ate of it,
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the
fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did
eat,” Gen. 3:6.
The Apostle Paul writes, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when
there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them
that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the
figure of him that was to come,” Ro. 5:12-14.
Whether we like to admit it or not, we
are all born into this world destined to die. We are like the walking dead. We
are as good as dead even while we live.
Let’s face it, death is the antithesis
of life. Death is our enemy. People have developed so many beliefs because of
the fear of death and denial that we can die. However, death is a reality. It is
cessation of life. Death has power over us! We have no power to escape it of
ourselves.
POWER OF DEATH
Who has the power of death? Well, we
could say that Yahweh has the power of death and life, and we would be right,
but there is a sinister, subtle serpent who has power over death. He is revealed
as a great red angry dragon called Satan and the devil in the book of Revelation
12:3 & 9, “And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great
red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his
heads…And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil,
and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and
his angels were cast out with him.”
Here is the one who deceived the woman in
the beginning and in doing so became the liar and murderer, “Ye are of your
father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer
from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in
him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the
father of it,” Jn. 8:44.
Satan has the power of death over us. He
is the father of death. He is the one who enticed the woman to eat of the fruit
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which if one ate of that tree
they would surely die! There were two trees in the midst of the garden that were
singled out to Adam. One was the tree of life, and the other was the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, which a better rendering would be the “tree of
death.”
The serpent and the tree made death to be
attractive and appealing. The Scriptures continue to speak of two primary ways
or paths. One is the way that leads to death which is the broad and easy path,
and the other is the narrow and strait path of righteousness. None of us can
really follow the path of life without the Prince of life guiding and directing
us. Yahshua is that Prince of life, “And when Peter saw it, he answered unto
the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly
on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The
Elohim of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the Elohim of our fathers, hath
glorified his Son Yahshua; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence
of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and
the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life,
whom Yahweh hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses,” Acts
3:12-15.
Satan, the prince of death is so powerful
that even the Prince of Life had to come and do battle with him and die so that
He could obtain power over death.
The Prophet Isaiah is inspired to
declare, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer (Heb. = Heylel ), son of
the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the
nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will
exalt my throne above the stars of El: I will sit also upon the mount of the
congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the
clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to
the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and
consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did
shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities
thereof; that opened not the house of his
prisoners?,” 14:12-17.
Satan imprisons his kingdoms, cities,
people of the world in the prison of destruction and death, and he will not let
them go.
THE GREATEST BATTLE
The history of this world is a history of
war. Battles have always been fought between people, tribes, clans, cities,
nations, kingdoms, etc. The greatest epics of modern history were World War I
and World War II. These wars destroyed so many, many lives in such a short
period of time, with some of the most devastating armaments. The scenes are
continually played and replayed in movies, on TV, etc. as if they were the most
important wars and battles that have ever been fought.
Adolf Hitler has been made to appear as
the most evil person that has ever lived. However, men just as evil as Hitler
were also sending their armies against his for the purpose of defeating him. But
the most evil architect of the fracases was the spirit that was behind them
directing them like puppets on a string. All we have to do to identify this most
evil character is look into the inspired Scriptures.
The greatest and most important battle
that has ever been fought during the history of this world is the battle that
Yahshua, the Prince of Life, had with Satan, the prince of death as is recorded
in the New Testament (Covenant).
Yahshua came to John the Baptist to be
baptized, “Then cometh Yahshua from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be
baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of
thee, and comest thou to me? And Yahshua answering said unto him, Suffer it to
be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered
him. And Yahshua, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:
and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of Elohim
descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven,
saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” Mt. 3:13-17.
Yahshua was immediately led into the
wilderness by the Spirit where He fasted for forty days and nights. (Mt. 2:1-2)
The tempter, Satan, came to Him and said,
“If thou be the Son of Elohim, command that these stones be made bread. But he
answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of Elohim. Then the devil taketh him
up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith
unto him, If thou be the Son of Elohim, cast thyself down: for it is written, He
shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear
thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Yahshua said unto
him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt Yahweh thy Elohim. Again, the
devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the
kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these
things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith
Yahshua unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship
Yahweh thy Elohim, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him,
and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him,” Mt. 4:3-11.
Whether you want to believe this or not,
this was the most important battle that has ever taken place in the history of
this world since its beginning, and will be the most important battle that has
taken place forever. Once Yahshua had defeated his temptations through use of,
and obedience to the Scriptures, the Word of Yahweh, then the devil had to obey
Him and leave.
Even though Satan was defeated, he still
has great power over this world and mankind. He is still the god of this world
(2 Cor. 4:4), and the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2) until the time
that Yahshua returns to take His power and rule in the kingdom of heaven which
will be established on this earth.
YAHSHUA’S SACRIFICE
After Yahshua completed His ministry, he
knew that he had to die, “Now before the feast of the passover, when Yahshua knew that his hour was come that
he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which
were in the world, he loved them unto the end,” Jn. 13:1.
In actuality, the word “when” should
not have been introduced into this sentence. It should have been translated as:
“Yahshua knowing that His hour was come that He should depart out of this
world unto the Father.”
We know the story how He was taken,
brought before the priests, and then Pontius Pilate, who sent Him to Herod
before being sent back to Pilate. In each instance Yahshua was treated
shamefully, was mocked, spat upon, beaten, whipped, made sport of by soldiers,
etc. The whole episode was exhausting, draining Him of His strength, His energy.
Finally, He was taken to be crucified. He
started out carrying His own cross beam, but fainted so it had to be laid on
another, but He finally ended up at the place of crucifixion which was called
Golgotha in Hebrew, and Calvary in the Greek. Both Hebrew and Greek mean the
place of the skull. (Mt. 27:33; Mk. 15:22; Lk. 23:33; Jn. 19:17)
Satan has always been worshipped through
Trinitarian idolatry. For instance, the greatest god/goddesses of Egypt were
Osiris, Isis, and Horus. In Babylon Nimrod, Semiramis, and Tammuz were a
trinity. The Roman’s greatest trinity was Jupiter, Vulcan, and Esus
(pronounced Hesus).
The point is that a skull is a symbol of
death. Yahshua was hung on a tree, stake, cross, with two others who were
malefactors. That means that three crosses, a cross for each member of the false
pagan Trinitarian deities, was driven into the skull of death. They looked like
swords or daggers piercing into the skull. This represented the complete
destruction of death, and the destruction of the prince of death.
Yahshua, at His weakest moment, even in
death, was far greater than the serpent Satan who has the power of death, who is
the prince of death! HalleluYah!!!!!
CRUSHING SATAN
The Apostle Paul wrote, “And the Elohim of peace shall bruise Satan under
your feet shortly. The grace of our Sovereign Yahshua the Messiah be with you.
Amen,” Ro. 16:20. The term “bruise” literally means to crush.
What is yet to happen? We know that the book of Revelation declares that
when Yahshua returns Satan will be bound for one thousand years, but after that
he must be loosed for a little season. (Rev. 20:1-3)
He then will go about doing his work of deception again to deceive those who
belong to him. These have truly been blessed by the rulership of the kingdom of
heaven under Yahshua but they really don’t appreciate it. Remember that there
is a seed of the serpent and a seed of the woman spoken of in the book of
Genesis chapter three. He will gather a massive army which will attack
Jerusalem, but they will be destroyed by fire that will come down out of heaven.
(Rev. 20:7-9)
Satan, himself will be cast into the lake of fire, “And the devil that
deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and
the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and
ever,” v. 10.
The Prophet Isaiah continued concerning Lucifer/Heylel, “All the kings of
the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. But
thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of
those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of
the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet,”
Isa. 14:18-19.
What will take place? Ezekiel also prophesies concerning this wicked one,
“Moreover the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a
lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Sovereign
Yahweh; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou
hast been in Eden the garden of Elohim; every precious stone was thy covering,
the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the
sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy
tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast
upon the holy mountain of Elohim; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of
the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast
created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise
they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned:
therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of Elohim: and I will
destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine
heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by
reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before
kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the
multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of
thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the
sight of all them that behold thee,” Ez. 28:11-18.
Malachi also speaks of these ashes, “For, behold, the day cometh, that
shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall
be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith Yahweh of hosts,
that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name
shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go
forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked;
for they shall be ashes under the soles of
your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith Yahweh of
hosts,” Mal. 4:1-3.
Satan will not burn forever and ever, rather he and all of the wicked will
be reduced to ashes which will be trodden under the feet of the righteous. This
is how Satan will be crushed under the feet of the saints! HalleluYah!!!!!
THE DEATH OF DEATH
Finally, the book of Revelation reveals, “And I saw a great white throne,
and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and
there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand
before Elohim; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is
the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were
written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead
which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them:
and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell
were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever
was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire,”
Rev. 20:11-15.
Of course, all of the wicked are cast into the fire to be reduced to ashes,
but death and hell (the grave) are also cast into the lake of fire. This means
that death itself will die, will no more have any power. All that is left is
that which is life, that which is living. The tree of life will be available,
but there will no longer be a tree of death, the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil.
“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,
proceeding out of the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb. In the midst of the
street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of
fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for
the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of
Elohim and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And
they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there
shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for
the Sovereign Yahweh giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and
ever,” Rev. 22:1-5.
Yahshua declares, “I am he that liveth, and
was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell
and of death,” Rev. 1:18. This is the Prince of Life. He is the tree of life.
Where death has had power over life on this earth, life will have the power over
death forever and ever. Death shall perish and be no more! HALLELUYAH!!!!!