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What part responsibility do I take upon myself
towards creating a Seventh-day Adventist
community
characterized by free
speech
while seriously focusing upon, and
growing with, the truths discernable within the Word of God?
Statement of belief: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17
KJV)
Created 5928± 06 26 2024 [2008-9-27]
Updated 5941[(?)] 07 22 2027 [2010-10-31]
Updated 5925[(*??*)]
01 02 2029 [2013-04-13] – Added links (1, 2, 3) to my 4 Gospel
Synopsis
Updated 5925[(*??*)]
01 06 2029 [2013-04-17] – Added a footnote
re Strong’s G1207.
Updated 5925[(*??*)]
01 12 2029 [2013-04-21] – Revised footnote
re Strong’s G1207.
Updated 5925[(*??*)]
04 04 2029 [2013-07-14] – Revised the last two
paragraphs re ’betwixt.’
24 Courses of Priests and Levites
Facts and Considerations re the Timing of Each of
their
Abstract:
A firm dating of the course of Abijah and the birth of
John the Baptist (cf. 1,
2)
referenced in Luke 1:5, 23 and re the plucking of grain by Yeshua and his
disciples on the Second-First Shabbat (cf. 1, 2)
referenced in Luke 6:1 has now been established.
For instance, I have found
a firm date for the beginning of the 1st course of priestly
temple services such that all questions re how the three annual Feasts were
being handled are seemingly now being naturally resolved without recourse to
any delay or complication as to the numbering of the priestly eight day cycles
of service.
. . . . . . .
Although it has been for me a long and winding
road before arriving at this certain point of my discoveries, I believe the
simple and straightforward answers to each and all questions re the timing of
the 24 courses of priests and Levites servicing the temple throughout the year,
are as follows:
The month given the name “the First Moon,” i.e. Aviv,
as in the Hebrew word ‘rishon,’ meaning ‘foremost,’ is the month being used for
tuning each and every year to the seasons, and without fail. It is the focal
point of the Scripture year, the month in the very middle of the year, with six
month before since the beginning of the year and with six months behind unto
the end of the year. It stands to reason that “the First Course” is the one
beginning in the month with the same name, “the first month.”[1]
The focal point of Month #1 is the aviv, and the focal
point of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is the Seventh-day Sabbath upon which,
yet again, in the very middle of the 24 hours, that is, in the early morning of
the Sabbath, the sacrifice of the Omer is being brought. This Sabbath is the
foundation of the entire Scripture calendar, it is the base upon which all of
the remainder of the Counting of Omer rests. It is the accession day before the
subsequent seven weeks where the Seventh Shabbat constitutes the Feast of
Sabbaths, that is, the Day of Pentecost. In the count of fifty the Seventh Day
Sabbath including the morning of the Waving of the Sheaf, Hag HaOmer, is the
first day, and the Seventh Day Sabbath of Pentecost, aka. Feast of Weeks, aka.
Day of Sabbaths, is the fiftieth day. More…
It is only self-evident that the first-first Course of
Priests begins their service at the beginning of the Sabbath of the Omer and
continues until and including the next Sabbath.[2]
I don’t find any mention in the Scriptures for any
complicated splitting of services over two weeks due to whichever Feast Days
when priests from other courses join in as needed, and I don’t believe there is
any reason for thus complicating the schedule or the reckoning of courses.
Thusly numbering the courses of priests, there will be full harmony between the
numbers assigned to the weeks of Omer and the numbered Courses of Priests. No
reason for confusion!... Thus, the 1st Course of Priests do their
duty through the end of the 1st Sabbath cycle, the 2nd
Course of Priests do their duty through the end of the 2nd Sabbath
cycle, etc., even through the end of the 24th Sabbath cycle. When
the 24th Course of Priests has completed their course, they are
replaced by the 1st Course. What could be more natural? When this
happens to coincide with the last week before the First-First or the
Second-First Course, then so be it! Isn’t their time cut short anyhow by an
intermediary seven days of either the Feast of Unleavened Bread or of the Feast
of Tabernacles?! No need for feeling robbed of a blessing or for having to
serve double duty, is there? Some will be more blessed than others perhaps,
that is, when there is an extra leap month added to the year. But then, isn’t
it only good that some are getting extra training for matters of special
importance?!!!
The priests of the Second-First course naturally begin
their service at the beginning of the Seventh-day Sabbath within the Feast of
Tabernacles, thus mirroring the procedure during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Indeed, this is exactly what I find being confirmed by the New Testament
record, where I find clear evidence through the multiple witnesses of several
of the Gospel writers re this particular:
1.
Luke 6:1 provides for us the reference to the courses, that is, by the
Greek word “δευτεροπρωτω” meaning “Second-First” and referencing the 1st
course of cycle #2 of the priests.
2.
Shem Tov’s Hebrew Matthew 12:9 is providing (cf. 1, 2) that this
same event is an event at the very point of the beginning of the year, that is,
by means of the Hebrew word ‘ketz,’ which word has been thoroughly
misunderstood and mistranslated, but which word, upon a thorough Scripture word
study has been found to point to the very beginning of something, not to
the end of something – though, as all can see, this point in time in a cyclical
event such as the year will coincide one with the other, and thus the
confusion… While considering this particular eight day cycle of priestly
services, beginning with the Seventh-day Sabbath within the Feast of
Tabernacles, well, this priestly week of temple services, this cycle of eight
days (1+7=8,) will necessarily spill over into the beginning of the Scripture
year which begins with the day labeled Tishri 22, the 22nd day of
the 7th month of the Scripture year. Thus, the corresponding week,
the seven day cycle within the eight day course, will indeed be also the 1st
week, albeit, in most years, an incomplete week, of the new Scripture year.
. . . . . . .
Naturally, the last considerations above resolve any
and all matters re dating, e.g. the 8th course of Abijah, and the
Second-First Sabbath, etc… while contributing also very much to the
overall layout of the Scripture calendar as applied upon the events relayed in
the Gospels re the years of Yeshua’s ministry.
Further considerations:
Re Zacharias and the course of Abia:
Luke 1:5 (KJV) "There
was in the days of Herod, the king of
Luke 1:23 (TLT) AndG2532 it came
to pass,G1096 that, in that mannerG5613 were concludedG4130 theG3588 daysG2250 of hisG846
ministrationG3009 and he
departedG565 toG1519 his ownG848 house.G3624
Luke 1:23 (KJV)
AndG2532 it came to pass,G1096 that,
as soon asG5613 theG3588 daysG2250 of hisG846
ministrationG3009 were accomplished,G4130 he
departedG565 toG1519 his ownG848 house.G3624
Re
the season of the Second-First course of priestly services:
Luk 6:1(KJV) “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…”
The priests followed an annual service calendar
established since the days of king David and Samuel, the prophet. Each family
of priests was on duty at the temple one certain eight day period every
semi-year, from Sabbath to Sabbath [i.e. from sunset one Friday until darkness
eight days later:]
“David… divided them also into courses: and
when he had separated the priests from them, he found of these priests
twenty-four courses, sixteen of the house of Eleazar, and eight of that of
Ithamar; and he ordained that one course should minister to God eight days,
from sabbath to sabbath. And thus were the courses distributed by lot, in
the presence of David, and Zadok and Abiathar the high priests, and of all the
rulers; and that course which came up first was written down as the first, and
accordingly the second, and so on to the twenty-fourth; and this partition
hath remained to this day. He also made twenty-four parts of the tribe of
Levi; and when they cast lots, they came up in the same manner for their
courses of eight days.” (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 7,
Chapter 14:7. Cf. Josephus, The life of Flavius Josephus, paragraph #1.
Cf. also Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: 2 Kings 11:4-12; 1 Chr
24:1-19.)
The priests
were divided into twenty-four courses, and a full and accurate record was made
regarding this division. Each course was thoroughly organized under its chief,
and each was to come to
The
Levites, whose duty it was to assist in the sanctuary service, were organized
and allotted their part with similar precision (RH Oct. 5, 1905). {3BC 1128.5}
The statement of Earnest L. Martin, re the first course
beginning within the last Shabbat of the preceding month, finds its resolution
upon the within discoveries re the beginning of the Scripture year. That is,
the beginning of the Second-first cycle begins with the last Seventh-day
Sabbath prior to the Scripture year beginning with Tishri 22 (cf. Earnest L. Martin, “The Star that
Astonished the World,” chapter 5, Part 1 & 2.)
Re Aviv 10 and the date given in Ezekiel 40:1, “in the
beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month,” (which dates may be considered also in conjunction
with Ezekiel 43:18-27 & 45:18-23), I believe that there may well be reasons
for perceiving Ezekiel’s use of the words “בראשׁ
השׁנה,” “the beginning of the year,” as possibly referencing
the seventh month and not necessarily the month of Abib.
That the first course of the first cycle of the
twenty-four courses began in Aviv and not at the time of the biblical new year
beginning with the Eight Day following the Feast of Tabernacles should be clear
from Exodus 40:2, 13-16, though apparently this arrangement of twenty-four
courses was established by Samuel and king David (1 Chr 9:22) and then
reestablished by Ezra (Ezra 2:36-39. Cf. also 1 Chr. 27:1-2.)
Earnest L. Martin’s statements re skipping course counts during the Feast days and extra Shabbats
might perhaps at first sight seem reasonable, that is, prior to a recognition
re the 1st course beginning with the Sabbath of the Omer
Sacrifice. Cf. Acts 13:42:
“The nextG3342 Sabbath” (KJV;) Earnest L. Martin’s suggests “the betwixt
Sabbath,” but I am now convinced that a more correct translation is “the
ensuing Sabbath hours,” that is, following a meeting on Sabbath eve [Friday
night,] further meetings were being requested for the remainder of the same
Sabbath the following morning:
Strong’s G3342:
“From G3326 and a
form of G4862; betwixt (of place or person); (of time) as
adjective intervening, or (by implication) adjoining.”)
Luke 6:1: “σαββατωG4521 N-DSN δευτεροπρωτωG1207 A-DSN.”
However, Earnest L. Martin’s statement to the effect that all the
priest families cooperated in the services during those special times of the
year seems sustained. Cf. 2 Chr. 5:11:
“for all the priests that were present
were sanctified, and did not then wait by course…”
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