Jewish Sabbath Day

I remember when.

I remember when I started wondering about the Jewish Sabbath Day.

I remember when I started wondering if this was something I should recognize.

I remember when I asked my Senior Pastor about the Sabbath.

His response? I should not be studying with Seventh Day Adventist.

It’s unclear to me how he came to think I was studying with Adventist. After all, I could have been studying with Messianic Jewish. Seventh Day Adventist people are not the only one’s that recognize Saturday as the Sabbath Day.

Jewish Sabbath Time

And so I asked him again.

This time he pointed me to

Colossians 2:16
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

First, I was not “judging.”

Second, if you do research on the above verse you will find that it is not talking about the seventh day Sabbath but rather other Sabbath’s like the Jewish Sabbath year or Jewish Sabbath time, which is an entirely different conversation.

Ten Commandments Sabbath

Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Even when I show people this verse above I often hear them say.

But how can you tell when the seventh day is? Hasn’t the calendar been changed?
Simply put, yes. But the day itself has never been changed from the beginning of time. Take a look at most any calendar and you will find even today that Saturday is clearly identified as the seventh day.

There is an exception in this calendar concept, which comes from the newer structure that the European system is attempting to get put into place, which will make Sunday the seventh day instead.

Wait.

Wasn’t it from within the European nations that Constantine, who changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday originated? Interesting how things work together through time.

Christian Sabbath Day

So when a Christian tells you that worshiping on Saturday as the Sabbath is for the Jewish. Seventh Day Adventist are thus off base with their thinking.
Ask them a simple question.

“Show Me”

Directly, and specifically, from God’s Word have them prove their claim. I’m so convinced of what the Bible says that I would be more than willing to pay anyone that is able to do this $1000. To date, I’ve never once had to let go of a single red cent. This in and of itself should be very telling to anyone that is truly wanting to follow what God’s Word says about Sabbath keeping and the Jewish Sabbath Day.

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Sabbath Day New Testament

Perhaps you’ve heard about the Sabbath Day New Testament style? It’s been changed they say.

Has it?

It’s always best to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture rather than some other leading authority that claims to have all the answers. As such, the question becomes, does Scripture have an answer for the Sabbath Day Truth?

The Sabbath Day Truth

I’ve had this following verse quoted to me many times.

Mark 2:27
Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

I completely agree with this verse. However, where does this verse then say that we are free to change the Sabbath day simply because it was created for us? While I can’t find that I do find verses that say

Daniel 7:25
He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

When in these debates I will often be handed this Scripture at some point.

Matthew 12:8
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Again I agree. However, does it say anywhere that Jesus changed the Sabbath? Not that I can see. Yes, He does remove it from being a burden but never once suggests that it is therefore not necessary to follow what has been established.

Actually, Jesus says quite the opposite about this point.

John 14:15
If you love me, you will obey what I command.

This is often where I am reminded that the ten commandments (Sabbath included) were nailed to the cross on Calvary.

Really?

Exodus 20:6
but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Do the math. A generation is about 20 years. We haven’t even gotten close to 1000 generations yet which leaves intact the Sabbath Day bible principal just as it has always been.

Especially when you add this following verse to the equation of the Sabbath day truth.

Revelation 12:17
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

We all agree that we have an adversary. What we often don’t see is the two points He uses to determine if we need to be opposed. We are quick to cling to the “testimony of Jesus” in most situations but what about obeying God’s commandments?

Bottom line: Sabbath Day New Testament style only compliments what has been written previously rather than replacing or changing it in any way.

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The Sabbath Day Truth

When I was young I remember talking about the Sabbath with a friend. As Sunday keepers we concluded that the Sabbath Day truth was a ritual meant for another people at another time.

Years later I meant a friend that challenged me to show her that I was right with my conclusions about the Sabbath. Her simple words were “show me.”

Given that by this point I had been through Bible school and served as a pastor this seemed like a challenge I could not refuse. What I found along this journey was quite interesting and worth sharing with others who are looking for the truth of the Sabbath Day.

Ten Commandments Sabbath

My first defense was to rally to the new laws of Jesus. After all, the Old Testament ways are a thing of the past today, why should we pay them any attention. Even Jesus made this clear

Matthew 22:36
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

A direct question deserves a direct answer.

Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

What a great answer from Jesus this was. He is clearly pointing at two laws not given previously. At first, this looks like an excellent defense for my position of Sunday keeping until I read the rest of the story

Matthew 22:40
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Whoops?

What did He mean by all “the Law” and all “the Prophets?”

All “the Prophets” would refer to what had been declared in the past. All “the Law” would include the 10 commandments including the fourth, which directly identifies the seventh day Sabbath.

Okay, so we are talking about the Old Testament, but what are we saying about it?

“hang on these two commandments”

That would mean that everything that had been written before was built on a foundation of love. The first four commandments show us how to love God and the last six demonstrate loving humanity.

Fact is; the whole idea of the seventh day Sabbath was an act of love.

Wait!

Wasn’t it a Jewish law?

What does that have to do with love?

Genesis 2:2-3
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Ahhh, so God did give the Jews the ten commandments. Sabbath keeping was part of those ten commandments. But the origination of a seventh day Sabbath came long before any Jew was even alive. Therefore, the Sabbath day truth is that the creation of Sabbath just as all the other ten commandments was an act of love from God rather than being a legalistic dogma handed down from the Jewish culture.


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