Start of God's Day at Sunrise, Part 4 of 5

### Posting revised on 2019-11-2, see below ###

I thought I was done as of Part 3 of 4, but I found more evidence that God's day begins at sunrise, so here we go with Part 4.

Seventh Witness

In Genesis 15:1-18 where Abram does his part of the covenant during the day (birds are flying), then he was left waiting for God to respond.  Dusk comes, then sunset, then Abram falls into a deep sleep, then God responded to Abram's sacrifice.  In Verse 15:17, the Bible confirms that the sun has gone down and it was dark.
In Verse 15:18, the Bible says "In the same day, God made a covenant with Abram..."

When the Bible says "in the same day...", which day is it referring to?  It can only be referring to the daylight hours when Abram was sacrificing the animals in the light of day, and chasing away the scavengers.

Between when Abram laid out the sacrifice till God offered the covenant in Verse 15:18, there was a sunset.  If the day runs from sunset to sunset, then the sacrifice was on one day, and the covenant in Verse 15:18 after the sun went down would be on the next day.

Note that the Bible DOES NOT say "In the next day, God made a covenant with Abram...".  The Bible DOES SAY "In the same day, God made a covenant with Abram..."

The only way for those two events could be within the same day if for the sundown not to be the demarcation point between this day and the next.  That means the demarcation point is sunrise to sunrise.

In other words, Abram does the sacrifice in the day, then sunset and dark, then God does His part of Covenant in the same day, even though sunset occurred between the 2 parts, so sundown doesn't separate 1 day from another.

All other Bible verses could be reasonably interpreted as both cases, sunrise or sunset, so they do not help decide this issue.

Eigth Witness

Ancient Babylon practiced a lunar calendar, with the day running from sundown to sundown.  The corrupted calendar of Rabbinic Jews of today uses Babylonian names for the months (contrary to the Bible), say the year started in September/October like the Babylonians (contrary to Bible-based Spring of the Year), and likely the corrupted sundown to sundown day definition.

Ninth Witness

The ninth witness is God. God likes those who rise early in the morning to pray. God also says we are children of the light, which is the day.

Tenth Witness

The 10th witness is human nature.  We humans rise refreshed from sleep and start a new day at or about dawn, as do most animals. Few people start their day at sundown, usually only when forced to do so by job and/or employers, or criminals (who are children of the dark).

Eleventh Witness

In the year, there are 4 seasons:  Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.  In God's calendar, the new year begins in the Spring, at the vernal Spring Equinox.  Most governments begin their new financial year in the Spring (April 1st).  In our day, there are 4 "seasons" too:  Sunrise, day, sunset, and night.  There is an analogy here, comparing the day to the year.  If we start the new year at Spring, which of the 4 periods of the day would be equivalent to Spring?  Obviously, sunrise is the equivalent of Spring.  Therefore this witness says the day starts at sunrise.



### Begin Update #1, added 2019-11-2 ###

Twelfth Witness

In Exodus 12:1-51, God commands, Moses hears and transmits God's commandments, then the Hebrews obey by holding their first Passover.  The relevant Bible passage is long, so I'll summarize the key points below:

12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's passover.12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.23 For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said.32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:36 And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.42 It is a night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.43 And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:44 But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.50 Thus did all the children of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

The summary of key points in Exodus 12 are as follows:

• In Verse 6, on the 14th day of the 1st month, they are to take their blemish-free lamb, they kill the lamb in the evening, and collect its blood.
   
• The word "evening" is Hebrew word "ereb", (Strong's H6153), and is used in numerous place in the Bible:
• In Genesis 8:11, the dove comes back to Noah in the evening.  No dove flies in the pitch black of night, so evening would be best translated as "dusk".
   
• In Genesis 19:1, Lot meets two angels at the city gate.  All city gates are closed for security around sundown, so again the best translation would be "dusk", around sundown, before the city gates are closed.
   
• In Genesis 24:11, Abraham's servant watered the camels at the well outside city walls in the evening when the women came to the well to fetch water.  Women would not be outside the city gates after sundown as the gates would be closed, so again evening is best translated as "dusk", around sundown.
   
• In Genesis 24:63 Isaac went out to the field to meditate in the evening, and saw the  camels coming.  It would be difficult or impossible to be outside the city in the fields at night, and camels in the distance would be difficult or impossible to see.  Therefore dusk is again the best translation of "evening".
   
• Dusk (also known as twilight) is usually between the half hour before sunset, and the half hour after sunset.  Before dusk begins, it is the day.  After the sun sets, it is night.  In the 30 minutes immediately after sunset, it is simultaneously dusk and night.
    
• In Verse 8, God commands that they should roast and eat the slaughtered lamb "that night".  Night is differentiated from evening.  Night is after sunset, either dusk or when it's dark, city gates are closed, and you can't see outside without artificial light from a lamp, a fire, or a full moon.  In other words, slaughter in the late afternoon, then immediately roast and eat the lamb in the same night.
   
• In Verse 10, God instructs that nothing of the roast lamb must remain by morning (ie. sunrise).  All unconsumed meat has to be thrown into the fire on or before sunrise.
   
• In Verse 11, God commands it to be a "take-out" meal, eaten while standing, fully dressed, fully ready to depart at any second.  You are to eat in haste.  This is not a leisurely 12 course meal while lounging on couches like Egyptian pharaohs.  You must wolf your food down, as if your next bite will be your last.
   
• In Verse 12, God shares His plan that He will pass through that same night, killing all of Egypt's first born (humans &animal).
   
• In Verses 14-17, God describes the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread share the common feature of eating only unleavened bread.
   
• In Verses 17-18, God says Feast of Unleavened Bread is 7 days, from the evening of the 14th, to the evening of the 21st day of the month.  I drew a chart to illustrate this,see Figure 1 below.  You will see that Unleavened Bread Festival isn't "Passover plus 7 additional days", the 7 days INCLUDES Passover.  This interpretation that the Festival of Unleavened Bread is 7 days duration (which includes Passover within these 7 days) is confirmed by Mark 14:12 and Luke 22:7.  Click on the diagram for a full size version of the diagram.

  

  Figure 1:   Timing for Passover & Unleavened Bread Festival

• In Verse 22, Moses instructs Israelites to spread the blood on the door posts, then go inside, close the door, roast & eat your Passover lamb, and don't come out until morning.
   
• In Verse 29, the Bible describes how the Destroyer Angel came at midnight on Passover night and killed all the firstborn of Egypt.
   
• In Verse 30, we learn that Pharaoh and all other Egyptian households rose up during the night and found their firstborn (whether human &/or animal) were dead.
   
• In Verse 31-32, Pharaoh called for Moses & Aaron during the night that all of Israel was to leave Egypt.Following God's commandments, we assume nobody came out to answer Pharaoh's call before sunrise of the next day.
   
• In Verse 33-36, we learn all of Egypt was anxious to have the Hebrews out of Egypt as soon as possible.  The Egyptians gave the Hebrews much gold, silver, cloth, and whatever else the Hebrews needed for their journey.
   
• Verses 37 tells that the Israelites left Egypt.  Verses 37, 38, 40,and 41 are concerning the packing up and leaving of Egypt.  Verse 39 describes how it came to be that the Israelites had unleavened dough when leaving Egypt, which they subsequently baked after having left Egypt.
   
• Verse 42 celebrates the night that the Israelites leave Egypt.
   
• "Selfsame day" is used in Exodus 12:17, 41, and 51 to describe everything happening in the same day.  In Verse 17, there is a defined linkage between Feast of Unleavened Bread and the day the Israelites left Egypt.  In Verse 41, there is a linkage between leaving Egypt exactly 430 years after entering.  In Verse 51, the linkage is not totally clear.  It appears that Exodus 12:51 ("...the selfsame day, that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies....") repeats Exodus 12:17 (..."this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt...") for dramatic effect. Verses 17 and 51 seem to form a link between the first day of Unleavened Bread, Passover, death of all Egyptian firstborn, and the Israelites leaving Egypt.
   
• Note in Figure 1 above, there are two different usages of "day".  There  the calendar days, from the 14th day of the month to the 21st day of the month.  There is also the 24 hours of elapsed time (ie. a 24 hr day of elapsed time), whether it be all within the same calendar day, or spread over 2 different calendar days.  Passover and Unleavened Bread run from evening to evening, not aligned with the calendar day.  Why God chose this timing is unclear, but it is solely God's right to do so.
   
• Counting in elapsed time:
• Passover is from sundown to the following sunrise, approximately 12 hours in duration.
• Unleavened Bread is 7 days in duration.
• Counting in calendar days, assuming the day starts at sunrise:
• Passover is approx. 12 hours duration on the 14th day of the first month.
• Unleavened Bread is 7 days in duration, spread over 8 different calendar days (14th to 21st).
• Counting in calendar days, assuming the day starts at sunset:
• Passover is approx. 12 hours duration on the 15th day of the first month.
• Unleavened Bread is 7 days in duration, spread over 7 different calendar days (15th to 21st).

In Exodus 14:8, we learn:

"And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand."

In Numbers 33:3, the Bible says:

"And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians."

From this, we know the Israelites left the Egyptian city of Rameses on the 15th day, a day after when the Passover lamb was killed on the 14th.  The Egyptians could see the Israelites, so it wasn't in the dark of night.

Deut 16:1 says:

"Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night."

Here we learn that the Israelites left Egypt at night.

 Deut 16:6 says:

"But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt."

Here we learn that the lamb is sacrificed at even (ie. evening), at the going down of the sun.  Note that the sun is "going down", it's still in the process of setting, as contrasted with "after the sun has set".  This again is before sunset, and at dusk.  After the sun has set would be night.

The Jews of today define the start of the day as sunset, not sunrise.  Exactly when does the day start?  Dawn is before you can see any part of the sun.  The sun has risen when you can see any part of the sun.  The sun has set when you can no longer see any part of the sun.  Sunset is the earliest possible start of the day, and when 3 or more stars are visible in the night sky as the latest possible start of the next day, and the period in-between these two moments of time is "iffy".

Putting all of these verses together, like assembling a jigsaw puzzle, we get the following two possible cases:

• If we assume the day starts at sundown:
• The Passover lamb is slaughtered as the sun is going down on the 14th day, which is before sunset so as to comply with Exodus 12:6, and Deut 16:6.
   
• As soon as the sun sets, or after 3 stars are visible in the night sky, it's now the 15th day and Passover has started; as compliant with our assumption that the day starts at sundown, and Exodus 12:8.
   
• The Passover lamb is roasted and eaten on the night of the 15th day of the month.  This is compliant with Exodus 12:8 and Deut 16:6.
   
• The Israelites stay locked inside their houses till dawn on the 15th day, so as to comply with Exodus 12:22.
   
• After dawn on the 15th, the Israelites can come outside, then start borrowing gold, silver, cloth, animals, and whatever else they need for their trip, getting all of it from their grieving Egyptians neighbours so as to comply with Exodus 12:35-36.  These same neighbours want the Israelites out of Egypt as soon as possible, as stated in Exodus 12:33.
   
• The Israelites must leave the city of Rameses in sufficient light so the Egyptians can see them leave with high hands (ie. waving good-bye ?) so as to comply with Numbers 33:3.  Therefore the Israelites must leave in the morning or afternoon daylight period of the 15th day, or in the evening of the 15th before sunset.  If they were to leave after sunset, it would be the 16th day, violating Numbers 33:3.
   
• However Deut 16:1 and Exodus 12:42 says that the Israelites left Egypt in the night.  Leaving in the night means they would have left after sundown.  There is adequate light to clearly see from sundown till 30 minutes after sundown; after which it's too dark to see without artificial light, fire, or full moon. Remember, this isn't one person standing next to you in moonlight, as Exodus 12:37 tells us there were 600,000 men, so we can probably assume 600,000 women, and maybe 1.2 million children (likely many more), so at least 2.4 million people in total.  Crowd estimation techniques usually assume between 1 to 7 people per sq. m., averaging 2.5 people per sq. m..  This means the Israelite crowd leaving Egypt would be 979 m x 979 m, or 0.98 sq. km.  At sundown, you'd see the whole crowd, but 30 minutes later, you'd only see those people immediately in front of you, or nothing at all (depending upon the moonlight available).
   
• Therefore this case is self-conflicting because Numbers 33:3 requires Israelites to leave before sunset, but Deut 16:1 and Exodus 12:42 require the Israelites to leave after sunset (ie. in the night), a conflict that cannot be resolved.  Therefore the initial assumption fails, as it does not meet all of the Biblical requirements.   Let's try a different starting assumption.
   

If we assume the day starts at sunrise:

• The Passover lamb is slaughtered as the sun is going down on the 14th day, which is before sunset so as to comply with Exodus 12:6, and Deut 16:6.
   
• As soon as the sun sets Passover has started on the 14th day of the month; as compliant with our assumption that the day starts at sunrise, and Exodus 12:8.
   
• The Passover lamb is roasted and eaten on the night of the 14th day of the month.  This is compliant with Exodus 12:8 and Deut 16:6.
   
• The Israelites stay locked inside their houses till dawn.  Once the sun rises, it is now the 15th day of the month (per our starting assumption), and the Israelites can now come out, so as to comply with Exodus 12:22.
   
• After the Israelites come out of their house on the 15th, they start borrowing gold, silver, cloth, animals, and whatever else they need for their trip, getting all of it from their grieving Egyptians neighbours so as to comply with Exodus 12:35-36.  These same neighbours want the Israelites out of Egypt as soon as possible, as stated in Exodus 12:33.
   
• The Israelites must leave the city of Rameses in sufficient light so the Egyptians can see them leave with high hands (ie. waving good-bye ?) so as to comply with Numbers 33:3.  Therefore the Israelites must leave in the morning or afternoon daylight period of the 15th day, or in the evening of the 15th before sunset, or in the 30 minutes of dusk light between sundown and full night.  If they were to leave after sunrise the next day (ie. on the 16th day), this would violate Numbers 33:3.
   
• However Deut 16:1 and Exodus 12:42 says that the Israelites left Egypt in the night.  Leaving in the night means they would have left after sundown.  There is adequate light to clearly see from sundown till 30 minutes after sundown; after which it's too dark to see without artificial light, fire, or full moon.  This isn't one person standing next to you in moonlight, as Exodus 12:37 tells us there were 600,000 men, so we can probably assume 600,000 women, and maybe 1.2 million children (likely many more), so at least 2.4 million people in total.  Crowd estimation techniques usually assume between 1 to 7 people per sq. m., averaging 2.5 people per sq, meter.  This means the Israelite crowd leaving Egypt would be 979 m x 979 m, or 0.98 sq. km.  At sundown, you'd see the whole crowd, but 30 minutes later, you'd only see those people immediately in front of you, or nothing at all (depending upon the moonlight available), thereby violating Numbers 33:3.
   
• Therefore so as to satisfy Numbers 33:3, Deut 16:1, and Exodus 12:42, the Israelites must have left the city of Rameses Egypt between sundown on the 15th day of the 1st month, and 30 minutes after sundown, thereby leaving in the night.
   
• This case and its starting assumption (ie. day starts at sunrise) is totally compliant with all Bible verses.
   
• This case again proves that God's day starts at sunrise.

### End Update #1, 2019-11-2 ###

### Begin Update #2, 2021-05-24 ###

[Exo 14:24 KJV] "[24] And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,"

When God was leading the Israelites out of Egypt, God had His cloud by day and His pillar of fire at night.  In Exodus 14:24, God looked out upon the host (ie. crowd) of Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud.  In this specific moment of time (ie. during the "morning watch"), there was both the pillar of fire, plus the cloud.

There were 4 watches during the dark hours (from sunset of the previous day, to sunrise of the next day).  The morning watch would be the 4th watch, the last watch before the sun rises.

Therefore "morning", or the "morning watch" is defined as the period when the sun is brightening up the night, just before the sun rises.

*** End of Update #2, 2021-05-24 ***

Summary

This Biblical research is important so that we can correctly fulfill our obligations to "Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy...", and also the Holy Convocations which are also declared as Sabbaths by the Bible.  If we don't get the clock and calendar correct, we will profain the holy, and perform holy ordinances upon regular or unclean days and times.

The Bible says we only need 2 or 3 witnesses.  For the longest time, I had zero witnesses.  Fortunately, more and witnesses came forward from my research, and that of others.  Even though the "Customs of the Elders" is extremely strong, is not 10 witnesses enough to change even the most closed off mind?

If 10 witnesses are still not enough for you, then the Holy Spirit has obviously vacated you out of frustration, leaving behind the eternally arrogant, empty shell of a human behind.  God has left you with your strong delusion, and nothing can help you.  You are doomed to chronic, unrepentant sin and iniquity.  May God have mercy on your soul.

Part 1 provided the Matthew 28:1 proof (Mary at Jesus' sepulcher)

Part 2 provided the Genesis 19:30-38 proof  (Lot's Daughters)

Part 3 provided:

•  the Exodus 10:1-14 proof (Locusts Plague via Moses); and
   
• Hebrew Etymology for Dawn (Break) and Dusk (Blend Light with Dark)
   
• Other Biblical References to "Start of Day"
   
• YouTube Videos (by others) who discuss the Biblical Start of Day

Part 4 (this Posting) provided 4 additional arguments:

• Genesis 15:1-18 Abram's Covenant with God, Same Day proof
   
• Corruption and copying of ancient Babylon calendar, names of month, (and start of day?)
   
• God's early start of day
   
• Human nature
   
• Reviews how the first Passover shows that sunrise is the start of the day (Update #1, 2019-11-2)

If you can contribute any additional Biblical arguments, please post them below so as to help prove this case.  If you have Biblical arguments that defeat any of these 10 arguments in favor, please post it below so I can learn and correct my error.

-----> Go to Part 5