The Appointed Times of Leviticus 23; and Why I Observe Them

[beta]

I presumed a Sunday resurrection and worked backward.

The reasons I presumed a Sunday Resurrection are:

1) I believe that the Moaday (appointed times) of Leviticus 23 all signify events in the life and Ministry of Jesus; and Firstfruits can never fall on a Sabbath.

2) If Jesus were crucified on Wednesday then the Levitical Sabbath would have been on Thursday and nothing would have prevented the women from tending the body on Friday.

3) Scripture Describes Jesus as the Firstfruits of them that are raised; thus linking the resurrection with Sunday Firstfruits.

Thanks for the post...only just seen it.
I can see that we are not starting with the same scriptures.
To me JESUS' own prediction over-rides everything !!! If we can't believe HIM we are faced with all kinds of confusion...even though they are scripture... If they are not connected to the subject in hand.

JESUS said '3 nights - 3x12 hours and '3 days - 3x12 hours = 72 hours in the heart of the earth.
He was already risen early sunday morning while still dark...so was obviously no longer in the tomb.
Next we look at when He was entombed - at the setting of the sun before a new day started...and resurrection would also be at the same time , before a new day starts. Was the start of sunday a new day ? yes...so Jesus was risen before it started. Counting back 3 days and 3 nights brings us to wednesday sunset when He was entombed.
I hope you can follow this because the identity of the REAL JESUS is at stake....for HE predicted the Truth.
A sunday resurrection allows a FALSE christ to sneak in and cause CONFUSION among Christians.

 

[MarcR]

Thanks for the post...only just seen it.
I can see that we are not starting with the same scriptures.
To me JESUS' own prediction over-rides everything !!! If we can't believe HIM we are faced with all kinds of confusion...even though they are scripture... If they are not connected to the subject in hand.

JESUS said '3 nights - 3x12 hours and '3 days - 3x12 hours = 72 hours in the heart of the earth.
He was already risen early sunday morning while still dark...so was obviously no longer in the tomb.
Next we look at when He was entombed - at the setting of the sun before a new day started...and resurrection would also be at the same time , before a new day starts. Was the start of sunday a new day ? yes...so Jesus was risen before it started. Counting back 3 days and 3 nights brings us to wednesday sunset when He was entombed.
I hope you can follow this because the identity of the REAL JESUS is at stake....for HE predicted the Truth.
A sunday resurrection allows a FALSE christ to sneak in and cause CONFUSION among Christians.

I certainly agree that Scripture should be taken literally unless there is compelling linguistic reason not to.

However the Bible was not written in English.

Every language has a property called idiom. Idiom is a description of a group of words which together mean something different than the words used separately. For example If i say "I ate a hot dog" I'm not talking about a domestic animal with a fever.

If I ask God to make me a blessing; I'm asking Him to cause me to be one; but if I ask my wife to make a sandwich I am not asking to be one.

Because of the way the Jewish people reckon time; the Hebrew language contains several idioms related to time.

In the books of first and second kings, and first and second Chronicles: if a king reigned for any part of a year, the whole year is counted. In the same way, in Hebrew idiom, any part of a day is called a day so a night and a day requires all night and any part of the day that follows. We reckon a day to run from midnight to midnight; but they reckon a day to run from sundown to sundown. We recon a day to be 24 60 minute hours; but they recon 12 hours from sunrise to sunset so an hour varies between 40 and 80 minutes and is only 60 minutes at the equinoxes.

Jesus meant what He said; but he said it in Aramaic which was essentially a dialect of Hebrew.

 

[unobtrusive]

The appointed time shavouot 'weeks' also called Pentecost is the firstfruits of the first wheat harvest.

The day after the Sabbath that follows Abib 15 is the Firstfruits of the Barley harvest and is the only appointed time named Firstfruits.

I understand Mt 17:23 to say that Jesus would be raised ON not AFTER the third day.

So do you believe that the Feast of Weeks begins before the Feast of Unleavened bread is complete?

From what others have said, including you, is that Jesus' first full day in the tomb was the 15th of Abib/Nisan and He rose from the dead at the very beginning of the 18th (3 full nights and days in the tomb), this would be the 1st day of the Feast of Weeks, counting 7 Sabbaths. With that, we know that the Feast of Unleavened Bread ends on the 21st day, but the Feast of Weeks begins 4 days earlier on the 18th. Is that right in your opinion?

Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat offering unto the Lord, after your weeks be out, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: (Numbers 28:26)

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. (Leviticus 23:15 )

 

[unobtrusive]

I agree with you on everything you presented, yet I have always had a question about "Firstfruits" being on the day of resurrection. Maybe you can explain. I know that Jesus rose from the dead after the third day was completed, just as you have said. This was during the "Feast of Unleavened Bread." Now the "Feast of Weeks," being "First Fruits" is for 7 weeks, counting 7 Sabbaths. Is the "Feast of Weeks" and the "Feast of Unleavened Bread" blended together for 4 days, and are we counting collective Feast Sabbaths with weekly Sabbaths? This always has been very confusing to me.

The appointed time shavouot 'weeks' also called Pentecost is the firstfruits of the first wheat harvest.

The day after the Sabbath that follows Abib 15 is the Firstfruits of the Barley harvest and is the only appointed time named Firstfruits.

I understand Mt 17:23 to say that Jesus would be raised ON not AFTER the third day.

So do you believe that the Feast of Weeks begins before the Feast of Unleavened bread is complete?

From what others have said, including you, is that Jesus' first full day in the tomb was the 15th of Abib/Nisan and He rose from the dead at the very beginning of the 18th (3 full nights and days in the tomb), this would be the 1st day of the Feast of Weeks, counting 7 Sabbaths. With that, we know that the Feast of Unleavened Bread ends on the 21st day, but the Feast of Weeks begins 4 days earlier on the 18th. Is that right in your opinion?

Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat offering unto the Lord, after your weeks be out, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: (Numbers 28:26)

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. (Leviticus 23:15 )

Please don’t think that I’m attempting to cause confusion. I am the one confused at this point. How would you count the proper days in this scripture?

Leviticus 23:9-15
9 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
10 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:
11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12 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 the Lord.
13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.
14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
15 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:

Is verse 10 and verse *15 referring to the 18[SUP]th[/SUP] day of Abib/Nisan, being *the 1st day of the week? Or does “firstfruits" actually begin when God says it will, because He is the one that gives the increase of harvest, i.e. the “FirstFruits?”

 

[IamWhoIam]

Thanks for the post...only just seen it.
I can see that we are not starting with the same scriptures.
To me JESUS' own prediction over-rides everything !!! If we can't believe HIM we are faced with all kinds of confusion...even though they are scripture... If they are not connected to the subject in hand.

JESUS said '3 nights - 3x12 hours and '3 days - 3x12 hours = 72 hours in the heart of the earth.
He was already risen early sunday morning while still dark...so was obviously no longer in the tomb.
Next we look at when He was entombed - at the setting of the sun before a new day started...and resurrection would also be at the same time , before a new day starts. Was the start of sunday a new day ? yes...so Jesus was risen before it started. Counting back 3 days and 3 nights brings us to wednesday sunset when He was entombed.
I hope you can follow this because the identity of the REAL JESUS is at stake....for HE predicted the Truth.
A sunday resurrection allows a FALSE christ to sneak in and cause CONFUSION among Christians.

You shouldn't say things like a Sunday resurrection allows a false Christ to sneak in, you plaining have thrown out many verses with that statement, but for this I only need to post one verse to rebuke your confusion. A sabbath is ON Saturday (period) the day after a sabbath is Sunday is the first day of the week. I don't really know why you would say such things as allows false Christ no doubt that alone you have put the cart before the horse.

Matthew 28:1
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

the first day of the week started at 6pm and 12 hours or so before Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb period.

 

[AndTheWordWasGOD]

The problem is that you believe the crucifixion occurred on Wednesday and I believe it occurred on Thursday.

Yes, this is a problem because technically if one of the two crucifixion days you mention above is true, then anything otherwise must be false.

There was even in Jesus' day inability for some to discern the signs of the time, so there's no marvel there would likewise be the same challenges in this evil generation.

I think it's important that we should have more faith in the fact that Jesus was Messiah, that he was crucified for us and that he did rise according to the scriptures and is now seated in Heaven, whereby we continually await on his promised return. We ought (in my opinion which doesn't mean much) to have more faith in what I just stated than in the more detailed and obscured knowledge (yet ultra-important prophetic picture!) of whether the day of his crucifixion was the fourth (Wednesday) or fifth (Thursday) or sixth (Friday) day of the week. For the just shall live by faith!

But we should definitely not stop seeking to know and even more importantly understand the truth of God that is revealed through the scriptures by the power of the Holy Spirit. The sign of Jonah the prophet was specifically that sign Jesus gave that one would know that he [Jesus] was the one True Seed that had come which had been recorded in the writings from Moses all the way through the writings of Malachi.

Deuteronomy 29:29
The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

The day of the crucifixion of Jesus was the most important event and date in all of recorded history.
It was a single event occurring in a single year and on a single day. And though the God of this world has shaded this time in confusion as a veil of blackness, we can and should come forth to the knowledge of what is true in due time...

2Peter 1:19-21
(19) We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
(20) Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
(21) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

[beta]

I certainly agree that Scripture should be taken literally unless there is compelling linguistic reason not to.

However the Bible was not written in English.

Every language has a property called idiom. Idiom is a description of a group of words which together mean something different than the words used separately. For example If i say "I ate a hot dog" I'm not talking about a domestic animal with a fever.

If I ask God to make me a blessing; I'm asking Him to cause me to be one; but if I ask my wife to make a sandwich I am not asking to be one.

Because of the way the Jewish people reckon time; the Hebrew language contains several idioms related to time.

In the books of first and second kings, and first and second Chronicles: if a king reigned for any part of a year, the whole year is counted. In the same way, in Hebrew idiom, any part of a day is called a day so a night and a day requires all night and any part of the day that follows. We reckon a day to run from midnight to midnight; but they reckon a day to run from sundown to sundown. We recon a day to be 24 60 minute hours; but they recon 12 hours from sunrise to sunset so an hour varies between 40 and 80 minutes and is only 60 minutes at the equinoxes.

Jesus meant what He said; but he said it in Aramaic which was essentially a dialect of Hebrew.

I know 'idioms' would somehow sneak into it in spite of being told Jesus burial.death and resurrection were according TO SCRIPTURE. Do people take notice ? of course not ...it would spoil their own reasoning... and they would have to agree to something they DON'T WANT TO...like a sabbath resurrection.

 

[beta]

You shouldn't say things like a Sunday resurrection allows a false Christ to sneak in, you plaining have thrown out many verses with that statement, but for this I only need to post one verse to rebuke your confusion. A sabbath is ON Saturday (period) the day after a sabbath is Sunday is the first day of the week. I don't really know why you would say such things as allows false Christ no doubt that alone you have put the cart before the horse.

Matthew 28:1
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

the first day of the week started at 6pm and 12 hours or so before Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb period.

And why not say anything about false christs ? JESUS warned us not to be decieved. Those who teach a 'sunday resurrection' are following false teaching....and a false christ.

 

[IamWhoIam]

And why not say anything about false christs ? JESUS warned us not to be decieved. Those who teach a 'sunday resurrection' are following false teaching....and a false christ.

In my view Thats calling Matthew 28:1 a false statement.

what is the first day of a week in your opinion?

either it's Sunday or the secular definition of Monday, if you believe the first day of the week is another day well I've never heard of that anywhere

 

[AndTheWordWasGOD]

The point is - was Jesus crucified on a Wednesday or Thursday ?

Or as some suppose Jesus was crucified on Friday.

But if we only deal with which one of these three suppositions is actually TRUE, we can then come to a factual starting place.

I think that "I don't know" is a better answer than a wrong answer, as a believer in Christ's sacrifice we should at all costs not want to be in error especially concerning this particular event and matter of Truth.

Psalms 11:3
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

1Co 2:2
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

1Co 3:10-11
(10) According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon.
(11) For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.


With a true and factual foundation laid, a proper spiritual house can be founded upon the Rock! Man! If in this day, we could only solidify the true answer to this one pivotal question? Why couldn't we start factually with Jesus Christ crucified and resolve to get this one point in time and faith clearly understood. Then might the truth and power of Jesus Christ's resurrection be a little more clearly understood?

But the veil of darkness cast over the people of the earth works feverishly to remove the ancient landmarks. Her ways are moveable, she confuses the times and the laws.

Isa 25:6-8
(6) And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
(7) And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.(8) He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

The day spoken of above is still coming (That's Good News), and God's people patiently await his soon return to setup everlasting righteousness (Matt 6:33). But until then, deceit and unbelief are still at work:

2Co 3:14-16
(14) But their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
(15) But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
(16) Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

All that said, I contend we will all know this answer at the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But if Paul and all the disciples knew exactly what time and day this event in History actually took place, why are we in this generation left so divided? And because I have no better answer to this question, the longer I live, the more I hope in God for the fulfillment of this verse:

Revelation 20:10
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.

Evenso Lord Jesus, please come quickly.

 

[unobtrusive]

Biblical names of days are not mentioned in scripture. We should not make it a habit of naming days, rather we should number the days as does the Bible. Jesus died at the close of the 14th day, not Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Naming the days always leads to difficulty of understanding. He didn't raise from the dead on Sunday either, He rose from the dead on the first day of the week.

 

[IamWhoIam]

Thanks for the post...only just seen it.
I can see that we are not starting with the same scriptures.
To me JESUS' own prediction over-rides everything !!! If we can't believe HIM we are faced with all kinds of confusion...even though they are scripture... If they are not connected to the subject in hand.

JESUS said '3 nights - 3x12 hours and '3 days - 3x12 hours = 72 hours in the heart of the earth.
He was already risen early sunday morning while still dark...so was obviously no longer in the tomb.
Next we look at when He was entombed - at the setting of the sun before a new day started...and resurrection would also be at the same time , before a new day starts. Was the start of sunday a new day ? yes...so Jesus was risen before it started. Counting back 3 days and 3 nights brings us to wednesday sunset when He was entombed.
I hope you can follow this because the identity of the REAL JESUS is at stake....for HE predicted the Truth.
A sunday resurrection allows a FALSE christ to sneak in and cause CONFUSION among Christians.

Im not harping on your theory and I'm not going to call it a false Christ either, but I'm going to point out that makes the theory of jesus died on the cross on a Wednesday seriously flawed and end up between a rock and a hard place. First the verse John 39-31 below

John 19:30-31
30When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit. 31It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a HighSabbath. So in order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, theJews asked Pilate to have the legs broken andthe bodies removed.


Now if Wednesday was the day Jesus died on the cross in John 19:30-31 these verses would have to line up with that to happen, two things would have to be a truth or it's not of truth.

1. Can a sabbath fall on a thursday the 5th day of the week (NO), the 7th day is the sabbath always and it's on a Saturday regardless if it's a high sabbath or weekly sabbath a sabbath day is the seventh day of the week to try and change that would be falsifying scripture.

2. For a Wednesday death on the cross, Jesus body would have too remain on the cross for atleast two days, scripture plaining teaches that Jesus was on the cross alive for 6 hours, now the body could have been brought down the 11th hour yes, but was not on the cross for two days after Jesus death on the cross. Scripture does not support that theory.

3. To further rebuke the false Christ statement is this, no scripture in the whole bible exactly mentions Saturday or Sunday as the resurrection day as well a sabbath night 12 hours happens before the sabbath day 12 hours.
furthermore scripture doesn't not teach the exact hour the resurrection happened either so to say Sunday is a false Christ belief and Saturday is the real resurrection is false it's just a personal theory just as anyone else's theory. if people think it was a exact 72 hours they can't even say at what hour the resurrection happened by scripture again just theories and just because people disagree with your theory does not make their theory a false Christ statement.

 

[AndTheWordWasGOD]

Biblical names of days are not mentioned in scripture. We should not make it a habit of naming days, rather we should number the days as does the Bible. Jesus died at the close of the 14th day, not Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Naming the days always leads to difficulty of understanding. He didn't raise from the dead on Sunday either, He rose from the dead on the first day of the week.

I think I hear what you are saying,

but do you think a large number of people would be confused seeing there is a number describing the moon cycle, and the number describing the cycle of days within that moon cycle; and independent from those numbers (I recognize some don't believer they are independent) is the the number of days that organize and describe the cycle of days in the weekly cycle.

Wouldn't it be appropriate just for ease of understanding to use the commonly understood weekly reference that describes the day of the week?

 

[AndTheWordWasGOD]

1. Can a sabbath fall on a thursday the 5th day of the week (NO), the 7th day is the sabbath always and it's on a Saturday regardless if it's a high sabbath or weekly sabbath a sabbath day is the seventh day of the week to try and change that would be falsifying scripture.

For clarity sake, are you saying that the festival high days (Holy Convocations) where God commanded Israel that no servile work shall be done, cannot rightly be called Sabbath days?

I really want to be sure I understand what you are saying...

 

[unobtrusive]

I think I hear what you are saying,

but do you think a large number of people would be confused seeing there is a number describing the moon cycle, and the number describing the cycle of days within that moon cycle; and independent from those numbers (I recognize some don't believer they are independent) is the the number of days that organize and describe the cycle of days in the weekly cycle.

Wouldn't it be appropriate just for ease of understanding to use the commonly understood weekly reference that describes the day of the week?

That's what we are forced to do according to Catholicism and Pope Category’s calendar. I'm not saying that we can even begin to change that. We are forced into it. Nevertheless, we should discuss scripture as it is written, concerning days attributed to numbering days according to the New Moons i.e. months (Hebrew word being the same for both). It would alleviate much contention when conversing scriptures in my opinion, and edification might be increased. Just my thoughts.

 

[unobtrusive]

For clarity sake, are you saying that the festival high days (Holy Convocations) where God commanded Israel that no servile work shall be done, cannot rightly be called Sabbath days?

I really want to be sure I understand what you are saying...

Holy convocations, and Sabbaths my be different.

Leviticus 23:5-7
[SUP]5[/SUP]In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
[SUP]7 [/SUP]In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but the 14th, nor the 15th day is not classified as a Sabbath. It was a "High Day," as it is called in the New Testament. I have searched to find either day as a Sabbath day, and have found no confirmation that Passover day was a Sabbath day. Nevertheless, it is to be a time when we are not to do any servile work, meaning work for pay, or work to impress others of our own capabilities. As Sabbath days, holy convocations are meant to do the works that have been prescribed by God.

 

[oldethennew]

we all should look first, before we speak...

 

[unobtrusive]

we all should look first, before we speak...

Look at what? What are you referring to?

 

[Bladerunner]

Does it really matter when Jesus entered Jerusalem ? in this discussion we are concerned with which day Jesus was crucified so we can determine the correct 'resurrection day. We know that with GOD a day starts at sunset, in the evening. This is NOT a 'jewish thing at all !!!

Also, it all happened according to scripture 1Cor 15v3,4, so whatever opinions people have on it is of no importance. JESUS stated a timeline of 3 nights and 3 days and that is what must be considered....any parts or even minutes of that specified time is non-appliccable for with GOD a daytime or nightime is counted as 12 hours...not 12 minutes as some do.Joh 11v9.

The point is - was Jesus crucified on a wednesday or Thursday ?

When Jesus entered Jerusalem means everything. Yes, the 6:30P.M. t0 6:30 P.M. was the Hebrew day.

It is evident You did not read my post because it had all the information you requested in it.

 

[MarcR]

I know 'idioms' would somehow sneak into it in spite of being told Jesus burial.death and resurrection were according TO SCRIPTURE. Do people take notice ? of course not ...it would spoil their own reasoning... and they would have to agree to something they DON'T WANT TO...like a sabbath resurrection.

I don't intend to reply to you any more; because you choose to ignore everything you don't like.

Conversation is supposed to be people responding to each other NOT people talking past each other.