Sabbath

[Chad]

Sabbath

It is often claimed that "God instituted the Sabbath in Eden" because of the connection between the Sabbath and creation in Exodus 20:11. Although God's rest on the seventh day (Genesis 2:3) did foreshadow a future Sabbath law, there is no biblical record of the Sabbath before the children of Israel left the land of Egypt. Nowhere in Scripture is there any hint that Sabbath-keeping was practiced from Adam to Moses.

The Word of God makes it quite clear that Sabbath observance was a special sign between God and Israel: "And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine'" (Exodus 19:3–5).

“Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed” (Exodus 31:16–17).

In Deuteronomy 5, Moses restates the ten commandments to the next generation of Israelites. Here, after commanding Sabbath observance in verses 12–14, Moses gives the reason the Sabbath was given to the nation Israel: "And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day" (Deuteronomy 5:15).

Notice the word therefore. God's intent for giving the Sabbath to Israel was not that they would remember creation, but that they would remember their Egyptian slavery and the Lord's deliverance. Note the requirements for Sabbath-keeping: A person placed under that Sabbath law could not leave his home on the Sabbath (Exodus 16:29), he could not build a fire (Exodus 35:3), and he could not cause anyone else to work (Deuteronomy 5:14). A person breaking the Sabbath law was to be put to death (Exodus 31:15; Numbers 15:32–35).

An examination of New Testament passages shows us four important points: 1) Whenever Christ appears in His resurrected form and the day is mentioned, it is always the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1, 9, 10; Mark 16:9; Luke 24:1, 13, 15; John 20:19, 26). 2) The only time the Sabbath is mentioned from Acts through Revelation it is for evangelistic purposes to the Jews and the setting is usually in a synagogue (Acts chapters 13–18). Paul wrote, "to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews" (1 Corinthians 9:20). Paul did not go to the synagogue to fellowship with and edify the saints, but to convict and save the lost. 3) Once Paul states "from now on I will go to the Gentiles" (Acts 18:6), the Sabbath is never again mentioned. And 4) instead of suggesting adherence to the Sabbath day, the remainder of the New Testament implies the opposite (including the one exception to point 3 above, found in Colossians 2:16).

Looking more closely at point 4 above will reveal that there is no obligation for the New Testament believer to keep the Sabbath, and will also show that the idea of a Sunday "Christian Sabbath" is also unscriptural. As discussed above, there is one time the Sabbath is mentioned after Paul began to focus on the Gentiles, "So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ" (Colossians 2:16–17). The Jewish Sabbath was abolished at the cross where Christ "wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us" (Colossians 2:14).

This idea is repeated more than once in the New Testament: "One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it" (Romans 14:5–6a). "But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years" (Galatians 4:9–10).

But some claim that a mandate by Constantine in A.D. 321 "changed" the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. On what day did the early church meet for worship? Scripture never mentions any Sabbath (Saturday) gatherings by believers for fellowship or worship. However, there are clear passages that mention the first day of the week. For instance, Acts 20:7 states that "on the first day of the week the disciples came together to break bread." In 1 Corinthians 16:2 Paul urges the Corinthian believers "on the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper." Since Paul designates this offering as "service" in 2 Corinthians 9:12, this collection must have been linked with the Sunday worship service of the Christian assembly. Historically Sunday, not Saturday, was the normal meeting day for Christians in the church, and its practice dates back to the first century.

The Sabbath was given to Israel, not the church. The Sabbath is still Saturday, not Sunday, and has never been changed. But the Sabbath is part of the Old Testament Law, and Christians are free from the bondage of the Law (Galatians 4:1-26; Romans 6:14). Sabbath keeping is not required of the Christian—be it Saturday or Sunday. The first day of the week, Sunday, the Lord's Day (Revelation 1:10) celebrates the New Creation, with Christ as our resurrected Head. We are not obligated to follow the Mosaic Sabbath—resting, but are now free to follow the risen Christ—serving. The Apostle Paul said that each individual Christian should decide whether to observe a Sabbath rest, “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” (Romans 14:5). We are to worship God every day, not just on Saturday or Sunday.

 

[jiggyfly]

Great post Chad! Jesus paid our debt to the law by completely fulfilling it in a way that satisfied Father. Accepting this is part of entering into the new and better convenant with Father.

Hebrews 10:1-18
1*The old system in the law of Moses was only a shadow of the things to come, not the reality of the good things Christ has done for us. The sacrifices under the old system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2*If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.
3*But just the opposite happened. Those yearly sacrifices reminded them of their sins year after year. 4*For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5*That is why Christ, when he came into the world, said,
“You did not want animal sacrifices and grain offerings.
But you have given me a body so that I may obey you.
6* No, you were not pleased with animals burned on the altar
or with other offerings for sin.
7* Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
just as it is written about me in the Scriptures.’”*
8*Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or grain offerings or animals burned on the altar or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9*Then he added, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to establish the second. 10*And what God wants is for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.
11*Under the old covenant, the priest stands before the altar day after day, offering sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12*But our High Priest offered himself to God as one sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down at the place of highest honor at God’s right hand. 13*There he waits until his enemies are humbled as a footstool under his feet. 14*For by that one offering he perfected forever all those whom he is making holy.
15*And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. First he says,
16* “This is the new covenant I will make
with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts
so they will understand them,
and I will write them on their minds
so they will obey them.”
17*Then he adds,
“I will never again remember
their sins and lawless deeds.”*
18*Now when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.

Galatians 5:1-4
1*So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
2*Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ cannot help you. 3*I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey all of the regulations in the whole law of Moses. 4*For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.

This is not a hard thing to understand unless one's mind has been decieved and corrupted by man's religious traditons and false teaching. Deliverence and healing are not only possible but available to all who desire and love the Truth. For those who are born into slavery and have never known the the wonderful joys of liberty, freedom can be a frightening thing. The sad truth is that many will still prefer the bondage of slavery because it is what they are most familiar with and strangely they find comfort in that. Just like the Hebrew children in Egypt, many wanted to return to bondage rather than continue the persuit to having intimate fellowship with God. Make no mistake, don't be deceived, to stay in Egypt is to remain a slave.

I challenge everyone, do not allow a stiff necked people who have never experienced the joys of liberty to hold you back from escaping religious bondage and discovering the deliverence that Christ has made available.

John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

 

[Mouse]

Sorry to dig this topic back up but lately I have been extremely confused about sabbath keeping and which day. I've been getting so many conflicting views. So does this mean christians no longer need to keep sabbath day and in that way we only need to acknowledge 9 commandments?

 

[ladylovesJesus]

The 10 commandments still stand. We are meant to rest one day a week as God rested on the seventh day. We need to imitate Jesus. If He needed a day of rest then so do we.

The Bible is our life source for how to live and what we should do. Follow the living active Word of God and you will not go wrong.

Listening to people will always lead to confusion dear sister.

God bless :rainbow: :rose:

 

[jiggyfly]

The 10 commandments still stand. We are meant to rest one day a week as God rested on the seventh day. We need to imitate Jesus. If He needed a day of rest then so do we.

The Bible is our life source for how to live and what we should do. Follow the living active Word of God and you will not go wrong.

Listening to people will always lead to confusion dear sister.

God bless :rainbow: :rose:

The bible teaches us that we are part of a new covenant and it is better than the old covenant.

Colossians2:16&17
16*So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17*For these rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ himself.
If we are supposed to keep the sabbath then we are to be circumsized and offer up animal sacrifices too. This kind of mind set is what has hindered many believers from becoming overcommers and mature in Christ.

The scriptures (bible) are not our life source, Christ is via the HolySpirit.
Please reconsider your post, sister.

 

[ladylovesJesus]

If that be the case dear brother where do we stand with tithing in Church?

I still hear that Sunday is meant to be a more special day with Jesus than the rest of the week.

Some people think we do not have to take any notice of the old testament.

I was taught that the new is in the old concealed and the old is in the new revealed.

Worship is a lifestyle. We worship Jesus every day and live to become more like Him every day.

God bless :rainbow: :rose:

 

[jiggyfly]

If that be the case dear brother where do we stand with tithing in Church.

I still hear that Sunday is meant to be a more special day with Jesus than the rest of the week.

Some people think we do not have to take any notice of the old testament.

I was taught that the new is in the old concealed and the old is in the new revealed.

God bless :rainbow: :rose:

Tithing is an old covenant practice and was a levy system much like our modern day taxes. Most of the teachings today concerning the obedience to the tithe are not even close to being scriptural. The law on tithing is found in Deuteronomy 14:22-29.

I don't recall any scripture that indicates Sunday being more special than the others.

I read the old testament alot but I also read the new testament. If the old covenant was ok then why did God make a new covenant?

God's plan is very simple to understand, it is all the religious traditions and man's teachings that confuse everything.

 

[Pedronewt]

Why is Sunday the day observed as the Sabbath? If we went according to the account in Genesis, it should fall at the end of the week or Saturday.

Gen 2:2 - And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

I recently heard that it was moved from Saturday to Sunday during the time of the apostles to reflect the day our Saviour was risen from the grave. Sunday falls three days after Calvary and nicely symbolizes a new covenant, a new life, a new opportunity to see God for who he really is, grab ahold of the Abrahamic covenant and be people of righteousness living be faith.


Here is a portion of wikipedia's definition:

Originally denoting Saturday, the seventh day of the week, or, more precisely, the time period from Friday sunset to Saturday nightfall, the term "sabbath" can now mean one of several things, depending on the context and the speaker:

* Saturday as above, in reference to the Jewish day of rest, also observed by some Christian groups;
* Sunday, as a synonym for "the Lord's Day" in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ, for Christian groups;
* Any day of rest, prayer, worship or ritual, as in "Friday is the Muslim Sabbath"


I think history is cool. It is neat to find out why we do what we do.
blessings to all!

 

[Chad]

Why is Sunday the day observed as the Sabbath? If we went according to the account in Genesis, it should fall at the end of the week or Saturday.

Gen 2:2 - And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

I recently heard that it was moved from Saturday to Sunday during the time of the apostles to reflect the day our Saviour was risen from the grave. Sunday falls three days after Calvary and nicely symbolizes a new covenant, a new life, a new opportunity to see God for who he really is, grab ahold of the Abrahamic covenant and be people of righteousness living be faith.


Here is a portion of wikipedia's definition:

Originally denoting Saturday, the seventh day of the week, or, more precisely, the time period from Friday sunset to Saturday nightfall, the term "sabbath" can now mean one of several things, depending on the context and the speaker:

* Saturday as above, in reference to the Jewish day of rest, also observed by some Christian groups;
* Sunday, as a synonym for "the Lord's Day" in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ, for Christian groups;
* Any day of rest, prayer, worship or ritual, as in "Friday is the Muslim Sabbath"


I think history is cool. It is neat to find out why we do what we do.
blessings to all!

I would stick with portions from the Holy Bible. Wikipedia is editable by anyone visiting the page. Can you rely on "wikipedia" in that case?

The old covenant (Law, which exposes our sin and need for Savior) is fulfilled by the new covenant (Jesus). Otherwise, what use is the new covenant? It does not mean to continue in sin, but rather show us that we need Jesus as Lord and Savior, as Redeemer from our sins.

I think its important to set aside one day of the week to rest and spend time with GOD alone. Certainly not something we all do but its important for obvious reasons: mature in the Lord, hear His voice, seek wisdom and guidance to name a few. Its worship one on one without distractions. Its refreshment and renewal.

 

[ladylovesJesus]

Hebrews 4

A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God

1Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.[a] 3Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
"So I declared on oath in my anger,
'They shall never enter my rest.' " And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. 4For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work."[c] 5And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest."

6It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. 7Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before:
"Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts."[d] 8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

We recently covered the 10 commandments in Church and in Bible fellowship.

The greatest commandment given was to love the Lord with all your heart all your soul and all your strength. deut.6.5

God bless you brother jiggy. :rainbow: :rose:

 

[jiggyfly]

Great scripture ladylovesJesus, this really sums up what the sabboth is today. It is not a day of the week, but it is God's ingenious redemptive plan for man, it is Christ. Many of the celebrations, practices and offices ordained in the old covenant were just pointers, pictures or shadows of Christ. He fulfilled all things in the old covenant, He satisfied the Father concerning every part of the old covenant completely so there is nothing more you or I need to do concerning it.

Now Father has made a new and better covenant with us in His Son Jesus the Christ. In some ways and points it may resemble the old covenant but as a whole it is much, much better. Does it involve keeping commandments? Yes, and Jesus' teachings are full of His commandments, but we now have the help of the HolySpirit to accomplish obedience in us.

Hebrews 8:1-13
1*Here is the main point: Our High Priest sat down in the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. 2*There he ministers in the sacred tent, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands.
3*And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too. 4*If he were here on earth, he would not even be a priest, since there already are priests who offer the gifts required by the law of Moses. 5*They serve in a place of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: “Be sure that you make everything according to the design I have shown you here on the mountain.”* 6*But our High Priest has been given a ministry that is far superior to the ministry of those who serve under the old laws, for he is the one who guarantees for us a better covenant with God, based on better promises.
7 If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. 8 But God himself found fault with the old one when he said:“The day will come, says the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel and Judah.
9* This covenant will not be like the one
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
and led them out of the land of Egypt.
They did not remain faithful to my covenant,
so I turned my back on them, says the Lord.
10* But this is the new covenant I will make
with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds
so they will understand them,
and I will write them on their hearts
so they will obey them.[/I]I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
11* And they will not need to teach their neighbors,
nor will they need to teach their family,
saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’
For everyone, from the least to the greatest,
will already know me.
12* And I will forgive their wrongdoings,
and I will never again remember their sins.”*
13*When God speaks of a new covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and ready to be put aside.

 

[Mouse]

There is much confusion on the exact day and the exact time of the sabbath. After all, if it's sunrise to sunset, what about different time zones? And what happens for those who live above the arctic circle where the sun may never set or never rise all day?

I believe that God loves us too much to punish us if we unintentionally celebrate sabbath on the wrong day. After all it is stated in the bible that god knows what is in our hearts.

 

[Stylez4Christ]

There is much confusion on the exact day and the exact time of the sabbath. After all, if it's sunrise to sunset, what about different time zones? And what happens for those who live above the arctic circle where the sun may never set or never rise all day?

I believe that God loves us too much to punish us if we unintentionally celebrate sabbath on the wrong day. After all it is stated in the bible that god knows what is in our hearts.

But for real we should have Sabbath any day because for example in a Spanish calendar Monday is the first day of the week so in the bible you don’t see something about Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and that you hardly don’t see it on the word of God.

So, we don’t know what was the exact day of the Sabbath but you know Seven Adventist believed is on a Saturday but have you ever notices that more wicked things happen on a Saturday then a Sunday I mean wicked like all of the day except Sunday and have you realize that?


Okay! Never mind I found the scripture for you!!!


Acts 20
6And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.
7And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

1 Corinthians 16:2

2Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Those two scripture has clues.
Plus we should keep a day Holy everyday in are lives because think of the kingdom of heaven, there worshiping the lord all the time never stop worshiping God in Heaven so why only one day because there are church that has church services almost everyday. LOL

 

[trulyblezzed]

Wow what an awesome post! My cousin is seventh day Adventist and she doesn't do anything on Saturday... she won't even get dressed. I see Sunday as the Sabbath, but like Chad posted, I do not think we are punished if we work on Sundays. I see it as a day to go to church and spend time with God, but after you fulfill your Christian duties, you are free to do as you please, whether it be working or resting or spending time with the family. Wow Chad, thanks for such an awesome post!!! This was very informative and I will definitely refer back to it when I get into another debate about Sabbath! God Bless :rainbow:

 

[gotime]

Q1. On what day did Jesus customarily worship?
Luk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

Answer: Jesus’ custom was to worship on the Sabbath.
Q2. But which day of the week is the Sabbath?
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God
Mar 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
Mar 16:2 And very early in the morning the first [day] of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

Answer: The Sabbath is not the first day of the week (Sunday), as many believe, but the seventh day (Saturday). Notice from the above scripture that the Sabbath is the day that comes just before the first day of the week.
Q3. Who made the Sabbath and when?
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Answer: God made the Sabbath at the time of Creation, when He made the world. He rested on the Sabbath and blessed and sanctified it (set it apart for holy use). At this point it may be noted that there was no Israel at this point.
Q4. What does God say about Sabbath-keeping in the Ten Commandments, which He wrote with His own finger?
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Deu 9:10 And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God

Answer: In the fourth commandment of the 10, God commands us to observe the seventh day Sabbath as His holy day. God knew people would forget His Sabbath, so He began this commandment with the word “remember.” He has never commanded anyone anywhere to keep any other day as a weekly holy day. Some may argue that the Sabbath was for the Jews I will address that at the end of this post.

Q5. But haven’t the Ten Commandments been changed?
Luk 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
Psa 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Notice, that the Ten Commandments came from His lips.
Exo 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, [the Ten Commandments follow in verses 2-17].

Answer: No, indeed! It is utterly impossible for any of God’s moral law ever to change. All Ten Commandments are binding today.

Q6. Did the apostles keep the Sabbath?

Act 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Act 13:13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
Act 13:14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
Act 16:13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted [thither].
Act 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Answer: Yes, the book of Acts makes it clear that Paul and the early church Kept the Sabbath.

Q7. Did the Gentiles also worship on Sabbath?

God commanded it:
Isa 56:2 Blessed [is] the man [that] doeth this, and the son of man [that] layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
Isa 56:3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I [am] a dry tree.
Isa 56:4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose [the things] that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
Isa 56:5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
Isa 56:6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
Isa 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices [shall be] accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Apostles taught it:
Act 13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
Act 13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
Act 18:14 And when Paul was now about to open [his] mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O [ye] Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:

Answer: The apostles in the early New Testament church not only obeyed God’s Sabbath command, but also taught the converted Gentiles to worship on the Sabbath. Never once do they refer to Sunday as a holy day.

Q8. But wasn’t the Sabbath changed to Sunday at Christ’s death or resurrection?
Answer: No, there is not the remotest hint that the Sabbath was changed at Christ’s death or resurrection. The Bible teaches just the opposite. Please carefully review the following evidence.
A. God blessed the Sabbath.
Exo 20:11 For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

B. Christ expected His people to be still keeping the Sabbath in A.D. 70 when Jerusalem was destroyed.
Knowing full well that Jerusalem would be destroyed by Rome in A.D. 70, Jesus warned His followers of that time saying, Mat 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day. Emphasis added. Jesus made it clear that He intended for the Sabbath to be kept even 40 years after His resurrection. In fact, there is no intimation anywhere in the Scripture that Jesus, His Father, or the apostles ever (at any time, under any circumstances) changed the holy seventh-day Sabbath to any other day.

c. The women who came to anoint Christ’s dead body kept the Sabbath. Jesus died on “the day before the Sabbath” (Mark 15:37, 42), which is now called Good Friday.

The women prepared spices and ointments to anoint His body, then “rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.” (Luke 23:56). Only “when the Sabbath was past” (Mark 16:1) did the women come “the first day of the week” (Mark 16:2) to continue their sad work. They found “Jesus was risen early the first day of the week” (verse 9), commonly called Easter Sunday. Please note that the Sabbath “according to the commandment” was the day preceding Easter Sunday, which we now call Saturday.

C. Christ’s follower, Luke, wrote two books of the Bible—Luke and Acts.
He says that in the book of Luke he wrote about “all” of Jesus’ teachings (Acts 1:1-3). But he never wrote about Sunday keeping or a change of the Sabbath.

Q9. Some people say the Sabbath will be kept in God’s new earth. Is this correct?

Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
Isa 66:23 And it shall come to pass, [that] from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

Answer: Yes, the Bible says the saved people of all ages will keep the Sabbath in the new earth.

 

[gotime]

sabbath cont

Q10. But isn’t Sunday the Lord’s day?

Isa 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, [from] doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD,
Mat 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Answer: The Bible speaks of the “Lord’s day” in Revelation 1:10, so the Lord does have a special day. But no verse of Scripture refers to Sunday as the Lord’s day. Rather, the Bible plainly identifies Sabbath as the Lord’s day. The only day ever blessed by the Lord or claimed by Him as His holy day is the seventh-day Sabbath.

Q11. Shouldn’t I keep Sunday in honour of Christ’s resurrection?

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Answer: No! No more than you would keep Friday in honor of the crucifixion. Christ gave teh ordinance of baptism in honour of His death, burial, and resurrection. The Bibel never suggests Sunday keeping in honour of the resurrection (or for any other reason, for that matter). We honour Christ by obeying Him (John 14:15)—not by substituting man-made requirements in place of His.

Q12. Well, if Sunday keeping isn’t in the Bible, whose idea was it anyway?

Dan 7:25 And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws.
Mat 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, [he shall be free]. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.
Eze 22:26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed [difference] between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
Eze 22:28 And her prophets have daubed them with untempered [morter], seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.

Answer: Misguided men of long years past announced that God’s holy day was changed from Sabbath to Sunday. God predicted it would happen, and it did. This error was passed on to our unsuspecting generation as gospel fact. Sunday keeping is a tradition of uninspired men and breaks God’s law, which commands Sabbath keeping. Only God can make a day holy. God blessed the Sabbath, and when God blesses, no man can “revere it” Numbers 23:20.

Q13. But isn’t it very dangerous to tamper with God’s law?

Deu 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Pro 30:5 Every word of God [is] pure: he [is] a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Pro 30:6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Answer: God has specifically and positively forbidden men to change His law by deletions or additions. To tamper with God’s holy law in any way is one of the most fearful and dangerous things a person can do.

Q14. Why did God make the Sabbath anyway?

A. Sign of Creation.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:11 For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

B. Sign of redemption and sanctification.
Eze 20:12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I [am] the LORD that sanctify them.

Answer: God gave the Sabbath as twofold sign: (1) It is a sign that He created the world in six literal 24-hour days, and (2) it is also a sign of God’s mighty power to redeem and sanctify men. Surely every Christian will love the Sabbath as God’s precious sign of Creation and redemption (Exodus 31:13, 17; Ezekiel 20:12, 20). It is a great insult to God for people to trample upon His Sabbath. In Isaiah 58:13, 14, God says all who would be blessed must first get their feet off His Sabbath.

Q15. How important is Sabbath keeping?

1Jo 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jam 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all.
1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Answer: It is a matter of life and death. Sabbath keeping is enjoined in the fourth commandment of God’s law. The deliberate breaking of any one of the Ten commandments is a sin. Christians will gladly follow Christ’s example of Sabbath keeping. Our only safety is to diligently study the Bible, “rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15. We must have positive Scripture support for every Christian practice we follow.

Q16 How does God feel about religious leaders who ignore the Sabbath?

Eze 22:26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed [difference] between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
Eze 22:31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

Answer: In hiding their eyes from God’s true Sabbath, religious leaders offend the God of heaven. God promises punishment for such false shepherds. Millions have been misled on this matter. God cannot treat it lighty. Jesus condemned the Pharisees for pretending to love God while making void one of the Ten Commandments by their tradition (Mark 7:7-13).

Q17. Does Sabbath keeping really affect me personally?

Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Jam 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.
Rev 22:14 Blessed [are] they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Answer: Yes, by all means, the Sabbath is your Sabbath. God made it for you, and if you love Him you will keep it, because it is onw of His commandments. Love without commandment keeping is no love at all (1 John 2:4). You must make a decision. You cannot avoid it. No one can excuse you. You yourself will answer before God on this most important matter. God asks you to love and obey Him now!

Lastly a few objections answered by the Bible.

Q1. But isn’t teh Sabbath for the Jews only?

Answer: No. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man.” Mark 2:27. It is not for the Jews only, but for mankind—all men and women everywhere. The Jewish nation did not even exist until 2,500 years after the Sabbath was made.

Q2. Isn’t Acts 20:7-12 proof that the disciples kept Sunday as a holy day?

Answer: According to the Bible, each day begins at sundown and ends at the next sundown (Gen 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; Lev 23:32) and the dark part of the day comes first. So Sabbath begins Friday night at sundown adn ends Saturday night at sundown. This meeting of Acts 20 was held on dark part of Sunday, or on what we now call Saturday night. The New English Bible begins Acts 20:7 like this: “On the Saturday night in our assembly...”. It was a Saturday night meeting, and it lasted until midnight. Paul was on a farewell tour and knew he would not see these people again before his death (verse 25). No wonder he preached so long! (No regular weekly service would have lasted all night.) Paul was “ready to depart on the morrow.” The “breaking of bread” has no “holy day” significance whatever, because they broke bread daily (Acts 2:46). There is not the slightest indication in this Scripture passage that the first day is holy, nor htat these early Christians considered it so. Nor is there the remotest evidence that the Sabbath had been changed. Incidentally, this meeting is probably mentioned in the Scripture only because of the miracle of raising Eutychus back to life after he fell to his death from a third floor window. In Eze 14:1, God refers to Sunday as one of the six “working days”

Q3. Dosen’t 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2 speak of Sunday school offerings?

Answer: No, there is no reference here to a public meeting. The money was to be laid aside privately at home. Paul was writing to ask the churches in Asia Minor to assist their poverty stricken bretheren in Jerusalem (Rom 15:26-28). These Christians all kept Sabbath holy, so Paul suggested that on Sunday morning (which was the time they paid bills and settled accounts), after the Sabbath was over, they put aside something for their needy bretheren so it would be on hand when he came. It was to be done privately or, as La Santa Biblia (a Spanish translation) says, “at home.” Notice also that there is no reference here to Sunday as a holy day. In fact, the Bible nowhere commands or even suggests Sunday keeping.

Q4. But hasn’t time been lost and the days of the week changed since the time of Christ?

Answer: No! Reliable encyclopaedias and reference books make it clear that our seventh day is the same one that Jesus kept holy. It is a simple matter of research.

Q5. But isn’t John 20:19 the record of the disciples instituting Sunday keeping in honour of the resurrection?

Answer: On the contrary, the disciples at this time did not believe that the resurrection had taken place (Mark 16:14). They had met there “for fear of the Jews” and had the doors bolted. When Jesus appeared in their midst, He rebuked them “because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.” There is no implication that they counted Sunday as a holy day. Only eight texts in the New Testament mention the first day of the week; none of them imply that it is holy.

 

[gotime]

sabbath cont

Q6. Dosen’t Colossians 2:14-17 do away with the seventh day Sabbath?

Answer: Not at all. It refers only to the Sabbaths which were “a shadow of things to come” and not to the seventh day Sabbath. There were seven yearly holy days, or holidays, in ancient Israel which were also called Sabbaths. These were in addition to, or “beside the Sabbaths of the Lord” (Lev 23:38). Or seventh-day Sabbath. These foreshadowed, or pointed to, the cross and ended at the cross. God’s seventh day Sabbath was made befor sin entered, and therefore could foreshadow nothing about deliverance from sin. That’s why Colossians chapter 2 differentiates and specifically mentions the Sabbaths that were “a shadow.” These seven yearly Sabbaths which were abolished are listed in Leviticus chapter 23.

Q7. According to Romans 14:5 the day we keep is a matter of personal opinion, isn’t it?

Answer: Notice that the whole chapter is on Judging one another (Verses 4, 10, 13). The issue here is not over seventh day Sabbath, which was a part of the great moral law, but overthe yearly feast days of the ceremonial law. Jewish Christians were judging Gentile Christians for not observing them. Paul is simply saying “Don’t judge each other. That ceremonial law is no longer binding.”

I know i have not answered every objection and some one is bound to bring up the law side of thigs but before you do i would study the texts i have given first and also the New Covanent i know there will be objections because of these but i find them in harmony with my posts because they ar Bible based. blessings to you all

 

[gotime]

But for real we should have Sabbath any day because for example in a Spanish calendar Monday is the first day of the week so in the bible you don’t see something about Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and that you hardly don’t see it on the word of God.

So, we don’t know what was the exact day of the Sabbath but have you ever notices that more wicked things happen on a Saturday then a Sunday I mean wicked like all of the day except Sunday and have you realize that?


Im sorry but that for one is anicdotal what i mean by that is "saturday has more bad thigs happen" oh please everyday has bad things happen no day is better thatn another in this sense im not sure where you came up with that.

second anyone who says we do not know the day which is the seveth is just making excuses it takes very little research to discover without any doubt that saturday is the seventh day of the week. some calanders have been changed in recent history to change the seveth day but historically the day we now call saturday has always been the seventh day spacifically sunset fri to sunset saturday according to the Bible. Jesus kept what we now call Saturday as the sabbath so did Israel its not hard to find out.

 

[Rachel15]

Q6. Dosen’t Colossians 2:14-17 do away with the seventh day Sabbath?

Answer: Not at all. It refers only to the Sabbaths which were “a shadow of things to come” and not to the seventh day Sabbath. There were seven yearly holy days, or holidays, in ancient Israel which were also called Sabbaths. These were in addition to, or “beside the Sabbaths of the Lord” (Lev 23:38). Or seventh-day Sabbath. These foreshadowed, or pointed to, the cross and ended at the cross. God’s seventh day Sabbath was made befor sin entered, and therefore could foreshadow nothing about deliverance from sin. That’s why Colossians chapter 2 differentiates and specifically mentions the Sabbaths that were “a shadow.” These seven yearly Sabbaths which were abolished are listed in Leviticus chapter 23.

Hi gotime,

Thanks for your posts - also thanks Chad for initiating this thread.

I read Lev 23:38 but I can't see anything that refers to the festivals or holidays as 'Sabbaths'. (or that indicates that it was these that were 'a shadow').

Do you have any further information about this in particular?

Thanks and God bless,

Rachel

 

[gotime]

Lev 23:38

read on a little from there you will see days of rest mentioned for these feasts. sabbath and day of rest are the same thing notice also that it says sabbaths not sabbath. its plural. much of the feasts and ceramonial laws included a special sabbath or day of rest which in itself fortold the comming of the massiah and this is why it passed away. Also in regard to not judging about sabbath days read the context befor this and it is clear that the issue was about ceramonial law which included the feasts of Israel. and in no way refered to the Ten commandments
hope that helps let me know if you want more I thought Id give a clue and see if you can work it out yourself.