Case for a Lunar Based Sabbath:
Ryan Van Denburgh
Page 2
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While much of our calendar has been determined by these timepieces, unfortunately much still remains unassociated. Many begin the year on the fictitious date of January 1st, which has nothing to do with the sun or moon. Many reckon their months as 28-31 days instead of according to the actual lunar cycle of 29.5 days (29 or 30 alternately). Many also still begin their day at 12:00AM rather then sunset. Possibly this is because honoring God by governing our lives around His timetables really doesn’t seem like a big deal of importance. To a Seventh-day Adventist, however, the issue becomes much more significant when we realize that the beginning of the week, and thus the timing of the Sabbath, is directly affected by how we keep time. Because we don’t know any better, the practical ramifications, such as always feeling off schedule or “behind time” aren’t taken much into consideration either. While it would probably be wise to honor the year, month, and day as God established them, if we intend to keep the Sabbath as God intends, it is especially important that we honor the timing of the week as He established it as well.
“And God 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:”
(Genesis 1:14 AV).
While much of our calendar has been determined by these timepieces, unfortunately much still remains unassociated. Many begin the year on the fictitious date of January 1st, which has nothing to do with the sun or moon. Many reckon their months as 28-31 days instead of according to the actual lunar cycle of 29.5 days (29 or 30 alternately). Many also still begin their day at 12:00 A.M. rather then sunset. Possibly this is because honoring God by governing our lives around His timetables really doesn’t seem like a big deal of importance. Seventh-day Adventist, however, the issue becomes much more significant when we realize that the beginning of the week, and thus the timing of the Sabbath, is directly affected by how we keep time. Because we don’t know any better, the practical ramifications, such as always feeling off schedule or “behind time” aren’t taken much into consideration either.
While it would probably be wise to honor the year, month, and day as God established them, if we intend to keep the Sabbath as God intends, it is especially important that we honor the timing of the week as He established it as well.
According to the above text the sun and moon are to determine not only the day, or year, but we find another interesting word mentioned. “Seasons” in Hebrew means much more then one might think. We know that at that point of time they didn’t have summer and winter like we do now, for that would have meant God established a cycle of death at creation. The actual Hebrew word is “mo’ed” which in the King James Version is translated like this:
congregation 150, feast 23, season 13, appointed 12, time 12, assembly 4, solemnity 4,
solemn 2, days 1, sign 1, synagogues 1; 223
Out of two hundred and twenty-three occurrences, “season” is used only thirteen of those. While this word could be referring to some esoteric “seasons” which we know nothing of, the overwhelming usage of this word is to the sacred “congregations,” or festivals of the Old Testament, including as we shall see the Sabbath. Interestingly enough, we find this same word used in Psalm 104 verse 9:
“He appointed the moon for seasons (mo’ed).” (Psalms 104:19a AV)
What “seasons” besides the Old Testament festivals does the moon determine? Certainly not our summer and winter!
Gael Bataman
Originally Entered: 20 February 2008
Latest Update: 20 February 2008
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