Sabbath

There is really not much debate over when the Sabbath is, in the minds of most church attendees, kingdom hall members, or Muslim sects today. The issue more often comes to be whether or not we should observe the Sabbath.

Genesis 2:1-3 “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. 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.”

The truth is that most of our lives we have not been subject to God and his plan for mankind, we have been more of what would be called “loose cannons” doing as we please. More often than not, many of us refuse to be subject to what has been commanded to mankind by God. We often tend to justify our own self indulgence or selfish motives. When many are introduced to the Sabbath they tend to think of the appeal of the world, the “weekend” is finally here, which party to attend, the malls have a huge sale etc. and attempt to exhaust every effort to get free of what they deem a burden. Not being subject to what thus saith the Lord, we as humans generally assume the behavior of disobedience. As we learn the commandments of the Creator (the same commandments which will one day govern the entire world, -Isaiah 66:22-23-) we also learn that they are not grievous nor burdensome as Apostle Paul spoke of in Romans 7:12, see also 1st John 5:3.

Another aspect in which we should consider is what is written in the book of Relevation 12:9 “…that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world…” See the Bible is pretty clear about many things, the Sabbath being one of the chief ones. However it doesn’t say that the Devil deceived 1/4 of the world, nor 1/2 the world, but the whole world. Until we begin to read and study for ourselves, we will continue to be mislead by what the Devil has caused the world to believe, and that is that God does not require you to keep the Sabbath. The following are a few questions and answers for review:

Which day is the Sabbath?

“The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God….” Exodus 20:10.

“And when the Sabbath was past,…very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre.” Mark 16:1,2.

The Sabbath is not the first day of the week (Sunday), as many believe, but the seventh day (Saturday).

Notice from the above Scripture that the Sabbath is the day that comes just before the first day of the week.

Was the Sabbath day changed?

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God.“ Deuteronomy 4:2.

“Every word of God is pure…. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Proverbs 30:5, 6.

God has specifically and positively forbidden men to change His law by deletions or additions. To tamper with God’s holy law in any way is one of the most fearful and dangerous things a person can do. God’s law is good and a blessing.

“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” Romans 7:12

“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James 1:25

Jesus said “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:18-19

Biblically there is absolutely no justification of the change of the Sabbath, however there is another entity that wishes to sit in the seat of authority of God. Who is this? The prince of the Air, that same old serpent that we spoke of, the Dragon, or the Devil. Just as there are those who represent good, peace and righteousness, there are those who work under the authority of evil, and represent evil.

Notice what Daniel wrote of this “little horn”

Daniel 7:25 “And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High: and he shall think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand…“

This entity that was manifest through the Cathlolic Church, thought to change times, and laws. Notice the research of these “Great words against the Most High”:

“We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (a.d. 336), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.” The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine,” by Peter Geiermann, C. SS. R. page 50 third edition.”

You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures endorse the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify.” – Cardinal Gibbons, in “The Faith of Our Fathers” edition 1892, page 111

“The earliest recognition of the observances of Sunday as a legal duty is a constitution of Constantine in 321 A.D., enacting that all courts of justice, inhabitants of towns, and workshops were to be at rest on Sunday (venerabili die Solis) with an exception in favor of those engaged in agricultural labor.” – Encyclopedia Britannica, ninth edition, article “Sunday”.

What would Jesus do?

In John 15:10 Jesus said “I have kept my father’s commandments” and we can also find from scripture that Jesus attended church on the Sabbath day.

“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.” Luke 4:16

What did the Apostles do?

“And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.” Acts 17:2.

“Paul and his company … went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.” Acts 13:13, 14.

“And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.” Acts 16:13.

“And he [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.” Acts 18:4.

In fact most of the compelling argument is in favor of the Sabbath being kept. Now we all should understand that their are some areas that appear gray in the New Testament however, we must remember what was spoke of in Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I change not…” we are dealing with an eternal being who does not change, does not make mistakes, and means exactly what he says.