When Does the Day Begin?
By Voy Wilks
4/18/91
The Sabbath of Yahweh begins at sunset and ends 24 hours later at sunset. Remember the days as revealed in Genesis chapter one? Each and every 24–hour day started with evening: "And the evening and the morning were the first day" (Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, etc.).
In the book of Leviticus we learn that the unclean were to bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until evening, that is, sunset (Deut. 23:11; Lev. 22:6, 7).
Ahab died in the evening, at sunset (1 Kings 22:35, 36; 2 Chr.18:34).
At a later time, Scriptures indicate the same time of day (sunset) as the end of one day and, therefore, the beginning of another day. Yahshua the Messiah went into the city of Capernaum and taught on the Sabbath day (Mk. 1:21, 22). After leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon Peter and healed Peter's mother-in-law. It was proper to heal on the Sabbath, but Jewish authorities did not accept this view, so most people did not bring their sick to be healed until after the Sabbath was past, indicated in the following words:
"That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. … And he healed many …" (Mk. 1:32-34 RSV).
Luke makes the same point.
"Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them" (Lk. 4:40 RSV).
The setting sun ended the Sabbath. Afterward the people felt free to ask Yahshua to heal their sick.
The Messiah died about the ninth hour of the day [3 p.m.] (Mt. 27:46). This was the preparation day for the High Annual Sabbath (Abib 15), therefore the Jews did not want Yahshua's body to remain on the tree on the Sabbath day (John 19:31). Joseph and his friend took Yahshua down from the tree and dressed him for burial between 3 p.m. and sunset (John 19:38-41).
"So because of the Jewish day of Preparation [for the High Annual Sabbath], as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Yahshua there" (John 19:42 RSV).
"And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on" (Lk. 23:54 KJV).
All these Scriptures combined make it abundantly clear that the Savior was buried (hurriedly) late on the preparation day, just minutes before the Sabbath began. Sunset was the dividing line between the preparation day and the Sabbath day. Since a new day begins at the instant the old day ends, the above considerations locate accurately the boundary of each and every Sabbath, therefore the beginning and ending of each and every day. This is clearly shown in other Scriptures as well.
"It [the Day of Atonement] shall be a sabbath of entire rest for you, and you must abstain and fast: from sunset on the ninth day to sunset on the tenth day you shall hold your sabbath" (Lev. 23:32 Moffatt Version).
"And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death … and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall bury him the SAME DAY, …" (Deut. 21:22, 23 RSV).
" … Joshua, who hung him on a tree till evening; at sunset Joshua ordered his body to be taken down from the tree. …" (Josh. 8:29 Moffatt Version).
"Then Joshua … hung them on five trees, and on the trees they remained hanging till evening. At SUNSET Joshua ordered the bodies to be taken down from the trees …" (Josh. 10:26, 27 Moffatt Version).
These Scriptures clearly indicate the 24-hour day begins at sunset. If the ordinary day does so, then the Sabbath also begins at sunset. In the book of Genesis it is recorded that the Sabbath began after the sixth day had ended.
"And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day Elohim finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. So Elohim blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it Elohim rested from all his work which he had done in creation" (Gen. 1:31-2:3 RSV).
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