The Sabbath

The first time that we see the Sabbath mentioned is in Genesis 2:2-3.

"And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made. 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."

Notice that it says He "blessed and sanctified" the seventh day. Sanctified means set aside for Holy use. At creation God set aside a certain day, for a man to rest from his earthly duties devote time to Holy things.

How do we know which day is the original Sabbath day?

After being in bondage, the Jews knew little of the Almighty. It is interesting that one of the first things that He taught them was about keeping the seventh day Sabbath Holy.

This lesson is described in Exodus chapter 16:

For food the Lord sent manna. The Israelites could gather "an omar for every man . . ." If they gathered more than they needed and tried to save it for morning, "it bred worms and stank." On the sixth day however, they were to gather "twice as much bread." This they could bake up and it would keep. Speaking of the manna, Moses informed them thus, "Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none."

The Jews have kept the Sabbath all throughout history from that time, thus eliminating the possibility of which day is the Holy Sabbath day!

In many languages, such as Spanish, the name for the seventh day is Sabado which means Sabbath!.

What did New Testament Christians do regarding the Sabbath? Paul kept the Sabbath: "And Paul, as his manner was, went unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures." (Acts 17:2) It is obvious that the Gentiles of the early Christian Church kept the seventh day Sabbath. (See also Acts 13:42, 44 & 18:4) Also, it is well to keep in mind that once a Jew has accepted Christ, he is a Christian (Romans 2:28,29). 1 John 2:3 & 4. Remember, "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly . . . But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly." Romans 2:28, 29. Paul was a Christian and kept the seventh day Sabbath because God commanded it to be kept.

1 John 2:3 & 4 reads, "And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him." Jesus the Christ admonishes us thusly: "If you love Me, keep My commandments." John 14:15.

In Hebrews as Paul talks of the Sabbath, he is warning them against disregarding or "lightly esteeming" it. Hebrews 4:4-11: " For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."  

When you consider the many faiths opposed to keeping the seventh day Sabbath, remember these texts in Ezekiel chapter 8. "Then he brought me to the door of the Lord's house which was to the North; and, behold there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the alter, were about five and twenty men, with their backs to-ward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the East; and they worshiped the sun toward the East."  Eze 8:14-16.

Throughout history, God has had His people keep the memorial to His creative powers; alas, they were seduced over and over again by the various cults of sun worship. How can we even consider that God would want us to keep the day on which the heathen worshiped as His Holy Day ? ? ?

It is amazing that people would take part in the practice of worship on Sunday as a replacement for His Holy Day ! ! !

Read Mark 7:7-9: "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men . . . Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."

Now read Exodus 31:16-17. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed. This is the only commandment which was altered by the Roman Empire and caused to be enforced by the Roman Catholic Church! In Daniel 7:25 we read about the beast and the little horn [political government of the church] rising up, which was to think to change times and laws.

It was Constantine, Emperor of the Roman Empire, not a pope, who made Sunday the official so-called "Christian day of rest." But it was enforced - people were forced to accept it universally - by the Church! The local council of Laodicia, about A.D. 363, passed this decree: Christians must not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, resting rather on Sunday. But, if any be found to Judaizing, let them be declared anathema [an heretic] from Christ.

 Lyle C. Hildebrand