The Weekly Sabbath (from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset)

 

 

This is a very difficult subject, but I shall try hard to make it as simple as possible.

 

First of all let me dispel some myths regarding the Sabbath.

 

1. Myth that the Sabbath was only given to Israel.

 

The Genesis record of creation in the Bible tells us very plainly that on the seventh literal day of the renewing of life here on earth and the restoring of those parts of the universe that were damaged - God rested. Thus he created the Sabbath at that time. This was a few thousands of years before God created the nation of Israel!! This was approximately 2,000 years before God gave Israel the Ten Commandments, and the fourth command is the one that commands us to keep the Sabbath holy!!

 

Genesis 2:1-3   "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 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. 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."

 

God sanctified the seventh day.

 

Let us look into the dictionary meaning of the word  "sanctify."

 

Sanctify  def.  1. to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate  2. to purify or free from sin; Free from sin. 3. to impart religious sanction to ; render legitimate or binding:  to sanctify a vow.  4. to entitle to reverence or respect.  5. to make productive of or conducive to spiritual blessing.

 

Sanctified  1. to make holy; consecrated;  sanctified wine  

 

God sanctified the seventh day, which means (from the context of the scriptures) that God set the seventh day apart, consecrated it and made it Holy.

 

Only God can make something, or someone Holy. God made the seventh day (from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset) Holy, because God's presence is in that time. This is time that belongs to God. He has set this time aside for His use. The Sabbath was made for man. Made for man to worship God on that day - to take a break from the daily routine of living and think about God and the spiritual, and to have a rest.

 

It is time God has set apart where He can teach mankind about the spiritual.

 

No human government, no church, and no human being has any right or authority to change God's Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day of the week, which is Sunday. Mankind cannot make someone, or something Holy - only God can do that.

 

The Sabbath was given to mankind right from the beginning - to Adam and Eve. It was a time God set apart where He could teach and instruct people about His laws, ways and commands.

 

2. Myth that the Sabbath is on Sunday.

 

Take a look at your calendar if you have one handy. Sunday is not the seventh day. Sunday is the first day of the week. Saturday is the seventh day of the week.

 

We here in Canada in general have a work week that runs from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday are customarily regarded as part of the weekend. " Have a good weekend," people say to each other when they go home from work on Friday afternoon. Yet in reality Sunday isn't part of the weekend, since it is really the first day of the week ! However, people call it part of the weekend, because it traditionally is part of the two days that are tacked on at the end of the work week for most people.

 

3. Myth that days begin and end at midnight.

 

Who created the earth, and the sun, and the moon and the universe? Did man do this? Silly to even think it. God created these things, and God caused the earth to spin. One rotation of the earth is counted as one day. One trip by the earth around the sun is counted as one year.

 

God's days begin and end at sunset, not at midnight. This is shown for us very clearly in the Genesis record of the renewing of the earth and life on it.

 

Genesis 1:5   "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day."

Genesis 1:8  "And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day."

Genesis 1:13  "And the evening and the morning were the third day."

Genesis 1:19  "And the evening and the morning were the fourth day."

Genesis 1:23  "And the evening and the morning were the fifth day."

Genesis 1:31  "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day."

 

 

* What about in the land of the midnight sun? In far Northern Canada in summer the sun does not set. The sun is still above the horizon at midnight. Well the simple rule there is that new days begin and end when the sun is at its lowest point on the western horizon.

 

God is the creator of time. He created time when He created the universe and the solar system we live in. Time is simply the relationship of the heavenly bodies between themselves. One spin of the earth on its axis is one day in God's book. God uses the moon and the earth's relationship to it - to count the months. The beginning of the new moon is regarded as the beginning of the new month in God's sacred calendar.

 

The concept of days beginning and ending at midnight is a human concept. God's days begin at sunset - at evening. The morning begins at sunrise. The evening and the morning make up one full day. The old day ends at sunset, and a new day starts at sunset. That is how God counts days.

 

4. Myth that the Sabbath is just for the Jews and Jewish.

 

The Sabbath was created by God about two thousand years before there was even such a thing as a Jew. And anyways the tribe of Judah (from which we get the term Jew) is only one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Man alive folks - this is elementary stuff here. Israel consisted of twelve different tribes. The Jews are only one of the twelve.

 

The twelve tribes of Israel are as follows:  Genesis 35:22-26 " .....Now the sons of Jacob were twelve : the sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan and Naphtali: And he sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher......"

 

The weekly Sabbath (as well as the annual Sabbaths) do not belong to the Jews or to Israel. These days belong to God - the Creator of the earth and the universe.

 

Leviticus 23:1-3  "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings."

 

How can anything be more plain? The weekly Sabbath is God's Sabbath. It does not belong to any specific tribe, or nation. It belongs to God. He made it. God is the Creator of all mankind. He gives His laws to all mankind, just like the laws that say stealing and lying are sins.

 

There are seven annual Holy Days also mentioned in Leviticus chapter 23. I will digress slightly and just list them for you.

 

Leviticus 23:4  "These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

 

1. Passover ( Leviticus 23:5)
2. Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6-7)
3. Day of Pentecost ( Leviticus 23:15-16) 
4. Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:24)
5. Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27)
6. Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34)
7. Last Great Day  (Leviticus 23:36)

 

 

 

 

Exodus 20:8-11   "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:  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: 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."

 

God sanctified or set aside for Holy use the weekly Sabbath. Only God can make someone, or something Holy. It is God's presence in the day that makes it special, or hallowed.

 

To illustrate. God appeared to Moses in the form of a fire in a bush, out in the desert. The bush was on fire, but it was not consumed by the fire !! Moses was curious and went to investigate.

 

Exodus 3:3-6  "And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God."

 

God's presence in the bush made the ground around the bush holy. So God commanded Moses to take off His shoes and show respect. It is the same with the weekly Sabbath. God's presence is in the day, so that space of time is hallowed - set aside for God's purposes, and God expects us to respect Him on that day. Only God can made something or someone Holy. So God commands us to remember the Sabbath each week, and to keep the Sabbath Holy.

 

5. Myth that Christ died on Friday and rose from the dead on Sunday - thus the myth goes that the Sabbath was changed from the seventh day (Saturday) to the first day of the week Sunday.

 

Christ plainly said that the sign that would prove to the world that He was the Messiah and the Son of God was the fact that He would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. He said He would be dead for three days and three nights in the grave. That would be the sign that would prove to the world that what He claimed to be was true.

 

Matthew 12:39-40   "But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

 

Yet if Christ died on Friday just before sunset (as so many Churches teach), and then rose from the dead on Sunday morning - then how can we fit in this time frame three days and three nights ? Folks it is impossible to get three days and three nights into the period from Friday just before sunset to Sunday morning. You end up on Monday for the resurrection, if Christ died on Friday!!

 

Remember God's days begin and end at sunset. So let us just count three days and three nights, starting from very late Friday, just before sunset (the time many erroneously claim Christ died).

 

Sunday evening and Sunday morning = two nights and two days in the tomb.

           

 

 

Let me set this matter straight. Jesus was put to death on the Passover - right on the very day. Jesus kept the Passover ceremony with His disciples - it is traditionally called the Last Supper. The Passover begins in the evening. Jesus kept the Passover with His disciples. He then went out in the darkness to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Judas the Betrayer led the authorities to the Garden of Gethsemane, where they had Jesus arrested. This was late at night, and they came with torches blazing. Judas betrayed Christ to the mob, and Jesus was arrested.

 

Peter followed far behind, and before the rooster crowed Peter had denied three times he even knew Christ . Roosters crow in the morning. So now it is morning. During the day light hours Jesus was put on trial and condemned to death through crucifixion. He was crucified right on Passover day.

 

The very next day after the Passover is the beginning of the very special annual Sabbath - the first day of the seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread.  The first day of the Feast of Unleavened bread is a Sabbath - a special annual Sabbath (the actual entire Feast of Unleavened Bread is seven days long, and the first day of this annual Feast is a special annual Sabbath). The Jews at that time made preparations to keep this special high Sabbath.

 

Leviticus 23: 5-7  " In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.  In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. "

 

John 19:31  "  The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. "

 

So Christ was not crucified on Friday just before the weekly Sabbath. Rather He was crucified on the Passover, just before the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is an annual Sabbath.

 

 

 

Friday night and Friday morning = two nights and two days in the tomb.

Christ was resurrected on the weekly Sabbath (Saturday), just before it was over at Sunset. This comes to three days and three nights in the grave, or the heart of the earth.

 

When Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early on Sunday, before the sun was risen. She found an empty tomb. Christ was already risen (John 20:1-18).

 

There is no Biblical proof that Christ rose from the dead on Sunday morning. Therefore there is no justification to believe that Sunday replaced Saturday as the Sabbath.

 

 

 

Since the Sabbath Command is part of the Ten Commandments, a good number of Churches teach that we are not required to keep any weekly Sabbath, since in their judgment the law has been done away.

 

There has been a tremendous amount of confusion regarding this matter. I will now try to make an extremely complicated subject as simple as possible.

 

Has the Law been done away? Let me quote the words of Jesus Christ Himself.

 

Matthew 5:17-19  "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

 

Romans 7:12  "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good."

 

Now some might argue that Christ said that all the laws shall continue until all be fulfilled. So they could argue that Christ has fulfilled the Sabbath through His sacrifice, so it is now done away. I will try to clear this matter up.

 

There is this myth that Christ did away with the law on the cross.

 

Chapter 2 in Paul's letter to the Ephesians is often used to try and prove that Christ nailed the law to the cross.

 

Ephesians 2:15 -16  "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:"

 

It is important when studying the Bible that we not take one particular scripture out of the Biblical context. It is important not to just view one particular scripture in isolation, and then blow it up way out of proportion, so that it is erroneously interpreted to mean something it really doesn't.

 

You have to read the entire 2nd Chapter of Ephesians. The Ephesians were Gentile Christians from Ephesus. They were not Israelites in the flesh - that is they were not descendants of any of the tribes of Israel - they were Gentiles. And they were not Jewish - and the term Jew is derived from the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, namely Judah.

 

Under the Old Covenant God had favored Israel. God only revealed Himself to Israel (of which the tribe of Judah was only one of twelve tribes). So the law and first covenant favored Israel, and excluded the Gentiles. The Gentiles at that time were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

 

Ephesians 2:13  " That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: "

 

However, Christ established the New Covenant - through His sacrifice on the cross, and through His shed blood. Now through Christ - the Gentiles can have access to God the Father, and become spiritual Israelites. Christ has broken down the barrier between Israel, and the Gentiles. The Old Covenant favored Israel, and excluded the Gentiles. However, under the New Covenant it doesn't matter what race or ethnic background one is - the New Covenant is inclusive, rather than being exclusive.

 

Galatians 3:28-29  "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

 

So the Gentiles are also invited to salvation - through Jesus Christ our Lord. They can become spiritual Israelites, because if they accept Jesus as savior, and if they are Christ's then they are of the seed of Abraham. They are in effect adopted into the household of God, and are now spiritual Israelites.

 

Ephesians 2:19  "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;"

 

Gentiles, who accept Jesus, and who repent of their sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit become part of the Church - they are then part of the true Body of Christ. They become spiritual Israelites, and are built upon the foundation of the prophets, and apostles, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.

 

Ephesians 2:20  "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;"

 

The Gentile Christians are built upon the foundation of the prophets, apostles and upon Jesus Christ the chief corner stone. What does this mean? It is very simple. The prophets are people like Abraham, Jacob (whose name was changed to Israel), Moses, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Daniel and so on - the ones through whom God worked, and inspired through His Holy Spirit to write the Bible - the part of the Bible known as the Old Testament.

 

The Old Testament writings of the prophets is an important part of the foundation for the church. So says your Bible.

 

The Apostles are people like Paul, Peter, John, James, and Jude - the apostles Christ worked through and inspired through the Holy Spirit to record the words of the New Testament. All scripture - whether it be New or Old Testament scripture is given by inspiration of God, with God working through His chosen servants. Luke was not one of the apostles, but he carefully wrote down what the eye witnesses to these events surrounding Jesus and His ministry saw, and heard.

 

2 Timothy 3:15-16  "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"

 

Timothy had only the Old Testament to read. The Bible clearly teaches that all scripture (both Old and New Testament Scriptures)  are given by inspiration of God, and profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. In fact much of the New Testament is taken from the Old Testament, often word for word - like in the book of Hebrews for example.

 

Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone of the foundation, which makes it complete. Jesus Christ was a Jew. Jesus was born as an Israelite. All the others (prophets and apostles) as well as Jesus Christ, who make up the foundation of the true church were Israelites. Every last one of them were from various tribes of Israel. None of them were Gentiles.

 

Moses for example was of the tribe of Levi. David was of the tribe of Judah. Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin. Jesus Christ was of the tribe of Judah. Samuel was of the tribe of Ephraim, which is one of the half tribes composing the tribe of Joseph.

 

The foundation of God's true church is composed exclusively of Israelites. The foundation is the Bible - both the Old and New Testaments.  That is why those Gentiles in the true church are now of the seed of Abraham - and are considered to be spiritual Israelites.

 

That is the foundation of God's true church today, and has always been. We can only build on the true foundation, if we want to be part of God's true building - the true Church.

 

Ephesians 2: 19-22  "Now therefore ye (referring to the Gentiles) are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."

 

Christ did not nail the law to the cross. Christ paid the penalty for breaking the law, which is death. In that way he won the victory over sin and death. So that we who trust and believe in Christ can be forgiven of our sins. We are then no longer under the law (that is no longer under the death penalty for breaking the law), but under grace. Christ is now our master, not the law.

 

Romans 6: 14-15  "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid."

 

It is really very simple.

 

The law cannot save us. In our efforts to keep the law, we fail and we sin. The wages of sin is death. We cannot attain salvation through keeping of the law, since none of us keep it perfectly.

 

Romans 6:23  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

 

We can only attain salvation through Jesus Christ, and our faith in His shed blood, and in His sacrifice for our sins. We are saved through grace. It is God's free gift. However, we must do certain things to qualify for God's free gift of grace through Jesus Christ our Lord. We must repent, believe and be baptized (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16). We must endure until the end . We must work out our own salvation. We must work to overcome our sins, and spiritual weaknesses. We must produce fruits for God.

 

Yes God's gift of grace is free - we cannot earn it through our own good works of obedience to the law. However, there are certain things we must do to qualify for God's gift of grace.

 

Repentance is very important. We must repent, before God will forgive us. But exactly what are we to repent of?  Repent of our sins, naturally, and also repent of following the old sinful nature into sin. What is sin?

 

1 John 3:4  "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

 

God's laws show us what sin is. Some of the laws have been fulfilled by Christ, like all the various sacrificial laws. Also under the Old Covenant there was a combination of Church and State, and there were various civil laws and statutes given to Israel. Various laws like how to deal with neighbours who have their animals damage your crops, and various civil rules and regulations. Laws concerning the borrowing of property for example.

 

A good number of such laws are no longer in effect. However, many of them still are, since they are spiritual in nature.

 

What I teach is that the command to observe the weekly Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments. In the tabernacle made here on earth, there was the Holy of Holies. In that area was the ark, which was symbolic of God's throne. Inside the ark (among a few other things) was the stone tablets upon which were written the Ten Commandments. The Sabbath Command is one of the Ten Commandments. Therefore I teach that it is very important we observe the weekly Sabbath (from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset) because it is part of the Ten Commandments.

 

Additionally the Sabbath is the great test command. It is a test of faith. Are we willing to trust God to see us through, and enable us to have a job and survive in this world, while still keeping the Sabbath ?  God is no weakling. He can help us. As well observance of the Sabbath sets us apart, and is one of the identifying signs (among others) that show we are indeed God's servants.

 

Exodus 31: 13  "Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you."

 

Exodus 31: 16-17  "Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed."

 

Keeping the weekly Sabbath is in my judgment very important, because it is a weekly reminder for us to remain focused and keep God first in our lives. It helps us keep our spiritual bearings straight. It helps us immensely to stay focused and orientated around God. As well it is a time when God and Christ teach us, and God's lessons are very important and valuable to us.

 

Remember that it is not days that save us. Christ, a living person, saves us. So don't get so caught up in the observance of the Sabbath, that you forget the one the Sabbath points to, which is Jesus Christ.

 

Days cannot save us. Only Christ can save us. However, observing the weekly Sabbath in the correct way, will really aid you in your spiritual life, and will really help you keep focused and orientated around God, and Jesus Christ. It will help you keep the greatest command, which if we do so, and continue to do so - our salvation is assured.

 

Luke 10: 25-28   " And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.  And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. "

 

Matthew 22: 36-38   "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment."

 

Mark 12:29-30  "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment."