What is the “Day of Stillness”?
The Day of Stillness is a significant day you will pretty much only find on Songs of Koha calendars and content. Even though it happens every year, it’s not an official holy day mentioned in the Bible, and many believers seem to overlook it! But it is definitely a time worth recognizing. So what exactly IS this mystery day?
In the beginning of creation, one year used to be long, not the typical 365 we’re so used to today. This was a nice and tidy length of time, because the year could be perfectly divided into 52 weeks of seven days…rinse, and repeat! The Most High set the sun, moon and stars , and gave them their courses to run. For thousands of years, all went according to plan without interruption until…
Origins
After crossing the Jordan river on dry ground into the promised land, the children of Israel found themselves at war with the Amorites! During this time, the Israelites were being led by Joshua, and were camped at Gilgal. The Israelites had made peace with the people of Gibeon, who had come to Joshua asking for mercy. They had heard of the power of the God of the Israelites, and that their land was promised to them, so they asked to be servants rather than being slain.
But there were five kings of the Amorites who felt threatened by the Israelites making so many friends, because the Gibeonites were great in number, and a strong people. Afraid that the Israelites would make even more friends among the nations and gather them all together to conquer their lands, the five kings made war against Gibeon. The Gibeonites asked Joshua for help, and the armies of Yahawah fought on their behalf!
It was during this war that time itself was changed, and the Day of Stillness came to be. The Israelites fought valiantly to defend the Gibeonites, and The Most High fought on their behalf also. He sent a great hailstorm against the armies of the Amorites, which eliminated more of their soldiers than the armies of the Israelites did. The scriptures don’t tell us why, but Joshua did not want night to fall before the Amorites were completely conquered. So in a great act of faith, he looked to the heavens and commanded the sun and moon with a loud voice, saying,
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
And there was no day like that before it or after it, that Yahawah hearkened unto the voice of a man: for Yahawah fought for Israel.
Joshua 10:12-14
This amazing event only happened one time in all the world’s history, but it didn’t only affect that day… it changed the course of the sun for the rest of time! Ever since that day, there have been a little more than 365 days in a year. The sun never returned to its original position to give us a 364 day year. So now, we always have an extra bit of time at the end of each year to remind us of this wonderful miracle! The day the sun and moon stood still… The Day of Stillness.
Observation
As mentioned before, the Day of Stillness is not an official holy day mentioned in scripture, so it doesn’t have the same requirements as, say, the Sabbath day, a New Moon day, or any other feast day. Perhaps that’s why it is so often overlooked! In Songs of Koha materials, you’ll find that it falls at the end of each calendar year, as sort of a “non day”, when all 31 days of the 12th month have passed, and we’re just not really sure where it fits.
Should you work? Should you rest? Should you feast? It’s a day of uncertainty, which perfectly captures what must have been the mood of the heavens on the day when the sun and moon left their familiar courses, and stood still for two days straight. It takes you off of autopilot and makes you pay attention, giving you a chance to stop and reflect on the fact that The Most High has brought you through another year, and He’s about to bring you into another! Halleluyah!
If you would like to read more on this special day for yourself, here are some suggested scriptures:
- Joshua 9
- Jasher 88:55-65
- Psalm 46:10