Perhaps you’ve encountered discussions about whether the traditional weekly Sabbath—the one many observe from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown—is truly the Sabbath intended in Scripture.
This article explores the biblical basis for the weekly Sabbath and addresses the idea of a “lunar Sabbath,” examining key verses and scriptural reasoning to clarify the distinction.
The Core Question: What Is “the Seventh Day”?
A common argument for the lunar Sabbath suggests that the weekly Sabbath is a product of calendar changes—from the Hebrew calendar to the Gregorian calendar—implying it may no longer align with God’s original timing.
But Scripture itself provides the foundation for understanding the Sabbath.
Exodus 20:8–10 lays out the Sabbath command clearly:
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God…”
The phrase “the seventh day” stands out.
The key question is: is this the seventh day of a continuous weekly cycle, or the seventh day of a lunar month?
If it’s the latter, then the Sabbath would be determined by the phases of the moon.
Examining Leviticus 23
A helpful chapter for understanding biblical timekeeping is Leviticus 23, which lists the appointed feasts of the Lord.
These are holy convocations that are to be proclaimed in their seasons. Notably, these feast days are assigned specific dates tied to the lunar calendar.
For example:
- Passover – 14th day of the first month (Leviticus 23:5)
- Feast of Unleavened Bread – 15th day of the first month
- Feast of Trumpets – 1st day of the seventh month
- Day of Atonement – 10th day of the seventh month
- Feast of Tabernacles – 15th day of the seventh month
These events are clearly based on the lunar cycle, as the Hebrew word for “month” is closely related to the word for “moon.”
However, when the weekly Sabbath is mentioned in the same chapter—Leviticus 23:3—the description is different:
“Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation…”
There is no reference to the Sabbath being tied to any particular day of the month. It is simply called “the seventh day.”
This distinction is important. If the weekly Sabbath were intended to follow the lunar calendar like the feasts, it would likely be identified in a similar way—with calendar-based language.
The Creation Week as the Original Pattern
To understand the timing of the Sabbath even more clearly, consider the creation account in Genesis 1.
On the fourth day, God created the sun, moon, and stars:
“…let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years” (Genesis 1:14).
If the new moon marks the beginning of a month, then the first new moon would not have occurred until after the fourth day. That means the lunar cycle could not have determined the seventh day of that first week.
The Sabbath, however, was established on the seventh day of creation—three days after the creation of the moon.
This shows that the Sabbath was instituted on a fixed weekly cycle, not dependent on the lunar phases.
Weekly Sabbath vs. Lunar Feasts
While the feasts of the Lord are clearly dated by the lunar calendar, the weekly Sabbath follows a distinct, recurring pattern.
It is always the seventh day of the week—a rhythm that began at creation and continued without change.
Nowhere in Scripture is the Sabbath referred to as the “seventh day of the month.”
If the Sabbath were truly determined by the moon, such a description would be expected at least once.
But the absence of any verse tying the Sabbath to a lunar date strongly suggests a different system is in place.
Conclusion: A Weekly Cycle from the Beginning
The evidence from Exodus, Leviticus, and Genesis supports a consistent, seven-day weekly cycle for the Sabbath that is not dependent on the moon.
The Sabbath is described as the “seventh day”—not the seventh day of the month—setting it apart from the lunar-based feast days.
The creation account confirms that the Sabbath was instituted before the moon could even mark time, and the law reinforces its weekly rhythm without tying it to lunar calculations.
In conclusion, the weekly Sabbath is a divinely ordained rest day established at creation, celebrated every seventh day of the week, and distinct from the lunar calendar used to schedule the biblical feast days.
May we continue to search the Scriptures with sincerity and seek to honor God’s Word with understanding and truth.
References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9INz1L6vXI – Lunar Sabbath?
My Letter To A Sunday Keeper – Sabbath Documentary
The Days of Noah – Powerful Documentary (Video Format)
Bible Studies – Written Format
