Holy Hormones Bible Study: If your book isn’t a buzz, it’s not the Bible.
Potayto-potarto, tomayto-tomarto, Shabbat-Shabbaton
FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD #12
Disclosure: I’m not a Messianic. I’m an NT Saint who has been exposed to my OT Heritage.
Trigger Warning: If you have already read any of the articles FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD #12 to #14, you can skip this section. This warning introduces every one of those posts.
The content of the articles FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD #12 to #14 could well burst a kafoofle valve for some people. So, if you decide to progress along the road less travelled, prepare a survival kit (comfortable couch, box of aspirins, hot water kettle, and tea leaves) before you begin in case you need an aspirin, a cup of tea, and a good lie-down in the event of a severe attack of cognitive dissonance.
The object of the posts is to untangle the confusion about which day Mary and the girls found the stone rolled away.
It has certainly made my brain hurt because the phrase, שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן/Shabbat Shabaton/H7676 H7677, is a friction point of contact where Hebrew thought patterns (Hebraisms) collide with Western Greek logic, and the result is cumbersome.
If I have done a good job there is enough evidence presented to confirm that, except for Yom Kippur, there is only ONE Shabbat occurring in each seven day cycle, and that is on day SEVEN. Every Shabbat is a day of no work but not every day of no work is a Shabbat.
But that is yet to unfold.
Don’t expect anything polished. You may find it so confusing that it is impossible to decide if it’s nonsense. You may even find it so bad that it is not only not right, it’s not even wrong.
Keep in mind that I have no Theological Qualifications. When I worked for a living my day job was mining engineering — an oxymoron if ever there was one — where my skill set was digging holes and washing dirt. I don’t tell you this to spruik my creds but to let you know that, if you continue, you have only yourself to blame.
Continuing the rag-tag series on the closer examination of some of the aspects of the Passover/Last Supper.
If you have come in part-way through the series, there is some explanation in the earlier episodes to be found in FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD .
There have been eleven articles preceding these three and a number of topics have been examined — some minor, some major, in order to preempt potential questions and arguments.
More topics will follow this one but, now the actual timing of the Event is becoming more important, (i.e. Easter — this name is not a hill worth dying for right now) there is one word in particular that is necessary to define. Before any advancement, the stage has been reached when it is time to settle the misunderstanding of a Hebrew term which is not well handled in all English translations; at least those I have seen. (But, of course, I haven’t seen everything so this may be old news to you.)
A reminder about the reason for this series
THE CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION OF THE CHRIST IS THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND RELIGIONS!
It seems a no-brainer that NT Saints should learn as much as possible about the FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD which goes on between the Jewish dates Nisan 14th and Nisan 21st. A number of important events happened during that week. The Crucifixion being the second most important. The most important, however, is the Resurrection — then the Crucifixion takes on equal importance. Without that, Jesus would have been just one more of the thousands of Jews crucified by Pax Romana.
The series will by no means be able to answer many of the questions surrounding the episode but it is hoped that it will light a fire in the belly of at least a few Saints so that they will become self-feeders in order to find the answers and, perhaps, spread them around.
It is written in Proverbs 25:2 || It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
And in 1 Peter 2:9 || But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.
Need any more be said?
Question: Is every day of No Work a Shabbat?
In other words, “What is a Sabbath Rest?” This is the term that is not well handled in Greek or English.
The Hebrew will be addressed first.
NOTE: Be prepared for some brain-hurt. There is a lot of to-ing-&-fro-ing through the Scriptures about to come up. It is as simple as my feeble abilities can do. Persist and it will all come together in the end. Pinkie Promise.
Most of the different Hebrew words describing the Lord’s Feasts in Leviticus 23 translate easily into English but there is one, H7677 — šabāṯôn (Shabaton), which does not travel well. The general tone of the different translations is along the lines, sabbath of solemn rest, sabbath of complete rest, sabbath of special rest, rest of the sabbath, total and complete rest, day of sabbath rest. But these are insipid and don’t convey an understanding of what the Holy Spirit is saying in Hebrew. They imply that it is special but, without the help of some Hebrew input, the NT Saints are left to fend for themselves.
The facilities of the BLB show that Shabaton/H7677 occurs only 11 times in the Westminster Leningrad Codex, WLC, (the reference for both the Hebrew Tanakh and Gentile OT)
And 7 of these times it is spoken in tandem with the word Shabbat/H7676.
Is there anything special about this linkage?
A closer look at the definition verse gives some insight.
It is written in Leviticus 23:3 || “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh (H7637) day is a Shabbat Shabaton (H7676/H7677), a holy convocation. You shall do no work . It is a Shabbat (H7676) to the Lord in all your dwelling places.”
Without getting bogged down in detail, Shabbat and Shabaton are both nouns pertaining to the same day. In Hebrew grammar it is a constructed chain. This is something like the English rhetorical device where a combination of particular words have a synergistic effect so the whole is greater than the sum of the parts (Hit’n’Run, Fish’n’Chips, Rock’n’Roll). They are like Siamese Twins (is that cancel-worthy, yet?)
Like what happens many times in Hebrew, these words are phonetically similar, so that they easily roll off the tongue, but they are different words. It may seem superfluous to say that but, unfortunately, not so.
Many English translations mistreat H7677/Shabaton in two important verses.
It is written in Leviticus 23:24 || Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a H7677 (translated “sabbath”→wrong), a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
And in Leviticus 23:39 || Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a H7677 (translated “sabbath”→wrong), and on the eighth day shall be a H7677 (translated “sabbath”→wrong).
Repeating; H7677 = šabāṯôn (Shabaton) NOT šabāṯ (Shabbat) BIG
This seems to be a carry over from the translation of Leviticus 23:3 || Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath (H7676) of rest (H7677), an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
The translation of the Hebraism Shabbat Shabaton into Greek is cumbersome and is discussed in FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD #14 (if it is not yet published — it will be)
So what is a H7677/Shabaton?
I often make a humble boast about my two Sabra [1] friends living in Israel. Nothing meaningful came from Gentile references so I approached them with the question, “What does this Hebrew word mean?”
When comparing the reply to the general flavour of the translations/interpretations of the English Commentaries/Bibles, it shows that the Gentiles have not heard the words unspoken that the Hebrews hear.
It is most easily described in University terms. Broadly speaking, in the British Commonwealth Education Systems, academics are given sabbatical leave (generally a semester every seven years) where they may pursue their own academic interests while still being paid by the University. (I don’t know about other countries.)
Even though the Lord’s Feasts are compulsory to the point of death, Shabaton shows Yehovah’s Mercy
That may sound like an oxymoron but read the article on LIGHT vs light and hear the melody.
Keeping in mind that it is written in Genesis 3:17–19 || “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken.
But it is written in Exodus 16:23 (of 16:15–31) that Jacob was miraculously provided with Manna which they had to work to gather and use each day, except Yom Shabbat (Saturday). From Yom Rishon (Sunday) to Yom Chamishi(Thursday) they could gather as much of God’s provision as they liked (on a hot day, they could well work up a sweat) — BUT — by the next day any unfinished Manna had putrefied, so they had to work to gather that day’s provision.
However, on Yom Shishi (Friday) they were told to gather enough for that day plus the next, Yom Shabbat, when the Manna didn’t go rotten that day. It was a Rest Day where they didn’t have to work up a sweat for their daily bread. They were provided for by HaShem.
But there are more solo occurrences of Shabaton/H7677 than Shabbat/Shabaton (H7676/H7677)
It is not unreasonable to deduce that there are days of “no work” which are not Shabbat.
It is necessary to examine all of the Appointed Times described in Leviticus 23 in order to sort this out.
The Appointed Times
It is written in Genesis 1:14 || Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs (H226) and seasons (H4150), and for days (H3117) and years (H8141).
• signs (H226 — ‘ôṯ = signals for remembrance)
• seasons (H4150 — môʿēḏ = appointed place, appointed time, meeting)
• days ( H3117 — yôm= day, one spin of the planet on N-S axis time. It also = a general period → H2320 — ḥōḏeš = new moon of lunar cycle, from Exodus 12:2)
• years ( H8141 — šānâ = one orbit of the planet around the sun)
As well as this, it is written in Genesis 1:16 that the lights in the firmament also included the stars (H3556 — kôḵāḇ).
GOD’S CLOCK IS THE STARS OF THE UNIVERSE!
In the oldest Book in the Bible, Job, Yehovah asks in 38:32 || Can you bring out Mazzaroth ( H4216 — mazzārâ) in its season? Or can you guide Arcturus (H5906 — ʿayiš) with its cubs?
Mazzaroth: H4216 — mazzārâ = the 12 signs of the Zodiac (Pagan name) and their 36 associated constellations.
Arcturus: H5906 — ʿayiš = a constellation, Great Bear, Ursa Major.
ASIDE:A study of the Jewish Mazzeroth, which was stolen by Satan, rejigged and renamed Zodiac, is beyond the scope of this project but is a highly recommended study. Start with Ursa Major — you will find HaShem mentions the cubs before they were discovered by Humanity. Makes you think.
Figure 1 shows the comparison of the Zodiac to the Mazzeroth.
The 12 signs being linked to Yehovah’s Feasts which are shown in Figure 2. Which shows Hebrew & Gentile months along with the Hebrew Agricultural & Religious year.
As can be seen, the Feast of Unleavened Bread occurs during the month of Nisan. It is always during the Northern Spring. The action starts to happen on 10th Nisan (Exodus 12:3) but cranks up between 14th (Exodus 12:6) and 21st Nisan (calculated from detail provided in Leviticus 23:6). These dates ensure that a solar eclipse cannot occur on the day of the slaying of the Passover Lamb.
Refer to Figure 1 and Leviticus 23 when perusing the Table of Appointed Times.
It can be seen that there are 70 days of Appointed Times, 59 of which are days of no work. Of these, 52 are the weekly Shabbat/Shabaton (H7676/H7677), to which, Yom Kippur is decreed a Shabbat/Shabaton (H7676/H7677), leaving 6 “no work” days floating.
The situation is somewhat complicated because the 52 Shabbat/Shabaton (H7676/H7677) are linked to a day of the week (more about that soon) while the others occur on a date so, obviously, the day creeps. Again obviously, this would mean that there will be years when the other Feasts would occur on a weekly Shabbat. These situations are beyond the scope of this article.
So, why inflict all this torture?
Just to hammer home that all Shabbats are Shabatons but not all Shabatons are Shabbats.
So what?
Because it is a seven day Festival, there is a Shabbat/Shabaton, and two technical (though not specifically identified as such) Shabatons occurring in the Feast of the Unleavened Bread.
So what and so what?
It gives an indication of the sequence and timing of events around the Crucifixion and Resurrection. But there is more to know about Shabbat/H7676.
NOTE: The word H7676 — šabāṯ/שבת/Shabbat/Sabbath possesses a gravity beyond the scope of this article; the intention of which is to separate it from its co-runner, H7677 — šabāṯôn/שבתון/Shabaton. So there will be no deep discussion on that topic.
God is unambiguous that Shabbat is the seventh day of the week
Leviticus 23:3 defines it precisely || “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh (H7637) day is a Shabbat Shabaton (H7676/H7677), a holy convocation . You shall do no work . It is a Shabbat (H7676) to the Lord in all your dwelling places.”
The only day in the Jewish week which has a name is Yom Shabbat. The other days are just numbered.
Yom Rishon = “first day” = Sunday (starting at preceding sunset)
Yom Sheni = “second day” = Monday
Yom Shlishi = “third day” = Tuesday
Yom Reviʻi = “fourth day” = Wednesday
Yom Chamishi = “fifth day” = Thursday
Yom Shishi = “sixth day” = Friday
Yom Shabbat = “Sabbath day (Rest day)” = Saturday.
THERE IS ONLY ONE SHABBAT IN EVERY 7 DAY CYCLE.
IT IS NEVER ANY OTHER DAY THAN NUMBER 7.
How important is Shabbat in Torah?
In the article, What Is Yom Kippur?, the Jewish website, Chabad.org, opens with, “The Fast of Yom Kippur fast day is the holiest day of the year, when we are closest to G‑d and to the essence of our souls.”
When giving instructions for His Appointed Times, and referring to Yom Kippur, it is written in Leviticus 23:32 || It shall be to you a Shabbat Shabaton (H7676/H7677), 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 only other day described as Shabbat/Shabaton (H7676/H7677) is the weekly Shabbat (Leviticus 23:3), which happens only once in every seven day cycle, and lasts from the sighting of the North Star (Polaris), just after sunset on Yom Shishi = “sixth day” = Friday, until the sighting of the North Star (Polaris), just after sunset on Yom Shabbat = “Sabbath day (Rest day)” = Saturday — as discussed in FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD #6 of this series.
It may seem that I have just had a senior moment and inadvertently repeated myself. The repeat is deliberate in order to emphasise that no one can slide Shabbat/H7676 along the days to suit a pet theory.
It is a word spoken only by Yehovah, and is spoken in Hebrew — so pay attention, NT Saints.
So now that the twins are separated, what is the effect?
I hope I’m not about to spoil things, but the Crucifixion was not on a Friday. Firstly, it is (at least, should be) glued to the Jewish Passover and, as you know, that is nailed to a date, 14th Nisan. Because of the creeping days, there would be years when 14th Nisan occurred on a Friday — but not THIS IMPORTANT ONE. (More about that in future articles.)
I’m not advocating that we should campaign to change the date/day/name of Easter because that ship will never be turned around but, as the late American Bible Teacher, Chuck Missler, used to say, “At least our team should know about it.”
The next instalment will contain surprise information about the Feast of Unleavened Bread that has been hiding in plain sight from Torah-fied NT Saints since Moses wrote it down.
But before we go
There is another Shabbat Shabaton (H7676/H7677) but on a grander scale.
It is written in Leviticus 25:2–4 || Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a sabbath to the Lord. Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather its fruit; but in the seventh year there shall be a Shabbat Shabaton (H7676/H7677) for the land, a sabbath to the Lord. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard.
NOTE: It is recommended that you study Leviticus 25:2–7 and satisfy yourself as to what it means.
God takes His Land (Yes, His Land. The Land of Israel is close to HaShem’s Heart.) very seriously because He used the non-compliance with this commandment as the yard-stick for the duration of the Babylonian Exile. In so many words, He said “You owe my land 70 years.”
NOTE: It is highly recommended that individuals track this thread through the Scriptures. The Babylonian Exile finished bang on time.
Keep that in mind as you watch the goings on in that part of the Globe today. The only One not invited to the Conference Table is Yehovah, Himself.
How do you think that will affect the Two-State Solution that is favoured by the Wise Men of this World?
GOD HAS NEVER MENTIONED A TWO-STATE SOLUTION!!!!!
Also, it is written in Zechariah 12:2 || Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
Ponder on that, Islam and Ivy League! (NT Saints, too!)
The forgoing evidence has not been presented to convince any reader but to allow a personal decision to be made. There is much more to know about this subject. Perhaps you’ll pay another visit, sometime. If you have seen something you like, I encourage plagiarism. So, always check everything I say first, then please re-cycle, re-brand, re-structure, re-issue, re-label, or re-gurgitate in any manner you please. No need to acknowledge me because the Holy Spirit Who holds the Intellectual Rights.
All Glory to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
(We all have a plank in our eye. It’s bigger than we think.)
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[1] Sabra: a desert plant. The nick-name of people born in Israel and having Hebrew as their mother tongue.
