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While comparing line upon line concerning prophecy. I found a place in the 8th chapter of Daniel that didn’t seem to align with other places in scripture referring to this one event. The specific event is concerning the three and a half year great tribulation time of the saints just after the abomination that makes desolate is set up in the temple.

We are told passages like “time, times and a half” and “forty two months” and “one thousand two hundred and ninety days” and the one who is blessed that waits and comes to the “one thousand three hundred thirty fifth day”.

Ok, we see a connection here. All of these passages are giving a time period of three and a half years surrounding this very important event just before our Messiah returns. However, there is one passage that speaks of this time that does not align with the other scriptures. Or does it?  Daniel 8:13-14

“Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”

Did you catch that? He just said (two thousand and three hundred days). Wait, that doesn’t fit any other place in scripture speaking of this event. Let’s take a look at the Hebrew in this verse.

The Hebrew word that is used here for two thousand is Strongs number 505 ‘eleph

Let’s take a look at the definition of this word.

One can clearly see the definition of ‘eleph is (a thousand) not two thousand. But, let’s be thorough. There are many places in the Hebrew Scriptures where we can find two thousand used. One such example would be Numbers 1:35

Here we can clearly see that ‘eleph is properly being used as (thousand) and we also see the actual Hebrew word shenayim meaning (two), that precedes ‘eleph.

It is very strange that every bible version concerning Daniel 8:14 has been deliberately mistranslated to read (two thousand three hundred days) which would no longer equal three and a half years. Instead, the length of time would be six years and three months.

Or maybe one could assume a day for a year. After all that is what the Millerite movement from which Seventh Day Adventism sprang from did. This twenty three hundred days was to be a big fulfillment of prophecy in 1844, when by somewhat careless means of interpretation actually caused some to depart from the faith after they gave away all of their possessions because they believed they were going to be raptured away at that time. When 1844 came and went it came to be known as (the big disappointment).

What does all of this mean for us? We must be very careful in making loose interpretations of the Word concerning prophecy. There are three important and proven points I have come to understand when studying Biblical prophecy that must be put to the test.

1. Is there other scripture that will back up the giving of a prophecy? (Two or three witnesses)
2. Are there similarities between scriptures in the context and details surrounding the event in question?
3. If there appears to be a contradiction, either the events are not speaking of the same account. Or, there has been an error in the translation. Which, was either accidental or deliberate.

We must continue to test everything and to be faithful stewards of the word of YHVH. As Jeremiah the prophet said surely our fathers have inherited lies. The understanding of the prophetic timeline is very important for the days we are approaching. We must watch that we’re not deceived.

In the book of Ezekiel chapter 8, Ezekiel saw a vision concerning Israel which I believe very closely parallels today’s Christian mindset. They came in the name of the Lord, but did not keep His commandments or walk in His truth. The result of doing this incurred the wrath of God. They were practicing a religion that resembled holiness, but was completely devoid of the truth!

In today’s churches there has been a departing from the meat of the scriptures and has been replaced with a watered down doctrine that is not producing the righteousness of the Christian life required by Scripture. Many pagan  practices Christians observe today, have been inherited from Catholicism. The result of not auditing what is being practiced and taught, opens the doors wide for an acceptance and toleration for sin of every kind.

Because there has not been a proper fear of the Lord, there is growing very little discretion for what is acceptable according to the Word of God. The Bible teaches, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”. If sin is tolerated while God’s commandments are ignored, what do you suppose will be the result?

Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

When preachers choose messages to “tickle the ears” of their congregation by using carefully selected scripture verses, and incorporating entertaining stories to preach an entire sermon; not only is the message changed from the power of the pure Word of God, but it hardens the heart to repentance. The bible warns about doing this:

Jeremiah 5 “For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be on such a nation as this? A great and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so”

The question to ask is, do we care more about what God’s word says or what man’s traditions can teach us? Without true conformity to the Bible, we will stumble in darkness, blinded by the many deceptions of the enemy. People have been put to sleep thinking everything is done for them. Jesus died so we don’t have to do anything, has become the common mindset. Although, Jesus commands His followers to pick up their cross and follow after Him. That cross can be heavy depending on where ones heart rest against the influences of the world.

I would like to show some of these parallels in Ezekiel 8, all of the visions Ezekiel saw had to do with pagan worship in the temple of God. If we choose to believe those messages were only for and about another people in a time long past and are not applicable to us, we will miss a very important warning.

The reason the bible has been so carefully preserved in its entirety is because this is God’s rule book for our life, extending unto all people for all generations being forever valid. The holy scriptures now referred to as “the old testament” are the same scriptures that Jesus quoted from. It was the same words of biblical wisdom that Jesus used to rebuke satan in the wilderness.

When you read the vision in Ezekiel chapter 8, I would ask that you look at this temple in Jerusalem being spoken of, being in direct contrast to the body of the born again believer by which the Holy Spirit in dwells today. The secret places in the temple whereon Ezekiel was commanded to look; as the corners of our heart.

God searches us and proves us by our obedience to Him. As it is written “O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart… ” The law of God has not, nor will ever be made null. It is absolutely necessary that the diligent Christian that desires a personal relationship with Jesus (the Word) learn His laws and apply them to their life. As it states in Romans 2

” For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.”

Ezekiel chapter 8

“And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me. 2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber. 3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. 4 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain. 5 Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.”

Notice between verses 3 and 5 it is speaking of the Lord standing in the door way as he is being mocked in His temple of worship. Remember Jesus said, “Behold I stand at the door and knock” 

6 “He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations. 7 And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall. 8 Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. 9 And he said unto me,Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. 10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about. 11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.”

Here we take note that in verses 7 and 8 that by the representation to the hole in the wall it is not very apparent by outward appearance what is really going on from within because from the surface it has the appearance of “godly”, but a closer look reveals the wicked abominations and idol worship that has been mingled in their practices. This same  imagery would also apply to the lies and traditions Christians cling to today and call righteous. The images and statues of Jesus on the cross or the virgin Mary as well as other religious relics that we look to in worship. Are these not graven images made by the hand of man set up in the holy places? Holidays, such as Christmas and Easter are all traditions of pagan worship. If we believe our bodies to be the temple of God, how much more careful should we be that we not mingle our worship with what was celebrated to pagan gods?

Moving forward with an in depth look at verse 11 in the book of Ezekiel, “Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan” – Shaphan was a scribe of the temple, in the days of Josiah; and Jaazaniah his son succeeded him in this office. He was at the head of this band of idolaters. The religious leaders of that day were responsible for the falling away of God’s people. The same applies today, the elders and leaders of church congregations and people in places of  influence and authority which are involved with any kind of idolatry or practices which were not commanded by God as a way to worship Him, will receive the greater condemnation for leading the people astray. Remember, the Bible tells us that God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

Ezekiel 12 “Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, the LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth. 13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. 14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’s house which was toward the north; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. 15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this O son of man? turn thee yet again and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.”

Verse 14 is in reference to Tammuz an idol of worship in cult practice, the dead Tammuz was widely mourned in the Ancient Near East. Locations associated in antiquity with the site of his death include both Harran and Byblos, among others. Beginning with the summer solstice came a time of mourning in the Ancient Near East, as in the Aegean: the Babylonians marked the decline in daylight hours and the onset of killing summer heat and drought with a six-day “funeral” for the god. He was the annual life-death-rebirth deity.

One can see how this closely parallels the religious practices of things that are not scripturally sound. Although, through traditional acceptance. These teachings have been brought into common practice. Christians celebrate Christmas as the birth of Christ when that is not scripturally sound and mix Santa Clause within the frame work, which “Saint Nick”, taken from the name “old Nick” which according to the English dictionary, was a name used for the devil, or satan.

Ezekiel 16 “And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house and behold at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshiped the sun toward the east.”

The worship of the sun is an ancient practice dating back to the time of Nimrod and continues on to this very day! I can see how verse 16 could closely parallel the rejection of the true Sabbath of the Lord, and replaced with a “chosen” day of worship, which ironically is called Sunday. Or the venerable day of the sun, as Constantine stated when he decreed that be the chosen day of worship for Chritians in his edict of Milan. During the time of the Roman Empire, in the year 46BC, as these sun worship practices had been learned from the Greeks; Julius Caesar decreed a new lunar calendar called the Julian calendar. This calendar had the worship of the Egyptian sun god on a Sunday. In the year 325AD during the reign of Constantine, the Roman empire made a law that commanded and forced the Christian movement to change their day of worship from the 7th day and move it to the first day of the week, or Sunday (the day dedicated to the sun god).

Ezekiel chapter 8 finishes out,

“Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and lo they put the branch to their nose. 18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.

When people come to the knowledge of the truth, they then have a responsibility to act upon that understanding. Let us not harden our hearts like the religious leaders of Israel, who led a whole nation into captivity because of their insistence on worshipping God their own way.

A study of the Sabbath and Appointed days of YHVH.

This exegetical study is for the purpose of bringing clarity to what has been concealed and corrupted through translation and church doctrine. And to show that the idea of a “Sunday Sabbath” was never conceived of in the time of these writings.

I would like to begin this study of the Sabbath in the sixth chapter of Luke to show a comparison of the Greek transcripts.

Luke 6:1

“And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.”

We see here in the reading of Luke 6:1 (deuteroprotos sabbaton deuteroprotos) in the Greek is translated as the second Sabbath after the first. Why? Because from the Jewish perspective they were always in the habit of clocking all things around the “Appointed Times”. What the second Sabbath represents, is the count down of seven Sabbaths to the commanded feast of Pentecost.

As in the Strongs translation below you can see the literal meaning of (dueteroprotos) is the second of the first Sabbaths after the Passover.

Many have made assumptions as to why the first day of the week should be kept holy giving examples such as what we read in the book of Acts 20:7:

“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 is the Greek translation to that verse.

(Mia Sabbaton) is translated as “first day of the week”. If the author of Acts wanted to convey “first day of the week”, he would have used the Greek word (hemera) for the word “day”.

The New Testament was written in the Koine Greek. The words have not changed to this day. The Greek words that would have been used for “first day of the week” in the Koine Greek would have been,
(prote hemera tis hebdomadal)

The Greek word “hepta” means seven. Which is where the Greek word “hebdomadal” comes from which means “week”.
The word for seven and days is used in the verse just above in Acts 20:6

The word (Mia) in the Greek means “One” as in a sequential order. And the word (Sabbaton) means “Sabbath” so the proper translation would be “On the first Sabbath” considering this was just after the days of unleavened bread this would have referred to the counting down of the Sabbaths until Pentecost. Looking again at Acts 20:6 it reads:

“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.”

The days of unleavened bread are just after the Passover. To get a better understanding of the time of year and how it relates to the commanded feast days let’s take a look at Leviticus 23

“And YHVH spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of YHVH, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; you shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the YHVH in all your dwellings.
These are the feasts of YHVH, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month in the evening is YHVH’s passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the YHVH: seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YHVH seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
And the YHVH spoke 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 YHVH, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days”

So we see after the high Sabbath of the first day of unleavened bread there was to be a wave offering and then seven Sabbaths are to be counted, counting down to the day of Pentecost.

This pattern was a for shadowing of Christ as we will see from the gospel accounts.

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith YHVH:”

We need to establish a few facts between what the scriptures actually say and what has been assumed by many that have lacked the understanding of what is written in the Torah.
As Solomon writes in Proverbs 6:23

“For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and correction in instruction are the way of life:”

If we do not understand and do His commandments how can we be a light (truth) to others? If we don’t have light, we walk in darkness (ignorance)
No where in the scriptures does it say Yeshua was crucified on a Friday. So what day did Yeshua resurrect? This answer hinges on the very reason that 95% of Christians the world over set aside a day of worship that was never commanded. Let the truth be known, scripture tells us that our Messiah was resurrected on the Sabbath.
Compare the following verses from the Concordant literal translation:

Matthew 28

“Now it is the evening of the sabbaths. At the lighting up into one of the sabbaths came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to behold the sepulcher.”

Mark 16

“And, for the passing of the sabbath, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, buy spices, that, coming, they should be rubbing Him.
2 And, very early in the morning on one of the sabbaths, they are coming to the tomb at the rising of the sun.”

Luke 24

“Now in the early depths of one of the sabbaths, they, and certain others together with them, came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they make ready. Now they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.”

John 20

“Now, on one of the sabbaths, Miriam Magdalene is coming to the tomb in the morning, there being still darkness, and is observing the stone taken away from the door of the tomb.”

The reason the literal translation translated all of these Gospel accounts as Sabbath is because that is what it reads in the Greek (mia ton Sabbaton) sound familiar? Let’s take a journey deeper into the Scriptures and see why the Greek would render it (Sabbath)

Remember the only sign Yeshua would give to that generation, was the sign of Jonah being in the whale’s belly and the period of time he was there.
Matthew 14:40

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the earth.”

Notice the time of year it was, in John 18:28 it records:

“Then they led Yeshua from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.”

Then again in John 19:14-15 it reads:

“And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him.”

We see that it was the preparation of the Passover, which takes place in the evening of the 14th day of the first month. The scripture do not leave us without witnesses of the truth. We see the pattern of the perfect story of redemption through the feasts of the YHVH. 

Yeshua truly is our Passover lamb which was sacrificed for us on the day of the Passover.

The next day after the Passover meal is the first day of unleavened bread which is a high Sabbath as John also records in John 19:31

“The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,)”

They knew that the body could not remain up on the cross on the high Sabbath day of unleavened bread.
The shadow of this in prophecy was how the Passover lamb was to be eaten at Passover. It was to be roasted with fire and every bit of it consumed that night and none of it was to remain until the morning.

I will show you according to the Torah how the plain text in Greek makes perfect sense.

Mark 16:1 gives us another clue

“And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him”

The Sabbath that passed was the high Sabbath of unleavened bread. The next day, (which would be ‘Friday’ in today’s calendar) they went and bought the spices and prepared them. This was also known as the preparation day for the ‘weekly’ Sabbath. Then they would rest on the seventh day Sabbath according to the commandment.

Consider, Joseph of Arimathea placed Yeshua in the cave just before sundown, how much more time would the women have needed to go into town to buy spices, and prepare them?

The synoptic gospels show that when Joseph took Yeshua down from the stake, the women followed him to see where he would place the body. They then returned to their homes and observed the high holy day Sabbath, the Passover evening and first day of Unleavened Bread. The day following the Passover meal was the first day of unleavened bread, a holy day in which the shops in Jerusalem would have been closed. The scriptures record the women went and bought spices and oil, and prepared them for use on Yeshua’s body.

The chief priests’ and Pharisees’ own fears and determination to set a watch for three days over the tomb proves that Yeshua did NOT say He would be only two nights and one day in the tomb, but three days and three nights! When those who had Him put to death reminded the Roman authorities of this statement, His tomb was not only sealed, but several Roman soldiers were required to remain there!

Matthew 27:62-65

“Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can”.

What do we see from all of this? The scriptures clearly state that the day after Yeshua was crucified was the high Sabbath of unleavened bread. It also shows in Mark 16:1 that the women bought and prepared the spices which any market in Jerusalem would have been closed from the evening of the Passover as well as the following day of unleavened bread in which the Torah commands that no work is to be done.

Remember Yeshua said the ONLY sign that would be given to that generation was the sign of Jonah (three days and three nights) Scripture will not contradict itself on such an important point so let’s count and see how this works out in harmony with the text.

The evening of Passover
(the first night)
the day of unleavened bread
(the first day)
The night of the first day of unleavened bread
(the second night)
then was the preparation day for the weekly Sabbath which would have been ‘Friday’
(the second day)
then ‘Friday’ night
(the third night)
then Sabbath morning
(the third day)

Conclusion: The only day we are commanded to remember is the one that has been forgotten. The day that was called the sign of the covenant has been despised. The seventh day was sanctified and made Holy in the beginning. Was reiterated to Israel for forty years in the wilderness when they received a double portion of the manna on the sixth day and upon every seventh day the manna did not fall. YHVH told Moses that it was to be a sign and an everlasting covenant forever, throughout all generations.

Yeshua tells us in Matthew 5 that until heaven and earth pass away, nothing shall be altered in the Torah. Let no one deceive you. The holy One of Israel is the same yesterday today and forever.