This seems to be a hard topic. According to the Scripture, the children of Israel were suppose to go to Moses with any matter that was too hard for them and Moses would judge according to the Law. Since Moses is not here right now, shouldn't we to take it to the Torah to see if it breaks the Scripture of Truth or not? The scripture cannot be broken by any doctrine. Simply put, and this is nothing you don’t already know, if any doctrine breaks the scripture, it is a false doctrine and CANNOT be accepted nor should it be taught. "A little leaven leaventh the whole lump.” On the other hand, if it does not break the scripture it should be considered.
The instruction given in the Torah is clear and if it is followed to the letter, the Torah itself should give us the answer. We all know if anyone argues against the Torah, they are not arguing with another man, they are arguing with the Word of God.
The following report is respectfully submitted.
* Special Note: The Hillel II calendar is NOT used in this report.
THE DOCTRINE OF LUNAR BASED SABBATHS
(1-7 reset by The New Moon each Month)
First we need to build a Lunar Based Sabbath (LBS) calendar showing the first three months of the year (see model below) labeling and number the days of the month, and assigning the weekly Sabbaths according to the Lunar Based Sabbath method (the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th). Then we will place the spring Feasts of the LORD where they belong according to the Torah. By this we will be able use a visual model to get our facts straight.
As you will notice below, in order for the first weekly Sabbath, which is the 7th day of the week, to fall on the 8th day of the month, the New Moon obviously counts as the first day of the month. But, as seen in the LBS model, it is not counted as one of the days of the week toward the weekly Sabbath.
Using the Lunar Based Sabbath (LBS) method, the 15th day of the first month is BOTH the weekly Sabbath and the first day of Unleavened Bread (15th-21st). According to the Torah, the wave offering is to be offered on the morrow after the Sabbath (Lev 23:9-11). Therefore, the day to wave the sheaf of Firstfruits, by the LBS method, becomes un-disputed. No matter how one interprets the phrase "on the morrow after the Sabbath" (Weekly Sabbath or the 1st day of Unleaved Bread), using the LBS method qualifies the 15th of the first month for BOTH interpretations and the 16th becomes Firstfruits.
Le 23:9-11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, tobe accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
Since the 15th of the first month qualifies as both the Weekly Sabbath and Unleavened Bread, this results in the un-disputed 16th day of the first month as always being: (1) the first day of the week, (2) the day to wave sheaf offering of Firstfruits and (3) the first week of counting the 7 Sabbaths of the Omer (Lev 23: 15-16) to the day after the 7th Sabbath (Shavuot) even 50 days (Lev 23: 15-16).
The First Witness:
As seen in the chart above, counting the Omer always covers the span of two New Moons. There is no way to get around this. As stated before, in order for the first weekly Sabbath, which is the 7th day of the week, to fall on the 8th day of the month, the New Moon obviously counts as the first day of the month but it is not counted as one of the days of the week toward the weekly Sabbath.
Now, reading the Torah instruction, we are to begin counting from the wave offering of firstfruits as instructed by the Torah, “from the morrow after the Sabbath” (the 16th of the first month) to count 7 Sabbaths complete.
Le 23:15-16 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering [ firstfruits ]; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
If you have counted for yourself (see below), you will see the first 6 Sabbaths are: 1/22, 1/29, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, and 2/29. The 7th Sabbath will always fall on the 8th day of the 3rd month (3/8). Using the Lunar Based Sabbath method, it is IMPOSSIBLE for 7 complete Sabbaths to equal 49 days with the next day numbering the 50th day.
In the Lunar Based Sabbath method, counting Seven Sabbaths, beginning from firstfruits (1/16) to the 7th Sabbath (3/8), to the next day after the 7th Sabbath always equals 53 days. (Count it for yourself.) According to the Torah, the next day after the 7th Sabbath is Shavuot which should be the 50th day, but using the LBS, it always numbers to the 53rd day. Therefore, when using the LBS method, the scripture is clearly broken. This can never be. The doctrine of the Lunar Based Sabbath must be false .
The only way anyone could try to force this false doctrine to fit is by totally denying the existence of the extra 3 days, trying to explain them away somehow. Which, by the way, would be futile when they are clearly counted as days of the month which chisels them in stone as part of the fifty. No one could accept the theory of the erased 3 days. Denying 1 day per month equals 12 to 13 days per year (depending on 2Adar) or over 72,000 missing days in 6000 years.
The Second Witness:
Plus, disregarding the incorrect day count for a moment, and if you haven’t already noticed, the need to COUNT the Omer, as GOD HIMSELF instructed, is completely nullified. The Lunar Based Sabbath method forces the 7th Sabbath forever falling on the 8th day of the 3rd month with Shavuot always falling on the next day, the 9th of the 3rd month. Even if the number of days were accurate (50), there would no longer be a need to count the Omer! By using the LBS method, all Shavuots are pre-destined to fall on the same day of the same month of every year for eternity.
The Third Witness:
While still using the LBS model and method, some say that Israel camped before Mt. Sinai on the 15th day of the 3rd month after they departed out of Egypt. The scripture does not specify the 15th but rather says “the same day” they departed out of Egypt (Ex. 19:1). This could actually mean the same day of the week. But, giving the benefit of the doubt, lets use their expressed assumption (15th day of the 3rd month) as the encampment day in order to follow the day count according to the Torah.
Assuming they camped on the 15th, if you read the next few verses in Ex.19, we find that Moses went up and down Mt. Sinai a couple of times speaking with God, and then the Torah tells us that God told Moses to go the children of Israel and tell them something very specific.
Ex 19:10-11 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
God said to tell them sanctify themselves and to wash today (this would be the 16th) and tomorrow (this would be the 17th) and God said He will come down on Mt Sinai in the sight of all the people on the third day (this would be the 18th day of the 3rd month). Everyone knows, or should know, it was Shavout when God spoke the Commandments from Mt Sinai. Using the LBS plus the assumption that Israel camped before Sinai on the 15th day of the 3rd month, the 18th of the third month extends the total day count from the wave offering to Shavuot out to a new total of 62 days. This too has broken the scripture using the Lunar Based Sabbath method.
The Forth Witness:
Finally look at the fruit of this LBS theory. Let the Holy Ghost answer within your own spirit:
1. Are the sheep scattered or gathered?
2. Is there harmony or sowing discourse among the brethren?
3. Does the theory support or deny the feast days and the law ?
4. Has the scripture been broken or not?
Conclusion:
Since this report has been a seach for the Truth, and Truth is established by the evidence of 2 or 3 witnesses, 4 is enough. The Law of the Torah and the Feasts of the LORD have proven the Lunar Based Sabbath is a witness against itself. For what it is worth, and you determine that, my opinion is the Lunar Based Sabbath theory is False.
Thank you for your time, The LORD bless you and keep you
The Cyclical Sabbath (1-7 unbroken) does not break the Torah.
THE EXODUS YEAR
The Cyclical Sabbath Calendar of the:
