WHAT IS A BIBLICAL WEEK?
What is a biblical week? So far during this series of searching for the true ancient biblical calendar, we have looked at the luminaries that rule the year, the month, the days.
We seek to find out which one of the sun or the moon rules each respective period of time. Today, we examine the week.
Let me just say, that in searching for the true ancient biblical calendar, I have found some interesting details. What if I tell you that there are actually 3 different biblical weeks?!
Let me show you each of them in turn.
WEEK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT – SEVEN YEARS
First, from the Torah (the law), it tells us that a week is referred to as seven years.
Gen 29:27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
The term “seven other years” plainly tells us that the week aforementioned in the verse is seven years. but let’s see proof in the meaning from the word “week” in the concordance.
week
H7620
שְׁבֻעָה שָׁבֻעַ שָׁבוּעַ
shâbûa‛ shâbûa‛ shebû‛âh
shaw-boo’-ah, shaw-boo’-ah, sheb-oo-aw’
Properly passive participle of H7650 as a denominative of H7651; literally sevened, that is, a week (specifically of years): – seven, week.
Total KJV occurrences: 19
Additionally, let us go to another witness, in this case, the book of Jubilees. This book almost exclusively refers to this meaning of a week being seven years. Almost always in the book of Jubilees, the week refers to seven years.
Jubilees 8:1 In the twenty-ninth jubilee, in the first week, [1373 A.M.] in the beginning thereof Arpachshad took to himself a wife and her name was Rasu’eja, the daughter of Susan, the daughter of Elam, and she bare him a son in the third year in this week, [1375 A.M.] and he called his name Kainam.
The term “in the third year in this week” is direct evidence for a week being the seven years.
WEEK IN THE NEW TESTAMENT – SABBATON
Ironically, in the new testament, a week refers to something completely different from that of the old testament!
Specifically, the word translated as week in the new testament is unrelated to the 7 year week in the old testament.
So in the old testament we have the word “shabua” which means basically 7 years. In the new testament, the week is related to the sabbath, not years.
Mat_28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
Take a look at the same verse (Matthew 28:1) with Strong’s numbers. Notice that sabbath and week are the same number G4521.
Mat 28:1 In the end(G3796) of the sabbath,G4521 as it began to dawnG2020 towardG1519 the firstG3391 day of the week,G4521 cameG2064 MaryG3137 MagdaleneG3094 andG2532 theG3588 otherG243 MaryG3137 to seeG2334 theG3588 sepulchre.G5028
Now what does G4521 mean?
G4521
σάββατον
sabbaton
sab’-bat-on
Of Hebrew origin [H7676]; the Sabbath (that is, Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension a se’nnight, that is, the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications: – sabbath (day), week.
Total KJV occurrences: 68
This refers to the sabbath and also the se’nnight (the interval between two sabbaths).
What this fundamentally means is that the first day of the week is the day after the sabbath. Most importantly? The period from one sabbath to another is called a week.
Most importantly, the week, as it is on the Gregorian calendar, is not necessarily in syncronicity with the month. This is because the moon governs the month, but the week is governed by the sun.
What do I mean? The sun’s year is 364 days and is divided into four season of thirteen weeks each, making it fifty two weeks of seven days each (week/sabbaton – G4521).
The moon’s year on the other hand is 354 days, which is not divisible by seven.
So lunar sabbath keepers believe a biblical week to be referring to the lunar sabbath week. However, they achieve this week by adding to the word. How? Our post entitled “Does Biblical Sabbath Use Days Of The Sun Or Moon?” tells us how they add to the word.
WEEKS OF DAYS (7 DAYS)
In the book of Jubilees, this number seven is emphasized through the term “weeks of days.” This was explicitly letting us know that this was not speaking about seven years, but seven days.
Jubilees3:11 But in the case of a female child she shall remain in her uncleanness two weeks of days, according to the first two weeks, and sixty-six days in the blood of her purification, and they will be in all eighty days.’
This “weeks of days” is the same seven day cycle that the Most High instituted as his shabbath in the beginning.
Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day Aluah ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3 And Aluah blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which Aluah created and made.
WHAT IS A BIBLE WEEK? CONCLUSION
So what is a bible week? The week of seven years is mentioned in the book of Genesis as well as in the book of Daniel.
Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
However, in the same book of Daniel, he also spoke of the week of seven days.
Dan 10:3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
So, bottom line?
A week consists of sevens. Whether seven years or seven days, a week is based on the Most High’s perfect number, the number seven.
That is what is critical for us to understand as we strive to figure out the true ancient biblical calendar. It is even more so important in figuring out the sabbath and deciding whether or not a lunar sabbath is scriptural.
