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righteous. The resurrection was expected to come to pass as the fulfillment of a chain of prophetic
events -- all of which surrounded reformation of the Temple.

As previously explained, the high-priests who served under the late Second-Temple were
therefore not trusted by the Jewish masses. By the time of the late Second-Temple, not only was
the high-priest suspected to not be fully approved of God, but even the religious schedule, or cal-
endar, come into seeming question. Thus, the greater Jewish populous clung to faith and hope
which was nurtured through the synagogue system.

During this period of Jewish history, it's easy to begin to recognize more of just how an al-
ternate Sabbath schedule (not lunar-based) might have been implemented among some of the Jew-
ish sects. Perhaps it was believed on the part of some that a different Sabbath schedule -- or one
diverse from the calendar practiced by those who officiated at the Temple -- was necessary as part
of the prophesied Temple reformation.

A change of Temple administration was then first enacted under Antiochus IV, and because
of ultimate opposition to the Temple order which followed (and because of expectations in the ful-
fillment of prophesied events), a diverse Sabbath schedule probably began to be promulgated.
During this time of considerable confusion (and amid hope for a new Temple order) it appears that
a new religious calendar was ultimately adopted on the part of mainstream Jews. The ultimate
widespread adherence to a new religious schedule was perhaps not enforced by Pharisaic leaders
until after the fall of the Second-Temple (in 70 CE).

An Early-Used Sabbath Schedule

Prior to the time of Antiochus IV, early Jews are more firmly indicated to have observed a
lunar-based Sabbath. It appears that the lunar-week-unit -- or the lunar-quarter phase -- may have
once been very integral in defining a rather widely used numbering system. The use of this lunar-
based system is indicated to have been popular throughout the ancient Middle East.

From this indicated very early use of a lunar-week-unit (as the basis of a widely-used num-
bering system), it is apparent that the Sabbath could have been used for diverse purposes (or for
purposes more than defining a religious cycle). It is highly probable that a jubilee cycle-of-
Sabbaths (actually a progression of lunar quarters) was additionally used to determine the passage
of seasons, and to ultimately delimit the time of annual festivals. Essentially, the lunar-week-unit
was once fully integral in the definition of a somewhat sophisticated time-keeping system. This
unit (the lunar-week) was used to very effectively track days, weeks, months, seasons, and years.
Amid natural cycles defined by the apparent Sun and Moon, periods of work, worship, and festival
celebration were all determined by the unit of the lunar-week.

The possibility that the early Second-Temple might have once observed a lunar-based Sab-
bath is made more difficult to bring into clear focus due to the fact that certain among the Jewish
sects (as previously cited) appear to have adopted a diverse religious calendar. Essentially, it
seems that -- by the time of the late Second-Temple -- more than one version of the Sabbath might
have been counted and celebrated.

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