If we look at the sequence of the feasts represented in the Bible there is no 8. There is 7 days, 7 weeks, seven months, seven years and there is no 8, so why a celebration of an 8th day?
A butterfly has a wonderful life. It does not have a care in the world, fluttering on the breeze from perch to perch, enjoying nectar. There is no way that a caterpillar could imagine the wonderful future that it has in store when it forms that pupa and waits for its emergence in its new form. Caterpillars can barely see at all. They have simple eyes called ocelli, which can only differentiate dark from light but they cannot form an image. On the other hand butterflies have two amazing eyes called compound eyes because they have many lenses. That means butterflies can see many different things in many directions all at the same time, and their tiny brains are able to make sense of it so that they land on a flower and find the nectar. Butterflies may not have a vision that is as sharp as a human's but their eyes beat ours by far in other ways. Their visual fields are larger, they are better at perceiving fast-moving objects, and they can distinguish ultraviolet and polarized light. The world that a butterfly sees must be amazing.
That is the point of the eighth day. We are like the caterpillar and cannot see the world that is there for us during the eighth day. I Corinthians 13:12 [KJV] says, For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known
. That scripture is speaking of our future after the resurrection and it applies to all our future. We will never know all that God has in store for us, we just know that it will be wonderful.
The Eighth Month
The only month name given to Israel was Nisan/Abib or Aviv: Exodus 13:4 [KJV], This day came ye out in the month Abib
, which ultimately comes from the Sumerian nisag
meaning first fruits
. God begins His year in the spring and it continues for seven months when He celebrates a new beginning. The other calendar that the Jews use came out of Babylonian captivity. That is when the months and days were given Babylonian names instead of the numbers which originally identified them. It is true that the Autumn/Fall season marks the end of the harvest year but that also begins a Jewish new year. That year was also started when Israel came out of captivity and is the civil year. Abib is called Nisan in the Book of Esther and later in the Talmud, which calls it the New Year (Hebrew Rosh HaShana
means new year) for kings and pilgrimages. Nisan usually falls in March–April on the Gregorian calendar, which is the standard calendar of the eurocentric world. If we counted from 1 Tishrei (the civil new year out of Babylon, not the new year from the Exodus) then Abib would be the seventh month (eighth, in a leap year). The period between the end of one religious/ecclesiastical year and the beginning of the next is inconsistent and one could even say indeterminate, because of the difference between the solar cycles and the lunar cycles. The way that God has set up the years leaves the remainder of the year after the seventh month as a type of eighth month of undefined
length for another cycle of seven, bringing us to another beginning. Considering it to be like a month would make it way longer than any month and it is not annually consistent because of the nineteen year time cycle. That period between the last festival month and the first month given to Israel (Exodus 12:2, 14, Exodus 13:4) can easily represent the period of new beginnings where the year goes into its darkest period during winter. That could represent the obscurity of the future. The main point is that in the seventh month God completes the work of the annual cycle which begins in the spring, and what happens after those seven months is something new.
The Eighth Day
All things devoted to God began their new existence on the eighth day.
Exodus 22:29-30 (KJV) Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.30Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.
Israel began their official existence as a Church dedicated to God on the eighth day. All of the regulations were established and then on the eighth day the altar and the priests and the congregation were cleansed and began a new existence as worshippers of YHWH.
Leviticus 9:1-7 (KJV) And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;2And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.3And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering;4Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and a meat offering mingled with oil: for to day the LORD will appear unto you.5And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD.6And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the LORD shall appear unto you.7And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the LORD commanded.
Male Jewish babies had a new beginning as part of God's people with circumcision on the eighth day.
Leviticus 12:1-5 (KJV) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,2Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.3And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.4And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.5But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.
A leper became clean on the eighth day after being presented to the priest and was able to rejoin the congregation of God in a new life.
Leviticus 14:1-11, 21-23 (KJV) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,2This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:3And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;4Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:5And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:6As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:7And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.8And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.9But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.10And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.11And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: . . . 21And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil;22And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.23And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD.
There were certain problems for which men and women became ritually unclean. In either case they remained unclean for seven days and only on the eighth day could they begin anew as a member of the congregation that could participate in worshipping God. For males
Leviticus 15:13-18 (KJV) And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.14And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest:15And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his issue.16And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.17And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.18The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.
Cleansing women's issues.
Leviticus 15:28-33 (KJV) But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.29And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.30And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness.31Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.32This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith;33And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.
Live sacrifices dedicated to the LORD could not be offered unless they were eight days old. They began a new existence as holy on the eighth day.
Leviticus 22:26-27 (KJV) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,27When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
A child was given a name and began a life as that person in the congregation on the eighth day.
Luke 1:57-66 (KJV) Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.58And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.59And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.60And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.61And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.62And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.63And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.65And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.66And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
If a nazarite became defiled he or she had to start over on the on the eighth day.
Numbers 6:1-12 (KJV) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:3He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.4All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.5All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.6All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.7He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.8All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.9And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.10And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:11And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day.12And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.
The eighth year
The sabbatical year, also called the sabbath year or shǝvi'it (meaning seventh
), is the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Bible. The name Sabbatical year (Hebrew: shmita
meaning release
or a year let go
) has to do with God's rest that was given to the Earth; during Shmita no formal agricultural practices are allowed. Whatever crops grow are free for all but may not be sold or harvested. It is first mentioned in the book of Exodus.
Exodus 23:10-11 [KJV] And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: 11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
The eighth year marked a new rotation for crops. God promised bounty from the sixth year that would more than compensate for the year that the land rested. In the eighth year they started fresh.
Leviticus 25:18-22 (KJV) Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety.19And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety.20And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:21Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.22And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store.
The eighth year was also the remission rear or year of release.
Deuteronomy 15:1-6 [KJV] At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. 2 And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD’S release. 3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release; 4 Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it: 5 Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day. 6 For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
It began with a solemn service during Sukkot in the seventh year. Since Sukkot marks the end of the ecclesiastical year it was the end of the year from God's perspective.
Deuteronomy 31:10-13 [KJV] And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, 11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: 13 And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
The command was confirmed hundreds of years later by Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 34:13-14 [KJV] Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying, 14 At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear.
II Chronicles 36:20-21 [KJV] And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: 21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
The Captivity and Restoration
The captivity had begun with Egypt but Nebuchadnezzar took control of Jerusalem three years later. Eight years after he took over, Jerusalem suffered the first major deportation. This is when the cream of the crop was deported to Babylon and the phase climaxed with the destruction of the Temple.
2 Kings 24:10-16 (KJV) At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.11And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.12And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.13And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.14And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.15And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.16And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.
Israel remained in captivity for seventy years (Jeremiah 29:1-14). Both seven and ten are numbers of completion hence the captivity was symbolically complete. At first only the nobles were taken to Egypt or later Babylon, and became separated from the Temple and hence presence of God, but eventually all Israel had to go. During the eighth cycle of ten they were released to start a new life as free persons able to worship YHWH at the tabernacle by the decree of Cyrus. Israel had another new beginning as free men.
It began with the decree of Cyrus in Ezra 1.
Ezra 1:1-4 [KJV] Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. 4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.
After the Exile
Israel was instructed in how to renew their service to the Lord when they came out of captivity. Some of the instructions would have applied to the captivity under Nebuchadnezzar but some apply to a future renewal. As a matter of fact the focus is on the Millennium and the temple is often called the Millennial Temple. Ezekiel was given a message from God fourteen years after the destruction of Jerusalem. It starts at Ezekiel 40. By the end of Ezekiel 43 he could talk about bringing the sacrificial altar back into service. A temple with these dimensions was never actually constructed however it is almost certain that Ezra and the returning captives followed these instructions on how to renew their relationship with God. The new altar was to come back into service on the eighth day allowing them to have a new beginning in serving their Lord.
Ezekiel 43:18-27 (KJV) And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.19And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord GOD, a young bullock for a sin offering.20And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it.21Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary.22And on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse it with the bullock.23When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.24And thou shalt offer them before the LORD, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering unto the LORD.25Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.26Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.27And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.
But up to the twentieth year of Artaxerxes they could not get the walls of Jerusalem built for the opposition that they had to endure.
Nehemiah 2:1-4 [KJV] And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. 2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, 3 And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? 4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Nisan is the month of Passover and is the first month to God. That is when Nehemiah got the go-ahead and he set about getting the project finished.
Nehemiah 4:1-2 [KJV] But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
Nehemiah 6:15 [KJV] So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
They were able to complete the wall and secure themselves from unnecessary disruption.
Nehemiah 7:73 [KJV] So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.
So by the time of Sukkot they were settled and could worship in peace but the cycle of serving God through His feasts was missing. That year they rediscovered Sukkot and had a grand celebration.
Nehemiah 8:16-18 (KJV) So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.17And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.18Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
Nisan is the first month and Sukkot is in the seventh month. Sukkot marks the ending of the year from God's perspective and from then they entered into a new relationship from the eighth month. After the captivity a new beginning in service to God began in the eighth month.
Other New Beginnings
The Creation
God spent six days creating the earth and everything on it. On the seventh day He rested giving everything an opportunity to start fresh as a complete new creation on the eighth day.
Exodus 20:11 (KJV) For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
The Flood
A new beginning with Noah started with eight persons.
2 Peter 2:3-6 (KJV) And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;5And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;6And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
The Covenant of the circumcision
The first person born under the covenant was Isaac circumcised the eighth day.
Acts 7:8-16 (KJV) And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.9And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,10And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.11Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.12But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.13And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.14Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.15So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,16And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
Solomon's reign
Solomon's reign is a type for living in the millennium under the rule of Christ. The celebration covered a feast of two seven day periods. The first seven days were devoted to dedicating the altar and the second seven were the Feast of Tabernacles but there was only one eighth day.
1 Kings 8:62-66 (KJV) And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.63And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.64The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.65And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.66On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.
2 Chronicles 7:8-11 (KJV) Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt.9And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.10And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.11Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.
Starting from the top
When I first conceived of, and wrote this article I did not have this section. It reminds me how we tend to take things for granted. Starting from the top can have different meanings. If it is a rehearsal then it means repeating the practice from the beginning. If it is a job it means starting from a position of advantage, with perks and benefits, and moving upwards. Life in the new heaven and earth will always have new beginnings starting at the top like how it applies to a job. It is built on the society developed in the Millennium. See how this is brought out in the sacrifices. It is written in Numbers 29 but I will not repeat the whole chapter here just some highlights.
Numbers 29:32-38 [KJV]And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: 33 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 34 And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering. 35 On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein: 36 But ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: one bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish: 37 Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 38 And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
You will notice that I copied out the transition from the seventh to the eighth day. In verse 1 it began by describing the Fall harvest. On Trumpets and Atonement the offering was identical. They offered one bullock, one lamb etc. Tabernacles began differently.
Numbers 29:13-14 [KJV] And ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish: 14 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams,
There were 13 bullocks to begin with and they dropped back down to the situation with Trumpets and Atonement on the eighth day. The eighth day is its own feast but it is built on the bounty of Tabernacles. I am not sure what the significance of the bulls is. Burnt offerings were completely consumed on the altar. I have a discussion on various offerings in an article called Sacrifices. I am not sure that I understand why they started at thirteen and steadily came down but I do understand that seven means complete. With the 7,000 years ending with the Millennium the process was complete (a process of seven is a complete process) and completed in the 7th and final millennium with the sacrifice of bulls totalling seven. With the other feasts there is a gap but the Eighth Day is built on the last day of Tabernacles and to me that says something. There is nothing that says that the new society will begin with two like how it did with Adam and Eve. I have every reason to expect that it will be many more and that they will be taught advanced technology from the beginning to make life as easy as possible. I imagine air-ships (made with Neon) and sea ships both solar powered.
The Eighth Day and Living Water
Heraclitus was an ancient Greek philosopher from the city of Ephesus, which was then part of the Persian Empire. He is reported to have said No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man
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John 4:10-14 [KJV] Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
So here Christ defines living waters. First it makes you immortal hence you never need to drink. The human body can last weeks without food, but only days without water. The body is made up of 50% to 75% water. Water is needed for blood, digestive juices, urine, perspiration, muscle, fat and bones. Secondly it springs from you to give eternal life. It truly makes you like God and a real bona fide son of God.
John 7:37-39 [KJV] In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Before dealing with the question of living water I believe that it is prudent to address the context of John's statement about the Holy Spirit not being given. Given to whom? The Holy Spirit is the only means given to man by which we can communicate with God. Man is flesh. Clearly men have been communicating with God for millennia as with Enoch the son of Seth, And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD
(Genesis 4:26 [KJV]). Numerous others have called upon the name of God from Noah to John the Baptist since he could not have baptized Christ otherwise. During Christ's lifetime He also sent out seventy who did miracles by the Holy Spirit obviously calling upon the name of God. Christ however introduces something different in the New Testament. Christ said the none could come to Him unless the Father draws them. The Father only became the Father when Christ became the Son. This would not apply to the case of John the Baptist since he was born before Christ.
There was a change in the methodology following Pentecost. The Church became the bride of Christ and was now required to produce seed. She could now do the same things that Christ did through Baptism and the laying on of hands. This is what John is talking about. The power was given to the Church to give others the Holy Spirit. That is what Simon Magus Saw and why he wanted it so badly.
John plainly tells us that living water is the Holy Spirit and by understanding the background we can see how it flows from one person to another giving eternal life.
Jeremiah 17:13 [KJV] O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
We now see that God is the fountain or source but it now flows like a river through the Church to whomsoever the Church appropriately baptizes.
Zechariah 14:4-11 [KJV] And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. 8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. 10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses. 11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
Finally we see that Jerusalem represents the Church and the Temple would represent God the source. By the eighth millennial day all this would have been complete and functioning. The world would be ready for something new which would begin with the New Jerusalem. So getting back to Heraclitus, the Holy Spirit provides gifts which vary from individual to individual. I do not expect that everyone will be identical like the Father and Christ (and even in their case it appears that they focus on different things) which means the Spirit will always vary within the community and will depend on the movements of the individuals. It will never be static as Spirit flows from spirit being to spirit being. This will affect what is done and how it is done so that it will never be stagnant.
Conclusion
Eight always represents beginning anew in the Bible and there is no end after the eight. The last Great Day of the feast is the eighth day. There will be no end to it. Isaiah 9:7 (KJV) says, Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this
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The Last Great day has no end. We will reign forever with Christ producing new blessings for evermore.
Psalms 133:1-3 (KJV) A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!2It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;3As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
