First day of the week – or first of the Sabbaths?
Published by Rob Skiba April 24, 2014 at 3:06 PM
Before understanding the Feasts of YHWH, I was just as clueless as the next guy concerning the things of God and how His plan/calendar works. I’m still learning and certainly don’t have it all figured out yet. But one thing I have figured out is that someone really started messing with our Bible and CHANGING the Sabbath.
We are now in the season of “counting the omer” leading up to Pentecost. Without an understanding of the Feasts (specifically the counting of the 7 Sabbaths), people have no clue what “first day of the week” means in their Bible – I certainly didn’t. Like most, I thought it was talking about Sunday. And for good reason: Someone jacked with the text – big time! Take Acts 20:7 for instance:
7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Note: the word “day” is NOT in the text. It is inserted either by ignorant translators or by those with an agenda (I suspect the latter). And the word “week” is a BOGUS translation for “sabbaton”. Over and over and over again, “sabbaton” is the word for SABBATH and never for “week” in (normal) Greek. For more on that, see:
After First Fruits, we begin a seven week count of Sabbaths toward Pentecost. Hence, Yeshua rose on (or just before) First Fruits at the beginning of that count of Sabbaths:
Matthew 28:1 In the end of the [weekly] sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
While it is true that the “first day of the week” follows the Sabbath, we can find a far better and MUCH more accurate translation of that particular Scripture in the Jubilee Bible:
Matthew 28:1 Now well along on the sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first of the sabbaths, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
He rose after the last of the Sabbaths that precede the specific counting of seven Sabbaths leading up to Pentecost.
The same is true for Acts 20:7. Let’s back up to verse 6 though for context:
Acts 20:
6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.
7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Here we see that they concluded the Feast of Unleavened Bread and in less than a week, they arrived in Troas, apparently in time to celebrate the first of the seven Sabbaths (that are COUNTED) leading up to Pentecost.
Again, the Jubilee Bible blows KJV out of the water with a far more accurate rendition of the Greek:
Acts 20:
6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread and came unto them to Troas in five days, where we abode seven days.
7 And the first of the sabbaths, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart the next day, and continued his word until midnight.
And if we need more proof that this is true, we see in verse 16:
16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.
To me this is absolute proof that the “first Sabbath” of Acts 20:7 is a reference to the 1st of 7 which are counted, leading up to Pentecost, which Paul earnestly desired to keep. Yes, that’s right: Paul was a Feast keeper as well as a Sabbath keeper – and he said that we should imitate him as he imitated Christ (1 Cor. 11:1).
Look, I’m still searching this stuff out myself guys. And as I continue to do so, I become more and more convinced that YHWH has NOT changed His mind about His commandments, including the Sabbath, which we are told to REMEMBER – not forget, diss and/or change.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
1 John 5
1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
I’m thinking this stuff is going to become more and more important for us in these Last Days.
Malachi 4
4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
There is a reason lines are being drawn in the sand concerning these things. On one side, you’ll have those who will obey YHWH and follow Him and on the other, you will have those who will follow the “lawLESS” one.
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Iniquity is sin. Sin is lawlessness:
1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
All who advocate for dissing the law are thus advocating for sin.
Matthew 7:
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity [lawLESSness].
That’s about as clear as it gets. I don’t know about you, but I most certainly do NOT want to ever hear those words directed at me.
Still searching…
– Rob Skiba
Rob, I’m listening to you and Zen (from Genesis Day 4). I greatly respect Zen, and find little that I disagree with – except for the lunar sabbath. I’m glad you’re looking at the Zadok calendar – I feel like I finally found something that makes sense! Happy searching – I’ll be curious to hear where you end up.
BTW, listening to you in this series, I’m hearing where you and I have (independently) come to the same conclusions on SO many different things. I thoroughly enjoy hearing you – that’s been true for about 10 years now. Many blessings, Rob!