The Bible Sabbath

Why is the Bible Sabbath Important?
Part 2

Sabbath, Holy Days Focal Points of Messiah's Ministry

It is likely that the so-called "Sermon on the Mount," Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7, was given on a Sabbath, when Jesus escaped the multitudes and went up to a mountain with His disciples. Some few of the multitude followed Him up to the mountain, and were "astonished at His doctrine," Matthew 7:28. The rest would not travel a Sabbath day's journey and stayed behind.

There is no time break in the story flow into Matthew 8, where Jesus went into Capernaum and healed Peter's wife's mother, verses 14-15. At the end of the Sabbath, at evening, many brought to Him demoniacs to be healed, because they felt it wrong to heal on the Sabbath. Mark 1:21-34 records the same event, and clearly shows it was on a Sabbath when Jesus entered into the synagogue in Capernaum and taught with such authority that the people were "astonished at His doctrine," verse 22. Also in verses 30-31, Mark records the healing of Peter's wife's mother. Finally, verse 32 records the deluge of people coming to be healed at even, at sunset as the Sabbath was ended.

Thus, the Sermon on the Mount, the heart and core of the New Testament gospel, was given on the Sabbath! The Messiah magnified the Sabbath and all of His laws. Later, He was to die on the annual Passover, and found His New Testament Church on the annual Holy Day of the Feast of Pentecost. Jesus' 3-1/2 year ministry ended on an annual Passover. There are six months between Passover and the fall Feast of Tabernacles. Therefore, the Savior's ministry must have begun around the Fall festival season!

We would be surprised to know just how many times in the Bible great and important events occurred on the weekly Sabbath or on one of the annual Sabbaths or Holy Days.

The Gospel of John, written late in the First Century, is centered around the Sabbaths and Holy Days that occurred during the Savior's ministry. This is unique, considering that some people think the Sabbath is done away! Writing some 60 years after the events transpired, the Apostle John remembered the major events of the Messiah in relation to the Sabbaths and Holy Days.

John 2:13-3:21 describes events at Jerusalem during the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. John 4:35 alludes to Pentecost, which is four months before the fall harvest. Verse 45 shows that the Galileans had seen Jesus at the previous Feast.

John 5:1-47 describes Jesus' healing during a Sabbath at a Feast in Jerusalem, probably the Fall Feast. Chapter 6 shows another Passover Feast. In line with the meaning of the spring Holy Days, Jesus said He is the bread of life, verse 35. In verses 53-58, Jesus says you must symbolically eat His flesh and drink His blood or you have no life in you.

John chapters 7-10 cover events surrounding another Fall Feast of Tabernacles, with verses 37-39 giving the famous Last Great Day message of living waters. In chapter 9, on a Sabbath right afterwards, Jesus heals a man born blind. In John 10:22, Jesus taught in the Temple during the winter Feast of Dedication.

Finally, the third and last Passover of Jesus' ministry is covered from John 11:55 through chapter 19. Wavesheaf Sunday is given new meaning in chapter 20.

Thus, we have seen that the Sabbath and Holy Days were the very focal point of the Messiah's ministry. These days remain the center of the true believer's life. The Sabbath is mentioned sixty times in the New Testament, and never is there any hint it was abolished or done away!

The Sabbath is Made for Man

Matthew 12:1-8 At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn; and His disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto Him, Behold, Thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day. But He said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is One greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.

Mark 2:23-28 And it came to pass, that He went through the corn fields on the Sabbath day; and His disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto Him, Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful? And He said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? 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.

Do you obey the Lord of the Sabbath?

Pray That Our Fleeing Is Not on the Sabbath

Matthew 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day:

VII. Apostles and Gentile Christians Kept the Sabbath

Paul preached to both Jews and Gentiles on the Sabbath at Antioch:

Acts 13:13-16, 42-44 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience . . . . And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabus: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

Acts 16:13 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 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.

It was Paul's custom to keep the Sabbath, as it was the Messiah's, Luke 4:16, 31.

Acts 18:4, 11 And [at Corinth] he [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks . . . . And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Paul worked on a job six days a week, then observed the Sabbath day resting and preaching. Paul commanded Gentile Christians at Corinth to follow him exactly as he followed Christ, I Corinthians 11:1. He commanded the Philippians to do likewise, Philippians 3:17.

VIII. Sabbath Will Be Kept in the Millennium

Isaiah 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.

The Sabbath is closely linked with the New Moon as a regular time of worship. See also II Kings 4:23, Hosea 2:11, Amos 8:5, Isaiah 1:13-14.

Ezekiel 44:15, 23-24 But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near to Me to minister unto Me, and they shall stand before Me to offer unto Me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God . . . . And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to My judgments: and they shall keep My laws and My statutes in all Mine assemblies; and they shall hallow My Sabbaths.

Isaiah 11:9-10 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and His rest shall be glorious.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

Hebrews 4:1-11 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it . . . . For we which have believed do enter into rest . . . . For He spake in a certain place of the seventh 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 [of ancient Israel, verses 2, 6].

The Sabbath pictures the restful 1000-year Millennium, the Messianic Kingdom on this earth. Resting from our daily labors on the Creator's Holy Sabbath pictures our glorious future as spirit-born Sons in the Family of God. Sabbath-keeping pictures "rest" from our struggles against sin, which the Eternal promises to give His obedient children.

God has a seven thousand-year Master Time Plan, II Peter 3:8 (one day = 1,000 prophetic years):

God's Master Time Plan

IX. The Sabbath Is a Sign of God's People

Exodus 31:12-17 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 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. 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. 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. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 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.

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.

The way we "show" to God the Sabbath is a "sign" is to do what He says on that day: rest from our physical labors.

Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest [Greek sabbatismos, "keeping of a Sabbath"] to the people of God.

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Keeping, or not keeping, God's Sabbath Days reveals an attitude! By keeping them, we demonstrate a childlike, simple, faithful obedience and a willingness to forsake our thoughts and to learn to develop Godlike character. "Sabbath-keeping plainly is a test of our attitude to reveal whether we really want to obey and depend on God and receive His Holy Spirit!"

"If you worship God every Sabbath by praying to Him and studying His Word and its application in your life, and put it into DAILY PRACTICE during the week, then you will have God's Sabbath 'sign' in the true and saving sense. You will be PREPARING to enter God's Kingdom as a priest and ruler! (Revelation 5:10).

Romans 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.

Ancient Israel never did become the holy nation, the model nation for others that the Almighty intended them to be. Today, spirit-begotten New Testament believers are spiritual Israelites, Abraham's "seed." They are set apart for the Almighty's holy use. The Old Covenant Israelites refused to rest on the Holy Sabbath, Ezekiel 20 and Hebrews 4. With the Holy Spirit, we can keep the Sabbath and exercise the faith they lacked. Faith to step out in obedience to the Master is the key to Sabbath-keeping, and a true Christian life. The older generation of Israel who rebelled against God in the wilderness did not enter the promised land because of unbelief or lack of faith, Hebrews 3:19. Faith is the key element and without faith, we will not enter the millennial kingdom. It takes faith to keep the Sabbath and conquer our carnal human nature. We need to boldly ask the Almighty for faith to obey Him, Hebrews 4:14-16.

X. The Bible Does Not Authorize Sunday-Keeping
Eight Uses of Term, "First Day of the Week"

Matthew 28:1 In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Mark 16:1-9 And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: He is risen; He is not here: behold the place where they laid Him. But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you. And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils.

Luke 23:53-56, 24:1 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with Him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how His body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Acts 20:7-13 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. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted. And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.

I Corinthians 16:1-4 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 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. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

None of the above references to the first day of the week indicate that Sunday is a day of worship. After the crucifixion, holy women rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. The disciples assembled on the Sunday after the crucifixion for fear of the Jews, not for worship. Paul walked across a peninsula on the first day of the week. He asked the Corinthians to gather up food to send to Jerusalem on the first day of the week, a normal workday.

"Lord's Day" Does Not Refer to Sunday

Revelation 1:1, 7-10 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John . . . Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.

In Old Testament prophecy, the term "Day of the Lord" refers to the prophetic time of the return of the Messiah as conquering king and world ruler. "Lord's Day" is the same as saying "Day of the Lord." John, in Revelation, was referring to the Day of the Lord, not the first day of the week. Mark 2:28 says that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is the only "Lord's Day."

Jesus Was Not Resurrected on Sunday Morning

Matthew 12:38-40 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

You cannot count three days and three nights from Friday evening to Sunday morning. Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday, the Passover of 31 A.D., placed in the tomb just before sundown, and was in the grave until His resurrection near sundown Saturday evening, 72 hours later.

Pentecost is Not on Sunday

Leviticus 23:15-16 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord.

A supposed Sunday resurrection and a supposed Sunday Pentecost are the two pillars of evidence Sunday-keepers use to justify keeping the first day of the week holy. Both are false ideas. Pentecost, or Feast of Weeks, is on a Monday.

"Difficult" Scriptures Don't Do Away With Sabbath

Colossians 2:14-17 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the New Moon, or of the Sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

In the last sentence above, "is" is in italics in the KJV, showing that it is not part of the original Greek. Let the body of Christ, the Church, do the judging. Don't let the world judge you and say you are wrong in keeping the Holy Days, New Moons, or Sabbaths. Rather than do away with the Sabbath, these verses show that Gentile Colossians were admonished to let nothing dissuade them from faithfully keeping the times God has ordained.

Galatians 4:8-11 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

The days, months, times and years referred to here are not God's special times. Some Gentile Galatians were returning to the pagan times they had observed prior to becoming Christians. Paul was warning them not to do this.

Romans 14:5-6 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.

This passage does not refer to the Sabbath, but to times of eating or not eating, i.e., fast days.

Sunday Worship is Pagan Sun Worship

Ezekiel 8:15-18 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 altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke Me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.

Deuteronomy 4:19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

Deuteronomy 17:2-5 If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

Job 31:26-28 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

Jeremiah 8:2 And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.

II Kings 23:5 And he [Josiah] put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.