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In the Wilderness of Sin

Where do we stand now? We have seen that both the Jews and the world at large have lost
sight of God's true Sabbath day. Time indeed has been lost -- and with it the weekly cycle as set up
by God in Genesis 1 and 2. What can we do? Are we lost -- have we lost that "connection" to God
through the sign of His holy Sabbath day? As Herbert Armstrong reflected -- "Would God set apart
a certain day, put His blessing on it, make it HOLY TIME, command that it be KEPT HOLY FOR-
EVER, and then let that holy time become so lost we cannot tell when to keep it?...If so, then you
and I are LOST, for it is SIN to profane God's Sabbath!" My friends, there is hope, we have not
been lost; God has left us clues in His holy word the Bible -- clues that we can easily piece to-
gether and learn HOW to determine God's Sabbath day! For the first clue, let's turn to the book of
Exodus, chapter 16:

And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to
the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF
THE SECOND MONTH after they departed from the land of Egypt. Then the whole con-
gregation` of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
And the children of Israel said to them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in
the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For
you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the
people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, WHETHER
THEY WILL WALK IN MY LAW OR NOT" (New King James Version, verses 1-4).

These verses are much clearer in the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, which
reads as follows --

And they departed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to
the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sina; and ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY,
IN THE SECOND MONTH after their departure from the land of Egypt, all the congre-
gation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron. And the children of
Israel said to them, Would we had died smitten by the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we
sat by the flesh-pots, and ate bread to satiety! for ye have brought us out into this wilder-
ness, to slay all this congregation with hunger. And the Lord said to Moses, Behold, I will
rain bread upon you out of heaven: and the people shall go forth, and they shall gather
their daily portion for the day, that I may try them WHETHER THEY WILL WALK IN
MY LAW OR NOT.

These verses bring out TWO main points, (1) the Israelites murmured against Moses and
Aaron on THE 15TH DAY OF THE SECOND MONTH after leaving Egypt and, (2) God was go-
ing to test the Israelites to see if they would WALK IN HIS LAW OR NOT. It is very interesting
that Moses should mention THE EXACT DAY that the Israelites murmured against him and Aaron
in the wilderness -- nowhere else in the narrative of the Israelites' wanderings from Egypt to the
Promised Land is an exact date mentioned. This clearly indicates that this date was IMPORTANT
TO GOD and that He wanted the Israelites to remember it. Also, on this date He was going to

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