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Bible Handbook

79/211

The Weekly Cycle

• Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; Genesis 2:1-3. The weekly cycle made at creation. Days numbered, but not named. Patriarchs and Prophets, 111. BHB 78.2

• Genesis 4:3, margin. They gathered for worship at the close of the cycle of days. BHB 78.3

• Ezekiel 46:1. Six of the days are called working days; the remaining one is a rest day. BHB 78.4

• Genesis 2:2, 3. All are alike except the seventh day, which was blessed and sanctified. BHB 78.5

• Isaiah 58:13. God calls it His “holy day.” BHB 78.6

• Exodus 20:8-11. It is called the “Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” BHB 78.7

• Mark 2:28. “The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.” BHB 78.8

While all the days were numbered, the Lord gave names to the sixth and seventh days only; the 7th day was called the “Sabbath.” BHB 79.1

• Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54. The sixth day was called the “preparation day.” BHB 79.2

• Exodus 16:22, 23. Food was to be prepared on this day for the Sabbath. BHB 79.3

• Luke 23:54-56. The spices to embalm the Saviour were brought upon this day. BHB 79.4

The week, unlike the day, month, and year, is not connected with the movements of any heavenly bodies. The names of the seven days of which the week is composed were derived by the Egyptians from the seven celestial bodies then known. The Romans, in their names for the days, observed the same order, distinguishing them as follows:- BHB 79.5

Dies SolisSun’s daySunday
Dies LunaeMoon’s dayMonday
Dies MartisMars’ dayTuesday
Dies MercuriiMercury’s dayWednesday
Dies JovisJupiter’s dayThursday
Dies VenerisVenus’ dayFriday
Dies SaturniSaturn’s daySaturday

We can see at a glance the origin of our English names for the first, second, and seventh days; the remaining four are names from Tiu, Woden, Thor, and Frigga, northern deities equivalent to Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus, in classical mythology. BHB 79.6

• Isaiah 66:22, 23. The weekly cycle will continue on the new earth, and all will gather for worship upon the Sabbath. BHB 79.7