Created by pastorbuddy on 3/13/2009

Revisiting Leviticus 23 in a new light
Did you know that if you were to simply follow the instructions in Leviticus 23, the weekly Sabbaths will automatically fall on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th of the Moon, each and every year?

In Leviticus 23 we are instructed as to which days are Holy convocations or appointments. We will soon see that the truth is sometimes hidden in simplicity and sometimes stranger than fiction.
I will ask the reader to simply follow instructions as they were given in Leviticus 23, not adding to or diminishing from the Word of YHWH.

Verse 2 says, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the “appointments” of YHWH, which ye shall proclaim to be holy “assemblies”, even these are My “appointments”. 3”Six days” shall “work” be done: but the “seventh day” is the sabbath/intermission of rest, an holy “assembly”; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath/intermission of YHWH in all your dwellings.”

So far the above clearly tells us “WHAT” the appointments of YHWH are and that it is the “seventh day” which comes after “six workdays” throughout the whole year, no more and no less, and so far, this is all we know because hopefully we have dismissed everything else from our minds so that we can follow the pure Instructions of YHWH.
Continuing on,

4. These are the “appointments” of YHWH, even holy “assemblies”, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. 5. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is YHWH’S passover. 6. And on the “fifteenth” day of the same month is the “appointment” of unleavened bread unto YHWH: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
So far there’s nothing to cause us to believe that this 15th is not a appointment/feast, same as the one spoken of in verse three and that it isany different from the one that comes after six workdays except that it is the beginning of a seven-day feast which makes it special but to my knowledge it is never called a “Sabbaton” which means a “special Sabbath” i.e. different than the one that comes after six workdays, and until I find where the Scripture calls it a Sabbaton, I will not call it a Sabbaton even though it will not affect what I am saying.

We will see in a little while that the 15th in the seventh month “is” called a Sabbaton/special Sabbath or intermission because it does not come after six workdays (the Day of Atonement breaks up the 6 work days.) and the Scripture indicates that the 15th is a intermission/Sabbath BESIDES or in addition to the weekly Sabbath that comes after six workdays, as we will see shortly.

The new moon day of that seventh month is also called a “Sabbaton” because it to is a special new moon day and doubled sacrifices are offered on it, which is another subject. I am trying to get away from saying things like, well, the 15th in the seventh month is called a Sabbaton so the 15th in the first month must be a Sabbaton also. The Hebrew nor Septuagint calls it a Sabbaton.

Continuing on and on,
7. In the first day ye shall have an holy assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein. 8. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH seven days:
Why do we have a holy assembly on the first day?

Because it is a “Seventh day” intermission/Sabbath that comes after six workdays, at least that is what we have been talking about so far, the seventh day which comes after six workdays. “Remember” we are simply following instructions and so far there’s been nothing mentioned to insinuate that there is another feast/appointment/holy assembly other than the one that comes after six workdays, that is mentioned above in verse three.

Continuing on with verse 8,
in the “seventh” day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

It is not conclusive that this seventh day is referring to the seventh day of the feast, it could be a repeat same as other repeats throughout the Scriptures and could be refering to the 7th day that comes after the 6 work days. Exodus 13:6-7 shows a repeat.

“6. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to YHWH. 7. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days;”

I might mentioned if there were two Sabbaths/intermission, one on the 15th at the beginning of the feast and one on the 21st or seventh day of the feast, how would not know from the Scripture, which sabbath/intermission to count to Pentecost from when you come into the land and you are to wave the sheaf on the morrow after the Sabbath, we would not know which sabbath, if there were two of them. This is just a thought I might be wrong in this, I have not examined it fully, and I keep the 7th day of the feast out of the abundance of caution.

Continuing on,
9. And YHWH 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 YHWH, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

The Sabbath in this verse is still speaking of the weekly Sabbath that comes after six workdays, nothing has changed since verse three, the subject is still the same so far.
Continuing on,
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 YHWH. 13. And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto YHWH 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.

The wave sheaf seems to be so important that you don’t eat any thing else until the day that it is waved, including unleavened bread. I believe it is connected with the resurrection of our Savior who is the firstfruits of them that sleep.

Continuing on,

15. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath/intermission, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths/intermissions shall be complete: 16. Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath/intermission shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto YHWH.

The above sabbaths/intermissions are STILL the same as the one in verse three that comes after six workdays and so far nothing has changed to lead us to believe that any of the appointments/Sabbath thus far, does not come after six workdays, including the 15th. I am trying to follow the simple and pure instructions without adding what I’ve been taught. The subject has not changed yet.

Continuing on,
17. 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 YHWH. 18. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto YHWH, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto YHWH. 19. Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before YHWH, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to YHWH for the priest.  21. And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

Notice it teaches that Pentecost is an holy convocation but does not call it a “Sabbath” possibly because it is not always a seventh day Sabbath that comes after six workdays which is the subject thus far, more on this later. So far the weekly Sabbath/intermission that comes after six workdays is the primary Sabbath/intermission of Leviticus 23 and the Scriptures itself will tell you when the subject changes and another Sabbath/intermission besides the one that comes after six workdays, is introduced, which does not follow the six workdays and one rest pattern.

Continuing on,
22. And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am YHWH your God.
The following instructions shows the change from the primary appointments/feast days which comes after six workdays, to appointments/feasts that do not come after six workdays.

Continuing on,
23. And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying, 24. Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the “seventh month”, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. 25. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH. 26. And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying, 27. Also on the “tenth day” of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH. 28. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before YHWH your God. 29. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. 30. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. 31. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.”

We see that the 10th day of the seventh month is called a Sabbath/intermission of rest which cannot be a rest after six workdays even though the same Hebrew word  is used, the following verses will prove that the day of atonement and the 15th are sabbaths/intermissions that do notcome after six workdays.
Continuing on it says,

33. And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying, 34. Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The “fifteenth” day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto YHWH. 35. On the first day shall be an holy assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein. 36. Seven days ye shall offer an “offering made by fire unto YHWH”: on the “eighth day” shall be an holy assembly unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH: it is a “solemn” assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.

”37. These” are the feasts of YHWH, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: ”38. Beside the Sabbaths” of YHWH, “and”beside your gifts, “and beside” all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto YHWH.

Why does the above instructions say that “these” are appointments/feast “to offer” offerings made by fire, burnt offerings etc. “besides”the Sabbaths????

The word Sabbath here is not the word for sabbaton and neither is it in the Septuagint. It is the same word for the weekly seventh day that comes after six workdays in both the Hebrew and the Greek texts.
The above shows some assemblies/appointments “besides” or in addition to the weekly Seventh day Sabbath/intermission that comes aftersix workdays. The day of atonement which comes after one work day and is on the 10th day of the seventh month and there’s only fourwork days between the rest day on the 10th and the rest day on the 15th of the seventh month and “unlike” the 15th in the first month, this 15th is called a “Sabbaton” because it is a special Sabbath/intermission that not only begins the seven-day feast of tabernacles but does not come after six workdays.

The only thing I can figure on such short notice is, possibly different offerings are offered on this day, or it is the only weekly seventh day Sabbath that is not counted from another seventh day Sabbath or new moon day, which would make it different from all the other seventh day Sabbath that comes after six workdays throughout the year, and that is could be why is called a Sabbaton or special Sabbath.

Continuing on,

40. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before YHWH your God seven days. 41. And ye shall keep it a feast unto YHWH seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: 43. That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am YHWH your God. 44. And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of YHWH.
Notice verse 44 where Moses declared unto them the feast/appointments of YHWH for the whole year, i.e. the ones that comes after six workdays, which are the primary feasts, and the ones that do not come after six workdays.
Brother Arnold

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