Teaching on the Sabbath (Old Testament)
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I am going to teach on something tonight that is a controversial topic in the church as a whole: the sabbath or shabbat. Many churches do not observe the sabbath. The seventh day adventist go to church on Saturday, we go to church on Sunday, but many people have mistaken the scriptures to think that the Sabbath is a day of worship and it is here that we error.
It is true that you can have things going on on the Sabbath, but the scripture never really supports that the Sabbath is the day that you go to church, even though there is scripture in the New Testament that supports it, Paul preached on the Sabbath day, and usually teaching went on on the sabbath day.
Guess what…..we have teaching going on the Sabbath too. When the sun goes down Friday, it is considered to be the beginning of the Sabbath. We have prayer on Saturday….that is considered to be Worship on the Sabbath…..so we are in there in a way.
Those who are not Seventh Day Adventist believe that the Sabbath is on Sunday which is incorrect and I will show you in scripture why Sunday is not the Sabbath.
Finally, there is the argument that should we as believers adhere to the Sabbath? That question will be answered by looking at scripture.
History Lesson:
History tells us that the Roman Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity and brought an end to the persecution of the Christians. Constantine was marching to a battle on the milivian bridge, supposedly looked in the sky and saw a cross and prayed essentially that if you are the true God to grant him victory and Constantine won the battle.
But what you don’t know is that Constantine was a devout follow of Mithra or Sol Invictus which was a roman sun god. Sun, Sun, Sun. Well the scriptures speak about the Son of God. So Constantine becomes a Christian, but what people don’t realize is that good ole Constantine isn’t as good as you think he is.
He uses Christianity for his own purposes and began to influence the bishops to make changes. He oversees the Council of Nicea 325 and they make changes to the Christian religion including the changing of the baptismal formula.
He brings in somethings that he did when he served Sol Invictus…..I’m about to mess everyone up. Including saying that Christ was born on December 25th which happens to be the same birthdate as Sol Invictus. And also, moving the Sabbath from Saturday to SUN…..DAY. So that his pagan constituents would start adapting to this new state religion.
He found that he could control people more easily through this religion because of what was written in the text. He thought it was about following orders and instilling fear in people so that they would be good citizens.
And that is why I always say, if you think Christianity or The Way is about doing this and not doing that…you’re mistaken. It is about having a relationship with the Living God and knowing who Jesus is…..it is about receiving the power of the Holy Spirit which effectively makes change in our lives.
In addition, King Constantine changed the calendar…..now passover never consistently falls on the same date. He takes the word Easter and applies it to the resurrection of Jesus Christ…..when the word “Easter” has nothing to do with Jesus but the ungodly idol Ishtar.
So if you read your history and that is the problem because some people don’t like history. But if you research it, you will see it for yourself.
But even in our ignorance….thank God we serve a merciful God, thank God our salvation isn’t based upon works…..need you to grab a hold of this before we get into the lesson tonight because it’s going to get bumpy. We are saved because of our faith in Jesus Christ. For the real technical folk Yahshuah.
Again, in the true study and observance of scripture, you cannot interpet scripture based on your own feelings or opinions or based on what someone else may have told you. We need to search the scripture for ourselves and learn the scriptures for ourselves. I am equipping you tonight as well as educating you. I would rather you hear it from your Pastor what is right and what is wrong than for you to get it from someone else. This will also enable you to defend your faith. We may have to do two series on this because I want to make sure you understand and be free to ask questions.
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.
We see according to the scriptures that God created the heavens and the earth, and that which is also in the earth, and after he finished his work on the 6th day he rested.
The Scripture then says God “blessed” the seventh day. He spoke favor over the seventh day, and then the Bible says he “sanctified it”. What does sanctify mean? He set it apart, it is suppose to be different then any other day, it is suppose to be set apart. What is it suppose to be set apart for? ANS: The scripture says he “rested”. Let’s build some more.
I shared something with a family member, that God continues to work, I believe that when the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host with them, I believe it is referring to the Galaxy and the heavens as He knew it back then. I believe and I know that God is still working.
Scripture: John 14:1-2
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
I’m going to tell you something, there are new stars being made right now, new universes being made right now, why? Because after the seventh day God went back to work! So since the beginning of creation, God has steadily been at work continuing to create continuing to renovate we talking about billions of years. Don’t believe me, science shows the creation of new stars, new planets, no solar systems. Because we ourselves we don’t work 6 days rest on the 7th day and then don’t go back to work.
God is still at work! He’s still moving, he’s still operating…..this should be a faith booster. Just tell someone God is still working!
Now we go to the next book which is Exodus.
And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
Concerning rest, the NLT reads “Tomorrow will be a day of complete rest”. Someone say complete rest.
So we see that the scripture declares that, the sabbath was a day of complete rest.
The sabbath is a holy day set apart for the Lord.
There was to be no gathering, no manner of work, not even cooking. Everything was to be done on the 6th day which was the day of preparation. They were to cook double on the 6th day so that they would not have to cook or do anything on the 7th day but REST.
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.
So let me ask you this…..we strive off of the ten commandments. We threw a fit because the ten commandments were taken down in the court room.
Let me ask you this, should we or should we not obey the ten commandments? Ans: we should.
Why? Let’s grab New Testament scripture:
And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
It is apparent that Jesus believed in keeping the law. But the law wasn’t just a bunch of rules and regulations for us to follow to make us righteous.
Jesus also said:
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
The law and the prophets were types and shadows that pointed to Jesus.
So now we have a sect and religion that is being brought up that says and teaches that people won’t make it to heaven unless they follow the law. But here is some more scripture about the law. Because I know it sounded like I was pro law….and actually I am because of what the scriptures declare. But the law doesn’t have the power to save you, otherwise Jesus wouldn’t have came into the world to die for our sins.
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Now, what is interesting is Paul preaches this on the Sabbath. And the bible says in verse 42:
And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
I know now you’re saying ouch.
Well we believe that Sunday is the Sabbath.
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
So if the first day of the week is Monday, then we got this thing all wrong then. Jesus got up on a Monday then. Does that make sense? If Sunday is the Sabbath and the Monday is the first day of the week, then we should be worshipping on Monday instead of Sunday because Jesus got up on Monday not Sunday. Is that correct?
Don’t worry…..saints…..don’t get yourselves all in a knot of confusion give me a minute to get to the conclusion of everything.
Let me repeat Acts 13:39
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Justified by somethings?……all things.
Couple more scriptures that I want to bring to your attention and then we will shift to the New Testament:
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.
You say that the sabbath is only for the Jews. I got scripture for that too, same chapter:
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;
This scripture the Lord says “I will bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the LORD, who serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest and who hold fast to my covenant.”
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
But again we say that’s only for the Jews, it doesn’t pertain to us Gentiles, but we just read the scripture where the Lord talks about the stranger.
The Ten Commandments:
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow thyself to them nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me AND KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.
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….etc. etc.
Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbors.
So these are the basics of God’s law. So let me ask you this….is it okay for us to pick and choose which laws we want to follow. Because Paul taught that if you offend one part of the law you offend all of the law.
Because it would seem to me, that if you don’t have to observe the sabbath that it’s okay to steal, it’s okay to kill, you can lie against your neighbor, and you can lust after what your neighbor’s house, wife, manservant, maidservant and the like and when you start to lust eventually you will do whatever it takes to get what you desire!
Final Old Testament scripture:
In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
So Nehemiah lets them know, that hey….we didn’t just go into captivity because we worshipped false idols. We went into captivity because we broke God’s Law….his covenant. HIS COVENANT…….SOMEONE SAY HIS COVENANT. I need that to sink into your mind….because the word Covenant is going to answer every question you got going through your mind right now.
Nehemiah tells them, look, you’re working on the Sabbath, treading the winepress, bringing in grain, loading the grain on the donkeys, bringing in their wine and grapes, and selling their produce on the Sabbath……and watch this, it was outsiders (Men from Tyre) that was causing them to transgress God’s law.
It is the world today, it is our jobs, it is deception and lies that has caused God’s people to transgress his law. It is hard to keep the Sabbath, because many of you work on Saturday, your job mandates it, and not just Saturday, Sundays as well. They tell us you can rest on any other day but Saturday or Sunday.
But if you go over and live in Israel today, I saw a show on HGTV where a couple moved to Tel Aviv and it was a culture shock to them. Because they said in Israel on Saturday…..that everything shuts down. NOTHING IS OPEN AND NOBODY DOES ANY WORK AT ALL. THEY DON’T CLEAN HOUSE, THEY DON’T WASH CLOTHES, THEY DON’T MOW GRASS, THEY DON’T FIX CARS, THEY DON’T COOK, THEY DON’T SEW……NO WORK AT ALL…..JUST REST! At first they said they kinda bucked against it. But then adhered, and they said when they started to adhere they realized “man this is the best thing ever.”
End for tonight:
Hey, I want you guys to come back Friday Night for Adult Class and Fellowship and I will finish up. Because we need to approach the New Testament and examine the scriptures there before we come to the finale. As of now….hold what you have…..you’ll see why I say that Friday Night.
If you want to rest on Saturday and honor the Sabbath…..that’s fine…..it is a good thing to do because you are doing it to honor God. But we will have a clear picture Friday night so please come back, our children will be here, the teenagers will be downstairs and we will probably do a little something in Ingram Hall….a grab and go something.