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␈↓ α∧␈↓α␈↓ ∧iWHY ARE THERE THREE SABBATHS?

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTEveryone␈α∂knows␈α∂the␈α∂Christians␈α∞celebrate␈α∂the␈α∂Sabbath␈α∂on␈α∞Sunday,␈α∂the␈α∂Jews␈α∂on␈α∞Saturday,
␈↓ α∧␈↓and␈αthe␈αMoslems␈αon␈αFriday.␈α Many␈αof␈αour␈αreaders␈αhave␈αasked␈αwhy,␈αand␈αmany␈αexplanations␈αhave
␈↓ α∧␈↓been given, but only recently has biblical research uncovered how it came about.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThe␈α∞Jewish␈α∂religion␈α∞is␈α∂the␈α∞oldest␈α∂of␈α∞the␈α∂three,␈α∞and␈α∂once␈α∞only␈α∂Jews␈α∞lived␈α∂in␈α∞the␈α∂Land␈α∞of
␈↓ α∧␈↓Israel.␈α∂ They␈α∂observed␈α∞the␈α∂Law␈α∂and␈α∞kept␈α∂the␈α∂Sabbath␈α∞holy,␈α∂but␈α∂the␈α∞Lord␈α∂was␈α∂displeased␈α∞with
␈↓ α∧␈↓them; perhaps they were too smug.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTAnd␈α∞the␈α∞Lord␈α∞put␈α∞into␈α∞the␈α
heads␈α∞of␈α∞some␈α∞of␈α∞the␈α∞young␈α
men␈α∞the␈α∞idea␈α∞of␈α∞seeking␈α∞out␈α
the
␈↓ α∧␈↓Ends␈α
of␈α
the␈α
Earth.␈α
 These␈α
young␈αmen␈α
proposed␈α
to␈α
send␈α
an␈α
expedition␈αto␈α
the␈α
East␈α
to␈α
go␈α
until␈αit
␈↓ α∧␈↓came␈α
to␈α
the␈α
edge␈α
of␈α
the␈αworld␈α
and␈α
another␈α
expedition␈α
to␈α
the␈αWest␈α
to␈α
do␈α
the␈α
same.␈α
 They␈αknew␈α
the
␈↓ α∧␈↓world␈α∞was␈α∞large␈α∞and␈α∂these␈α∞expeditions␈α∞might␈α∞take␈α∂many␈α∞years,␈α∞so␈α∞each␈α∂was␈α∞put␈α∞in␈α∞charge␈α∂of␈α∞a
␈↓ α∧␈↓young␈αbut␈α
well-thought-of␈αrabbi␈αof␈α
unimpeachable␈αholiness.␈α
 Each␈αwas␈αinstructed␈α
to␈αpress␈α
on␈αas
␈↓ α∧␈↓rapidly␈αas␈αpossible␈αbut␈αabove␈αall␈αto␈αobserve␈αthe␈αLaw␈αin␈αthe␈αminutest␈αdetail␈αand␈α␈↓↓keep␈αthe␈αSabbath
␈↓ α∧␈↓↓holy␈↓.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThey␈αstarted␈αoff␈αbravely␈αbut␈αsuffered␈αmany␈αunexpected␈αhardships␈αand␈αdelays.␈α
 After␈αthree
␈↓ α∧␈↓years␈αthe␈αwestern␈αexpedition␈αreached␈αthe␈αAtlantic␈αcoast␈αof␈αAfrica,␈αand␈αafter␈αten␈αyears␈αthe␈αeastern
␈↓ α∧␈↓expedition␈αreached␈α
the␈αcoast␈αof␈α
China.␈α Most␈α
of␈αthe␈αexplorers␈α
thought␈αthe␈αocean␈α
was␈αthe␈α
end␈αof
␈↓ α∧␈↓the␈α∞world,␈α∞but␈α∞a␈α
few␈α∞were␈α∞not␈α∞satisfied,␈α
and␈α∞after␈α∞much␈α∞debate␈α
they␈α∞prevailed␈α∞on␈α∞the␈α∞others␈α
to
␈↓ α∧␈↓build␈α∞rafts␈α∞and␈α∞set␈α
to␈α∞sea.␈α∞ At␈α∞sea␈α
the␈α∞hardships␈α∞doubled␈α∞and␈α
most␈α∞perished,␈α∞but␈α∞a␈α∞remnant␈α
of
␈↓ α∧␈↓each␈α∞expedition␈α
reached␈α∞America.␈α
 There␈α∞they␈α
had␈α∞many␈α
troubles␈α∞with␈α
the␈α∞Indians␈α
and␈α∞had␈α
to
␈↓ α∧␈↓settle␈αdown␈αfor␈αa␈αwhile␈αand␈αreplenish␈αtheir␈αnumbers.␈αIt␈αwas␈αtwenty␈αyears␈αin␈αone␈αcase␈αand␈αthirty␈α
in
␈↓ α∧␈↓the␈αother␈αbefore␈αthey␈αcould␈αget␈αgoing␈αagain,␈αand␈αin␈αthe␈αmeantime␈αthey␈αhad␈αintermarried␈αwith␈αthe
␈↓ α∧␈↓Indians.␈α But␈αthe␈αrabbis␈αwere␈αdevoted,␈αthe␈αnewcomers␈αwere␈αproperly␈αconverted,␈αthe␈αchildren␈αwere
␈↓ α∧␈↓piously educated, and they all obeyed the Law.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTIn␈α⊂crossing␈α⊂America,␈α∂the␈α⊂expeditions␈α⊂missed␈α∂each␈α⊂other,␈α⊂because␈α∂the␈α⊂one␈α⊂that␈α⊂went␈α∂west
␈↓ α∧␈↓landed␈αin␈α
Mexico,␈αwhile␈α
the␈αother␈α
landed␈αat␈α
San␈αFrancisco␈α
Bay␈αwhere␈α
some␈αof␈α
its␈αrelics␈α
are␈αstill␈α
to
␈↓ α∧␈↓be found in the museum at Mount Diablo.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTWhen␈α
they␈αreached␈α
the␈α
oceans␈αagain,␈α
they␈αwere␈α
more␈α
experienced␈αand␈α
determined,␈αand␈α
they
␈↓ α∧␈↓crossed␈α
with␈α
fewer␈α
deaths.␈α
 Nevertheless,␈αit␈α
was␈α
70␈α
years␈α
after␈αthe␈α
start␈α
when␈α
they␈α
both␈αreturned␈α
to
␈↓ α∧␈↓Jerusalem miraculously arriving just two days apart on a Monday and a Wednesday.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTA␈α
joyful␈αday␈α
of␈αreunion␈α
took␈αplace␈α
and␈αthere␈α
was␈αgreat␈α
rejoicing␈αand␈α
feasting␈αand␈α
sacrifices
␈↓ α∧␈↓and␈α
prayer␈α
at␈α
the␈α
Temple.␈α
 The␈α
shock␈α
came␈α
on␈α
Thursday␈α
at␈α
sundown␈α
when␈α
the␈α
returnees␈αfrom
␈↓ α∧␈↓the␈αexpedition␈α
to␈αthe␈αEast␈α
started␈αpreparing␈αto␈α
celebrate␈αthe␈αSabbath.␈α
 You␈αsee,␈αin␈α
going␈αaround
␈↓ α∧␈↓the␈αEarth␈α
to␈αthe␈αEast␈α
they␈αgained␈αa␈α
day␈αin␈αtheir␈α
reckoning␈αwhereas␈αthose␈α
who␈αwent␈αto␈α
the␈αWest
␈↓ α∧␈↓lost␈α⊃a␈α⊃day.␈α⊃ The␈α⊃same␈α⊃understandable␈α⊃error␈α⊃was␈α⊃made␈α⊃by␈α⊃the␈α⊃celebrated␈α⊃Phileas␈α⊃Fogg␈α⊃many
␈↓ α∧␈↓centuries later.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTNaturally,␈α∞this␈α∞led␈α∞to␈α∞a␈α∞fearful␈α∞row␈α
with␈α∞vociferous␈α∞accusations␈α∞from␈α∞each␈α∞group␈α∞that␈α
the
␈↓ α∧␈↓other␈αtwo␈αhad␈αneglected␈αthe␈α
Law␈αand␈αforgotten␈αto␈αkeep␈α
the␈αSabbath␈αholy;␈αthese␈αancient␈αJews␈α
were
␈↓ α∧␈↓much␈α
stronger␈α
in␈α
piety␈α
than␈α
in␈α
science.␈α
 The␈α
groups␈α
separated␈α
in␈α
mutual␈α
disgust,␈α
piles␈α
of␈α
stones


␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ ε|1␈↓ ∧



␈↓ α∧␈↓were␈α∞heaped␈α∞up,␈α∞and␈α
some␈α∞of␈α∞the␈α∞travellers␈α
began␈α∞to␈α∞make␈α∞bows␈α
and␈α∞arrows␈α∞as␈α∞they␈α∞had␈α
been
␈↓ α∧␈↓taught by the Indians.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTSuddenly,␈α∃however,␈α∀one␈α∃smart␈α∀young␈α∃rabbi␈α∀called␈α∃all␈α∀the␈α∃other␈α∀rabbis␈α∃together,␈α∀this
␈↓ α∧␈↓requiring␈α
great␈αtact,␈α
because␈αeach␈α
group␈αconsidered␈α
the␈αothers␈α
to␈αscarcely␈α
be␈αrabbis␈α
at␈α
all.␈α With
␈↓ α∧␈↓the␈αaid␈αof␈αa␈αlarge␈αmelon␈αto␈αrepresent␈αthe␈αEarth␈αand␈αthe␈αlight␈αof␈αa␈αcandle␈αto␈αrepresent␈αthe␈αsun,␈αhe
␈↓ α∧␈↓explained␈αhis␈αtheory␈αof␈αhow␈αthe␈αEarth␈αwas␈αround␈αand␈αthat␈αgoing␈αaround␈αthe␈αEarth␈αcould␈αlead␈αto
␈↓ α∧␈↓a disagreement about the Sabbath without any breaking of the Law.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThe␈α
explanation␈α
caused␈α
everyone␈αgreat␈α
joy,␈α
and␈α
the␈α
rabbis␈αbegan␈α
to␈α
relax␈α
and␈α
smile␈αat␈α
each
␈↓ α∧␈↓other␈αuntil␈αthe␈αoldest␈αand␈αwisest␈αrabbi,␈αwhose␈αface␈αhad␈αbeen␈αgetting␈αgloomier␈αand␈αgloomier,␈αasked
␈↓ α∧␈↓for the floor.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αT"␈↓↓Alas␈↓",␈α
he␈αsaid,␈α
"␈↓↓would␈α
that␈αit␈α
had␈α
been␈αonly␈α
a␈α
matter␈αof␈α
some␈α
of␈αus␈α
forgetting␈α
the␈αLaw.␈α
 That
␈↓ α∧␈↓↓would␈αhave␈αbeen␈αvery␈αserious,␈αbut␈αwith␈αprayer␈αand␈αrepentance,␈αafter␈αenough␈αtime␈αthe␈αsinners␈αcould
␈↓ α∧␈↓↓have␈αbeen␈αforgiven.␈α But␈αthis␈αfact,␈αand␈αI␈αbelieve␈αthis␈αyoung␈αman's␈αexplanation␈αto␈αbe␈αtrue,␈αthis␈αfact
␈↓ α∧␈↓↓means␈α
that␈α∞the␈α
Lord␈α
intends␈α∞us␈α
to␈α
fight,␈α∞and␈α
that␈α
our␈α∞fighting␈α
has␈α
been␈α∞ordained␈α
since␈α∞the␈α
time
␈↓ α∧␈↓↓when the Lord created the Earth.␈↓"

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThis␈αstatement␈α
led␈αto␈α
great␈αdisputation␈αamong␈α
the␈αrabbis,␈α
but␈αat␈αlength␈α
they␈αhad␈α
to␈αadmit
␈↓ α∧␈↓the␈αtruth␈α
of␈αwhat␈αthe␈α
old␈αrabbi␈αhad␈α
said.␈α In␈αaccordance␈α
therewith,␈αthe␈αgroup␈α
that␈αhad␈αgone␈α
West
␈↓ α∧␈↓in␈α
the␈α
first␈α
place␈α
went␈α
West␈α
a␈α
few␈α
hundred␈α
miles␈α
again␈α
and␈α
became␈α
Christians,␈α
while␈α
the␈α
other
␈↓ α∧␈↓group went Southeast and became Moslems.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTFor␈α
many␈α
years,␈αbacksliders␈α
tried␈α
to␈α
go␈αagainst␈α
the␈α
Lord's␈α
will␈αand␈α
make␈α
friends␈α
with␈αlike
␈↓ α∧␈↓minded␈αpeople␈αfrom␈αthe␈αother␈αgroups.␈α Some␈α
of␈αthem␈αeven␈αtried␈αto␈αintermarry.␈α The␈α
rabbis␈αthus
␈↓ α∧␈↓were␈α∞forced␈α∞to␈α
hold␈α∞another␈α∞meeting␈α
in␈α∞a␈α∞secret␈α∞place␈α
in␈α∞the␈α∞Sinai.␈α
 There␈α∞they␈α∞decided␈α∞that␈α
if
␈↓ α∧␈↓people␈α∩continued␈α⊃to␈α∩be␈α∩aware␈α⊃of␈α∩the␈α∩way␈α⊃in␈α∩which␈α⊃the␈α∩schism␈α∩had␈α⊃come␈α∩about,␈α∩the␈α⊃Lord's
␈↓ α∧␈↓inscrutable␈α⊃but␈α⊃unmistakable␈α∩intentions␈α⊃would␈α⊃never␈α⊃be␈α∩realized.␈α⊃ So␈α⊃they␈α⊃decided␈α∩to␈α⊃rework
␈↓ α∧␈↓suitable old stories into new myths of how the different religions were founded.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTIn␈αthe␈αmodern␈α
age,␈αof␈αcourse,␈αthe␈α
inconsistencies␈αof␈αthese␈αmyths␈α
have␈αled␈αalmost␈αeveryone␈α
to
␈↓ α∧␈↓intuitively␈α⊂guess␈α∂the␈α⊂simple␈α∂truth␈α⊂-␈α⊂hence␈α∂the␈α⊂Ecumenical␈α∂movement.␈α⊂ What␈α∂the␈α⊂Lord␈α⊂will␈α∂do
␈↓ α∧␈↓about this - is not for man to say.















␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ ε|2␈↓ ∧