More 8th Day Events
Purging,
Solomon's Temple, Hezekiah's temple, cleaning, bodily discharges, Nazirite, leprosy,
8th day, Eighth day, Last great day, purge
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CreatorsCovenant document on the 8th day lists a number of events that occurred on an 8th day. However, it does not include them all. Some are simply not unique, but some are; to at least a degree.
Leviticus 15:2-15 deals with cleansing after an abnormal discharge from the body. The procedure is similar to that of the leper. There is a waiting period of seven days (vs 13) and then an official cleansing or atonement on the 8th day (vs 14). The patient was clean after seven days, but not completely. The priest still had to make atonement for them to officially clean them on the 8th day.
This same procedure applied to both men and women with certain discharges (Lev 15:31-33). A similar routine is also involved when a Nazirite breaks his vow of cleanliness (Num 6:2-11).
During the reign of Hezekiah the old clutter of disuse was removed from the temple and it was cleaned. The actual temple was cleaned in eight days. The entire cleaning took sixteen days (II Chron 29:16-18).
For some reason the chronicler seems to have considered it significant that it took exactly eight days to cleanse the temple. As well it seems to have been significant that it took two times eight to finish the entire task. Complete purging or cleaning would seem to be an eight day task.
Consider that immediately after the completion of Aaron’s anointing, once he completed a sin offering for himself and Israel that the Presence of God, (Heb. Shekinah), filled the tabernacle (Lev 9:7, 23-24). This was on the 8th day of Aaron’s anointing (Lev 9:1).
A similar event occurred at the dedication of Solomon’s temple at the time of Tabernacles/Sukkot. The presence of the Creator filled the temple at that time. The accounts in I Kings 8 and II Chronicles 5 make it appear that this happened at the beginning of the festival, the first day rather than the 8th day.
II Chronicles 7:9 indicates the dedication of the altar preceded the festival. It makes sense that the priests could not offer for the people or offer the regular required sacrifices on that altar until the altar was fully consecrated. The original altar needed to be consecrated for seven days at Aaron’s anointing (Ex 29:37). This is not highlighted in Leviticus 8 because it was ongoing with the consecration of Aaron and his sons. This new altar at Solomon’s temple needed to be consecrated before the standard festival sacrifices could be offered. This would agree with the accounts in I Kings 8 and II Chronicles 5. In fact, the cloud of the presence of God appeared the day after the dedication of the altar was completed. That would have been the 8th day of the dedication even though the first day of the festival.
A similar preparation of the altar built for Messiah’s temple in the Millennium will need to be done as well. Offerings for individuals can be done as of the 8th day.
Eze 43:25 ‘Every day for seven days you shall prepare a goat for a sin offering; they shall also prepare a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without blemish. 26 Seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it, and so consecrate it. 27 When these days are over it shall be, on the eighth day and thereafter, that the priests shall offer your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar; and I will accept you,’ says the Lord GOD."
References to the 8th day in scripture are overwhelmingly connected with judging, purging or cleaning resulting is a purified object or person. Often this begins on the first day with the 8th day being the capstone.
1Pet 4:17 “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
There has been purging or purification of believers throughout history as they have repented and changed their ways to reflect their Creator. This has been on a very small scale. However, the number of people who catch the vision of the Creator will apparently mushroom in the Millennium, the climax of the Feast of Ingathering.
Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.”
Jer 31:34 "No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
A different 8th Day?
As there is a cleansing period with the altar so there is evidently a waiting or proving period with animal sacrifices. Animals for sacrifice needed to be at least 8 days old. Both altar and animals require seven days with acceptance not possible until the 8th day. Rather than referring to the 8th day after Tabernacles the reference in Ezekiel 43:25 above may really relate more to a different 8th day.
Lev 22:27 "When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall be seven days with its mother; and from the eighth day and thereafter it shall be accepted as an offering made by fire to the LORD.”
Firstborn are to be given to the Creator on the 8th day, but non-firstborn may be given on the 8th day or afterward. This could indicate that some will be specially accepted by the Father after Messiah turns over His kingdom to the Father (I Cor 15:24-26). However, that doesn’t really fit with the harvest theme in the Creator’s annual appointments. Accepting additional produce requires produce to mature and be harvested after the harvest is over. The creator doesn’t recommend going back into the field after the main harvest (Lev 19:10, Deu 24:19, 21). Perhaps this 8th day is intended to relate to a different 8th day.
Pentecost, the Feast of Harvest (Heb. Shavuot), looks forward to the acceptance of the first fruits. Pentecost is primarily a 50th day. However, it is also an 8th day relative to the final 7th week period before it. In that sense Pentecost is also an 8th day.
Salvation and the kingdom of Messiah begin with the resurrection of the first fruit. As it turns out there are three groups and/or sightings of the faithful in heaven in Revelation before the marriage of the Lamb. This would certainly point to their salvation and therefore a resurrection or change of body. The Kingdom of Messiah moves to intervene in the world shortly thereafter.
Rev 14:1 “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.”
Rev 15:2 “And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.”
Rev 19:1 “After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!”
The 144,000 in Revelation 14 are the only ones called ‘firstfruits’ (Rev 14:4). Likely this would mean they are also considered firstborn (Heb 13:23). Likely they are united with the Lamb at the day of the first fruit harvest, Pentecost, which as indicated above, is in some ways an 8th day. The first group, the 144,000, and the third group, the great multitude, are apparently the two groups mentioned in Revelation 7. The 144,000 are sealed (vs. 4), evidently as protection from harm. The great multitude is not sealed and goes through the tribulation (vs. 14).
The last two groups, although accepted into heaven apparently before Satan is bound or the beast is defeated, are not called first fruits or firstborn. Some may arrive in heaven very soon after the first fruit, but others may not arrive for an extended time. Some may arrive long enough later that their arrival is outside what could be considered the day of first fruit, Pentecost. They will be accepted sometime after the first fruit ‘8th day’. This may relate to non-firstborn animals that can be accepted on or after the 8th day.
The firstborn are given to God in two ways; one on the 8th day after Tabernacles, another on the 8th day pictured in Pentecost. Others may be accepted on or after the ‘8th day’ as pictured in Pentecost. They would then be included with the firstborn on the 8th day after Tabernacles. In fact, Ezekiel 43:25 in context is a prophesy of a time after the first fruit have been accepted, but indicating that others may also be accepted before the final 8th day. Messiah has established His kingdom and is willing to accept those who repent. The firstborn aren’t the only ones who can be acceptable to the Creator, but if one is not a firstborn they will not precede the firstborn.
The non-firstborn being acceptable beyond the 8th day could be an indication that throughout Messiah’s reign people may dedicate themselves to their Creator and be accepted. People may be released from the flesh throughout the Millennium in a very real way.