A SIGN BETWEEN ME AND YOU

Transcription

1 LORD OF THE SABBATH A SIGN BETWEEN ME AND YOU compiled by Rachel M. Cory, January 23, 2010 MATTHEW 12:8 The Son of Man is LORD even of e Sabba day. (Mark 2:28) In is claim to be Lord of e Sabba day, Jesus declared Himself e Creator. This tru is repeated many times in e New Testament writings. (I Cor 8:6; Eph 3:9; Heb 1:1-2, 8, 10; John 1:3, 10; Col 1:12-16) EZEKIEL 20:20 Hallow My Sabbas, and ey shall be a sign between me and you, at you may know at I am e Lord your God. Our God is not arbitrary. He does not make up useless rules. Every command is for our best good. And is is very, very true of e Sabba commandment. THE SABBATH ANSWERS MAN'S DEEPEST QUESTIONS. l. WHERE DID I COME FROM? GENESIS 2:2,3 And on e seven day God ended His work which He had made. And He rested on e seven day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed e seven day and sanctified it: because at in it he had rested from all His work which God created and made. To sanctify (#6942 qadash) means to set apart for a sacred purpose, to make holy, or to consecrate to God. In e very beginning, God sanctified e Sabba. It was not Adam's seven day. Adam had not yet been alive for 24 hours. The first gift of God to mankind was is special time. Even before God warned em against e Tree of e Knowledge of Good and Evil, He set aside e Sabba hours. Hours to spend in communion wi eir Creator. MARK 2:27 Jesus said, The Sabba was made for man (#444 - anropos - meaning mankind ). He did NOT say e Sabba was made for Israelites, or for Jews. Did you ever wonder why God took six days to create e ear, and en took one day just to celebrate. Who was watching? Remember at God's auority and His right to rule had just been challenged by Lucifer, e highest created being. Could it be at God was saying someing about His auority as creator? Perhaps e angels who rebelled had been tempted to forget at ey were created beings. EXODUS 20:11 For in six days e Lord made e heavens and e ear, e sea, and all at is in em, and rested e seven day. Therefore e Lord blessed e Sabba day and hallowed it. Right in e middle of e Ten Commandments, God inscribed e Sabba, in stone, an eternal symbol of His relationship to us. We are His creation. 2. WHERE AM I GOING? ISAIAH 66:22-23 For as e new heavens and e new ear which I will make shall remain before Me, says e Lord, so shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass at from one New Moon to anoer and from one Sabba to anoer all flesh shall come to worship before me, says e Lord. In e new ear, all flesh, not just all Jews, will come togeer to worship God from one Sabba to anoer, and from one new moon to e next.

2 3. WHY IS THE WORLD IN SUCH A MESS? DEUTERONOMY 5:15 Remember at you were a slave in e land of Egypt, and at e Lord y God brought you out from ere by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; erefore e Lord your God commanded you to keep e Sabba day. We have all been caught up in slavery to sin, and God has offered to bring us out by e miracle of His grace and power. Someday we will literally leave is old wilderness of sin, wi its poisonous serpents, and cross over into e promised Canaan. In e meantime, dea and confusion are all around us. Satan is e prince of is world. We cannot expect is to get better, only worse, as time grows shorter. But we can have peace in our own hearts knowing at God is wi us, and will bring us home. The Sabba is God's reminder of His promised deliverance. 4. HOW CAN I GET TO THIS NEW EARTH? EZEKIEL 20:12 Moreover I also gave em My Sabbas, to be a sign between em and me, at ey might know at I am e Lord who sanctifies em. EXODUS 31:13 Surely My Sabbas you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you roughout all our generations, at you may know at I am e Lord who sanctifies you. Just as e Sabba was sanctified or set apart for a holy purpose, so we are set apart for God's purpose. It is only by e regenerating power of God, at our hearts are changed and we are consecrated to be used by Him. Only ose who are changed in is way will see e new ear. The God who created man in e beginning will create him anew - redeemed and resurrected from e dead. God will make him a fit subject for His kingdom. 5. WHO MADE ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE? Jesus Christ rested from all His labors on e Sabba day when He slept in Joseph's tomb (MATTHEW 28:l, MARK l6:1-2, MARK 16:9, LUKE 24:l, JOHN 20:l). 6. HOW LONG WILL THIS SIN PROBLEM LAST? Almost 6000 years have passed, since Adam sinned. The millennium, 1000 years during which e ear will rest, represents a Sabba for is ear (REVELATION 20:2,4). The Sabba is a prophecy of how long it will take to finish e rebellion and restore peace to e universe. Our Heavenly Faer knew at wiout a time set apart for communion and worship, we would loose our connection wi Him. We would forget who we are, and where we are going. How clearly is has been demonstrated over e ages. OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED 1. THE SABBATH IS JUST FOR THE JEWS. IT WAS INTRODUCED AT SINAI AS A MEMORIAL OF THEIR RESCUE FROM EGYPT. The 7 day was blessed and hallowed at e end of creation week, when only Adam and Eve were living. Can you show me, in e Scriptures, where e LORD unblessed or unhallowed e 7 day. A. Jesus said, The Sabba was made for man (#444 - anropos - meaning mankind ) Mark 2:27. He did NOT say e Sabba was made for Israelites, or for Jews. B. PSALM 105:43-45 says at God brought Israel out of Egypt so at ey could keep His statutes. They could not keep e Sabba in Egypt, because ey were forced to work. 2

3 C. The Israelites knew about e Sabba, before Sinai! Before Sinai, God gave em manna from heaven. They were not to gaer is food on e Sabba. (EXODUS 16:28). Before Sinai God said to Moses, Tomorrow is a Sabba rest, a holy Sabba to e LORD (Exo 16:23). On e Sabba He said, Today is a Sabba unto e LORD (Exo 16:25). The seven day, which is e Sabba. (Exo 16:26). When some of e people disobeyed e command and went out to gaer manna on e Sabba, The LORD said to Moses, How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? See! For e LORD has given you e Sabba erefore He gives you on e six day bread for two days (Exo 16:27-30). D. The stranger was included in e four commandment, not just e Israelite (EXODUS 20:10). A blessing was to come upon e son of e stranger at keeps e Sabba (ISAIAH 56:1-8). E. NEHEMIAH. 9:13-14 has been used by some to say at e Israelites had no knowledge of e Sabba before Sinai. It says, You made known to em Your holy Sabba. Compare: In e day when I chose Israel... and made myself known unto em in e land of Egypt (EZEKIEL 20:5). Are we to conclude from is verse at God was not known by anyone before at time. Of course not! The Israelites had just lost site of God and of His commandments. F. DEUTERONOMY 5:15 It is true at ey were to keep e Sabba as a memorial of eir rescue from Egypt. But ey were also commanded to deal rightly in weights and measures because I am e Lord your God, which brought you out of e land of Egypt. Therefore shall you observe all my statutes and all my judgments, and do em: (LEVITICUS l9:35-37). Are we to conclude at prior to eir deliverance from Egypt, ey might shortchange eir neighbors wi impunity and at only Jews are required by God to refrain from cheating anyone? LEVITICUS ll:45 I am e Lord who brings you up out of e land of Egypt, to be your God; you shall erefore be holy, for I am holy. Is e command to be holy only for Israelites? Does e command to be holy have meaning only in context of deliverance from Egypt. Or have we all been slaves of sin and of Satan? 2. I WILL CAUSE ALL HER MIRTH TO CEASE, HER FEAST DAYS HER NEW MOONS, AND HER SABBATHS, AND ALL HER SOLEMN FEASTS (HOSEA 2:11). This verse is cited by some as a prophecy predicting e end of e seven day Sabba. The condition here described was fulfilled at e destruction of Israel by e Assyrians. Hosea was sent as a prophet to e 10 Norern tribes (called Israel) which had split off from e original 12 tribes. Jeroboam, e first king of e 10 Norern tribes had instituted recurring annual festivals, on days oer an ose appointed by God. He did not want e people to return to Jerusalem. (He had set up two centers of worship in e Nor - one at Beel and e oer at Dan.) These are e feast days which e Lord would cause to cease. - NOT e Lords appointed festivals. (I Kings 12:26-33). 3. DIDN'T JESUS CHANGE THE SABBATH TO SUNDAY? A. MATTHEW 5:17,18 Jesus said, Think not at I am come to destroy e Law, or e prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. PSALM 111:7,8 All His commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in tru and uprightness. PSALM 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter e ing at is gone out of my lips. MALACHI 3:6 For I am e Lord, I change not. I CHRONICLES 17:27 For You have blessed O Lord, and it shall be blessed forever. [Remember at people are blessed upon condition of obedience, but e Sabba was blessed unconditionally. God did not say, If it works out, en we'll keep it. ] 3 A.B.M.A.Y.

4 B. HEBREWS 9:16 For where a testament is, ere must also be e dea of e testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead; oerwise it is of no streng at all while e testator lives. GALATIANS 3:15 Breren, I speak in e manner of men: Though it is only a man's covenant (will), yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. A man's last will and testament cannot be changed after his dea. After e dea of Christ, noing could be added to e new covenant or New Testament. If e Commandments were to be changed, en Jesus would have to say is clearly, and officially before His dea. Sunday keeping was instituted by men well after Christ's dea. Jesus expected His followers to be keeping e Sabba at least 40 years after His dea at e time of e destruction of Jerusalem. MATTHEW 24:20 But pray at your flight may not be in winter or on e Sabba. He did not say is because it would be more difficult to get out of e city on at day, because it really would have been easier. The streets would be deserted because all e Jews would be in e synagogue. In fact when e time came, e Jews stayed in e city and e Christians were e only ones who fled and ereby saved eir lives. C. HEBREWS 10:9 He take away e first at He may establish e second. Some have pointed to is verse as taking away e seven day Sabba. But read e words in context. The writer of Hebrews is speaking of e sacrificial system. The offering of e body of Jesus Christ once for all has replaced e sacrifice and offering burnt offerings, and offerings for sin. (v. 8-10) The ministry of Christ our high priest in heaven (e true sanctuary), who ministers His own blood, has replaced e Levitical priesood and e early Temple.. No mention is made of a day of worship, or any oer of e 10 covenant commandments. TH 4. JESUS BROKE THE 4 COMMANDMENT WHEN HE HEALED ON THE SABBATH, AND WHEN HIS DISCIPLES HARVESTED GRAIN ON THE SABBATH. A. Jesus said, I have kept my Faer's commandments (JOHN 15:10). If Jesus had truly broken e commandment, en He would have been a sinner, and could not have been our Savior. Psalm 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God: and Your law is wiin My heart. Isaiah 42:21 He will magnify e law and make it honorable. B. There was complete agreement between Jesus and His opponents, e Pharisees concerning WHICH day was e Sabba. The disagreement concerned e lawful manner of observance. Let s look at e seven miracles which Jesus performed on e Sabba day: FIRST SABBATH MIRACLE: At a feast of e Jews, by e pool of Beesda, Jesus saw a man wi infirmity irty eight years. Jesus said to him, rise, take up your pallet and walk. (John 5:1-10) The Jews said to e man, It is not lawful to carry your pallet on e Sabba. They sought to kill Jesus because He had done ese ings on e Sabba. (v. 16) But Jesus answered em, My Faer has been working (on e Sabba) until now, and I have been working. (v. 17) e Son can do noing of Himself, (by His own auority) but what He sees e Faer do; for whatever He does, e Son also does in like manner. So essentially Jesus told em at He was doing His Faer s will, erefore what He did WAS lawful. The Jews sought all e more to kill Him because He said at God was His Faer, making Himself equal wi God. The Jews understood Him quite clearly! A short time after e healing of John 5, Jesus returned to Jerusalem for e Feast of Tabernacles. (John 7:2, 10, 14. Whiles teaching in e Temple He had a discussion wi e Jews concerning His healing on e Sabba. (John 7:23) If you circumcise a male on e Sabba, (because he is 8 days old on a Sabba day), so at e law of Moses will not be broken, why are you angry wi Me because I made a man completely well on e Sabba? Again - e disagreement concerns what is lawful, not which day is e Sabba. The conclusion: If circumcision is lawful, en so is healing. 4 A.B.M.A.Y.

5 SECOND SABBATH MIRACLE: Teaching on e Sabba in a synagogue at Capernaum, Jesus cast out a demon from a man. (Mark 1:21-27) THIRD SABBATH MIRACLE: Jesus healed e moer of Simon Peter of fever (Mark 1:29-31, on e same Sabba as e healing of e demoniac. FOURTH SABBATH MIRACLE: At a synagogue, ere was a man present wi a wiered hand. There were spies present, who watched Him closely to see if He would heal on e Sabba. Jesus asked em, Is it lawful, on e Sabba, to do good or to do evil? to save life or to kill? (Mark 3:1-5; Luke 6:6-11; Matt 12:10-14). What man is ere among you, Jesus continued, who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on e Sabba, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value en is a man en a sheep? There it is lawful to do good on e Sabba. And He healed e man. The Jews en plotted how ey might destroy Him. FIFTH SABBATH MIRACLE: On e eigh day of e Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus saw a man blind from bir. He made clay from dirt and His own spit, which He put on e mans eyes, en told him to go wash in e poor of Siloam (John 9:6-7, 14) The Jews response was to put e man out of e synagogue. SIXTH SABBATH MIRACLE: Jesus healed a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years and was bent over, and could in no way straighten herself up. The ruler of e synagogue answered wi indignation, and Jesus called him a hypocrite - Does not each one of you loose his ox or his ass from e stall, He said, and lead it away to water it on e Sabba? So ought not is woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound ink of it for eighteen years, be loosed from is bond on e Sabba? (Luke 13:10-17) SEVENTH SABBATH MIRACLE: At e house of one of e rulers of e Pharisees just before going up to Jerusalem for e last time, ere was a man ere wi dropsy (a condition involving generalized swelling or edema). Jesus asked e lawyers and Pharisees, Is it lawful to heal on e Sabba? But ey kept silent. Jesus healed e man. Again, he told em at ey treated eir animals better an human beings. (v.5). CONCLUSION: Works of healing were, and are, lawful on e Sabba day. C. ABOUT THE GRAIN FIELD: Jesus disciples were hungry. It was e Sabba. They were passing eir a field of grain. They plucked e ripened heads, rolled em between eir hands, and ate e loosened grains. The Pharisees accused em of doing what is not lawful to do on e Sabba! Notice ey did not accuse em of stealing. Taking grain for immediate personal consumption was lawful, so long as one did not take away any carry out. Jesus defended His disciples using Scripture. When David and his men were hungry, fleeing from crazy King Saul, ey ate of e consecrated shewbread of e Sanctuary, which e law specified was only to be eaten by e priests. (Lev. 24:5-9; Ex 29:31-34; I Sam 21:1-6) David and his men incurred no guilt because Abiar, e High Priest, gave em e bread. (MATTHEW 12:10-12, JOHN 5:2-18). The priests in e Temple profane e Sabba yet are blameless, because ey follow e commands of God, concerning e offering of sacrifices, e baking of e shewbread, and burning of incense on e Sabba. So why were Jesus disciples guiltless because Jesus, e LORD of e Sabba approved eir action. HE defines lawful and unlawful on HIS day. Jesus said to e Pharisees, I say to you at in is place ere is One greater an e Temple. (v.6) and The Son of Man is LORD even of e Sabba day. (v.8) Ministers today, who do God's work on e Sabba are blameless (I COR 10:1-4, NEHEMIAH. 9:9-14). Medical personnel who work to save lives on e Sabba, pharmacies who dispense emergency medicine, law enforcement officers, prison guards, and many oer necessary service providers are wiin e law. But e farmer who wishes to harvest because e crop is ripe today or e weaer is reatening is not wiin e law. On e seven day ou shalt rest: in earring time and in harvest time ou shalt rest (EX. 34:21). The religious leaders of Christ's day had added dozens of eir own rules for keeping e Sabba, until e day had lost all of it's original meaning. In fact it was a lot work just keeping all of e Sabba regulations. There was no time to ink about God, for inking about wheer one might be breaking some rule. Christ cleared away ese traditions of men. 5 A.B.M.A.Y.

6 5. SINCE THE RESURRECTION WAS ON SUNDAY, WE KEEP THAT DAY IN HONOR OF HIM. A. There is no law against honoring e LORD on Sunday, or on any oer day of e week, but ere IS a law against working on e Sabba. B. John called it e Lord's day (Revelation l:10). When John mentions Sunday in his gospel, written 64 years after e cross, he calls it simply e first day of e week (John 20:1). If Sunday had truly become e new Sabba, would he not have mentioned it in some special way? Jesus said at He is LORD of e Sabba day. (Mark 2:28). So e Sabba IS e Lord s day. C. God calls e Sabba My holy day (ISA. 58:13). Remember at it was Jesus who spoke rough Isaiah, and rough all of e Old Testament prophets. Jesus is and always has been e only mediator between God and man (II Tim. 2:5). It was Jesus who spoke e Ten Commandments from e mountain. MATTHEW 15:6,9 Thus have ye made e commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. In vain do ey worship me, teaching for doctrines e commandments of men. DEUTERONOMY 4:2 You shall not add to e word which I command you, nor take anying from it, at you may keep e commandments of e Lord your God... (Proverbs 30:6). 6. DIDN'T THE RISEN CHRIST ALWAYS APPEAR TO HIS DISCIPLES ON SUNDAY? Christ appeared to His disciples over a period of forty days after His resurrection. Only five of ese recorded appearances give a clue as to e day. A. Resurrection Sunday: To Mary Magdalene, to two disciples on e road to Emmaus, to eleven disciples in e upper room. (The eleven disciples were not holding a religious meeting. They were hiding in terror of e Jews. B. Eight days later on a Monday, because Thomas was finally wi em (JOHN 20:26). C. To e disciples while ey were out fishing (JOHN 21). No day is given. D. Ascension day - forty days after e resurrection - a Thursday (ACTS 1:3,9). E. MATTHEW 28:10-17 does not give a day. 7. WE CELEBRATE EASTER SUNDAY IN HONOR OF CHRIST S RESURRECTION. DOESN T THAT MAKE SUNDAY A SPECIAL DAY? Many ousands of Jews believed (Acts 21:20) and accepted Jesus of Nazare as eir expected Messiah. This did not mean at ey expected to break away from eir Jewish fai, or from e Sabba, or from any of e oer nine commandments. They were not joining a new religion. They simply viewed emselves as believing Jews. After e dea of Christ, Passover was celebrated wi bread and wine, raer an wi a sacrificial lamb, as initiated by Christ at His last Passover meal. In fact ere was much debate among early Christians regarding e proper observance - how long to fast, wheer to celebrate e Lord s supper in e evening or e next morning, etc. The actual introduction of Easter-Sunday appears to have occurred in Palestine after Emperor Hadrian rulessly crushed e Barkokeba revolt (A.D ) and built on e ruin of Jerusalem a new Roman city, Aelia Capitolina. At is time, Hadrian introduced e most repressive legislation, prohibiting e practice of Judaism, in general, and e observance of Jewish festivals, in particular. Jews and Jewish-Christians were expelled from e city. As a result of Hadrian s expulsion of e Jews, e positions left vacant by Jewish-Christian elders and leaders were filled by non-jews. The enic cleansing, and persecution of anyone and anying Jewish influenced e new Gentile church hierarchy to change e date of Passover from Nisan 14 to e following Sunday in order to show separation from e Jews and Jewish Christians, and us avoid persecution. 6 A.B.M.A.Y.

7 Over e years a whole body of anti-semitic type literature was produced by leading Faers who defamed e Jews as a people and emptied eir religious beliefs and practices of any value whatsoever. Two major casualties of e anti- Jewish campaign were Sabba and Passover. The Sabba was changed to Sunday and Passover was transferred to Easter- Sunday. Finally, in A.D.325, at e Council of Nicea e Emperor Constantine settled e issue. He wrote, Let us en have noing in common wi e detestable Jewish crowd: He decreed at Passover be celebrated on e first Sunday after e first full moon of spring (at is, e Sunday after e Jewish Passover). To ensure at Easter-Sunday would never be celebrated at e same time as e Jewish Festival, e council decreed at if e 14 of Nisan fell on a Friday, en Easter was to be celebrated on Sunday, nine days later. 8. DOESN'T PENTECOST ALWAYS FALL ON A SUNDAY? Pentecost always falls 50 days from e feast of first fruits. Anciently ere was a controversy regarding e correct day for e offering of e firstfruits, but in e year Christ died Pharisees and Sadducees were in agreement. ( See e study, Three Days and Three Nights at is web site.) Because e firstfruits were offered on a Sunday in at year, Pentacost also fell on a Sunday in at year. 9. WHEN SUNDAY IS MENTIONED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, ISN'T IT ALWAYS SOMETHING SPECIAL? COULDN'T IT BE INFERRED THAT SUNDAY WAS THE SPECIAL DAY FOR THE APOSTLES? The first day of e week is mentioned eight times in e New Testament: MATTHEW 28:1; MARK 16:l-2,9; LUKE 24:l; JOHN 20:1: All are accounts of e resurrection. Matew, Mark, Luke, and John all wrote eir gospels many years after Christ's dea, yet every one of em refers to Sunday as simply, e first day of e week, noing more, noing special. JOHN 20:19: The disciples were hiding in e upper room behind closed doors in terror of e Jews. ACTS 20:7-8: The dark part of e first day of e week is Saturday night (see New English Bible) (MARK l:21,32; LEVITICUS 23:32). The first day of e week began at sundown on what we would call Saturday night. Paul spent most of Sunday, e next day, walking rough swampy country from Troas to Assos where he was to catch a ship. Breaking bread was done daily (ACTS 2:46) and was not necessarily associated wi an assembly for worship. In is case it was most likely e traditional weekly Havdalah, a service to bid farewell to e Sabba. 1CORINTHIANS 16:1-2 Lay by in store does not mean, put in e collection plate at e church. It means to set aside at home. Some of e modern translations put it in is way. It means at e first act of business in e new week should be to separate a portion for God's service. After God's tie and offerings are separated en we may continue wi our regular business. Money was never handled on e Sabba. The weekly Sabba is mentioned in e New Testament fifty-six times. Matt 12:1-8, :20 28:1 Mark 1:21 2: :2-4 6:2 15:42 16:1 Luke 4:16,31 6:1-9 13: :1-5 23:54,56 John 5:9,10,16,18 7:22,23 19:14,16,31 Acts 13:14,27,42,44 15:21 16:13 18:4 In e eight passages which mention e first day of e week ere is no command to keep it; ere is no record of its being appointed as a sabba; no record of any blessing being placed upon it; no record of its being made holy; no record of any sacredness being attached to it; no promise of a blessing for its observance; no reat of punishment for its nonobservance. It is not once given any sacred title. There is no record at Christ kept Sunday or commanded it to be kept. There is no record at e apostles kept it or commanded it to be kept. 7 A.B.M.A.Y.

8 10. DID PAUL KEEP THE SABBATH AFTER HIS CONVERSION TO CHRIST? ACTS 26: Saul e persecutor always knew where to find e Christians. He persecuted em in every synagogue. And ey worshiped in e synagogue on e Sabba. ACTS 13: In Antioch Paul worshiped in e synagogue, on e Sabba. ACTS 13: The next Sabba in Antioch Paul preached to e Gentiles, (He didn't tell em to meet him on Sunday) and almost e whole city came to hear him. ACTS 16: In Philippi, where ere was no synagogue, Paul went out by e river where prayer was customarily made, to worship on Sabba. ACTS 17: In Thessalonica Paul, as his custom was, went in (to e synagogue) to em, and for ree Sabbas reasoned wi em from e scriptures. ACTS 18:4,11.. At Corin he reasoned in e synagogue every Sabba. 11. WHY DOESN'T PAUL STATE SPECIFICALLY THAT THE SEVENTH DAY IS THE SABBATH? IN FACT DOESN'T PAUL SAY THAT EVERY MAN SHOULD BE PERSUADED IN HIS OWN MIND? A. Paul and oer NT writers exhorted all to read and study e Scriptures which will make you wise unto salvation. The only Scriptures available at at time were e Old Testament, which are replete wi references to e sacredness of e 7 day Sabba. B. The Jews were ready to kill Paul because he declared specifically at circumcision, was no longer necessary (GALATIANS 5:6-15). If Paul had declared at e Sabba was changed or done away wi, would not some account of e furor at would have caused be found in e account of his ministry. The Jews considered Sabba observance at least as important as circumcision, yet great text is given to e account of e debate over circumcision and noing is said about a change of e Sabba. Paul said, I have fully preached e gospel of Christ (ROMANS 15:19). Noing was left out. C. It is true at Paul said Let every man be convinced in his own mind (ROMANS 14:5). But isn't is e ideal we preach today. Each person must study and decide for himself e tru of e gospel of Christ. No observance, wheer prayer or fasting or giving offerings, or Sabba keeping is valid if e person does not understand e reason for what he is doing. This statement reflects e change in Paul after e Damascus road. He no longer forced his beliefs on anyone. Even if he knew he was right he said do not judge your broer. How different from e Saul who dragged e Christians to Jerusalem in chains. D. Devout Jews held to e custom of fasting twice a week. Paul was probably referring to is custom, because He mentions eating and not eating along wi observing and not observing certain days. The days observed appear to be ose days upon which certain men fasted. The context does not mention e 7 day Sabba (Romans 14:1-7). Paul appears to have kept e 7 day Sabba, and ere are passages which suggest at he also kept e festivals but in a new Christian way (1Corinians 16:8, Acts 20:6, Acts 20:16). ( See also 1Corinians 5:7-8 where Paul instructs e church regarding e keeping of e Passover.) 12. DIDN'T PAUL DESCRIBE SABBATH KEEPING AS TURNING AGAIN TO WEAK AND BEGGARLY ELEMENTS? GALATIANS 4:9,10 But how after you have known God, or raer are known by God, how is it at you turn again to e weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and mons and seasons and years. A. The days, and mons, and seasons, and years obviously refer to e prophetic Feasts of e LORD commanded in Leviticus chapters 23 and 25, and Numbers chapters 28 and 29. Animal sacrifices were required on each of ese appointed Feast days. B. The Galatians who had come to belief in Christ, had been taken in by e circumcision party who were zealous for e law. They had emselves circumcised, and began keeping all of e Jewish festivals, including e offering of sacrifices,, in order to be saved. Tell me, Paul wrote, you who desire to be under (justified by) e law (Gal. 4:21). 8 A.B.M.A.Y.

9 He was adamant at we are saved by fai in Christ - not by works of e law. Keeping e Jewish festivals in order to be saved would be no better an observing pagan astral festivals in order to live forever. Bo involved a type of salvation by works, and so would be called weak and beggarly elements. C. The weak and beggarly elements are e animal sacrifices, and e Levitical priesood. The were weak because ey could not make him who performed e service perfect in regard to e conscience. Christ was e perfect sacrifice, and He is now our High Priest and He CAN make us perfect in heart and conscience, rough His indwelling spirit (Heb 9:14). D. Many wish to include e 7 Day Sabba in e ritual, prophetic LORD s Feasts. I see several differences. First: The command to keep e Sabba holy was written on stone, wi e oer nine commandments. The Feast commands were not. Second: The Feasts were not celebrated in e wilderness. They were to be celebrated when you come into e land. The Sabba was kept for forty years, in e wilderness and continued into e land. Third: The LORD said, These are e feasts of e LORD... besides e Sabbas of e LORD. (Lev 23:37-38). Here clearly e prophetic Feasts were in addition to, or besides e 7 Day Sabba at e heart of e Ten Commandment covenant. E. The apostle Paul refers to e law in two ways. Paul seems to be for e law and against it at e same time. This is most confusing to some. In Colossians 2:14, e handwriting of requirements is wiped out, while in Romans 3:31, he explains at justification by fai in Jesus Christ does not overrow e law but establishes it. In Romans 7:6, he states at now we are discharged from e law, while a few verses later he writes at e law is holy, and e commandment is holy and just and good (7:12). In Romans 10:4, Paul writes at Christ is e end of e law, while in 8:3-4, he explains at Christ came in e likeness of sinful flesh... in order at e just requirements of e law might be fulfilled in us. Paul maintains in Romans 3:28 at a man is justified by fai apart from works of e law, yet in 1Corinians 7:19, he states at neier circumcision counts for anying nor uncircumcision, but keeping e commandments of God. In 2Corinians 3:7 Paul designates e law as e dispensation of dea, while in Romans 3:2, he views it as part of e oracles of God entrusted to e Jews. How can Paul view e law bo as abolished and established, unnecessary and necessary? The answer is to be found in e context. When Paul speaks of e law in e context of salvation, he clearly states at law-keeping is useless. If justification were rough e law, en Christ died to no purpose (Galatians 2:21). When he speaks of e law in e context of Christian moral conduct, he maintains e value and validity of God s law. In fact, Christ came, in order at e just requirements of e law might be fulfilled in us rough e working of His Holy Spirit. While Paul said at e law was abolished as a meod of earning salvation, he upheld e law as a standard of Christian conduct. Let me just say at we at Aggelia do not keep e law in order to be saved. We do our best to keep God s commandments because we believe at we have been saved, and are being saved, rough e grace of Christ. This includes e 4 commandment to keep e 7 day Sabba. 13. BUT I M A NEW COVENANT CHRISTIAN. I M NOT BOUND BY THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW. Most folks who tell me ey are New Covenant Christians, don t know what e New Covenant says. They do not know e terms of e New Covenant. It is found in Ezekiel 36:24-27, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 8:10. Note e context. The New Covenant is made wi e whole house of Israel (which includes believing grafted in Gentiles) AFTER ey have been returned to e land. God promises to write His law on eir hearts, so at ey will keep it forever. The only covenant law which God has made wi Israel IS e Ten Commandment Law. This is e law which He promises to write on e heart. And is law includes e 7 Day Sabba commandment. When Jesus said is is e new covenant in my blood He meant at His dea would bring about e deliverance of His people, eir return to e land, and e everlasting covenant of peace whereby God writes His law on our hearts. The prophet John wrote, concerning e last hours of time: I looked and behold, e temple of e tabernacle of e testimony in heaven was opened (Revelation 15:5, 8; 11:15). The testimony around which e Tabernacle, and e Temple of heaven were built IS e Ten Commandment Law. It was placed inside e Ark of e Covenant. The early was a copy of e heavenly. Writing of ose who have e victory over e Beast and his image John says, Here are ose who keep e commandments of God and e fai of Jesus. (Rev. 14:12). The Dragon makes war wi ose who keep e commands of God and have e testimony of Jesus Christ. (Rev. 12:17). Blessed are ose who do His commandments, at ey may have e right to e tree of life, and may enter rough e gates into e city (Rev. 22:14). [Remember - Jesus gave e 10 Commandments from Mt Sinai.] 9 A.B.M.A.Y.

10 14. THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL DID NOT MENTION SABBATH KEEPING AS A REQUIREMENT FOR GENTILE BELIEVERS. Therefore I judge at we should not trouble ose from among e Gentiles who are turning to God, but at we write to em to abstain from ings polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from ings strangled, and from blood. For Moses has had roughout many generations ose who preach him in every city, being read in e synagogues every Sabba. Stealing, murder, disrespect for parents, bearing false witness, and taking God s name in vain, were not mentioned eier. This doesn t mean ose ings are acceptable behavior for believers. The Jerusalem council listed ose ings which would prevent Gentiles from keeping company wi e people of God. Idol worship, sexual rituals, blood sacrifices which included e drinking of blood - all ere were a part of pagan worship. If a Gentile would give up ese practices, en he could come to any synagogue to learn about e true God and His law. The appeal is made to Moses (meaning e first five books of e Bible) who is read in e synagogue every Sabba. It is assumed at e Gentile believers will be in attendance every Sabba, to hear such reading. Along wi e history of God s people, ey will learn about e 10 Commandments, e prophetic festivals, e heal laws, and all e oer ings relevant to eir new relationship wi e true God. Peter admonished e Jerusalem council not to put a yoke on e neck of e Gentile converts which neier our faers nor we were able to bear (Acts 15:10). What was is yoke? If e yoke refers to e 10 Commandments, en we must say at God put a yoke upon His own people which ey were not able to bear. If however, e yoke refers to e man made concept of righteousness by works of e law en Peter is telling e council not to preach righteousness by works. This agrees completely wi Paul. 15. WHAT ABOUT EPHESIANS 2:14? For He Himself is our peace, who has made bo one (at is Jew and Gentile), and has broken down e middle wall of division between us, having abolished in His flesh e enmity, at is, e law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from e two, us making peace, and at He might reconcile em bo to God in one body rough e cross, ereby putting to dea e enmity. In Ephesians 2, Paul is speaking about e separation of Jew and Gentile. You know, Peter said, how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company wi or go to one of anoer nation (Acts 10:28). Now, in Christ, ey were to call no man unclean. The laws dictating e separation of Jew and Gentile were abolished. 16. NO ONE IS TO JUDGE ANOTHER REGARDING A SABBATH (COLOSSIANS 2:13-17). And you (Gentiles), being dead in your trespasses and e uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive togeer wi Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out e handwriting of requirements at was against us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken it out of e way, having nailed it to e cross.... Therefore let no one judge you in food (grain offerings) or drink (offerings), or regarding a festival or a new moon, or sabbas, which are a shadow of ings to come, but e substance is of Christ. (See also Hebrews 9:10.) [NOTE: Food itself was not a symbol of ings to come. The passage is not addressing dietary laws. The food and drink refer to e offering of grain and wine, called meat offering and drink offering, which were made wi every animal sacrifice.] First: The Feasts of e LORD were Sabbas. No servile work was to be done on e first and last day of e Feast of Unleavened Bread, on e Pentecost, on e Feast of Trumpets, on e Day of Atonement, or on e first and 8 day of e Feast of Tabernacles. (Lev. chapter 23, and Num. chapters 28 and 29) Concerning e Day of Atonement e Lord said, It shall be unto you a sabba of rest and It shall be a sabba of rest unto you (Lev 16:29, 31). So Paul s instruction concerning sabbas, which are a shadow of ings to come could refer to e prophetic Feast days besides e Sabbat of e Lord - e 7 Day Sabba. (Lev 23:38). Paul could be understood to say let no one judge you regarding (wheer or not you keep) a festival... or sabbas. On e oer hand, he could be understood to say let no one judge you regarding (e way in which you keep) a festival... or sabbas. The meaning is not absolutely clear. Since Paul himself appears to have kept e festivals, (at least Passover and Pentecost) I believe e second interpretation is e most likely. 10 A.B.M.A.Y.

11 The Christians partook of bread and wine at Passover, raer an of a sacrificial lamb. They did not bring animals for sacrifice on any festival day. They may not have appeared at e Temple in Jerusalem, at e festival times, believing at Christ now ministered in heaven (e true tabernacle) not made wi hands. Gentile converts were not circumcised - an absolute requirement for inclusion in e Passover during e Old Covenant period. What is e handwriting of requirements at was against us? Some say at is refers to all of e ceremonial laws along wi e 7 day Sabba. A more accurate translation of handwriting of ordinances which were against us is e certificate of indebtedness. Those under e Old Covenant were in debt to keep e whole law. They were under a curse, because e law said at anyone who did not keep all of e law would be cursed. In oer words - e record of our transgressions of e law, has been nailed to e cross. We have been forgiven. Therefore: we do not need e old remedy. We have a new remedy - e dea of Jesus. His dea has paid e penalty for our transgressions of e law. We do not need to bring animal sacrifices. 17. DOESN T THE WRITER OF HEBREWS SAY THAT THE LAW HAS BEEN CHANGED? For e priesood being changed, of necessity ere is also a change of e law (HEBREWS 7:12). In place of animal sacrifices we now have Christ - e Lamb of God (Hebrews 10:4, 9-10). In place of e Levitical priesood we now have e Melchizidek Priesood wi Christ our High Priest, who ministers in heaven - e true tabernacle (Hebrews 8:1-2). The new covenant has made e old covenant obsolete (Hebrews 8:13, 10:9). Three ings are specifically said to be changed in religious practice - e sacrifice, e priesood, and e Temple. Nowhere does e text say at e Ten Commandments were changed or abolished. The law which was changed, was received on e basis of e Levitical priesood (Hebrews 7:11). The 7 day was hallowed at creation, long before a Levitical priesood existed. In fact, e Ten Commandments were spoken from Mt. Sinai before e Levites were appointed as e priesood (Exodus 20). The law which was changed concerned ose sacrifices which were carried out in association wi e Sanctuary (or Temple). No priesood is necessary in order to keep e 7 day holy. 18. OUR CHURCH HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND I HAVE THE SPIRIT TO GUIDE ME. HE WOULD NOT LEAD ME WRONG. JOHN 16:13 JOHN 17:17 PSALM ll9:142 JOHN 14:26 when He, e Spirit of tru, has come, He will guide you into all tru. Thy word is tru. Thy Law is tru. (e Holy Spirit) He shall teach you all ings, and bring all ings to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. The Holy Spirit will not teach anying at Christ did not teach, or did not say. 1 JOHN 4:l Believe not every spirit, but test e spirits, wheer ey are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into e world. ISAIAH 8:20 To e law and to e testimony: if ey speak not according to is word, it is because ere is no light in em. DANIEL 7:25 The Antichrist power will ink to change time law. The only commandment at involves time is e Sabba commandment. 2 CORINTHIANS ll:14 Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 19. HASN'T THE CALENDAR BEEN CHANGED SO MANY TIMES THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL WHICH DAY IS THE SEVENTH DAY? Modern astronomers will tell you very quickly at no time has been lost in e last 3000 years, at e very least. The manna fell for forty years. It fell on e six days of e week and did not fall on e Sabba, us reestablishing e weekly cycle (EX 16). There was no question in Christ's mind as to which day was e seven, and no days have been lost since e time of Christ. 11 A.B.M.A.Y.

12 One calendar change which is frequently questioned was e Gregorian Calendar, accepted in l752. It skipped 11 days, from Sept 2 ru Sept 14, but it did not break e order of e days. Sept 2 was a Wed. and Sept 14 a Thursday. 20. SO LONG AS I KEEP NINE OUT OF THE TEN ISN'T THAT ENOUGH? JAMES 2:10 For whoever shall keep e whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. LUKE 13:3 Speaking of sinners bo great and small. Except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. If we know at someing is right but we resist it, en we are really resisting God, and Christ Jesus. This is e spirit of sin, selfishness, and rebellion. God cannot take is spirit into His kingdom. If we are careless wi e Sabba, we are really saying to oers at is commandment isn't important. We are acting as if God just made up someing to irritate us and to be a burden. We are implying at God is arbitrary, which is just what Lucifer said in e beginning. To be careless wi e Sabba and ereby encourage oers to be so, is to impugn e character of God. This makes it a very serious, in fact e worst of sins. In Eden ere were two trees. In ear's last days ere are two days. We must choose whom we will serve. God has said at e Sabba is a sign between Himself and His people. The Sabba commandment gives e Title of e Ruler, The Territory over which he rules, and e Name of e Ruler: The Lord your God, Creator of e heavens and e ear. These are e elements needed to create an ancient seal. The remnant of Revelation 7, who have e seal of God, are also described in Revelation 12:17 as keeping e commandments of God. The 4 commandment was never excluded. HOW TO KEEP THE SABBATH HOLY LEVITICUS 23:32 MARK 16:1,2 The Sabba begins at sunset on Friday. The Sabba is over when e first day of e week beings at sunset on Saturday. EXODUS 20:8-11 Refrain from work. Even in harvest time and planting time, refrain from work. (EX 34:21) ISAIAH 58:13 Refrain from doing your own pleasure, at is secular entertainment, or activities which would call e mind away from spiritual ings. On e Sabba we renew our relationship wi our God, and wi fellow believers. NEHEMIAH 13:15-21 Refrain from buying and selling on e Sabba. LUKE 4:16 MATTHEW 12:9-14 LUKE 4:31 LUKE 14:l Worship wi oers. (Leviticus 23:1 holy convocation means sacred assembly ) Do works of mercy, relieving pain and suffering. Share wi oers a knowledge of God. Enjoy Christian fellowship for e purpose of discussing spiritual ings and for praying togeer. 12 A.B.M.A.Y.