Concerning the Sabbath

Grace and Peace be with you.
I just want to mention that going to church on the sabbath is biblical. Just because you don't does not mean you're going to go to hell or lose your salvation.

Yes, Jesus the son of God did go to church on the sabbath. There are 4 ways to tell which day the sabbath is. It's on Saturday. It is not the Jewish Sabbath as some call it. As Genesis 2:2-3 says the Seventh-Day which is the Sabbath. Way before any Jew was born. Read Exodus 20. Keep the Sabbath day holy. Most of everyone keeps 9 of the Ten Commandments. However, why have so many people forgotten keeping the sabbath. It is the only one where he says remember it. That is Satan's goal is to attack God's law which defines God's character and love.

If you read James 4:17, you will see that if you know to do good than keep it. You know the verse where God says to whom much is given much is expected or required. If God tells you about the Sabbath. Then you have been given privileged information. Please don't take my word for it, read God's word. Also read Isaiah 66:24. All of God's creation will come before him to worship on the Sabbath. Now isn't that something. If you don't do it now, you will one day.

May the God and the Holy Spirit of Communion be with you that love the LORD Jesus Christ. Amen

I love observing the LORD's day, which is the first day of the week - this is in commemoration of his resurrection. The disciples also observed this day.

Blessings!

"It is the only one where he says remember it"

Numbers 15:40 "Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God"

The Sabbath wasn't the only law God told the Israelites to remember. There are a plethera of Sabbath Day threads that turned into an ugly debate over who was right.

Looking at the New Testament Church the common believer at the start was Jewish, they still being under the law and not fully understanding Grace wished to Celebrate and remember the Sabbath AND the Lord Jesus Christ's resurrection SO they established both days to be recognized. The Saturday was the Sabbath (Jewish Law and Tradition) and the Lord's Day was set up by the Apostles to gather together to remember the Lord Jesus Christ (however they did this Everyday just not in a larger gathering of people). In fact when the Gentiles began to grow in number the day they remembered the Lord wasn't even an issue that was discussed at the Councel in Acts 15.

We are under Grace and are Free to recognize and rest in remembrance of the Lord any day we are lead to. IN reality we should honor everyday at the Lord's Day since everyday is His. Christ Jesus is our Sabbath Rest and is where we find the true Sabbath.

Interesting that God established the Sabbath as a day of Rest, not worship, He said REST.

Christianity has made it a day of Worship (not Rest) (i.e. attend church services).

I just want to mention that going to church on the sabbath is biblical. Just because you don't does not mean you're going to go to hell or lose your salvation. Yes, Jesus the son of God did go to church on the sabbath

I'm wondering what your motive is here? Are you here to have an honest dialog or are you here to promote 7th Day Adventist doctrine?

Jesus is the sabbath, He fulfilled the law, and we are set free from making sacrifices, paying tithes and keeping special days (or any other work of the law) because of His finished work on the cross. We are no longer bound by the law but instead called to something better, to live by the Spirit.

We are 'required' to enter into His rest, isn't that awesome?

Peace to you!

In Christ,
Earl J

"Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ." - Colossians 2:16-17

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZisDi0S3Kes

Is.58;14 (The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible)

God told Israel, The House 0f Jacob.
If they didn't trample The Sabbath?

"The Lord Will Feed You With
The Heritage 0f Your Ancestor Jacob..."

- Jacob is not
the ancestor nor father of Gentiles.

The holy ghost gives testimonie of.JESUS CHRIS...CHRIST gives testimonie of who???? The father.....the father does NOT CHANGE!!!..yes let's congregate 7 days a week if we wish...BUT. our favether in heaven has commanded us the sabbath!!!! Out of obedience...christ likeness.I've stated going to a sabbath keeping congregation....ex adventist...doing not just hearing....not what we say or think??..see jn6c63..inder grace not under law....very.very. grously misunderstood!!! Look up the word testimonie...I sincerly belive. Rome is in the once protestant church....a simple prayer of repentance. Is only only the start of radical repentance...iniquity is simply lawlessness....remember we/I am a dumb sheep passing by...his plans for me are only for my good....oh ..one more thing isaia 65.66. Clearyly speak of those who eat pork..like I use to..we have choices to make just like grand dad ADAM...he loves us so much he died ..so we would simple obey his testimonie. Think about it

Amen Earl!! If in any way we want to return to the law we get ourselves in a big mess, just ask a foolish Galatian.

Someone was trying to convince me that it was wrong to keep the Sabbath and told me to read Galatians. I read it three times, along with 1 John, and come away convinced more than ever that the LORD would have me to keep the Sabbath. I wonder how many people actually ask the LORD - since He is LORD of the Sabbath - what He would have them to do?

What does the Bible say about those who keep the letter of the law?

I'll take Grace. Thank you.

Every day to the believer is one of Sabbath rest. We have ceased from our spiritual labor and are resting in the salvation of the Lord (Hebrews 4:9-11).

The following quote may surprise a good number who read it for varied reasons.

There were three reasons for giving this [fourth] commandment: First, with the seventh day of rest the Lord wished to give to the people of Israel an image of spiritual rest, whereby believers must cease from their own works in order to let the Lord work in them. Secondly, he wished that there be an established day in which believers might assemble in order to hear his Law and worship him. Thirdly, he willed that one day of rest be granted to servants and to those who live under the power of others so that they might have a relaxation from their labor. The latter, however, is rather an inferred than a principal reason.

As to the first reason, there is no doubt that it ceased in Christ; because he is the truth by the presence of which all images vanish. He is the reality at whose advent all shadows are abandoned. Hence St. Paul (Col. 2:17) that the sabbath has been a shadow of a reality yet to be. He, I say, is the true completion of the sabbath: "We are buried with him by baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life," (Rom.6:4). Hence, as the Apostle elsewhere says, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holiday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days; which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ," (Col.2:16,17); meaning by body the whole essence of the truth, as is well explained in that passage. And he declares elsewhere its truth when in the letter to the Romans, ch. 6:8, he teaches us that we are buried with Christ in order that by his death we may die to the corruption of our flesh. And this is not done in one day, but during all the course of our life, until altogether dead in our own selves, we may be filled with the life of God. Hence, superstitious observance of days must remain far from Christians.

The two last reasons, however, must not be numbered among the shadows of old. Rather, they are equally valid for all ages. Hence, though the sabbath is abrogated, it so happens among us that we still convene on certain days in order to hear the word of God, to break bread, and to offer public prayers; and, moreover, in order that some relaxation from their toil be given to servants and workingmen. As our human weakness does not allow such assemblies to meet every day, the day observed by the Jews has been taken away (as a good device for eliminating superstition) and another day has been destined to this use. This was necessary for securing and maintaining order and peace in the Church.

As the truth therefore was given to the Jews under a figure, so to us on the contrary truth is shown without shadows in order, first of all, that we meditate all our life on a perpetual sabbath from our works so that the Lord may operate in us by his spirit; secondly, in order that we observe the legitimate order of the Church for listening to the word of God, for admin-istering the sacraments, and for public prayers; thirdly, in order that we do not oppress inhumanly with work those who are subject to us. But the sum of what He says to us amounts to this: that the sabbath is a sign by which Israel might know that God is their sanctifier. If our sanctification consists in the mortification of our own will, the analogy between the external sign and the thing signified is most appropriate. We must rest entirely, in order that God may work in us; we must resign our own will, yield up our heart, and abandon all the lusts of the flesh. In short, we must desist from all the acts of our own mind, that God working in us, we may rest in him, as the Apostle also teaches (Heb.3:13; 4:3, 9).(From John Calvin's Institutes, ca. 1537)

Another couple of points on why we don’t keep the Sabbath as they did under Old Covenant.

Exodus 31:13-14 But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, “You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. Therefore you are to observe the sabbath for it is holy to you.” The Sabbath was to be the one day of the week that they were to be totally set apart to God and not pursuing their own intersts and also we see here that the Sabbath was the OT picture of sanctification that would be fulfilled in the New Covenant. We see further evidence of this in Isaiah 58:13-14 “If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure and speaking your own word, then you will take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the height of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

In the promise of the new covenant in Jeremiah 31:33 God says, “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it….” So we see here that in the new covenant that God will write His law in our heart and we know that the sabbath is part of that law. We keep the sabbath every day now as we are sanctied positionally, and through the power of His Spirit no longer seek our own ways, our own pleasure, our own word, but seek to please Him who died and rose again on our behalf, which is our progessive and practical sanctification. What man could not do under the Old Covenant God has done for us in the New Covenant. What a great salvation, what a complete salvation!

His rest which His people have entered into is not a day but a Person.The Person of the LORD Jesus.We are complete in Him. It is the promised faith-rest of Hebrews 4.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." - Jesus
(quoted from Matthew 11:28)

Hermanos,AMIGOS well CRIST gave testimonie of the father !! yes faith in the finished work of the cross,yes yes please forgive me CHRIST,but what after what kind of life am i to live???one that is in GOD's WILL the ten commandment are the covenant!!! if we belive in JESUS the messiah,,well lets live for him?? in obedience the wrath of god falls on the disobideint,yes,,as born agin christians are we to live as we want NO,,to me its born agin he's right im wrong,simpel do not confuse the ordenences,with codds commandments which are the same as christs,they are ther

THEY ARE THER SO IT WILL GO WELL WITH US,READ DUTERONIMY AGIN he dont change brothers and sisters satan is the corrupt word like when he tried and failed to temp CHRIST with,,its the whole word not only what we like in our lifes,,and christ yoke is NOT hard...gods laws dont change what did chang were the ordinances the priest hood, please read and studie we will find that the first 5 books repet them selfs ,JESUS said in revelation those who obey my commandment.....i go to a sabbath keeping church,,not 7th day dont eat pork no more repent repent repent repent its in the book well i truly belive if we break the 4th all the othe r9 just follow,,exampel s abba th,has the name of the father,,1st commandment we break when we disobey and put another god sun god,insted of s abba th,then we make an idole knocks out #2we've made an idol out of sunday,we worship every day other than as we are commandede,,breakes#3 his name in vane,we steal from the congregation #5,and rome says its sunday not as the creator commandedwe lie#6,,ther for killing or family spiritualy #7etc etc lets obey our father and hollow his name..amen

the letter of the law mentioned are the actual letters like saul had ,given him athority to kill the church persecution letters not gods commandments they are so ALL weill go well for us tyhat is th eletter of the law

The Sabbath was given to the Jews and the Jewish proselytes only. The Gentiles were kept from the Sabbath upon punishment of death if they observed it. It was a specific covenant between God and Isreal. Especially now that the Lord of the Sabbath is come. Is He come, is He in you, Is He the Lord of the Sabbath now the Lord of our lives? He by Grace and Truth and the giving of the Holy Spirit in the believer to bring them to the Mind of Christ by teaching us all things pertaing to life and Godliness in Christ. "Christ in you the Hope of Glory", most certainly is our Sabbath. That is why we were given a testamony of not forsaking the assembling of our selves when the end draws near. This is not a Sabbath specific day.

John Gill speaks to this in his Bible Comentary;

"""Ex 31:16, "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"; and not between him and the rest of the world: and in Ex 31:14, "ye shall keep the sabbath, for it is holy unto you": on which the Jews2 make this remark, עממין לכם ולא לשאר, "to you, and not to the rest of the nations": nor did they ever think that the Gentiles were obliged to observe their sabbath, only such who became proselytes to their religion; even those who were proselytes of righteousness: for a proselyte of the gate, was not bound to observe it; for so says3 Maimonides,

"those who take upon them the seven commandments of Noah only, lo! they are as a proselyte of the gate, and they are free to do work on the sabbath day for themselves, openly, as an Israelite on a common day.''

Yea, they not only say, they were not obliged to keep the sabbath, but that it was not lawful for them to observe it; and that it was even punishable with death them to regard it; for so they say4,

"a Gentile that keeps the sabbath before he is circumcised, is guilty of death, because it is not commanded him.''

They judged them unworthy of having this precept enjoined them, as being not men, but beasts, and worse than they, and had not the privilege the ass has: hence one of their commentators5 says,

"concerning the rest of an ass, thou (O Israelite!) art commanded; but concerning the rest of a Gentile, thou art not commanded.''

And not man for the sabbath; who was in being long before that was appointed and enjoined.""" end.

The Sabbath is now the completeness of the Law and Commandments and shadows of who the Sabbath was for. Jesus Christ gave His life for those the Father gives Him, and He is our fulfillment of the Sabbath shadow given to Isreal.

If we want to keep the Sabbath, then let us keep the new birth of the our Savior and Lord in us as our complete Rest and salvation, not the keeping of a day to specifically make us right with God, Christ in us has already done this on the Cross and our new birth. GRACE

In Christ, Our Sabbath and only REST: Phillip

Hebrews 3:10-14 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another ((((((((((daily,))))))))) while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

brothers ,sisters,,,he dont change El,colossians 2 v16-17,is this the jews,after the crusifiction of christ ,then ,then claimed the CHRIST crucified was the son of GOD,and was of jewish decent[note]so they boasted he "CHRIST was of our clan"so you gentiles can not be like us jews,because the gentiles belived!!!amen,and they were being discriminated aginst,,sound familier so it is to them the gentiles the apostel is speaking to {new christians]that were being discriminated aginst,,they wanted to participate on the jewish way of liveing ie beliveing.....the fathe rdont change his day is the 7th,,please see isaiah 66,,we will celebrate the sabbath in heaven............enough said EL dont change,,belive it

bigwillie.

Will someone go to Hell if they do not observe the 7th day Sabbath?

Thanks

Howeve I belive god forgives ignorance..when we don't know .however when we finaly do know..that is not ignorance to do the right thing..yes..then if sin is know to do what is right then...we will be judged by the word of god..period..just like grandad adam..and ther will be eternal consiquenses ..my friend I was liveing a life with no purpose/lost..I surrenderd to christ/god..he's right I'm wrong that's the best thing I've ever done!THAT S gotten me away from relijion.and in relationship with christ gods sacrafice for us..I lost it all..be he cristo has.is given me victory to live for him the word.not what other peopl say..but what the word.the book .holy spirit says see jn6v63..and like to think I'm a warrior for the truth who is forgiven much..much is he gratefull..please read.read the book..and fall in love with him

bigwillie.

So Jesus is not the only way to salvation. Its Jesus and the sabbath?

It matters not what you believe, it matters what the Lord says. If we base our understanding on what we believe, then we make a god in our own image and our own liking, breaking the second commandment.

FYI, you did just that.

God bless you bigwillie. I too love God's law - and it is not grievous for He is right and just in all things. And I love my Lord Jesus - who is Lord of the sabbath. And I love the Holy Spirit who shows me the way unto obedience.

Heartsong.

Jesus is the only way. Observing the Sabbath will not lead to eternal life. To claim such is to add to the gift of salvation. I pray that your eyes and heart open to this.

It Jesus, and Him alone. Not Jesus ++++ Only Jesus.

Matthew 12:8 - For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Mark 2:28 - Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Luke 6:5 - And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Not Jesus IS the sabbath. Jesus is Lord OF the sabbath.

Heartsong. How'd that work for the thief on the cross? Did he keep the Sabbath, or did he believe?

Cannot be both ways.

Well, he certainly did not break the sabbath.

You don't know that. In fact, all it says is that He asked Jesus to remember him. To add to that is to add to the Word of the Lord.

Your convictions are not scriptual.

The Thief asked Jesus. Thats all. If it were more, Jesus would have said the following...

And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise,"... as long as you kept the sabbath!

Through the book of Hebrews, you'll see that the Law was only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the
very form of those things, and that it could not make perfect those who draw near.

There was One who came in point of time who could. His blood was better than the blood of bulls and of goats and of sacrifices. He had entered by His own blood into the heavenly place, and entered once and for all.

Religious acts and works that stem from a bad conscience, that is to say, something that you feel obliged to do, are called dead works by God.

The work of God comes always and eminently out of the rest of God, and is always performed on the Sabbath day, and no other. It alone is that act which brings sight to the blind.

When the Jews of Jesus’ time were antagonized and stupefied at this bewildering Man, who performed these
glorious things on the wrong day, He could say to them in utter simplicity that it was the Father who was doing the works.

John 10:30 "I (Jesus) and the Father are One."

Consider Jesus as you have never before considered Him—the Son in whose image we also are called. The one who is joined to Him is one spirit with Him. We can understand Paul better when he says that he lives and moves and has his being in Him.

Jesus has rent the veil and bids us come, not on the basis of our qualification, but on the basis of His blood.

He bids us to enter his rest "The Sabbath day"

It is the Sabbath rest that God has prepared for His people that he bids us to enter. Hebrews 4:10–11

10 ... he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest...

Sorry ladies and gentleman. When someone says that you need to keep the sabbath in order to be saved, I will speak out.

Its Christ, and Him alone. There is no other way to salvation. Not Christ plus works, not Christ plus dedication, not Christ plus the sabbath.

Christ alone.

It is a serious thing to add to the word of the Lord. To claim that any Gentile was ever commanded to observe the Sabbath is bearing false witness by adding to the commandment. The Sinaitic commandment is specific "Speak to the sons of Israel and command them."

Those who claim the Covenant of Sinai and it's laws were given for any other nation other than Israel are bearing false witness by changing the word of God by adding to it and thus taking it beyond its original scope.

Gentiles were never put to death for working on the Sabbath because they were never commanded to observe the Sabbath from the beginning. Changing the Sabbath from a sign to be observed between Yahweh and the sons of Israel to a law given for all men to keep is a transgression of the Law itself.

Paul clearly states that there were those "under the Law" and those "without Law". People who place everyone "under the Law" of Sinai are bearing a false witness by changing the very Law they are promoting. The Sabbath was to be a sign between the Lord and the sons of Israel. Those making it a commandment to all men have added to the Law and God will prove them a liar for doing so.

Those who choose to observe a day unto the Lord - should continue to do so unto the Lord. They are approved by faith. Those who go beyond what is written by preaching that all men should observance the Sabbath and judge others accordingly have missed the mark and gone beyond what is written. They are in gross error, not for their own observance which can be by faith unto the Lord, but for bearing false witness by adding to the Law itself and transgressing the limited scope orignially intended for "the sons of Israel."

Consider the clear distinction between Gentiles who were idolators and Israelites. God winked at the Gentiles who were idolators through their ignorance while at the same time it was capital punishment for any Israelite who made or bowed down to an image. This is because the Gentiles were not included in the Covenant of Sinai and never under the obligations or blessing of the Covenant.

Gentiles were always strangers to the Covenant with Israel, and to attempt to place upon them the observance of the Sabbath which was to be a sign between Yahweh and the sons of Israel is to bear a false witness.

makrothumia

obedienc.obedience to GOD,if???? we are called christians we are to be diferent than the world??yes??then if christ obeyed the father ,and the father dont change ??if christ obeyed and kept the sabbath ,,christ words dont think i am come to remove or change the law,??yes?? and god's testimonie with his very own finger says #4 to keep it for our own good,,we need the rest the sabbath dont need it!!,thats whey it was made for gods childere to rest mind spirit and soul in god/christ ..in obedience[only]as perfecting /matureing christians children of the all mighty.then we should ,,,just like we should not kill,lie,steal,etc,etc,,in obedience weare free to do what live as we choos??no i can do ALL thing in christ who stregngthes me,,do what robb,commit adultry,lie,etc etc ,,NO do the will of ou father like JESUS CHRIST gave his life in an exampel ,,you knoe love not the world,,live for christ/god,,,grow in faith..NOT our will be done but the FATHERS!!! not the pastors,but the LORDS the word,jesus see jhon 6v63 I WILL NOT WRITE NO MORE!! THE SERVANT OF GOD DOES NOT CONNTEND IT IN TIMOTHY,,,,READ,BELIVE AND LIVE THE WORD,,SO ALL WILL GO WELL WITH THY.........GOD ALL MIGHTY HELP US ALL

Here's something to consider from Poul Madsen's commmentary on the Book of Romans...

The gospel is God's own righteousness. In it is revealed the righteousness of God or righteousness from God. It is not a means which we can use to become righteous in ourselves, but it gives us righteousness from God by faith and unto faith. In this way the law is fulfilled. The gospel, therefore, does not confront us with the law, but with Christ. He who believes the gospel is righteous before God for time and eternity. He doesn't have to first win righteousness, for he is fully righteous. He doesn't have to prove that he is fulfilling the law, for God's righteousness needs no proofs. The law has no demands to make on such a man; he is not living within its sphere and is not occupied with its "Thou shalts" and its "Thou shalt nots", but is filled with the love of God in Christ Jesus.

BigWillie

Where is the Temple of God so we can keep the Sabbath? The Jewish Temple was destroyed and how can they keep the Sabbath? We are the Temple of God, where Christ, the Father, make their abode and the Holy Spirit is now in us when we are Born again. Christ our Life, God our Father and The Holy Spirit our Teacher. Where is the only place we can keep the Sabbath and Give God the Glory? It is in His Temple which we are. That is why I can say Jesus Christ is my Sabbath and I keep the Sabbath every day in obedience to His commandments; by Faith not works of the flesh, Love one another even as I have loved and gave myself for you. Not the Law, but the New Commandment. The Church is not where we keep the Sabbath, but in our Hearts, this is where we now by the Spirit of Christ and the Father and the Holy Spirit in us, this is where the Sabbath is kept, this is our complete Rest. 24-7

You want to be perfect?

Colossians 1:26-29 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily.

Let Him be our Sabbath, this is perfection in keeping it.

In Christ: Phillip

Hi Bigwillie,

If Jesus did not come to change even one jot or tittle of the Law, then Jesus would not ask me, a Gentile, to obey a commandment to the sons of Israel. Jesus and I could have been walking together on a Sabbath and I could have hugged Him and said I must go to work now and I would have been perfectly obedient still. Jesus would not have considered me disobedient because He knew the Sabbath was a commandment given only to the sons of Israel.:-)

The ones changing the Law are those like you who are trying to force Gentiles to live as Jews. That is not obedience to the Law, that is adding to it. Please consider carefully the full implications of what you are advocating. You are the one changing the Law by misapplying it. Yahweh limited it to the sons of Israel and you are broadening it to the whole world. Jesus would never have done that and did not do it.

makrothumia

Isaiah 56

1 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

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.

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.

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;

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.

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;

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.

* stranger H5236
1) foreign, alien, foreignness, that which is foreign
\ta) foreignness, foreign gods
\tb) alien, foreigner
\tc) foreign (vanities)

Would you therefore recommend that I murder someone lest I be found guilty of keeping the law?

Hello Heart Song,

I am sure you remember that the way a stranger joined himself to the Lord was circumcision. No uncircumcised stranger would ever have been given a place in the Lord's sanctuary. Both of us remember what the early church decided about this issue.

makrothumia

Would you therefore recommend that I murder someone lest I be found guilty of keeping the law?

That's a slippery slope Heartsong. Since you brought this up, do you keep the entire law? As I talked to you before, you cannot pick and choose which laws you wish to follow.

Here is a list of them for you. If you are proclaiming the law, you must follow and obey all of it to the letter, or your guilty of breaking the law. All 613 laws of the Torah.

http://www.milechai.com/judaism/613-laws-of-the-torah-365-negative-laws.html

777;

Thank you, I have been scratching my head and trying to find a written way of proofing Gods Grace, not under the Law. I gave up. Thank you.

It is plain, I can do no better than God's Word.

Romans 3:19-24 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

In Christ: My Sabbath 24/7, Phillip

Well, I have not attained such a high state of communion with my LORD that my whole mind and heart is stayed upon Him 24/7 - that must be why He is having me to keep the sabbath.

I do not keep the sabbath, or the law, in order to be saved. I keep them because I have been saved. When my LORD got a hold on my heart He began to direct my path and one of the first things that He did was give me a love for His law. I am currently in Exodus (only the second time through) and I am often in tears by that which He has laid forth.

I can not understand half of what you all write, for every thing twists and turns so many directions that it gets all tangled up - so I just throw up my hands and say "well Lord, you are the only one that truly understands these things, so I shall follow you." And that is what I do.

I was very encouraged to find that Jesus Christ is the LORD of the sabbath, for it is He that determines what I do and in that I am able to keep it to the letter.

It is not me working, but Him working in me that is the 24/7.

Col 1:26-29

In Him who works in me mightily: Phillip

Is there life in the Law? There is only life in the living Law, He that is our life is our all in all. Exodus points to the New, Paul explains the Mystery, That is "Christ in you the Hope of Glory", He is our life, He is the Perfect Law of God, He who works in us that our labour is not in vain.

In Christ: Phillip

Is that not what I just said?

It never applied to Gentiles (the Law).

A Zebra cannot change his stripes, a Leapord cannot change his spots. A Jew cannot become a Gentile. Only in Christ is their no stripes or spots, Jew or Gentile, only in Christ are we one, "sons of God". One Body, One Spirit. In Christ; which is mentioned in the New Testament 160 times.

"""If something is grafted into another, do not the two become one?"""

Yes. Only in Christ.

In Christ 161: Phillip

Phillip, I clearly see this - One in Christ - NOT Jew or Gentile, but children of God. One body with one Head, that being Jesus Christ.

So as I read Exodus, being a child of God, I take the things that I read and see that they apply to myself. God called me, I turned aside to see, He showed me what He required of me, and I agreed - just like that which I am reading. But then my heart, just like those that danced around the golden calf, has a propensity to want to drift away . . . but praise God, He sent His Son that I might not turn away - but I must keep my eyes stayed upon HIM. Yet all around me are those that choose to turn away, they made covenant with the LORD, yet they murmur and complain and curse God. If I see myself as a Gentile, and decide that this only applies to Jews, I would miss all of the richness of what the Holy Spirit is saying to me as I read His word.

Why is it that my loving God's law, and keeping His sabbath, is seen as a contradiction to resting in the LORD? My heart has been circumcised. I have given myself wholly unto Him. My life is His life. He wants me to keep the sabbath, and I delight to do His will, so I obey.

I do appreciate you all trying to help me, but I am not miserable, nor am I perpetually in the wilderness. My LORD shows evidence that He is with me daily. Additionally He brings forth those that He would have me to testify to and He gives me that which He would have me to say. My cup runneth over and I am blessed above and beyond all that I could hope for - and while I deserve nothing, He continually showers me with His love.

Sister Heartsong and others who practice the Sabbath, if you feel led by the Spirit of God to do that, then by all means you need to do that; but you should be careful how you promote the Sabbath among the young believers who don’t know any better to think it’s a Law they need to keep. To me, this is the danger I see in promoting something the Lord has convicted you of that is not in the Bible specifically to all believers.

According to Acts 21.25, it says, "AS TOUCHING THE GENTILES WHICH BELIEVE, we have written and concluded THAT THEY OBSERVE NO SUCH THING, SAVE ONLY that they keep themselves from (1) things offered to idols, and from (2) blood, and from (3) strangled, and from (4) fornication.”

This is the Gentiles starting place of what we need to be keeping and nothing else (unless the Lord *individually* adds to it) and obviously He has with you guys who keep it. I would think that one must keep watch in humbleness to let not a feeling superiority overtake you when you are around others who do not keep the Sabbath. Do you have to keep watch over those kinds of feelings?

God bless you,
Lisa

HeartSong;

I am overjoyed at the Oneness you have with our Heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ. Please don't think I am chasening you in anyway, I am only giving what I believe God through The Holy Spirit teaching about Jesus Christ, has given me.

All is Good in Christ Jesus who is our Glory and Honor before the Father. Thank you for your kind answers and allowing me to see into your life in Christ. What a blessing. I am so wrapped up in the Oneness I have in Christ, I am sometimes over exuberant over this In Christ position that the believer has by the birthing of the Incorruptable Seed of the Father in us. I see now why some took Paul in the wrong light of the Gospel. I am your brother in Christ and I love you as He loves us through us.

Thank you again for insight to a life in Christ that gives me more understanding of who He truly is.

In Christ: Phillip

Heartsong. Here is the issue.

Do you believe that someone needs to keep the sabbath in order to be saved? Or will people go to hell if they do not keep the sabbath? You've answered this question before.

If you keep the sabbath to honor the Lord, blessings! If it is kept because you believe that you need to in order to be saved, not good.

This is why I continue. Christ and Christ alone for salvation. Nothing else.

"And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel." Exodus 19:3-6

This is what my LORD has done for me, He has borne me upon His wings and carried me unto Himself. He has rescued me from the miry clay and brought beauty and light and order into my tortured life of darkness and confusion. He has held off the enemy - protecting me from myriads of dangers - some of which I know, and many of which I know not. Who would not give their whole heart to a God such as this? Even if He required that I keep every jot and tittle of the entire old law I would do everything within my power to try to do so. But no, that is not what He requires, all that He requires is my love - and after everything that He has done, how could I not desire to obey His every wish? If the above verses are only for the children of Israel, then I must be a child of Israel also, for the Lord has done these same things for me.

You see HeartSong, you seem to have a hybrid of belief from what source I do not know , but where we (the readers) only know what the Bible teaches.

And as far as keeping the sabbath goes, Jesus Christ is now LORD of the sabbath, and it is He that determines how it is to be kept.

I always thought that verse meant that now that He has come, He is now THE Lord over the Sabbath. That now we seek to obey Him(Him being Christ) and not the law or the Sabbath. Because in Him the law is fulfilled. That we need not look the law anymore! But only to Him. :)

Love ya Laura! Keep pressing on to know Him!

"No man cometh to the Father except through Me"

Alive-to-God, thank you for what you have written. Yes, some of it makes sense and sheds some light on the difficulties that we are having in understanding one another. I have taken in what you have said and will bring it before the LORD.

Lisa, there is no "feeling of superiority" problem when one is in the minority.

Phillip, thank you for your tender and caring words - they warmed my heart.

Miccah, we seem to approach things from and entirely different direction, but that is okay. By the way, the thief died before the sabbath, so there was no way that he could keep it.

God bless you all my brothers and sisters.

@Heartsong. The sabbath was bestowed in creation. How did the theif on the cross die before the sabbath?

Also, will those who do not keep the sabbath go to Hell? Thanks

Heartsong,

I would never try to convince you of that. That is for the Holy Spirit. Arguing or "debating" about this topic with people that have already made up their minds usually ends in strife and discord. I know where I stand on the issue and see it clearly in scripture. I'll teach, testify and preach my position, but I won't try to convince you....no sir, the Lord doesn't need my help in that area. May your song continue, my friend, and intimacy with Jesus only increase.

He didnt die the first day of the week if you inform yourself

Colossians 2:16
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day.

Yes you are right those things passed, but the feasts is a shadow of things to come and the bible records that; Even if he is trying to observe the Sabath, do not judge him, if you still want to keep it it'll be better you would avoid stress, and rest, it's something good, and if you dont its also ok, no one is right or wrong on this one, but the law was given for a reason... not to torment us with rules but to help us like a father instructs his son, the son doesnt like it, but when he grows up and sees reality, he will see how much problems he avoided for following his father's instruction. Like the foods he told the israelites not to eat, its not a law to us anymore, but ex: pork. Pork has been proven to be the most infected (by scientists) animal, and what did God commanded to them? not to eat it.. They didn't know why (like we do now) but by faith they obeyed. May God Bless you guys with His word.

Colossians 2:16
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day.

Yes you are right those things passed, but the feasts is a shadow of things to come and the bible records that; Even if he is trying to observe the Sabath, do not judge him, if you still want to keep it it'll be better you would avoid stress, and rest, it's something good, and if you dont its also ok, no one is right or wrong on this one, but the law was given for a reason... not to torment us with rules but to help us like a father instructs his son, the son doesnt like it, but when he grows up and sees reality, he will see how much problems he avoided for following his father's instruction. Like the foods he told the israelites not to eat, its not a law to us anymore, but ex: pork. Pork has been proven to be the most infected (by scientists) animal, and what did God commanded to them? not to eat it.. They didn't know why (like we do now) but by faith they obeyed. May God Bless you guys with His word.

Brothertom
If we perceive the Sabbath as a REST, rather than a day, we can better understand it. God rested. The Hebrews kept the 7th day for centuries...to no avail...but never rested in God's finished work.

He was Crucified BEFORE the foundation of the Earth.

9. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

10. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.

11. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience." ....................and.......This is that pre-Creation Work that God did.

Rev:13
7."And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

8.And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb.... slain from the foundation of the world.

9.If any man have an ear, let him hear."

The Sabbath Rest of God is us resting in His finished work....Resting in God Himself. This is an eternal thing...not a weekly thing.

It means that we walk and live in Him, which is only possible, and only useful, to one who has been BORN AGAIN!

Abiding in the Holy Spirit IS the REST of GOD....Being blessed, or being Martyred...It is all the same. It is not a day...but who we become.

Amen Brother!!

You said, "and only useful, to one who has been BORN AGAIN!"

But sadly, there are many of God's children still wandering in the desert unable to cross over into the promised land of rest because of their unbelief.

God bless the words of your post, I hope the truth of it sets people free!
Lisa

HeartSong wrote:
Why is it that my loving God's law, and keeping His sabbath, is seen as a contradiction to resting in the LORD?

Alive-to-God responded:
... Really, you're talking about principles, like worshipping God above all other loves, obeying His specific word to you, walking in real righteousness. This liberty of access to the Father which you enjoy is on a different platform from the access which Israelites experienced. They never knew God as a Father - hence their desire to kill Jesus for using a word which indicated He knew God as His Father. Do you see the difference?

God bless you AtG, you are loving, patient and kind in all of your responses.
Lisa

In regards to some earlier posts on this thread, I have been trying to read my Bible with "Israel" being someone outside of myself and I must say that it is as dry as bones and lifeless.

For example, Psalm 135:3-4 "Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant. For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure." While it is well and good that others are chosen of God and are His peculiar treasure, it is quite another that I also be chosen Him and that I also be His peculiar treasure.

And then John 1:31 "And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water." One could read this that John baptized with water so that Jesus could be shown to the children of Israel, however, I always read it that because of my obedience in baptism, Jesus reveled Himself to me - because that is what He did.

While I may be considered confused in all of this, it is a most blessed state of confusion.

Somewhere I read, probably in Mark, that the sabboth was made for man and not man for the sabboth.

Martyr wrote:

Somewhere I read, probably in Mark, that the sabboth was made for man and not man for the sabboth. Something to be pondered here.

I believe Brothertom is right in his assessment of the Sabbath being a rest. The book of Hebrews is really very clear about the meaning of the Sabbath and what it foreshadowed.

The Sabbath (OT) was a rest from labours just as God ceased from His own labors on the 7th day. The connection is made that when a man enters into that rest he ceases also from his own labors as God did. The covenant of law was all about labors. Men would strive in their own strength to keep the law. Some were better at it than others, but none perfect. Righteousness by faith and the proceeding walk of faith is the antitype of the sabbath. It is the fulfillment of the OT shadow. Hebrews again makes this very clear I believe.

We must apply this to the scripture which states that the sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath. Scripture must be its own commentary. The rest of faith was made for man. It is God's intent and purpose that man live in this rest, having ceased from his own labors and efforts that were demanded under the law. Not man for the sabbath. In other words, man was not created so he could keep a day prescribed by law as just one more work to be added to his list.

That being true, one day a week set aside as a day of rest and worship is still a very good thing and beneficial to man in so many ways. Keep a day. I do.

Man was created so Christ would be our rest, even before the foundation of the world we were chosen to be in Christ. Not chosen to salvation or hell, but to have Christ in us, that we might have the nature of God our Father who birthed Jesus in every born again believer. He is the only rest for our soul. There is only one way to enter God'a rest, that is by Grace through Faith. Let us enter that rest, in Christ, which Paul speaks of "In Christ" 146 times in many ways. Jesus truly is our Sabboth.

In Christ: Phillip

one day a week set aside as a day of rest and worship is still a very good thing and beneficial to man in so many ways. Keep a day. I do.

One thing I wonder about; if someone keeps the sabbath as a matter of law, from what I am reading on these threads, it is likely that that person is not saved. If that is true, would it not be a good thing to encourage that person to continue keeping the sabbath, even if he is keeping it for the wrong reason? It is the LORD that saves and I can not see how spending uninterrupted time with Him could in any way be detrimental.

There is nothing wrong with keeping a Sabbath, but we must have in our mind that it is not the day but Person who is our rest, His Cross cost to much for us to ignore Him as our rest by faith.

We must renew our minds to the Mind of Chrsit by the Holy Spirit. We are birthed by God our Father. Jesus told us to now address God in our prayers as Our Father. Paul in all his epistles is speaking to the renewing of our minds.
We must bring the "Christ in you the Hope of Glory" into fruitfulness. He is our life, our rest, our salvation our all in all. This is a mind thing, saved by Grace through Faith, that Faith being the Faith of the Son of God in us.
Gal 2: 16-20. The incorruptable Seed if God, The Word Himself in us. John 1:1 and 3&4. Who did the Apostles handle? "The Word of Life Himself, who is not born again in the believer by the Father's Seed. Whom Peter says we are born again by; 1 Peter 1:23

In Christ: Phillip

What do people who say that they "honor the Sabbath" do differently on that day than any other?

Is there special homage to God on that day that is not displayed during the other six days of the week?

Is it just a matter of refraining from particular measures of "work?"

The only two references to the Sabbath prior to the Ten Commandments are in reference to the original day by which God had finished and completed His work of creation...and in regard to not collecting Manna in Exodus 16:24-36 (shortly before the Ten Commandments were given in Exodus 20).

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts.

2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made."

- Genesis 2:1-3 (NASB)

22 Now on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one When all the )leaders of the congregation came and told Moses,

23 then he said to them, "This is what the LORD meant: Tomorrow is a sabbath observance, a holy sabbath to the LORD Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning."

24 So they put it aside until morning, as Moses had ordered, and it did not become foul nor was there any worm in it.

25 Moses said, "Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field.

26 "Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the sabbath, there will be none."

27 It came about on the seventh day that some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.

28 Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions?

29 "See, the LORD has given you the sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place; LET NO MAN GO OUT OF HIS PLACE ON THE SEVENTH DAY."

30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

- Exodus 16:22-30

...and compared with the actual "command" from the Ten Commandments:

8 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 "Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

10 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.

11 "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

- Exodus 20:8-11

It seems that the original Sabbath was simply blessed by God. Exodus 16 contains a restriction from collecting food...or even going outside. The Ten Commandments include a restriction from work.

Compare this with Jesus's example from the Gospels (remembering that Jesus still operated under the Law):

1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat.

2 But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath."

3 But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions,

4 how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone?

5 "Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath THE PRIESTS IN THE TEMPLE BREAK THE SABBATH and are innocent?

6 "But I say to you that SOMETHING GREATER THAN THE TEMPLE IS HERE.

7 "But if you had known what this means, 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,' you would not have condemned the innocent.

8 "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

9 Departing from there, HE WENT TO THE SYNAGOGUE.

10 And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"--so that they might accuse Him.

11 And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?

12 "How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, IT IS LAWFUL TO DO GOOD ON THE SABBATH."

13 Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand!" He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.

- Matthew 12:1-13

Jesus defended that the disciples collected food on the Sabbath (verse 1-7). He pointed out that priests "worked" (their duties) on the Sabbath and are "innocent" (verse 5). And, Jesus actually DEPARTED from both house and field (verse 9).

On the surface, it seems that this was not in keeping with the actual original "restrictions" of the Sabbath. Of course, the original Sabbath held no such restrictions (at least, not listed in the Word). Genesis 2 simply says that God blessed the day and rested from His finished work.

Thousands of years later (in Exodus 16), Moses mentioned that individuals should not collect food or depart from their homes on the Sabbath. A little later, a prohibition from work was established in the Ten Commandments. A little later, there were some other specific statutes instituted by the Law of Moses.

When Jesus walked the Earth, He didn't restrict Himself via those legal ordinances. He left the house. He defended his disciples when they collected food. He healed the sick on the Sabbath. He defended the fact that a person would save his donkey on the Sabbath.

He said, "IT IS LAWFUL TO DO GOOD ON THE SABBATH" (Matthew 12:12).

Perhaps we should simply ask ourselves whether or not we are doing "good" on the Sabbath?

This is in regard to the Law itself. This is beside a discussion about whether or not Jewish or Gentile believers are bound to the specific requirements of the Law.

Thousands of years later (in Exodus 16)

It was less than three thousand.

It is still "thousands." Two and a half millenia is a very lengthy period of time. Remember, ~2500 years ago, Malachi was writing the last book of the Old Testament.

The point, however, is that it was a very, very long time where there were no recorded legal requirements about the Sabbath.

This is why I think that those verses that I mentioned (Genesis 2, Exodus 16, Exodus 20) are well-explained by Jesus in Matthew 12:1-13.

Jesus, who was still living under the law of Old Covenant, pointed out that priests in the Temple actually "broke" the Sabbath...that David and his men "broke" the Sabbath...and that men would "break" the Sabbath by leaving their dwelling in order to rescue an animal.

Any day as a Sabboth day is bondage again.

The Lord of the Sabbath Himself is freedom, "whom the Lord will set free is free indeed."

Everyday in Christ is a sabbath day. Everyday is consecreated unto Him. For He is consecreated to us 24/7 through eternity.

In Christ: Phillip

What was once a commanded day of rest became a blessed day of resting in the LORD. The extension of this blessing is that He is not limited to one day a week, but rather is able to provide rest every moment of every day according to our willingness to abandon our own selfish ways and turn every aspect of our lives over to Him. But this blessing does not REPLACE our physical day of rest - rather our resting in Him is an extension of it. He is the author as well as the fulfillment.

What was once a commanded day of rest became a blessed day of resting in the LORD.

Actually, I think that it is the other way around.

The Sabbath was initially BLESSED by God on the 7th day of Creation (Genesis 2:1-3). More than 2500 years later, it became a COMMANDED "day of rest" (Exodus 16; 20).

However, several thousands of years later, Jesus (while still under the Law) spoke regarding the specific requirements of that day -- and pointed out how Temple priests, David (and his men) and individuals wanting to save animals actually BROKE the command. This was acceptable...because it was in fulfilling a much more important principle -- to DO GOOD on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:12).

From a New Testament believer perspective: The sacrifice of Christ set us free from the specific burdens of the Law. The Gentiles weren't commanded to follow any specific requirements of the Law when Paul first met with the apostles (in Acts 15). There were no requirements for individuals to be circumcised (Romans 2)...or refrain from eating pork (Acts 10-11)...or honoring feasts (Galatians 4), etc... After all, Hebrews says that every day with Christ is our Sabbath rest.

Hi Alive-to-God,

The word 'sabbath' was not used until Exodus, and there were other days of idleness or preparation or feast, than seventh days, both before and after observance of the Mosaic law.

That is exactly my point. There were no specific requirements about the Sabbath listed in Scripture from Creation UNTIL the Exodus. Nothing is written in Scripture to indicate that anyone from Adam to Moses ever held any prohibitions regarding the Sabbath. It was a blessed day commemorating God's finished work of Creation...but we find nothing else about it until Exodus 16.

In Exodus 16, we find a requirement that individuals stay home on the Sabbath. In Exodus 20, we see the actual commandment regarding the Sabbath instituted. Later on, we find lists of things that you can or cannot do on the Sabbath. However, these were all a part of the Law of the Old Covenant -- something that believers are no longer under the burden of (Romans 6-8).

Our new "law" -- of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus -- set us free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2)...and it supersedes the former. In fact, Hebrews 8 states that the former Law was not "faultless" and had "decayed" (or become "obsolete" -- Hebrews 8:7, 13). The new law would be put into our minds and written on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10).

But, in regard to the Law of Moses, Jesus did a good job of explaining the precepts by focusing on the concept (Matthew 12:1-12).

Jesus (while still under the Law) spoke regarding the specific requirements of that day -- and pointed out how Temple priests, David (and his men) and individuals wanting to save animals actually BROKE the command.

Please could you explain this bit about 'wanting to save animals', and give elsewhere in the Bible which makes it clearer?

Matthew 12:11-12 (NASB)

11 And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?

12 "How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Luke 14:5-6 (NASB)

5 And He said to them, "Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?"

6 And they could make no reply to this.

Jesus was pointing out that it was acceptable -- and even
"good" (Matthew 12:12) -- to "break" the legal statute by wanting to save your animals (such as sheep or an ox) or a child if it was endangered on the Sabbath day. Further, Jesus was defending the actions of the disciples who were "illegally" gathering food on the Sabbath -- which was breaking the principle in Exodus 16 and elsewhere. The entire passage in Matthew 12 makes it clear that Jesus was speaking of individuals who BROKE specific prohibitions regarding the Sabbath (Matthew 12:4-5).

The point that I am trying to make is in regard to my questions that I asked previously: What specific requirements do some believers feel are necessary for the Sabbath?

From Creation until Exodus 16 -- a period of more than 2,500 years -- there were no specific requirements listed. Then, the Law (during the Exodus) introduced many specific prohibitions for the Sabbath. So, which specific requirements would some say apply today?

Hi Alive,

Regarding the saving of animals, the way I read the part of Matt 12 is, Jesus is saying, 'YOU KNOW YOU (already) CAN RESCUE AN ANIMAL on the Sabbath, why shouldn't I rescue a man?' If I've misunderstood this, please could you show me a place in the law where it is prohibited to rescue an animal on the Sabbath? (Or, forgive me for completely misunderstanding your point about 'breaking' the Sabbath with regard to rescuing a distressed animal.)

Thanks. I don't think that you were misunderstanding what I was trying to say, but I will try to clarify (just in case).

I don't think that Jesus was necessarily saying that it was "common knowledge" that individuals could rescue animals on the Sabbath. After all, the Law never really spoke about specific exceptions in regard to Sabbath restrictions. It simply states the Law -- black and white.

In fact, history records that there was quite a bit of controversy in regard to the Sabbath around the time of Christ (and shortly before). For instance, the Dead Sea Scrolls contain one particular set of scrolls called the "Damascus Document." This document mentions a specific prohibitions regarding to gleaning fields or rescuing/assisting distressed animals on the Sabbath.

In fact, there are some historians who argue that Jesus's words in Matthew 12 and Luke 14 were meant as a strong public rebuke regarding the strict sectarian and legalistic view of the Law held by Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes and other Old Covenant zealots of the time.

I suppose that it is possible that many people during that time would have "broken" the Law in order to rescue and animal, save a child, or some other thing that many would refer to as a "greater good." This is probably why Jesus stated that it is lawful to DO GOOD on the Sabbath.

Yet, this is my point.

What specific regulations must be observed in regard to the Sabbath?

There were no specific recorded requirements from Creation until the time of the Exodus. After the Law was given, there were MANY specific rules and regulations regarding what cannot be done on the Sabbath. It wasn't just a command to refrain from doing any "work" where we earn a paycheck. There were specific restrictions about going outside...experiencing pleasure...bathing...carrying a load...traveling...cooking...cleaning...etc... In fact, those who were guilty of "breaking" the Sabbath were supposed to be put to death (Exodus 31:14-15).

This is why I asked just which specific requirements must be fulfilled.

Now, most of us remember the finished work of the Lord every day. We honor Him each and every day. We strive to live a holy life each and every day. We rest in His presence each and every day. So, what else is there that must be observed? Work? Which "work" restrictions apply?