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1. The
Sabbath
is
a
reminder
of
Gods
Creative
works
(Exodus
20:11).
As
we
direct
our
thoughts
to
the
created
things
of
the
universe,
we
see
order,
1
beauty, symmetry, love and our minds are drawn from the things of this world to Creator of the Universe. 2. It differentiates God from gods. In Acts 14:15 it Paul is saying to a pagan crowd: We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things [idol worship] to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. See also Jeremiah 10:11; Acts 17:24 and 2 Kings 19:15. No other god can create - this is His identifying mark. The Sabbath commandment points to Him who made the heavens and earth, the seas and fountains of water. It tells us that when we worship God on His Sabbath, we worship the true God, the God with a capital G. 3. It is a sign that God is making us holy see Ezekiel 20:12. Holiness is linked to the presence of Christ. Moses had to remove his sandals because Gods holy presence was there. The sanctuary was holy because of Gods presence in it. Thus sanctification (the process of being made holy) cannot be done apart from God or His presence. How can we be sanctified, if we knowingly reject the day that God called holy, the day He sanctified by His presence? 4. It is the seal or mark of Gods ownership over us. Ancient royal seals had 3 characteristics on it: Name for example: King George VI Title - King Territory of Great Britain and Dominons The Sabbath is the only commandment that has all 3 elements of a seal: Name: The Lord, Title: Maker/Creator and Territory: Heaven and Earth. Exodus 20: 11 tells us why we should keep the Sabbath: For in six days the Lord made (ie. He is Maker) the heavens and the earth We keep the Sabbath because it contains the seal of the Genuine God. A seal had 2 main purposes in Bible times: It was a guarantee that something was genuine (for example, if a royal seal/stamp was placed on anything it would ensure that the contents were genuine, that it came from the king, see Esther 3:12). By keeping the Sabbath, people say that they are genuinely the Lords. It protected (those who received the seal of God were protected by Him see Ezekiel 9:1-6 and Revelation 7:1-4). By keeping the Sabbath we can be assured of Gods ultimate protection against the forces of evil. In the book of Revelation the Mark of the Beast is the opposite of the Seal of God (compare Revelation 7:1-4 with 14:9, 10). Gods end time faithful ones will receive the Seal of God because they keep all the commandments including the Sabbath (see Rev 14:12 and 12:17) while those who spurn the Sabbath will receive the Mark of the Beast.
5. The
Sabbath
stands
for
liberation
from
enslavement
to
material
goods.
On
a
Sabbath
we
rest
from
earning
our
bread
and
chasing
after
material
goods.
It
tells
us
that
our
value
and
dignity
is
not
dependent
on
our
economic
status.
It
also
reminds
us
to
seek
Gods
kingdom
first,
because
in
so
doing,
God
will
supply
our
material
needs
anyway.
(see
Matthew
6:25-34)
2
6. It has therapeutic value an antidote against stress. Physical and mental rest combat the effects of stress caused by our hectic modern-day lives. The Sabbath offers us this type of rest too. 7. It is a sign of equality. On the Sabbath the servant and master sit next to each other. There are no role distinctions. True Sabbath keepers then cannot align themselves with practices that encourage inequality. 8. It places God in his proper place. One writer said: Had the Sabbath been universally kept, man's thoughts and affections would have been led to the Creator as the object of reverence and worship, and there would never have been an idolater, an atheist, or an infidel (Great Controversy, pg 438). It is because of the rejection of the true Sabbath that self has been put in the place that really belongs to God. 9. The Sabbath is also used as a symbol of rest from the futile works of unbelief see Hebrews 4. The Sabbath reminds us to rest from saving ourselves. There is nothing we can add to our salvation. 10. The Sabbath is a protest against the exploitation of people, resources, etc. The commandment says that your manservant and maidservant should also rest. (Exodus 20:10) 11. The Sabbath gives us insight into a personal God who is interested in us, a God who stopped His creative work not because He was tired, but to spend time with His creation. In no other religion except Christianity, is there an opportunity to enter into a personal relationship with God.
12. The
Sabbath
is
the
only
commandment
that
is
not
really
logical
and
therefore
is
the
one
that
truly
tests
our
loyalty
to
God.
It
makes
sense
not
to
steal
or
lie
or
kill
or
have
other
gods
before
God.
But
the
command
to
worship
God
on
a
specific
day
does
not
really
make
sense.
It
is
for
this
very
reason
that
people
feel
a
day
and
not
the
day
is
an
acceptable
offering
to
God.
A
test
of
our
loyalty
to
God
is
found
in
doing
things
that
often
dont
make
sense
to
us
but
because
God
said
so,
we
will
do
them.
The
story
of
Abraham
offering
Isaac
illustrates
the
same
point.
God
asked
him
to
do
something
that
did
not
make
sense
to
him,
and
by
Abraham
obeying
it,
he
showed
his
loyalty
to
God.
Question:
Wow,
that
is
amazing
evidence
of
the
richness
of
the
Sabbath.
But
which
day
of
the
week
is
the
Sabbath?
Answer:
To
answer
that
we
need
to
go
to
the
Bible.
In
Luke
23:54
24:3
it
deals
with
the
death,
burial
and
resurrection
of
Jesus.
Jesus
died
on
the
day
before
the
Sabbath
which
was
called
Preparation
Day
(vs
54).
The
whole
Christian
world
has
been
celebrating
that
day,
without
change,
for
over
2000
years
as
Good
Friday.
The
Bible
calls
the
day
after
Preparation
Day,
the
Sabbath
(see
vs
54),
the
day
on
which
the
women
rested
in
obedience
to
the
commandment
(vs
56).
Then
in
Luke
24:1-3,
it
shows
that
Jesus
rose
on
the
first
day
of
the
week
day,
what
we
today
still
commemorate
as
Easter
Sunday.
So
according
to
this
Bible
3
passage, the order is: Preparation Day (Friday), Sabbath (Saturday), First Day (Sunday). Question: Answer: I once heard that the Lords Day is a reference to Sunday. Is that true? The Bible speaks of the Lords day in Revelation 1:10 : I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. If we compare this verse to Isaiah 58:13 and Matthew 12:8, we find that the Lords Day is the Sabbath and the Sabbath as we have proven above is on a Saturday. Check these 2 verses out: If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORDs holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD (Isaiah 58:13). For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8). So then, the Lords Day is on a Saturday. But didnt God change His Commandments in honour of His resurrection? Who better to answer this question than Jesus Himself. Jesus says: Heaven and earth will disappear before the smallest letter of the Law does. (Luke 16:17). God also has something to say on this important matter: I will not break My covenant, nor change the thing that has gone out of My lips (Psalm 89:34). The Ten Commandments came from the very lips of God (see Exodus 20:1). Which day did Jesus observe? The Sabbath. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read (Luke 4:16). Which day did the apostles keep? Where better to find the answer than in the book, Acts of the Apostles. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures (Acts 17:2). Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down (Acts 13:13-14). From the book of Acts it is clear that Paul and the early church kept the Sabbath. Did the Gentiles also keep the Sabbath? We go back to the book of Acts which gives us the history of the early church. And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath (Acts 13:42). I have heard some say that we only need to love God and that keeping His commandments is legalism. Is that true?
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Jesus says: If you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). 1 John 2:3-4 further states: Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, I know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Doesnt Paul tell us that we are not to be judged by eating, drinking and Sabbath keeping? The passage is found in Colossians 2 where Paul is making reference to the annual Jewish sabbaths (Leviticus 23:24-25; 32, 35). Some examples of these sabbaths were the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles. These yearly sabbaths were called your sabbaths (Leviticus 23:32), its sabbaths (2 Chronicles 36:21; Leviticus 26:34, 43) and her [Israels] sabbaths (Hosea 2:11). God however called His weekly Sabbath, my day (Exodus 31:13; Leviticus 19:3; Isaiah 56:4; Ezekiel 20:12, etc) or the Lords Day (Revelation 1:10; Mark 2:28). The annual sabbaths could fall on any day of the week. Whatever day it fell on, it was to be kept sacred and no work was done on it. The closest passages to Colossians 2 in the Old Testament are Hosea 2:11 and Ezekiel 45:17 and in both instances these sabbaths are annual. These yearly sabbaths, as well as all the ceremonial laws (ie. the laws concerning the various sacrifices which pointed forward to Jesus) and were shadows of things to come (Colossians 2:17) and were nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). Hebrews 10:1 tell us that that the law [of sacrifices] was a shadow of the realities found in Christ. All the annual feasts and sabbaths were part of the law of sacrifices that were done away with at the Cross. So what is Paul saying in Colossians 2:16? He is saying to the newly converted Christians who were no longer keeping the annual Jewish sabbath days and festivals because of their conversion to Christ: Dont let anyone judge you for not keeping these annual sabbaths and festivals since Jesus had come to fulfill them, and keeping them is therefore no longer necessary. From what you have mentioned, am I right by saying that there are two types of laws: One that ended at the cross and one that is eternal. Please explain this some more? Yes, you are absolutely correct. The one is called the Law of God or the Ten Commandments. The second is the Law of Moses also known as the Ceremonial Law and the Mosaic Law. Here are a some comparisons between the two: Ten Commandments Called the Law of God (Isaiah 5:24) Law of Moses Called the Law of Moses (Luke 2:22; 1 Corinthians 9:9)
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Answer:
Written by God on Stone (Exodus 31:18; 32:16) Placed inside the Ark (Exodus 40:20) Points out sin (Romans 7:7; 3:20) Is not grievous (1 John 5:3) Called the Royal Law (James 2:8) Judges all men (James 2:10-12) Is spiritual (Romans 7:14) Brings blessings and peace (Proverbs 29:18; Psalm 119:165) Is perfect (Psalm 19:7) Is eternal (Matthew 5:17-19) Question: Answer:
Written by Moses in a Book (Deuteronomy 31:24; 2 Chronicles 35:12) Placed by the side of the Ark (Deuteronomy 31:26) Was added because of sin (Galatians 3:19) Was contrary to us (Colossians 2:14) Called the Law contained in ordinances (Ephesians 2:15) Judges no man (Colossians 2:14-16) Was carnal (Hebrews 7:16, KJV) Contained curses (Deuteronomy 29:20-21; Galatians 3:10) Made nothing perfect (Hebrews 7:19) Was temporary (Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 8:13)
Taken from the Ten Commandments Twice Removed, by Danny Shelton & Shelly Quinn
It
all
makes
so
much
sense
now.
So
the
law
that
was
nailed
to
to
the
Cross
in
Colossians
2:14
was
the
ceremonial
law,
not
Gods
eternal
ten
commandments.
Thats
right.
God
would
never
have
nailed
His
eternal
Ten
Commandments
to
the
Cross.
If
He
did,
then
we
would
not
have
been
bound
to
keep
them
since
His
death
in
AD
31.
Which
Bible
believing
Christian
would
say
that
stealing
(the
8th
commandment)
or
committing
adultery
(the
7th
commandment)
had
been
nailed
to
the
Cross?
Does
that
mean
that
the
Christian
could
start
stealing
or
committing
adultery
after
Christs
death
on
the
Cross?
Obviously
not!!
So
the
Sabbath,
which
is
the
4th
Commandment
cannot
be
nailed
to
the
Cross
either,
since
it
is
part
of
Gods
eternal
Ten.
Doesnt
the
Bible
say
that
we
are
no
longer
under
the
law
but
under
grace?
The
Bible
text
you
are
referring
to
is
found
in
Romans
6:14.
If
you
read
the
passage
carefully
you
will
see
that
Pauls
point
is
that
Christians
are
not
under
law
as
a
means
to
salvation,
but
are
under
grace.
He
is
not
arguing
against
the
Law
as
can
be
seen
in
the
very
next
verse
that
can
be
paraphrased
as
follows:
Shall
we
continue
to
break
the
law
[see
1
John
3:4]
because
we
are
not
under
the
law
but
under
grace.
By
no
means!
Furthermore
in
Romans
3:31
6
Question: Answer:
Paul says: Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. So back to our passage in Romans 6:14. The Law cannot save a sinner, forgive sin nor provide any power to overcome. It merely reveals sin (Romans 3:20) and the sinner who seeks to be saved under law will find only condemnation and deeper enslavement to sin. But through the grace of God (Romans 3:24) however, a sinners past is forgiven and he receives divine power to walk in newness of life. When a man is under law, despite his best efforts, sin continues to have dominion over him, because the law cannot set him free from the power of sin. Under grace, however, the struggle against sin is no longer a hopeless situation, but a certain triumph. Does it really matter which day you keep? Could I not keep one day out of seven? The Bible says that God blessed the seventh day, not the first day or the third day. God is very particular about His commands. Lets say a man decides to marry a pretty lady who has 6 sisters. On the night before the wedding, her father comes to him and says: My daughter is very ill this evening and feeling extremely weak. She will not be well for the wedding tomorrow. But since I have 7 daughters altogether, just choose anyone from the other six. It doesnt really matter since they are all my daughters. Do you think the man would go for that arrangement? Certainly not!! It is not about a day, but about the Lords day. The Bible is filled with passages showing that God is very particular. We could list hundreds of these, but here are 2 quick examples: God told Adam and Eve not to eat from a particular tree (Genesis 2:16, 17) even though the tree may have looked like any other tree in the Garden. God through Moses gave particular stipulations to the Israelites concerning the manna in the wilderness (see Exodus 16). They were to collect manna daily but could not keep it over till the next morning as it would stink and become full of maggots. On the sixth day however that rule did not apply as the manna remained in tact till the Sabbath. If someone decided to collect a double portion on any other day instead of the sixth, his manna would be spoiled.
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I heard that the calendar was changed? Didnt that impact the Sabbath? Yes, there was a change but only once in the Christian Age in 1582. That change was made in order to align the calendar with the seasons. It did not impact real time, but calendar time. Ten days were taken out of the calendar and treated as non-existent. Note that the days did not change at all the date changed but not the day. So when folks went to bed on Thursday the 4th of October 1582, they woke up the next morning to Friday the 15th of October 1582. Is there proof outside of the Bible that Sabbath is on a Saturday.
Question:
Answer:
Yes there is. One such proof is from the area of languages. In over 106 languages of the world, the word for Saturday is Sabbath. Here are some examples: Sabbaton (Greek), Sabbatum (Latin), Sabado (Spanish), Sabbado (Portuguese), Samedi (French), Samstag (High German), Sabatico (Prussian), Subbota (Russian), Shabbath (Hebrew), Shamba (Hindustani), Ari-Sabtu (Malay), etc. Another proof is from the area of astronomy. Notice what James Robertson, director of the US Naval Observatory had to say in 1932: We have had occasion to investigate the results of the works of specialists in Chronology and we have never found one of them that has had the slightest doubt about the continuity of the weekly cycle since long before the Christian Era. You may say that a good case has been presented for the Sabbath, but how important is it for you today? The only definition of sin that we find in the Bible is found in the following verse: Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). So sin is defined as breaking Gods Law. The Bible clearly tells us the consequences of sin: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). So if we break Gods Law, we sin and sin results in death. Furthermore in James 2:10 it says: For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point is guilty of breaking all of it. So if we keep all nine commandments and not the Sabbath, we are guilty of breaking all the commandments. It is a matter of life and death. As Jesus disciples we should follow Him: This is, in fact, what you were called to do, because Christ also suffered for you and left an example for you to follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21). As Christians we should gladly follow Jesus example of Sabbath-keeping.
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