In the paper titled "The Eighth Day" there was a very complete disclosure of how God used various circumstances that involved an eighth day. Also, particular important details that related to the last feast day called "the eighth day" were included in that paper. This paper deals with all of the times that the term "solemn assembly" was used in the Bible. There is one particular use of that term, that that will be looked at later on that inspired the title for this paper, " A Clear Shadow Of The Eighth Day". The term solemn assembly was used a total of ten times. Three of the times it was used in conjunction with the command to keep the eighth day as a holy day.
Lev 23:36
-------- it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.Num 29:35
On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein:Neh 8:18
Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.Each of the other times that it was used have, in their own way, unique information that reflects on the fulfillment of the day that was described in the "Eighth Day" paper. Namely, those who received the salvation of Jesus Christ will be brought into eternity on that day while those who were not found in the book of life will be destroyed in the lake of fire.
It would be helpful at this time to provide the true definition of the term "solemn assembly". The Strong’s number for "solemn assembly" is H 6116. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance defines it as follows:
H6116;
ats-aw-raw', ats-eh'-reth. From H6113; an assembly, especially on a festival or holiday: - (solemn) assembly (meeting)We are directed to number H6113 to determine what the word solemn means.
H6113; aw-tsar'. A primitive root; to inclose; by analogy to hold back; also to maintain, rule, assemble: - X be able, close up, detain, fast, keep (self close, still), prevail, recover, refrain, X reign, restrain, retain, shut (up), slack, stay, stop, withhold (self).
It is apparent that the complete Hebrew term "ats-aw-raw" would be appropriately defined as an "assembly" that is "held back", "kept still" or "restrained" for one reason or another.
The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrxew and English Lexicon reflects the same definition.6116; assembly (as confined, held in) 6113; restrain, retain
Lets now look at how five of the ten uses of "solemn assembly" is used and see their relationship to the fulfillment of the eighth day. The first of the five being 2Ch7:9
2Ch 7:9
And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. (the feast of tabernacles began on the 15th and ended on the 21st --- the eighth day was on the 22nd ) 2Ch 7:10 And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people. This statement supports the understanding that the people were kept back from being "glad and merry in heart" until the twenty third day of the month. As previously included in The Eighth Day paper, we saw that 1 Kings 8:65-66 does not correspond with 2Ch 7.1Ki 8:65
And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.1Ki 8:66 On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.
First, the people were sent to their tents joyful and glad of heart on the eighth day being the 22nd day of the month. And secondly, there is no mention that the eighth day is a solemn assembly. It would be most difficult to reconcile an eighth day being a day of restraint to a day that is to be" joyful and glad of heart".
The second of the five uses is in Joel 2:15. I'll include several other verses in Joel 2 to provide a back ground feeling for the day.
Joe 2:1
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;Joe 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
Joe 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
Joe 2:16
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.Joe 2:17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
A most important thing about this information is that evidently a "solemn assembly" does not have to only be observed on the 22nd day of the seventh month. As verse 15 shows they were to "call" for a solemn assembly. The other factors are that the people are "gathered" or assembled, are held back from joy and the priests are to say, "let them be spared, in other words, saved from the trouble to come.
The third of the five use is found in Jeremiah 9:2.
Jer 9:2
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly (6116) of treacherous men.Jer 9:6 Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD.
Jer 9:13 And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;
Jer 9:14 But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:
Jer 9:15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.
In keeping with the true definition of "6116", essentially being a held in or restrained assembly, it is apparent that these people feigned any true keeping of the "eighth day" and would suffer the consequences. It's apparent that they "kept" the day, but how?
The fourth of the five is in 2Kings 10:20.
2Ki 10:20
And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.2Ki 10:21
And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.2Ki 10:24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.
2Ki 10:25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.
2Ki 10:28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
This is a dramatic example of one of the aspects of the fulfillment of the "Eighth Day". The enemies of Israel were destroyed!!! It is interesting that the religious observances of Baal would include a "restrained assembly" that would, as is evident, have such importance to them.
The last of the five uses is the verse that directed me to the event that inspired the title of this paper.
Deu 16:8
Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.This time the term was ascribed to the annual high day of the last day of the days of unleavened bread. WHY WOULD THAT BE? By my reckoning, Israel was in type baptized by passing through the reed sea on dry ground on that day. Lets go to the verses that describe that event.
Exo 14:21
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.Exo 14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
Exo 14:23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
Exo 14:24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
Exo 14:25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
Exo 14:26
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.Exo 14:27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
Exo 14:28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
Exo 14:29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
Exo 14:30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
Exo 14:31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.
It now becomes clear why God designated the last day of the days of unleavened bread as a solemn assembly. It is as close to the future fulfillment of the "Eighth Day" as could be portrayed in a physical form.
All of Israels enemies (at that time) were destroyed. Did Israel shout for joy seeing their demise? NO! The record shows that they were in state of fear and possibly awe for what they had just observed. As one of the more popular songs puts it ------- ---"Israel was saved from all their foes". When the 22nd day of the 7th month finally comes that fulfills the meaning of the 8th day, all who enter eternity will be saved from all their foes. And as far as we know, forever. The last day of the days of unleavened bread is as clear ashadow of the fulfillment of the eighth day as we could be given.
The last two times of the ten times that this term is used also conveys a most important message.
Amo 5:21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.Isa 1:13
Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting (6116). It should be most apparent to us how valued this day is to our God and creator. He separates it from all of the other feast days in these two very important verses. We had better take heed.