Sabbath Thoughts 04

You'll hear even knowledgeable Bible students and teachers say: "We keep Sunday as the Sabbath because Jesus was resurrected from the dead on the first day of the week." I think most of the knowledgeable people who claim this really do mean it, and probably some Sundays they actually do think about Jesus and His resurrection, and it does appear to be a special day to them, not that they keep the Sabbath in any Biblical way, but they do follow the freedom about pick-and-choose creativity in spirituality as suggested in the Book of Romans:

One man esteemeth one day

above another: another

esteemeth every day alike. Let

every man be fully persuaded

in his own mind. 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.

Romans 14:5-6

Notice, this passage is not talking about the holy Sabbath of Yahweh, which He clearly delineates throughout scripture as a day holy unto Him, a day that He hallowed and enjoined us to "remember," a day that MUST be set apart from the other six days of the week, by all people, throughout time (outside of time, actually, as the Sabbath existed in heaven before earth was created, and will exist in heaven and the New Earth even after the Millenium). God blessed the Sabbath, He hallowed it, He set it apart -- BEFORE sin entered the world!

However, this passage CAN refer to the first day of the week, Sunday. Note, the verse is not specifically talking about Sunday, or any of the other five days of the week -- the Ten Commandments, specifically the Fourth, commands that all people keep Saturday as special, and work on Sunday through Friday, yes WORK is actually a part of the Sabbath commandment, and not just rest. You cannot REST on the seventh day if you haven't been working the other six days. And you cannot rest on the first day of the week and claim you have rested on the Seventh day.

But back to the Resurrection and "Sunday specialness" (or even "sacredness," as many Sunday worshippers imply, demand and roar) -- if the Resurrection in some way makes "Sunday" special (note, the Bible in no place states this, nor even hints at this "doctrine" of men) then the death of Christ would undoubtedly make Friday even more sacred than Sunday, as Christ's death is what makes atonement for us, not His resurrection. Christ's resurrection brings us the hope of our own resurrection (Acts 24:15, 1 Corinthians 15:12-18, concluding with Verse 19: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable") not our salvation itself. God gave His only begotten Son that man might LIVE.

You do hear a lot about why people should go to church on Sunday, despite the absence of any such doctrine in the Bible, yet you do not hear anyone preach the perpetual specialness, holiness of the day Friday, the day on which Jesus died (some say Wednesday and yet even they do not preach a sacred Wednesday); think about it, it is only logical. If Sunday is holy because Jesus rose from the dead, then Friday is special because He died on that day, and Saturday gains extra "holiness" and credibility as the Sabbath because it is the day that Jesus rested in death for mankind.

Do you keep a perpetual "Holy Friday?" If you are one of those that employ the logic that Sunday is special because of what occured on that day, then it should only make sense to pay equal attention to the day Friday.

You have to be careful employing the traditions of men, because God doesn't give them much attention, let alone declare them holy. Jesus spent much of His three years of ministry denouncing the commandments made by holy men, commandments that surely sprung from the proper intentions. You have to see the truth in this fact, that commandments and traditions designed by people, people with pure hearts and filled with the Holy Spirit, are not the same as the commandments of God. There is nothing in the Bible to suggest that people can "speak holiness," in other words "create" holiness, only God has that right and power.

Think about it. You are afraid to follow God's way because of what people will think. What in the world would they think if you actually made the commitment to obey God? They'd think you were crazy! They'd say that the "Sabbath is for the Jews, not you!" They'd say you were putting yourself "under the law," they'd say you didn't really love Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, if you actually OBEY Him, keep His words.

But give God a chance. Try it. Obey Him. This coming Friday night, try it. Trust God at His Word. You don't have to tell anyone about it. It can be between you and God. True Worship is about YOU and GOD, not about other people. Ask God to reveal His Sabbath Truths to you, ask Him to give you His special Sabbath blessings. Tell Him you want to ride upon the high places, that you want Him to give you the desires of your heart, that you want to rest in Him and be replenished, strengthened. That you want Him. You want to draw closer to Him, desperately, you want MORE of Him.

See if you don't notice a deep difference between the Sabbath and all the other days of the week, including Sunday. The Sabbath is different. God said it was so. God made it so! The Sabbath is special and it is part of your responsibility and blessing to make it special. God even asks you to be creative in keeping His holy Sabbath day special.

Why wouldn't you want MORE from God when He has already given it to you? Why WOULD you want to reject ANY gift from Him? The Bible is clear, it is already your special day, made for you -- open your eyes and enjoy it.

More than enjoyment.

DELIGHT in God's holy Sabbath. Open the door of your heart, and allow the Lord of the Sabbath to enter you, and sup with you, Him and His Father. Our Father.

Sabbath Thought #5

Will the Sabbath Become

and Issue in the End Times?

If ye then,

being evil,

know how

to give

good gifts

unto your

children,

how much

more shall

your Father

which is in

heaven give

good things

to them that

ask him?

Matthew 7:11

God gives us good gifts, He gave us the Sabbath, do you believe Him? Or is the Sabbath a day of dread, instead?

The Sabbath is our gift from God, the first gift in the Garden of Eden!

Do not err,

my beloved

brethren.

Every good

gift and

every

perfect gift

is from above,

and cometh

down from

the Father

of lights, with

whom is no

variableness,

neither shadow

of turning. Of

His own will

begat he us

with the Word

of Truth, that

we should be

a kind of

firstfruits

of His

creatures.

James 1:16-18

Make no mistake about it, God's Sabbath day, a gift to us, is a perfect gift, from the Father of lights, Who does not change, doesn't even hint at turning or changing!

The New Covenant:

For this is the

covenant that I

will make with

the house of

Israel after

those days,

saith the Lord;

I will put my

Laws into their

mind, and write

them in their

hearts:

and I will be to

them a God,

and they shall be

to me a people:

Hebrews 8:10

Are you a part of

the New Covenant?

Has God written

His laws, including

the Fourth Commandment,

in your heart? DId

He put His Sabbath

in your mind?

SABBATH THOUGHTS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21

Sabbath Resources

For the

Son of

man is

Lord

even

of the

Sabbath

day.

Matthew 12:8

Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. Do you believe it? It is His own holy day, it is the Lord's day, the Seventh Day, blessed by God at the creation of the world!

And He said

unto them,

"The Sabbath

was made

for man, and

not man for

the Sabbath:

Therefore the

Son of man

is Lord also

of the Sabbath."

Mark 2:27-28

This is Jesus speaking about Himself. Do you believe Him? Did He really make His own holy day a gift for all mankind? Or do you prefer the "traditions of the elders?"