by The Watchman

When keeping with YHWH's calendar we are told to observe appointed
times. These are wonderful celebrations with the Father.
You can find a list of the Feast days in Leviticus 23. The first and
foremost of all the feast days is the Sabbath. In our desire to be
obedient unto YHWH we must know what does he consider a day so that we
can meet him at the appropriate time.
For sometime now I've been looking into this issue. For the early part
of my life I had always observed a day from midnight to midnight as the
world had told me I should.
Of course we also referred to the light portion as the day. Then as I
grew in my spiritual walk I came to understand the truth of the Sabbath
and changed my view to sunset to sunset as I had been taught by the
church I was then attending.
They showed me scriptures to back this teaching. Then nearly 2 years ago
I was challenged on this way of thinking that it should be sunrise to
sunrise. This group of people also gave scriptures to support their view
point. I finally told myself enough is enough and started digging.
I found that much like our own language there was a dualistic teaching
going on in the scriptures as to where the night belonged. Yet the day
remained consistant.
I found by reading Bible Commentaries, Bible Dictionaries, and Religious
Encyclopedias that most scholars agreed that the word "day" refers to a
period of time from sunrise to sunset but when it came to what to do
with the night they disagreed.
Some insisted that it was sunrise to sunrise others sunset to sunset.
Some said that the ancient Israelites observed from sunrsie to sunrise
but when going into Babylon changed to sunset to sunset. Then others
claim just the flip. If this was so important as to where the night
attaches as in the beginning or the end, why didn't our Messiah address
this issue when he was here on the earth? If man had changed YHWH's
system why didn't he correct us? Didn't he come to restore us to the
Father? Didn't he teach us to worship in spirit and in truth? Surely he
would have set the records straight on something like that. Is it
possible that all this arguing over how it should be is worthless? For
we know that the Messiah did not sin. He lived a perfect life in
accordance with the Torah. He is the direct representation of the
Father.
Let's take a look at the scriptures and see what it really says on this
issue. Try to put on a different pair of glasses because I'm sure many
of you have never even considered this a possiblity in the least. First
off let's begin by searching the word for when a day begins and ends.
Genesis 19
33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn
went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down
or when she arose.
34 It happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger,
"Indeed I lay with my father last night; let us make him drink wine
tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the
lineage of our father."
Here we see the daughter was with her father during the night and when
light comes it is referred to as the next day.
Leviticus 22
29 And when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to YHWH, offer it of
your own free will. 30 On the same day it shall be eaten; you shall
leave none of it until morning: I am YHWH.
If the day begins at sunset why not have none left until evening?
Joshua 7
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before
the ark of YHWH until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put
dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, "Alas, adonai YHWH, why have You
brought this people over the Jordan at all--to deliver us into the hand
of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt
on the other side of the Jordan! 8 O Master, what shall I say when
Israel turns its back before its enemies? 9 For the Canaanites and all
the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and cut off
our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?" 10
So YHWH said to Joshua: "Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? 11
Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I
commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things,
and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their
own stuff. 12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before
their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they
have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore,
unless you destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Get up, sanctify the
people, and say, "Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says
YHWH God of Israel: "There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel;
you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed
thing from among you." 14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought
according to your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which YHWH
takes shall come according to families; and the family which YHWH takes
shall come by households; and the household which the YHWH takes shall
come man by man.
In this passage we see that Joshua lay on the ground until evening.
Yahueh told him to sanctify the people for tomorrow and then they raise
in the morning. If the day begins at evening why did Yahueh call the
morning tomorrow? Why didn't he say today when morning comes?
1 Samuel 19
11 Saul also sent messengers to David's house to watch him and to kill
him in the morning. And Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, "If you
do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed."
In this passage we see David's wife is speaking to him at night and is
referring to the morning as the next day.
1 Samuel 28:8, 19
8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and
two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said,
"Please conduct a s^eaance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall
name to you." 19 Moreover YHWH will also deliver Israel with you into
the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with
me. YHWH will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the
Philistines."
Here Saul sneaks away by night and is told that tomorrow he will die. If
the day begins at sunset why didn't she say today you will die? Looking
at the above passages it appears that a day begins at sunrise. For
further reading that suppports a day beginning at sunrise read The
Secrets of Enoch chapter 30. So if a day begins at sunrise does that
mean that a day ends just before dawn? When does the word say a day
ends?
Exodus 12
15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall
remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the
first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from
Israel. 16 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on
the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of
work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat--that only
may be prepared by you. 17 So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened
Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the
land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your
generations as an everlasting ordinance. 18 In the first month, on the
fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread,
until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.
We are told to observe the feast of unleavened bread for 7 days. It
begins the 14th at evening with the Passover meal but notice when it
ends. It is the 21st at evening.
Leviticus 23
26 And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying: 27 "Also the tenth day of this
seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy
convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering
made by fire to YHWH. 28 And you shall do no work on that same day, for
it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before YHWH your
Elohim. 29 For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day
shall be cut off from his people. 30 And any person who does any work on
that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You
shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout
your generations in all your dwellings. 32 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."
The day of Atonement is the 10th day of the month. We see that it ends
at evening. Why not at morning when the new day begins? It is different
from a regular fast day, however, because you are to begin it the
evening before. For a clearer understanding on this fast vs a regular
fast please refer to my Scriptural Study on Yom Kippur (The Day of
Atonement).
Numbers 19
14 "This is the law when a man dies in a tent: All who come into the
tent and all who are in the tent shall be unclean seven days; 15 and
every open vessel, which has no cover fastened on it, is unclean. 16
Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain by a sword or who has
died, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 17
"And for an unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the
heifer burnt for purification from sin, and running water shall be put
on them in a vessel. 18 A clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in
the water, sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons
who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, the slain, the dead,
or a grave. 19 The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third
day and on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify
himself, wash his clothes, and bathe in water; and at evening he shall
be clean.
When someone touches a dead person or something associated with a dead
person they are unclean for 7 days. They are to be sprinkled with the
water of purification on the 3rd and on the 7th day. Then they are to
wash themselves and their clothes and are clean the evening of the 7th
day. If they are unclean for 7 days and a day ends just before the
sunrises why doesn't it say he will be clean at dawn? There are numerous
passages on a person being unclean until evening. See Leviticus 11:24,
25, 27, 28, 31, 32, 39, 40; 14:46; 15:5-11, 16-19, 21-23, 27; 17:15;
22:6-7, Numbers 19:7, 8, 10, 21, 22.
Judges 19
9 And when the man stood to depart--he and his concubine and his
servant--his father-in-law, the young woman's father, said to him,
"Look, the day is now drawing toward evening; please spend the night.
See, the day is coming to an end; lodge here, that your heart may be
merry. Tomorrow go your way early, so that you may get home."
The man says that the day is drawing toward evening and is coming to an
end.
That's pretty clear.
Mark 1:21, 32-34
21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He
entered the synagogue and taught.
32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were
sick and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city was
gathered together at the door. 34 Then He healed many who were sick with
various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the
demons to speak, because they knew Him.
Why did the people wait until after the sunset of the Sabbath to bring
their sick to Yahushua? It wasn't until later on that he taught them
that it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. So at this point they thought
it would be considered work so they waited til the Sabbath had past.
Luke 24
29 But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward
evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them.
Once again we see the day coming to an end at evening.
Exodus 20
8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor
and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of YHWH your
Elohim. 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. 11 For in six days
YHWH made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them,
and rested the seventh day. Therefore YHWH blessed the Sabbath day and
hallowed it.
We are told to work for 6 days and to rest on the 7th day. We are also
told to rest from our work on the Holy days as well.
What does a Biblical work day look like?
Genesis 30:16
And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to
meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired
thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
Judges 19:16
And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at
even, which [was] also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but
the men of the place [were] Benjamites
Ruth 2:17
So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had
gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.
Psalm 104:23
Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
John 9:4
We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night
cometh, when no man can work.
It appears to be the light hours of the day. Keeping this in mind we see
that man would be laboring normally from sunrise till sunset but on the
7th day he would refrain from his labors.
The word used in which we get the English
word for day is from the Hebrew word Yom.
Stong's Concordance
Result of search for "3117":
3117 yowm yome from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm
hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to
the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated
term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, + chronicals,
continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days
(agone), + elder, X end, + evening, + (for) ever(-lasting, -more), X
full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, +
perpetually, presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,
then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble, weather,
(as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole (+ age), (full)
year(-ly), + younger.
The word yom is from the root meaning to be hot, as in the warm hours or
literally from sunrise to sunset. Worship in the temple is an example of
this. These sacrifices were offered at the beginning and the end of each
day.
Exodus 29:38-42
38 "Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs of the
first year, day by day continually. 39 One lamb you shall offer in the
morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. 40 With the one
lamb shall be one-tenth of an ephah of flour mixed with one-fourth of a
hin of pressed oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering.
41 And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; and you shall offer
with it the grain offering and the drink offering, as in the morning,
for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to YHWH. 42 This shall be a
continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the
tabernacle of meeting before YHWH, where I will meet you to speak with
you.
Numbers 28:3-4
3 "And you shall say to them, "This is the offering made by fire which
you shall offer to YHWH: two male lambs in their first year without
blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering. 4 The one lamb you
shall offer in the morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the
evening,
1 Chronicles 16:40
to offer burnt offerings to YHWH on the altar of burnt offering
regularly morning and evening, and to do according to all that is
written in the Law of YHWH which He commanded Israel;
What does YHWH and His Son consider a day?
Genesis 1:5
And Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And
there was evening and there was morning, one day.
John 11:9
Yahushua answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk
in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
Both YHWH and Yahushua agree on what is considered day. It is the light.
In Bible times they used sundials to keep time. So even in the seasons
in which there would not be the same 12 hours as we have today the dial
would speed up or slow down according to the sun to make an even 12
hours. A day is from sunrise to sunset.
Psalm 50:1
The Mighty One, Elohim YHWH,
Has spoken and called the earth
From the rising of the sun to its going down.
Psalm 113:3
From the rising of the sun to its going down YHWH's name is to be
praised.
Isaiah 45:6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting
That there is none besides Me. I am YHWH, and there is no other
Malachi 1:11
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 YHWH of hosts.
Zechariah 14:6-7
6. And it shall come to pass in that day, that there shall not be light;
the bright ones shall withdraw themselves: 7. but it shall be one day
which is known unto YHWH; not day, and not night; but it shall come to
pass, that at evening time there shall be light.
Once again we see the light being considered the day. Notice that in
Zechariah it says there will no longer be day and night but one day
because it will be continually light.
Day and night are not one entity. To help us better understand we need
to take a closer look at Genesis 1:4,14,18.
Genesis 1:4
And Elohim saw the light, that it was good: and Elohim divided the light
from the darkness.
Genesis 1:14-18
14. And Elohim said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to
divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for
seasons, and for days and years: 15. and let them be for lights in the
firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16. And
Elohim made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and
the lesser light to rule the night: (he made) the stars also. 17. And
Elohim set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth,
18. 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.
The word for divide in verses 4,14, and 17 is #914 0914 badal {baw-dal'}
a primitive root;- 203- separate 25, divide 8, difference 4, asunder 2,
severed 2,
sever out 1, separation 1, utterly 1 (inf. for emphasis); 42
1) to divide, separate
1a) (Hiphil)
1a1) to divide, separate, sever
1a2) to separate, set apart
1a3) to make a distinction, difference
1a4) to divide into parts
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to separate oneself from (reflexive of 1a2) 1b2) to withdraw from
1b3) to separate oneself unto
1b4) to be separated
1b5) to be excluded
1b6) to be set apart
We see that the word means to seperate to utterly sever. The light/day
was utterly severed from the dark/night. They do not belong together at
all. Throughout scriptures the two are distinguished one from the other
by referring to day & night or night & day.
What about the spiritual applications of light (righteousness) and
darkness (wickedness)?
Are the righteous children of YHWH suppose to be one with the wicked?
The Scriptural Day