We have established that observance of the seventh-day Sabbath continued unchanged from the Old Covenant to the New and that the first day of the week was an ordinary working day in both Covenants. More difficult, though, is establishing what the biblical seventh and first days actually were and still are...and when. They are most certainly not the Roman 'Saturday' and 'Sunday'...even the names should serve as red flags.

What most people don't realise is that our calendar has changed...and more than once. Today we live by the Roman Gregorian Calendar, also known as the Western Calendar and sometimes the Christian Calendar (Roman Catholic, to be exact), which was established on Friday 15 October 1582. Prior to this time, the Roman Julian Calendar, and before that the Numa and Romulus calendars, prevailed, with the Numa calendar accompanying the Roman intervention in, and final occupation of, the land of Israel in the first century BC. The solar calendaric system in use today by both Jews, Messianics and orthodox Christianis did not exist in biblical times. It is important to remember that whenever you see "first day of the week" and "seventh day of the week" mentioned in the Scriptures. They have nothing to do with the first or seventh Roman Gregorian days.

The biblical Hebrews had a luni-solar system by which they reckoned months, sabbaths and festivals. There were twelve months in a year with an extra thirteenth month inserted every few years to take into account the moon's eccentric orbital time. Until the flood, each month had exactly 30 days (our Gregorian months contain between 28, 29, 30 and 31 days). After the flood there were either 29 or 30 days in each month, depending on the lunar settings. For a summary and overview of how this worked, please study, An Introduction to the Festivals of Messianic Israel and a Synopsis of the Weekly, Monthly & Annual Festivals. These will give you a general idea of how the calendar operated in Bible times and how the festivals, like the weekly Sabbath, were calculated back then.

As you will see from these short studies, the Biblical Weeks were not a continuous string of seven days following in an endless cycle. Rather, they consisted of a string of four weeks (4 days of which four were Sabbaths...always on the 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th days of each month) with an extra day at the beginning of the string (New Month Day or Rosh Chodesh) and sometimes an extra one at the end of the string (during and before Noah's day there was always this extra day):

This means that the Sabbath will be on a different modern Roman day of the week each month and will only occasionally appear on Roman 'Saturdays'. And sometimes it will appear on Roman Sundays! Indeed, every day of the Roman week - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday is at some time the Seventh-Day Sabbath and every one is as some time the First Day of the week! That is why you cannot use the Western or Gregorian Calendar to calculate the biblical Sabbath because the true one is lunar- rather than solar-based. To be faithful to this commandment - which is not optional, if you are an obedient believer - means learning to totally rethink your calendar. It requires nothing less than a total reorientation of thinking and lifestyle. That's how disconnected we have become from the Divine Tavnith or Pattern. But then Yahweh's ways are not at all like man's, never have been and never will be.

As the Sabbath Day is closely interwoven with all of Yahweh's moedim or appointments (New Moon, Passover, Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles) it is important to see how it relates to them. The Sabbath cannot be understood in isolation because it is a part of a divine whole. So when you are feeling more confident, you might also like to see related articles to the Creation Calendar as a whole and to the various Festivals invidiually. And once you start exploring this aspect of the Divine Mind and Heart, you won't want to stop, because the truth is so compelling!

This restoration of Yahweh's Divine Calendar and Sabbath is only in its early stages in the history of the Besorah (Gospel) so it will not at first be easy to find people of like belief. This means that we must share these truths with other believers as best we can. They are not learned easily so patience must be shown. Give people time to absorb the principles involved. Most importantly, live what you preach as this is the best and really only teacher.

We are commanded to fellowship with other believers and not hide away as solo-Christians or solo-Messianics. This is not easy for Lunar Sabbatarians. Indeed, sometimes we have to make heart-wrenching decisions especially if we have been raised in a Sunday-observing Church or a Saturday-observing messianic synagogue. But observing a Luni-Solar Sabbath does not prohibit us from fellowshipping with Sunday- and Saturday-worshippers so long as they do not try to force us to agree with them by making it a legal obligation before they will allow us to attend and participate in their meetings. So long as they respect your conviction without trying to pressure you to abandon it, it is in order to fellowship with such believers.

As regenerated (born-again) believers, we all want to do what Yahweh wants of us so that our growth and sanctification in Yah'shua (Jesus) will not be impeded. Finding fellowship with others of different practices such as the Sabbath or Lord's Day is important so this must be directed by the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) until such a time as you can gather with others of like belief.

The true Sabbath is special not simply because you have done your calculations right but because Yahweh through His Messiah Yah'shua (Jesus) has put His very presence into this sacred time by blessing it and making it qadosh (holy, set-apart). At the very least try to find common fellowship with other Creation Calendar Sabbatarians during the annual festivals and especially at the pilgrim festivals of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles.

Finally, do not make the switch to the luni-solar Sabbath until you are absolutely sure through careful study and a witness of the Ruach (Spirit). It will change your lifestyle forever and is not to be entered into lightly. But once you know the truth, do not delay. And may the Master of the Way guide you! Amen.