References to the third and seventh days in the Scripture usually refer to the same day. God created the earth in six days and rested on the seventh day. Immediately he established the seventh day as a “sign” and called it the Sabbath, a day of rest.
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. (Genesis 2:2-3 KJ2000)
Notice that God mentions the seventh day three times in these two verses. It is important to see that he also links the concept of sanctification, or separation, with the seventh day. This idea of sanctification occurs many, many times just from Genesis 1:1 to Genesis 2:3. Along with the idea of reproducing according to like kinds it represents the dominant theme. In fact, the entire Bible traces these two themes which merge into one grand theme, the creation of Elohim.
God considers the seventh, or Sabbath, day so important that he made it one of his ten commandments revealed to Moses. He said, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shall you labor, and do all your work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD your God: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger that is within your gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day: therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” (Exodus 20:8-11 KJ2000)
God reiterates this command later in Leviticus saying, “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no work on it: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.” (Leviticus 23:3 KJ2000)
Which day is the Sabbath day? The seventh day. We have just seen three separate witnesses to this fact from the first three books of the Bible. Some say that the Sabbath day changes each month according to the position of the moon, but they are mistaken. The seventh day is the Sabbath day.
When Samuel anointed Saul to become king of Israel, he told him, “seven days shall you tarry, till I come to you, and show you what you shall do.” (1 Samuel 10:8 KJ2000) How these days were to be counted, or when they were to begin with respect to Saul, we do not know. We do know that he failed to obey Samuel’s command.
And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, Bring here a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. And Samuel said, What have you done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you came not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I felt compelled therefore, and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly: you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you: for now would the LORD have established your kingdom upon Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue: the LORD has sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be ruler over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you. (1 Samuel 13:8-14 KJ2000)
Samuel serves as a sign to us who would be rulers in God’s Kingdom. We know that the time for that Kingdom to be established is at hand. We also know that we now live in the beginning of the seventh millenium since creation, at the dawn of the seventh 1000 year day. Many of us have been watching for his Kingdom for years, but have not seen it. Many of us have been tempted to offer the sacrifice before the appointed time like Saul did, or offer strange fire like Nadab and Abihu did. But, if we do, like them we will be consumed in the fire of God (the Lake of Fire) and be disqualified from kingly rule.
“Wait seven days,” says the LORD of Hosts. “I am coming, but I am coming in my time and at my hour. Prepare and serve the food to my servants that I give you to serve. Do not prophesy from your own hearts and do not offer strange fire before my face. You cannot provoke my coming by your desires. I will hold you accountable for your failed prophecies, the words that came from your hearts and not from mine. Wait seven days,” says the LORD of Hosts.
