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- And Elohiym said, Let there be light: and there was light.
- And Elohiym saw the light, that it was good: and Elohiym divided the light from the darkness.
- And Elohiym called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Sabbath Day | How Many Hours?
Beloved, We all were born into a world where the day expires at mid-night, and the next day begins at the same moment! We are taught from the womb that each day is a 24-hour period! Part of the day being illuminated and the other part, dark! We really have trusted too much, my Beloved. We really have! To our eternal detriment, it appears. What is the Truth? And why is it important? Many Biblical stories have been rendered impossible to understand because of a 24-hour day! The Power of YaHuWaH our Eloah has been scantily understood let alone appreciated as a result. Skeptics have had fun mocking the preacher who preaches that Elohiym created the Universe and beyond in Six literal days and rested on the Seventh. But they should prepare to have more fun because the Truth is, the Creation day was only 12-hours each, not 24-hours!
Sabbath Day | How Long Is It? When Does It Start?
Sabbath | From Eden to Savior's Birth
According to the weight of evidence in Scripture, a day begins at dawn and ends at dusk. The night begins at dusk and ends at dawn. A Calendar date is not synonymous with a day. In contrast a Calendar date includes both the day and the night, but also begins at dawn. A day is only the first half of the Calendar date, while the night is the second half. Any serious student of Scripture will discover that day and night are totally the opposite of each other, and are two distinctly different periods, never occupying the same space of time. For far too long, good and honest people have been content with a surface reading of Scripture for their beliefs, when all along the truth requires a deeper study into the original Hebrew or Greek words. From the pen of inspiration comes the following present truth designed to equip YaHuWaH's faithful for the battles over truth that lie ahead.
"We need to gather divine rays of light from The Messiah (Christ). We need to search the Scriptures, and dig deep in the mines of truth; for the precious jewels do not always lie on the surface; we should search for them as for hidden treasure."
In the beginning Elohiym created the heavens and the Earth. The Earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of Elohiym was hovering over the face of the waters. Then Elohiym said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And Elohiym saw the light that it was good; and Elohiym divided the light from the darkness. Elohiym called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night."
The very first thing YaHuWaH created was "light" out of "darkness"; and HE called the 'light' "DAY". HE made a division between light and darkness. HE called the Darkness "NIGHT". He named the DAY first, before naming the NIGHT. Even though DARKNESS was here before LIGHT, our Creator chose to name the LIGHT before the DARKNESS. We cannot be smarter or more knowledgeable than HIM!
It should be carefully noted that when He divided them, He named the day first, followed by the night. Our Creator's choice in using this sequence is actually the very foundation of this truth. As defined above, darkness is the absence of light. To make a distinction between the darkness and the light the creator separated them, meaning that they will forever hold different periods of time and never overlap. He then sealed His declaration that He separated them when He gave them their names. Day and Night are not synonymous terms, but rather they are opposites.
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I YaHuWaH do all these things;
Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth."
When Elohiym completed the division of the Day and the Night, HE followed that with the division of the Day into HOURS.
- In that hour the word was executed on Nebukaḏnetstsar, and he was driven from men and he ate grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens till his hair had grown like eagles' [feathers] and his nails like birds"
- And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.
- YaHuWshuaH answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
Back then, there were no atomic clocks or wrist watches. Men reckoned the hours during daylight's twelve hours by the shadows on a sundial - no doubt as taught by Elohiym. Even though some days are longer and some shorter, it always shows up on a sundial as 12 hours, because the length of the hours automatically adjust.
When then does a night begin and end? The night begins at dusk and ends at dawn, incorporating the entire period of darkness. The day was reckoned by the daylight hours only as the Savior stated in Yahuwchanon 11:9-11, and began at dawn and ended at dusk. But, If the day rather begins at sunset, as Seventh-day Adventists and the Jewish people today believe, it would be like saying that light equals darkness!
There appears to be some confusion over the words "EVENING" and "NIGHT". But the Bible is clear about the distinction between the two. Genesis 1:5, states,
Elohiym called the light day, and the darkness He called night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
Do you need a second look to see that the evening together with the morning make up the first daylight?. "This is a simple math equation: .5 + .5 = 1 whole daylight. Therefore the first daylight was made up of two parts, morning and evening. Morning begins at dawn and ends at noon; evening begins at noon and ends at dusk. With a good Hebrew concordance you will discover that the terms, evening and morning are more accurately stated, the evening together with the morning were the first day."
Note beloved, that our Creator was very clear that the evening is part of the day and never part of the night in this text:
Elohiym called the light day, and the darkness He called night. So the evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:5
"YaHuWaH, the Creator, said that, "evening and the morning were the first day." If the evening was to be part of the night, and begins the day, this was the place (where) YaHuWaH would have stated it. But not one word is said connecting the evening with the darkness of night. He evidently missed His opportunity.
Beloved you have surely read or heard of the argument over whether creation was accomplished in six, twenty-four (24)-hour days or six thousand years. The amazing reality is that the creative part of each day was only twelve (12) hours! Since evening and morning are the two halves of the daylight hours, then it appears that all the creative works were accomplished during these daylight hours. Absolutely nothing was created during the dark of night after He called forth light.
And the Earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And Elohiym saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the third day." Genesis 1:12-13 KJV Then Elohiym saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Something else that we should all keep in mind was, the Savior's attitude to the distinctness and difference between DAY and NIGHT. YaHuWshuaH was always using the DAY and the NIGHT to symbolize the two spiritual options facing creation. The following scriptures illustrate this clearly.
- But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
- The Messiah YaHuWshuaH said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
- "Ye are the light of the world".
- "Let your light so shine before men"
- "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not."
- "The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe".
- “For everyone who is practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. “But the one doing the truth comes to the light, so that his works are clearly seen, that they have been wrought in Elohiym.”
- "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who had called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- "But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light".
"Throughout Scripture YaHuWaH has used these contrasting principles of light and dark to teach His spiritual truths. Darkness was to represent infidelity, spiritual blindness and evil, while light was to represent truth, spiritual understanding, and righteousness. YaHuWshuaH uses these principles over and over throughout His ministry along with Paul." - WLC
As you must have noticed in the Genesis 1 accounts, Mosheh records the Creator declaring six times that 'evening and morning' were the daylight hours only. So when the seventh-day came along in Chapter 2, what period of time did the Creator designate as Holy? Obviously, it was the 12 hours of daylight only. The Sabbath is only the daylight portion of a Calendar date, and is reckoned in hours. If it was to begin at dark, this Scripture would overtly declare that YaHuWaH rested on the seventh night three times. See Yahuwchanon 11:9.
Thus the heavens and the Earth were completed, and all their array. And on the seventh day Elohiym completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And Elohiym blessed the seventh day and set it apart, because on it He rested from all His work which Elohiym in creating had made.
ZETETIC (CREATION) ASTRONOMY | DEFINE DAY & NIGHT
How should we reckon our days, months and years? Is it up to us humans to decide? Being a thinking person, we are sure you would say a categorical 'NO'. But shockingly, we have done exactly that! But unfortunately, what we did as humans in defining days and years, runs contrary to YaHuWaH's definition! According to Genesis 1:14, YaHuWaH our Creator, determined our days and our years, lights or darkness by this invariable and eternal principle: Lights! Notice it does not say nights and darkness, but lights.
And Elohiym said, “Let lights come to be in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and appointed times, and for days and years, and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the Earth.” And it came to be so. And Elohiym made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night, and the stars. And Elohiym set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the Earth,
It is shocking to realize that our beliefs hitherto can be so wrong even ludicrous! Consider this. If a day starts at sunset, when it becomes dark, as we have come to believe, as Seventh-day Adventists and Yahuwdiym (Jews), or the rest of the world that believes the day begins at MID-NIGHT, then when does a night begin? They do not both start simultaneously, if so, they would be the same. A day starts when it becomes light according to Judges 16:2. Night starts when it becomes dark according to Psalm 104:20. They are totally the opposite of one another according to Genesis 8:22.
When the Gazites were told, "Samson has come here!" they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city. They were quiet all night, saying, "In the morning, when it is daylight, we will kill him." Judges 16:2
"You make darkness, and it is night, in which all the beasts of the forest creep about." Psalm 104:20
"While the Earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.
The sun was made to rule over the day NOT over the night?
"Then Elohiym said, "Let there be lights in the Firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the Firmament of the heavens to give light on the Earth"; and it was so.
Then 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. Elohiym set them in the Firmament of the heavens to give light on 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." Genesis 1:14-18 TS98 (ISR) Since the sun was made to rule over the day, then how can a day begin at night when the sun is not ruling? It can't, this is impossible because the Creator designed these two lights to declare the specific divisions of each Calendar date. Day and night simply can never overlap any more than light and darkness can overlap. Darkness is merely the absence of light, so therefore night is the absence of day.
To Him who made great lights, For His kindness is everlasting; The sun to rule by day, For His kindness is everlasting; The moon and stars to rule by night, For His kindness is everlasting.
The Creator said many times throughout the Scriptures, that He divided the day from the night or the light from darkness according to Genesis 1:3-5, 14-19. Has He put them back together since Creation? He has never put them back together. Many choose to believe that the daylight follows the night without the weight of evidence.
I know that whatever Elohiym does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. Elohiym does it, that men should fear before Him."
"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our Eloah stands forever."
"You make darkness, and it is night, in which all the beasts of the forest creep about."
DURING THE EXODUS
"And the people stayed up all that day, all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers); and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp." Bemidbar (Numbers) 11:32.
How do you read the text Bemidbar (Numbers) 11:32 above? Did the people gather quails for two days and one night or was it for three days and three nights? The Bible is very clear. They gathered quail for two days and one night, but if a day begins at night then they would have gathered quail three days and three nights.
In the Heavenly Father's tender care, He rained manna from heaven for forty years in the wilderness to feed the newly released Israelites whom He had led out of Egypt. In addition to clarifying which day was the seventh-day Sabbath, there are several other details relating to the manna of great importance to YaHuWaH, which illustrate when the day begins. He gave precise specifications regarding the gathering of the manna as He stated it would be used to test their obedience to Him.
... that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. Exodus 16:4
... The people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day ... Exodus 16:4
... On the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. Exodus 16:5
... In the morning, then ye shall see the glory of YaHuWaH ... Exodus 16:7
In the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am YaHuWaH your Eloah. Exodus 16:12
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. Exodus 16:14
Let no man leave of it till the morning. Exodus 16:19
... Some of them left of it until the [next] morning, and it bred worms, and stank... Exodus 16:20
... When the sun waxed hot, it melted. Exodus 16:21
... On the sixth day they gathered twice as much ... Exodus 16:22
To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto YaHuWaH : 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. Exodus 16:23
And they laid it up till the morning, as Mosheh bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.
And Mosheh said, Eat that to day; for to day is a Sabbath unto YaHuWaH : to day 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.
See, for that YaHuWaH hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
So the people rested on the seventh day.
Beloved, the miracle of the manna story encompasses more than YaHuWaH providing food for the Israelites for forty years. It was His ordained plan to use a feeding schedule to restore Yisra'el back to His time system.Here it is found that the Sabbath of the Master of Heaven is the seventh-day and that it follows six work days. It is found that the day begins in the morning rather than at night. The manna could be preserved for exactly 24 hours, and always went bad the next morning when the fresh, new manna was to be given, except on the Sabbath. We find that the term tomorrow is referred to a day that begins next morning. On the sixth day, Mosheh spoke of tomorrow as being the Sabbath day. If the Sabbath had begun at sunset, Mosheh would have spoken regarding the Sabbath tonight or at sunset. The Sabbath began in the morning, as depicted by no manna given on that morning.
From the time of Mosheh, through to the death of Christ on the Cross, the "morning and evening sacrifices" were a daily occurrence. At what times were these two sacrifices administered? Was one during daylight and the other at night? Oh No! The record is clear, both sacrifices were administered during the daylight hours. The morning sacrifice was administered between sunrise and noon, while the evening sacrifice was administered between noon and dusk, and never after dark. The Sabbath begins in the morning as all other days begin. When the next morning came Mosheh said, "Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to YaHuWaH." This clarifies that the Sabbath began the next day at dawn.
Have you considered this? If a night is considered a day, then what did YaHuWaH mean when He said that He would cause it to rain on the Earth forty days and forty nights?
For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the Earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the Earth all living things that I have made. Genesis 7:4
A night is not considered a day, or even the beginning of a day, but rather they are the exact opposites. Also, notice in the words of the YaHuWaH Himself that He states that the day comes before the night.
If a day begins when it becomes dark, then why is darkness always during the night in Scripture and never depicted as the day, except when it is speaking about the "Day of YaHuWaH's Wrath?"
The Bible depicts the upright and righteous as stirred up against the hypocrites? WHY? What did the people do to deserve to be called hypocrites?
Upright ones are astonished at this, and the innocent stirs himself up against the defiled one. And the righteous holds to his way, and he who has clean hands becomes stronger and stronger. But please, come back again, all of you, for I do not find a wise one among you. My days have passed by, my plans have been broken off - the desires of my heart. They would turn night into day, [saying] that light is near, in the presence of darkness!
The answer is, because the hypocrites are saying that YaHuWaH, our Creator, is a liar when He said He separated the day from the night. Genesis 1:4. Now they have changed the night into day when YaHuWaH had declared the light to be day and not the dark of night. - WLC
We should be guided by Scripture's vehemence against the possibility of a DAY starting at night or the NIGHT being part of the DAY.
Hear YaHuWaH's Voice if you will:
"And the word of YaHuWaH came to YirmeYahuw, saying, "Thus says YaHuWaH: 'If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers."
"Thus says YaHuWaH, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (YaHuWaH of hosts is His name): "If those ordinances depart from before Me, says YaHuWaH, then the seed of Yisra'el shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever."
To Him who made great lights, for His mercy endures forever - The sun to rule by day, for His mercy endures forever; the moon and stars to rule by night, for His mercy endures forever. Psalm 136:7-9
Elohiym called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. Genesis 1:5
Answer: Day equals light, and night equals darkness. YirmeYahuw 31:35 and Psalm 136:7-9. Genesis 1:5 states: "Elohiym called the light day, and the darkness he called night.
Brethren, it is a very serious matter! This attempt to fold darkness into light will unleash such divine wrath that the House of Yisra'el will cease to exist! Utter Destruction of the world! Scripture declares this 'a no-go' area. Are you listening? Hear it again please:
Thus says YaHuWaH, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (YaHuWaH of hosts is His name): "If those ordinances depart from before Me, says YaHuWaH, then the seed of Yisra'el shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever.
Leviticus 23:32 | Misinterpreted, Disastrously!
"Many Sabbatarians have used Leviticus 23:32 as a second witness in conjunction to Genesis 1:5, that we are to keep the holy seventh-day Sabbath from even unto even, which they interpret as sunset unto sunset. While this does appear confusing at first glance, the pure and unadulterated truth lies within the original Hebrew wording and is not found in the translated versions."
"It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath." Leviticus 23:32
The first observation one must make is that this verse is stating the parameters of the Feast Day of Atonement which is an annual feast day occurring on the second (2nd) day of the second (2nd) week of the seventh (7th) month (Tishrei). This text is not specifically referring to the seventh-day Sabbath any more than the description of the Feast of Passover in verse 5, which was to commence at twilight of the fourteenth (14th) day of first month (Abib) of year.
Oh! Dear! But the Ten Commandments is crystal clear about the timing of the Holy Sabbath. It is on the seventh (7th) DAY of the Biblical week. Not the 7th NIGHT or SUNSET! There is no reference to the Sabbath commencing at night or sunset. Furthermore the terminology is in harmony with all we have previously discovered that when the Creator speaks of the day, by that name, He specifically is referring to the daylight and not a full Calendar date.
Also, notice the very last sentence. He blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as sacred and holy. No where in scripture is the dark of night ever set apart as sacred and holy, as it was divinely designed to symbolize spiritual blindness and evil. In contrast the light was to symbolize truth and righteousness. There are no inconsistencies regarding this ordained symbolism. The Sabbath was to be the daylight hours only. It was to be from twilight unto twilight. Leviticus 23:5; 32.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of YaHuWaH your Eloah. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days YaHuWaH made the heavens and the Earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore YaHuWaH blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."
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SABBATH | Savior's Resurrection to 2nd Coming
Can we allow our Redeemer's Words and example guide us here? During the Messiah's sojourn on Earth, He kept the Sabbath for the correct length of time. Here is it in HIS own words:
YaHuWshuaH answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world." Yahuwchanon 11:9
In stating this, notice He makes no difference between the length of a week day and a Sabbath day. In this way He defines them as the same. The traditional Jews were not and are still not able to apprehend HIS words due to their well documented attitude to the Savior. Even HIS example could not break through their stubborn refusal to accept HIM. The was clear about our Redeemer's customs. One which was to always be in a Synagogue every Sabbath.
"And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. Luke 4:16
There is not one single text in the Bible that indicates that HE ever worshiped in a Synagogue in a Sabbath eve or Night!
YaHuWshuaH's | CRUCIFIXION
YaHuWshuaH was the Lamb of YaHuWaH to be sacrificed on behalf of all people of all time. After an agonizing nighttime trial and beatings, our Savior was on the Cross at about the sixth hour. Was this the sixth hour of the day, or the sixth hour of the night?
“And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.” Mark 15:33.
If you say it was the sixth hour of the "DAY", then you must realize that this time continuum is counting from about dawn at the beginning of each new day. Thus it would place YaHuWshuaH on the Cross at approximately 12 Noon. However, if you say "NIGHT", because you believe Sabbath hours began counting from sunset, then you are saying that YaHuWshuaH was on the Cross at approximately 12 midnight! You must agree that it simply can't be both ways. Luke confirms that He died during the 'daylight hours' because the sun was darkened -
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the Earth until the ninth hour. And the [Sun] was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst."
"Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him." Mark 15:25-26
"Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land." MattithYahuw 27:45-46
"Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour". Mark 15:33-34
Nature itself was in sympathy with the scene. The sun shone clearly until midday, when suddenly it seemed to be blotted out. All about the Cross was darkness as deep as the blackest midnight. This supernatural darkness lasted fully three hours.
Passover, Abib 14, AD 31, was the Calendar date of the crucifixion. This day of days, also known as the preparation day, contained only 12 hours from dawn to dusk. How many hours did the following day contain? Mashiach was placed on the Cross on the 'third hour' of the day. At the 'sixth hour' (noon) darkness was over all the land until the 'ninth hour' (3:00 P.M.), at which time Mashiach YaHuWshuaH died.
The following day contained exactly the same amount of hours, which was a total of twelve. That day was not only a seventh-day Sabbath, but it was also the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, making it a High Sabbath. The number of sacred hours of this day were exactly the same as the sacred hours of the seventh-day of creation. The sacred portion of any Calendar date has always been the daylight hours only and were never to include the darkness of night. The traditional Jews are not able to utilize this detail."
'Death by crucifixion was a lengthy process that typically took several days. YaHuWshuaH, as the Lamb of Yah that takes away the sins of the world, was crucified on the day of Passover, the 14th of Abib 31 AD which was a Wednesday (on a Gregorian Calendar. He died at the time of the evening sacrifice.
The next day was not only the seventh-day Sabbath, but also the first day of Feast of Unleavened Bread, a "High Sabbath."
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the Cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to YaHuWshuaH, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs." (Yahuwchanon 19:31-33) The purpose of breaking the legs was to hasten death so they could be buried before the Sabbath. YaHuWshuaH's legs were not broken as He was already dead. (He died about the "ninth hour" - the mid-afternoon time of the evening sacrifice).'
"Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of YaHuWshuaH. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of YaHuWshuaH. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb, and departed."
This was a lengthy process!
- Joseph went to Pilate and asked for the body. MattithYahuw 27:57
- Pilate did not believe YaHuWshuaH could die so quickly from a process that typically took several days. He sent for the centurion to confirm YaHuWshuaH's death. Mark 15:44, 45
- Joseph went and got burial linens, returned to Golgotha and removed the body. Mark 15:46
- Nicodemus arrived bringing 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes for preparing the body for burial. Yahuwchanon 19:39
- The body was likely washed before being bound in "strips of linen with the spices." (Yahuwchanon 19:40)
- The body was then laid to rest in Joseph's own tomb which was nearby. MattithYahuw 27:59, 60
This lengthy process took the entire night. The Sabbath could not begin at "even" because that was the very time Joseph of Arimathea first went to Pilate to ask for the Saviour's body! If the Sabbath began at "sunset" as many have believed, the Sabbath would have already been broken by the fact that they did not even begin to ask for the body until "evening had come." - WLC
"Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of YaHuWaH, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of YaHuWshuaH."
Mark 15:42, 43
YaHuWshuaH's friends finished burying Him just as the Sabbath began to dawn.
"And he [Joseph of Arimathea] took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on."
Luke 23:53, 54
The phrase translated 'drew on' in this text, is the Greek word, ... (epiphosko). The definition is startling: 'to begin to grow light: - begin to dawn.' It is a form of the word #2017, ... (epiphauo), which means 'to illuminate ... give light.' Because they waited until evening to even begin the process of seeking permission to take the body, taking it down, cleaning and wrapping it, etc., it took them the night hours to do their work. They did not finish until the Sabbath began as it started to grow light.
ELaine Vornholt and L. L. Vornholt-Jones,
The Great Calendar Controversy, p. 40. - WLC YaHuWshuaH was resurrected very early on the first day of the week. The first day of the week, like every other day, began at dawn:
"In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher." MattithYahuw 28:1
The subject of when the day begins is important because it affects the observance of the Sabbath. In recent years, it has become a very controversial topic among Sabbath-keepers. However, when the weight of Scripture evidence is brought together, it is clear that the day begins at dawn and ends at dusk. While the nighttime hours have the same date as the day that just ended, the sacred hours of the Sabbath, as revealed in the story of the Exodus, are the daylight hours only. Note beloved, that biblically, Night Time is never measured in HOURS but in 'WATCHES' - 'First Watch', 'Second Watch', 'Third Watch' and the 'Fourth Watch'.
The Bible is so clear that no one can be deceived about this fact: a day begins at dawn and ends at dusk. " If the celebration of our Seventh-day Sabbath begins in the evening when the sun is going down, why would our Creator state that all nations shall praise His name and worship Him from the "rising of the sun, even to its going down?"
From the rising of the sun to its going down YaHuWaH's name is to be praised."
"The Mighty One, Elohiym YaHuWaH, has spoken and called the Earth from the rising of the sun to its going down. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, Elohiym will shine forth."
"For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; in every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering; for My name shall be great among the nations," says YaHuWaH of hosts."
If the Sabbath day begins in the evening, as many people believe, then these Scriptures would make no sense whatsoever.
Summary | The Truth
- In the creation account, the first thing the Creator called into existence and named was "light." Genesis 1:3.
- Darkness is the absence of light. Genesis 1:2-4.
- A day is the "light" portion of a full Calendar date, defined by hours. Genesis 1:4, 5.
- A night is the dark portion of a full Calendar date, and is defined by four watches. Genesis 1:4, 5.
- Day and night are opposite periods of time and never overlap. Genesis 1:4, 5.
- A separating distinction was forever cast when the Creator named the light day and darkness night. Genesis 1:4, 5.
- Day and night are the two halves of a full Calendar date. Genesis 1:4, 5.
- Evening is not equated with the darkness of night. Genesis 1:5.
- Evening together with the morning are the two halves of daylight. Genesis 1:13.
- All creation was accomplished during the light hours of the day. Genesis 1
- The Creator declared six times in six days that His works of creation were accomplished during the daylight hours, which were composed of the evening together with the morning. Genesis 1
- The sun was appointed to rule over the day. Genesis 1:16.
- The moon and stars were appointed to rule over the night. Genesis 1:16.
YaHuWaH has always used the contrasting principles of light and dark to teach His spiritual truths. Proverbs 4:18-19; Yahuwchanon 8:12; MattithYahuw 5:14, 15; Yahuwchanon 1:4, 7; Yahuwchanon 3:20; 1 Kepha (Peter) 2:9; Ephesians 5:13.
Symbolically, "darkness" was to represent infidelity, spiritual blindness and evil. Proverbs 4:18-19; Yahuwchanon 1:4; Yahuwchanon 3:20; 1 Kepha (Peter) 2:9.
Symbolically, "light" was to represent truth, spiritual understanding, and righteousness. Proverbs 4:18-19; Yahuwchanon 1:4; Yahuwchanon 3:20; 1 Kepha (Peter) 2:9.
- The terms next day or tomorrow, both refer to the daylight which begins at dawn and ends at dusk. Exodus 18:13.
Hypocrites call the night day. This is demonstrated by all those who believe the holy seventh-day Sabbath begins at sunset. Iyob 17:8-14.
If the ordinance of the day and ordinance of the night are removed, then Yisra'el was to cease as a nation. Iyob 17:8-14.
- The terms "even unto even" mean twilight unto twilight, and surround the daylight hours only and have nothing to do with the night. Leviticus 23:5, 32.
- The Fourth Commandment supports what was discovered in Genesis 1:1-5, that the Sabbath is the daylight portion of a full Calendar date. There is absolutely no mention of the darkness of night. Exodus 20:8-11
- The Creator blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as sacred and holy. No where in Scripture is the dark of night ever set apart as sacred and holy, as it was divinely designed to symbolize spiritual blindness and evil. Proverbs 4:18-19; Yahuwchanon 1:4; Yahuwchanon 3:20; 1 Kepha (Peter) 2:9.
- The Sabbath day is the same length of time as all other days, incorporating a period of 12 hours of daylight. Genesis 1:1-5; Genesis 2:1-3; Yahuwchanon 11:9.
- During Christ's life it was His custom to enter the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Luke 4:16.
- During Christ YaHuWshuaH's life He declared that there are 12 hours in a day. He was the Creator who called the light day and the darkness he called night. He changes not. Yahuwchanon 11:9; Ecclesiastes 3:14; YeshaYahuw 40:8.
- In His death He demonstrated that the day is only 12 hours long. He was crucified at the 3rd hour of the day. The sky became dark from the 6th hour (noon) to the 9th hour, at which time He said, it is finished and died. This is specifically referring to the daylight hours.
- The lengthy activities necessary for His burial BEFORE the Sabbath, and the word study regarding the beginning of that Sabbath, prove without any shadow of a doubt, that day begins at dawn and ends at dusk.
- YaHuWaH declared that the nations of Earth would worship Him from the rising of the sun to it's going down. Psalm 113:3; Psalm 50:1-2; Mal'akiy 1:11.