ADVENTISM

"what is sanctified under Moses?"

I am not a former pastor of the Sabbatarians. I am just a former student of their Voice of Prophecy correspondence course (from California) while a teenager growing up in western Tennessee during the fifties. I appreciated the correspondence study they offered to the public which I enrolled in and finished. I was fascinated expecially with their interpretation of Old Testament and New Testament prophecies and their insistence of students memorizing Scripture and taking graded tests. And I found their local members cordial and friendly. A nice friendly family were members and good neighbors to my folks. So I do have an educated comprehension of their basic dogmas. I wish to share a few points that my later study indicated those teachings differed from the Holy Scriptures.




The seventh day is the first thing that God sanctified after creation. Obviously, it is in the mind of God. However, no application is made initially to any man. Neither Adam nor Abraham is told to do anything with it. Finally after the flood and after Abraham and Joseph, a rescued people are taught how to observe and respect the seventh day.

Eventually and historically other things were sanctified by God. This lesson is on God's sanctifying.

Below is a structured breakdown with Scripture.

1. The Seventh Day (Sabbath) — the first "THING" in Scriptures that God sanctified*.

*Note: please click/tap special underlined words for definition. Such words are defined when you click/tap the word. Twice to start with.
Word: sanctified
Strongs: H6942
H6942 Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Dictionaries of the Greek and Hebrew Testaments

H6942 qadash (kaw-dash') v.
1. to be clean (ceremonially or morally).
2. (causatively) to make, pronounce or observe as clean (ceremonially or morally).
[a primitive root]
KJV translates this word also in other contexts as: appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy(-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify(-ied one, self), X wholly. The KJV translates Strong's H6942 in the following manner: sanctify (108x), hallow (25x), dedicate (10x), holy (7x), prepare (7x), consecrate (5x), appointed (1x), bid (1x), purified (1x), miscellaneous (7x).

Brown-Driver-Briggs (Strong's):
1. to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate
a. (Qal)
    1. to be set apart, be consecrated
    2. to be hallowed
    3. consecrated, tabooed
b. (Niphal)
    1. to show oneself sacred or majestic
    2. to be honoured, be treated as sacred
    3. to be holy
c. (Piel)
    a. to set apart as sacred, consecrate, dedicate
    b. to observe as holy, keep sacred
    c. to honour as sacred, hallow
    d. to consecrate
d. (Pual)
    1. to be consecrated
    2. consecrated, dedicated
e. (Hiphil)
    a. to set apart, devote, consecrate
    b. to regard or treat as sacred or hallow
    c. to consecrate
f. (Hithpael)
    1. to keep oneself apart or separate
    2. to cause Himself to be hallowed (of God)
    3. to be observed as holy
    4. to consecrate oneself

    Genesis 2: 2 "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. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."

    rested Word: rested
    Strongs: H7673
    H7673 Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Dictionaries of the Greek and Hebrew Testaments
    H7673 shabath (shaw- ath') v.
    to repose, i.e. to cease from exertion.
    {used in many implied relations (causative, figurative or specific)}
    [a primitive root]
    KJV also translates in other places: (cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail, keep (sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away.
    work Word: work
    Strongs: H4399
    H4399 Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Dictionaries of the Greek and Hebrew Testaments
    H4399 mla'kah (mel-aw-kaw') n-f.
    1. (properly) deputyship (i.e. ministry).
    2. (generally) occupation, employment (never servile).
    3. (abstractly or concretely) work.
    4. (as the result of labor) property.
    [from the same as H4397]
    KJV translates it also in other places as: business, + cattle, + industrious, occupation, (+ -pied), + officer, thing (made), use, (manner of) work((-man), -manship).
    Root(s): H4397
    Compare: H4639

    [doubly or singularly click/tap the underlined word (e.g., sanctified) for definition table]. Then once to hide it.

  • Genesis 2:3 — “God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it…” This is the earliest sanctification in Scripture.

    A chief point for our digest is that this is an action that is made by God for Himself. Man is yet not involved. The verb indicates an action by God and not yet a command. Understanding this is important since so much is made and doctrinal assumptions made with this verse.
    Deuteronomy 5:32 (KJV) "Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left."


    Genesis 2:3 says God sanctified the seventh day, meaning He set it apart as His special day. But the text does not say: Adam was commanded to keep it; nor, Adam and Eve observed it; nor, Cain, Abel, Seth, Enoch, Noah, or anyone else kept it; nor, any pre-Flood society recognized it; nor, any Gentile nation adopted it. Genesis 2 describes God's action, not human obligation.

2. Later, God sanctifies a certain PEOPLE

        God sanctifies His people in both Old and New Testaments — Israel, priests, and believers.

  • Exodus 31:13 — God says the Sabbath is a sign “that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you (Israel).” God sanctified Israel.

  • Leviticus 20:7–8 — God says He sanctifies Israel.

  • Leviticus 21:8 — God sanctifies the priesthood in Israel.

  • John 17:17, New Testament — Jesus prays for God to-- “Sanctify THEM through Thy truth.”

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:23 — God sanctifies New Testament believers through His Word ("Thy Word is Tr;uth").

Conclusion: God sanctifies certain people, not just a day.

3. God also sanctified OBJECTS

      Several physical items are explicitly said to be sanctified or made holy by the people:

  • The Tabernacle and its furnishings

    • Exodus 40:9–13 — God commands Moses to sanctify the tabernacle and all its vessels.

  • The altar

    • Exodus 29:36–37 — The altar is sanctified and becomes “most holy.”

  • Priestly garments

    • Exodus 28:2–3 — Holy garments are sanctified and are made “for glory and for beauty,” set apart for sacred use.

4. God sanctified TIMES in addition to the seventh day

The Mosaic feasts and holy convocations are repeatedly called holy or sanctified days.

Leviticus 23 lists multiple sanctified days that are His convocations *:

      verse 4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations,* which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.     * For the definition of the term convocations, click/tap doubly on the word underlined. [Notice it has a similar meaning to "church" in New Testament.-GW]
CONVOCATION Strongs: H4744
convocation H4744
Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Dictionaries of the Greek and Hebrew Testaments
 H4744 miqra' (mik-raw') n-m.
1. something called out, i.e. regarding citizens (the act of, the persons, or the place).
2. a calling forth (of the congregation) to assemble.
3. (as an event, with H6944) a (holy) called out memorial (i.e. a recalling to collective memory; the appointed feasts; see Leviticus 23:2).
4. (specially) a called out assembly (of the Redeemed Kinsmen of Yahweh-out of captivity; see Nehemiah 8:8, then Exodus 6:6, Exodus 15:13).
5. (specifically, of Yeshua) a called out assembly of the Redeemed of Yeshua (Jesus), both of Jew (first) and of Gentile- from Moral Failure and Death (see progression from Isaiah 4:5, Matthew 18:17, Matthew 16:18, Acts 2:47).
6. (Note #1) (The called out assembly is the citizenry of the Redeemed of Jesus; the citizenry under his Redemption and Kingship; Although identified regionally, the citizens of Redemption differs by nature from a local gathering, synagogue, congregation, or the institution of church. "What redemption do you belong to?").
7. (Note #2) From Matthew 16:18, Yeshua said, "I will build, my called out assembly." When residing upon mount Tsiyon (Zion), it is figuratively called", her called out assembly" in Isaiah 4:5. Aside from this, it is never personalized by anyone else in Scripture; we belong to him.
[from H7121]
KJV: assembly, calling, convocation, reading.
Root(s): H7121
See also: G1577
GREEK WORD IN OT SEPTUAGINE VERSION (used by apostles in NT):
 Strongs: G2822 Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Dictionaries of the Greek and Hebrew Testaments
G2822 kletos (klee-tos') adj.
1. called.
2. (specially, divinely) called forth.
3. (figuratively) invited.
4. (specially) a person redeemed by Jesus (i.e. the called of Christ, the Annointed One).
5. (Hebraically, as an event) a (holy) called out memorial (i.e. a recalling to collective memory; the appointed feasts).
[from a shorter form of G2564]
KJV: called
Root(s): G2564
See also: G2821, G1577, H4744

  • Sabbath v.1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations [assemblies], even these are my feasts. 3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

  • Passover --v. 4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

  • Feast of Unleavened Bread v. 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

  • Feast of Weeks v. 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:1 11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD

  • Feast of Trumpets24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

  • Day of Atonement v. 27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

  • Feast of Tabernacles v. 34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. 35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

These are called “holy convocations” (Notice that even the seventh day is a convocation day —and such a convocation day for each family is set apart by God. [See and tap on the word convocations above for both Hebrew and Greek meanings. Compare it to the New Testament word "church."]

While the text often uses “holy” rather than “sanctified,” the Hebrew concept (qadash) is the same root idea: set apart.

5. God required the sanctification of the firstborn in Israel.

  • Exodus 13:2 — “Sanctify unto Me all the firstborn…” God claims them as His own.

6. God sanctified Mount Sinai

  • Exodus 19:23 — The mountain is sanctified (set apart) when God descends upon it.

7. God sanctified Jesus (the Son) in the New Testament

  • John 10:36 — The Father sanctified the Son and sent Him into the world.

Summary Table

Category

Sanctified by God?

Examples

Day

✔ Yes

Seventh day (Gen 2:3)

People

✔ Yes

Israel, priests, believers (Lev 20:7–8; (in NT: John 17:17)

Objects

✔ Yes

Tabernacle, altar, garments (Ex 40:9–13; Ex 29:36–37)

Other Times

✔ Yes

Holy convocations/feasts (Lev 23)

Firstborn

✔ Yes

Exodus 13:2

Places

✔ Yes

Mount Sinai (Ex 19:23)

Jesus

✔ Yes

John 10:36

Final Answer

The seventh day is the first thing God sanctified in the Old Testament, but Scripture shows God sanctifying people, objects, places, the firstborn, and other holy days as well. Consider this point: God's sanctifying does not tell us how or what to do with it (e.g., Mark 10:3). For example, "the firstborn" is sanctified. The writings of Moses explain who, what and how to treat all holy (SANCTIFIED) items.

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