The fourth commandment speaks of the specific WHEN or TIME question.

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1 Subject: Commandment #7 Title: Fourth Commandment - Remember the Sabbath Day Text: Exodus 20:8-11 Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 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: 11 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. Introduction (Explanation of the Title - Ten Rules that Won t Get You to Heaven) In the previous message, we said that the: * 1st Commandmnet answers the WHO? * 2nd Commandment answers the HOW? * 3rd Commandment answers the QUALITY of worship? The fourth commandment speaks of the specific WHEN or TIME question. The Westminster Catechism tells us that the First Commandment has respect to the object of worship; the Second commandment has respect to the means of worship; the Third Commandment has respect to the manner of worship; and the Fourth Commandment unto the time of worship. The Fourth Commandment is probably the most misunderstood and controversial of the Ten Commandments. There are several different views on its meaning and practice. Here are some: 1. The Old Testament seventh day Jewish sabbath beginning at 6:00 pm, concluding 6:00 pm, evening and morning. 2. The seventh day Christian observation of 7th Day Adventism, etc. 3. Recognition of the Christian Sabbath, Roman Catholic Church and Reformed Theology. A first day sabbath. Called the Lord s Day. 4. A Romans 14:5,6 Christian observance, esteeming a day(s) of your choice. 5. I will go to church if I can fit it into my schedule.

2 Let us give some Bible background to help us understand the controversy and meaning. * Genesis 2:3 - God rested in the seventh day. It is not called a sabbath here. * There is no record of anyone being commanded to keep the sabbath in Genesis. There is no record of anyone keeping the sabbath in Genesis, except God, and He is still keeping it! * However, the first time the word sabbath occurs in the Bible is in Exodus 16:23-29, which implies strongly that a sabbath was recognized prior to the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. (Repeated in Deuteronomy 5) Exodus 16:23 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. 24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. 25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. 27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. 28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. * The Sabbath is referenced in Exodus 31:14-16; 35:2-3; Leviticus 16, 23-25; Numbers 15, 28; Deuteronomy 5, etc. * Nehemiah 9:14-15 state that God made known His holy sabbath to Israel, referencing the wilderness wandering experiences. * Question - Were the Gentiles commanded to keep the Sabbath? Is there any record of them keeping or acknowledging the Sabbath? It could only be implied. * Based on Nehemiah 9, Exodus 16, 32, Ezekiel 20:12, 20, some conclude that the Fourth Commandment was given exclusively and specifically to Israel as a sign between Jehovah and Israel, and that it is not a binding moral commandment for the Gentile.

3 Ezekiel 20:12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. Ezekiel 20:20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God. * It is not uncommon for many Christians to dismiss the importance of a Sabbath observance on this point and relegate the Fourth Commandment to the ceremonial law and the other nine to the moral law. In other words, the Fourth Commandment is not binding on Christians today. Now there is some New Testament evidence to this effect, i.e., all nine of the other commandments are repeated somewhere in the Epistles, but the Sabbath requirement is not. That may serve to reinforce the argument that the Sabbath observance, the Fourth Commandment, was specifically given to Israel. * There are other considerations. There were other sabbaths in the Old Testament that were observed that were not seventh day sabbaths. Leviticus 19:3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 26:2 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. Leviticus 23:7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. * The Hebrews actually observed 59 sabbaths each year, not 52. There were 7th year sabbaths and jubilees! * Some other complications: Exodus 31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

4 Exodus 35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. Numbers 28:9 And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: 10 This is the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. * The Old Testament commandments concerning sabbath(s) observance was somewhat complicated and more comprehensive than even most Sabbatarians recognize. * What about the Sabbath in the New Testament? We have spoken of the fulfulling of the Law in Christ. We are not under Law but Grace - the law of the Spirit of life in Christ (Romans 8:2). There is no New Testament command to Keep the Sabbath - it could only be inferred from other texts. - There are 60 New Testament references to the sabbath - 50 are in the four Gospels, 9 in the Book of Acts and 1 in Colossians. - Matthew 12 is a good example containing 8 of the 50 Gospel references. - The vast majority of sabbath references have to do with Christ debating with the religious leaders about what could and could not be done on the Sabbath, and His authority over the Sabbath. None of these references are direct comands to keep the Sabbath - Christ was fulfilling the sabbath requirement for Jews. - In the Book of Acts, eight of the nine references have to do with Paul or others taking advantage of the Jewish Sabbath observance to preach to the Jews. The other one is merely a reference point (Acts 1:12, a sabbath day s journey ). - There is no command for believers to keep the Jewish Sabbath. Paul never commanded it. - There is only one Sabbath reference in the Pauline epistles: Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: * What about a Christian Sabbath? What I mean by this is that some believe the obligatory 7th day sabbath observance for Israel was moved to the first day of the week in the New Testament for the Christian. Evidence?

5 1. The law was fulfilled in Christ. 2. The sabbath was a sign to Israel. 3. God rested from His creative works on the 7th day from His creative works. 4. New Testament Christians are never commanded to keep the sabbath. 5. They met and celebrated the first day in recognition of the resurrection of Christ and the beginning of the Church on Pentecost - the 50th day, which is a first day celebration. Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. * The Reformers on the Christian Sabbath (Westminster Catechism 1674) 1. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath? From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath; and the first day of the week, ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian Sabbath. 2. How is the Sabbath to be sanctified? The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employements and recreations as are lawful on other days; and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God s worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy. 3. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment? The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omission, or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which is in itself sinful; or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works, about our worldly employments or recreations. - This is the way that the reformers viewed the holiness of the first day Christian Sabbath. * Is this the moral expectation placed upon the New Testament Church? Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

6 Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. * There are several ways that all of this can be viewed. Allow me to choose one to bring me to my conclusion. - If God instituted the Sabbath in Genesis 2:3. - It was then reiterated or referenced in Exodus 16 and was assumed to be in force all along for Jew and Gentile. - It was then included in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and is morally binding on Jew and Gentile alike. - It was a special sign to Israel. - It was practiced through the birth, life and death of Jesus as morally binding on all. - But was changed at the inception of the Church based on the Resurrection and Pentecost. It became a Christian Sabbath (maybe a first day?). - Yet, said to be celebrated based upon a person s preference (Colossiands 2:16; Romans 14:5-6). What are we to do? How can we keep the Sabbath, if it is binding, in some form? Let s try to understand what the commandment means and see if we can draw a personal, valid, and practical application. * Assuming that I am not bound to keep the 7th day Jewish sabbath. * Assuming that I am not under first day obligatory worship and sabbath observice. * Assuming that I have the Romans 14 option of any day or days...what does the fourth commandment mean? What truths can I learn from Exodus 20:8-11? 1. Remember the sabbath day (the seventh) 2. Keep it holy (separate, highly esteemed, reverenced) 3. Work six, rest the seventh. 4. The seventh is to be dedicated to the Lord - worship, God s service, etc. 5. Don t do any work (exceptions necessary works and works of mercy and ministry. 6. Everybody 7. Based upoon God s example in Genesis 2:3. 6

7 Does God still require Christians to do all of the above sometime, someday? Are we exempt from keeping a sabbath? Do we dedicate a specific 24 hour period of time to worship, God s service and ministry, physical rest? If we defer to Romans 14 sabbath observing, the passage does not give the liberty to choose not to keep a sabbath, it says that you can choose a day, a whole day. Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. Which day have you chosen? How do you observe the sabbath? 1. Old Testament Jewish 7th day, evening and morning. 2. New Testament 7th day Baptist, Adventist. 3. Christian Sabbath - 1st day, Sunday. 4. Romans 14:5-6 - a day(s) of my choosing. 5. I will go to church is I can fit it into my schedule. I am not convinced that I must keep a 1st Day, Sunday, Christian Sabbath obligatorially. However, the elements spoken of in Exodus 20:8-11 should be honored some day, a day after six days of labor. Remember...keep it holy...of the Lord thy God...the Lord blessed the sabbath day. Are we guilty of profaning it???? 7

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