Strong emphasis has been made by various theologians and infact several believers on this topic. Some dare say that grace has misdirected many of the true part God has chosen us to follow. Strangely, many have eventually went back to the "Self interpreted concept of Scriptural instructions and ideologies"
Strong misconception has hit the body concerning the "Sabbath day" and if we're to keep it or not and I will address this shortly according as scripture spoke.
SCRIPTURAL EMPHASIS
Exodus 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.
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.
According to the Law of God as brought by "Moses" the Prophet, God commanded that the Israelites "Keep the Sabbath"
Keep there means to Observe the Sabbath. The bible went further in explaining how the Sabbath was to be Kept according to the same Exodus 31
in verse fifteen. Read;
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.
the Major Scriptural instruction for observing the Sabbath was "Not to work on the day of Sabbath, instead you were supposed to be RESTING" (Exodus 20:8-11) as God also rested himself after working six days Genesis 2:2 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. .
3 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.
But before we be in a haste to Shout Yes!! see? I told you so. Let's carefully study the Scripture especially the Eye witness accounts and the Epistles.
Watch and take note of these terms used In relation to the Sabbath
A: No work, B: Rest, C: Sanctify you.
Now What's the Hebrew word for Sabbath? shabbat (Hebrew inscription - ???????) Meaning : to stop, to cease, or to keep. Its theological meaning is rooted in God's rest therefore Scripturally it is "REST" So adding day to it means ",Rest day or Rest time or Rest Period"
The Sabbath day was a Sign or an agreement between him and the Israelites.. It was a day that the Lord chose for himself to "Sanctify" them
Look here - for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. (KJV)
NOW IN NLT, it was explained using simple English. Read; Exodus 31:13 "Tell the people of Israel to keep my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and you forever. "It helps you to remember that I am the Lord, who makes you holy."
Hence, The purpose of the Sabbath was to simply remind them that they were separated by the Lord therefore according to his nature, making them holy. The implication of that Statement was that the Fact that God himself chose them "MADE THEM HOLY" not because they did anything in the actual sense. God was pointing them to his personality of Grace even in the midst of the Law. The Sabbath was to put their minds in subjection to God, bringing them to a point we're they could understand that it was only he that could make them and has made them Holy. This Law was to make them feel somewhat some sense of contribution basically because of their ignorance, when in fact, they were actually not doing anything in God's perception.
What does the Epistles have to say regarding the Law of which the Sabbath was included?
Colossians 2:16 So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.
Colossians 2:17 For these rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ himself.
the Scripture called the "Keeping of The Sabbath, A Shadow of the Real thing, which is Christ. More interestingly, there was a Reason for such law according as Paul explained.
Galatians 3:23 Until faith in Christ was shown to us as the way of becoming right with God, we were guarded by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until we could put our faith in the coming Savior.
Galatians 3:24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian and teacher to lead us until Christ came. So now, through faith in Christ, we are made right with God.
"""Until faith in Christ was SHOWN to us""" This statement explains alot the Word Shown is properly put as "Clearly Revealed or Properly Seen" Meaning that it was always there but the then Israelites were not just seeing it. They hadn't really understood what "REST" Meant. They never really understood Faith, They were trying to "WORK" everything out with God.
Jesus Christ made a Very profound statement in his life time.
Read this;
(NLT) Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
KJV Said "O ye that Labour"
Jesus meant that it was him that could give rest and that the only way to get that rest was to come to him. This was exactly what God did in Exodus which the Israelites weren't able to catch.
Jesus also Revealed something in the same Law that alot of people have refused to pay attention to.
please read,
Matthew 12:5 And haven't you ever read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath?
Matthew 12:6 I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple!
Matthew 12:7 But you would not have condemned those who aren't guilty if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to be merciful; I don't want your sacrifices.'
Matthew 12:8 For I, the Son of Man, am master even of the Sabbath."
he revealed that the priests on duty we're to work on the same Sabbath that was supposed to be a day of REST for all. If the Rest was so much a Tradition why should the priest be working instead of resting? Moreso, God wasn't even interested in all the Sacrifices from the onset as of which were associated to the Sabbath and in general. Jesus Christ was Master or Lord of the Sabbath therefore, he could so choose what to do with it meaning he could choose to work or to rest!!
How could we them come to him then?
Coming to him simply means Believing by Faith, in him. John 6:35
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.
the Come there refers to Believe
meaning that The actual Rest God was talking about from the onset was Salvation not A Natural Rest, Rest that saved you and put you in a part were everything that made God, God was deposited inside of you Freely without you having to Work for it.
The Sabbath Is A Person Not a Day
The Sabbath Is Christ... Sabbath is a Gift to us in-Christ. we don't work for it we just receive it by Faith.
Why it is FAITH is so that you may know that there's nothing you can do to earn it and that It is only God that can give it to you...
Hope you got this Clearly?
Written by
Pastor Christian-Cyril
(THE SABBATH)
Copyright © 2021
