The
calendar was very important in Yeshua’s Jewish world. A week in his life
consisted of seven day, just like our weeks today. There were some important
differences, however. Each week reminded Yeshua and his fellow Jews of the seven-day
period of creation recorded at the beginning of the TORAH scroll. The creation of the first day is recorded in Genesis
1:5 (the words in bold type are
transliterations of Hebrew words; ELOHIYM
is usually translated “God”):
ELOHIYM called the
light “Day” (יום - YOM)
and the darkness He called “Night” (לילה - LAYLAH). And there was evening, and there was morning —
YOM RISHON (First Day).
A
Jewish day begins and ends at sundown -- “and
there was evening, and there was morning.” Every afternoon,
as the sun disappeared beyond the western horizon and the first three stars
appeared, Yeshua viewed it as the beginning of a new day – a day that begins and ends with the fading of light in the western sky.
The beginning and end of a day was, and still is, determined locally.
The
Jewish calendar follows a seven-day weekly cycle, which runs concurrently but
independently of monthly and annual cycles. The names of the days of the week were
simply the day number within the week. Below are the names and order of the
days of the week with the corresponding time period of our American calendar
today.
● Yom
Rishon - יום ראשון (meaning "First Day”) began at sundown on Saturday and ended at sundown on
Sunday.
● Yom
Sheni - יום שני (meaning "Second Day"”) began at sundown on Sunday and ended at sundown
on Monday.
● Yom
Shlishi - יום שלישי (meaning "Third Day") began at sundown on Monday and ended at sundown on
Tuesday.
● Yom
Reviʻi - יום רביעי (meaning "Fourth Day") began at sundown on Tuesday and ended at sundown
on Wednesday.
● Yom
Chamishi - יום חמישי (meaning "Fifth Day") began at sundown on Wednesday and ended at sundown
on Thursday.
● Yom
Shishi - יום ששי (meaning "Sixth Day") began at sundown on Thursday and ended at sundown
on Friday.
● Yom
Shabbat - יום שבת (meaning “Rest Day”) began at sundown on Friday and ended at sundown on
Saturday.
The
calendar of Yeshua’s world was a reminder of the Creator’s work on each day. Also
keep in mind that in Yeshua’s world the new day began at sundown.
Roman
Emperor Constantine the Great established the seven-day week in the Roman
calendar in 321 and each day reminded people of a planet and a different
god:
● Sunday
corresponds to the Sun and honors
the “Sun god.”
● Monday
corresponds to the Moon and honors
the “Moon god.
● Tuesday
corresponds to Mars and honors the god
of war. The Saxons named this day after their god Tiw and called it Tiw's
day. "Tuesday" comes from the name of this Saxon god.
● Wednesday
corresponds to Mercury, later named
in honor of the Teutonic god Wedn or
Woden.
● Thursday
corresponds to the planet Jupiter,
later named in honor of the Teutonic god
Thor.
● Friday
corresponds to the planet Venus,
later named in honor of the Teutonic goddess
Frigg or Freia, the wife of Odin.
● Saturday
corresponds to Saturn in honor of the
Roman god Saturn.
The
names of the days on Yeshua’s calendar reminded people of the Creator’s work on
each day of the first week of creation. Constantine’s calendar reminded people
of a different god each day.
Does it make a difference? Try thinking
like Yeshua and using the names of the days from his calendar for a week or two.
Simply take a few minutes at sundown to remember the act of creation that
corresponds to that day (find the day in Genesis 1:1-2:4a).
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