© Copyright Double Portion Inheritance, February 2023
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/DPIMinistries We are living in the last days, (as foretold by our Messiah, and the prophets), and we are witnessing a great falling away from the truth of Scripture. What is most concerning to me, is that I see many using the Book of Jubilees to cancel out the commandments in the Torah to “Watch narrowly for the New Moon of the Abib” (Deuteronomy 16:1).
The Book of Jubilees contains many contradictions to the Torah & Prophets, and it was never canonized by the Protestants, nor the Yahuwdiym (Jews). It is considered canonical only by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Debariym (Deuteronomy) 16:1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Pesach (Passover) unto YHWH your Elohiym: for in the month of Abib YHWH your Elohiym brought you forth out of Mitzraiym (Egypt) by night.
*Note: The Hebrew word for “observe,” is “shamar,” which means: “To watch narrowly for.”
You cannot watch narrowly for a “dark moon,” because there is nothing to see. And you don’t need to watch narrowly for a full moon, because it’s been visible in the sky for two weeks, before it becomes full.
The Hebrew word for “month” in Deuteronomy 16:1 is “chodesh,” which means “a renewed lunar cycle, or the new moon, which determines a new month.”
In Genesis 1:14-16, & we are told that the “sun, moon & stars,” are to to be used for measuring “seasons.”
The Hebrew word for “seasons,” is “mowediym,” and it means the following in the Concordance:
#H4150 mow`ed mo-ade' or moled {mo-ade'}; or (feminine) moweadah (2nd Chronicles 8:13) {mo-aw-daw'}; from 3259; properly, AN APPOINTMENT, i.e. A FIXED TIME OR SEASON; SPECIFICALLY, A FESTIVAL; CONVENTIONALLY, A YEAR; Technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand):--appointed (sign, time), (place of, solemn) assembly, congregation, A SET, SOLEMN FEAST.
In Psalm 104:19, the word for “seasons” is once again, the word “mowediym,” which pertains specifically to the “APPOINTED FEASTS!”
The Book of Jubilees, sometimes called the “Lesser Genesis,” “Little Genesis,” or “The Testament of Moses.” However, Jubilees is considered a Pseudepigraphal work of Jewish apocalyptic literature. It was probably written in the second century B.C., sometime between 135 and 105. The Book of Jubilees records an account of biblical history from the creation of the world to the time of Moses, as delivered to Moses by an angel on Mount Sinai.
The book divides history into periods or “Jubilees” of 49 years. Generally, the Book of Jubilees follows the account of creation as recorded in the Book of Genesis, but it inserts interesting details such as the names of Adam’s daughters and the creation of angels. Some scholars consider the Book of Jubilees to be an extended midrash on Genesis through the first part of Exodus.
The only complete text of the Book of Jubilees still extant is an Ethiopic manuscript from the sixth century A.D. It contains 1,307 verses. Most scholars believe that the book was originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic. That theory is bolstered by the discovery among the Dead Sea Scrolls of fragmented Hebrew texts containing portions of the Book of Jubilees.
So far, at least fifteen separate manuscripts of the Book of Jubilees have been identified at Qumran, and all have been reduced to fragments-----“The Dead Sea Scrolls: The Book of Jubilees,” VanderKam, J., and Morgan, S., The Missouri Review, the College of Arts & Science of the University of Missouri, 12/1/1992.
Those fragments provide only about 3 percent of the total content of the book. There are also some fragments of Jubilees existing today in Greek and Latin, but nowhere near a complete book in either of those languages or in Hebrew.
According to the Book of Jubilees, on Mt. Sinai “The angel of the presence spake to Moses according to the word of the Lord, saying: Write the complete history of the creation” (Jubilees 2:1, Charles, R. H., trans., 1902).
This malak (angel) told Moses that Elohiym created various categories of angels on the first day of creation. Great stress is laid on the Sabbath in Jubilees 2:17–32. In chapter 3, Adam and Eve are in Eden for a period of seven years. Then, after “seven years exactly,” the serpent tempted Eve (Jubilees 3:17).
It was only after the fall, that Adam had sex with his wife (Jubilees 3:34).
Jubilees chapter 4 introduces Noah and his wife (who is named Emzara). Chapter 5 narrates the flood. The author of Jubilees writes that, after the flood, Elohiym says to Noah, “Command thou the children of Israel that they observe the years according to this reckoning—three hundred and sixty-four days, and (these) will constitute a complete year” (Jubilees 5:32).
The 364-day solar year (rather than the 360-day lunar year) is one of the main thrusts of the Book of Jubilees.
Some scholars have pointed out that it appears that Jubilees was written precisely for the purpose of pushing the author’s commitment to a solar-based calendar.
In Jubilees, Elohiym is concerned that His people might “disturb all their seasons and the years will be dislodged . . . and they will neglect their ordinances” (Jubilees 6:33). According to the Book of Jubilees, to prevent confusion and to keep holy days from getting “dislodged,” Elohiym instituted the 364-day solar calendar.
Under that system, (since 7 is a factor of 364), the same date falls on the same day of the week each year (e.g., every year July 4 would be on the same day of the week).
The command governing the calendar reflects another major emphasis in Jubilees. The laws concerning Sabbaths, Passover, First-fruits, and other holy days.
The author of Jubilees claims that the Feasts of YaHuWaH were observed by the patriarchs long before the time of Moses. While, I, Maria Merola, have seen prophetic hints of the biblical feasts, in the book of Genesis, Scripture is silent about the feasts until Moses received the instructions in the Book of Exodus. Circumcision is also stressed in the book, which promises “Great wrath from YaHuWaH” on uncircumcised Israelites (Jubilees 15:40).
The author of the Book of Jubilees was probably an Essene member of the Qumran community—the people who copied and preserved the Dead Sea Scrolls. Theological and cultural details within the book differ from the teachings of both the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
The calendar system advocated in Jubilees is the one used in other Essene writings.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the only group today that accepts the Book of Jubilees as canonical. There are several problems with including the Book of Jubilees in the Bible as part of inspired Scripture.
Probably the most significant is that the author of Jubilees, in retelling the story of Genesis, changes the biblical record in several respects. In general, the patriarchs are glorified as holy men who were scrupulous in keeping the law.
As portrayed in the Book of Jubilees, “Jacob does not lie to his father; Isaac eventually declares Jacob to be his true heir, and elderly Jacob settles on Leah as the wife he loves, and Abram’s deceit of Pharaoh is never mentioned.”
Clearly, these heroes of the faith are handled with kid gloves by the author of Jubilees; in contrast, Scripture presents a candid record of their faults.
Further, the Book of Jubilees adds to the Law of Moses and goes far beyond Scripture in its stress on punishment.
A father who gives his daughter in marriage to a Gentile “shall surely die, and they shall stone him with stones . . . and they shall burn the woman with fire” (Jubilees 30:11–12). This sounds very much like the Islamic Sharia Laws. Moses took to himself a Cushite (Ethiopian) woman, and the Egyptians who left with the Yisraelites out of Egypt were allowed to be counted “As one who is homeborn in Yisrael” (Exodus 12:48-49).
Adding to the Scriptures, the Book of Jubilees says that during the Feast of Tabernacles (which Abraham first celebrated) Israel is to “set wreaths upon their heads” and carry branches around the altar seven times each morning (Jubilees 16:39, 41). Also, Jubilees stipulates the type of wood to be used for the fire of the burnt offering (Jubilees 21:16–19).
In summary, the Book of Jubilees adds to the Torah (Mosaic Law), and hints at worshiping saints, (hagiography); introduces sectarian teachings regarding the calendar, and lacks sufficient manuscript evidence. For each of these reasons, Jubilees fails the standards of the canon of Scripture.
Why the Book of Jubilees Cannot be Viewed as Inspired Scripture:
YaHuWaH created Adam & Eve on the 6th day, and then commanded them to be fruitful and multiply at the end of the 6th day (before it became the Sabbath on the 7th day).
They were both naked, and he wanted them to procreate. He did not say “But wait until the Sabbath is over to procreate.”
As a matter of fact, Yahuwshuwa commands us to “Save Life” on the Sabbath day, and making a baby is producing/saving life.
David & his men went to the Temple on the Sabbath, and asked the High Priest for some bread for his men.
The priest gave them the old showbread to eat, because he was baking fresh bread on the Sabbath, which is when they were commanded to swap out the old showbread with the new showbread.
The bread of the Presence (also called the showbread or shewbread in some translations) was special bread always present on a table in the tabernacle (and later in the temple).
The bread of the Presence (also called the showbread or shewbread in some translations) was special bread always present on a table in the tabernacle (and later in the temple).
Leviticus 24:5–7 describes this bread: “You shall take fine flour and bake twelve loaves from it; two tenths of an ephah shall be in each loaf. And you shall set them in two piles, six in a pile, on the table of pure gold before YHWH. And you shall put pure frankincense on each pile, that it may go with the bread as a memorial portion as a food offering to YHWH.”
This Bread of the Presence was:
1.) Made of fine flour.
2.) Baked in 12 loaves.
3.) Arranged in two piles of six loaves each on a table of pure gold.
4.) Covered with frankincense.
5.) Served as a memorial food offering to YaHuWaH.
The bread could only be eaten by Aaron and his sons in a holy place and was set out every Sabbath day (Leviticus 24:8–9).
The other important thing, is that Messiah will return for his bride in the 7th Millennium, which will be in the 6,000th year from creation.
This means that he will consummate with his bride in the “Sabbath Millennium!”
The reason why the Sabbath Day is most holy, is because the #7 is symbolic of “covenant,” and the word “seven,” in Hebrew “sheba,” means “to take take an oath by repeating seven times.”
In 2nd Peter 3:8, it says that “One day is with YaHuWaH as a thousand years.”
Therefore, the 7th Millennium is equivalent to the 7th day of the week, the Weekly Shabbat!
The most advantageous time for married couples to be intimate with one another is when the bride of Messiah will be intimate with her bridegroom in the 7th Millennium.
Shaul (Paul) spoke of this mystery of the earthly marriage being a shadow of the heavenly marriage between Messiah and his bride in Ephesians 5:22-32, ending with these words:
Ephesians 5:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Mashiyach and the assembly. I have not finished writing a blog about it yet.
Why the Book of Jubilees Leads to Gnosticism:
YaHuWaH created Adam & Eve on the 6th day, and then, he commanded them to be fruitful and multiply at the end of the 6th day (before it became the Sabbath on the 7th day).
They were both naked, and he wanted them to procreate. He did not say “But wait until the Sabbath is over to procreate.” As a matter of fact, Yahuwshuwa commands us to “Save Life” on the Sabbath day, and making a baby is producing/saving life.
David & his men went to the Temple on the Sabbath, and asked the High Priest for some bread for his men. The priest gave them the old showbread to eat, because he was baking fresh bread on the Sabbath, which is when they were commanded to swap out the old showbread with the new showbread.
The bread of the Presence (also called the showbread or shewbread in some translations) was special bread always present on a table in the tabernacle (and later in the temple).
Leviticus 24:5–7 describes this bread: “You shall take fine flour and bake twelve loaves from it; two tenths of an ephah shall be in each loaf. And you shall set them in two piles, six in a pile, on the table of pure gold before YHWH. And you shall put pure frankincense on each pile, that it may go with the bread as a memorial portion as a food offering to YHWH.”
The bread could only be eaten by Aaron and his sons in a holy place and was set out every Sabbath day (Leviticus 24:8–9).
There are many contradictions in the Book of Jubilees to the Torah & Prophets.
#1.) Jubilees claims it’s a sin to go to war on Shabbat, but our Messiah said that we are to “Save life on the Sabbath.” (Mark 3:4 & Luke 6:9). If somebody comes to your home, ready to kill you and your family on Shabbat, you are commanded to defend your family and yourself, because this is the command of our Messiah---to save life on the Sabbath!
Additionally, YaHuWaH commanded Yisrael to march around Jericho for seven days, and on the seventh day, it was the Sabbath. This is when the walls of Jericho came down! This means that they were engaging in warfare on the Sabbath!
See the following article: https://www.thetorah.com/article/intimacy-on-shabbat
#2.) Jubilees claims it’s a sin to fast on the Sabbath, but our Messiah fasted for 40 days, in the wilderness, which means that he fasted for 5 Sabbaths.
#3.) Jubilees says it’s a sin for married couples to be intimate on the Shabbat, but YaHuWaH commanded Adam & Eve to “Be fruitful and multiply” at the end of the 6th day of the week, going into the seventh day of the week.
#4.) Shabbat is the best time for couples to be fruitful and multiply, because it is SAVING/PRODUCING LIFE!
In Luke 24:44, Yahuwshuwa said that Law, Prophets & Psalms TESTIFY of him! He never mentioned Jubilees!
Genesis 1:14-16 says that there are THREE WITNESSES: the sun, the moon and the stars! This is the chronology of time-keeping that we use:
1.) We wait for the Spring Equinox to determine the Tequwphah (Solar Year).
2.) We wait for the next Renewed Moon following the Spring Equinox, according to Deuteronomy 16:1.
3.) We cite the constellation of the Ram inside the path of the Sun, because the Ram symbolizes when Abraham offered up his son “first-born son,” Yitzchaq (Isaac), who became the substitute sacrifice.
To learn more, see my other blogs about Biblical Time-keeping: Blogs About Biblical Time-Keeping
When Does a Biblical “Day” Begin?
What Constitutes a Biblical New Moon?
Times, Seasons & the Thief in the Night: When is the Real New Year?
Three Days & Three Nights in the Heart of the Earth: The Good Friday Myth
The Sabbath Resurrection: “I Will Raise Him Up at the Last Day.”
Why Does YaHuWaH Establish His Covenants in the Evening?
The Sabbath is Made for Man
Did Messiah Eat the Passover Before He Died?
When Was the Real Messiah Born & Why Does it Matter?
The Feast of Trumpets: “The Day That No Man Knows!”
The Lunar Sabbath Controversy
The Jubilee Cycles Reveal the Possible Second Coming of Messiah
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